I haven't seen a dissapearing act like that since John Starks game 7 fiasco back in 1994 against the Rockets where the SG went 2-18, of course Kobe wasn't that bad (6-19) But then again Starks wasn't MVP of the league an known as the "Best player on the Planet..." either.
Kobe finally had his chance to silence the critics, and show why people call him #1 ... well tonight he looked more like #2 ( as in what I just got done wiping my ass for..) 24 point leads at home are suppose to be held on too, are suppose to be given W's, supposed to be series tied 2-2 type of games. They are the type of situations where MVPs are supposed to put their team in cruise control. But Mr. Bryant was looking more he was M.I.A. then the M.V.P. Now he has his team in a 3-1 hole, the same guy that said 2 weeks ago against the Spurs that he can "Turn it on at will" Well, the only thing Kobe turned on tonight was the bright realization of his only title without Shaq being turned off ....
No team has ever recovered from being down 3-1 in the finals, well maybe Kobe still has a shot to do the impossible, but tonight he had a shot to bring a championship to L.A. a possiblity, to take a page from Wade against the Mavs two years ago, or from the 1977 Blazers or 69' Celtics (The previous 3 teams who have rallied from being down 2-0 in finals) And when LA was dominating in the early 3rd +I'm sure most of you like me were thinking the same, this is the year where Kobe is truly defined as one of the best ever- where he finally is able to pull a Jordanesqe finals and will the wins for his team from his sheer determination and superior skills. Sure he has scoring titles and plenty of hard ware on his mantle, not to mention 3 rings of the highest calibre sitting in his jewerly box. But that finger candy was won under the thumb of one big man, one future H.o.Famer, one Shaquile Oneal who has a title without his arrogant sidekick under his mega sized belt himself.
In the end, after the Lakers pissed away their lead, I believe it was 88-83 at that point with about a minute left, and the camera flashed to the MVP and he looked rejected and defeated. A full minute remained on the clock and he looked like he was already preparing his post game podium speech. He also looked confused, a look I never saw from Jordan in the finals, or Bird or Magic even though they won and lost in the big show. But Kobe looked broken ...
Lebron looked broken last year in the finals against the Spurs, but Lebron was 22 and was in his first. This is Kobes 5th Finals and all though he has 3 more wins than Lebron, he's about to have 1 more loss also.
Kobe finally had his chance to silence the critics, and show why people call him #1 ... well tonight he looked more like #2 ( as in what I just got done wiping my ass for..) 24 point leads at home are suppose to be held on too, are suppose to be given W's, supposed to be series tied 2-2 type of games. They are the type of situations where MVPs are supposed to put their team in cruise control. But Mr. Bryant was looking more he was M.I.A. then the M.V.P. Now he has his team in a 3-1 hole, the same guy that said 2 weeks ago against the Spurs that he can "Turn it on at will" Well, the only thing Kobe turned on tonight was the bright realization of his only title without Shaq being turned off ....
No team has ever recovered from being down 3-1 in the finals, well maybe Kobe still has a shot to do the impossible, but tonight he had a shot to bring a championship to L.A. a possiblity, to take a page from Wade against the Mavs two years ago, or from the 1977 Blazers or 69' Celtics (The previous 3 teams who have rallied from being down 2-0 in finals) And when LA was dominating in the early 3rd +I'm sure most of you like me were thinking the same, this is the year where Kobe is truly defined as one of the best ever- where he finally is able to pull a Jordanesqe finals and will the wins for his team from his sheer determination and superior skills. Sure he has scoring titles and plenty of hard ware on his mantle, not to mention 3 rings of the highest calibre sitting in his jewerly box. But that finger candy was won under the thumb of one big man, one future H.o.Famer, one Shaquile Oneal who has a title without his arrogant sidekick under his mega sized belt himself.
In the end, after the Lakers pissed away their lead, I believe it was 88-83 at that point with about a minute left, and the camera flashed to the MVP and he looked rejected and defeated. A full minute remained on the clock and he looked like he was already preparing his post game podium speech. He also looked confused, a look I never saw from Jordan in the finals, or Bird or Magic even though they won and lost in the big show. But Kobe looked broken ...
Lebron looked broken last year in the finals against the Spurs, but Lebron was 22 and was in his first. This is Kobes 5th Finals and all though he has 3 more wins than Lebron, he's about to have 1 more loss also.
