Do you remember how that felt? Just imagine how he felt during that time. Personally, that was one of the worst days of my entire life. After years of struggling through mediocrity, the 2008 fairytale season was over, and it appeared Kobe was perhaps cursed without his "Batman", Shaquille O'Neal. We lost to Boston for being mentally and physically weak, two attributes that Kobe himself is not known for.
Immediately after that loss in the Lakers locker room, it appeared the physically tough component was destined to be added:
Phil Jackson wrote:After the devastating loss in game 6 to the Boston Celtics, Ron Artest came in our locker and walked in the shower with Kobe Bryant. Kobe’s there taking a shower — and this is a locker room the coaches have, it’s off limits — so, Ron said, ‘Coach, I can help your team, I can get that championship for the Lakers.’ I said, ‘Well, thanks Ron, that’s very nice, I appreciate your sympathies. We’ll see what happens as you go through this year.’ Then, he walked out of that coaches’ area, and in to the shower and told Kobe the same thing. Kobe’s been knowing Ron’s intentions for the last two years
Then, on July 7th, 2009, the Lakers made it official. Ron Artest was a Laker.
"This was a long time coming,'' Artest said. "As I started to compete against the Lakers and against Kobe (Bryant), I had respect for him and I always wanted to be a teammate of his.''
Fast forward to 2010.
Fresh off his first NBA title without Shaquille, Kobe Bryant only had one more thing to do: get even with the Celtics. The favorites in most NBA circles, the Lakers appeared destined for the Finals, while the Celtics at the start of the playoffs appeared to be a second round team at best.
Then, a miracle happened.
The Celtics went on a roll, defeating both LeBron's Cavs and Dwight's Magic, earning themselves another NBA Finals birth. The cards fell just the right way. Kobe had his shot at revenge. Coy as usual, Bryant made this Finals up to be nothing special because of who he was facing. To him, he said it was just another shot at a cookie. The Finals would come to down a 7th and Final game. With everything on the line, it was time for Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest to put that shower scene to fruition.
Coming down to the wire, it was up to Ron Artest to make a clutch bucket when it mattered most:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mT99HCFFI&feature=fvw[/youtube]
Kobe passes it to Artest. Splash. Two years removed from the worst loss in Lakers history, Artest delivers on his promise.
There was still a little redemption left to be passed around, and an unlikely hero was crowned.
Does anyone remember this? Because Boston does. During the 2009 regular season visit to Boston, this video was played constantly and Vujacic was taunted through-out the entire game. Here's a direct quote from myself after going to that game: "They really hate Sasha. They show the clip of him hitting the chair in Game 4 a lot." Link
Vujacic has sworn off wearing any shade of green because of what happened in last season’s NBA Finals, when the green-wearing Celtics dismantled the Lakers, 4 games to 2, for the championship. The teams play for the first time this season on Christmas Day.
“When we beat them, there will be lots of green around,” Vujacic said.
After a desperation 3 pointer from Rajon Rondo made the game too close for comfort, coach Phil Jackson inserted the seldom used Vujacic in an inevitable free throw situation. The ball comes to Sasha, he's fouled, and the Finals are essentially in his hands. Can he handle the pressure?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLmzg1fl4EI[/youtube]
The clock ticks to zero moments later...
Kobe Bryant wrote:This is the sweetest. We’ve been downplaying the whole series between us and the Celtics and we had to focus on what we had to do, but we understood how bad the city wanted it, there’s no question about it. This one is by far the sweetest because it’s against them and because it’s the hardest one by far.
And then a few days later?
Sorry Disney, you have nothing on this.
