13. Sports. an
extremely important or crucial moment o####ame: He was famous for his
coolness in pitching in the clutch.
14. any critical position or
situation; emergency: She kept complete control in the clutch.
16. done or accomplished in a critical situation: a clutch shot that
won the basketball game.
17. dependable in crucial situations: a
clutch player.
The 17-foot jumper with 15 seconds left that gave the
Tar Heels the 1982 NCAA championship. The hanging, double-clutch jumper over the
Cleveland Cavaliers' Craig Ehlo at the buzzer. Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, with
the Bulls down by three with 40 seconds left, he scored on a layup, stole the
ball, and hit the winning jumper.
When it comes to clutch play, Michael
Jordan set the standard by which every player is measured.
But now we
have two players vying for the title as most clutch. LeBron James and Kobe
Bryant. Both were in top form this past Sunday. LeBron returned with 9:55 to
play against Chicago and the Cavaliers trailing 76-68. James scored six in a key
stretch late in the game and led the Cavaliers over the Chicago Bulls, 95-86.
Kobe Bryant scored 22 points in the fourth quarter and eight in overtime to
finish with 52 in Los Angeles' 108-104 victory over Dallas. They were the
Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month for games played in
February. They are the two best players in the world. [ Read ]
KOBE.. Hoff, I am a Laker-4-Life! I have not seen this kind of assault on anyone in years. I don't really like Stephen A. Smith, but he hit it right on the mark: 'he is the lethal assassin'. He makes free throws in the clutch.. enough said.
LBJ has been amazingly clutch this season but like I said in the article, there ARE teams that are capable of making him a jumpshooter. Two teams that come to mind are SA and Boston. I really want to see what the King can accomplish against the Celtics over 7 games.
Although its a good article as usual I dont even see how lebron is considered at all clutch right now. HE is very effective at taking advantage of his size but I have yet to see him do much in the playoffs, kobe would never let his team get manhandled like lebron did last year vs the spurs. Even when Shaq and kobe gave away the series to the pistons kobe carried the team to a vic in game two. That one game right there out does everything lebron has done in his career. I would put steve nash and baron davis ahead of lebron in the clutch, and theres quite a few more i would as well. I really dont think there should be anyuse of stats as they are very misleading, like this year kobe sets up teamates in turn making them better while lebron although having a reputation as a team player continually alienates teamates and has become a cocky ####. I would never want lebron on the lakers.
1. Kobe's experience in comparison to LeBron's is like night and day. Kobe is older, wiser, more developed as a player and athlete, etc. So, it's tough to compare a guy who's played with Shaq and for Phil Jackson, and made three trips to the Finals, etc. with someone like LeBron, who, while as amazing as he is, hasn't had the same opportunities, instructors, experiences, etc.
Maybe if Kobe has Mike Brown drawing up the game-winning shot, on a play where Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall and Anderson Varejao are involved, things would be different. Maybe, maybe not. But we cannot ignore these factors.
2. The nature of the positions they play are different. Kobe is a scorer with the ability to make plays for his teammates. LeBron is a playmaker with the ability to score. Thus, they think differently down the stretch. Kobe is taking the shot regardless of who's open. LeBron would pass it off if he felt his teammate would win the game.
Overall, I guess my point is that since LeBron has less experience, and plays a more well-rounded position, with lesser teammates, he's at more of a disadvantage than Kobe is in clutch situations.
We'd have to judge the 2008 Kobe with the 2012 LeBron, or something like that... you know what I mean?
Both are tremendous.
But because Kobe is a great shooter, I'd take him over LeBron.
At least now. I still think LeBron is the better all-around player, in terms of influence on his teammates and impact on winning.
But right now, today, I'd take Kobe in the clutch over anybody.
Last edited by TrainOntheBall on March 4th at 7:09 PM.
LeBron destroyed the Pistons last year. His game 5 performance against them was the greatest individual playoff performance I've seen.
Although I think the Pistons were very overrated. James has been pretty clutch this season. He's led many 4th quarter comebacks but there is a BIG difference between a 4th quarter comeback and hitting game winning shots.
Kobe has done both his entire career and on the biggest stages. Time will tell if LeBron can do the same.
You believe LeBron is the better all-around player and I respect that. How much of an advantage does he have due to his size and athletic ability? Do you think his natural born gifts make him a better player?
I tend to believe that players who are fundamentally sound are better players. I'm in awe of LBJ's abilities but I appreciate the hard work Kobe has put in to become an elite shooter and an All-NBA defender.
LeBron is a difficult cover for anyone. When he puts his mind to it, he can stop anyone. There's absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be a first team all-nba defender. I'm really looking forward to a Celtics/Cavs series. One of the matchups I think we'll see is KG defending LeBron and vice versa.
LeBron has the size to defend anyone not named Shaq, D. Howard, or Yao.
"at the end of the game i want the ball in kobes hands. to get me to the end of the game, i want lebron."
That's a very astute observation. I agree, as long as that opponent isn't the Spurs...or maybe the Celtics this season. The best defensive teams in the league take away the oppositions strength. LeBron's strength is getting to the basket. Kobe can get to the hoop (not like LeBron) and shoot from the outside.
I think KG will be forced to defend LeBron (during crunch time at least) because no one else will be able to. Pierce is too slow and doesn't have the vertical leap to contest anything. Ray Allen is too small.
KG doesn't have the footspeed that LeBron has but if he plays a step off (which he can because LBJ won't beat Boston shooting jumpers), he's best equipped to defend the King.
KG will abuse Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, and Sideshow Bob (Andersen V). LeBron is big enough to defend KG down low. He is Cleveland's best option when defending Garnett.
I think the Boston/Cleveland series will come down to the KG/LeBron matchup. They won't defend each other exclusively but I think they will be forced to defend one another during crunch time.
You know my feelings on clutch, Hoff. I used to post on the RealGM forums (usually the Current Affairs section), but I got banned simply because I was open about my atheism and not ashamed of it (and my signature was 10 pixels too big).
They have a few quality writers, though. I'm sure I've read your stuff on there before and didn't even know it was you.
I don't follow the NBA anywhere near as closely as I follow baseball, but I'm inclined to go with Kobe Bryant over LeBron James. Check back with me tomorrow, I'm sure I'll change my mind, ha ha.
Last edited by UltraMegaOK1988 on March 4th at 10:14 PM.
1) No way KG guards LeBron. You do that, and you take away one of the league's best weakside shotblockers. Pierce has been rejuvenated as a defensive player this year, and having top tier shotblockers at the rim is the best way to deter LeBron.
2) When did you start writing for realGM? It's almost like you're legit or something now. :P
3) Honestly, I'm not much of a believer in "clutch", I think it's immensely overrated.
4) I think it's a ridiculously close between these two. Obviously, Kobe is the better shooter, there's no denying that. However, LeBron is tougher to stop going to the rim and is more likely to get the high percentage shot or get to the line. I'd probably still take Kobe for one last shot, though I think LeBron has been a better all-around player this year.
Great post. It's no secret Im not a Kobe lover, but facts are facts there are many teams who would kill to have him or just kill him if they had to play him at the end o####ame.
Throw out everything else, I say, and look at this one critical point. Without that guy on the floor in the last 5 minutes in a 5 point or less game, which team wins? Lakers, hands down, the Cavs cannot win without LeBron, but neither can they really win it all with him, other teams have him too much on their radar.
But even with that pressure on Kobe, they really can't stop him, and that's the biggest difference in my book. The only way to really stop Kobe is to play the way the old "Bad Boys" of Detroit played the "Jordan Rules", which meant hammer him, and in today's NBA that's not going to happen.
I dont like him but give the devil his due, Kobe's the guy you want to have the ball in that situation every time.
Yeah, I know your feelings on clutch play. I agree with one part of your argument against the clutch phenomena and that is, good players make good plays. Bad players aren't capable of being clutch because they aren't as likely to make a great play. But then again, we're talking about professional sports. There really aren't any bad players.
However, there have been many good players who have repeatedly come up short when it matters the most.
I'm of the opinion that certain players have an intrinsic ability to step up when the pressure mounts. It's a characteristic that applies to all of life as well. Some people handle stress better than others. Some people are able to push through adversity and others crumble.
I agree. Boston can't afford to play KG on LeBron exclusively but I think he's their best hope of stopping the King when it comes to crunch time. LeBron is the toughest player in the league to stop from getting to the hoop. KG is a great weakside shotblocker. This is true. But he's also a very good on ball shotblocker as well. He's got the length to contest a lot of LeBron forays into the paint.
He's a lot better at moving lateral than people give him credit for too.
There are many people who dislike Bryant personally. You're not alone. You are the minority when it comes to separating your personal feelings from your respect for him as a player. I think that's a very admirable trait.
Kobe drives me nuts when he throws tantrums because of questionable officiating. In the past, his shot selection was questionable. I'm not sure if this is his best season post-Shaq. I think he's essentially playing the same type of game. The only difference is his teammates are stepping up.
Kobe is 29. MJ didn't really buy into the team concept and win an NBA championship until he was 27. It takes years for players to mature fully. Should Kobe be ahead of the curve since he came into the league out of high school? Probably, but he has plenty of time left too.
Hoff,
I agree LeBron is tough to stop going to the rim but here is what I see. Defenders will often stop and become spectators instead of moving first and getting in LeBrons way of making an easy dunk or layup. He's a wrecking ball when he goes to the rim. Atleast step up and try to get a charging foul.
"I agree LeBron is tough to stop going to the rim but here is what I see. Defenders will often stop and become spectators instead of moving first and getting in LeBrons way of making an easy dunk or layup. He's a wrecking ball when he goes to the rim. Atleast step up and try to get a charging foul."
I agree. LeBron is like a freight train when decides he wants to get to the basket. But defenders rarely challenge him. It's the same story with Wade. Both players deserve credit for their penetration skills but if they were playing in the late 80's and early 90's, someone would put them on their back.
I agree with Mega and XPhoenix on some of their points here.
Hoff - those links didn't open for me.
There's definitely no right or wrong answer here although I think most people would take Kobe in the clutch, just for the simple reason he's slightly evil and the greatest winners always are. We all know there's no doubt in his mind he thinks he's going to win the ballgame. So... isn't that who we all want in crunchtime?
And yeah, I remember LeBron giving the ball up to Anderson Varejao in the final seconds once. That's no good.
Size and athleticism are part of it. I never say about Shaq, "he's just big." If we thought that way then dudes like Chucky Atkins and Jannero Pargo would be the best players in the league, because their skills are immense but they're too small or not athletic enough. We have to count the total package. We can play hypotheticals like "what if they had better teammates, etc.", because that could happen. But there's no way in heck we can alter their size. Not even worth discussing that.
LeBron is more Magic, and Kobe is more Jordan in terms of style. In the pinch, I'd take Kobe. But if I were starting a team from scratch, I'd take LeBron. He's more of an influence on his teammates.
But yeah, as Mega said, "clutch" is just one aspect. It's glorious and makes legends, but in the big picture a bit overrated.
More.
Last edited by TrainOntheBall on March 5th at 8:56 AM.
Yeah, for the simple fact Kobe is shooting 49% on the jumpers, and LeBron 43%, I'd take Kobe. True, LeBron does more damage going to the hoop, but Kobe is adept at that too. I'll take the better shooter in the clutch always.
But this is what I meant to say in my first post. We can't compare the 2008 LeBron and Kobe because one is in his prime and the other still developing. What if two years from now, LeBron is shooting the way Kobe does now? (Unlikely, but possible).
But your question was about who's better in the clutch right now. So I digressed.
whats this new trend of blatantly jacking other people's content? Tsunami did it and now you, at least he credited the guy at the top of his blog. Write your own ####, if you cant, then you need to credit the guy in BIG BOLD LETTERS at the very beginning.
I think LeBron's shooting woes can be attributed to lack of practice AND mechanics. He's in desperate need of a complete makeover of his shot. He leans back too much and that's not conducive to good form when you weigh 250 pounds. It's one thing for Kobe or MJ to fade back when shooting, I think it's different for LeBron.
Also, I don't think Cleveland uses him in the post enough. MJ became deadly with his back to the basket. LeBron could take that type of play to an entirely different level with his size and quickness.
Hoff,
So do I my friend. But even so it's as easy as stepp up atleast try to draw the charge. No so many players just sit there and become fans anfd forget they are opponents at the time. I don't get it. Atleast make the shot tough for him, for gods sake he isn't the best free throw shooter. He is however the best at bringing it to you and smashing it in your face...why allow him to do so?
Hoff - Good blog, as expected. I actually think your observation on KG guarding LeBron is an astute one. I don't think it can happen for the whole game, but I think down the stretch it might happen. I remember a few years back when KG guarded Tracy McGrady and absolutely shut him down. After the game, all Tracy could say was that it was by far the best defense anyone had played on him ever. Yes, KG is a very good help defender, but he has the lateral quickness and length to bother smaller forwards and even guards.
Well...for the time being...this is a no-brainer.
Kobe has proven MUCH more than LeBron when it comes to clutch play.
I always think back to that Lakers-Pacers NBA Finals...when they fouled out Shaq with the clock running down and the plan was to pound it to Rik Smits down low, gain the lead, then run out the clock.
But Kobe came down after EACH POSSESSION and trained jumper after jumper right into the Pacer's title hopes. He was an assassin...
And let's not forgot that LONG stretch of time where everyone was ALL OVER LeBron about missing so many potential gamewinners. I believe he "officially" got that #### off his back last season...but still...it needs to be mentioned...
I love LeBron...but you have to take Kobe if you are looking for the most CLUTCH player in the NBA...
"Also, I don't think Cleveland uses him in the post enough. MJ became deadly with his back to the basket. LeBron could take that type of play to an entirely different level with his size and quickness."
Absolutely. I don't understand how LeBron isn't asked to post more. Seriously. He should post up way more often than he does.
Yeah, his shot is suspect. I don't thinks he understands fully how to play yet. I mean, how can a guy who's so damn unstoppable driving to the hoop, settle for so many off-balance outside jumpers? Something is off there.
LeBron should be posting every single time he has a smaller man on him. When they come to double-team, he'll make them pay by finding the open man.
I will say this about Kobe. Two years ago I argued vehemently that he should have won MVP. I mean, what he did that year was nuts. I don't think his 81 points topples Jordan's 63 against the Celtics, but it's definitely better than Chamberlain's 100. I have that game in video on my computer. And let me tell you, while one can argue the last 8-10 points were BS, the first 68-71 were hard-earned. Most amazing individual season I've seen from anyone since MJ.
And this year, the gaudy numbers aren't there, but there's a maturity to Kobe's game that's amazing. He turned the corner two years ago. And right now, he's just killing people.
Last edited by TrainOntheBall on March 5th at 1:43 PM.
This is Kobe's 12th NBA season. He turns 30 this summer.
This is LeBron's 5th season. He just turned 23 three months ago.
So I factor this in when I say LeBron is better. I mean, the fact it's even debatable on who's better, is a huge compliment to LeBron.
Kobe should be head-and-shoulders better than everybody, and he's not. There's some debate there (although most Kobe detractors are simply Kobe-haters).
LeBron James in four years might be the best player we've ever seen. That all depends on his health, how much his shot improves, etc. But Jesus Christ, I've never seen someone so gifted since MJ.
I believe when it's all said and done, LeBron will be unanimously viewed as better than Kobe.
So, I'm skipping ahead when I say LeBron. But right now, today, yeah, I don't know if anybody is better than Kobe.
Soon the Kobe haters are going to have to start tipping their hats the way the guy is playing.
I love basketball. While many basketball fans enjoy the month of March, I prefer the months of April, May, and June. I look forward to productive chats, heated debates, and honest opinions.
