The Return

"Good luck couldn't be bought see...plenty of fights had to be fought..."

Big Boi - Return of the "G"

Friday night was a homecoming for a few people in New York City, including me...

Return of the Boom Bap

As you can see from the photo above I was just a face in a crowd, however there is more than meets the eye. Allow me to break it down...

Last February, Kobe scored a Madison Square Garden individual record 61-points...therefore there was a buzz in the crisp cold Gotham city air...it was labeled as must see TV. I always cover the Lakers whenever they play in my neck of the woods, so I headed north to my other hometown.

Bryant has a few nagging injuries, most importantly a broken index finger on his dominant hand, so I had a hunch that he wouldn't out do his performance from a season ago...nevertheless I hadn't seen him since the Finals in June so I was made the trek up I-95.

I interned with the New York Knickerbockers once upon a time, and if being in NYC isn't enough to bring back childhood memories, then my arrival at the World's Most Famous Arena surely reminded me that if you can make it there...you can make it anywhere.

I sat court side and talked about the last 10 years with Allan Houston, then I played catch up with a few people within the Knicks organization, and last but not least I entered the locker room, where I was greeted by Lamar Odom (Queens native)...after our brief moment, I glanced at the throng of reporters around Ron Artest also from Queens, and I thought a few things over. The first thing I did was think how small the visitor's locker room is at MSG...I like it, because its dripping with nostalgia. It's as Kobe once described..."this [MSG] is the last one...the one that holds all the memories..."

After figuring it would be best to catch the rest of the team on the court...I decided to join the other 2-dozen writers in the hallway to speak with Phil Jackson.

This was a welcome home trip for Jackson also, as he won 2 championships with the storied franchise. It was really good to hear the love he had for his old team and teammates. Phil has put his heart into the game, and for that he was been rewarded with 10 titles, and a wealth of stories the world over.

The game was competitive until the Lake Show decided to put it away with a scoring serge from Bryant in the 3rd quarter, as they cruised to a 115-105 victory. Kobe finished with 27-points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.

What a difference a year makes...yet for everyone in purple and gold the only thing that mattered was the win.

Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Five Deadly Venoms

Four

Love

Fresh

Family

Focus

"Trying get that Kobe number...one over Jordan..."

Kanye West - Swagga Like Us

The NBA season concluded Sunday night in Orlando, as the Poison Clan closed out the Finals with a stellar 99 - 86 victory over the Magic.

Mission Statement

No one believed in the Lakers more than themselves. I was in Orlando last week...and even I was on the edge of my seat after what happened in Game 3, but with determination, teamwork, and a few mishaps from the home team, the Lake Show made it happen over the next two games...capturing their 15th title in franchise history.

I had an hunch that things would be different in Game 4 and 5, because after I conversed with Kobe, and Odom before and during the media availability (Wednesday afternoon) they both spoke candidly about staying the course and closing the Magic out. They were so relaxed that we started talking about things other than the game, as it was just really good to catch up.

This was a special year for me, as I witnessed some classic moments this season...from Andre Iguodala's buzzer beater in LA, to LeBron's crab dribble, as well as the 61-points posted by Bryant in Madison Square Garden...its been quite a show.

In covering the 76ers, Wizards, Cavs, Magic, and Lakers this year...I must admit that I began to see the evolution of each team. The 76ers showed promise in making the playoffs two years in a row, and while the Wizards had a tough season, they were able to develop JaVale MaGee which will come in handy next year. I was surprised by both the Cavs and the Magic, as I thought Cleveland would advance to the Finals, and not Orlando, but that is why the games are played, won, and lost. Last but not least what I noticed from the Poison Clan was a growth and maturity that very few teams have. Losing to Boston last year changed the Lakers, as they learned to win by losing.

Let's see...I covered the Lake Show in the following cities: Philadelphia, DC, New York, the Meadowlands, Los Angeles, and Orlando. They won all but 2 games, with one of the losses in Game 3...and while they didn't always play well, it was usually good enough to win. The formula worked for them to the tune of "I Love LA" and another championship banner.

Consequently, the parade and celebration is tomorrow in the City of Angeles. I firmly believe that this team can win again, and we will have NBA deja vu with the Celtics and Lakers trading championships. Last year is 1984 in which the C's took it all, and this year is '85 with the Lake Show victorious.

The Poison Clan wins again, Kobe and Fisher have 4, Phil has 10, and I have a feeling that the Magic will be back again.

Stay tuned sports fans.

Photos: Garrett Ellwood/NBAE, Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE, Anthony Gilbert/AXG

Kobe & Co.

Change

Co-MVP

"You're Kobe and Shaq...Cagney and Lacey...they still can't bake like me..."

Jay-Z - Warm it Up (Freestyle)

Last week Phoenix, Arizona played host to some of the best players in the league, for the NBA All-Star Weekend...and after a sub-par dunk contest, the game on Sunday didn't disappoint...well not until the very end.

Dynamic Duo

Back in the glory days of the Los Angeles Lakers early millennium championship success, there were three components to their winning ways...much like the fabled triangle offense...and it was equal parts Head Coach Phil Jackson, Assistant Coach Tex Winter, (coaching) Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, (star power) and the Lake Show's supporting cast (great bench).

Out of that mix, they earned 3 NBA titles, all of them in consecutive years, but it was the so-called rift between Kobe and Shaq that during the fourth attempt for a ring, derailed everything, sending O'Neal to the Miami Heat, Phil Jackson to an early retirement, and Bryant to a difficult point of his career. By the 2004-05 season, the Lakers finished a lowly 34-48, and since the break up Jackson released a best selling book that spoke negatively about his tenure in Tinseltown, Shaq won his elusive 4th ring in southern Florida, and Kobe proved to be much more than advertised by willing his teams to the playoffs on his determination and effort, almost alone.

Things are MUCH better now in the City of Angeles, and the Big Cactus on the down side of his career, so when he sat with Stephen A. Smith earlier this year for an interview, it wasn't surprising to me, when O'Neal said that the differences between he and Bryant were all a marketing gimmick, and nothing more.

This leads me back to the All-Star Game from last Sunday...now if anything in the Bryant/O'Neal era was a tool of marketing for the league, it was awarding both of them for the MVP trophy.

From the outset, KB went on the attack, playing at a high level as always, scoring 10 points in the first quarter en route to a game high 27, leading the West in victory 146-119 over the East.

Why was there a need for a Co-MVP? It was unnecessary, and the notion of Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal back together for a reunion of sorts is absurd. What happened in LA from 1999-2003 was nothing short of amazing, but what I watched on TV six days ago...was wrong, and as a fan of the game, I felt disrespected.

The events of All-Star bothered me, but to Kobe Bryant, it was just another game in which he showcased his unique skills, because the only thing that matters to him is to be the last team standing come June, so if KB24 can let it go, then who am I to perpetuate it...it's over, I disagreed with it, and now it's time to focus on the second half of the season.

Photos: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images