I could not think of a better title for this post. I’ve been smiling non-stop all day thanks to the beautiful presents that the game of basketball gave me.
Kobe vs. LeBron delivered. And it delivered in such a way that immediately following the game I imagined this surreal conversation:
LeBron: “Hey Kobe wanna hear a knock-knock joke?”
Kobe: “Why not.”
LeBron: “Knock Knock”
Kobe: “Whose there?”
LeBron: “Gimme.”
Kobe: “Gimme who?”
LeBron: “Gimme that damn torch.”
Of course it’s not even Kobe’s torch to pass (MJ still has it lying around with his rings) but the debate is put to rest right now. I’ve never called Kobe the best player on the planet, but to those who have (*cough*COUP*cough*) you’re officially wrong. LeBron James is a better basketball player than Kobe Bryant.
And it’s not because of the fact that the Cavaliers won. It’s the way that LeBron outplayed Kobe. Here are the cold hard facts:
- Kobe Bryant did not score in the final 2:10 of the game. How many times as that happened? I wonder who was guarding him…
- LeBron scored 14 in the 4th. The last 6 for Cleveland in the fianl 1:15.
So not only did LeBron lock up Kobe in the clutch but he also made the big plays…AGAINST Kobe. I haven’t seen anyone do that to Kobe in a long time. LeBron bodied him to the basket in a manner that I hadn’t seen. (For the uneducated, “bodying” someone is when an offensive player drives to the basket and into their defender so hard that the defender has to stagger backwards. Shaq bodies everyone. It’s those ones that aren’t an offensive foul, instead you’ll end up shaking your head. You’ve seen it in a pickup game, the one where you’re calling for a switch before the guy even lays it up.) Anyways…he was blowing by him and finishing it was crazy. But the sequence that really sealed the whole “LeBron is better than Kobe” was the shot with 20 seconds left where LeBron stuck a fadeaway in Kobe’s grill. Not because he made the shot, but because he forced Kobe to back up. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Kobe back up on a defender.
Although I will give kudos to Kobe and LeBron for actually guarding each other the majority of the game. That’s old school right there. Not this new found BS where the superstars only guard each other for the last three minutes.
- Thank goodness the Blazers don’t have to see the Hawks anymore. Yikes. The win…all Brandon Roy. The defense he played on Joe Johnson with the game tied at 93 was just the definition of getting it done. The bench did a good job but all the love has to go to B-Roy. And would someone get Martell’s confidence back up. And explain to me Joel’s fluctuating minutes to me.
- Ill finishes around the league. First the Milwaukee/Washington game..I could not believe what I saw. YouTube it, watch SportsCenter, wait for the highlights to come on NBA.com are something. If you’re a basketball fan you need to see this. Every basketball coach will use this as an example of impossible comebacks, that ‘Anything can happen’. I can’t fully describe the sequence with words, it would be impossible.
- I’m not sure how much it would hurt to be a Nets fan right now. I’ll just go with a lot, kind of like being forced to watch 27 Dresses over and over. How on earth do you lose to Minnesota? I’ll tell you how…Al….Jefferson. 40 points. 19 rebounds. I don’t care who you play for those are beasty numbers right there. Send him to Nawlins.
- Chris Who? Andris Biedrins grabbed 26 rebounds against the Knicks tonight. Yes that skinny (omgWHITE) guy demolished Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph on the boards. I still think signing Webber is a mistake, last I checked Candace Parker can jump higher than him.
- Good news Sonics fans: Kevin Durant got to the line 10 times. WHOO! Bad news: another close loss (103-101 Kings) and Durant again more field goal attempts (20) than points (19). Yikes.
- Anyone else think its crazy that last year’s 4-5 matchup in the West is the 8-9 right now. And Houston still can’t beat Utah to save their lives.
Dear Chicago,
Today should have been the largest eye-opener that you need a low-post threat. Yes you have an abundance of big men but none of them are any good. How do I know? Because only one of them managed to put up double digits against Amare Stoudemire. And Brian Skinner only played 6 minutes. To let you know how I feel about Amare’s D, I would almost feel more comfortable having Becky Hammon guard the post than Amare. That says it all. Here’s the rundown of your bigs.
Joe Smith: 2/12, 4 pts, 6 rebs
Ben Wallace: 2/4, 4 pts, 7 rebs
Joakim Noah: 3/11, 6 pts, 8 rebs
Tyrus Thomas: 5/15, 10 pts, 11 rebs
Stare at this for days Mr. Paxson.
Love,
SJ