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Kobe Bryant delivered his fourth championship for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009, after several years of disappointment in the playoffs. While fans loved that the ‘Black Mamba’ made his mark in the league once again, there was a slight dissatisfaction that the 2009 Finals were not as competitive as expected. Former teammate of Bryant, Lamar Odom shared how the Lakers were robbed of a potential historic matchup with LeBron James, because of a 6’10 Orlando Magic superstar.
The Lakers demolished Orlando Magic 4-1 to lift the 2009 championship, led by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the front. Magic had one of the most historic runs that year, as they made it to the Finals for the second time, since the 1996 season led by Shaquille O’Neal. Despite all of this, Bryant would have desired to match up with LeBron James. But the Cleveland Cavaliers were a problem back then. A young LBJ was the center of attraction in the Eastern Conference in the late 2000s, defying the odds repeatedly with continuous playoff appearances.
The LADE Show’s host shared, “2009 was one of the biggest robberies for the NBA fandom”, as James and Kobe Bryant couldn’t meet each other in the Finals. Well, Lamar Odom replied, “Dwight [Howard] showed up”. The 6’10 center was a menace during his time with the Magic. While fans rooted for James vs Bryant, Howard chimed in with monstrous numbers during the Conference Finals against the Cavs. In retrospect, Howard came in at the right time and ruined a potential HOF match-up!
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