Kobe's play less than legendary in Finals

by Jeff Goodman
June 18, 2008

Kobe Bryant went into the NBA Finals with a chance to build on a legacy. He had started to make people forget about Kobe the Malcontent. This became an opportunity to further establish himself as one of the elite players to have ever played this game.

He was coming off league MVP honors and regarded by nearly all in NBA circles as paramount among the sport's stars. Better than LeBron James, Kevin Garnett or anyone else who can make a case as the best player on the planet nowadays.

But Bryant pulled a disappearing act when his young group of teammates needed him desperately.

In a pivotal game, the most crucial he's played in more than four years, Bryant was a complete non-factor and didn't manage a field goal for a stretch that lasted for what seemed like an eternity — for more than 22 minutes.

There were those that had begun to mention Kobe in the same breath as Michael after a spectacular regular season in which he led the Lakers to the top record in the West. Bryant already has three rings to his credit, but none of them came sans Shaq.

In his defense, Bryant doesn't have a sidekick like Scottie Pippen. He's got Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, who aren't just physically soft — they're emotionally weak as well.

He's got a bench full of stiffs.

"I don't know," was all Bryant could say when asked about his team's prospects for the future.

What is clear is that M.J. never would have let anyone stomp all over him as Kobe allowed the Boston Celtics to do in the 131-92 rout in Game 6 on Tuesday night.

Kobe just watched as the Celtics pulled away to the most lopsided clinching game in NBA Finals history. He had no answer.

Do you really think that Paul Pierce would have been dancing on a chair with more than two minutes remaining in a game in which Jordan was on the opposing bench?

Bryant's talent is unquestionable. It may be on par with Jordan and superior to many of the other players who reside in the Hall of Fame, but he hasn't yet proven that he possesses all of the intangibles of guys like Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Jordan, at 45 years of age, would have at least attempted to impose his will on the game.

Kobe had his moments in the series, but they were seemingly few and far between. There was never that eruption that everyone was waiting on.

It never came.

"We had a great game plan," said Celtics forward James Posey, who along with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen made Bryant look mortal through nearly the entire series. "We all took it upon ourselves as a challenge to stop him."

Bryant was unable to dominate by getting to the basket with his quickness and finishing with his strength. Instead, more often than not, he was forced to settle for jump shots.

But it appeared as though Tuesday night would finally be the breakout game for Bryant. He had 11 points a little more than midway through the first quarter on a flurry of long bombs from the perimeter.

However, he then became Bryant the Facilitator — only he forgot a little something called making his teammates better.

Bryant finished the first half without a single assist and the only points he scored after the first 5:30 came at the free-throw line — on a trio of Celtics technical fouls.

He finished the game with 22 points — just one more than Celtics rookie point guard Rajon Rondo — and a single assist.

Watching these Finals, Kobe sure didn't seem like the best player on the planet. Pierce looked far more the part.

Bryant only shot more than 50 percent from the field in one game in the series when he went 12-of-20 in Game 3 out in Los Angeles. He averaged 25.7 points, but that was misleading as he only shot 40.5 percent from the field and 32 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

"That was definitely the best defense I've faced in the playoffs," Bryant said.

You can make all the excuses you want for Bryant, but Jordan won multiple NBA titles with guys like Bill Cartwright, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc and Luc Longley.

Sure, the Lakers will be improved next year with the return of developing big man Andrew Bynum, but the bottom line is that as long as Bryant shows non-existent leadership abilities, Los Angeles won't be hanging another banner anytime soon.

"I'm upset more than anything," Bryant said. "Frustrated. But I'm proud. I'm proud of my guys. I'm proud of the effort that we gave. At the same time, understand that second place just means you're the first loser."

Bryant certainly lost more than anyone else in this series.

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen walked away with their first championship.

Bryant walked away without even putting up a fight.