Boy, we sure can't wait to see those NBA Finals ... can we?
After all, LeBron James is averaging 49 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals and Kobe Bryant is averaging 37.7 in the Western Finals. Both are showing why they are the best two players in the league.
But does that really mean that they will give us a great NBA Finals? Judging by their two meeting this season -- no.
In two games against the Lakers this year, LeBron has averaged 19.5 points, missed 31 of his 45 shots, missed 10 of his 13 three-pointers and missed half of his free throws.
Against Cleveland, Kobe averaged just 19.5 points, missed 22 of his 39 shots, missed 6 of his 7 three-pointers and only shot six free throws combined in the two games.
Sometimes their greatness and competitive nature negate each other to the point that neither can get anything going. In those two regular season games, they hounded each other into bad shots and made the ones that did go in a lot harder than they usually are.
We all hope it will be like the Kobe-Carmelo clash. While Kobe is averaging nearly 38 ppg, Carmelo is at 31 ppg (and that includes his foul troubled Game 3 total of 21 points). Both players have been nearly unstoppable for tremendous stretches during this series.
We all hope/think that a Kobe-LeBron Finals would be the same way. Judging by what has already happened this year ... I'm not so sure.
After all, LeBron James is averaging 49 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals and Kobe Bryant is averaging 37.7 in the Western Finals. Both are showing why they are the best two players in the league.
But does that really mean that they will give us a great NBA Finals? Judging by their two meeting this season -- no.
In two games against the Lakers this year, LeBron has averaged 19.5 points, missed 31 of his 45 shots, missed 10 of his 13 three-pointers and missed half of his free throws.
Against Cleveland, Kobe averaged just 19.5 points, missed 22 of his 39 shots, missed 6 of his 7 three-pointers and only shot six free throws combined in the two games.
Sometimes their greatness and competitive nature negate each other to the point that neither can get anything going. In those two regular season games, they hounded each other into bad shots and made the ones that did go in a lot harder than they usually are.
We all hope it will be like the Kobe-Carmelo clash. While Kobe is averaging nearly 38 ppg, Carmelo is at 31 ppg (and that includes his foul troubled Game 3 total of 21 points). Both players have been nearly unstoppable for tremendous stretches during this series.
We all hope/think that a Kobe-LeBron Finals would be the same way. Judging by what has already happened this year ... I'm not so sure.
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