What the NBA Finals mean to Kobe

There's been a lot of talk about how Kobe Bryant will be cementing his legacy if he wins a fourth NBA Finals ring, his first without Shaq. 

Wait, isn't he already going to go down as one of the best players ever to wear a Lakers uniform?

They're saying that he will be a man possessed in this series, somebody with everything to gain and everything to lose.

Well duh. 

Remember how Kobe and Lakers were the favorites against Boston last year? Yeah that went well. Kobe is probably going to be out of his mind to make sure that doesn't happen again.

But really, does not winning another NBA Championship tarnish his legacy that much?

I mean we've already thrown out the golden boy moniker thanks to an incident in a Denver hotel room and his squabbling with Shaq (which self-destructed the Lakers). So he's not going to go down in history with the same sheen or gloss as say Jordan, Magic or Bird. He's not going to go down as the best player ever (that's a toss up between Jordan and what Lebron will do in the next 10 years) but he's certianly going to be in the conversation.

Ask anyone in the NBA about Kobe and they'll have nothing but excellent things to say about him as a player. He's one of the best, if not the best player we've seen in the post-Jordan generation. Lebron will eventually take that crown here (bad joke) if he hasn't already, but to deny Kobe's greatness between the Jordan and King James-era would just be stupid.

When it comes to being a competitor, Kobe's no. 1, and another NBA title will be nice on the resume but we aren't going to footnote him if he doesn't win here. So all this talk about legacy and what it means it's pretty silly considering marketing agencies are probably already setting up their Kobe ads for next year. And please, make a more Kobe-ish muppet this time.

Sure we'll look back and say "Kobe never won without Shaq" but don't we already say "Jordan never won without Pippen?"

I mean what exactly is the difference between three and four championships other than buying another ring case. Brett Favre only won one Super Bowl (like they're apparently easy to win?) and that does not lessen his legacy. 

Kobe's won three as part of one of the greatest teams in NBA history - and you're telling me he has to win another to reach the next pantheon.

Please, he's already there. He's just working for a little more leg room now.