On the eve of what could be the end of the Cavalier's season, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James are at war. Their teams are competing to make the NBA Finals. Its a new rivalry. It seeks to become what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry once was. The NBA, Nike, and Disney (they own ABC and ESPN) have teamed up to make an ad campaign that wants people to see them two compete. Them two and no one else.
What is being forgotten is the other teams involved. Carmelo Anthony, who was drafted in the same class as Lebron, and Dwight Howard have been put in the back seat to watch these two compete. The finals are suppose to be about the two best teams in the NBA competing for a world championship. However it has been about two great players going head to head. The people around are interchangeable and don't matter.
The rest of the NBA is being forgotten and overlooked. These are two of the best players but all parties involved don't get their just due credit. Hedo Turkoglu the proclaimed "Michael Jordan of Turkey" has been carrying the load with Dwight Howard in these playoffs. Even Linas Kleiza of the Denver Nuggets has emerged and put his country on his back. Each of them play and fulfill their role on the court.
The league is bigger than two people. Team basketball, the type of basketball that wins games and championships, is not promoted by the hype of these two athletes. If the focus was given to the teams then perhaps the next generation of basketball players would play with their team and not with a team. The NBA might want to promote its teams over their athletes.
I agree with your post, in my opinion i feel that every player is valuable to win, if Lebron or Kobe were to be the only players on the team then they wouldn't be able to play at all. There's no I in Team, therefore i see that the reason why there's so much hype towards these two players is because of their performance in previous games. Although they have gained a lot of popularity i feel that the other players should get some recognition. Who would Kobe check the ball to?? Like be real at least give thanks to your team members without them you wouldn't be able to start a game unless it's a one on one. Final Thoughts::: Give recognition to other players of the teams, without them Lebron and Kobe wouldn't be so far in the game.
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