He won't admit it, but Mamba met his match
Score one for the mongoose.
With the Celtics employing their Rikki-Tikki-Tavi team defense, the Black Mamba was unable to deliver the venomous strikes with which he had so mercilessly dispatched the Nuggets, Jazz and Spurs.
As he had done so often in the first three rounds of the playoffs, Bryant spent the first half measuring his opponent and getting his teammates involved. Running the pick-and-roll to perfection, Bryant took advantage of the Celtics' understandable fixation on him to get Paul Gasol (5-for-7, 12 points in the first half) easy baskets, and the Lakers built a 51-46 halftime lead despite only eight points from the MVP.
After a 12-5 run to open the third put Boston up 58-56, Kobe broke off a bucket-assist-bucket 6-0 run to put L.A. back up 62-58.
It was on that baseline 12-footer with 6:52 left in the third that Paul Pierce crumpled to the floor and was wheeled to the locker room. The series looked like it was over.
The big story, of course, is what Pierce did after hopping out of the wheelchair (even if it did play out a whole lot like that LeBron James Vitamin Water courtroom spoof commercial that's been running in the playoffs). But of equal significance to Boston's victory was what Kobe didn't do.
With Pierce preparing to do his Lazarus thing in the locker room, the jugular was fully exposed for the Black Mamba.
But the rest of the way Bryant shot just 3-of-12 with one of those baskets coming on a transition dunk.
Given an opportunity to credit the Celtics for their defense down the stretch, Bryant shrugged off the question, saying, "Nah, I just missed some bunnies. I just missed some really, really good looks."
Bryant might believe that. But the videotape tells a different story. Almost everything Kobe shot in the final quarter and a half was heavily contested.
6:30 left in the 3rd — Bryant rises up, misses a jumper from the top of the key after the 6-10 Kendrick Perkins had closed out on him and reached in for a steal. The 6-8 James Posey was also hanging on his shooting hand. Not a terrible look but contested nonetheless.
6:01 — Bryant receives the ball in space from Lamar Odom and has Posey one-on-one with no help on the wing. Instead of taking it to the rim, Kobe pulls up from 15 with Posey's hand in his face and the ball rattles out.
4:50 — After beating Ray Allen with two hard dribbles into the paint, Kobe is met by NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett and tries to float in a baby hook over him. The heavily contested shot rattles out.
3:06 — Kobe slams a lob from Derek Fisher on a 2-on-1.
2:28 — With the shot clock expiring, Kobe shakes Allen and drains a fadeaway baseline 20-footer just as Garnett arrives with the double team. A ridiculous shot for anyone else, but routine for the Kobester. The shot gives the Lakers their last lead, 71-69.
0:29 — With Rajon Rondo switched onto him, Bryant runs the Celtic point guard into a Gasol screen out top, then crosses him over and appears to have his shoulder even with him for a foray to the basket. But instead Kobe backs it out with his left hand and hoists a contested 3-pointer with 18 seconds on the shot clock. A very difficult shot, perhaps excusable as an effort to go 2-for-1, but P.J. Brown rebounded the brick and the Lakers did not get another shot in the quarter.
11:45 left in 4th — Bryant drives left on Posey from the top of the circle, creates space with a hesitation dribble and banks in a 12-footer as the 6-11 Brown closes out on him. A contested shot to be sure, though Kobe's lift probably makes him feel like he's wide open. (If LeBron James could make this shot with any consistency the Celtics wouldn't be playing right now.)
10:37 — With his back to the basket at the foul-line extended, Bryant gives Posey a head-and-shoulder fake to his left then spins back to his right to shoot a 15-foot turnaround, but is met there by the aggressive double team of Allen. The result is an air ball.
5:45 — Kobe re-enters the game after a couple minutes on the bench and receives the in-bounds pass with two seconds on the shot clock. His no-choice baseline 20-footer with Allen's hand in his face is a brick.
4:05 — Bryant gets Allen on his hip with a hard drive to his left, but Brown slides over and swallows him up with a hard double team. Kobe forced the ball into a sea of Boston hands and Allen was credited with the block. Not a good look.
3:25 — Kobe shakes and bakes (and double-bakes) on Pierce at the foul line, but Pierce refuses to go for any of his up-fakes and Kobe is forced to settle for a contested 16-foot fall-away which comes up short.
0:53 — Bryant gets a decent look at a 25-foot 3-pointer from out top with Posey a shade late in the close out. But it is a brick off the back iron.
Bryant missed his last five shots and his fourth-quarter 1-for-6 was part of the Lakers' 5-for-20 brickfest in the final 12 minutes.
It's one game. The Laker
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