NBA News: Kobe and Rose - Walking Wounded
The 2011 NBA Playoffs are in full effect....First round match-ups in both conferences are still going strong with the exception of the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. This past Sunday the Celtics eliminated the Knicks in a four game sweep of their first round Eastern Conference Playoff series and Boston is the first team to move forward to the semi-finals. Enough about them will save that for another topic.....the two individuals I want to acknowledge is Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and 5-time NBA Champion Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.....Did I just make Kobe sound like Booker-T of WWE fame?....5-time, 5-time!!! yeah whatever.....
As for Kobe and Rose the similarities between the two coming out of their perspective game 4 losses is startling. Rose came down awkwardly on his left ankle after scoring a driving layup in the Bulls game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers (Series 3-1 Bulls). Bryant suffered the same in the Lakers game 4 loss to the New Orleans Hornets (Series tied 2-2). The MRI Rose had on the ankle came back negative and is diagnosed as a sprain and was fitted with a walking boot. Bryant who was on crutches after the game however refused a diagnostic and acknowledged it as a sprain. Both Rose and Bryant are insisting that they will be available for game 5 tonight in their perspective home courts.....Well more like they will be playing tonight, thats the gist of it.....Rose and the Bulls want to finish off the pesky Pacers and advance to the next round. Kobe and the Lakers want to stop goofing around, go up 3-2 to eventually win another one to finish off Chris Paul's Hornets. To most it would look like Rose and Kobe are putting their careers on the line especially Kobe who doesn't really know the extent of his injury and really doesn't care. In reality these are two guys who are all about winning by any means necessary. Is it unfair that both these guys are expected to carry the load for their teams? Of course it is, I seem to remember this being a team sport. Yeah Rose and Kobe are the superstars for their teams, but this is definitely the time for their teammates to play up to their potential. Its admirable that Rose and Kobe are playing tonight on bad wheels, but it would even be more admirable if their teammates show up tonight. Night after night these guys have been there for their squads, now its time for the Lakers and the Bulls to be there for them!!!! There is a reason why they call you a supporting cast maybe its time you start acting like it.....
Its been 20 years since both these squads met in the NBA Final.....The Michael Jordan led Bulls went up against the Magic Johnson led Lakers in a classic match-up where the Bulls eventually won to retain their first championship.....Personally I want to see both teams meet in the final again this year.....Look at the irony, Michael won his first title while denying Magic number six, now Kobe has five titles while Rose is gunning for his first.....wow scary....nuff said
