The Lakers guard enters the NBA Finals on a high note, having poured in 37 points in a 111-103 victory against the Phoenix Suns in the decisive Game 6 on Saturday night.
Every time the Suns threatened to come back in the fourth quarter, there was Bryant responding with one contested bucket after another.
“Watching that ending in Phoenix, I don’t know how those shots go in,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “But because it’s him, you didn’t even think it was a bad shot. It’s just what he does.”
Suns coach Alvin Gentry paid Bryant the ultimate compliment following the game: “I’m saying at this time he’s the best player in basketball. And I don’t think it’s even close.”
The Celtics only had to deal with the Black Mamba once this season (Bryant missed the Feb. 18 meeting in Los Angeles because of a left leg injury), yet it was one image too many. Bryant capped a fourth-quarter comeback by hitting a jumper over the outstretched arms of Ray Allen with 7.3 seconds left as the Lakers rallied from an 11-point deficit to edge the C’s, 90-89, on Jan. 31 at the Garden.
Even though Bryant had made just 7-of-19 shots to that point, the future Hall of Famer was more than willing to take the last shot.
“I didn’t say give me one more chance. I said to give me the damn ball,” Bryant said. “I didn’t give them much of a choice.”
Unlike the 2008 NBA Finals, when defensive specialist James Posey was around to help make Bryant’s life miserable (53-of-131, 40.5 percent from the field), the task this time falls on guards Ray Allen and Tony Allen.
“It’s no fun. Just watching Kobe Bryant is no fun knowing that you’re going to prepare for him,” Rivers said. “He’s a great player. He’s tough mentally. He’s one of the greatest competitors - forget the talent part - he’s one of the greatest competitors of our era.”
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