Postcards From LA, Vol. 13: One Lakers Fan Tracks His Team Through the NBA Playoffs
emptythebench.com 5/30/2008 — I’m not going to tell you that Kobe is a great guy, but Kobe is the most superb basketball player in the universe, an assassin in high tops, and what I truly respect about him is that he not only makes the absolute most of the god given gifts he’s been blessed with (unlike so many pro athletes who take their winning ticket in the genetic lottery for granted), he has an indomitable will.

Lakers' Bryant takes over to eliminate Spurs
mysanantonio.com 5/30/2008 — Web Posted: 05/30/2008 01:05 AM CDT By Mike Finger Express-News San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA LOS ANGELES — For more than six months, the Los Angeles Lakers had proven they were more than a one-man team. Luke Walton, like the ...

Lakers end Spurs' reign
mysanantonio.com 5/30/2008 — Web Posted: 05/30/2008 12:47 AM CDT By Jeff McDonald jmcdonald@express-news.net San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA LOS ANGELES — Confetti fell from the roof of the Staples Center on Thursday night, and — if only for a moment — the Spurs ...

Philjax Wants More Game 4 Officiating Clarification
sportsbybrooks.com 5/30/2008 — The L.A. Lakers have a chance to close out this Western Conference playoff business tonight, but Phil Jackson still has a proverbial bone to pick with the officiating in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs. Remember, LA was the team who benefited ...

Laker Vujacic’s Meaningless Shot Costs Bettors $100 million?
cnbc.com 5/30/2008 — The Los Angeles Lakers were up 97-92 as the clock was winding down in last night’s Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers were guaranteed a victory and thus a spot in their first finals in four years. But as the final seconds ticked off, ...

Bryant Drives Lakers Into Finals — Wash Post NBA 5/30/2008
Kobe Bryant scores a game-high 39 points as the Lakers make a strong second half push to drop the San Antonio Spurs, 100-92, and advance to the NBA Finals.

Just as with Jerry West, clutch defines Kobe Bryant, too — Celtics & NBA - BostonHerald.com 5/30/2008
LOS ANGELES - At the end, after the Lakers had overcome themselves first and then the Spurs, one of the greatest crunch-time players in NBA history appeared at midcourt for...

Give Kobe a hand, but don't forget Kupchak — FOXSports.com News for NBA 5/30/2008
Sure, Kobe rallied the Lakers past the Spurs and into the NBA Finals. But Mark Kriegel says someone deserves even more credit.

Lonnie White's Xs and O's for the Lakers-Spurs series — L.A. Times - Basketball 5/30/2008

Lakers-Spurs Blog: Kobe has reason to smile — NBA.com: News 5/30/2008
As the Lakers congregated at halfcourt after beating the Spurs 4-1 to advance to The Finals for the first time since Shaq was still a 20 and 10 guy, there was a look of unbridled joy on Kobe Bryant's face.