"Outstanding offense. Very good defense, which often gets overlooked. Very polished, visually pleasing game. Ruthless play, steps on opponent's throat when they're down and strikes decisively at key moments...these decisive moments convince the public of their superiority over the league: since can conquer the big moment, the assumption is that the rest will work itself out. Outstanding individual brilliance overcomes all opposition, and that brilliance forces others to follow or be left behind. Always knew how to finish, just learning the best way to get to the home stretch. The team has lots of talent (which was required for success), but the other elite talents had to submit to the leader's dominance."
"Outstanding defense. Very good offense, which often gets overlooked. Rugged, hard-working, teamwork and intensity are the identity. Often plays in wars, grinding down opponents with consistent pressure...steady pressure does not look as impressive as timely strikes, which leads to questions from even supporters: despite the consistent success, when the big moment arrives, can they rise to the task? The sum is better than the parts, and the top leads by demanding accountability and trusting the followers to reach their level. Always knew how to start strong and maintain, just learning how best to finish. The team has lots of talent (which was required for success), and the leadership is shared among the elite talents without being diminished."
The first description fits just as perfectly to describe Kobe as it does to describe this Lakers team. The second description fits just as perfectly to describe KG as it does to describe this Celtics team. Rarely do two championship-caliber teams assume the personality of their best player more than this season's Lakers and Celtics have.
The Lakers team is built like the PERFECT support for Kobe...two extremely skilled co-stars with the physical talent to be the best of the best, but the mentality of secondary players mixed with young talented role players all willing to follow BEHIND Kobe's lead. The Celtics team is built like the PERFECT support for KG...two offensive-minded co-stars with maybe not as much physical talent as some of the NBA elite, but the mentality and skill to face off with anyone mixed with veteran role players all ready to stand WITH KG against any foe.
From on-court strengths and weaknesses, to public perception (for good or for ill), this series breaks down as a clash between two personalities more than any that I've seen since the Showtime Lakers and Big Three Celtics acted as avatars for Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Four years ago, the late writer Ralph Wiley wrote an article titled The Good, The Bad, the Next MJ in which he said there were two players in the NBA with the ability to carry the league to the next level of evolution after Michael Jordan's retirement: Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett. He wrote that Bryant had all of the individual brilliance, but needed to learn to use his team while Garnett knew how to make his team better but needed to learn when to get mad and take the game by the throat. Four years later, both have clearly learned some lessons and are now standing on the threshold of reaching that next level that Wiley was talking about. I can not WAIT to see how this plays out on the court.