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Rings don't make Bryant the man
by Justin Arnold / January 11, 2003

In the museum that is the NBA, there are names of artists that everyone knows: Shaq, Duncan, KG, Iverson, Kobe and T-Mac. Even the uncultured fools who never visit the museum, look at the masterpieces, or read the reviews recognize these guys are the best at what they do.

But there are two that stand out above the rest - the da Vinci and Picasso if you will. Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady are, without doubt, the best all-around players in the league. Last season, McGrady burned the opposition to the tune of 25.6 points, 7.9 pulls, and 5.3 dimes per contest. The only player who had similar numbers was Bryant (25.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg). But the Lower Merion product did win that championship ring - his third in as many seasons.

So the answer to who is the better player is simple, right? Maybe not.

You see, there is one number Bryant had - and has had since he came into the league - that McGrady probably wouldn't mind seeing, and that's the big No. 34. Kobe and T-Mac are the best all-round ballers in the league, but The Man of Steel is the most dominant.

The big fella with the Superman ink on his shoulder is the reason the Lakers have won three straight titles. Sure, Bryant did his thing, averaging 22 points and 5.4 assists in his three Finals appearances, but O'Neal carried the team, being named MVP in each instance.

With Diesel at the top of his game in those title runs, you could probably have put any player similar to Bryant in the lineup, and the Lakers would have still won. Without the big man in the middle, the Lakers are an ordinary team at best. That's been all too apparent this season.

Bryant has stepped up his game this year with O'Neal nursing his toe, posting career-best averages in both rebounds and assists while still dropping nearly 28 a game, but the Lakers may not even make the playoffs due to their early-season funk. Had the man with 2,000 nicknames not missed the beginning of the year, the Lake Show could very easily be 25-10 right now instead of 15-20.

Things may turn around for Los Angeles, but if O'Neal sits for any significant period of time the remainder of the season, it's safe to say there'll be a new champion this year.

On the other hand, McGrady has done nothing but carry the Magic since he arrived in Orlando. No wonder he has back problems.

After stepping out of his Toronto-based cousin's shadow, McGrady increased his scoring average by almost 12 points per contest the following season. And while Bryant's numbers tend to drop off in the postseason, McGrady is just the opposite. Had Grant Hill not been injured for a majority of the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons, the Magic would have easily advanced past the first round and maybe even to the Eastern Conference finals.

There's just something special about the guy teammates call Big Sleep. The lengthy 23-year old is what Scottie Pippen was in his prime with one exception - McGrady can light up the gym like the other Bulls player from that era. And McGrady knows he's the man. In a recent interview, T-Mac said he wasn't going to pull a Garnett and complain about having to do everything for his team. "I feel like I'm a franchise player, I feel like it's up to me to take this team how far we gonna go," he said.

Subtract McGrady from Orlando's lineup, and the Magic don't make the playoffs. Take Bryant out of a Lakers uniform, and the Lakers not only make they playoffs, they still contend for the title - with a healthy O'Neal anyway. And that's why McGrady is the better of the two.

If Hill manages to revert to form somehow - a rare scenario considering ankle injuries rarely heal 100 percent - McGrady and Orlando will most likely advance past the first round, that is if McGrady's back doesn't break. And if the Magic manage to land Tim Duncan or Jason Kidd in the offseason, watch out. The Magic will not just advance past the first round; they'll knock off whoever takes the title away from the Lakers this season.

McGrady is the best all-around player in the league, but the decision is not hands-down. Every coach in the league would give not just their left arm, but their right arm as well to have either him or Bryant. After all, da Vinci is a great artist, but Picasso isn't a punk.

Justin Arnold is a staff writer for the Chippewa Herald (WI) and a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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