RealHoops Blog

Sunday afternoon was a showcase of the two greatest talents in the NBA: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. And for the fifth straight time Lebron’s Cavs walked away with a victory. Kobe left the court, shoulders hunched and obviously unhappy about Luke Walton’s horrible decision making at the end of the game. With wins in five straight versus the Lakers, it begs the question… Is Lebron finally better than Kobe?

Lets dig deep into this question and compare the two in every facet of the game.

3-pt Shooting
This one is a clear edge for Kobe. While Lebron shoots a less than stellar 29% from the 3-point line, Kobe hits at a 35% clip. Lebron has the ability to hit some big 3’s, but Kobe can hit from long range in a variety of ways, with pull-ups, spot-ups, and some time fadeaways that he maybe shouldn’t even try.
Edge: Kobe

Mid-Range Game
When Lebron came into the league, he was mostly a slash-and-finish or slash-and-dish player. But now he has developed a nice little mid-range jumper and it is making him dangerous from anywhere on the court. But Kobe’s mid-range game is one of the tops in the league. It has become his bread and butter. He routinely knocks down jumpers from the elbows, baseline and just obe the foul-line; he is just a better pure shooter than James.
Edge: Kobe

Short-Range Game
The Kobe of early years may have given Lebron a run for his money. But in 2008, this is not close. Lebron can get to the basket and finish whenever he wants, while Kobe seems to settle for jumpers more and more. It make you wonder why he even jacks up 3’s. Like a young Michael Jordan, Lebron can’t be stopped on his way to the hoop and it has taken his FG percentage to 48%, while Kobe’s sits at 45%. It’s scary how good this guy is at driving and finishing.
Edge: Lebron

Free-Throw Shooting
While both Kobe and Lebron get to the line at about the same rate. Kobe hits 84% of his FT’s while Lebron shoots 70%. Lebron’s FT shooting has gotten worse since his rookie year when he shot 75%. This is an area he needs some improvement on.
Edge: Kobe

Passing
While Lebron is dishing 7.3 assists a contest, Kobe has been getting 5.1 dimes a game. This one is closer than people think as Kobe is a much better passer than he gets credit for. Both guys are talented at dishing to teammates, but while Kobe is a great passer, Lebron is sometimes Magic-like. Enough said.
Edge: Lebron

Ball-handling
Both Lebron and Kobe have similar turnover numbers and share about the same amount of time with the ball. This one is as close as it gets.
Edge: Push

Rebounding
Lebron gets over 7 rebounds a game and snags them with long reach and athletism while Kobe grabs just over 6 boards a game. With those cold stats it is easy to say that Lebron is the better rebounder. Not so fast, as Kobe has shown since Bynum got injured, when need be he can pull down rebounds as well as any guard in the league; case in point 9.2 boards in his last 5, a remarkable count for a 6″6 two-guard. In Lebron’s defense, Kobe has never snatched 19 boards in a game, like James did against the Charlotte Bobcats (Bryant’s career high is 15).
Edge: Slight edge for Lebron

Defense
Just as important as offense is the how good these guys are on the defensive side of the ball. Lebron is becoming a good defender, and his defensive stats are just as good as Kobe’s (with a fraction more blocks per contest), but those are just numbers. Kobe is considered one of the best defensive players in the league, while Lebron is considered ‘good’. It is a shame that mainstream media overlooks this when crowning Lebron “King”.
Edge: Kobe

Leadership
While Kobe is often maligned for his lack of leadership, this year he has taken a new role on the Lakers - liked. These Lakers are a team in every sense of the word, and Kobe has ditched the selfish play for a team-style of basketball that has teammates, coaches, and others around the league raving. Lebron of course, as always played like this, but at the moment this is pretty damn close.
Edge: Push

So all in all it is 4 to 3 for Kobe. He remains King. Lebron’s reign will have to wait.

Well I took about a month away from writing about the NBA and a lot happened. We turned back the clock to the 80’s as the Celtics and Lakers were tops in their respective conferences, Brandon Roy put the Blazers on his back and they rung off a huge win streak, Chris Paul (the best PG in the League) has carried the NEW ORLEANS FREAKIN’ HORNETS to the top of the West, and the All-Star starters have been revealed. Speaking of which I have a couple of problems with:

1. Allen Iverson over Chris Paul: AI is an all-time great, but are you F’n joking me? Chris Paul has morphed basically into the John Rambo of the NBA, basically carry the Hornets to the best record in the West by himself, and putting together one of the best PG seasons of all-time. Drop him in the jungles of Vietnam and he would probably still rack up 19 assists. The fans need to pay closer attention to the games instead of names sometimes.

2. Dwayne Wade over Billups. The Heat stink, Wade is overrated as always. Billups deserves this spot. No ifs, ands, or buts.

On to the links.

Tim Legler of ESPN, questions the All-Star picks, and I basically agree with everything he says except that Hedo Turkoglu should be an All-Star reserve. Hedo Turkoglu. The Hedo Turkoglu of Average Joe stats, no defense and being the 3rd best player on his team. That’s like saying, screw it, Saved By the Bell was a good show, AC Slater (Dwight Howard) and Zach Morris (Rashard Lewis) were great, they have got gigs since then, we’ve got to get Screech a gig. But Screech doesn’t deserve a gig. In fact the only thing he has done since Saved by the Bell was make a sex tape. Excuse me while I throw up my Egg McMuffin. Hedo is the Screech of the Orlando Magic. He doesn’t deserve a nod to be at the game. But hey, he might make a sex tape.

The Lakers aren’t covering the spread, which worries Lonnie White of the Los Angeles Times, as he has a massive gambling problem. He has references some nerdy simulation for basketball games, which he says predicts the Lakers will lose to Dallas tonight. Umm. Anyways, back in the real world.

Dave D’Alessandro of the Newark-Star Ledger writes that Jason Kidd “too often lately, he doesn’t look like he wants to be around these guys anymore” referring to the Nets. Well of course he doesn’t! He spent the summer with Kobe, Lebron, Carmelo, etc. and then comes back to play with Vince ”I-Have-A-Boo-Boo” Carter, who is basically the Fredo Corleone of the NBA.

Old news, but hopefully Bosh makes the All-Star team by showing some personality in this great clip.

Let’s see. Carmelo Anthony gives OJ Mayo tickets, the coach takes the blame. Why does this matter? The kid is going to be in the League next season and he’s catching a game. The NCAA pimps it’s players by making so much cash off them, and they get thier panties in a twist when he watches an NBA game? Give me a break.

I’ll be back on Monday with a column for ya, be sure to check back.

I’m out!

After high drama from 2 of the best in the league last night, here are some links for your pre-holiday weekend.

The ESPN Roundtable debates who is better, Kobe or Lebron. In my humble opinion Kobe is still numero uno in the league, but the Global Icon is on his way to become the man. He is still only 22 and that is a scary thought for the next 12 years. But here is the kicker: at 22 Lebron is already playing the game of basketball like a vintage Oscar Robertson; what is going to happen when he hits his prime? Is 30 points, 10 rebs, 10 assists attainable in today’s NBA? Stay tuned.

 Meanwhile, Ian Thompsen of Sports Illustrated names the Reggie-Miller All-Stars: The 5 best elder statesmen of the league. In it he charges that Jason Kidd is the second-best PG in the game, behind Steve Nash. I beg to differ. Chris Paul has surpassed both of these guys, with Deron Williams on his way as well.

We all heard Yao call the Rockets soft, but what the hell else is wrong with these guys. They were supposed to compete for an NBA title, but are struggling to stay .500. Is the problem T-Mac?

As the Golden State Warriors continue to small-ball their way to victory, Geoff Lepper of the San Jose Mercury News wonders why are they getting no love from All-Star voters. S-Jack (the craziest dude in the league) and Baron Davis (one of the top PGs) might not make it. A shame.

I scimped on the links today, but I will hit you with another column on Saturday.

 I’m out!

After watching the Nets get outplayed by a banged-up Sacremento Kings squad last night all I can say is this: the Nets stink. They can’t defend, have trouble scoring, and to top it off are listless on the court. Last night’s loss highlighted a few major points why:

- Jason Kidd is NOT a top 3 point guard in the league anymore.
- Vince Carter is a disgrace as a competitor
- The only players the Nets should keep are RJ and Williams

And here is the thing I don’t get: why are they hanging on to Kidd? Trade him, grab a good lottery pick, trade VC, and start over. There is no reason for the Nets to keep Kidd. They are 10-15! They aren’t contending for anything this year, so why keep an aging and declining star. Give Kidd a chance to win a title, and start over.

Who would take Kidd: hmmmm, let me name the teams - every single one in the freakin’ NBA.
Who would take Carter: hmmmm, we know Toronto won’t, but someone out there will be willing to give up a couple of vets and a second rounder for this bum.

Save the Nets. Trade Kidd. Trade Carter. Start over.

The 2007-08 NBA season couldnt’t have started any better for the Boston Celtics. KG, The Truth, and Ray Allen. Althought Allen is currently out with has nasty ankles, KG and the gang are tearing through the league, ripping opponents to the tune of a 20-2 record, tops in the league. When Ray and Garnett came in the offseason, we all expected good things, but not this. This is reminicent of the Bulls in their record breaking year, when noone could match them. And the Celtics may be abale to challenge that record, but there is a catch.

For the Celtics to challenge that Bulls record for wins, they need to beat some quality teams. They haven’t been tested much, but they have some heavy-hitters ahead on the schedule. If the Celtics are able to beat the good teams like they have beaten the average-to-bad teams, they may be able to break some records.

Now to the Rankings. Here are the Fab Five:

1. Boston Celtics: Big Baby Davis is providing some huge numbers for the Celts, and everyone else on the bench is stepping it up.
2. Detroit Pistons: 9-2 in their last 11, and getting overlooked by everyone. These guys can still play. Plus, we are still waiting on a ridiculous Rasheed Wallace quote, which may bump them up to number 1.
3. Phoenix Suns: I hate these guys, and it hurts me to put them here, seeing as they will never make the Finals with Nash as their point.
4. San Antonio: Manu Ginobli is flopping and whining his way to a Sixth Man of the Year Award.
5. New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul is becoming the best PG in the league.

Here are the bottom 3, the 3 most horrendous teams in the league:

1. Minnesota Timberwolves: Sometimes I wonder if Kevin Mchale is somewhere in downtown Boston, in a high-rise with Danny Ainge, laughing and saluting pictures of their glory days, while watching KG and the Celtics tear up the league. There has to be SOME reason he made that trade, right? Right?
2. Seattle Supersonics: Durant will be great, but how long until he goes Latrell on PJ?
3. Miami Heat: Wade is overrated and Shaq is over the hill. Pat Riley should fire Stan Van Gundy… wait… nevermind.

Yesterday was a great day to be a Laker fan. Not only did the Lakers beat the defending champion Spurs (I know, I know, without Duncan or Parker) for their fourth W in a row, but they also recieved the best news of the year:

Kobe Bryant is happy and is glad he did not get traded. Read it again, it is true.

Chris Broussard of ESPN reports that ‘Bryant said he’s glad he hasn’t been traded’. It seems that not only has Kobe cooled down and become happy with the progress the team is making, but he also has formed tight bonds with his teammates. Has hell froze over? Kobe Bryant a good teammate? Luke Walton and others seem to think so and the calm in LA has translated to great returns on the court.

The Lakers sit at 13-8 and are playing great team basketball with Kobe and the bench being the biggest catalysts. Not only that but Andrew Bynum has become a solid big man and will only get better as the season goes on. What a turnaround from the tumultuos offseason.

Laker fans can now sit back and rejoice for the coming holidays: Kobe Bryant will be home for Christmas.

When I look at Boris Diaw I want to say two things: “This guy could be a star” and “This guy is a bum”.

As with many NBA players, Boris Diaw played his ass off for the Phoenix Suns in his contract year. He was all over the court: scoring, passing,  and grabbing boards. And then all of the sudden he signs his contract, eats 14 Krispy Kreme donuts a day, and shows up to camp looking like he ate Muggsy Bogues. Here are Boris’s numbers before the signing of the contract: 13.3 pts, 6 asts, 7 rbs, 1 blk and almost 1 stl per game. Great numbers for a valuable cog in a great offense. Here are his numbers for this year: 7 pts, 3 asts, and 4 rbs. His FG% has dropped nearly .100!

Who is the real Boris Diaw? With the Hawks he average around 4 pts, 2 asts, and 3 rbs. Scintillating numbers. With the Phoenix Suns (besides that big contract year), his averages are 8 pts, 4 rbs, 4 asts. So let’s call that BIG year he had in 2005-06 an abberation.

And I’ll call Boris Diaw a bum.

It is Wednesday and as promised I am hitting you with the best NBA 1/4 review possible (although it is about 2 days late). This is one of the best NBA seasons in recent memory, as we have a competitive Eastern Conference, a stacked West (as usual) and some huge performances and stories from Seattle to Orlando. Let’s get this thing rolling.

Rookie of the Year

1. Kevin Durant - Silky smooth with a so-far terrible shot selection, but you can’t ignore the 20 ppg. Future superstar.
2. Al Horford - Rebounding machine and willing to do the dirty work. I see some all-star appearances in this guy’ future.
3. Yi Jianlian - Suprisingly good. I thought for sure this guy would end up just a victim on posters for the next couple of years, but he seems to be heading towards a solid career.

Sixth Man of the Year

1. Manu Ginobli - I hate this guy. Hate his flopping, bald spot, nose and whining. But the dude can ball.
2. Jose Calderon - His name sounds like a latin lover from Televivo, but he is the best backup PG in the league.
3. Leandro Barbosa - Quick as lightning Brazilian is having another great season.

Most Improved Player

1. Dwight Howard - Went from a beast to The Beast.
2. Chris Paul - The man in New Orleans might just be the best PG in the game now.
3. Andrew Bynum - Went from Kobe’s punchline to a key cog in the Laker’s season. He’s only getting better.

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Kevin Garnett - Changed Boston’s D into the best in the league, almost single-handedly
2. Dwight Howard - Upped the ante on D and on the boards, and is changing everyone’s shots in the lane.
3. Josh Smith - 3.5 blocks and 2 steals per game?? WHAT?

Coach of the Year

1. Jerry Sloan - Give this guy the award so everyone at ESPN can shut up about it.
2. Stan Van Gundy - Give the guy some credit. He got dumped by Pat Riley, didn’t even change states, and is coaching one of the best teams in the league.
3. Gregg Popovich - Meh, next topic.

The Most Disappointing Player

1. Eddy Curry - A useless, out-of-shape twit. And he’s worth $9,000,000/year. The NBA. Where amazing happens.
2. Shaq - One of the all-time greats reduced to this. It make’s me so sad. Shaq: retire so we can rememember you as the MDE.
3. Greg Oden - Why did you have to get injured?

The Ugliest Player Award

There can be only one. And his name is Sam Cassell.

MVP

Drumroll please………………………

1. Kevin Garnett - The leader of the best team in the league on both O and D. Changed the whole landscape of the NBA this season and is having another KG year: 20 pts , 11 rbs, 4 assts and almost 2 steals and 2 blocks per game (all in reduced minutes). An all-time player, Garnett’s game and intensity is a sight to behold.

2. Dwight Howard - I covered this guy with a whole post a couple of days back. Scroll the page.

3. Kobe Bryant - Not enough is being said about Kobe. Amid all the soap-opera storylines, he is finally doing what his critics have always asked of him: playing team ball. And how much credit is he getting? Zilch. This guy needs to get an MVP before his career is through. His numbers for the season: 27 pts, 6 rbs, 5 assts and 2 steals and block per game. His D is back. He ain’t Jordan but he is the closest we got.

4. Chris Paul - The new J-Kidd. This guy si carrying a bunch of suspect talent and racking up points and assists like no other PG this year. A great player and is only getting better (which is scary).

5. Stephen Jackson - Stop laughing. The most bad-ass captain in the league. He has already proved the team needs him around to win. His intensity and passion is crazy (I think Jackson is personally about 1 bad call away from killing someone) and his teammates love him. His numbers? 21 pts, 4 asts, 5 rebs and 2 steals. Nice.

 Thats it. Another season review comin at the halfway point.

Im out!

Is it just me or is Dwight Howard THE best player in the league right now?

This guy has turned from a star with potential last year into the realization of that potential and is now a bonafide freak. He is a rebounding machine, is dunking on everyone left, right, and center, and is swatting people’s shots into next week. As soon as he develops a go-to-move, you are looking at the best big man in the for the next 10 years.

Orlando went from squeeking into the playoffs last year to being a full-out title contender. No matter that they paid Rashard Lewis 396 bajillion dollars. He is proving to be a good second option. But Dwight has turned into the Man. Not only on the Magic, but in the entire East and maybe even the league.

Here’s a rundown on Howard: he is 6′11 and can jump out of the gym (remember this?), he is fast as hell for big man, he has coordination like a point guard, and is fearless on both O and D. He is pure muscle and looks like he could rip your arms out with his bare hands. But he is also charismatic as hell, has a great dispositon and a fan-friendly smile. Kind of reminds you of another Orlando Magic big man of yore (Dwight also needs to work on those FT’s).

Dwight is ready to dominate any big man in the game becuase he is faster than any other center and WAY stronger than any other power forward. I knew this kid was gonna be good… but this is soemthing else all together. It is exciting as hell as a basketball fan that we get to see this guy play for years to come.

I can picture David Stern calling Dwight right now, ready to make him a new face of the NBA. Believe it.

 I’m out!

I proudly present RealHoops Blog’s first Friday Dish post. What you will find on Friday’s is a cornucopia of basketball goodness, with links to articles, videos and other NBA-related stuff. Feel free to email me at realhoopsblog@hotmail.com if you have an article or other link you want me to post.

 The past two games Allen Iverson has been tearing up the court like the Philly A.I. of old. Last night he hung 35 on the Mavs, and added 12 dimes, this after dropping 51 on the Lakers in a losing cause. You tend to forget how great he truly is. Mark Kiszla did not forget, he just remembered that above everyone Kobe is King.

Speaking of 24, his offense gets talked about so much, you tend to forget how sick he can be on defense. Here is a little reminder for everyone who forgot.

I’m not even sure what this is supposed to be, but it is seriously frightening to see Sam Cassell with long, blonde hair. Hide the kids.

Jason Kidd is on strike. Here is another player (attention pre-Celtics KG) who’s prime is being wasted playing with mediocre talent (mind you Vince Carter doesn’t have medicore talent, just a mediocre drive to compete). What are the Nets’ options, besides hanging on to him? ESPN’s Daily Dime has some answers. I’m sure Kobe and Lebron both have their fingers crossed.

Speaking of the Cavs, they finally signed Anderson Varajao, and Marty Burns of SI.com reports that he is happy to be back. Of course he is happy! Signing Sideshow Bob to a 3-yr 17 million dollar deal is like taking out a booty call for fine dining. You are overpaying for services that you could have got with McDonalds.

Howard Beck of the New York Times reports that things are looking up for the lowly Knicks, as a tragic incident seems to have brought them together. I hope these guys can pull it together.

The last link has nothing to do with the NBA, but tommorow’s Mayweather-Hatton bought is a big deal, so I had to say something.  For anyone who thinks Hatton is going to win:  did you forget who he’s going against? Mayweather by a mile.

Im out!