The back-to-back playoff loss in 2006 and 2007 nearly drove Kobe away from the Los Angeles Lakers, frustrated with their direction and infuriated by a mediocre supporting cast. Moments after Los Angeles finished off the Utah Jazz last Monday, Kobe sarcastically said the Lakers would be after "just a little bit" of payback when the Western Conference Finals begin next week.
"Not too many people were here for that," Kobe said Tuesday after his teammates went through a light workout at the Lakers' training complex. "I haven't brought it up yet."
If Kobe ponders the past three years in a philosophical mood, he actually might want to thank Steve Nash and the run-and-gun Suns.
Although those losses dragged Kobe to the lowest depths of disappointment in his NBA career, they also catalyzed big roster changes and a redoubled intensity and the Lakers have been in the conference finals every year since. Without those discouraging defeats, the Lakers might not have had the motivation to make the moves that eventually led to another championship banner last season.
Five Lakers still remain from both series, but every key member of the current club realizes the Suns were partly responsible for an ugly period in this 15-time champion franchise's mostly glowing playoff history.
"I wasn't here, but because I'm so close with these guys that were here, I've taken it on," said point guard Derek Fisher, who returned to the Lakers in 2007. "Obviously, we can't take back what happened then. The closest we can get to that is by winning this series."
I'm a huge Phoenix Suns fan and made a fortune with them in this year's playoff, but I reconsider in taking the Lakers in this series. I could smell a Lakers-Magic date in the 2010 NBA finals yet again. Good luck to all
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