NBA Playoffs 2009 (Game1)

After all is said and done this playoff series might prove to be one of the most crucial series Kobe and the Lakers will play in the next few years and probably the rest of Kobe's career. With every NBA team getting better every season there are no guarantees on whether any one team will reach the finals each and every year. The Lakers managed to return this year mostly due to the Denver Nuggets lack of execution in game 6. The Lakers play has been inconsistent throughout the playoffs but after the finals game 1 it seems like the Lakers might have everything under control. Maybe. Kobe Bryant is 31 years old. If Kobe plans on winning he will have to do it sooner than later, a serious injury could cut his playing years short and leave the future of the Lakers in disarray.



This is Kobe's biggest Playoff series in his entire career because he does care about the Kobe-Shaq history. He cares about failing not once but twice in the finals. He cares about not being considered the greatest, and he desperately wants a ring while wearing the number 24. The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA when Garnett returns, and if they play like they did a year ago there is no doubt in my mind that they will continue to dominate for years to come. If Kobe can’t do it Garnett will, and that’s why Kobe sees this as a golden opportunity that cannot be squandered. Game 2 is tonight at 8pm ET, and the Magic better be ready for it because the Black Mamba will be. The Lakers have no choice but to win this series, the Kobe legacy depends on it.