Saturday, September 19, 2015

The Kobe versus Jordan Thing ...




The Thing about Kobe and Jordan …

I can’t believe this might be Kobe’s last season.  Barring any more injuries, I’m sure it will be a good one.  Right now though, I’m trying to connect some principle to explain this relationship I have observed between Jordan and Kobe.  I have said before, I think Kobe is better than Jordan because of a ‘quality not quantity’ issue.  Jordan played under the finesse game.  Kobe is the finesse game.  Now, we are looking at careers, but I guess there is a special emphasis on Jordan’s and Kobe’s primes.  When Jordan was in his prime, his game was rough.  Jordan didn’t survey then attack the defense.  Jordan looked at his team so to distract the defense, then he went in.  It always worked, that’s why he was so successful with it.  That’s why I say Jordan played under the finesse game.  He used the offense to create his own offense.  To me, it’s cool to float through the air and knock down jumpshots, but what if you’re the greatest at it and somebody comes along doing what you did except the new person makes it look better?

This is what Kobe did.  With the exception of the amount of awards earned, Kobe did what Jordan did, but Kobe made it look better.  Jordan and Kobe both go hard on the court, but when Jordan did it, it looked savage and beastly.  Jordan took control.  When Kobe goes hard, there’s a polished refinement to his moves.  They’re hard, but they’re quick, and the blur from the quickness seems to make Kobe glow.  Don’t get me wrong, Kobe took control too.  But Kobe looked at the defense and played off the defense using his offense, which is the exact opposite of what Jordan did.  If Kobe thought he could take the defense by himself, he did.  If he thought he could use some help, he went to his offense to move the ball.  This is the finesse game.  Jordan used his team, but Kobe utilized his team.  It’s similar to the dating game: Does a person want a mate who will use her, or does she want a mate who will make her look and feel like she’s worth something?  Anybody can learn how to use people.  I know my mate is special when he can bring out the best in me instead of stressing me about what I can or can’t do for him.

It’s the same thing with Kobe and Jordan.  Jordan used his offense.  He didn’t play the game, he used it to his own personal advantage.  He played under Phil’s triangle.  But Jordan wasn’t the triangle.  Kobe was the triangle.  The triangle moves around the defense.  In order to move around the defense, you have to see the defense.  Jordan didn’t see the defense.  Jordan looked to make sure the offense was out of his way so he could score.  Kobe looked at the defense, and went at the defense whether he had to do it with the team or by himself.  He brought the best out of his teammates, maximizing their potentials and putting the whole team in the best possible place to score.  Basically, Jordan was a ball hog.  Kobe wasn’t.  It looks the opposite to the untrained eye.  A real basketball head knows better.