The Champ is Here

Games one and two were a breeze. Games three and four were a wake up call. Games five and six will bring everyone back to reality.

Give Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook a lot of credit. They have began their quest of possibly becoming the new "Team of the Decade" here in 2010. They have the confidence to know they can defeat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. They know they can become only the second ever #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in a best-of-seven series. Kevin Durant knows he can begin his post season legacy by upstaging one of the all time postseason greats in Kobe Bryant.

Wishful thinking? I believe so.

2010 has been a season to forget for Kobe Bryant. He has played well throughout, but he has constantly been banged up with various knee, ankle, and finger injries. Being the competitor he is, he has continued to play, never sitting out for an extended period of time. That undeniable leadership and desire for back-to-back championships is about to come into the fold.

Heading back to Los Angeles, the Lakers and Thunder find themselves locked up two games a piece as Game 5 looms tonight. Kobe is no stranger to big game pressure and tonight his heroics will bring some order back to the universe. The Lakers will not allow the Thunder to come into LA and steal Game 5. Most importantly they will not allow the Thunder to take absolute control of the series.

Youth and inexperience is a factor in basketball. Just ask John Callipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. It has been well documented that the Thunder are the NBA's youngest team. Again, they may very well be the new "Team of the Decade" but Kobe and the Lakers are still the team of the present.

As he has done so many times in the past, look for Kobe Bryant to take over tonight. The world will be rooting against the evil empire that is the Los Angeles Lakers, but Kobe has ice running through his veins and teammates that know he is the go-to-guy in crunch time.

Kevin Durant, you may very well be the next best thing in the NBA. Your time, and the Oklahoma Thunder's time, will come. As for now, Kobe is about to show the world why he is not done, and why the Los Angeles Lakers are still the top dog.