Wow. Take a week off from work, and look at all the things I'm missing.
Where to begin. Oh, well - let's get the difficult one out of the way first.
Kobe Bryant is far, far, far overrated defensively. The guy is this "wonderful" pressure defender who directs people where they're supposed to go - right? The average BOULDER could do the same thing (e. g. Erick Dampier). What Kobe is doing is using superior back-line defenders (i.e., Shaquille O'Neal) to cover up for his defense. And when Steve Smith - yes, the one that shoots from a different CENTURY - becomes a POST THREAT, you can't tell me Bryant is some sort of all-world defender. This is a guy who relied on his help, and when the help defenders got worse, his defense did too. It's SMART defense - but it's not GOOD defense.
And I'm now seeing folks on here overrating Kobe OFFENSIVELY. The reason I say that is this: Kobe Bryant is so geared toward being the focal point of the offense - even in the days when Shaq was there - that when you slow Bryant down, you sent his team into cardiac arrest offensively. His overindulgence on the offensive end is to the detriment of his teammates, regardless of who they are. The seeming best solution is to surround him with offensive stiffs, providing him a justification for NOT involving them, while at the same time, legitimizing some of the crap that he hoists up.
Nowitzki is a FAR better player offensively. No, he doesn't generate his own shot as easily as Bryant. Then again, Bryant doesn't generate his own shot as easily as Iverson or McGrady. But there's more to offensive ability than generating your own shot. Folks will point to Bryant's assist numbers. Come on! Put the ball in ANYBODY'S hands that much, and they're bound to get assists. Bryant handles the ball more often than many starting point guards!
Nowitzki isn't the "generate your own shot" kind of player. When you get right down to it, neither is Duncan, Garnett, or even Shaq. Big players rely on shots being generated - yet it is their impact that makes or breaks most teams.
But Nowitzki as a DEFENDER? Bryant's not good, but he's FAR better than Nowitzki! I can't even make an argument for Nowitzki, despite the fact that he HAS improved (probably since Nash is no longer around to give him lessons in how to play bad defense). And would you like to see WHY Nowitzki is a bad defender? Here you go:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/photo;_ylt=AlZ..._dna107&prov=aphttp://sports.yahoo.com/nba/photo;_ylt=AvP...camb102&prov=aphttp://sports.yahoo.com/nba/photo?slug=cam...camb104&prov=ap(Thanks for the links, Skander. Too bad they don't prove your point, but prove mine.)
Picture number 1 shows Marko Jaric, a guard, getting into the lane, pushing Nowitzki off. Good defense? HOGWASH! This picture shows me that:
a) Nowitzki was late in getting over. Note how the Mavericks behind Jaric have already closed the hole he went through. Nowitzki has NOT closed the initial shot off - Jaric came from the left side, with his left hand. Nowitzki should be in front of him.
B) Nowitzki is positioned too high to cut off the direct attempt. He's given Jaric the backboard to use. A good defender would have gone low, forcing the defender to bring the ball back toward the middle - toward the top-side help.
c) Nowitzki is soft. Nowitzki's left hand is BEHIND and ABOVE the right arm that Jaric is using to push him off. A tough defender doesn't let Jaric's right hand get in front of his left arm. Doing that would force Jaric to face in for the shot - for a tough defender's waiting right hand. Not only does that keep Jaric from shoving him, keep Jaric from beating him to the basket, but it stops the penetration.
Picture number 2 shows Odom releasing the left-handed shot against Dirk. The move appears to be a move UNDERNEATH Nowitzki. The picture shows that:
a) Nowitzki was slow getting over. Odom's a well-known lefty. He's taken Nowitzki to his strong side. His right shoulder has gotten under Nowitzki's right arm.
B) Creampuff Nowitzki has again failed to use his left hand to prevent being displaced. In this case, Odom's got Nowitzki's left arm pinned; Nowitzki isn't going to get to use it at all. Not to mention, Nowitzki is falling backward. While this MIGHT go for a charge in today's NBA, it ISN'T one, because Nowitzki is FALLING, not giving ground, and secondly, Nowitzki hasn't squared up Odom. This is an OBVIOUS blocking foul on Nowitzki.
Picture number 3 shows Odom completely beating Nowitzki. He's already elevated, is by Nowitzki's left arm, and Nowitzki's right arm is above Odom's right arm - which isn't being used for the shot. Odom lifts his right arm, and this is a blatant foul on Dirk. Again, Nowitzki is showing LATE and SOFT to Odom's STRONG side.
Sorry, Skander, but where you see Nowitzki "patrolling" the lane, I see him being late in rotation or beaten in coverage.
Unless there's something truly special about a 2-guard, I'll always take a big over a 2-guard. So I agree with Skander that I'd rather have Nowitzki than Bryant. I don't know if I'd call EITHER of them top 5, since Duncan, Shaq, Garnett, and LeBron James are DEFINITELY top 4, and only one spot is left. While you can make an argument for either, I think you can also make good arguments for Jermaine O'Neal, Elton Brand, Iverson, Kidd, Nash...currently, I think I'd go with Elton Brand or Jermaine O'Neal before EITHER of Bryant or Nowitzki.
Bryant's big problem is the baggage he brings along with him. He's a rotten teammate, and if I were playing alongside of him, I don't think I'd be having any fun. That right there is the kind of thing that damages team chemistry from MINUTE ONE. Take that ONE ELEMENT away, and Bryant's stock shoots up the charts. But that one element is such a blemish that it's much like saying, "He's a really sharp CEO, except for that problem of bankrupting all of the companies he runs."
I'd take Nowitzki - rotten defense and all - over Bryant.
