Kobe Bryant is undeniably one of the greatest players to ever play professional basketball. He has three championships from the early years of his career and has matured into a bonafide star.
This 2007-2008 campaign has made Kobe a true legend. Winning the MVP award was just one of Bryant's great accomplishments. Kobe has been a tremendous player for years, and it was about time he received the award.
Bryant has always been a remarkable scorer. His 81-point performance in Toronto is a clear cut example of that. Any time Kobe takes the court, he has the potential to light up the scoreboard.
But this year Bryant established himself as a team player. He became a leader for the young players on the Lakers. After demanding a trade over the summer, Kobe left himself in a precarious situation. It would be very easy to break down, especially with the Lakers' early season struggles. Bryant, however, rose above and inspired his team, invigorating a confidence that fueled the entire team.
The numbers don't speak enough and yet they are still ridiculous. Bryant had a down year in scoring, averaging just 28.3 points per game at a 46 percent clip. Some of his other numbers increased, though, as he approached 6.5 and 5.5 rebounds and assists per game respectively. Also, Bryant continued to drive to the basket, getting to the charity stripe nine times per game.
In the postseason, Bryant has realized what is at stake. With his desire to win a championship, Bryant has risen his game to another level, if that is even possible. He is averaging nearly 32 ppg, over 6 rebounds per game and nearly 6 assists per contest. Even his shooting percentage is at a ridiculous 51%.
Bryant proved to his loyal LA fans this season that he truly is the next Michael Jordan. He is a true leader, a great scorer, a fantastic defender and a legend in the making. After this June, he'll notch the fourth championship of his career.
And, oh yeah, he won't even have turned 30 yet.
1. The better team wins
This idea is quite simple. In the game of basketball, there are four quarters, 48 minutes of hard fought action. Two teams face off against each other, each with five members on the court at a given time. Points are awarded when each team makes the ball in the basket. Thus, the team that records the most points wins.
Common sense will tell you that the team that scores the most points will win. But which team will score the most points? Well, common sense also tells you that the better team will win.
But who is the better team?
The better team is the team that is stronger, that is smarter, that is more powerful that the other. The better team is the one that is more passionate, more determined, more strong-minded than the other team. The better team leaves it all on the court for that small chance that maybe, just maybe, they can finish ahead of the other team.
In a battle between two bitter rivals, between the leagues best teams, between two storied franchises, both will exemplify these characteristics that label them as "better".
The difference in this series will be the other nine reasons I mentioned. The Lakers are "better" because they have Jackson, they have Gasol, they have Kobe, etc.
In any case, I've got the Lakers in six.
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