LA Lakers Win 15th Championship Title

The Lakers earned their 15th title as Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol added 14 and 15 rebounds in a 99-86 Game 5 win over the Orlando Magic.

It took longer than Bryant expected, but he has stepped out from behind Shaquille O’Neal’s shadow. His fourth championship strongly suggests that Kobe Bryant might be the league’s best player since Michael Jordan.

Bryant said of the constant Shaq comparisons:

“It was like Chinese water torture,” he said. “I would cringe every time. I was just like, it’s a challenge I’m just going to have to accept because there’s no way I’m going to argue it. You can say it until you’re blue in the face and rationalize it until you’re blue in the face, but it’s not going anywhere until you do something about it.