How far is the gap between Michael Jordan and the man many say is the best player in the NBA today, Kobe Bryant?
Well, as of now, pretty big...but all that could change real quick.
Think of it, one of the few awards Michael has garnered during his tenure which Kobe has yet to achieve is League MVP. However, in what may have been his finest season ever as a pro, Bryant is looking more and more like a lock for that piece of hardware.
Granted, Jordan did earn this award five times during his career, but in all fairness to Kobe, that was a completely different era in the sport with a completely different type of athlete. To win that award five times nowadays would be virtually impossible, even for Michael.
The most notable thing Jordan accomplished as a player was in leading his team to two different three-peats, which truly established his greatness over the course of his career.
Now, on the eve of the NBA Playoffs, Kobe finds himself, I dare say, in the position to match that feat as well. If Bryant can travel this path, the ever-shrinking gap between MJ and Kobe will be virtually nonexistent.
As Kobe Bryant embarks on this journey, be sure to remember that Michael Jordan never had to contend with a conference as competitive as the Western Conference is today.
The Golden State Warriors, who finished with 48 wins didn't qualify for the playoffs and the eighth seeded team, the Denver Nuggets, have the top three and four scorers in the NBA.
Kobe's Lakers finished first in a highly competitive West and did a lot of that with injuries to key guys throughout the season. Andrew Bynum only played 35 games this year while Pau Gasol logged a meager 24.
Now, the Los Angeles Lakers are relatively healthy heading into the playoffs and could be poised to show their true dominance.
With Derek Fisher running the point and Lamar Odom averaging a double double from the power forward position, they have all the pieces in place to win now.
The scary thing is that this may be just the beginning. Of all five starters, Fisher is the only one above the age of thirty so it is quite possible that this team is only starting its rise to power.
In addition, the coach steering the ship is none other than Phil Jackson, the only coach in NBA history to lead a team to two different three-peats. Lest we forget, he also coached LA to its 3-peat not too long ago.
With all this fire power, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers could be embarking on a new three-peat of their own, if not more.
The one consolation I can offer to the rest of the NBA - At least you'll have front row seats to experience history in the making...even if it is at your expense.
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3 months ago
It would be nice to see Kobe and his Lakers to 3peat and possibly more, but i just don't think thats going to happen. I hope it does, i really do, but i don't think that will be a possibility. Lebron isn't going to stay with a losing squad his entire career. Just think about it. what if Lebron and someone like Dwight Howard teamed up. It would be the Kobe Shaq effect all over again. Although Dwight isn't at that level of Shaq yet, and may never be, it would be extreamly dominating force. I hope something crazy like this doesn't happen, i just don't see it not happening. Lebron James will when a championship, i just hope it's after Kobe's retired and won a bunch.
from 3 months ago
If the Lakers can finish first in the Western Conference with this team this year then I think they can do it every year, especially when the teams start becoming not as good again. Playing for the best team in the league, I just can't see Kobe letting the Lakers lose in the postseason. It would have to take an act of god to stop them.
3 months ago
I do agree with you with the fact that it was the championships that made MJ's legacy more than all of his other accomplishments combined. Many forget that he was considered just as arrogant and selfish as most of the world (outside of LA) thinks of Kobe nowadays. It was his rings that turned him into the legend he has become. Rings made those MVP trophies, scoring titles all more attractive on his resume. In my personal opinion, Kobe at his best on the offensive side of the game is a little better than Jordan was (maybe 10 for kobe to 9.6 for Jordan). but I give the same little edge to Jordan on the defensive end. Now only way, kobe will be considered better than jordan when his career is finished is by winning few more rings by him being "The Man" of the team like Jordan was on bulls. Looking at the current lakers group, Its not unrealistic to think that by the time kobe retires (say at the age of 38, barring no career ending injuries), he can probably get 2 to 3 rings. Especially if you look at the fact that SA wont be a powerhouse in another year or so once tim starts going downhill. PHX has one more year left, so does DAL. only competition for lakers would be NO, and Portland in the west for next few years and whatever comes out of the east. so again, thinking kobe can win 2 to 3 rings in next 8 years is not too ridiculous. now coming back to my original point of kobe ever being considered better than Jordan, if Kobe can have 5 or 6 championship rings when he is done, there will be the notion that Kobe could play along with another dominant figure in Shaq and win championships and also win championships when he was the sole leader of the team. Then you can have a legit argument, could MJ have been able to do that? Could MJ survive playing second fiddle to Shaq? Remember, most of the bickering that happened between Shaq and Kobe in early part of the decade was always about kobe being mad that Shaq wasn't working hard to be in shape. Do you think MJ would have been okay with that if shaq was on his team? So, my point is, if (and thats a big if but not unrealistic) kobe can win 2 to 3 rings before he retires, then he definately will have accomplished something that MJ never did (and maybe wouldnt have been able to as well).
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