Back in 2009, the Lakers seemed impossible to stop. Coming off a Finals humiliation in Boston, Kobe couldn't care less about his MVP award, he and the whole team were playing perfect basketball. Everybody in the roster can out hustle anybody, they just had a different mindset that year.
Kobe in a Zoom Kobe IV ID
more after the jump
Kobe was shooting the lights out making 16 out of 27 shots. Before the game it was said that Shane Battier was one of the many Kobe stoppers and that didn't sit well with Bryant. When Kobe got hot, he kept scowling at the crowd and Doug Collins (?) saying "He can't guard me!". Sure enough, Shane wasn't able to as Kobe Bryant showed him the different ways on how to score without seeing the ring. He drained jumper after jumper in different modes of fading away as Shane promptly placed his hand over Kobe's face again and again. Coming off a game 1 playoff loss, this is how Kobe responded in true Black Mamba fashion. Even Metta World Peace and Yao Ming wasn't able to do anything about this as Kobe passed to himself and sank and ones. What about Shane Battier? No one had to guard him as he scored 6 points along with 1 rebound.
elbows flew as Kobe and Ron battled for the rebound
Ron Artest gets ejected as he seemingly attacks Kobe
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