"Has Lebron Surpassed Kobe?"

“Has LeBron surpassed Kobe?”

The Scene: 1/27/08
12:30 PT
Los Angeles, California.
Cleveland Cavaliers v. LA Lakers.
Staples Center

You know when you just got someone’s number? Like…It’s not necessarily that you’re the best at it, but you could beat the person/persons who are supposedly the best at it? There’s always that one person that puts doubts in your mind when you normally wouldn’t have any. Fischer v Spassky, Jordan v Ehlo, Sampras v Agassi. We might have to add two more figures to this chapter after this past Sunday in LA.

What I saw this past Sunday was the continuation of a trend. A trend that began to mature a few years ago and is now becoming as steady as Dwight Howard and a double-double. A trend that is 5-0 in its last five meetings against LA. The trend of LeBron James getting the best of Kobe Bryant in their head-to-head matchups.

Now you’re probably reading this and saying: “But how can you say that when Kobe had 33 of his own points?” Yes he had 33 and LBJ had 41, but it’s not about how they basically cancelled each other out. They did for about 40 minutes. But those last 8 minutes of the 4^th quarter showed me something I never saw from Kobe Bryant. It was the same thing I saw when the Lakers played in Cleveland about a month ago. Two words kept running through my mind after both games. Two words like Def, Freeway and Kweli. “BODY LANGUAGE”.

Body language is a term for communication using body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language or other communication.

For the first time in 12 years, I saw a Kobe Bryant who looked weak. Who looked unsure. As if: “Damn…Have I met my match?” “Everything I do he counters.” If you Tivo’d the game, just watch it again and tell me if you ever seen Kobe’s mannerisms like that. If me saying it isn’t enough, look at the box score in the 4^th quarter.

4^th Quarter Statistics:

Lebron had 14 in the final quarter and a big shot over Kobe with 20 seconds left.

Lebron…Who no one will confuse with Bruce Bowen, played the best defense I’ve ever seen him play. He held the closest thing to Jordan to 1 for 6 shooting in the last quarter. His defense and long arms seemed to bother Kobe’s fadeaway attemps throughout the final 8 minutes when Cleveland started to come on strong.

Now can I sit here and say a torch has been passed? Of course not! Well…not fully. Ummm…Kobe is about to pass (Kobe passing? LOL), but not yet. Confusing? Damn...I’m still not sure.

Let’s break down the resumes: Kobe has 3 rings. LeBron has none. But…But…But…Kobe has none with Shaq and even if the West is way tougher than the East, if you look at their rosters up and down, they have pretty similar players around them. Edge to Kobe with Odom and Bynum. Edge to LeBron with a weaker, but growing stronger by the minute conference. I’m still hella confused.

What we can both say is that both players have to do a lot of heavy lifting for their teams to win. That’s unquestioned. Back to the subject at hand. Who is the better player? Why don’t we ask Lebron HUH?

"He's the most talented player in the game," James said in August.

"He's the No. 1 scorer in our league," James said in November.

"Kobe is dominant, he plays on the highest level all the time," he said in December.

"Kobe's still No. 1 to me," James said this weekend when asked whether he thought he could take over the mantle as the NBA's best.

"He's still the best player in the world," James said Sunday.

As my good friend Brian Windhorst from the Akron Beacon Journal would say: “It’s a respectful tone, but with his play vs Kobe he’s forcing a debate. LeBron’s ultimate goal is to surpass Kobe and get what Kobe has…a championship ring.”

That’s all modesty Bron Bron but we know you salivate when you see the Lakers on the schedule. No need to front KING.

So…I gave you resumes. I gave you LeBron’s answer. Now it’s my turn to answer.

Who’s better? It’s still Kobe folks. Head-to-Head Lebron is the better player. But anyone can dominate anyone on a 1 on 1 setting. We all know that. But until LBJ plays full court defense and becomes as cutthroat of a killer in the clutch as Kobe is and gets the almighty ring, I can’t sit here before you and say that LeBron is better. It’s an argument, but one that most LBJ backers can’t really support.

You think LeBron cares though?He does, but at the same time he way richer than Kobe. Remember how beloved Kobe was? DAMN! Dude messed it up big time with that swine up in C-O. That’s life though. You see how many storylines surround these two. It’d make a great WWE Main Event. I could see LeBron destroying dude in the ring though. The guy’s a MANCHILD.

But what better way to settle it than a Cleveland/LA Final? A ratings bonanza. Ticket prices will be thru the roof for that one. That would be David Stern’s dream come true. But too bad it’s only a dream because once playoff time hits, Boston, Detroit, San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas and a host of others are going to be both of these teams’ worst nightmares.

El Ranchero.