Top > Sport > 2005 > December > 2005-12-28

Fitting for a King

Both Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson have been tearing it up this season. The 76ers are 14-13 and the Lakers are slightly better with 15-12. Iverson and Bryant are one and two respectively in scoring, while Philadelphia has a viable second and third option on offense in Chris Webber and Kyle Korver, Bryant has little to no help. Philadelphia and LA are two teams that have two potential scoring champions are barely hovering around mediocrity. Who do you think has a better chance of being the scoring champion?

Both want it bad, at times to a detriment (Kobe more so than the wizened, more assistful Iverson). By contrast the third-leading scorer LeBron James is a far ninth in the league in field goals attempted. Iverson does have more support meaning Kobe almost has to hoist up 27 shots a game just to keep his team in the mix. Ditto for James whose 50 percent field goal efficiency is mind-boggling when compared to Iverson and Kobe`s (roughly) 45 percent.

It`s still all respectable with all of the above-mentioned playing themselves and their team into playoff contention. For Kobe his scoring campaign is more important (Iverson`s done it, James will one day) and he will have to balance his need to be the scoring champ - which he could easily be, and his drive to be a champion again - which he will easily not be this season.