Kobe the King: [David Stefanini]

Kobe Bryant showed yesterday why he is the #1 player in this league. Not only did he score 52 points in the game (through 3 quarters he had 52), he had 30 points in the 3rd quarter alone. Amazingly this is not the first time, he did this before, scoring 30 points in the 3rd quarter. He is the only player in NBA history to do this feat more than once. Not even the late great Wilt chamberlain did it twice. It's simply amazing what he does on the court. He did this against the team with the best record in the league. The scary thing about this is Kobe claims he is not fully healthy. I would say he is just fine.

During the 3rd quarter Kobe single handily won the game. The Jazz were helpless to stop him. The Jazz were playing great defense, they were trying to double him, getting a hand in his face, and at times they sent 3-4 defenders to try to stop him. Time after time Kobe would hit an unbelievable shot. There was simply no answer for him. This is why I say the Lakers are the scariest team to play in the playoffs. They have all the pieces together this year, but more importantly they have Kobe. Just like D-Wade did last year, Kobe can win a playoff series alone.

In the 3rd quarter alone Kobe went 9-9 from the floor and 10-10 from the free throw line. That is what I call a perfect quarter. His performance was so amazing that coach Phil Jackson, who never shows emotion, got up and gave Kobe a huge after he took him out for the final time.

Us as fans on the NBA should realize what we have an opportunity to witness. Kobe is in his prime right now, and the past two years he is playing the best basketball I have ever seen, of course behind Jordan. I feel Kobe got robbed last year of the MVP award, but hopefully this year he will be able to get what is rightfully his.