Looking back at Kobe Bryant and his enduring impact on the Los Angeles Lakers 2009 NBA Finals victory over the Orlando Magic
Looking back at the enduring impact Kobe Bryant made in the 2009 NBA Finals, I dedicate this article to him. A game he loved, and so full of life. I will go on remembering, how he lived, and how he played this beautiful game of basketball.
A year removed from losing the NBA championship to the Boston Celtics. And to prove to the World, and the city of Los Angeles, this was his time and his city! He would go on to have, one of the most unbelievable playoff performances in NBA history.
Kobe wanted to show everyone, that he could win without Shaq. He had his doubters. And when the season began for a determined Lakers bunch, having a collective goal in mind of getting back to the NBA Finals and winning this time.
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?
- NBA Power Rankings: Tiering all 30 projected starting point guards for 2023-24
In Game 1, Kobe set the pace, for the rest of that series. They had no answer for him. Kobe put up dazzling numbers – forty points, eight rebounds, and eight assists offensively. And, on the defensive end, with two blocks and two steals to add to his stat line. They would be victorious, 100-75. And, eventually, go on to win it all. The fourth ring of his career.
According to ESPN, this performance by Kobe Bryant, ranks 22nd, in all-time playoff performances in NBA history.
No other athlete/celebrity has ever left this kind of impression on me. Nobody. I wept for two days, and just thought to myself, how could this be? I’ve been watching him since I was a teenager. I remember watching a young Kobe, in the 1997 NBA playoffs.
He put up air-ball, after air-ball. I saw this, and I did not think of how bad his shooting was. No, I remember contemplating, this guy is gonna be great. Because it took guts, to shoot those shots. Although it is extremely hard, to imagine a world without him. His legacy will live on.
I know he loved martial arts films and was a fan of Bruce Lee. So, I will leave you with this. Years from now, we will say to ourselves, and I quote Linda Lee Cadwell, “All these years later, people still wonder about how he died. I prefer to remember how he lived. ”