Who's more clutch: LeBron James or Kobe Bryant?

There was recently a poll among 26 anonymous, active NBA players. The question posed to them was this: Who would you give the ball to for the last second shot among Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. 23 out of them chose His Airness (as anyone in their right mind would), 3 rolled with The Mamba and surprisingly no one sided with King James.

This got me thinking. I wouldn’t really want to go up against NBA players, but why would anybody chose Bryant over James for a last second shot? Kobe Bryant is a legend, but he’s never been known for his stellar buzzer beaters. More often than not, Bryant’s been accused of wanting to be the alpha dog, even when there were other teammates who could have made the shot.

Remember this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx645z6Kf3g

Then why did they choose Bryant over James, despite Bryant’s notorious selfishness?

“That’s like ranking the shortest giant,” an Eastern Conference guard said, “I’d want the ball in LeBron’s hands at the end of the game, but I’d want him to pass to Kobe or Jordan for the last shot. And don’t forget, LeBron is not a great free-throw shooter, either.”

Alright Mr. Guard, is free throw shooting the only aspect one needs to consider in this scenario?

Time to resort to some statistics to resolve this question: While MJ is undoubtedly the No. 1 choice for last second shots, who’s more clutch among Bryant and James?

As per ESPN Stats and Information:

Not too long ago, the discussion was about how LeBron wasn’t clutch. That no longer seems to be a discussion. Since LeBron came into the league in 2003-04, nobody in the NBA has made more game-tying and go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of playoff games than LeBron, who is 7-of-16 on those shots. His 43.8 field goal percentage on those clutch shots ranks the best in the NBA since his rookie season among players with at least 10 attempts. The league average is 28.3 percent on those shots.

When we compare Most Game-Tying/Go-Ahead FG in Final 24 Secs. of 4th Qtr/OT Since 2003-04: LeBron leads the list with 7/16, followed by Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki with 5/12 each, with Manu Ginobili trailing them with 3/10 shooting. Bryant on the other hand, ranks fifth with 5/17. (Note: Minimum 10 FGs).

Another important fact: The stats mentioned above are from LeBron’s rookie season. That means during the timeline in consideration, Bryant had settled in, established himself as a Superstar and won 3 championships. During his initial years, LeBron was considered NOT clutch remember? Even then, LeBron’s ahead.

This is what the man himself, LeBron James had to say on the subject.

Players in our league said that? All right. I really don’t care what 30 guys in our league say about me taking the last shot. I’ve got a few game winners in my career. I don’t let teams hang around too much for the last shot. I don’t think the definition of clutch is who takes the last shot. There are guys who come through for their teams in different circumstances.

So, either Bryant got his hands on this poll and voted 26 times, or NBA players are woefully ignorant of the numbers that prove James is the best clutch player on planet Earth. I suppose both are equally likely.

Another notable point is: What exactly is meant by “clutch”? The word is generally limited to last second shots.

What about the fact that James has been so brilliant, his team so dominant, that he hasn’t even needed to attempt many buzzer beaters lately? Where’s his credit for decimating the opposition by 30, negating the need for a last-second game-winner?

Ok, I’m getting a little worked up here.

Back to the point: It’s moronic that James has to put up with this kind of criticism at this point in his career. He’s made a habit of avoiding clutch situations by dominating games for the first three quarters, but even when contests have been close during the most tense time of the season, he’s been the league’s very best finisher. He is truly the best player on planet earth at the moment.

These are facts—indisputable and based on statistics. It’s too bad James’ peers aren’t interested in them.

So what is it about Kobe Bryant that made the NBA players vote for him? Was it his 83.8 career free throw shooting percentage over LeBron’s 75%? Or is it his Jordan-esque Killer instinct?

“Everybody wants everybody to kill the same way,” LeBron said in an interview with ESPN The Magazine “Everybody wants everybody to kill like MJ or kill like Kobe. But there are different ways of killing.”

LeBron’s way of killing has proved effective, far more effective than the latest poll gives him credit for.