SPORTS/OLYMPICS> Basketball
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SPORTS/OLYMPICS> Basketball
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Historic title could put Kobe legacy with Jordan, Shaq
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-06-18 10:24 BOSTON - Learning from boyhood idol Michael Jordan and charting his own path without ex-teammate Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant could be ready to add an historic chapter to his basketball legacy.
The 29-year-old playmaker attempts to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the National Basketball Association Finals crown by upsetting the Boston Celtics twice on their home court starting in Game 6 here on Tuesday. The Celtics carry a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series so the Lakers would have to become the first team to win the NBA title after losing three of the first four games, a feat Jordan and "Shaq" never had to bother with. "You can't help but think, obviously, two," Bryant said. "In training camp if you had told us we'll give you two games that you have to win to win a world championship, we'd have took it in a heartbeat. This is a great opportunity." The chance is also there for Bryant to show he can win a title without O'Neal, his partner on three consecutive title teams starting in 2000 before their rift led to Shaq's departure after a 2004 Finals loss to Detroit. More than that, the talented guard could follow in retired icon Jordan's footsteps by evolving from a high-scoring hero to one who lifts his teammates into the NBA's best unit with patience, work ethic and direction. Bryant's sometimes harsh words have resonated with a young team looking to him for leadership and guidance, one that clings to its title dream. "They are used to it. We all have thick skins around here," Bryant said. "Our relationship is great. People pay attention to it a lot more when you lose than they do when you win. When you win it's great leadership. When you lose, you're a tyrant." "You've got to take it and roll with it." Bryant won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award this season. The 10-time all-star and two-time scoring champion is in his 12th NBA campaign, but unlike Jordan, has been a prime target for critics. "You've got to take the good with the bad," Bryant said. "You can't sit up here, be all smiles, take all the good stuff and all the pats on the back and then when stuff goes bad you run away from it and duck. That's not what it's about." Bryant, married with two daughters, was arrested on rape charges five years ago and admitted having sex with a 19-year-old woman. The rape case was thrown out when the woman would not testify against Bryant. That combined with the feud that pushed O'Neal to leave for Miami and his own talk of leaving before this season led to boos from Laker fans at the home opener and has nagged at Bryant's legacy. "You just go out there and you play, you do the things you've been taught to do and trained to do and control the things that you can control. Outside of that, don't worry about it," Bryant said. "The important thing is for me to push the buttons at the right time. That has really become my role now moreso than in the past when it was 35 or 40 points." Celtics coach Doc Rivers has been impressed with Bryant's ability to take command of a game with his defense and passing skills as well as his scoring touch and shakes his head at the amount of criticism Bryant takes. "I've never seen a guy this talented get criticized as much as he does. It's just completely unfair," Rivers said. "He's a great basketball player, the greatest player right now in our league and probably top three or five in the history of the game in a lot of ways. He's just a terrific player. He is driven like no other. "I know at times Michael (Jordan) got on his teammates and that's what all the great ones do. But when things don't work, they're usually criticized." Jordan won six titles. Bryant has struggled to make the Lakers a winning team in the past four years but the team rolled to the Finals with the arrival of Spanish star Pau Gasol and the development of young supporting talent. "He's the scariest player in the NBA in a lot of ways, so you're fearful of him all the time. You should be, a respectful fear," Rivers said. "I think that Kobe has shown that he can trust his teammates and he's done that. He has shown he can be the best defensive player in the league. I don't know what else he can do." He could stun the Celtics, with a little help from his friends.
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