Why Kobe Bryant was a greater scorer than LeBron James will ever be

[Professor Emeritus]

Narratives that have been completely destroyed in this thread.


"Kobe's a better scorer."

No, Lebron has scored more points, on better efficiency, for his whole career.


"But Lebron only scores on the inside."

No, Lebron hits just as many threes and at a better rate than Kobe ever has.


"But Lebron never developed a midrange shot."

No, Lebron's peak midrange shooting (2011-2014) was just as good as Kobe's peak midrange shooting (2007-2010).


"But Kobe beats Lebron in more parts of the court."

No, the only place on the court where Kobe is meaningfully better than Lebron is from 10-16 feet, and that only accounts for an extra 1.5ppg for his career.


"But Lebron had it easy against the Eastern Conference."

No, both Lebron and Kobe scored better against the Western Conference than against the Eastern Conference in their careers.


"But Kobe's numbers are hurt by having to shoot so many shots at the end of the short clock."

No, Lebron takes more shots at the end of the shot clock than Kobe does.


"But Lebron's numbers will drop when he gets older."

Yet Lebron's numbers right now, both in totals and shooting efficiency, are higher than Kobe's career numbers ever were at any point in his career.


"But Kobe is better in the playoffs."

No, Lebron also has better scoring numbers than Kobe, on better efficiency, in the playoffs.


"But the Finals?"

No, Lebron is a much better scorer than Kobe in the Finals too.


"But they just let Lebron shoot in big games!"

And Lebron won games 5-7 in Golden State hitting eight threes on 42% and Games 6-7 in San Antonio hitting six threes on 40%.


"But Kobe's game is more entertaining to watch!"

I can't argue with you there...if you personally like watching volume chucking on 42% midrange shots more than GOAT all-around play, then I guess you're a Kobestan.



Kobestan has lost...there's no argument for him anymore besides "better 2nd-fiddle", "more games with 30+ shots", and "occasional 1 in 100 great scoring performances against awful teams in meaningless regular season games".

 

[TheKid55]

LeBron's an underrated scorer, career 27ppg. Kobe was more enjoyable to watch tho.

 

[hayesc0]

Mike shot 32.7% from deep to Kobe shooting 32.9% from deep. That 0.2% difference isn't offsetting the edge mike had inside the arc. Jordan shot 49.7% on the career while Kobe shot 44%. Jordan was a vastly superior shooter both in ability and shot selection.

I dont agree with that i know the percentages kobe just took alot of bad shots but he was the better shooter mj also benefited from that closer line for a year or so his 3pt % is inflated.

 

[Fenian]

The gall to talk about stat nerds not understanding the nuances of the game and then trying to make the straight fukking RETARDED statement that Kobe is on the same planet as Lebron in regards to passing.

Kobe is great passer with pretty good vision. He's probably right on the cusp of being an elite passer (Where Dwayne Wade is) but Lebron is an elite passer with GOAT-tier vision, court awareness, touch, creativity, strength, and the ability to get the ball to shooters in rhythm, in their spots, with minimal unnecessary movements.

Lebron is on that Kidd, Magic, Nash, Stockton, CP3-tier when you take in all aspects of passing and playmaking.

And lebrons elite passing and court vision contributes to his ability to score the ball as well. You can't double and triple team Lebron as much as you can Kobe because you know he'll find the open man.

Guy is one of the most complete players ever.

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Narratives that have been completely destroyed in this thread.


"Kobe's a better scorer."

No, Lebron has scored more points, on better efficiency, for his whole career.


"But Lebron only scores on the inside."

No, Lebron hits just as many threes and at a better rate than Kobe ever has.


"But Lebron never developed a midrange shot."

No, Lebron's peak midrange shooting (2011-2014) was just as good as Kobe's peak midrange shooting (2007-2010).


"But Kobe beats Lebron in more parts of the court."

No, the only place on the court where Kobe is meaningfully better than Lebron is from 10-16 feet, and that only accounts for an extra 1.5ppg for his career.


"But Lebron had it easy against the Eastern Conference."

No, both Lebron and Kobe scored better against the Western Conference than against the Eastern Conference in their careers.


"But Kobe's numbers are hurt by having to shoot so many shots at the end of the short clock."

No, Lebron takes more shots at the end of the shot clock than Kobe does.


"But Lebron's numbers will drop when he gets older."

Yet Lebron's numbers right now, both in totals and shooting efficiency, are higher than Kobe's career numbers ever were at any point in his career.


"But Kobe is better in the playoffs."

No, Lebron also has better scoring numbers than Kobe, on better efficiency, in the playoffs.


"But the Finals?"

No, Lebron is a much better scorer than Kobe in the Finals too.


"But they just let Lebron shoot in big games!"

And Lebron won games 5-7 in Golden State hitting eight threes on 42% and Games 6-7 in San Antonio hitting six threes on 40%.


"But Kobe's game is more entertaining to watch!"

I can't argue with you there...if you personally like watching volume chucking on 42% midrange shots more than GOAT all-around play, then I guess you're a Kobestan.



Kobestan has lost...there's no argument for him anymore besides "better 2nd-fiddle", "more games with 30+ shots", and "occasional 1 in 100 great scoring performances against awful teams in meaningless regular season games".

facts

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Check out 82games.com for shot clock stats for every year.

For example, in 2012 Kobe took 18% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 36% of them.
However, in 2012 Lebron took 21% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 40% of them.

In 2010 Kobe took 14% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 50% of them.
In 2010 Lebron took 24% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 48% of them.

In 2007 Kobe took 13% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 41% of them.
In 2007 Lebron took 16% of his shots in the final 3 seconds of the shot clock, and made 42% of them.


Those were literally the only three years I tried, so I think it's a very good bet that trend continues for just about every year and their career averages.

This is why "as I remember it" is a stupid way to grade players. You're biased, so you were wrong. Lebron has his numbers hurt MORE by having to take shots at the end of the shot clock than Kobe ever has, and there's numbers to prove it.

yup...one the excuses Kobe stans would use to try to explain why Kobe's FG% was lower than lebron's was because he took more bailout shots when infact, lebron took more than kobe

For example the 2012 season (his last full season)

Kobe only had 12% of his shots be with only 3 secs or less on the clock

Lebron's was 22%!!!! of his shots

Durants was higher than Kobe's to @ 14%

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we can even go back to 2008-2009...



KObe @ 12% of 3 secs or less

Lebron @ 24%!!!!!!!!!! of 3 secs or less

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and 2009-2010










Kobe @ 14%

LBJ @ 24%

Lebron shoots more bailout shots and still puts a higher Fg% for example

LeBron James

LeBron is absurd in a lot of ways, but this is ridiculous. The Heat have played at a slower pace each of the past three years, and this year they're taking late-clock shots on 13.7 percent of their possessions, the fourth-highest share in the league, behind Memphis, Chicago, and Utah. This is not good; late shots are inherently less efficient shots. So how is Miami still the second-most efficient offense in the league, overall? LeBron, basically.

Of the Heat's massive number of late-clock plays, LeBron is responsible for 31.2 percent of them. This is the highest percentage of any team's late-clock possessions for a single player. And not only that, at 0.93 points per possession, he's miles ahead of the league average of 0.78 points per possession. Among players with at least 100 of these possessions, he's 12th in efficiency, and he's taken 347. Put another way: LeBron is more efficient with less than four seconds on the clock than Paul George and Tim Duncan (both right around 0.92) are in the halfcourt.

With Dwyane Wade missing a big chunk of the season, LeBron has taken on a huge amount of offense, and he's kept the Heat attack rolling, the way he used to for Cleveland. It also helps that in his fourth year in Miami, Bosh has become a reliable outlet valve, ranking near the top of the league in efficiency for late shots (0.98 points per possession), and remaining a deadly spot-up shooter from midrange.

http://deadspin.com/which-nba-players-are-best-late-in-the-shot-clock-1563759412

 

[Jplaya2023]

I dont agree with that i know the percentages kobe just took alot of bad shots but he was the better shooter mj also benefited from that closer line for a year or so his 3pt % is inflated.

shut up man the nba moved the 3 line closer for 2 seasons and jordan played 17 games in 1 of those seasons

"get a grip mothafukka" -

 

[hayesc0]

shut up man the nba moved the 3 line closer for 2 seasons and jordan played 17 games in 1 of those seasons

"get a grip mothafukka" -

Dude relax it's not that serious lol. Jordan is better no doubt but I don't think he is a better shooter it's not that serious.

 

[Jplaya2023]

Dude relax it's not that serious lol. Jordan is better no doubt but I don't think he is a better shooter it's not that serious.

in the years jordan actually tried from 3 (shot over 200 shots) he shot the following %s

1990 - 38%
1993 - 35%
1996 - 43% (line moved in)
1997 - 37%

the other years he took them as bailout shot clock running out shots and did not develop a rthymn to shooting them

 

[IllmaticDelta]

Dude relax it's not that serious lol. Jordan is better no doubt but I don't think he is a better shooter it's not that serious.

Jordan was a better mid range shooter than Kobe while both were ehh from 3, kobe was a better streak shooter from 3

 

[Sin Simma]

Not from a percentage standpoint because kobe takes bad shots but he is a better shooter particularly from long range.

Kobe attempted more shots from the outside than MJ, because Mike knew his strengths and weaknesses. Incredible mid-range, excellent footwork, post game, taking it to the hole with his athleticism and built up his body to absorb the contact, this nikka was the true definition of unguardable.

Kobe had a season where he averaged 35. In that same season, he dropped 40+ almost 30 times, 62 in 3 quarters, outscoring the opposing team by himself, and dropped 81. I think he did 45 and better for 5 straight games, but I could be wrong. One month, he averaged 43. This is fukking insane, yet Kobe only had 2 scoring titles. How sway?

 

[hayesc0]

in the years jordan actually tried from 3 (shot over 200 shots) he shot the following %s

1990 - 38%
1993 - 35%
1996 - 43% (line moved in)
1997 - 37%

the other years he took them as bailout shot clock running out shots and did not develop a rthymn to shooting them

You know what shots mj did and did not try on now?

 

[Jplaya2023]

You know what shots mj did and did not try on now?

shooting the 3 is all about rhythm when you average 1 3pt shot a season your not going to have much sucesss shooting high %s. Imagine if steph took 1 a game what would his numbers look like. the 3 ball is all about repetition and rhythm

 

[hayesc0]

Kobe attempted more shots from the outside than MJ, because Mike knew his strengths and weaknesses. Incredible mid-range, excellent footwork, post game, taking it to the hole with his athleticism and built up his body to absorb the contact, this nikka was the true definition of unguardable.

Kobe had a season where he averaged 35. In that same season, he dropped 40+ almost 30 times, 62 in 3 quarters, outscoring the opposing team by himself, and dropped 81. I think he did 45 and better for 5 straight games, but I could be wrong. One month, he averaged 43. This is fukking insane, yet Kobe only had 2 scoring titles. How sway?

You won't get any argument from me mj took better smarter shots I just think kobe is a better shooter.

 

[hayesc0]

Jordan was a better mid range shooter than Kobe while both were ehh from 3, kobe was a better streak shooter from 3

I agree with this.