houheffna wrote:
So the stats are fine to look at but when it comes to the games and what they can do, Kobe is just as good as Jordan. Again, mentally? Another subject matter altogether.
Kobe is not 'just as good as Jordan'. I don't understand how any Bulls fan that actually watched Michael Jordan in his prime and early years could ever say that. How come Kobe couldn't shoot over 50% even one year in his career? When Jordan shot 50% for his entire career, and well over it in his prime. That is not being just as good, sorry you can't just throw stats in the trash because Kobe's game resembles Jordan, while he falls short in all categories, from stats, to winning to leadership. It's ok to say Kobe can do all the same things Jordan could do, but he doesn't do them as well, or efficiently.
Kobe's post game is nowhere near as mastered as Jordan's was. That is one representation of what made Jordan the superior player, was the ability to go to his hot spots and consistently knock down *easy* high percentage shots for him. Kobe cannot do that. Kobe fades to the perimeter more and more as he faces tough defenses. And then he starts chucking long two and three pointers in a desperate bid to win the game with a hot shooting streak. Usually hands are all in his face for these shots. And that is because he doesn't create space for his jumper like Michael could. His first step isn't as good, he's not as deceptive and doesn't elevate his jumper like Michael did.
Kobe has admitted himself that because his hands are smaller (not the only reason) he cannot finish as coordinated or as creatively as Jordan around the rim. And anymore you are likely to see Kobe get stripped or lose the ball trying to drive in for a basket at the end of games. That's why he shoots jumpers. His FTA are dropping yearly and he's only 30. Let's see in 2 or 3 years if Kobe is holding up even close to what M.J was doing in the second three peat.
Defensively is another area Jordan has Kobe beat handily. Kobe is a good defender that can play great for short stretches, but Jordan was a great defender his entire career, up until the last couple years of the second three peat where he coasted more on defense to conserve energy for offense. Even then Jordan still made huge defensive plays at the end of games to turn the tide. Everyone remembers MJ's last jumper to beat Utah, but less remembered is that he stole the ball from Malone the previous possession to actually set the team up to win. And that is just talking straight defensive skill, not even going into blocks and steals where Jordan considerably outperforms Kobe.
Some say Kobe has an advantage in ball handling, and maybe that is true in terms of fancy sportscenter moves. But for his career Kobe turns the ball over more than Michael did. Possessions are what matter in winning and losing. Being flashy means being more careless and taking more chances. I'll take the safer player that relied on the same moves, but performed them flawlessly so that they were unstoppable.
LeBron James is already a superior player to Kobe. Now if LeBron puts 10 more years together at his current quality and wins a handful of titles in the process, then you may have a real contender to challenge Jordan. But Kobe is a pretender. On any given night he is maybe 85% of what Jordan brought. 85% of Michael is still a darn good player, its just not the GOAT.
Stylistically, I think Dwyane Wade now plays a more similar game to traditional Jordan than Kobe does. 80% of Kobe's shots are jumpers. Jordan would never let the defense get off that easy. And neither does Wade, he is an attacker until you stop his easy baskets. Kobe on the surface, the body type, the mannerisms, the form, gives the *appearance* of being more like Jordan, but in how he operates on the court and attacks the defense, its a very distorted and neutered version of Jordan that isn't nearly as tough or aggressive.
