As many people know, I'm an unabashed Los Angeles Lakers Fan. Magic is my favorite player although I have great respect for Kobe's skills and drive despite his childish behavior in the past - arrogance which could have cost us a championship between 2000 and 2002.
It's Kobe's time now and I expect him to deliver another title to LA - his 5th which would equal the great Magic Johnson. The Boston Celtics will be an extremely tough opponent but the Lakers will prevail. If the Celtics get into the psyche of the players around Kobe, things could get very tough for the Lakers.
As the wonderful article (portion below) from the Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy points out, Magic beat the Celtics twice in the NBA Finals and Kobe never has. The title of the piece is "Bryant in a must-win situation".
Kobe will give Phil Jackson his 11th championship ring (Sorry Red) and it will be a Kobe performance to remember.
The fun starts tonight!
Gswede
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In succession, we’ve seen the Celtics expose and demolish Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard in the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Now it’s all about Kobe Bryant. Do not forget this.
The Celtics and Lakers tap off in Game 1 tonight, and it’s impossible to understate the Kobe factor. Bryant won’t admit it, but he is on a mission to solidify his legacy by winning a championship against the hated Celtics. He has won with Shaq and without Shaq. He has beaten the Indiana Pacers, the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets, and the Orlando Magic in the Finals. But he’s never beaten Boston.
You can’t be the best player in the world if you lose two championship series to the Celtics. You can’t be the greatest Laker of all time if Magic can say he beat the Celtics twice in the Finals and you never beat them.
Kobe has had one shot at beating Boston, and he remains haunted by 2008, when he shot only 40 percent in the six-game loss to the Green. He made only 7 of 22 shots in the humiliating clincher and walked off the court in silent fury after the 39-point drubbing. Now he is back and he is a man on a mission.
(http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2010/06/03/bryant_in_a_must_win_situation/)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
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