King James bests Prince Kobe at the Garden, leaving no doubt as to who's better

They say that in order to be an all-time great, you must have a signature performance in the most famous basketball arena in the world, Madison Square Garden. Whether it be Michael Jordan lighting up the Knicks or Reggie Miller giving the choke signal to Spike Lee, the Big Apple has been a place where stars shine. On Monday night, Kobe and the Lakers came to town, and Bryant scored a whopping 61 points. The Knickerbocker faithful chanted "MVP!!! MVP!!!", loving the fact that Mr. Selfishness was once again acting like a one man team. Little did they know that two nights later, LeBron James would be even greater, making the stat page look like a video game: 52 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. It's the biggest triple-double in thirty years, and King James kept New York fans hoping and praying that he suits up for the Knicks in 2010. The water-cooler debate in the sports world today is which superstar turned in the better performance, as if it was even close.

Yes, scoring 61 is awfully impressive, a remarkable feat that can only be accomplished by an incredibly gifted athlete. Never have I denied the fact that Kobe is a world-class talent, as I am constantly wowed by his stunning athleticism and amazing scoring ability; I've simply said that he is not a team player. Just look at the rest of Kobe's line on Monday night. Along with the 61 points, Kobe had zero rebounds and three assists. Apparently Kobe "me-first" Bryant thinks he plays for the Harlem Globetrotters, not the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron, on the other hand, is a world-class athlete who understands that there is no I in team. Sure, LeBron came out last night looking to score, mindful of what Kobe had done two nights earlier. However, even when he adopts an offensively aggressive mindset, he still manages to produce 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Yes, his game has flaws, and LeBron is especially mediocre at the free throw line. But make no mistake about it, LeBron James is the closest thing that we will ever see to His Airness.

Kobe Bryant, meanwhile, is one of the most phenomenal scorers in NBA history. But he needs to realize that true greatness requires you to involve those around you.

(Kobe and LeBron face one another this Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena, as the Cavs look to maintain their home perfection. The last matchup between these two teams was won by the Lakers, though neither Kobe nor LeBron had great games.)