NBA Finals (Lakers d. Magic 4-1)

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Originally Posted by chuck

I'll take it, but then I'm a Lakers fan since Magic was running the show - it's been a long time coming - and it's nice to see Kobe playing team ball finally - and the emergence of Gasol, Bynum, Ariza and even the clutch shooting of Fisher speak volumes about the work Phil has done.

It'll probably all change next season - as free agents and the rest of the league adjusts - the King heading to NYC? - but for now I'm happy to enjoy it.

Kobe playing team ball? Look at the stats between this year's playoff run and last:

2008 Kobe (21 games): 30.1 pts, 5.7 reb, 5.6 ast, 3.3 TO, 22.0 FGA, 9.2 FTA, 47.9 FG%, 81 FT%, 30 3FG%, 41.1 MPG.

2009 Kobe (23 games): 30.2 pts, 5.3 reb, 5.5 ast, 2.6 TO, 23.0 FGA, 8.6 FTA, 45.7 FG%, 88 FT%, 35 3FG%, 40.9 MPG.

Looks pretty much the same. But the Lakers beat the Magic for precisely the same reason the Cavs DIDN'T - other players were able to come through and prove themselves worth covering (a lesson that the Magic paid for dearly in regards to Fisher). I had the impression that it was really Gasol who was the key player in the series - if HE does well, the Lakers win. He did and they have the trophy.