You can make a very good case that LeBron has had the GOAT peak, even above Jordan. Kobe isn't even close.
GOAT peak we start bringing all the big centers in. Shaq, Russell, Chamberlain, Hakeem, Kareem. Along with Jordan of course. Big men can just be so dominant on both sides of the ball.
Here's a question to all you Kobe diehards: Aside from the 81 point game, what was Kobe's defining moment or moments? It shouldn't be hard, I'd think, since we're in the age of YouTube. I think I can name more defining moments for Tim Duncan, LeBron James, and Dirk Nowitzki than I can for Kobe.
Not a Kobe stan, but the game winner in the playoffs against Phx, all those game winners during the regular season a couple years? back. The all-star game moment when he had a steal on LeBron and dunked it. Taking the Gasol, Bynum, Odom, Lakers to back to back ships. That time he had like back to back to back 60 point games (I think something like that) which included the 81 pt game?
I personally don't remember the Phoenix game winner so I'll definitely check that out. All-Star moments....I guess it counts but for me it's an exhibition game. As for taking Gasol and Co to the Finals? I think they had as much to do with the championship run as Kobe did. If Perkins wasn't out for Game 7, no way the Lakers would have beaten Boston that one year. IIRC Artest bailed them out a few times during that run too.
Kobe <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TU-BGoQ65zw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Lebron <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CEP3bfZixE8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> MJ <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WdVzF4ZLDh4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Gaines <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-yawMyj4zQU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
People only remember his good moments. How many woeful records did kobe lead the lakers to? Worst team records in the last decades, worst quarters, worst half, missed playoffs for the first times in x years etc etc? Kobe personal accolades looked good but did you guy ever look at his team that really led??? Lebron's team never missed playoffs, Duncan never led his team to woeful records. Kobe is good only for his personal stats and his team never benefits from his plays. Why? because he is a selfish player who think of himself before his team.
Didn't Morey say great teams avoid close games..... so Kobe must have been through several of them close games to being able to make those 'game winning shots' Not impressed. How many blowouts did Kobe lead his team to?
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Lebron's peak is arguably the best in history. Peak Jordan/Shaq/Wilt rival him. Kobe's peak isn't anywhere close to those guys offensively. If you talk about pure #s like 35ppg one season, that's different. But he wasn't efficient. Lebron as a perimeter player AVERAGED 56% for 2 straight seasons. That's completely unheard of. Jordan's best fg% is 54%. Kobe's? 46%. When Lebron retires, we won't hear any talk of Kobe in the same sentence as him.
I agree Lebron is better but just playing devils advocate Lebron had Wade and especially Bosh, two superstars, deferring and catering to him. This year he doesn't and his stats have taken a hit.
And how is the Heat doing now without Lebron? a 0.500 team. And how is Kobe's Lakers doing now without his big men? a -0.500 team. Like I said earlier, Kobe always put on nice individual stats but his team always sucks under his lead. I wonder why? Oh, must be his teammates suck badly and nothing to do with Kobe.
I admire the way Kobe led his team to a first round loss against Phoenix after being up, what, 3-1? 3-2? I forget. Oh wait, they lost that series. Well what about the time after he ran off Shaq and led them to a ring? Wait, he never did that. Actually struggled to make the playoffs. Well I admire the way he gave the Lakers an ultimatum: getting him help or trade him.
You guys are haters. Kobe is a great player he was so good in the early mid 2000s his talent around him for a few years after Shaq was terrible. Is he lebron ? No but no one is. Kobe is kobe the 2nd best SG of all time He's got 5 rings. No matter how u want to slice it he's still got 5 rings. I'll take 2 rings and every championship team has elite role players you can't take that away from kobe. Curry didn't win finals mvp, leborn got bailed out his 2nd championship by Ray allen Don't discredit kobe he's one of the best to ever do it and his love for the game was awsome I wihs more players were like him.
