Laker Jerry West: LeBron > Kobe

West likes LeBron over Kobe

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• 07:06 AM ET 05.19
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Kobe or LeBron? Last season's NBA most valuable player or this season's? Whom would you rather have on your team this time of year? Jerry West has made his choice . . . and it's not the big-skilled kid from Philadelphia he brought west in 1996. "I look at Cleveland [and] say to myself, 'How many games could they win without LeBron James?' " West told Reuters in an interview. "That's how great he is. "He has a chance to be arguably the greatest player ever to play the game." Better than even Michael Jordan? "Michael Jordan was the best defensive player in the league, but he was also the best offensive player," West said. "It wasn't a one-year fluke, he proved it over time. "LeBron James will do the same type of things because he's getting better. He's a much more effective shooter. When he's making his shots from the outside, you can't play him. "He's just too big, too strong, too quick. And he has incredible body control. But more than that, he's a great teammate. You can see his teammates love him." Still, with the score tied and the clock winding down, West said he would want the ball in Bryant's hands.
Los Angeles Times

But more than that, he's a great teammate. You can see his teammates love him."

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Thats the key IMO when comparing great or even not so great players that are similar in skill as players. The tiebreaker for lack of a better word. Take for example someone who has been talked about in another thread lately Dave Cowens and compare him to a major star in his day who also was a rookie in 1969/70, Spencer Haywood.

Both are now 60 years old and both played at around 6'9". Haywood played 12 years with 6 different teams while Cowens played 11 years (all with Boston except for 40 games with The Bucks in a brief comback attempt 2 years after he retired).

I won't start qouting stats here or but speaking of God given raw talent Spencer Heywood probably had an edge over Cowens but he is not in the HOF or a member of the NBA 50th Annivesary team but Cowens is. I really don't know maybe Spencer Haywood is a great human being but I highly doubt if he was a better teamate back when they both starred in the NBA (as Kobe and LeBron do now) than Dave Cowens was and there is little doubt who was the more valuable to his team.

Neither is close to the best ever, I am not putting them in the Jordan, LeBron or Kobe star class but during the 70s they were two of the best to play the game. Sonic fans may disagree but I take Cowens everytime.

Career stats Spencer Haywood:

<TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>G</TD><TD align=middle>FG%</TD><TD align=middle>FT%</TD><TD align=middle>Rebs</TD><TD align=middle>RPG</TD><TD align=middle>Asts</TD><TD align=middle>APG</TD><TD align=middle>Pts</TD><TD align=middle>PPG</TD></TR><!--Copy this for Haywood, Spencer data--><TR><TD align=middle>760</TD><TD align=middle>.465</TD><TD align=middle>.800</TD><TD align=middle>7,038</TD><TD align=middle>9.3</TD><TD align=middle>1,351</TD><TD align=middle>1.8</TD><TD align=middle>14,592</TD><TD align=middle>19.2
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Honors: NBA champion (1980); All-NBA First Team (1972, '73); All-NBA Second Team (1974, '75); Four-time All-Star (1972-75); Olympic gold medalist (1968).


Career Stats Dave Cowens:

<TABLE class=lightBrownBG cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>G
</TD><TD align=middle>FG%
</TD><TD align=middle>3PFG%
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>FT%
</TD><TD align=middle>Rebs
</TD><TD align=middle>RPG
</TD><TD align=middle>Asts
</TD><TD align=middle>APG
</TD><TD align=middle>Stls
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>Blks
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>Pts
</TD><TD align=middle>PPG
</TD></TR><!--Copy this for Cowens, Dave data--><TR><TD align=middle>766
</TD><TD align=middle>.460
</TD><TD align=middle>.071
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>.783
</TD><TD align=middle>10,444
</TD><TD align=middle>13.6
</TD><TD align=middle>2910
</TD><TD align=middle>3.8
</TD><TD align=middle>599
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>488
</TD><!--remove if necessary--><TD align=middle>13,516
</TD><TD align=middle>17.6
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Honors: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (1990); NBA champion (1974, '76); NBA MVP (1973); All-NBA Second Team (1973, '75, '76); All-Defensive First Team (1976); All-Defensive Second Team (1975, '80); NBA co-Rookie of the Year (1971); Seven-time All-Star; All-Star MVP ('73); One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996).


Take your pick...


wil.

His argument lost any credibility when he chose Kobe as the person he wants to take the last shot. If you feel one is better than the other, he should be the only one you would want to have the ball in that situation. In the end isn't it really about who wins & who loses?

wilheim said:

Thats the key IMO when comparing great or even not so great players that are similar in skill as players. The tiebreaker for lack of a better word.

wil.

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nicely said wil

His argument lost any credibility when he chose Kobe as the person he wants to take the last shot. If you feel one is better than the other, he should be the only one you would want to have the ball in that situation. In the end isn't it really about who wins & who loses?



Not necessarily. I think Shaq in his prime was the most dominant/unguardable center in the history of hoops. But if I was down by one point at the end of a game and needed two FTs to win, he certainly wouldn't be the first center I'd choose to shoot them.

Besides, I'm fairly certain LBJ averaged more pts, rebs, assists, blocked shots and steals than Kobe did this season. I don't think this is even debatable...LBJ is by far a more complete player. Best scorer since Jordan. Best passer since Magic. Literally unstoppable when he decides to drive to the goal.

JDeuce said:

Not necessarily. I think Shaq in his prime was the most dominant/unguardable center in the history of hoops. But if I was down by one point at the end of a game and needed two FTs to win, he certainly wouldn't be the first center I'd choose to shoot them.?

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I would take Hakeem The Dream over Shaq any day.

Magic Johnson said he only "feared" one man...........LARRY BIRD.

Even with all of Kobe's bitching today, and the Laker fans throwing
shit on the court, the King shows who's the boss.

festeringZit said:

Even with all of Kobe's bitching today, and the Laker fans throwing
shit on the court, the King shows who's the boss.

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Dats Right!~~:<<

Zit, West said he would take Kobe to take the last shot....your topic is not moot, Kobe hater.

I have watched alot of nba games the last few years.. I would take Kobe... Kobe has one thing Lebron does not have KILLER INSTINCT..... I GUARANTEE THE CAVS DO NOT MAKE IT OUT OD THE EAST>>>> kg HAS more than lebron....
CELTICS VS LAKERS

In last summer's olympics, all the Chinese fans knew Kobe, but LeBron was the best player on the team (also Wade > Kobe).

AlwayzRight said:

Zit, West said he would take Kobe to take the last shot....your topic is not moot, Kobe hater.

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Dude,

When the Flakers get creamed on Christmas Day and Kobe misses
21 shots you can't expect me to not at least get a little dig in?

Merry Christmas!!!!

Heh. After watching the two marquee games today, I came away feeling good about my Celtics chances at another title.

festeringZit said:

Dude,

When the Flakers get creamed on Christmas Day and Kobe misses
21 shots you can't expect me to not at least get a little dig in?

Merry Christmas!!!!

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hahahaha I love it. "The flakers" that's great. I hadn't heard that one before.

cut across shorty said:

In last summer's olympics, all the Chinese fans knew Kobe, but LeBron was the best player on the team (also Wade > Kobe).

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Regular season has just about nothing to do with the post season

C's are already in the finals but they will be a near 2/1 dog - but they already beat LA 1x time so they got a real chance

It's a silly argument, comparing Kobe to Lebron is like comparing Willie Mays to Hank Aaron, two all time greats, how can you go wrong with either one?

Fishhead said:

Magic Johnson said he only "feared" one man...........LARRY BIRD.

Click to expand...

Remember Bird making Dr. J cry?
Watch the total school job Bird man does on the Doc.
He freaking owned him.

(The fight is at the 5 minute mark)

Watch these 8 minute, you'll enjoy it, this is when the NBA was a game.



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Watching that vid is crazy. It's like athletes of the 80's have the athletic talent of dryer lint compared to the modern day athlete.

Love to watch the left handed shots by Larry.

He said he used to get bored during games, and would
shoot left handed just to make it more interesting.