Kobe scored 40 tonight. He's a cold-blooded killer. He played physical getting the hoop, but he also burned Phoenix with jumpers from all around the court. He was unstoppable. Kobe doesn't always shoot lights out and he doesn't always get to the hoop, but his mentality and his drive pushes both himself and his teammates to never back down and never give up despite difficult situations. This is what allows Kobe to drain buzzer beaters and come back from huge deficits. This is why Kobe is still the best basketball player in the NBA. Kobe is a mental freak (mental meaning psychological, not retarded).
Lebron is the NBA's best athlete, hands down. He has the most potential and he's probably the most intimidating to guard (Dwight's being owned by Sheed and Shaq is mad old). When he drives to the hoop he's like an unstoppable bowling ball, knocking down all players in his path (whether or not they have their feet set outside of the restricted area). On defense, he's the most feared trailer on fast breaks and is an excellent on and off ball defender. Simply put, Lebron is a physical freak
The mental game of NBA is not emphasized as much as the more tangible physical traits of the game. This is where Kobe's main advantage over Lebron is. Kobe is a second coach on the floor, directing traffic and teaching players where to be both in-game and during practices. Lebron, though an individually intellectually gifted player, does not, probably because he cannot, coach the players around him.
In sports, outside of injuries, physical ability doesn't drop off cliffs. Players have on and off nights, but in the end, they perform in the same general area due to mere physical ability. On the other hand, mental composure is much more fickle. Consistency in sports is derived from a strong mental game, as embodied by Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, and Peyton Manning. They never lose their cool, never get flustered, and most importantly, they always believe that all situations are beatable. This is why to a certain extent, mental composure can be more important than physical ability.
Lebron lacks the killer instinct that everyone talks about, and I truly believe that until he develops that killer instinct or plays with a player with that killer instinct, he will never win a championship. Even if Lebron plays players with lesser physical ability than he (almost all others will), he will run into teams with a stronger mental foundation and a belief in themselves that will overcome him. Lebron gave up in the series against the Celtics; he gave up shamefully.
Biggest difference between Kobe and Lebron, as Tweeted by Skip Bayless: "When Kobe takes a game-winning shot, he really believes it's going in. Not so with Lebron."
To sum it all up:
Kobe's a psychological freak. Lebron is mentally challenged.
Not So Random Photo: Take that, you stupid flopper!
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