Before I get to my NBA Finals Prediction, please allow me to weigh in on the Lebron vs. Kobe debate that has flared up with Kobe going to the finals and Lebron planning his Free Agent Summit meetings. The Lebron James backlash is about as predictable as porn. The King wins the MVP but Los Angeles is going to the finals so the crown must belong to Mr. Bryant. People are chiming in with the whole: “Kobe is still the best player in the league” rhetoric.
He’s not.
Lebron James is the most talented player, the most important player to his team and is the best player in the NBA.
With his jump shot Kobe Bryant is deadlier late in games and he is the ultimate closer. That’s what separates the two players in the postseason. Teams can shut down (relatively) Lebron’s physical gifts over a playoff series. But Kobe’s jump shot? You can’t defend that. And in the playoffs, offense is all about what you can do in the Half Court. That’s what makes Kobe so special. But the reason everyone is jumping back on the Kobe bandwagon is this perceived notion that Kobe is a winner while Lebron is more concerned about being happy and marketing his brand.
This is an unfair indictment on Lebron and overlooks the plain fact that Kobe has a real team surrounding him while Lebron James has been given substandard help since he entered the league.
Remember Kobe has never won a Championship without an elite #2 player. Early on Kobe played second banana to Shaq (Won the Finals MVP every time) as Showtime captured three straight titles. Kobe won a title last year with Pau Gasol, a player perfectly suited for the Lakers and more specifically, for Kobe Bryant. Yes Gasol cannot rival early 2000’s Shaq, I would never say that. But think about Gasol for a moment. Here’s a guy who can score 25 any night he wants but is comfortable scoring 17 and taking 10 shots to get his points. Pau gets you double digit rebounds and provides good interior defense on a nightly basis. In other words he’s a star.
Who is the second best player in Cleveland? You can argue its Antwan Jameson, Moe Williams or probably, and more accurately, Anderson Varejao. The fact that those are our options should tell you all you need to know about the cross Lebron has to bear.
Now let’s look at the three years after Shaq left and before Gasol arrived:
Year One: The Lakers finished 34-48, missed the playoffs.
Year Two: Lakers get bounced in the first round of the playoffs despite leading the Phoenix Suns 3-1 in the series.
Year Three: Again Los Angeles is eliminated in the first round to the Suns.
I argue that the Cavaliers would have fared no better in the postseason if you switch LBJ with Kobe. In fact I am fairly sure that Kobe would have stabbed Moe Williams on the court during the playoffs and no one would have blamed him.
This is nothing against Kobe Bryant, who is playing one of the most amazing stretches of basketball that I have ever seen.
I’m just not going to buy that because the Lakers are going to the Finals it’s time we turn our back on Lebron, apologize to Kobe and pronounce him the King.