In many ways, it's a tired old argument. And unless you're an MVP voter, it's entirely hypothetical. Who's better? Who cares? What does it matter? Can't we just be happy that they are both splendid? They're both practically perfect players -- why find a flaw in either one?

Ordinarily, it's a debate I'd bypass. 

But man oh man, if you look at the Western Conference, a lot of people think the Lakers have the inside track on the NBA Finals. And if you look at the Eastern Conference, there are certainly those banging the drum for the Cavaliers.

I'm not sure when David Stern's birthday is, but I already know what he wants.

Can you imagine? How freaking great would it be to have a Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James NBA Finals? 

I wonder if we might be in a pressure cooker, right now, building toward that moment. It has been a fun little theoretical debate for a while. But this June, that debate could be reality, with the championship hanging in the balance.

Wow.

Maybe there is just no way around this debate. 

Pretty much as that thought occured to me, a TrueHoop reader sent me a link to a Ted Green column on SportsHubLA. Green's a respected veteran of sports journalism, but this thing is straight L.A.-centric. Here's an excerpt:

Kobe Bean Bryant has finally earned the unconditional respect and admiration he has never quite received from a public that has never embraced him with the same affection they showed for MJ and now the new darling of Hip Hop Hype, Bron Bron.

I've got your Bron Bron right here.

It is absolutely incomprehensible to me, but yet fully expected given the history of Kobe Bryant, that not one major national NBA writer, far as I know, has been smart enough, fair enough or honest enough to come out right now and say what is now startlingly obvious:

That if Bryant isn't the MVP this year, that award needs to be put on the shelf forever, never to be dusted off again.

Know who the other candidates are this season?

KG? Nope, been hurt. Lebron? With 24 losses in a conference that is dreck? Sure, whatever you say.

In other words, there are no other candidates, not in the no-spin universe free of East Coast bias that I live in.

All the nice things anyone has ever said about Kobe Bryant as a basketball player, I believe just about all of them. I'm prepared to believe he is part magic.

But please, please, please, people. Do not brush aside LeBron James. That is just silly. Especially you Laker fans, who know your team has lost five straight to that same Cleveland team with the mediocre record. Most of the time during most of thost games, James has been the best player on the floor.

Laker fans can say this or that about Kobe Bryant's three rings. Cavalier fans can talk about how James has never had great teammates.

I'm sure we all have our convictions here, and I invite you to share them -- the more evidence the better -- in the comments. 

This debate will last forever and might never be resolved.

But through all the excitement, let's not forget that these are two stellar players.