Here we are, three weeks after the dust has settled from the playoffs. Kobe has his fifth, the Lakers are one banner away from catching the Celtics and both Doc and Phil are coming back for one more go. Both these teams are already gearing up for another run at a championship, with Steve Blake signing with the Lakers and Jermaine O'Neal reportedly coming to terms with Boston. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a moment to look back at this year's Finals. Kobe Wins Finals MVP
Talks of Kobe's inefficient play are nothing new; statisticians have been pointing to his poor shot selection and difficulty trusting teammates as the reasons he isn't getting the most out of his unreal skill set. Game 7 showed Bryant's two negative traits in full force as he took shot after shot and passed up opportunities for his teammates; Gasol continued his ways and gathered rebound after rebound. As expected, immediately after Bryant was announced the Finals MVP it didn't take long before some people cried out that the more efficient Pau Gasol deserved it, while others felt it was earned by the teams obvious Alpha Male.
I would like to agree that Pau deserves it. I would love to. Gasol has long been one of my favorite players, and is definitely one of the best all-round basketball players on the planet, especially when considering his international work.
But I can't.
Kobe Bryant played hard the whole series, never gave an inch, and actually averaged great numbers over the series (29, 8, 4) against the most spirited defense in the league. Sure his percentages weren't great, but no one's were. The series was a defensive battle and while Kobe has fallen off a bit in that department, he is still widely regarded as one of the top-5 perimeter defenders in the league. He earned it fair and square and definitely deserves to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case.
Besides, can you picture Pau Gasol getting MVP while Kobe pretends to smile in the background? Neither can I.
Defensive Battle
The final game wasn't just ugly.
It was ugly like Chunk from the Goonies.
It was Shaq free-throw ugly.
Ugly like the morning after New Years.
The average final score throughout the series was 89 points, but the series was one of the most watched in decades. Any old-timer watching the series might think he fell into a time machine, the referees called it loose and the players took advantage of it. Hard box-outs, pulled jerseys, tussles under the basket, and the list goes on. It was a much different NBA than we are used to seeing in the regular season, but it is long overdue and a welcome change. While it isn't as flashy or skilled, you can feel that the team who wants it more wins most often, which is a nice metric to follow for any championship.
Ron Artest - Time heals all wounds
Finally, Ron Artest is back on top of the world. After reaching the Finals in 2004 with Stephen Jackson, Reggie Miller and Jermaine O'Neal, Ron-Ron can finally say that he is loved and accepted by the general public.
And really, what's not to love?
Crazy pills brought us a heroic game winning put-back against the Suns in game 5, and then gave the hilarious post-game 'Say Queensbridge' interview with Craig Sager. Next on the platter was his never-say-die attitude the whole Boston series, focusing on defending a wily Paul Pierce and hitting his open shots. It clearly worked for the Lakers and moments later we saw Artest happy as a kid in a candy store, jumping up and down and pumping his fists. Through all the money, advertising, agents and lawyers, this is what makes it all worthwhile. Coming out on top, working hard and having it pay off, and having your name go down in history as a championship winner.
