2009 NBA Finals: Destiny's Child

Kobe, 4th Championship, 1st Finals MVP

This time everything was written according to the script and there was no room for last minute comebacks or teams rising from the game and Kobe Bryant made sure of that. The Los Angeles Lakers copped their 15^th overall NBA title as the team from Hollywood closed out the Orlando Magic with a 99-86 win. Smarting from their embarrassing Game 6 loss to the Boston Celtics last year, the Lakers responded with four routs in all their close out games including this one, the sweetest for Kobe Bryant who finally proved critics wrong when he was the one left to carry the franchise after Shaquille O’Neal was traded five years ago.

Andrew Bynum wore down Dwight's might

Finally playing a full year with the Lakers, Pau Gasol proved to be the immovable force in the middle as he silenced his critics with a solid 14 points, 15 rebounds, 4 shot blocks performance. Gasol together with Lamar Odom and Game 4 hero Derek Fisher were more than able back ups as they chipped in double figures in points as their steady play gave the Lakers different looks in offense. Gasol flexed his muscle as he outplayed Dwight Howard who was very tentative and never really got his game going.

One of Howard's rare field goals

The Lakers used a strong second quarter to break away from the Magic and repulsed their every rally as the Magic’s inside and outside game was not in sync. Dwight Howard was prevented from getting the ball inside while Rashard Lewis was still off the mark which gave the Lakers a 56-46 halftime lead. Lamar Odom waxed hot in the third quarter while the rest of the Lakers supported Bryant’s cause for another title by hitting the needed baskets everytime the Magic came alive. With five minutes left in the game, what Orlando needed was more than magic, what they needed then was a miracle to be able to come back. And as previously mentioned, the Lakers closed them out and never gave them a chance to come back.

One of Kobe's easy shots in the series

Kobe Bryant can now be included in the elite list of Laker top guns that includes George Mikan, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and 2000-2002 teammate, Shaquille O’Neal. On the other hand Phil Jackson is now the winningest coach in the NBA for he now boasts for a ring for every finger he has. For the Lakers, Congratulations, you serve as a great inspiration for every basketball player here in the country. As one scribe put it, Phil Jackson usually wins titles three times in a row, so look for better things for the Lakers in the next two years.

Was his return for the better or just made matters worse