OS NBA2k9 Match Up: Kobe V LeBron - SBartlett's Blog

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OS NBA2k9 Match Up: Kobe V LeBron

Posted on February 8, 2009 at 02:26 PM.

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LeBron “The King” James. Kobe Bryant -The Black Mamba. Who is the best basketball player on the planet today?

Using NBA2k9’s Living Rosters on the X box 360, I will break down LeBron and Kobe’s updated ratings at the halfway point in the season. I will also compare their statistics, all-around game, and ultimately crown the true king of hoops as of February 1st, 2009.

Kobe Bryant #24 SG Los Angeles Lakers (99 Overall)
2009 Season: 26.4 PPG; 5.2 APG; 35% 3P %

I had the fortunate opportunity of witnessing Kobe Bryant play NBA Basketball from the second row in the T.D. Bank North Garden last Thanksgiving in 2007 against Boston. When I say witness, I mean I was witness to a defiance of physics and gravity every time Kobe decided to shoot the j. It’s unreal. Kobe rises up, hangs in mid-air for a second until the defender passes bye, and then releases his shot. I have come to the conclusion that he is in the Matrix – it’s truly a phenomenal sight to see. The levitation was surreal.

Kobe’s arsenal of offensive weapons is unmatched. His ball-handling (94) allows him to get anywhere on the court so he can create any shot he wants at anytime. Although his shooting percentage is down this year, he still has a smooth outside jumper (80 3PT Rating) with a fluid release. Kobe is also a nice passer (74) for a 6’6’’ shooting guard because of his overall basketball I.Q. (99 Off. AWR).

Kobe Bryant can lock up almost any guard on Earth when he wants to (94 Def). All this means is he will have to exert less energy on the offensive end. He is long, active, agile, and smart. Intelligence on the court should not be underestimated. Anticipation and effort is what defense is all about. I think Kobe has the edge here over ‘Bron ‘Bron just through more experience. We have yet to see that type of tenacity out of LeBron on a more consistent basis.

Kobe needs to develop an unstoppable post game (87 Mid Range) like Jordan did to find more dominance later on as he ages. If he does this, I think Kobe can legitimately win another championship with Phil Jackson. He has the skills to master that fadeaway to the same level as Jordan’s.

Kobe also knows when he has the green light on offense – usually in the crunch time. He picks his spots to assert himself. That’s when he makes his money. He is an assassin.

LeBron #23 SF Cleveland Cavaliers (99 Overall)
2009: 27.9 PPG; 7.2 RPG; 6.8 APG

LeBron’s 6’8’’ stature as a passing guard with great ball control (96) can qualify him as a point guard, but he does like to mix it up in the paint (Close 99). The Association hasn’t seen a player with his height, speed (91), and passing ability (89) since Penny Hardaway.

LeBron is also highly comparable to Magic Johnson with his court vision (99 Off Awareness). What separated Penny Hardaway and Magic Johnson to me was their ability to thread the needle – the gift to make a pass when there is no passing lane existing. Essentially, they possessed a vision to see a lane where nobody else saw it. This is a testament to their knowledge and feel for the game. LeBron has shown signs of these skills and he will only get better. Scary.

What separates LeBron? Try getting in his way when he drives the lane to jam. The world has never seen a basketball player with the skills LeBron holds to attack the basket. His ability to drive and score can only be described as a force of nature with his liftoff and “no regard for human life.“ One can describe his phsyical gifts comparable to the likes of the Blue Beast from X-Men.

The King’s outside game still not deadly by any means (77 3PT Rating). It is mildly effective at best. It has improved and I expect him to add it as a real threat throughout the next few years of his career.

LeBron plays passing lanes well so he can get out and smash on his opponents when defending the bucket. He is opportunistic to get blocks from behind. Is he a ball and chain lock down defender? Not really at all, no. Does he have the skills and smarts to be. Yes, it just takes effort. I believe he will add this to his game in the next year – possibly by playoff time. He has shown a much bigger commitment to defense this year than we have seen in the past.

Stats

LeBron is the King of the Association boasting a 31.60 Player Efficiency Rating. What are Player Efficiency Ratings? It is exactly what it says – it’s a measurement of a player’s efficiency through a combination of statistics. Check out the full explanation here: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...ohn&id=2850240

To put this in perspective, Chris Paul is on pace to put up the best PER in history of any point guard at 30.13 this season – and LeBron is still ahead of CP3.

Kobe’s PER is at 24.37. I attribute some of this to his torn ligament in his pinky, and his dislocated ring finger. Both are on his shooting hand. This naturally has brought his shooting percentages down.

Also, the 42.4 club was created by Bill Simmons to measure playoff performances. It combines playoffs points, rebounds and assists. MJ hit the mark of 42.4 eight times. Jordan's 48.5 in 1989 are the highest marks ever. Kobe has reached this mark three times in his playoff career, and LeBron two.

My ChoiceSo who goes the hardest?

Kobe has been fortunate to play with Shaq which undoubtedly lead to the rings in his possession. For this reason, I cannot use this as leverage to defend Kobe’s greatness over LeBron’s. So for the sake of this article, I throw the three rings aside.

After winning and MVP award that I believe should’ve gone to KG of the Celtics last year, Kobe and LeBron will fight to the end of the season for the award. What Kobe is doing this year is pure will-power to play 82 games with a messed up shooting hand. Not to discount LeBron’s play this year either. He has been out of this world with an injured supporting cast. The second half the season should be thoroughly entertaining.

When it comes down to it, Kobe’s competitive nature mirrors Jordan’s as much as anyone who has played the game since His Airness left. (You young ones keep in mind Jordan was arguably the most competitive athlete the world has ever witnessed.)

The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith can attest to that statement; not only did Jordan punch his teamate Will Purdue in the face in practice because of a pick Purdue set on him, he also was quoted many times stating that he didn’t trust the mentality and even the overall skills of his teammates.

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so. Kobe drove Shaq out of L.A. If you dispute that, read The Last Season by Phil Jackson. Kobe chews out teammates, butts head with ownership and threatens them until they make moves (Jordan would also try these same tactics in the 1991 season). It’s a part of his makeup; it’s in his D.N.A. He cannot accept losing and it is also part of what makes him great.

Just like Jordan before him, Kobe is an assassin and this is what sets him apart from LeBron at this point in their respective careers. The similarities of Kobe and Jordan, from their game to their personality, are so powerful that I can only think we have yet to see the best from Kobe. His drive and heart dropped 81 on the Raptors. His grit and composure took on the Spaniards head-to-head on the world's biggest stage - and Bryant delivered us the Gold. Then Tuesday night; 61 in Madison Square Garden Monday night to send a message to the Association that L.A. is still coming for the number one spot. The man's just got it.
These classic Kobe moments ascertain him as the number one baller in the world.