subject: Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Tickets – Kobe Doesn't Need to be MJ [print this page] Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Tickets Kobe Doesn't Need to be MJ
It's an image that will linger ominously in the memories of Phoenix Suns fans for a while. Kobe Bryant, his heels on the three-point line, knocking down an absurd fadeaway with Craig Ehlo, I mean Grant Hill, draped all over him. It was a shot that human beings aren't supposed to make, yet Bryant drilled it with the game on the line, sending the Lakers on to the NBA Finals and the Suns scrambling to make reservations at a golf course of their choosing. Not only was it a great shot that will go down as one of Bryant's best ever, it capped off a ridiculous series in which he was nothing short of Jordanesque.
Everyone knows you're not really supposed to compare anyone to Michael Jordan, the holiest of holies and the demi-god of the NBA. Most people only compare players to Jordan to remind everyone how much better MJ was than the rest of the field. Even LeBron James and his statistical dominance usually can't hang with His Airness. But after watching the Suns series, we're starting to see that maybe Bryant can.
The craziest thing is that Bryant isn't really the most talented player in the league; that would have to go to LeBron. But, much like Jordan, Bryant's game has been refined to the point of absurdity. Bryant has absolutely mastered the mental part of the game and has found a way to maximize his physical abilities, which so few players truly do in the NBA. While the playoffs began with everyone crowning LeBron as the greatest player in the league, Bryant has made it his mission to prove that he's still the best closer in the game and could still be the best overall player. Certainly he still helps sell plenty of Los Angeles Lakers Playoff tickets.
To the casual fan, it may seem that Bryant was simply on fire throughout the Suns series, though this actually short-changes him quite a bit. The diversity in his offensive game can make even good defenders look stupid, but only great players can find a way to score the ball when they are blanketed by opposing defenses. Of the highlights from the series, it's easy to see that the Suns actually did a surprisingly solid job on Bryant, yet he still managed to impose his will on the offensive end whenever he wanted, and always had an answer when the Suns were threatening to go on a run.
For Bryant, much of this starts with his superb footwork, which allows him to create separation even when a player stays at home and doesn't bite on shot fakes. There were a couple of key possessions when Suns forward Jared Dudley played very disciplined defense, yet Bryant was able to wedge his body in between Dudley and the basket to create a shooting lane that didn't appear to be there. And for a player who only needs an inch to get off a good shot, it seems that he is capable of finding that inch just about any time on any defender.
Perhaps even more impressive has been his decision-making, which has elevated his game into the stratosphere. Bryant could always score the basketball but he has moved on from a superstar scorer to an all-around offensive threat. Throughout the series, if the double-team came too early, he found a cutting Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom for a layup. If it came too late, he splashed a jump shot right in the face of the defender. There were entire quarters of the Suns series in which Bryant was simply a step ahead of the defense at all times.
With Bryant in the backcourt in the midst of one of his greatest streaks ever, the Lakers are the favorite to beat the Boston Celtics in the Finals, which would give Bryant his fifth championship ring. The Jordan faithful will, of course, argue that Bryant wouldn't have won the first three rings without Shaquille O'Neal, even though Jordan wouldn't have won his six rings without Scottie Pippen.
Instead of dreary comparisons between two great players, though, it's time to start enjoying one of the most creatively dominant offensive players of all-time on the NBA's biggest stage. There will always be fans there to remind everyone that there never will be another Michael Jordan. It's time to start realizing there will never be another Kobe Bryant, either.
