The Best Player(s) In The World

(Yes, I'm a dedicated, but real Laker fan, and am still in awe every time Kobe makes one of his ridiculous jumpers, plays, etc...) Needless to say, I record every Lebron game and watch the twenty-four year old do whatever he wants on the floor.

The biggest knock on Lebron when he came into the league was:

A) His defense
B) His jumper
C) His fire

The defense is there. Easily. If he doesn't get the MVP this year, then it will be because David Stern will give him the Defensive Player of the Year Award and not want to give him both. Hell, Lebron will pull a Mike Jordan one of these years and do that too. (MJ did it in 1987-88)

His jumpshot is practically there. Still can't count on it at the end of games. But the consistency is rising, and he's a threat from behind the line now.

In previous years, Lebron was always quoted saying he doesn't have that killer instinct, and continually referred to Kobe Bryant's killer instinct. Ok, that's irrelevant now. Lebron plays with this swagger now that's unbelievable, and his game this year has been absolutely remarkable. He is unstoppable. He is simply too big and powerful for the rest of the 2-guards in the league, and way too quick for anybody else to guard him.

His post game is flawless. His footwork is nearly on-point. But his passion for winning, the drive and get-out-of-my-way attitude you can now see on his face is what is frightening about Lebron.

If the season ended today, Lebron would surely win his first MVP. I don't think there's any question there.

According to the L.A. Times, Lebron's got Kobe's vote, calling Lebron's season thus far "terrific."
And tonight, you have Lebron and Kobe playing head to head for the first time this season, and the first time as god friends. Until this past summer, Lebron and Kobe were just Lebron and Kobe. Thanks to a Gold medal summer, Lebron and Kobe have become close friends, and now know each others' games very well. So tonight's game will bring something we have never seen before... two ridiculously competitive players motivated to only stop each other, and ultimately win the game.

But as always, the game will be inevitably hyped up beyond measure, and one team will win, and one player will play significantly better, and further outlandish comments will result, that either Lebron is now the best player in the NBA, and that he's truly the king of the NBA...or that Lebron is still looking to Kobe to hand the torch as he still is the better player.

It'll go on and on. Does it matter? Perhaps, but not at this moment in time. It's only a regular season game not even

When Kobe and Lebron are playing in the NBA Finals, then the discussion is more fitting.

But tonight truly will tell a lot. Kobe and Lebron are leading their teams to the top of their conference, respectively, and both are playing at an unreal level. Last week's array of clutch performances (two out of three games) has reminded a lot of people how Kobe is still that player people fear a the end of the game. And as we are reminded every night there's a Cavs game on ESPN's Top 10 Plays of the Night, Lebron is the player people fear ANYWHERE near the basket.

Rather than this being the game that tells who is the better player, it's more of a statement game for both teams. The Lakers, being looked down upon at their inconsistency lately and lack of defense, are looking to bring themselves back up to where they were, and what better game to show they are back in effect than against the best team in the league.

The Cavs, on the other hand are astounding, but losing Delonte West will hurt them, but their depth should take care of them until he returns. But Lebron is on a mission. You can see it in his eyes. You can see it in the chalk. You can see it in the frustration he takes out on the ball as he swats lay-ups off the backboard over and over again. You can see it in the anger he lets go with every single dunk. And while Lebron is being considered the King of the NBA, the best player on the planet, etc...

Last I looked; Kobe has 3 rings and an MVP, and then some.

And because he deemed himself the best player in the universe after winning the Championship last year, I'll (roll my eyes and) throw Paul Pierce into this discussion as he does have a ring.

But at the end of the day, we end up comparing all these players to the greatest...Royal Airness himself. And while Kobe, Lebron and Mike have similar games, (Sorry C's fans, The Truth's game isn't pretty enough to be discussed here) the small finer details end up making up the difference in defining who will be the greatest player of all time. Whether it's Kobe's ability to go on a hot streak and become unstoppable (See Jan. 22, 2006), or Lebron to put the game on his shoulders and believing that he needs to score over and over and over. And over (See May 31, 2007). Or its Jordan taking over the game and doing what he wanted time and time again (See 99.9% of career). It's the small intangible things that these players have that separate them from the rest of the players.

But when it comes to Lebron and Kobe, as their careers go on and we look back at who was better 5-10 years from now, which of those intricate, important traits will both of these players have that will put one over the other.

When it comes to the tangibles (i.e. Trophies), I think Kobe and Lebron just might even out at the end of the day. But it's a given. The standard to hone the title of best player ever to play the game, at minimum starts with this: Championship rings, MVP Trophies, and All-NBA teams, and let's not forget that Slam Dunk Contest...twice.

Ok, so maybe I was wrong. Tonight isn't just a regular season game. It's far more than that. It's the beginning of a rivalry that should have been there years ago. But it took time for both of these players to come into their own, and tonight...for the first time, they face each other as the two of the most difficult players to defend in the game all while holding the utmost respect and appreciation of each other.

Hot damn, I love this game.