Kobe and the Lakers Win the NBA Championship in 5

Not surprising: the Lakers took the NBA Finals last night.  Their first championship since 2002 was achieved in five games without much opposition from the Orlando Magic, but also without Shaquille O’Neal, proving that the team doesn’t need him in order to be the best in the country.  Kobe Bryant is quite enough.

This marks the tenth win for coach Phil Jackson.  He is the winningest coach in the NBA and not only is he the only NBA coach to garner ten championships, but the only coach in any American pro sport to do so.  

The Lakers, who drifted between disinterested and divine during stretches this season, put it all together in their final game, a no-doubt-about-it rout that was sealed with a 16-0 spurt in the second quarter that showcased the club’s depth, versatility and Bryant’s sheer will.

Last night, with Kobe in top form, the Lakers took Orlando easily, 99-86.  Yahoo! Sports is pretty exaggeratey about the whole thing, even daring to drop the J word, re Kobe:

Could Bryant eclipse Jordan as the modern game’s greatest player?

Such talk once seemed unfathomable. Not anymore. Bryant is beginning to make his case.

As long as they can sign free agents Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza, the Lakers have enough talent to string together several championships over the next few years. If Bryant stays healthy and hungry, the Larry O’Brien Trophy could be settling out West for a while.

But the best news to come out of this whole story is that Kobe can finally enjoy Disneyland in peace:

“They won’t see us as losers,” Bryant said. “L.A. is brutal, man. Now when I go to Disneyland, I can enjoy the moment. I don’t have to answer questions about, ‘What the hell happened to you guys.’ From that standpoint, the summer is much more enjoyable.”

Truth: Kobe’s favorite ride is Space Mountain.

Source: Yahoo! Sports.