Who Had a Better Night Kobe or Lebron?
Dumb:
Although he did it against the Knicks, Kobe’s 61 points is nothing to sneeze at. 1st of all, it was the most points scored at Madison Square Garden EVER. More than Jordan’s double-nickel in ‘95 and more than LeBron’s 2 nights after.
2nd, Kobe scored the 61 pts on 31 shot attempts. He shot better than 61% from the field (19-31) and a perfect 20-of-20 from the free throw line. All this with a recently dislocated finger and the torn tendon in his pinkie he still needs surgery on. But the main reason Kobe’s night was better than LeBron’s is the statement it sent. Two days prior, in Memphis, the Lakers championship aspirations took a major blow to the knee, with Kobe himself playing the role of Gillooly. When Kobe fell backwards and sent Andrew Bynum to the floor grabbing his knee, all of LA fell silent and Kobe shook his head in disgust. The day of the Knicks game, the Lakers found out that Bynum would be out 8-12 weeks. Kobe put the team on his shoulders and put up a ridiculous 61 points in only 37 minutes. Now, when people in New York talk about the number 61, they don’t instantly think of Roger Maris.
Kobe’s 61 sent a statement: He is the Black Mamba, the deadliest, most feared creature on the court.
Dumber:
Basketball isn’t my forte, but I’m going with Lebron - even though they both played the Knicks (my hometown squad and an utter embarrassment to MSG - I literally can’t even dribble but I could probably put up 10 or 15 against them). Anyway, a 52 pt. triple-double is the most points for a trip-dub since 1976. Also, while scoring 61 points is incredible, Kobe probably has a better supporting cast, putting more weight on LeBron’s shoulders. Let’s be realistic here: It’s all about the Jordan comparison, right?. Twenty years from now, I think we’ll say LeBron was better than Kobe - he’s younger, stronger, and in my opinion has a better attitude and more upside potential. Kobe, to his credit, has that uncanny competitive streak that I don’t see in Lebron, and he knows how to win championships. All said, I don’t think either will ever do more for the sport of basketball than Jordan did, nor do I think either will ever be a part of anything as special as the 90’s Bulls.
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February 19, 2009 No Comments
