Kobe Bryant Brings Los Angeles One Step From Greatness: WCF Spurs-Lakers Game 5

One of the thrills of being a basketball fan is watching a new and talented NBA team rise up and compete for their chance to be mentioned among the immortals.

After their hard-earned 100-92 victory to close out the Spurs in five games, this new incarnation of the Lakers—despite enigmatic play from a key player, despite a lack of overwhelming physicality among their front line, and despite many key players being wet behind the ears to the overwhelming pressures playoff basketball can produce—will get its well-deserved chance to be penned into the history books.

And like the last Lakers championship teams, Kobe Bryant was an integral proponent in making it happen.

Once again, all things considered, Bruce Bowen (with timely help defense from Tim Duncan) was extremely effective defending Kobe. Many of Kobe’s (16-30 FG, 2-6 3FG, 3 AST, 2 TO, 39 PTS) jumpers were contested jumpers, some of them moving away from the basket.

Plus Kobe only got to the line five times for the duration, mainly on the chance his elbow was nicked on a handful of jump shots.

But where Kobe absolutely dazzled hoop heads everywhere was in the fourth quarter. To dispose of Bowen’s pesky defense, Kobe would receive the ball while cutting toward a screen/roll on the right side of the court.

From there on, Kobe was at his pinnacle. Step-back jumpers over Bowen, blow-by’s of Duncan, pull-up and hang forever jumpers over anybody, catch-and-shoot threes, all done with the graceful majesty of a timeless work of art rather than a mere athlete.

For the fourth quarter, Kobe was 6-11 shooting, for 17 crippling points that the Spurs couldn’t answer. Anyone and everyone can debate MVP’s, but is there any doubt that Kobe is the best player on the planet?

The fact that Kobe has been able to have such an impact with such a young, and truthfully, soft team is equally impressive. There is no low-post threat. Lamar Odom turns off and on. The most important role players are all wet behind the ears.

Ultimate props to Kobe and Phil Jackson for keeping the confidence soaring and for game planning to the Lakers strengths of passing, cutting, shooting, and outrunning, and outjumping any opponent.

Many other Lakers deserve major props.

While he put Kobe on blast for not coming back to the ball on an outlet and while he was a dud in the post (Maybe Kobe should put you on blast for missing all four of your low post attempts over Tim Duncan?), Pau Gasol was heroic on the offensive glass—nine offensive rebounds, 19 overall.

Gasol’s quickness to the hoop after San Antonio was compromised in help situations was the prime reason for many of Gasol’s offensive boards and stick backs around the hoop.

Also, Gasol’s wingspan put serious defensive pressure on Tim Duncan (4 BLK) and allowed him to tap out numerous loose balls, the majority of which came with Duncan in perfect rebounding position.

He wasn’t Shaq, but he was everything the Lakers needed to beat the Spurs in Five.

Lamar Odom’s (4-8 FG, 8 REB, 10 PTS) performance ran hot and cold, but he hit a key putback in the fourth to keep the pressure on the Spurs.

Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujaic kept the pressure on the Spurs with their sniper fire from the outlands (5-10 3FG).

While Derek Fisher was too slow to be more than a nuisance on Tony Parker, Fish did rip Parker trying to split a screen, and he didn’t turn the ball over. Fisher kept the Lakers offense moving and allowed his teammates to do the Spurs in.

And while Fisher lacked the foot speed, Jordan Farmar’s get-up-and-go quicks were able to hang with Parker stride-for-stride on one end, while often jetting past him on the other.

The Lakers also made a key tactical decision on defense of rotating hard to the baseline whenever a Spurs player attacked the basket. With the Lakers rotating nicely inside, the Spurs, mainly Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, had no pressure release passing angle to the corner. This led to a number of Spurs mistakes and turnovers under their own basket.

Meanwhile for the Spurs, it was more of the same.

Tim Duncan was his usual all-around brilliant self (7-19 FG, 15 REB, 10 AST, 19 PTS). But because Phil Jackson employed many more double teams than Duncan had seen throughout the series and because Duncan didn’t really challenge Gasol’s body, Duncan could never take over the end game with his scoring.

Plus Gasol’s nine offensive boards cancel out Duncan’s 13 defensive ones.

Tony Parker was consistently able to get to the hoop and convert before the trees closed in, and he even hit five of his 12 jumpers.

Bruce Bowen’s defense was earnest and professional grade. He capitalized on both his open looks at the basket by hitting both of his elbow jumpers.

Michael Finley was a relief in the first half (3-6 FG, 10 PTS), but the spark fizzled in the second (1-3 FG, 3 PTS).

After providing nothing the first four games of the series, Gregg Popovich benched Robert Horry for Kurt Thomas. Since Ime Udoka couldn’t guard Kobe and couldn’t make up for it with his offensive skills, he was benched in favor of Brent Barry.

Both decisions were prudent ones as Thomas was active and reliable on offense (5-7 FG 1-1 FT, 11 PTS) and exceptionally quick in defending Lamar Odom. Barry continued to shoot the lights out, 3-5 all from downtown, 11 points.

But as has been the case throughout the series, the Spurs only shot 17-43 on their long-jump shot attempts.

However, while Kobe Bryant’s speed and athleticism can break traps and double teams and can result in points in bunches, Tim Duncan has to do his scoring work against single teams because he can’t dribble past double teams. This is why it was so important for Manu Ginobili to get on track.

Instead, being overplayed to his right and lacking any explosiveness, Manu was never able to provide any counter to Kobe’s perimeter brilliance. He tried to make up for his poor play but he did so with dumb decisions, such as over-penetrating along the baseline, having his baseline pass cut off, then jumping in the air to chuck the ball straight into the arms of Sasha Vujacic.

In truth, the Spurs were too old, too slow, and too broken down to challenge the younger, faster Lakers. Still, the Spurs could have made it a series if they hit a better percentage of their jump shots. Plus, who knows how the series would have played out with a healthy Ginobili.

With a new impetus to get younger and more athletic, the Spurs will likely jettison two of their three free agents. Robert Horry is washed up and won’t be awarded a new contract. Michael Finley can still hit clutch jumpers going left, but his legs are too shot for him to do anything else.

Kurt Thomas, though, can still bang on defense, attack the boards, and hit a lion’s share of his mid-range jumpers. Plus, he still has the legs to hang with Lamar Odom on the perimeter. It makes perfect sense for Thomas to remain on the Spurs next year.

But for now, the Spurs will have to resort to being an “every-other-year” dynasty.

For the Lakers, they’re the ones with the chance to enter the history books. Since the Pistons and Celtics are both faster and more athletic than the Spurs and the Jazz, the Lakers will be tested in new and different ways come the Finals.

But that is to be expected. How the Lakers handle this final, ultimate test will be the proof of their validity.

That isn’t a cause for concern, but for a team with the talent and the resolve of Los Angeles, a cause for excitement.

From this basketball aficionado to all the others, viva la playoffs!

And bring on the Finals!