As the basketball went through the net, the Los Angeles Lakers extended their lead to 6 points in the last 50 seconds of the game.
Shawn Marion pumped his fist and exchanged a powerful high-five with Kobe.
Kobe immediately shouted, "Stop them one more time, and we can return home with the lead!"
You can see that everyone on the Lakers is invigorated by Kobe. He's no longer the lonely, misunderstood maverick, always excluded from the team's social circle. Approaching 28, he's become a true team leader.
His transformation is as evident as Roger's transformation was before.
People weren't wrong when they said Kobe Bryant is the closest to Roger, and Kobe Bryant is indeed the closest man to defeating Roger.
Marion's crucial three-pointer cemented the victory for the Lakers. A possession later, Roger scored a mid-range shot, but Kobe drove to the basket to draw a foul on Marcus Camby and sank both free throws to maintain the gap until the game ended.
