It was Game Seven of the NBA Finals featuring the best rivalry in the league (both historically and in modern day), the best player in the world, and intriguing subplots loaded with vindication and legacy.
And Kobe Bryant had one of the worst playoff performances of his career.
Just when we were expecting a signature Bryant game, or at least a signature Bryant shot that would be saved, nicknamed, and replayed until it became embedded in sports lore, what we got instead was 18 bricks (including 0-for-6 from beyond the arc) and four turnovers.
Ouch.
Fortunately for Bryant, his supporting cast starred this evening, and they protected him from a summer of LeBron-like backlash.
Not that he wasn't without critics.
The lovable and unlikable Bill Simmons on ESPN.com wrote, "Gotta hand it to LA: tougher down the stretch and survived an epic stink bomb from Kobe. If you can win a game when your best guy goes 6-for-24, that's pretty good. As for Kobe's legacy... I think it took a hit tonight."
Michael Jordan's son got into the mix with a scalding tweet during the game.
"Marcus Jordan's tweet: ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Chad Ridgeway
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