Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers: The Soap Opera…For the Men

Someone once told me that my life is too dramatic. I used to hate hearing that word, but recently, I’ve come to embrace it. I got a text message this morning regarding the Kings game last night.

Man its kinda boring to watch games now. I’m used to drama and come from behind wins.

As much as I scream, yell and beg the Lakers to stop straining my heart with turnovers and bad defensive plays, they never fail to keep you on the edge of your seats. Sometimes, I expect it. Most of the time, I dread it.

I’m a person who likes to gravitate toward stability and security, even though my life is anything but. Based on my personality, if I had to follow a team all over again, I would have gone with the Cavaliers of last year. LeBron James for MVP. No. 1 seed in the league. Beat the Lakers at Staples Center on Christmas Day. What could be more reassuring than that?

And the Lakers’ road to the championship has been anything but stable and predictable. When Kobe is bailing you out of close games against lower-tier teams like Bucks and Kings, you really wonder if that buzzer-beater is anything to celebrate over. These come-from-behind games are terrifying to watch, and you’d love to settle for teams like the Cavaliers that seem to cruise to 61 wins.

But in the deep recesses of my subconscious mind, I must admit… I look forward to these big game moments. The Heat, after winning their first title in 2006, always struggled early in the playoffs. So when they came to play on Dec. 4 last year, I didn’t pay much attention. I figured it would be an easy win at home, and I decided I had more pressing matters to tend to.

I missed the biggest game of the season, when Kobe hit a clutch off-balance, fade-away bank shot from halfway to halfcourt with Dwyane Wade sweating all over him. The look on Wade’s face was priceless.

And I had to witnes...

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