Even though I got a ton of stats and research on this topic, I'm simply not going to get into this debate of Kobe and LBJ, because this debate is neverending and both sides (cavs fans and lakers fans) will inevitably become more entrenched in their opinion. I do however, would like to point out that recently even the great Jerry West (aka the man who drafted Kobe) said that he thinks LBJ has surpassed Kobe. (He added that he would like Kobe to take the last shot however).
Before anyone accuses me of being a Cavs homer, I would like to say that I like the Orlando and Cavs team equally, and I think the Magic are a more talented team by far overall, and that the Cavs have the better superstar. And the Cavs better get their shit together for the next three games, because as everyone pointed out, they lost TWO huge leads. At home.
I would like to point anybody thinking that Kobe will surpass MJ as the greatest SG of all time to look at this:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=1813
the top ten SGs of all time, you can take a look at PER, peak career stats etc.
and this
http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=482
Straight up MJ/Kobe comparison by translating the stats into the environment of the 2008 season, to eliminate statistical differences between eras, such as pace. However nothing can be done about rules changes across the eras, like the handchecking rules in today's game.
Basically, MJ did more with less, and was more efficient at it.
If you want to take stats out of the picture (which is somewhat fair considering Kobe did not start from the outset for the Lakers), remember that perhaps at his peak, MJ won MVP (he ended up with 5 mvps, second to only Kareem), the all star MVP, the dunk contest mvp, the scoring title, and the fucking defensive player of the year!!!(The only player to ever lead the league in scoring and do that) in 1988. (I'm not gonna show the stats, you guys can look it up and blow your minds).
I think it's not fair to always compare Kobe to MJ, because he simply did not have some of the physical attributes MJ had. E.g. the hands which allowed MJ to palm the ball immediately off the dribble ala Dr J, the motor, the post strength etc. Kobe also always had more of a jump-shooting game even when he was young, which essentially is less efficient % wise than a game primarily based on attacking the rim like MJ in the 80s.
My point in all of this is that Kobe fans tend to flash the three rings in the LBJ/Kobe debate. (However, remember that Shaq was the leader of the championship squads, and that Kobe has lost twice in the Finals (once with Shaq) with squads that were definitive media favourites over Detroit and the Celtics. LBJ took a really shitty squad to the Finals, and got swept, very much like Iverson in 2001). His game I will add, is also much more aesthetically beautiful than Lebron, who actually walks like a duck, in my opinion :P.
LBJ fans flash the superior stats and efficiency (However, Lebron held the reins for the Cavs from the start, (or least when they traded Ricky Davis the hell away), and has not shown the two way offensive/defensive dominance that Kobe has had until this year.)
Basically this argument is perception versus stats or reality, career history versus ceiling. So I will cop out, and let the Cavs and Lakers fans ravage each other, but with MJ/Kobe:
Efficiency/stats
AND
career history (i.e. titles, awards, consistent dominance)
Kobe can't touch him.
But him and LBJ? Still very much up for grabs.
edit:
Additional stats:
Jordan 87-93: over 7 seasons averaged 33.2 ppg on 52% from the field. Again, that’s a 7 season average.
Looking at points per 100 possessions, Jordan torches Kobe. Kobe has averaged 112 on his career, topping out at 115. Jordan
averaged 118 on his career (11 above the league average in those seasons), hitting 125, and with 5 seasons at 123+.
Kobe at his best was 12 above the league average (and 7 above league average on his career).
And looking at Playoffs stats, the disparity is even more alarming.
When most player's stats and efficiency diminish in the postseason, MJ's postseason averages actually exceed his regular seasons (Hakeem is another guy whose averages also rise in the postseason), and Kobe's takes a slight dip.
(Question: who holds the highest NBA postseason PPG average?)
Hint: his 33.4 PPG stands as the best in NBA history. He also holds the most 50, 40, 30, and 20 point games in playoff history.
And before I get slaughtered, the greatest Laker of all time is Magic Johnson! (Cos Flea says so).
edit: I know, I know. Just to dispel some myths about clutchness and gamewinners, here is a table showing number of gamewinners attempted/made and fg%.
http://www.82games.com/gamewinningshots.htm
Very interesting to read.
Melo ranks really high for players with above 10 makes, shooting a .481 percentage on gamewinners? Damn.
