Kobe vs. Lebron. Too bad only their puppets are playing in The Finals.

According to Jeff VanGundy and ABC and ESPN and Fox Sports Net and Co.: Kobe Bryant is the “best closer in the game.”

Well, Tuesday night he wasn’t. Two huge turnovers and missing 12 of your final 16 shots (not to mention 5 of 10 free throws) would suggest otherwise.

But does this make Kobe any less of a “great closer?” Probably not. He is one of the best players of all-time, and certainly one of the most clutch players of our generation.

As J.A. Adande points out, even M.J., “The Greatest Closer, Starter and Everything in Between,” had some tough times in the fourth quarter.

But I have to raise the question, is Kobe Bryant really the best closer in the league?

With LeBron James around, at least there’s an argument there.

In fact, the numbers tend to suggest LeBron James was a better closer this season.

According to 82games.com, sortable stats from the regular season showed James shot for a better percentage (47.2% to 43.6%), had more points (7.7 to 7.3), rebounds (2.0 to 1.3) and assists (1.7 to 0.9) than Kobe in the fourth quarters of games.

And James’ “clutch” stats, meaning stats during the final five minutes of a five-point game, are through the roof – shooting 55.6% from the floor (to Kobe’s 45.7%) and 42.1% from 3-point land (to Kobe’s 40%).

In fact, if you average out their clutch stats over 48 minutes, they’re lines look something like this:

James: 55.9 points, 14.3 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 1.7 blocks, 3.5 steals

Bryant: 56.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.0 blocks, 1.0 steals

But it looks like Bryant will have the last laugh, and the ring, when this season is said and done.

So I guess in those terms, Bryant (with the help of his teammates) would be the better finisher in 2008-09. 

Again, too bad only their puppets are playing in The Finals.

How sick are you? Lebron vs. Kobe. This has to happen. Or I will be sad.

Initial thoughts from this weekend’s NBA playoff series between the Lakers and the Thuggish Ruggish Nuggets, and the Cavs and Magic (and man, have these been a couple of damn good series):

• Why isn’t Chauncey Billups imbounding the rock late in those games? Did you really have Method Man K-Mart throw that ball in? Really?
• How sick of a defender is Trevor Ariza (did you know he finished the regular season ranked second among small forwards in steals per minute)?
• Was it just me, or did the Lakers totally ditch the triangle tonight? They’re scrambling. But it worked. Get Kobe the damn ball, Phil!
• Why didn’t Orlando put someone lanky on the ball (with one second left?) like the Lakers have been doing with Lamar Odom? That’s brilliant.
• How do you have a job Doris Burke, ABC’s sideline reporter on Saturday.  Kobe’s doubled over, looking like he’s on his deathbed afterward and you don’t think to ask him why? … And I like how after the game, Stu Scott and Co. were saying it was probably because he was tired. We’d probably know if someone asked the F-ing question.  … It’s probably the altitude, but it could be the swine flu for all we know. Good reporting EastSidePN/AlwaysBiasedCo.
• Speaking of shitty TV news crews, how about these bozo news anchor/homers losing it live after LeBron hit his trey. TV journalism is the biggest oxyMORON of all time. The funny thing being their motto afterward. “We’re on your side, Cleveland.” No shit you homers.
• Maybe Kobe Bryant isn’t the greatest closer in the league.
• Lebron James’ walk-off, fade-away 3 with one second left was one of the sickest, clutch plays I’ve ever seen. Right up there with Jordan’s against the Cavs. Right up there with Kobe’s oop to Shaq against the Blazers.
• Actual text messages I received after LeBron hit that 3 in the waning seconds against Orlando, a shot that likely saved that series:

Beau C: Crazy.
Rusty: He does stuff that isn’t humanly possible.
Lambo: That is why I watch this game. Amazing.

OK, so one shot doesn’t make you the world’s best closer, but dude still has a lot more basketball to play in his career. And it’s not like this is the first time he’s closed out a game. He’s done it before, in the playoffs. Don’t forget about that night he scored 29 of the Cavs’ final 30 points against the Detroit Pistons. That was one of the most craziest performances I’ve ever seen. It’s one thing to dominate a game. It’s another to continue dominating the game when everyone and their mom knows you’re going to shoot the rock … and everyone and their mom is hanging on your jock, defensively.

Dude is sick.

• Oh yeah, one last thought. Today, I feel a whole lot better about going to Vegas next month, because I feel like we might be chilling at the ESPN Zone watching LeBron-Kobe in the Finals, rather than Orlando-Denver — which wasn’t exactly the case 24 hours and one second ago.

But if Kobe had numbers like that his whole career would he ever be considered the player that he is today, one of the best. Would his name be mentioned in the same breath as Jordan? Doubtful. I guess we’re lucky that he was a ball hog for most of his career.

I’ve also been accused by some WCBias faithful of late that I have traded sides by saying that I think LeBron is a great team personality and arguably the most rounded player in the league. Across the board LeBron is a stat leader in almost all categories for his team. He is arguable the MVP for this year. I mean how else are the Cavs going to come away with the best record. And I know Beau C believes his favorite player Mo Williams is the reason why the Cavs are so good…  but I’m pretty sure that it is LeBron that has lead them to the best record.

Now that I have defended my stance, I want to go further to say that Kobe is the best finisher in the game. If I needed a player to make the last play or someone to rally a team around a scoring binge there is only one answer. KOBE BRYANT. Whatever the reason the man is all business and he has the swagger that a winner needs. 

Most rounded player or best finisher. Who do you take?