Remove The Snake-Colored Glasses

The postseason has already started. And while this year's playoffs is adding to the evidence that point guard and not center is now Basketball's most important position, this post won't be about that. Actually, I'd like to spend a few words on an ever-growing hype I have. More after the random pic...

About six weeks into the regular season, it had become apparent to me that there is a new holder to the, "Best Basketball Player in the World" crown. I'm not changing my mind, nor am I going to restate any of the major points of why Lebron reigns supreme in this post. Just reread it. At the time, I was fine with those that held onto the idea that Kobe is still numero uno because The Mamba is still a devastating basketball Shogun. But if there's one rule that I have when debating sports (or anything) is that both parties must willing to hear the other side's arguments. In a perfect world, this would be the norm. But nope.

It seems that Lakers fans are having a tough time with the thought of Lebron or anyone being better at Basketball than their precious Mamba. I don't like to generalize, but every single LA supporter I've run into is the same way. I feel like Lakers fans are the NBA version of Patriots fans. It's not a stereotype, it's just based on the info that I've gathered since the turn of the year. I'm fine with respectful disagreements coupled with properly substantiated reasons and acceptance of opinions on the other side of the spectrum. However, the Laker fans that I've come across just can't seem to grasp this brand new concept. They can't see beyond Kobe's butterfly crown tattoo. Kobe fans, meet me after the random picture.

Look, I understand what you're going through. I know, you're not over it. It can be tough when something that has been so understood for so long come into question. But what you must realize is that Kobe being the best Basketballer was a temporary idea, and that it's shelf life has expired. What you fail to get is that when I and others say that Lebron is better, it does not mean that Kobe Bryant is terrible and overrated. Every sane hoops fan recognizes Kobe as the game's most cerebral and complete entity. Both of Kobe's fadewaways against Lebron this season are two of the best executed jumpers I've ever seen. Just because he isn't my overwhelmingly favorite player doesn't mean I relinquish my Basketball opinion for eternity. During my interactions with Kobe supporters, they seem to overlook Lebron's skill and use his physical imposition as a flaw. When this occurs, I begin to sense some distortion in the Laker fan, as if his precious Mamba's character has been insulted and he must defend his honor. I said Lebron was better; I didn't talk about Kobe's Mama.

So that is what it has come to. Showtime supporters need to check themselves just a little bit. All we are saying is that Kobe Bryant, in the rankings of people that play basketball worldwide, is #2. Until Lakers fans accept this, I can't talk about this topic anymore with them. I'll just direct them to the post. If you want to talk about Lebron/Kobe, you better like the T'Wolves or somebody. Laker fans, ya cut off.



Peace.

The Time Has Come...

Remember when I used Kobe and Lebron to outline the reasoning behind the need for sports comparisons? Well, if you click the hyperlink and scroll to the bottom, you will see a small footnote about what previously were my feelings on who was better. Ah, but the winds of change are in the air, and sooner than I expected. The King has risen to usurp the Mamba's dictatorship atop the NBA. He now claims his rightful place as the best player in the Association. And for you Kobe supporters, the arguments are explained after the random picture...

For the record, Kobe Bryant didn't do anything to relenquish his title. That means that he hasn't lost that proverbial step or had a noticeable decline in effectiveness. This is all about Lebron and his ability to be faker than the post-Airness master of fake that is Kobe Dean Bryant. I'm not saying Lebron is better because Kobe is worse; I'm saying he's better because he's better.

The argument that I hear the most (and the one I was making prior to this season) is that Kobe is the more "complete" basketball player. The flaw that most people make when using this is that they equate the ability to knock down perimeter jumpers with overall completeness. Kobe is a better shooter than Lebron, but Kobe is also a better shooter than both Magic and Jordan; yet those two are more complete than the Mamba. Kobe does play hard on both ends of the floor; but Lebron is a vastly better rebounder and passer. For rebounding, he averages 7-8 a game on a Cleveland team that is consistently one of the best in the league with Ilgauskas/Gooden or Ilgauskas/Big Ben/Varejao taking away most of those opportunities. And I don't think we need to discuss passing. I'm not talking about Lebron's pseudo-no-look passes, but rather his court vision. Passing is his natural basketball gift in the way that jump shooting is Larry Bird's gift. Yes, Kobe is an all-world on-the-ball defender, but Lebron's man-on-man defense is pretty good; and his help defense is superior to Kobe's.

Critics would ponder why Lebron has yet to have the perimeter stroke of Kobe's. Part of that is due to him not having college training (remember, Kobe wasn't exactly deadly from the perimeter in his early years, either). Most of it is attributed to his physical superiority to anyone in the Association. Lebron came into the NBA at 240+ pounds, and he's listed at 274 pounds currently. Whether or not you believe the exact number is up to you, but no one can deny that he has put on more muscle mass over the summer. To put 274 pounds in perspective, he weighs more than DeMarcus Ware, James Harrison, Joey Porter (FIX YO MOUF!), and John Abraham--your current NFL sack leaders. But what makes Lebron different from being Ron Artest is his speed and quickness. I think Lebron beats every NBA player in a race except a healthy Tony Parker and Devin Harris. Factor in those 274 pounds, and you have the most unstoppable force to the basket ever. But even with all that physicality, he still has obey the rules. He can't just go through bodies, so he requires the same ball handling deception every perimeter player needs to get to the rim, as well as the grace and body control to finish there. And don't argue about the liberal interpretation of the traveling call. All NBA players enjoy it.

Personally, I'm a fan of superstar players that make lesser players better and lead them to wins. In short, I want winners. Stephon Marbury does not fall into such a category. With that said, only Larry Hughes can confidently say that he's had a better career without Lebron than with him. Anderson Varejao, Delonte West, and Daniel Gibson each owe Lebron a cut of their checks for what he's been able to do for them. This intangible is a trait that Kobe doesn't possess. For his supernatural abilities, he couldn't manage to up the level of his surrounding cast pre-Pau trade. Granted, one of those players was Kwame Brown, but everyone else he had is a player that can be replaced with someone else that does the same thing. For example, Sasha Vujacic-type shooters off the bench exist throughout the league (Kyle Korver, for one). My only dwelling on the past is that Lebron took a ragtag team, albeit in a weaker East, to the second round and then Finals; while Kobe managed to be first-round dustups for the Suns. Because Lebron's initial thought process is to distribute, getting lesser players involved isn't greeted with resistance by the urge to get buckets. Kobe could only find that balance with another near all-star. While the addition of Moe Williams has been beneficial to Lebron, Lebron does more for him than what is reciprocated.


For the readers that side with Kobe, when you leave your comments, don't bring up things like "multi-time All-Defensive Team," or, "81 points in one game." Those things happened awhile ago and are career achievements. You see, I didn't bring Lebron's Game 5 performance for that same reason. Consider that Lebron's jumper isn't a weakness, but it isn't his first option. He's realized that he's a basketball speeding locomotive and can get into the paint to finish like Shaq or make plays to his teammates like Chris Paul at his whim. Lebron is better at what he does than Kobe is at what he does offensively. It's not by much, but there is a definite separation. Lebron for the win, despite his recent wack commercial. Kobe ain't got like he got it anymore. Let the debate commence.

Peace.

Lebron vs. The World III: The Quest For The Lemonade of Truth

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.

The Mamba vs. The King

     vs.       


After reading this article on FreeDarko, I decided I'd settle the debate once and for all. Kobe versus Lebron: Who ya got?

WAIT. If you think I'm going to really present my reasoning for this comparison, you must've forgotten what this blog is really about. I don't do a lot of sports analysis here at Fundamentally UnSound. I like to delve deeper into the why's, how's, theories, and philosophies that lie underneath the sports realm. So I'll talk about the argument itself; and why there'll never be a conclusion to this or any debates of its kind.



To summarize one of Krolik1157's points, professional athletes are deified. They allow us to witness things and events beyond life’s normalcy. Even pros themselves give their peers the same rarified reverence; so it’s a given for the, “fan” to do the same. However, because these demigods are fully human, the idea that a single person can perfectly dominate his or her field to the point that he or she is the universal truth is a ridiculous notion to me. Most people would acknowledge that Muhammad Ali is the greatest boxer of all time; but that’s my point. “Most” is not “all”; and “consensus” does not mean “everyone.” So, even though I believe with total conviction that Michael Jordan is the best basketball player ever; there’s someone, somewhere that doesn’t concur—to the point where their substantiations could possibly sway me to their position; or at least force me to, “agree to disagree.”



Different types of professional athletes appeal to different types of people. Some people prefer Kevin Garnett’s flash, flare, and unbridled emotion to Tim Duncan’s, well, winning. Like I said—using the last two sentences to stall and regain my train of thought—I’m going to show why it’s impossible for this debate to ever be 100% settled.



While sports allow us to observe the near-supernatural, it also tends to limit the length of time individuals sit atop the throne. For example, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal are the two most dominant basketball players since His Airness sank Utah in the 1998 Finals (man, I love that clip). Well, despite either Duncan or Shaq being in each NBA Finals (winning all but one title) since then—and being the main reason of their respective teams’ arrival there--they have three regular season MVPs between them. Dominance tends to become annoying, and everyone waits for the next revolution to come overthrow the ruler. This is why the Spurs continue to fly under that proverbial radar—and continue to accumulate the victories. This is why those who even remotely follow women’s college basketball forget how ridiculously impressive Courtney Paris’ record is. This disinterest with continuously great success comes with familiarity with the successful; but it also isn’t the only reason why Kobe versus Lebron will never be resolved…



In order for these kinds of debates to achieve timeless status, the two juxtaposed entities must either be radically similar; or radically different. The Kobe/Jordan debate is a product of the first qualification, while the Kobe/Lebron debate is product of the latter. On most occasions, the divisive line is drawn with racial ink/lead/chalk/paint/marker—which made it easy to compare Bird/Magic and Tiger/Nicklaus. With #24 versus #23, the debate is solely on their technique. It’s Kobe’s assassin-like precision against Lebron’s raw power. It’s Batman versus The Hulk. For you fans of third-person shooter video games, it’s Splinter Cell versus Grand Theft Auto. The reason for the intensity of the debaters is that we strive for finite answers—we want one of them to be universally number one. The reason it’ll never happen is that everyone’s math is different.



I’m not saying that there should be an understood, arithmetic truth. Intellectually sound debates are some of the best usages of social interaction. I’m saying that while you’re trying to convince that guy in the barbershop why Kobe’s better; there’s someone that can persuade you into becoming a true witness to Lebron.*




Peace,

Sun


*For the record, it’s Kobe…