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 top Spurs and win the West
mvn.com 5/30/2008 — The Lakers beat San Antonio 100-92 last night to capture the Western Conference title and head to the finals. Kobe Bryant put the team on his back and tallied 17 points in the 4th quarter and had 39 overall in the game. Funny, the “who is the real MVP” is no longer a topic of debate. The Lakers did this in true cardiac fashion by falling behind by 17 points early, before annihilating the ...

Kobe (39) spurs LA into Finals
bostonherald.com 5/30/2008 — L OS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched the defending champions, and are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in four years. Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers rallied from an early ...

The Machine Is a SpreadF*cker
brahsome.com 5/30/2008 — One hell of a Spurs - Lakers game from last night, no? It almost came down to the wire, and it certainly came down to the wire if you bet on the game. Lakers -7 is the rough spread I believe. Maybe you got it at 7.5. Or maybe 6.5. Hell, even 6. If ...

Lakers Best in West, Celts Seize Control
rakemag.com 5/30/2008 — For casual basketball fans who stop by only in the postseason to get their taste of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers made their four-outta-five domination of the defending champion (now ex-champion) San Antonio Spurs exceeding simple to understand. ...

Lakers 100, Spurs 92: Bryant in Charge, Lakers Back on Top — NYT > Pro Basketball 5/30/2008
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers rallied from an early 17-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs. >

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.

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.

Spurs look to future after losing strange series to Lakers — L.A. Times - Basketball 5/30/2008