Kobe Bryant starring in the NBA Finals yet again

For the past three years, the NBA seasons have ended the same way, with Kobe Bryant as the focal point. For the past six years, the Los Angeles Lakers have been Kobe Bryant's team. Following the departure of Shaquille O'Neal, the team struggled to win games. In 2005, the Lakers found themselves out of the playoffs.

After two first round exits in 2006 and 2007, the Lakers finally brought Kobe Bryant proper help. The trade for big man, Pau Gasol and the emergence of Andrew Bynum placed the Lakers on top of the West. In the 2008 playoffs, Kobe Bryant was free for the first time. He did not have to create every play.

With this stellar team around him, Bryant led his team through the Western Conference playoffs. Right into the NBA Finals, they ran into the Boston Celtics. The Celtics were stacked with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Despite how great Kobe was, he was not enough against three superstars. The Lakers fell to the Celtics, but the next season, they went on an inspired run and posted a better record than the Celtics.

However, injuries led to the Celtics falling to the Orlando Magic, who would end up facing the Lakers in the finals at the end of the season. In a reversal of what happened in 2008, Kobe Bryant improved his leadership skills and the Lakers would win the championship. This year, they have done what no team has been able to do since 2002 and made the NBA Finals three years in a row. If they win the championship, not only would they defeat the Celtics in the finals for the first time in twenty years, but they would also be the first team to repeat as champions since 2002.

The last team to accomplish the 2002 feats were the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant-led Lakers. But, this time the focal point of the team is Kobe Bryant, as opposed to Shaq.