Why Ramon Sessions Is Biggest Key to Kobe Bryant's Next NBA Title

It's no secret that Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is seeking another ring.

He craves it. It drives him to be the star and competitor that he is.

But even Bryant had to realize that the Lakers really weren't a championship caliber team. That is, of course, until they acquired point guard Ramon Sessions from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Lakers already had the star power in Bryant and outstanding length in their frontcourt, but they were missing exactly what Sessions gives them: the quick, athletic guard they've been craving. He can penetrate the pain with ease and he not only creates easy shots for himself, but more importantly he creates open looks for his teammates. Especially Bryant, who already looks comfortable playing with Sessions after only four games together.

Bryant's been accustomed to shouldering the load in the Lakers offense, but for a change it's nice for him to have a point guard that can make things easy for him.

With Sessions setting up Bryant in spots where he can have the ultimate success instead of continually forcing up shots, it can only be a positive for Bryant as he and the Lakers enter the stretch run in search of another ring.

The proof of the impact Sessions is making is in the numbers. while he's not going to continue to shoot 57 percent from the floor, the team can still have great success with him running the offense.

According to NBA.com's stat tool, in the 100 minutes Sessions has played, the Lakers have scored 114 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would lead the league by a mile.  The Lakers have been more efficient in just about every way possible during his 100 minutes as a Laker.

His ability to get into the paint and kick the ball out to open shooters has paid off as well and with such open looks, the Lakers have responded by knocking down shots.

They have shot many more three-pointers per minute with Sessions on the floor and made them at a very high rate. The Lakers have attempted the equivalent of 20 threes per 48 minutes with Sessions manning the point, hitting 48 percent.

In the 92 minutes Sessions has sat during those four games, the Lakers are still the Lakers, clanking away to the tune of 25 percent from deep on just 14.6 tries.

As for how Bryant and Sessions have meshed together, in the 56 minutes they've been on the floor together, the Lakers are scoring at a rate of 114.5 points per 100 possessions.

It doesn't get much better then that, and consider Bryant very impressed, as he told ESPN:

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I've been extremely impressed, Bryant said. He takes a lot of pressure off of me. I can be a legitimate 2-guard now. Know what I mean? He can play-make for others. Before, I had to score and play-make for others, as well. I don't have to do that. I can be on the receiving end of those plays. Bryant couldn't have been more effusive with his praise of Sessions on Wednesday night.

Sessions' court vision? Just the reads that he makes, Bryant said. He made me one pass tonight that I saw, but I didn't think he saw, and he slipped it right between the defense. I was like, "Ooh. Interesting."

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There's no way of knowing for sure if the success can continue, but one thing is for sure. The Lakers are much closer to being championship contenders now then they were just a little over a week ago.