Since the day we started this NBA 1-on-1 tournament, just about everyone predicted a Kobe-versus-LeBron meeting in the finals. To be honest, we kind of figured it would go that way too, but it was still fun going through the other 94 best players in the League to see how everything would shake out. (Brandon Roy ballot box-stuffing controversy notwithstanding.)

In a bit of a surprise, though, LeBron came real close to not even making it here. In his semifinal matchup with Kevin Garnett, ‘Bron tied with KG in the fan voting (tallied through Sunday). So as we’ve done before when there was a tie, it was up to the Dime editorial staff to vote ourselves and settle the stalemate. And in a near-unanimous decision, LeBron advanced to the championship and the much-anticipated matchup with Kobe.

Here are the rules: Straight 1-on-1, make-it take-it, game to 11 (by ones and twos), obviously hypothetical. And since some of you always ask, for this occasion we flipped a coin and LeBron gets the rock first. Vote in the comments section to determine the League’s top dog:

CHAMPIONSHIP
Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James

Final Four voting:
Bryant 72, McGrady 8
James 40, Garnett 40