If you are reading this, then I guess that means that Mr. MVP himself, Kobe Bryant, fell short of an NBA Championship and it is the Boston Celtics who are basking in a sea of excellence (as they should). 

Kobe's showboating and over confidence didn’t reach as far as he has hoped.

Sure, it brought him this far—but it takes more then sheer confidence to take home an NBA title, especially against a team of such caliber as the Celtics.  Did he really think that he could take this himself with not one, but THREE All-Star level competitors on the Celtics squad?

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen will finally be known as the people to shut up and shut down Kobe Bryant—and I thank them, from the bottom of my little basketball-loving heart.

The Celtics and the Lakers have a spectacular NBA Playoff rivalry that will now be remembered for what it IS, not what it WAS.  With so many great players on the court representing both teams this year, how could you compare it to anything else?

Paul Pierce, who sustained an injury in the first half of Game One, came out during the second half of that game and showed the world the kind of player he was—a champion. 

Going three for four on three-point shots, and scoring 22 points for the game, he showed little to no discomfort resulting from the injury.  He also got plenty of help from fellow teammates. Garnett and Allen put up a combined 43 points, resulting in a win for the boys in green.

I guess it wouldn’t be a good series if the bad guys didn’t win at least one of the games.  Game Three was one for Bryant and his golden boys.  Bryant put up 36 points in the win—and that was just enough to carry his team over the Celtics by six points. 

If your top player scores 36 points, and you still just barely win the game, that can mean just one thing—your opponents are displaying absolutely amazing defensive skills.  To quote perhaps my favorite movie of all time, Love and Basketball, “Offense sells tickets, defense wins games.”

More importantly—defense wins championships.

In Game Four, the Boston Celtics pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history—which is more then you can say for Kobe and his resume. 

(To my surprise, as well as probably many other people who follow the NBA, Kobe came up with a whopping 10 assists. The boy can pass the rock, who knew?)

What happened during Game Four was something of epic proportions.  It was something the guys on the Celtics dreamed about.  And on this night, someone wished upon a star, because their dreams came true.

The Lakers, who led by 24 points at one point during Game Four, were up on the Celtics 35-14 by the end of the first quarter.  From this point on, the Celtics had the greatest comeback viewed in NBA playoff history.

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