You can if you want, but the next time you criticise Kobe Bryant spare a thought for Mike.

Every time you see a player drive towards the basket and try to get contact — and whinge if there’s no call — that’s Michael Jordan.

Boring finals series, The Magic clearly punched above their weight to even make it.

Should have been Cavs and after sweeping the early rounds everyone thought so.
But alas as it was with Kobe last year, LeBrons teamates went on holiday early.

The Lakers would’ve beaten the Cavs in the Finals. It was Phil and Kobe’s year. If you compare them to the Jazz, Rockets, Nuggets and Magic, then they were a good team. It was a pretty crappy post-season once the Celtics/Bulls series ended.

If you read the Bill Simmons running diary of Game 4 you will see how the Magic got all the calls in that game, with one half seeing the Magic take 15 free throws to the Lakers 0.

Speaking of Bill Simmons, he has a really entertaining NBA podcast that I highly recommend. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/simmons/index

Kobe’s the best guard in the league and absolutely the best player since Jordan. I’m no fan of Bryant, but stats are the ultimate cop out in basketball.

1. Kobe is the best player in the league. That is incorrect. Firstly, his numbers aren’t as good as the Bron’s or D-Wade’s. Some will argue that those two are stars in an average team and therefore command more ball etc. But if you look at their Player Efficiency Ratios (PER – try ESPN.com for an exaplanation but it’s pretty definitive) and game time adjusted stats they compare better to Kobe’s. Moreover, LeBron has had a statistically better start to hios career than Kobe did, which means that he will easily surpass him in career stats and well before he retires as well (provided he stays fit etc.). Kobe is a great closer, one of the supreme talents of his generation, but let’s not get carried away.

2. Kobe is “arguably better than” or “the best player since” Jordan. Wrong. The two don’t compare. All you have to do is compare their defensive records and that’s where the argument stops. Nevermind the rest. Also, over LeBron’s career his stats actually compare to Jordan’s. As mentioned above they are better than Kobe’s and… wait for it… they are also on par with Jordan’s in areas such as PER.

I hate the Lakers. But that doesn’t stop me from being overwhelmed by the greatness that is Kobe Bryant. He is RIDICULOUS! But (and this is a big BUT), he is not the league MVP. He is not as good as Jordan. He is not as dominant or as statistically good as LeBron across the court. And he also carries on in life and on the court like a complete douchebag. I can’t like the Lakers but I’ll give them this championship as well deserved Just don’t expect me to like it, or bow to Kobe as the Messiah of basketball. He isn’t. Oh, and they got a bit of a cake walk in the end with the injuries the Celtics endured too, KG in particular. Let’s not forget that.

Cleveland look like they have the most team personality with Lebron’s pre-game antics and smiles all round, but where did that get them? Beaten in the conference finals. The Lakers were completely focussed on winning the title after being embarresed in Game 6 of the finals last year so they were not about to crack gags and smiles when they know how it feels to lose at the final hurdle. With many people saying that Kobe’s not a complete player until he wins a championship without Shaq, I am pretty sure he wasn’t focused on trying to emulate previous laker team’s personalities.

There were numerous coaching stuff ups by Stan Van Gundy, but that just shows that Phi Jackson is the superior coach in this series, just as Stan Van Gundy out coached Larry Brown in the Cleveland series. A Cleveland/LA series may have turned out differently, but even the huge numbers put up by Lebron couldn’t inspire a team that cracked under pressure and couldn’t match up with the Orlando offence.

In a 30 team competition it is extremely unlikely to have a team of superstars as deep as the one mentioned above (even the Celtics can only afford 3 of the best) but the Lakers still deserve plenty of accolades for their efforts.

As much as Kobe and Co. have upset us over the years, often with dismal play, cockiness and questionable off-court behaviour, this group has grown into a highly skilled, well-oiled machine. Make no mistake, they are the benchmark for excellence in club basketball throughout the world.

Sure, Phil Jackson is a little weird and Kobe Bryant has egotistical tendencies – which came to light during his feud with Shaquille O’Neal – but even the most ardent Kobe haters must admit he’s a man who’s worked hard, paid his dues and grown into the NBA’s best player. Think about it. Nobody works harder than Kobe Bryant. Not a single player. His skill, strength and drive have culminated into the dominant player we now see – a player that has no equal in the present NBA game. (If LeBron James could shoot then maybe there’d be an argument!).

So while, Luke Walton, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and the rest of the Lakers may not wow us, they are good, solid players. They play their roles. They defend, pass and rebound. They do the little things. And it’s all towards the goal of winning. That’s good basketball. And clearly, that’s how NBA titles are won.

It’s easy to hate LA, because they win – a lot. They knock off faster, more exciting teams like the Phoenix Suns or the Houston Rockets. They play in a glamorous town with celebrity fans that probably don’t know a thing about the game. And they also wear those bright yellow uniforms that for some reason, ignite fury in opposing fans.

Magic, Kareem, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper and the rest of that 80s Laker gang were indeed great. But it was a different era. They played up-tempo basketball because it was the best way for them to win at the time. In 2009, the Lakers play more structured, inside-outside ball, and it works. And all the while, they can turn to Kobe, if a game needs to be put on ice. That’s always exciting to watch, it doesn’t matter who you cheer for.

Whether you love or hate the Lakers, or Kobe for that matter, you have to admire their dedication and perseverance. Whenever challenged, they answered. Whenever pushed down, they bounced back up. Maybe they didn’t impress with fancy passes or rain three point bombs like the shoot-happy Orlando Magic. But they played hard and they played consistently well. They are deserved winners of this latest championship and I’ll admit, that’s not easy to say.

In an NBA that’s rife with mediocrity and attention-grabbing showboats, I’d actually argue that these Lakers are as business-like as it gets. They play meat and potatoes basketball – hard, tough, smart, win at all costs hoops. There aren’t many other teams you can say that about.

Finally the player “arguably better than Jordan” finally gets his first finals MVP in 6 tries…

You can’t sit here and tell me Kobe is boring to watch, cuz that’s just a lie. As much as it pisses them off, even the worst of Laker haters will admit that Kobe is ridiculous to watch. And this year, especially, the Lakers pulled out all kinds of stops, from Ariza’s last second defensive steals to Gasol’s work in the post, to Fisher’s clutch 3′s in Game 5 of the Finals, etc…these playoffs were a spectacle for the Lakers…soooooo how bout you support your claims instead of just spewing random opinions.