by Isaiah Montoya

Created on: July 04, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Kobe Bryant's worth as an NBA player is still voluminous despite losing in the Finals again in 2008 and being 29 years old. Is Kobe the player of most worth in the NBA? No. Should Bryant be compared to Jordan from here on? Absolutely not!
For the first time in his 12 year career Bryant was the NBA's regular season MVP. Bryant put up 28.3 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, 5.4 assists per game and 1.8 steals per game. The NBA MVP award has eluded Bryant throughout the years, as the award went to Jordan, Malone, O'Neal, Iverson, Duncan, Garnett, Nash and Nowitzki. His worth, though, quickly diminished by the end of the playoffs, as Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP, and outplayed Bryant in the Finals.

Bryant was paid $19.5 million this year and led the lakers to the Finals, but for many, especially in the Finals, he was not worth it. Going back to the 2004 Finals Lakers loss Bryant has not lived up to his fan hype. In the 2004 Finals vs. Detroit, Bryant took 113 shots in five games for a 22.6 shots per game average. He made only 38.1% of those attempts, including four out of 23 shooting from three point range. He played 46.2 minutes per game in those Finals, not delivering in the end.
Versus Boston in the 2008 Finals, Bryant did the same. He had a 9 out of 26 shooting night in game one and then shot six of 19 in game four and 8 of 21 in game 5 and in the most important game, game six, he shot 7 of 22. In the Finals, Kobe's worth was taking 131 shots and making only 53. In the last three games Bryant made only 21 of 62 shots, a far, far cry from what Jordan did. All six times Jordan was in the Finals, the Bulls won, and Jordan was MVP all six times.
Jordan closed out all six Finals he was in with MVP shooting performances, more in the flow of the game than Bryant. In game five of the 1991 NBA Finals Jordan Jordan closed out the Lakers on 12 of 23 shooting from the field and finished with 30 points 10 assists and five steals, earning the MVP. The next year against Portland in game six Jordan shot 13 of 24, hit two of three from three point range and hit all five of his free throws. He has 33 points, four assists and four steals. Versus Phoenix in game six Jordan shot 13 out of 26 and had 33 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. In 1996 vs. the Sonics Jordan closed out Seattle on five of 19 shooting (not good), but the Bulls won, and Jordan added nine rebounds and seven assists to his 22 points. In 1997 Jordan made 15 of 35 shots and grabbed 11 rebounds

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