The NBA Finals ended just the same as they started: With the Lakers standing triumphant after blowing out the Orlando Magic. 99-86 Los Angeles. In the end, the three-point bombing squad from Florida just couldn’t put it all together against the superior team.
Congratulations to Kobe Bryant, who not only won his first championship without Shaq, he won his first Finals MVP as well. Now, Kobe can respond to Shaq’s poor-taste rap about needing him to win a ring. In fact, when you look at the team that the Heat had when Shaq won his fourth, he needed more help then
Kobe did this year. When you figure that Shaq was the second fiddle to Dwyane Wade that year and that, as a sidekick, Wade is superior to Kobe’s wingman, Pau Gasol, the Black Mamba could be the winner of the Kobe-Shaq battle.
He may not have beaten the rival Celtics last year to take the crown of greatest coach ever, but Phil Jackson has now overtaken Red Auerbach. This was probably the weakest team the Zen Master has had as well, when you figure the casts he’s lead before.
And finally, Adam Morrison has his ring. In case you’re keeping count Kevin Garnett, that’s Ammo one, KG one. And his career’s closer to the start than the end like yours.