LeBron vs Kobe: A battle for MSG

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Just two days after Kobe Bryant beat out MJ’s “double nickel” record for most points scored by an opponent in Madison Square Garden with 61 points, LeBron James comes into town and drops 52 points to go along with 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Both players’ performances were actually necessary for their teams to win and they were not just trying to pile on points, with the Lakers winning 126-117 and the Cavs out dueling the Knicks 107-102.

LeBron’s 52 points made him the second player in MSG history to have multi 50 point performances, tying him with Michael Jordan who also had two games with 50 points or more. LeBron had his first 50 point game in New York last season on March 3.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Some would argue that LeBron’s performance was more impressive, as he got the points and was able to earn a triple double, and I would agree.

Still, here are some numbers to back Kobe up:

Minutes

Kobe: 37

LeBron’s: 44

FG Percentage

Kobe: 61 percent (19-31)

LeBron: 52 percent (17-33)

Free Throw Shooting

Kobe: 100 percent (20-20)

LeBron: 84 percent (17-19)

Point Differential

Kobe: +19

LeBron: +7

No matter who you think had a more impressive game, it is amazing the type of shows these guys are putting on night in and night out.

The current cast of players in the NBA seems to be perfect for bringing basketball to prominence as the second most popular sport in America.