ESPN Article November 27th, 2002 [Why Kobe's better than McGrady] "When Phil Jackson favorably compares Bryant to Jordan -- as he did while the Lakers were sweeping the Spurs out of the conference finals in 2001 -- then you know how special Bryant is. Again, that's not a slight against McGrady, but it's not as if he's getting mentioned in the same breath as No. 23. His game just isn't complete enough. In playoff battles, where the elite players separate themselves from the great ones, Bryant has done nothing but force people to compare his game to Jordan's. This has nothing to do with the fact that Kobe plays with Shaq. Just ask the Pacers, Kings and Spurs. In the heat of the postseason and with games on the line, Bryant has stepped up and inflicted enough damage on those teams, by HIMSELF, to where Shaq has been relegated to the position of innocent bystander. One Eastern Conference scout said "Just look at the defensive end. It ends there for me. McGrady is not a great one-on-one defender. But if you tell Kobe, "Go stop that guy,' he will stop him. A month ago, the NBA polled its general managers on a variety of subjects, including the question, "Who are the five best players, regardless of position?" You know the only players who appeared on all 29 ballots? It was Kobe and Shaq."