There’s Alex Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby. There’s Ronaldo vs. Messi. There’s Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson.
Heck, there’s even Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.
Classic two-player rivalries have stormed through our generation since 2000, and carved fandom into two completely different extremes. That’s how it’s supposed to happen in sports. The legends meet once or twice per year in their anticipated showdowns, and only one comes out on top, with a smile or laugh.
After the event concludes, the fans of each side will have their diversion. It will either be a delightful conversation, or a volatile wrangle that gets too personal. Either way, debates fill the air with tension once those two athletes go head-to-head. And yes, you can slice that tension with a butter-knife.
Usually, life is different in the NBA.
With the increased brotherhood this league has endorsed since the last lockout in 2011, the NBA has been a friendlier, more convivial atmosphere within the players. At times, the relationships between players — specifically superstars — has been a bit uncanny.
When they’re on the court together, it mirrors a lion protecting it’s young. Off the court, fans and analysts aren’t quite sure how they want these superstars to act. If one heads to a rival’s house during the summer to workout and learn techniques, they’re berated. If one acts like a completely rude person and dismisses player relationships, they’re publicly attacked. When truly, both types of players are proving to be high-level competitors.
We have a term for that battle of personalities in the NBA.
It’s called Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James.
One has been the most criticized athlete due to his contract numbers and shot selection. The other has been the most debated athlete due to his losing NBA Finals record and free agency “decisions.”
Together, they combine for 56,438 career points, 12,142 assists, 12 Finals appearances, and seven championship rings.
They’ve never met on the NBA’s grandest stage. But, they’ve met in a common place: The history book.
Coming into the league at age 18, Bryant and James have transformed into the two greatest players to ever enter straight out of high school. Nearly seven years may be between them in age, but their legacies are growing closer together each and every year.
On Thursday night, Kobe and LeBron laced up their signature Nike sneakers to face each other for the first time in nearly two years. The last meeting between the two came on Feb. 10, 2013, two months before Bryant tore his Achilles’ tendon. They also had a special sequence during the 2013 All-Star game, which featured Bryant blocking James twice en route to a Western Conference victory.
Bryant was supposed to square off with James on Christmas 2013. Didn’t happen (fractured knee). He was ruled out for their first and only 2014 meeting because of the same knee.
As the calendar turned to the new year, the basketball gods decided to continue to the story. They allowed the continuing of the NBA’s greatest individual rivalry — from a distance, as the two are seven seasons apart — and provided the ink for a new chapter.
Thursday marked the 20th meeting between Bryant and James in their careers, which started in January 2004. 11 years ahead, it still feels like a fairy-tale when both are introduced in the starting lineup. In actuality, it’s almost the equivalent to a Wrestlemania main event, with all the other regular season games being the mediocre matchups, the appetizers to the full course meal.
In their 20 regular season matchups, James has easily been the more imposing player. Whether he’s wearing No. 6 or 23, LeBron must get particularly excited to face No. 24:
LeBron has had the advantage across the board when it comes to face-to-face competition, but perhaps their numbers shouldn’t be compared so heavily because they’re two totally different positions. 90 percent of the time, they’re not defending each other. Yet, James has won 70 percent of the matchups, and shot 4.1 percent better from the field. For Kobe’s sake, it’s worthy to mention that a 25-5-5 stat line isn’t anything pedestrian. I’m not sure how people believing that’s anything close to “struggling.”
In their 20th meeting, James wasn’t holding back. He didn’t care if Bryant was an old man playing desperate for a win. It was no mercy in Hollywood.
Part of it, however, was because James needed a win himself. Having your coach on the hot seat and your most recent loss involving a subtle “push” from player to coach, it was necessary LeBron willed Cleveland to victory.
After having a bit of a slow start in the first quarter, James powered his way to 36 points, five assists, and five rebounds on 12-of-24 shooting. He was playing the type of basketball that makes him unstoppable; knocking down four 3-point jumpers through the first three quarters, and taking it to the rack to step on the Lakers’ throat.
When James is missing his outside jumpers consistently, it makes him extremely predictable. Defenses are always aware of his penetration attack, and they end up packing the paint heavily to cut off any drive. This can be known as the “Spurs style,” because they’ve executed it on him three different times. When he gets into a jump shooting rhythm, the best thing for you to do is to pack your bags, hop in the locker room shower, get dressed, and head back home.
The only way to compete with LeBron when he’s on godzilla’s level is to play with a flawless, unselfish style as a team.
When Kobe Bryant’s name enters a conversation, the term “unselfish” somewhat drifts far, far away. In part, it’s because he has the “eat first” mentality. He thoroughly believes that a winning formula comes from him getting off to electric starts and scoring in bunches. That was the 30-year-old Kobe. Back then, Kobe would take over a game early, and it would open up his teammates to make plays off the defensive double teams later in the game.
It usually worked.
We’re seeing a completely different Kobe, six years later, with completely different teammates.
Now in his 19th season, Bryant’s feeding to his teammates first. While it may have not seemed like it during the start of the season, as he took 30+ shots in multiple games, it’s fully the case in January.
In Thursday’s meeting, Bryant made history against LeBron for a reason nobody ever thought he would. It was based off unselfishness, and team cohesion.
Doesn’t fit a guy that tells his teammates to “Get the f*** out of the way” in the final seconds of games, does it?
In the loss, Kobe dished a career-high 17 assists, with eight of them coming in the first quarter alone. It was truly a passing clinic, as he made his case for being one of the most underrated passers in the history of shooting guards.
It’s not like it’s a new trend for Bryant, who gets a bad rap for “not passing,” when he actually does it with ease.
In the last seven games he’s played in, Kobe has averaged just under double-digits in assists per game, at 9.0 per game. In anyone’s last seven games, it would rank right at the top with Chris Paul (10.4), Stephen Curry (9.4), John Wall (9.3), and Ty Lawson (9.1).
What we have here is a reformed, re-branded, and realistic Kobe. It’s actually quite beautiful to watch.
One person that’s benefited mightily from this surge of generosity from Kobe is undoubtedly Jordan Hill, the Lakers’ $9 million man.
Hill was the most efficient player on the whole court Thursday, going 10-of-14 from the field with 20 points and six rebounds, with just one turnover. Watching him improve his mid-ranger jumper during the summer has not only been impressive, but it’s been a testament to his hard work and dedication. Of all the members of his team, you certainly know which one appreciates and admires that effort.
Bryant told Hill two seasons ago that if they were going to be any threat in the West, he’d have to work out the kinks in his jump shooting. You can’t be a big man that’s one dimensional, unless you’re Shaquille O’Neal. You need to be able to do at least three things significantly well. Now, Hill has the tools, and he only has himself to thank for it.
It’s allowed him to be a huge threat in the two-man game, especially in pick-and-pops, or just sagging off and letting the defense collapse on old Kobe.
This season, Hill has received 26.5 percent of his passes from Bryant. It’s more than any other player has dished to Hill all year, and Bryant gives Hill around seven passes per game. He’s also been very efficient and reliable for Bryant as well, with Hill connecting on 51.9 percent of the field goals he takes when Kobe gives him the rock. That’s his second best mark, next to the 61.5 percent efficiency he has when Ed Davis passes to him. But, we all know big-to-big passing typically happens next to the rim, creating easier shots.
Hill has connected on 50 field goals assisted from Bryant this season, which is far above the next best player dishing to Hill. Ronnie Price and Jeremy Lin — both point guards — have only given Hill 28 field goals via assists this season.
Bryant is basically having the jack-of-all-trades type of January for the Lakers. With his future in doubt after the six absences due to “rest,” it’s absolutely something the franchise needs to see. If he’s able to be out there from a health standpoint, he needs to play, and play efficiently. The paycheck he was granted in 2013 will keep coming to him, but it needs to be earned.
Even with the 109-102 loss on Thursday, the whole night revolved around the companionable relationship between two legends.
With every humorous moment — such as a botched alley-oop by LeBron — triggered a genuine comedy scene between 23 and 24. Laughing on the bench, during dead balls, and at the free throw line, Kobe and LeBron embraced one of the last memories they’ll have together.
It’s unclear if Bryant even wants to return for next season. It’s even more unclear if he stays durable for the long-haul of another 82-game grind.
Regardless, they’re squeezing every last ounce out of their career journey together.
LeBron is still in legacy mode, trying to solidify where he stands in the pantheon of greatness. He’s chasing the Mt. Rushmore gods.
As for Kobe, the fiery, championship-driven player may be gone. But, we sure seem to enjoy this friendly, down-to-Earth competitor he has become.
The number of times they meet again is now limited. They’re all set to be special.