Lebron already better than Kobe?

[buckeyefan78]

It's early, I know, but you can't deny how Lebron has come out of the gate. Here's the stats...

Lebron
27.4 PPG
8.3 RPG
6.1 APG
2.1 SPG
1.4 BPG
48% FG
39% 3PTFG
76% FT
2.9 TOPG

I don't believe I've stats like that since Larry Bird retired. His team is 6-3, on a 6 game winning streak ( grant it, two wins vs Charlotte in there), but his play WITHIN the offense has been very good. His stats from tonight aren't in my averages, sorry.

Kobe
27.8 PPG
6.7 RPG
5.8 APG
1.1 SPG
1.3 BPG
39% FG
32% 3PTFG
87% FT
3.5 TOPG

Scoring, blocks, and assists are a wash pretty much, with Lebron soundly beating Kobe in rebounds, steals, FG%, 3PTFG%, and Turnovers per game. Older Kobe has Lebron beat in FT%, which usually comes with age.

Throw in the intanglibles, like how well the Cavs have developed thus far, having watched mostly every game and I think this is an interesting scenario in the making. The Lakers, under Kobe, are just too predictable from what I have seen so far.

Still, it is early, but if this keeps up by the time the All Star break rolls around, I think Lebron should get serious consideration as a better player than Kobe.

[doublee]

I don't know LeBron has padded his stats against vastly inferiror competition thus far. He has had one big game against a qulaity opponent being Phoenix who plays little to no defense. He has had four games against what arguably may be the worst teams in the league in Charlotte, Golden State, and Atlanta. He had a decent game against Milwaukee but only hit 8-20 from the field. He only had 21 pts. on 9-22 shooting and only got to the line once against Miami and he only shot 8-19 and turned the ball over 6 times against Indiana. Kobe has played a bit stiffer competition at this stage of the season. It is still a bit too early to tell at this point.

[Luv]

Not yet lets not forget Kobe has 3 rings and he fought hard to win them. With that being said Lebron is wayyyyyy beter than Kobe was his second third or even fourth year in the league. Lebron is a beast and will finish his career with better stats than Kobe and on a higher level as far as all timers go.

[Hero]

LeBron is (a lot) bigger, which is kind freaky seeing a guy around my age getting that HUGE, an LeBron LOOKS pass first. Kobe passes and get assists, but I can hardly notice it because the ball runs through him so often. Pure shooting wise, LeBron is still a mile behind Kobe though, I'll take Kobe taking the 17 foot jump shot over LeBon anyday, and Kobe kills him in fee throw and 3p percentages. And guess finishing around the basket is pretty equal at this point, LeBron finishes like a PF/SG hybrid, he just plows through the lane over defenders like a truck and dunks it down, while Kobe on the other hand use beautiful long strides and finesse to finish.

I don't know who'll take, but I guess LeBron for now simply because of his clean (so far) status compare to Kobe's and his younger age.

[doublee]

Originally posted by Hero
Pure shooting wise, LeBron is still a mile behind Kobe though, I'll take Kobe taking the 17 foot jump shot over LeBon anyday, and Kobe kills him in fee throw and 3p percentages.

Really? I guess that is why LeBron's FG% is .489 and Kobe's is .388 and LeBron's 3-pt% is .367 while Kobe's is .321 this season and only .331 for his career. Those numbers suggest that LeBron is just as good a jump shooter as Kobe is. Kobe has never had a particulary strong outside game his bread and butter has always been beating his guy off the dribble and attacking the hoop. I'll give you that Kobe is a better free throw shooter, but that alone does not make him the better pure shooter.

[Hero]

Having a better FG% does not necessarily mean you're the better shooter. Shaq has a FG% in the 55's every year, but those are usually all dunks and jump hooks, hardly ever a shot from 17 feet. With LeBron in his current size, he run over defenders and get layups, his pure shooting is is nowhere Kobe is.

Aw crap, I didn't know LeBron's 3p % has climbed over Kobe's. But it doesn't matter, Kobe takes a lot more 3's than LeBron, so I guess a lower percentage is a given. But you just wait, in about 25 games into the season Kobe will be shooting like in the .375's from 3's, and LeBron will be like in the .320's, despite him taking way less.

[doublee]

It should not matter that Kobe takes that many more 3's than LeBron if he is that great of a 3-pt shooter he should be hitting 40% of them no matter how many he takes. LeBron is taking his share of 3's this year I think he averaging about 3 attempts per game. Or could the reasons behind LeBron's better shooting numbers be that at the age of 20 he already has better shot selection and discipline than Kobe does? Just because Kobe gets off more 3's does not make him the better shooter. His lower percentage means he is chucking up a lot of shots that he should not be while LeBron is picking his spots and getting cleaner looks at the basket.

What makes you think Kobe will be hitting .375 in another 25 games? For his career he is only .331 and he has only ever hit .375 or better twice in his career. History says he is more likely to stay right about where he is percentage-wise.

[Hero]

Originally posted by doublee
What makes you think Kobe will be hitting .375 in another 25 games? For his career he is only .331 and he has only ever hit .375 or better twice in his career. History says he is more likely to stay right about where he is percentage-wise.

I keep having reminiscents of the healthy 3-point shooting Kobe from two years ago, where he shot around .380, and in one game against Seattle in nailed an NBA record 12 for 18. I'm pretty confident in Kobe getting in that percentages again.

[doublee]

I don't think he will since he is supposedly playing with planter fascitis which won't heal until after the season. Plus, the Lakers have no real post up threat that needs to be double teamed. Remember that Kobe hit .380 when he had Shaq under the boards. Shaq opens up a lot of clean looks for guys on the perimeter because teams typically choose to double him.

[Marc]

I think they are close, but LeBron will have a better career overall. I think he's a better person than Kobe, but basketball-wise, he shoots a higher percentage and makes his teammates better. LeBron is also better than Kobe was at his point his career. Right now, though, Kobe holds the lead because of his three rings.

[cubfan13]

----->you mean shaqs 3 rings right?


----->ya look at the stats and then look at the supporting casts


----->LeBron Es El Hombre (Translation:LeBron Is The Man)

[Shawndo]

This is a close one. My judgement is biased towards Kobe, but I am certainly not blind to LeBron.
I think they both have a similar situation this year, being the only superstars on their respective teams. Let's see how this year plays out.... I'm not ready to call this one just yet.

[doublee]

Agreed, as I said before Kobe has faced tougher competition thus far than LeBron has. But good God Kobe looked absolutely brutal in the first half against the Bulls last night.

[dirtywhiteboy]

Just for the record....This is Larry Bird, and I'm very insulted. Please don't use Lebron's name in the same sentence as mine. He's a good young kid, but it's an insult to me. Let me know when Lebron pulls of a 20pt - 20 reb game. I had 3 of them my ROOKIE YEAR. Let me know when Lebron is considered one of the best of all-time....oh wait, that's me. As far as Kobe goes, isn't he in prison? I never did hear what happened with that. Oh well, good luck Lebron, and shouts out to Parish and McHale!!!

[FMHornet]

I'd take LeBron