Kobe Bryant, a gift from God...

For Laker fans like myself and even for basketball fans in general we have to conclude that we are very blessed to be able to behold the genius that Kobe Bryant brings to the sport.  With his off-balance, last second bank shot, that won the game tonight against the Heat, he takes our breath away.  While we cannot pronounce him the Greatest of All-Time yet, until he equals or surpasses Michael Jordans's 6 championship rings, I have a feeling that Kobe is on the way.  This Laker team is so fun to watch.  Pau Gasol is one of my favorite players and many basketball minds currently consider him the second best,  if not the best (Pau has won a title, Sorry Dirk) Power Forward in the game today.  Andrew Bynum is a beast in the low post and even announcer Mark Jackson proclaimed during the game that Bynum is on his way to starting as the Western Conference All-Star Center.  With Yao Ming unable to play due to injury, this is a distinct possibility.  I also read today (at ESPN.com) that Bynum, Bryant and Gasol are all in the Top 5 in Points in the Paint for the entire league.  While many attribute this amazing statistic to the fact that the Lakers have played most of their games at home thus far (where their 15-3 record is not being respected in some quarters due to its home-heavy schedule), you still have to be astounded by the fact that 3 of the 5 players with the most points in the paint, are ON THE SAME TEAM.  That's crazy.  So, yes the Lakers are fucking awesome, a joy to watch. And I haven't even said a peep about two of my most favorite players dawning the purple and gold: New York City old pals Lamer Odom and Ron Artest.  The two fowards' versatility and their balls-out defensive effort are what is contagiously making this squad one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.  For the last 2 years, Phil Jackson's triangle offense has been the best in the NBA, and now with the array of defensive statistical categories the Lakers are #1 in, you'd have to rank them with Boston and San Antonio has being one of the top defensive teams in the entire league.  Artest has brought a swagger and a toughness to the team that we've needed.  I can't say enough how excited I am to have that bad boy on our team.  I must say, it is a good time to be a Laker fan.  And of course to close my blog out I have to bring it on back to the best closer in the game:  Kobe Bryant.  #24, thank you ever so for making life more exciting and a beautiful thing to behold.  You are genius in motion and we are blessed to witness the magic.