LeBron James vs Carmelo Anthony

This morning, on the Mike and Mike in the Morning radio program, a debate arose over who the better NBA player was, between LeBron James of the Miami Heat and Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks. This was accompanied by a fan poll on their show’s website. The reaction was surprising to me.

Mike Greenburg and Mike Golic 1

REALLY?

Based on the real time reactions of host Mike Greenburg, the response was nearly split. REALLY? Half of the responding listeners of a nationally syndicated radio program think Carmelo Anthony is a better basketball player than LeBron James? REALLY? Americans have some very short attention spans!

I have stated that I think Anthony is one of the five best all-around players in the NBA. Over the course of his career, he has been a superb shooter and a high octane scorer. His defensive abilities have not been spectacular, by NBA standards, and his setup and passing abilities are average, for his small forward position. For the latter reasons, I think that Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, James, Dwyane Wade, also of the Miami Heat, and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder are better, more valuable basketball players.

Melo over LeBron? REALLY? An elephant in a tree? REALLY? 2

PROS and CONS

I think the LeBron v Melo debate is laughable. Anthony is a premier scorer and it is what makes him special. LeBron James has held the fate (and total value) of entire franchises in the palm of his hand. LeBron frequently assumes the duties of running the floor, like a point guard. He’s one of the best wing passers in the NBA, regardless of position. Carmelo is rarely set up for situations in which he sets up a shot for another player. LeBron can get to the basket through the lane with more power and quickness than any other player in the league. He is simply a more complete player.

Who do you think is going to grab the board? 4

The Cleveland Cavaliers reached the finals and had the best record in the NBA, two years running, with The King. Since his departure, the Cavaliers are the worst team in basketball, tying a record for the most consecutive losses in professional sports history, one which has stood for 34 years. The Nuggets have demonstrated that they can still be competitive on any given night without Anthony, going “unbeaten in regulation” in their four games since the Anthony trade (wins over the Celtics, Grizzlies, and Hawks, with a one point loss to the Trailblazers in overtime). I think The King elevates his team just a tad better than Melo.

"Which one of you wants a mention in my poster?" 3

Last, what makes Anthony special is his shooting and scoring. LeBron James scores more points. So, Anthony does not even top James in the area in which he is great.

NOT SO FAST, MY FRIEND!

I understand that there is a lot of excitement surrounding the trade of Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. I understand that the Knicks’ performance on Sunday night, beating Miami in Miami, caused many a fan and analyst to favorably recalibrate their expectations of this current Knicks team. However, the world did not change in a day on February 22nd, the day of the Anthony trade.

People may not like LeBron James. People may not like the Miami Heat and the Heat definitely lost to Anthony and the Knicks on Sunday night. LeBron is still the Alpha dog of the two.

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!

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1, 3) Images from espn.com
2) Image from johnlund.com
4) Image from profiles.friendster.com