It was a good ol’ beantown effort but my pick, the Boston Celtics, came up short. For they could not stop the Hollywood-style Los Angeles Lakers from defending their NBA championship last night by winning this year’s Finals four games to three.
But, to avoid coming across like a sore loser, I shall suffice to congratulate the Lakers on their 16th title and Kobe on his 5th championship ring, tying Magic Johnson and coming to within one of NBA standard bearer Michael Jordan.
But I suspect an even greater relish for Kobe is the fact that he has now led the Lakers to two championships without Shaquille O’Neil:
Frankly, what I found most interesting about this year’s NBA finals is the prospect of Kobe finally leading the Lakers to a championship without the purportedly indispensable assistance of Shaquille O’Neal.
Recall that the Lakers traded Shaq to the Miami Heat in 2004 to indulge Kobe’s petulant and narcissistic personality. And since then all NBA fans have wondered which of these two franchise players would be the first to lead his team to a championship without the other.
Therefore, Kobe must have resented watching Shaq lead the Heat to an NBA championship in 2006.
(Kobe’s sweet vindication, The iPINIONS Journal, June 16, 2009)
Now Kobe has one more ring than Shaq….
It would be remiss of me, however, not to acknowledge the heretofore unimaginable coaching feat Lakers coach Phil Jackson accomplished. This was his 13th appearance in the Finals and his 11th victory, padding his record over NBA standard bearer in this respect former Celtics coach Red Auerbach – who won 9.
Congratulations, Phil.
Related commentaries:
Kobe’s sweet vindication
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