I've watched these two players extensively, and it's not really a contest. Lamarcus, for all of his faults, is a superior player in nearly every regard except for rebounding (and passing, although LMA is an excellent passer as well).
Post up these two guys on the block, and LMA is offensively superior. Spin moves, an unblockable fadeaway, up and unders, hook shots, etc etc.... his offensive repertoire is dizzying, and I think we take it for granted sometimes.
I've watched a lot of Love, and that same ability just isn't there. He's a good shooter, knows how to pick his spots, but the talent is lacking, and the athleticism is lacking. He's never going to fast or strong enough to bang against all star centers. He's pretty slow, and he simply doesn't have the athleticism to power over and dominate guys like Dwight Howard and other all-star bigs.
Then there's defense. LMA, while being a poor defensive rebounder, is an excellent on-ball defender, and even when he gets switched on picks, can do a decent job against guards. His long arms, quick feet, and ability to move around on the floor quickly and gracefully is an asset on D and allows for him to roam around and contest a variety of different shots. He's not a dominating power defender who's going to rack up the blocks, but his massive wingspan allows for him to cover and contest most SF's and PF's extremely well.
Love is pathetic on defense. He's slow and I've watched him consistently get beat to the spot by his man. He hits the boards hard, but he simply doesn't have the power or the athletic ability to defend elite level big men in the league.
They're both good players in the NBA, but you've got to be joking if you think Love is actually a better player overall. There's things he does well, but let's be honest here...
