Kobe Bryant: The Snake Who Ate the Lion

King James or the Black Mamba, the lion or the snake. The first round of this battle went to LeBron James as he won the MVP award for all his stats and leading his team with the best record in the NBA. The battle seemed to stop after that, while LeBron may have proved to put up more points, Kobe Bryant is the one who has led his team to two games from another ring.

After game one of the 2009 NBA finals, I think people understood why Kobe Bryant is so deadly. I would hope that people will understand that putting up 40 points a game is good, but winning a championship by making your team the best team in the NBA might define MVP a little better. We saw Orlando pretty much dominate LeBron James and the Cavs, and this most valuable player was no where to be found. I think the MVP award should go to the most valuable player on their team, not the most valuable player in dollar signs to the NBA. Although LeBron James might become the greatest player to ever play the game, he still has to learn that carrying a team to the championship means to make his team better.

Game two of the 2009 NBA finals was a wake up call for the Lakers. Kobe admitted after the game that they missed a lot of assignments, and are happy to get a win. Kobe Bryant has proven to me that he is a team player and that he is willing to score 18 points if it means they can win. I believe the MVP award should go to a player who not only has the ability to put up big numbers, but the ability to allow his team to become better by stepping aside and giving them the important shot. This fairy tale will continue for a couple more years, the snake and the lion, and then a new one will begin. This time around, the deadly Black Mamba devoured the lion, courtesy our neighborhood friendly super hero.