Bryant’s Still One Up on James

If you’ve learned anything, you know it’s best to keep the expectations low whenever Kobe Bryant and LeBron James square off.

Seeing Bryant make it through a game without getting injured would be a nice start.

We still haven’t seen that, but Thursday night’s 99-98 Laker victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers gave us a close game, and a little identity check.

When forced to, Bryant can play like James. But when it mattered most, James couldn’t duplicate Bryant.

When James was a rookie in 2003-04, the Cavaliers played the Lakers twice in the preseason while Bryant was still recovering from knee surgery. In their first regular-season matchup, Bryant injured his shoulder in the first quarter. A year later, Bryant sprained his right ankle in the first quarter and was out for a month.

The latest round came Thursday night, and things got better.

This time, Bryant didn’t get hurt until the second quarter.

He was running through a screen and jammed his right hand against Sasha Pavlovic.

The interesting thing was it forced Bryant to become more like James.

The differences in their games could be summarized in the statistical company they keep.

The common denominator in their recent history-worthy stretches was Wilt Chamberlain. It’s impossible to escape Chamberlain’s name whenever big numbers come up.

But while Bryant’s run of four consecutive 45-point games also evoked Michael Jordan’s name, LeBron’s streak of at least 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists in each of the previous seven games brought Oscar Robertson into the conversation. The Big O, the man who once averaged a triple-double for a season.

Most of James’ night Thursday he was mixing and matching. He scored 28 points and also found time to keep guys like Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden involved in the offense, racking up nine assists in the process.

For a while, Bryant was actually a detriment to his team.

He kept flexing his hand when he didn’t have the ball. X-rays taken at halftime were negative and the injury was diagnosed as a sprained right wrist. While Bryant sat on the bench for the first six minutes of the second quarter, the Lakers made five of six shots -- with assists on all five baskets -- and had no turnovers. Luke Walton even got Kwame Brown in the mix by feeding him for a layup and a dunk.

After Bryant and Lamar Odom returned midway through the quarter, the Lakers shot three for 14 with three turnovers. Bryant made his first shot but missed his next five shots after injuring the wrist.

But the Lakers found ways to make it work without Bryant. Odom attacked the basket and scored 20 points to go with his 10 rebounds and nine assists. Chris Mihm had 15 points and Smush Parker 12. Devean George made all four of his shots and scored nine.

In the past Bryant hasn’t let a small detail like an injury deter him from shooting. In that 2004 Cleveland game, when his injured shoulder caused his right arm to dangle like a flag on a windless day, Bryant fired up a left-handed jumper before Coach Phil Jackson realized Bryant had to leave for good.

This time, Bryant went over eight minutes into the third quarter before he attempted a shot, which missed. He made a jumper with just over two minutes remaining, and added two free throws, but it was obvious the wrist hurt again when Eric Snow fouled him on the play.

He clearly concentrated on getting others into the offense, either driving and dishing or directing traffic from the wing with his back to the basket.

Bryant sat for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter and was reluctant to shoot again when he re-entered.

His first jump shot was short, he missed a three-point fling as the shot clock expired, then blew past James down the baseline for a reverse layup that wouldn’t drop.

In the end, Bryant found a way to nail three jumpers over James in the final two minutes, including a go-ahead shot with 8.6 seconds remaining for his 27th point and a two-point Laker lead.

And that’s what separates Bryant and James. Bryant’s will to win is stronger. James gave a hint when he told ESPN Magazine that he didn’t have the same killer instinct as Bryant.

I’m not sure that’s something James can acquire.

He can learn to read situations more easily, to create the best shots in the most important opportunities. But I’m not sure if anyone ever discovers a way to plunge a dagger into someone’s heart, to the point that it matters more than anything else in the world. It’s innate, or it isn’t there.

James drove to the basket and picked up a foul, but made only one of two free throws. However, Gooden grabbed the miss and Cleveland had one more shot.

After a timeout, James took it and missed.

This time Bryant went the distance, and he won this fight for the best individual player. Why? Because, in the end, he did what it took to get his team the victory.