Basketball's Great Debate finally hit the floor Wednesday night. Magic-Lakers. You know what that meant.
That poll actually asked who's better, McGrady or Kobe Bryant? With all due respect to Madsen, the Lakers' loveable, rhythm-impaired center, the real question is not so easily answered. It is quickly becoming one of those questions for the ages.
Bird or Magic? Stones or Beatles? Boxers or briefs?
There is no wrong answer, only different ones. Though one thing is now beyond debate.
McGrady is better.
The record crowd at the TD Waterhouse Centre sure thought so after T-Mac faked a spin that made Bryant look like Madsen trying to dance at the last L.A. title celebration. The crowd laughed at poor, defenseless Kobe, who doesn't suffer indignity well.
"I normally don't retaliate," he said.
Bryant blew past McGrady on the baseline and hammered down a dunk that was felt all the way back in L.A.
Ergo, Kobe is better.
That's how this debate goes. It cannot be settled in one game, though we can tell you who has the better team. That would be McGrady, who had proven commodities like Mike Miller, Darrell Armstrong and (sometimes) Grant Hill to help him. Bryant had Soumaila Samake, Stanislav Medvedenko and Jannero Pargo. The fact management has let Kobe's supporting cast turn into the U.N. intramural team may eventually cost L.A. a fourth consecutive title.
"They're both great," Doc Rivers said. "Leave it at that."
You might as well ask people to stop debating boxers or briefs. Some say Bryant is a better defender. He also has the ultimate last line of defense backing him up in O'Neal.
"They are the two best," said O'Neal, conveniently overlooking himself.
If Kobe vs. T-Mac were a regular production, the NBA wouldn't have to rely on Charles Barkley kissing a donkey's rear end to generate national attention. How sweet would it be to see the Great Debate played out more than twice a year?
For now, we'll just have to savor the drives, the spins, the dunks and Wednesday's final results. T-Mac had 38. Kobe had 38. Madsen had 0.
That pretty much settles that.
Interesting article...perfect for some good forum discussion...
so...
Kobe or T-mac?...
) but I have my strong reasons. Nevertheless T-Mac is super and is getting better rapidly so you never know despite his excellence I'll stick by my vote for Kobe.
) has not got as much weapons offensivewise, he either takes 3's or posts up smaller guards/forwards. Kobe has a more a complete game inside the 3pt line, he can also post up smaller guards like Tracy, but he can also consistently hit the in between shoot.
