Kobe Bryant 2009 NBA Finals MVP

Kobe Bryant can smile this time. With his leading, LA Lakers grabbed the 2009 NBA title in Game 5 of NBA Finals against Orlando Magic on Sunday. Scoring 30 points, six rebounds, five assists in Game 5 and averaging 32.4 points for the series, Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP.




Kobe Bryant has four championship rings now, and he won the fourth without Shaquille O'Neal as a teammate. "Felt like a big, ol' monkey was off my back," said Bryant, "I don't have to hear that idiotic criticism anymore." All this time he has been tired of hearing people said that he cannot win another NBA title without O'Neal. LA Lakers, making their 30th NBA Finals appearance, had not won NBA title since 2002, the last of three consecutive championships — all with O'Neal as the starting center.

Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers: 2009 NBA Finals Champions

Kobe Bryant led LA Lakers past Orlando Magic 99-86 in 2009 NBA Finals Game 5 on Sunday night, giving Los Angeles Lakers its 15th NBA title. Lakers coach Phil Jackson won his record-breaking 10th NBA title, surpassing the nine Boston legend Red Auerbach won from 1950-66.




The championship came one season after LA Lakers lost to Boston Celtics in NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant since then committed himself to give Los Angeles NBA champions title, and showed a renewed intensity throughout NBA playoffs to get it done. Bryant said his children called him "Grumpy" because he was so serious about winning an NBA title.

And now, at last, Kobe Bryant delivered the championship without Shaquille O'Neal, and he didn't have to be spectacular to do it. He scored 30 points in Game 5.

Orlando Magic, Kobe Bryant's Monster

Kobe Bryant seems to understand now how dangerous Orlando Magic can be at their Amway Arena. Bryant has seen Magic, who shot an NBA finals-record 62 percent from the field—75 percent in the first half—in their Game 3 victory, turn into a monster.




"This team can stay hot for weeks. They can get hot and stay hot. When that happens, you’re dealing with a monster." Bryant said Wednesday.

Orlando Magic were clicking again during their 108-104 victory in Game 3 after losing the two first games in LA's Staples Center. It was Orlando Magic’s first finals victory in franchise history and one they absolutely had to have.

LA Lakers Takes a 2-0 Lead in NBA Finals

Kobe Bryant proved himself to be an NBA star again as LA Lakers grabbed an 101-96 overtime victory against Orlando Magic to take a 2-0 lead in 2009 NBA Finals. Kobe led Lakers with 29 points but they failed to repeat the domination as they did in Game 1. Pau Gasol, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds, scored seven of the Lakers' 13 points in the overtime to key Lakers' victory.




Both Lakers and Magic had chances to win the game at Staples Center in regulation, Kobe squandering an opportunity when his short jumper with 0.6 seconds remaining was blocked by Hedo Turkoglu. Orlando could have won in regular time had Courtney Lee's layup at the buzzer not missed.

The best of seven series now moves to Orlando's Amway Arena for the next three games, if necessary. Game 3 is on Tuesday, June 9.

Kobe Bryant: Game 2 Won't be the Same

LA Lakers are convinced they will not see the same Orlando Magic team in Game 2 of NBA Finals. Magic was outplayed, out-hustled and out-coached in Game 1, a 100-75 blowout by Lakers, and Lakers star Kobe Bryant said a repeat performance was unlikely to happen.


Orlando Magic used deadly accurate shooting from the outside to oust LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers in Eastern Conference finals but lost that touch against LA Lakers. Magic All Star center Dwight Howard dismissed the notion that the Lakers won because they had more big game experience.

LA Lakers Won Game 1 of NBA Finals

Orlando Magic made a comeback to NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years and soon learned the biggest star in Hollywood right now is Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant welcomed back Orlando Magic to their first NBA Finals since 1995, scoring 40 points to lead LA Lakers to a 100-75 rout in Game 1 of 2009 NBA Finals at Staples Center.




They fed off his talent and tenacity to overwhelm Orlando Magic in the second half after taking a 10-point lead at intermission, building the margin to as many as 28 points with a 29-15 third-quarter display. Magic star Dwight Howard struggled to even get shots and make shots, finishing with just 12 points on only 1-of-6 attempts.

Kobe Bryant Took Lakers to NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers are back in NBA finals for the second straight year and the 30th time overall. Lakers closed out Denver Nuggets with a 119-92 victory in Game 6 of Western Conference finals on Friday night to win the series 4-2. Lakers star, Kobe Bryant, gave his best performance and delivered 35 points and 10 assists in the game. Kobe had many scoring help from team-mates Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as Lakers shot 57.3% from the field to avoid having to play a Game 7 back at Staples Center. The NBA Finals will begin on Thursday, at Los Angeles if Orlando Magic wins, and at Cleveland if Cavaliers prevail.

Showtime for LA Lakers and Denver Nuggets

Los Angeles Lakers won the semifinal series against the Houston Rockets, and now Lakers had to prepare for the Western Conference finals against Denver Nuggets. Kobe Bryant and his team-mates will be trying to get back to the NBA finals for the second straight year while the Nuggets will be trying to get there for the first time.

Kobe Bryant Great NBA Player

Kobe Bryant led LA Lakers to win NBA league three years in a row from 2000 to 2002. During the 2009 NBA All Star Game, Kobe Bryant was chosen All Star Game co-MVP with former teammate Shaq O'Neal.

Kobe Bryant All-Star Shooting Guard

Kobe Bryant was awarded the regular season's Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) in the 2007–08 NBA season after leading his team to the 2008 NBA Finals as the first seed in the Western Conference.