James also captured his second consecutive MVP award during the regular season, but his Cleveland Cavaliers' flame-out in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals shifted the tone of the debate.
There were some who inevitably clung to the same excuses of James' supporting cast as the reason for his team's failures, but that arguement fails to hold weight in the wake of two seasons as the league's top team.
The Cavaliers' failures were James' as well, and Bryant's success on the game's greatest stage continues to be the achievement which seperates the two in stature.
I say stature because everything about James and Bryant is different right down to the position they play, and any direct comparison is silly because none of their skills are similar.
In order to form any comparison you have to first have common points of interest, and the only ones you can find between Bryant and James is their success in the postseason.
Or lack of, because Bryant has dominated the discussion in that category, and his will and desire to succeed is a stark contrast to James' broken attitude after Game Four against Boston.
The Lakers had been humiliated by Boston in Game five of the NBA Finals, but instead of crashing under the pressure of a 3-2 deficit, Bryant inspired his teammates to raise their level of play for the remaining games.
That type of leadership was missing from James during this year's postseason, and even though his talents make his teammates better, he doesn't seem to have the ability to motivate them as well.
Bryant may not be the most genial member on the Lakers' roster, but he has forged a common bond with his teammates based on his passion for the g...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
