Tales of Kobe Bryant continue to live on through those who competed against the Lakers legend. Celtics superstar Paul Pierce went toe-to-toe against Bryant in two NBA Finals. During those duels, Pierce noticed something unique within Bryant that made him a fiercer competitor than LeBron James.
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Bryant is notorious for his relentless work ethic and drive to win. He would stop at nothing to defeat any opponent. He called that intensity the “Mamba Mentality.”
Kobe’s rivals during his playing career recognized him as a fierce competitor, including Pierce. The 6-foot-7 forward guarded the Lakers superstar on plenty of possessions.
Pierce made a guest appearance on The Skip Bayless Show. The NBA analyst asked how guarding Bryant differed from guarding James. He said the difference was quite stark.
“The Mamba just didn’t have no let up,” Pierce said. “It always felt like he was coming for your throat. For some reason, he played like a man possessed.”
Pierce has personal experiences of Bryant tirelessly attacking him on the court to send a message. Pierce recalls a time when Bryant made him work on the defensive end. In 2002, Bryant attempted 47 shots against the Celtics. He tallied 41 points while having a stretch with five straight baskets over Pierce.
LeBron didn’t have that same mentality, so Pierce and the Celtics never viewed James in that same light.
Pierce and the Celtics viewed LeBron as “soft”
The Celtics and LeBron have gone head-to-head numerous times throughout the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s career. It began during his first stint with the Cavaliers and transitioned to his tenure with the Heat. However, the Celtics never feared James in the same way they did Kobe.
On the Scoop B Radio Podcast, former Celtics player and teammate of Pierce, Ryan Hollins, revealed the reasoning for their perception of LeBron.
“We thought he wouldn’t show up in 4th quarters, we thought he wasn’t the real dude, and when things got tight, he wouldn’t be able to go out and make plays,” Hollins said.
This viewpoint regarding James drastically changed following his Game 6 performance in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. On the brink of elimination, James put the Heat on his back for an iconic 45-point show.
LeBron is no longer that “soft” superstar people once viewed him as. But he still has a way to go before he is in the same conversation as Bryant as a competitor.
