All Hail King Kobe, the Greatest Laker of Them All

It was a Game 7 to remember and Al Dannity says the Lakers and Celtics finally delivered a classic worthy of the NBA Finals

We remember the good times
As a Best-of-7 series this was hardly breakneck stuff or drama of the highest order, well not for six games. Up until the deciding game in this series it seemed like Boston and LA were playing out an inevitable three wins each. Somewhere in the subconscious minds of these NBA superstars there was a realisation that it would all come down to Game 7 in the Staples Center and sure enough that was what happened. Boston raced ahead but the Lakers hung in there, clawing away in the second and third quarters to keep in touch. Then that final quarter surge came and Ron Artest, a mixture of God and Goat in these playoffs, hit the decisive 3-pointer to send the Lakers fans into raptures.

Bigger than most Championships
Rarely has one title had so many sub-plots solved, especially in a single game. First off the Lakers finally beat the Celtics in a Game 7. For once it was the Lakers which showed better resilience down the stretch. Artest, who was brought in for his defense, defied NBA betting logicby showing he could score too putting up 20 points including that crucial late 3-pointer to get his first ring.

Standing above all other storylines was Kobe. He was laughed at for his photo shoots, we questioned if LeBron was now the better player. Never underestimate Black Mamba. Kobe earned his fifth NBA Championship, one more than long-time rival Shaq, scoring 23 points and picking up 15 rebounds including 11 defensive boards. There is now no question about it. The NBA’s ultimate closer is the greatest Laker of all time. Take Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and yes even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. None of them has managed to carry a team and dominate to the same degree as Kobe. This is the crowning achievement for Kobe, he has led LA to the promised land by beating its greatest rival in a way no Lakers team has before. Antonio Villaraigosa, the Mayor of Los Angeles, better watch out. If Kobe decides to enter politics he’d take his job in a landslide.

The end of an era?
What will become of the Celtics? Rajon Rondo looks like he will be a legitimate superstar for the next decade but what of the Big Three and Rasheed Wallace? While the Celtics possess a deep bench, the teams big stars aren’t getting any younger. We’ve seen how Boston can reload through savvy moves but replacing Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen is going to prove a huge challenge going forward. It could make for an interesting summer in Boston.