Born to Sixers’ forward Joe Bryant and his wife Pamella, Kobe Bryant was privileged from birth. Kobe idolized and gained invaluable basketball knowledge from the mentorship from his father.
LeBron James never even knew his.
LeBron was raised by his mother Gloria, who battled daily to shield LeBron from the impact of the poverty and rampant drug use in their community.
Through hard work and determination, Kobe and LeBron both sit atop the rest of the NBA’s elites, but in the absence of a decisive matchup, the world has been forced to wonder which of the two is greatest. Ironically, their stories are mirrored by their respective teams.
Through the decades, the Lakers have forged dynasty after dynasty and cemented their place among the most significant franchises in the history of American sports.
The Cavaliers’ history can only be characterized by their longstanding hardship and failure. Prior to 2007, the team had never even reached the NBA Finals.
Their most historically significant moments came in the early 90’s, serving as steppingstones for Michael Jordan’s legacy.
Today, both the Lakers and the Cavaliers sit atop their respective conferences for the second consecutive season, but this season offers a very different feel from the last.
Last year, the Lakers obliterated the Cavaliers in both outings. Once, in a 105-88 laugher and the second time in a not-as-close-as-it-seemed 101-91 road victory with a flu-ridden Kobe Bryant and without budding center Andrew Bynum.
This season, LeBron James led his team to decisive victories over the Lakers both times and due to his spectacular play, the Cavaliers already have the NBA’s number o...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
