In my opinion, Michael Jordan remains the greatest basketball player — and quite possibly the greatest professional athlete — in American sports history.
But if you surf the web, you can see waves of support starting to swell for Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. USA Today asks the question, “If Kobe carries the Lakers can we start using the Jordan word?”
The NBA Finals begin Thursday in Los Angeles when the Lakers host the Celtics. If Bryant can lead his Lakers to another title, it will be his fifth title and his second without Shaquille O’Neal.
Would that be enough to lift Kobe into the rarified air in which Jordan flew?
I say no.
As amazing as Kobe is, I don’t think he’s as good a defensive player as Jordan was. As physically gifted as Kobe is, I don’t think he’s got more moves than Jordan had. As driven as Kobe is, I don’t think he wills his team to victory the way Jordan could. As cool under fire as Kobe is, I don’t think he’s better in the clutch than Jordan was.
Jordan’s Bulls had two three-peats in the ’90s. If not for Jordan’s decision to take more than a year and a half off beginning in 1993 and play minor league baseball for a season, it’s possible the Bulls could have won eight consecutive championships.
When the Celtics beat the Lakers in the 2008 finals, they beat up, wrapped up and thoroughly frustrated Bryant. The Celtics limited Bryant to 25.7 points per game in the finals — he had averaged 31.9 through the first three rounds — and 40 percent shooting. After it was over, Kobe said: “They definitely were the best defense I’ve seen in the entire playoffs.”
Now Kobe can exact some revenge while adding to his legacy.
I do think the Lakers will win their 16th title. Win or lose, I think Kobe is a great, amazing player. He’s just not the greatest or most amazing.
Trivia time
The Lakers and Celtics have met in 11 previous finals. What is the Celtics’ all-time record against the Lakers in the finals? (Answer below)
Polling
Friday’s “Lunch Special” poll asked readers if they would prefer to have the Cardinals’ Matt Holliday or the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez on their baseball team. CarGo was the overwhelming choice, with nearly 92 percent of the vote.
Quotable
“Could we be witnessing another Ron Guidry of 1978, when the Yankees lefty went 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA? He was 7-0 with a 1.88 ERA on June 1. He had to face the designated hitter every game, but he also played for the defending world champions.
Or Dwight Gooden in 1985, at 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA? He was 7-3 with a 1.79 ERA at the end of May.
Might he be more like Zack Greinke of last year? He was 8-1 with a 1.10 ERA on June 1, and finished at 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA.” — San Francisco Chronicle columnist Gwen Knapp, writing about the amazing Ubaldo Jimenez after the Rockies’ ace threw a complete-game shutout against the Giants Monday.
In case you missed it
LeBron James, the apparent heir apparent to Jordan and Bryant, taped a sit-down interview at his home near Akron on Tuesday with King. The segment will air Friday on CNN’s “Larry King Live.”
The hot topic, of course, will be where free agency takes James. Will he stay in Cleveland? Will he head to New York? Is Chicago on his wish list? It’s doubtful James will spill the beans, but there might be a few hints.
This day in sports
On June 1, 1925, Lou Gehrig replaced Wally Pipp at first base for the Yankees, beginning Gehrig’s legendary streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.
Trivia answer
Heading into this year’s finals, the Celtics are 9-2 against the Lakers.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
