Phil Jackson says he tried to get Kobe Bryant to play more like LeBron James

　　Phil Jackson didn't directly compare Kobe Bryant, unfavorably, to LeBron James. In an interview with HBO's "Real Sports," Phil Jackson even compared Kobe to Michael Jordan, in a way. A good way. This is so confusing — does Phil hate Kobe or love LeBron or hate Michael or love Kobe? This is the Internet, doesn't he know he's only supposed to discuss basketball in black and white terms?

　　Jackson's instincts are not incorrect, and they're in line with what a whole lot of us have been begging Kobe to do for years. On a team with a few great scorers and a whole crew of guys that struggle to find their own shot, perhaps it was best for Bryant to use his formidable passing and dishing skills in a way that made the Lakers a more dangerous team overall, rather than a top-heavy squad with Bryant leading the way in shots and points per game.

　　Of course, our criticism of LeBron extends in the other direction. He's taken over the 2012 Finals because of an increased attention paid to putting the ball in the hole, being less of a Pippen and more of a Jordan (or, as we duck lightning bolts, "a Kobe"). Because, on a team with two other scoring superstars that are fighting to score efficiently as they work through injuries (Chris Bosh is shooting 40 percent from the floor since returning to action following a debilitating abdominal injury), James is being counted on more than ever to play less as an all-around demon, and more as a pointed scorer.

　　That's never been an issue for Kobe, and while he remains a fabulous player, his gunner-happy ways have had a part in ensuring that his Laker teams have gone out in the second round in consecutive seasons. Sure, the Lakers are a top-heavy team featuring three superstars and a cast of struggling role players; but so is the team that is currently up 2-1 in the Finals right now.