The wait is over. After months of nerve-wracking tension, frustrations and incredible plays, the Los Angeles Lakers have begun their playoff run for a second consecutive NBA championship.
It was a long season filled with buzzer-beaters, injuries and creative hair-do’s, but the hard work of the world’s greatest basketball team has paid off to give the Lakers the number-one seed in the Western Conference for the third straight year.
As usual, the league’s best player, the indispensible Kobe “Black Mamba” Bryant, has not disappointed his adoring fans.
Playing with back pains, a swollen index finger and a host of other debilitating injuries that would bench most players, Kobe Bryant has been playing at a level of competition that is familiar to his fans and bewildering to his challengers.
Cleveland’s reigning MVP, Lebron James, had a better season than Mamba. With his average of 29.7 points a game, even Sir Charles Barkely stated that the Lakers could fail to repeat their title.
While Sir Charles is a man deserving of the utmost respect for his years in the league (and his commercial endorsement for Taco Bell’s $5 box, which rocks and rocks), he has spoken too soon. Even though the Lakeshow has been lacking its flair, the team is still determined to win.
Case in point: the Black Mamba’s six game-winning shots. We respect LeBron’s skill with a basketball and his ability to krunk at the all-star game, showing his superiority, though his missed three-pointer to beat the Celtics earlier this year shows that, compared to Kobe, even the King can’t compete.
The rest of the Lakers have shown that Los Angeles is not a one-man franchise. Pau Gasol had a career-high season in rebounds, and new addition Ron Artest (the “Golden Dome,” in the words of the great Joel Meyers) has exceeded all expectations by playing shut down defense and emulating Dennis Rodman.
But these issues are overdramatized by the press. Los Angeles’ success as a franchise makes its fans expect perfection from a team that is inarguably the best in the world. Minor issues are often put under magnifying glasses to create a buzz and give the other teams hope. Unfortunately for them, Phil Jackson is very good at crushing the hopes of his challengers.
On Tuesday, Oklahoma City showed that even with all the momentum in its favor it is simply incapable of beating us on our own court. Though Kevin “Durantula” may have young legs, we have discipline.
Oklahoma City may have the underdog vote and some skill, but it can’t beat a team that has the best player in the game today, the best coach in the game’s history, and John Burke rooting for them.
So we ask Lakers Nation not to fear, because the Black Mamba is here. When he plays, we don’t lose.
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