Memories are sometimes lost in the everyday shuffle of life and its happenings. It was only two years ago..two Junes ago..two NBA seasons ago..however you want to put it, Kobe Bean Bryant hasn't forgotten nor have his purple and gold teammates who sat through the nightmare and humiliation of being destroyed by 39 points in the clinching game of the 2008 NBA Finals. And for good measure, Boston fans made sure the Lakers remembered this one as they rocked their team bus, threw rocks at them and sent them onto their hotel more beaten and battered mentally than they have ever been.
As Kobe, with tears in his eyes, marched through the parade of streamers, balloons, fans and Celtic players celebrating on that fateful night two years, he glanced briefly over at the players as they danced, laughed and celebrated winning something that he felt was his. Following that game, Paul Pierce and other Celtic players even took verbal jabs at Kobe stating that he was "overrated" and even Pierce went as far to say that he "was better than Kobe." Kevin Garnett bullied Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom damn near into submission and even jawed consistently with Kobe during the series. And James Posey even smirked at Kobe a number of times as he walked away in frustration throughout the series.
Interestingly enough, the NBA Gods have found a way to bring these two teams together again to battle for what these two teams have consistently won over the years: the NBA Title. And if Kobe's performance against the Suns and his stone-faced, one-word answers were any indication of his focus and desire to defend his title, the Celtics are in for an epic performance from one of the all-time greats and the game's pre-eminent star. As Kobe declared this matchup "sexy," the physicality that will be sure to take place between these two years will surely be far from that and in fact, the war of words have already begun. The "Beat L.A." and "We want Boston" chants had already started in each team's respective conference finals series and players carefully selected words not to insult their respective opponents at that time. But from day one, as much as Kobe wouldn't have minded facing his old buddy Shaq in the NBA Finals or beating Dwight Howard into submission again, nothing makes his blood boil more than a chance at redemption against the hated Celtics especially after the manhandling, humbling defeat in the 2008 NBA Finals. That, perhaps, was one of the low moments in the career of Kobe when he's had a career full of the opposite.
And at 31, this could potentially be his final chance to beat the green and validate, even more, a career that has him on the fast track to the Hall of Fame the day he retires. No one felt that the Celtics would be here this season and there's reason to believe they won't be back. But for Kobe, seizing the moment is all he cares about. His game filled with rage, he remembers what happened to his team two years ago in Boston. Having already obliterated the Suns, who eliminated him in 06 and 07, the mission is now Boston and the images of two years ago are burned into his soul....until Kobe hoists the trophy for the fifth time sometime in mid-June!
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