When he had to, he scored 50 points in his sleep. He is the most clutch player in the history of the game. Yes, Kobe Bryant has done it all and if he retires today is arguably one of the five greatest players to ever play the game. But when you are Kobe Bryant that is not enough.
When he was a skinny, cocky, young kid, people said he could never be a star. He proved the world wrong by becoming one of the greatest. When they said he was a ball hog who couldn't win, he played Robin to Shaq's Batman and won three championships. When they said he ran Shaq out and could never win without him, he proved the world wrong by leading the Lakers to the 2009 title and winning his first Finals MVP.
But after getting destroyed by the Celtics in the 2008 Finals, people insulted Bryant saying things like the Black Mamba was a garden snake for the C's. He was bashed for it and even after he won the 2009 title the Bryant haters said he couldn't beat the Celtics.
Bryant has done everything the world said he couldn't. He has proved his critics wrong time and time again, but there is one thing he has to prove and that is he can get past the Celtics.
If Bryant's legacy was going to be looked at differently if he hadn't won without Shaq, then there will be some that view him differently if he can't get past the Celtics. It would be that one thing Bryant was not able to accomplish, and as sad as it is, since he is Kobe Bryant the media would bash him for it.
So far in this series, Bryant is shooting just 40 percent. At times he has struggled against Tony Allen though and people think it's 2008 all over...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
