Tomorrow night, Kobe Bryant attempts to become a 5 time NBA champion. Every pundant is already writing about if the Lakers win the title Kobe will go down as the greatest Laker that has ever lived. I think that winning five titles makes him an all time great but he will never supplant Magic as the greatest Laker. Magic was a revolutionary. He rejuvenated a franchise that needed oxygen. He made going to the Forum and watching Laker games an event. He made his contemporaries better and because of the style of basketball that was played, he made many people money. He as a rookie defeated the 76ers in arguably the greatest game ever played by a person under the age of 21. He played all 5 positions in that game and scored 42 points, grabbed a boat load of rebounds and had many assists. He did everything except sell popcorn and announce the game that night. That game alone makes anything thing that Kobe has done in the playoffs obsolete. Magic was the man. He had great players on his team and two of them are in the Hall of Fame. Even they defer to Magic. Kareem is in a class by himself, but he did a lot of damage as pro as a Milwaukee Buck. Jerry West was Mr. Clutch and the NBA logo bears his silhouette. James Worthy was a great finisher of Magic's passes. Magic carried the Lakers on his back for years. Magic went 9 NBA finals. He was a three time NBA Finals MVP. He was league MVP 3 times as well. He was 1st team all league 9 times. I could go on and on about his accomplishments.
Kobe has been all league 8 times, he has been all star game MVP 3 times. He scored 81 points in a game, 8 time all defensive team. He has a great resume too and he is still writing his history. However 3 of his rings, he was just a sidekick. Shaq got all of the awards. Kobe was great against Indiana, but Shaq carried them to victory against New Jersey and Philadelphia. In the last three years, Kobe has stepped out of the shadow of Shaq and led his team to three straight finals. As impressive as that is think about how many times Magic did it for the Lakers. In the decade of the 80's they went to finals I believe every year but 2. Magic got injured in the finals against Detroit in 88 or the Lakers would have won 6 titles. When he was forced into retirement he had just come from leading the Lakers to his 9 ninth finals appearance. Also lets factor in that the NBA was 100 better in Magic's day than it has been over the last 10 years that Kobe has dominated. I think that this is the final hurrah for Kobe and the Lakers and if they do not win tomorrow they won't get back here again for a few years. This summer is going to destroy the NBA as we know it. I will discuss that on July1st.
Kobe is great, but Magic will always be the greatest Laker for me. He changed west coast basketball and his legacy is still being felt to me. Kobe is unoriginal. He copies every move from Micheal Jordan and we have been there and done that. I love them both and no one has to take a backseat to anyone.
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