(THE KINGS) SHOULD HAVE WON. THAT WAS THE SECOND-TOUGHEST SERIES EVER AFTER THE 2010 CELTICS (IN THE NBA FINALS). MAN, WE COULDN’T FIGURE THEM OUT. IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO CATCH SMOKE WITH YOUR BARE HANDS. IT WAS THE BALL MOVEMENT, THE FACT THEY HAD PLAYMAKERS AT EVERY POSITION. THEY HAD SHOOTERS AT EVERY POSITION. THEY HAD LENGTH, SPEED. WE COULDN’T GET HOLD OF THEM. THEY JUST DIDN’T HANDLE THE PRESSURE OF THE MOMENT.
Kobe Bryant, about the Lakers’ victory over the Kings in the 2002 Western Conference finals
He laughed as he talked, because, after all, he earned the last laugh. His Lakers tortured the Kings before the Giants could even spell the word. The Kings’ first trip to the NBA Finals was all but booked, and then it wasn’t. The first NBA title was theirs, because they would have been overwhelming favorites against the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets, and then it wasn’t.
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http://www.sacbee.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/ailene-voisin/article53399020.html#storylink=cpy
Im never gonna get over that series. Ever.
The Kirk Gibson HR against the A's in the world series hurt. So did the Roger Craig Fumble that kept the 49ers from the chance at 3 straight Super Bowls. But that series against the Lakers, that hurts my soul. Still does all these years later.
If I was at the game tonight i would begrudgingly clap as kobe was introduced but that would instantly carry into booing him the entire game.