This is the third and final chapter of the "
Lebron vs. The World" series. For those video gamers out there, this is the part of those one-player adventure/shooter/RPG games in which you go through a stretch of impossibly tough bosses and obstacles, without the opportunity of saving your progress. Each opponent will test Lebron's metal as a basketball player, and will force him to use every facet of his ability to claim victory. Has he done enough
training in the pool to successfully make it through without a loss? The first opponent awaits after the random picture...
Rudy Gay: 6'8", 222 lbs.If there's one thing that somewhat hinders Lebron's offensive onslaughts, it's a defender that's long and athletic. Until this point, only Tracy McGrady has possessed both traits; and even though that score didn't show it, he has given Lebron the toughest game thus far. Enter Rudy Gay,
Baltimore Clinton, Maryland, native and rising star in the Association. Gay has all the tools to give Lebron all he can handle in a one-on-one game. Like his fellow Marylander, Carmelo Anthony, he can flat out score the basketball. The problem is that he, also like 'Melo, plays absolutely no defense, and would provide little resistance for Lebron's forays to the rim. Unfortunately for him, the rules are, "make it, take it," so Lebron would continue to get the ball after each bucket. Rudy would get his, and if he tried, could bother Lebron with his length and athleticism. I'm just not banking on it being enough for the win. Lebron advances. At least the NBA didn't
ban his last name for fear of flack from a certain sexual orientation group...
Final score: Lebron 11, Rudy 8
Vince Carter: 6'6", 220 lbs.There was a time when Vinsanity would have been the final opponent for Lebron. For the early part of this millenium, he was widely considered to be among the NBA's elite swingmen, if not the best. And then there's
this. I don't need to tell you what that is because you should already know (nice draft pick, Knicks Front Office). Personally, I never bought into the hype, mainly because I felt his flash outweighed his overall substance. Needless to say, those times where he was mentioned in the elite class have come and gone; and Vince is merely a lazy shell of his
former, Air Canada self. So why does he make a cameo on the final chapter of Lebron's saga? Well, as previously stated in Rudy
Homosexual's Gay's paragraph, length and athleticism can bother even the best offensive players. If Vince felt like doing it, he could be a pretty good defender. Would seeing The Prodigy get Vince's competitive juices flowing enough that he actually cared on defense? I say yes, but to a degree. This is a slight digression, but I don't think Vince plays lazily because he's not competitive. I just think that he, like a lot of players (and people, for that matter), got by on his raw talent for so long that no one made him account for the weaknesses in his game. With that said, Lebron would destroy Vince in the post, and that would be enough to give him the victory. Final score; Lebron 11, Vince 9.
Joe Johnson: 6'7", 235 lbs.Known as "The Reverend" to those in my circle of friends because of his peroidic baptismal of others in NBA 2k8, Joe Johnson is Lebron's third opponent on this final tier of players. I'm partial to Joe Johnson because
I like the way he plays. He is in the top five of players I like, way ahead of The Mamba; but that list will be revealed soon enough. Johnson is a two-way player. He works best in an isolation-type offense, so the one-on-one game suits him fine. He also guards the opposing team's best offensive perimeter player in clutch times, assuming that Atlanta isn't being run out of the gym. Up until this point of this section of Lebron's journey, he would be The King's toughest challenge. He'd push Lebron into overtime; but despite more points scored, he wouldn't be as tough an adversary as T-Mac. Lebron's overall ability would eventually get him past The Reverend. Preach.
Final score: Lebron 13, Joe Johnson 11.
Kevin Garnett: 6'11", 220 lbs.Initially, some of you may disagree with KG's involvement in Lebron's journey, citing that he's a big man. However, Garnett is
the epitome of versatility and isn't your traditional seven-footer (aside from like four people, who still is a traditional big man?). Few people remember that Kevin Garnett entered the Association as an extremely raw small forward, and developed into the other forward position because of his height and team need. KG could probably be a swingman if he so chose, and could perform admirably as one. Because of that, he is Lebron's next obstacle on the mountain of one-on-one. You can't teach height, and because KG is taller, Lebron can't bother his fadeaway on offense. And being a perennial NBA All-Defensive Team winner and this past season's Defensive P.O.Y., I think he knows a thing or two about stopping Lebron. Now he isn't quick enough to consistently keep Lebron in front of him, as Lebron can change direction quicker than most small guards, but there would be times that Lebron would find himself struggling to get clean looks at the basket. It wouldn't surprise me if he was losing early on in this game. Lebron would have to rely on every aspect of his physical being—quickness and core strength—to win. It would he long, seesaw battle between them; but Lebron, I believe, would somehow pull out a victory. Besides, he still has two more opponents. How lame would it be for him to lose here?
Final score; Lebron 18, KB 16.
Paul Pierce: 6'6", 235 lbs.The Truth has become
quite the fan of himself recently, and who could blame him? He's the reigning Finals MVP, and went toe-to-toe with both Lebron and The Mamba and outplayed each of them in those respective series.
His performance this past season has vaulted him into the "elite" category, and that's why he's the second-to-last opponent in Lebron's journey. However, while he is great, he probably doesn't crack the top ten on most people's "Best Player in the Association" lists—mine included. With that said, the man did look Lebron in the eye and defeated him in a seven-game series; despite Lebron putting on his cape in the final game. With his improvement on his man-to-man defense, he would be up to the task of trying to stop Lebron. However, I have this memory of Lebron dropping 45 points in said Game seven, with most of those coming against Pierce. Yes, they did go back-and-forth for the entire game, but the fact remains Lebron outpointed him. This is a game of one-on-one, and while The Truth would play tough, Lebron would eek out a victory.
Final score: Lebron 22, Pierce 20.
Kobe Bryant: 6'6", 205 lbs.We're finally here. This is the matchup that was envisioned at the conception of this ridiculous idea. Lebron vs. Kobe, and it's not a thorough explanation of the reason to have the comparison
like I did before. There'll actually be a winner and a reason for said winning. I've been mulling this idea around in my head for awhile now. I've examined every aspect of both Lebron and Kobe's games. I even let the computer play it out ten times on NBA 2k8's one-on-one feature. Each player won five times. Kobe, despite what Paul Pierce may think, is the best basketball player in the world. Lebron, also despite Pierce's opinion, is the second-best player in the world. But this is one-on-one, where it's more about the matchup than just pure skill. I maintain that these two have been blessed with the most natural talent that hoops has ever seen, including His Airness. The Mamba has completely polished his diamond-encrusted game to perfection. He truly has no weaknesses on the floor, so why even have the comparison? The reason is because Lebron's level of awesome is the only one that rivals Kobe's. I believe it even surpasses Kobe's based on the fact that he hasn't even reached his peak. It's really scary to think just how good Lebron will be once he's Kobe's age...in six years. As far as the present, Lebron and Kobe would probably play the most exciting, competitive one-on-one game that could be arranged at this time. It's obvious that 11 points isn't enough to decide a victor; and most of the points would show the very definition of basketball. With the array of drives, jumpers, and post moves on display, one could make an instructional video on how to score. Kobe does have one distinct advantage over Lebron, and that is he plays the defense. He and Ron Artest are probably the only two people on Earth that could force Lebron into a bad offensive game. So, with all these factors in place, it's still tough for me to pick a winner. Does Lebron complete his three-post journey and walk away with a win? Or does The Mamba claim victory with his assassin-like precision? If they played one hundred games, Lebron would definitely win his share, almost to the point where they'd be considered equals. However, in a one-game scenario, there isn't one current player in the Association that I would bet on to win before Kobe Dean Bryant. And with that, he defeats Lebron in the most remarkable game of one-on-one this side of Jordan vs. Jordan.
Final score: Kobe 39, Lebron 37.
And with that, Lebron's epic saga is complete. Losing to Kobe isn't so bad. Eventually, Lebron will be the gold standard for swingmen in the Association; but for now, The Mamba still reigns supreme. As always, debate in the comment box. Maybe this time I'll actually have some in there
instead of the Facebook import.
Peace.
This is just the latest in the sequence of events as the Knicks continue to spiral downward as a franchise. I wanted to find the moment in time that triggered, or at least signaled, the beginning of this state of turmoil. That is where 10/1/2000 becomes relevant. That was the day of the gold medal basketball game at the Sydney Olympics between USA and France. Team USA won 83-73, but everyone remembers what the French media called "le dunk de la mort," which means, "the dunk of death.*" Vince hurdled Weis, and Weis—whom the Knicks drafted before Ron Artest—was never heard from again. Because of this train of thought, the question that obviously formulates is: What if it didn't happen? What if Weis was able to come to the NBA and at least be serviceable? I have a theory...
If Weis, who was 22 at the time he was drafted in 1999, would have been somewhat productive as a big man, then there may not have been a need to trade lottery picks for Eddy Curry. There'd be no reason to sign Jerome James to a $30 million contract. Instead of drafting Channing Frye in 2005, that pick could've been Danny Granger; therefore, the Knicks wouldn't need to sign/trade for Jared Jeffries and Tim Thomas at the small forward position. The pick that the Knicks wouldn't have given up to Chicago would most likely have turned into either Brandon Roy or Rudy Gay. The possiblities are nearly endless.
Frederic Weis, after one embarrassing moment in which the entire world saw it happen to you, chose not to face that shame in the NBA. As a result, the Knicks, at least that's what I'll believe, were sent into a state of turmoil of which they have yet to recover. If October 1, 2000, is just a normal day for Weis, most of the Knicks' woes probably don't occur. To put it simply, the Knicks would be in better shape for their future; and my theory doesn't even address whether or not Stephon Marbury is on the team. Maybe his contagious loser aura wouldn't affect the team as much as it has now. Nah, I doubt it. He's severly allergic to winning. Not even a pep talk from Lou Holtz can help the Knicks anymore...
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