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In news shocking nobody at all, LeBron James officially won his third MVP award Saturday afternoon, becoming the eighth NBA player to win at least that many.

Kevin Durant finished second, and Chris Paul third.

Just behind Paul was Kobe Bryant, who earned two first place votes and edged out Tony Parker in the voting.

Whether some Lakers fans see this as a slight, I don't know (ok, I do know). To me a fourth place finish is remarkable accomplishment. We're talking about someone who put up MVP-adjacent numbers at 33 years old, with almost two decades worth of regular and postseason minutes on the odometer. This while playing a position where this sort of production with that level of mileage is exceedingly rare.

It won't end in hardware, but this will go down as one of Kobe's more impressive seasons.

Four years ago this summer, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul were two of 12 NBA players determined to restore America's standing as the worldwide kings of basketball. In a classic game against Spain (featuring none other than Pau Gasol), Team USA won the gold and showed fans how a team of elite superstars can push egos to the side for the sake of a larger goal.

With Lakers-Clippers on the docket this evening, various ESPN scribes (including the K Bros) gathered thoughts from Bryant's and Paul's Olympic teammates and coaches about the experience of working with them. Click here to make a patriotic trip down Memory Lane, and below are excerpts with Kobe's and Paul's recollections about one another:

Kobe on Paul: He's tough. He's tough as nails, man; he doesn't back down from anything or anybody. I'd never been as close to him, but when I was [on the Olympic team] I'd try to challenge him, see what he's made of and he's a tough little sucker.

Paul on Kobe: Me and Kob really figured out how much we had in common on that trip. That Olympic experience is when we got a lot closer. Me and my wife send him Christmas cards and his family sends us Christmas cards, and now we talk on a regular basis. We both want to win so badly. It's one of those things where as great a relationship as we have, as long as we're playing on the same court against each other, we're always going to get into it, you know what I mean? That's the respect factor, because you know that he wants it just as bad as I do.

Ever since getting swept from the 2011 playoffs, the Lakers have been in search of a championship identity. That quest has looked largely fruitless this season, but recently, reasons for optimism have surfaced. Increasing point totals. Road games turning less treacherous. A quiet string of wins fueling a quiet rise toward the top of the Pacific Division. Still, the Lakers haven't quite looked the part of champions. They've been in need of a signature win, a seminal moment.

Sunday's contest against the Miami Heat theoretically placed such an opportunity in their laps. LeBron James & Co. were predicted by many (including yours truly) to win the whole shebang. They've also spanked the Lakers in the three previous "Big Three"-era games. Another loss, and envisioning the 2012 Larry O'Brien trophy in El Segundo would have required the combined imaginations of Lewis Carroll, Salvador Dali and Tim Burton. Damning evidence can only be viewed so long before being treated as fact.

This importance openly acknowledged, the court on Sunday was taken with a focus, energy and defensive intensity unmatched all season. The Lakers drew first blood, then withstood Miami's second-half charge. But the ensuing 93-83 win came with a caveat. The Heat played without Chris Bosh, which can't be ignored. He's probably the most ridiculed seven-time-running All-Star in NBA history, but Bosh is a highly skilled big man who drastically enhances the effectiveness of Miami's attack.

Thus, the W felt a bit like champagne sitting too long in an uncorked bottle. It still provides a buzz, but nonetheless tastes a little flat. That's not to say it wasn't a quality win. Beating LeBron and D-Wade always matters. But the fine print matters, and in many ways, mirrors how the Lakers' recent success still leaves lingering doubts. Take, for example, their eight wins over the past 10 games ...

1. 94-92 win at Toronto: No Andrea Bargnani, the Raptors are terrible, the Lakers barely won. A long trip only excuses so much.
2. 87-78 win against Atlanta: A solid win.
3. 111-99 win against Phoenix: The Suns aren't very good.
4. 102-90 loss at Phoenix: See above.
5. 103-92 win against Portland: A win that perhaps looked more impressive before reports of a Rip City meltdown.
6. 96-91 win at Dallas: A commendable road victory, but it's worth noting the Mavs went winless in Lamar Odom's absence (irony alert!).
7. 100-85 loss at Oklahoma City: In a vacuum, these things happen. For the purposes of gauging the Lakers' ability to hang with elite teams, it doesn't bolster confidence.
8. 104-85 win against Minnesota: The Wolves were down Kevin Love, arguably enjoying the best season of any power forward in the league.
9. 115-107 win against Sacramento: The Kings are bad.
10. 93-83 win against Miami: Again, no Bosh.

Even taking into account NBA wins are rarely easy, the "yeah, but" factor becomes more glaring with those details piled on top of each other. Peel one layer of the proverbial onion, and you realize just how many skins remain. Peeling that onion raises the bigger question of buying into the Lakers as a contender.

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(NOTE: Tonight's Lakers Late Night replay won't be available. Unfortunately, we ran into a technical glitch after the show, and the file was lost. Apologies.)

The Lakers did yeoman's work defensively Sunday afternoon against the Heat, and came away with a big 93-83 win. Kobe Bryant led the way with 33 points, including 18 in the first quarter and nine in the fourth, and was supported not just by Andrew Bynum (16 points, 13 rebounds) but Metta World Peace (17/7/3, plus four steals).

Without blowing it out of proportion, the Lakers were clearly satisfied by the quality of the win. It continues a quiet-but-clear upward trend -- L.A. has now won eight of ten -- aided by their continued growth in understanding and comfort in Mike Brown's system, but also Brown's willingness to loosen up on the reins a little.

Here, Kobe talks about why that's happened, and how it has impacted the team:



Fair to say after his performance Sunday, Metta was rightly feeling confident. Bryant spoke of his increased fitness, as did Mike Brown, and MWP agreed his body is as good as it's been in a long time, dating back to last season when he dealt with a variety of physical issues.

His response to the question of how he managed to make a guy like LeBron James work hard for his numbers was vintage.

"I've been playing defense [since] before I met LeBron."

From there, World Peace explained why he was, relatively speaking, able to contain James. "I'm going to answer this as honest as I can, but I'm one of the best defensive players ever... on the wing," Metta said. "I think that's the answer."

No question MWP has been a truly dominant defender, but the accuracy of his statement, whether historically or as a reflection of his current skill level is beyond the point. We've heard moments of swagger from Metta at different points this season, and last as well. Now, though, he's backing it up with much better play on the floor. MWP has long used interviews with the media almost as affirmations, reminding himself of one thing or another and reinforcing messages important for his overall well being.

If his Twitter account means anything, his inner monologue (which never stays inner for long) is heading in a positive direction, as it relates to the quality of his play. The Lakers have to hope this sort of talk is self-fulfilling. Good games lead to more confident proclamations which lead to more good games, because nobody in L.A.'s supporting cast can change the team's complexion in a positive direction like a productive World Peace.



Click below for more video, from Bryant, Andrew Bynum, World Peace, and Andrew Goudelock.

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The Lakers have played well of late, winning seven-of-nine entering Sunday's game at Staples. Still, they lacked what might be considered a signature win.

Fair to say they solved that problem, knocking off the Miami Heat by 10.

Here are five takeaways...

1. The Lakers brought serious energy early.

This was the rare regular-season game at Staples with a true postseason atmosphere. The building was full well before tip, and fans were on their feet long before the starting lineups were announced. Whether motivated by circumstances or pushed on by the crowd, the Lakers translated that energy into serious activity, particularly on their end. Nothing came easy for Miami, as the Lakers forced four first-quarter turnovers generating six points on the break. Andrew Bynum blocked three shots. The Heat shot only 39.1 percent over the first 12 minutes, and only 35.3 in the second.

At the other end, the Lakers moved the ball effectively, earning assists on nine of their 13 first-quarter field goals. Add in a red-hot Kobe Bryant, who scored a whopping 18 points out of the gate, and it was one of the best starts the Lakers have had all year, if not the best.

2. Metta World Peace was a positive force.

Quietly, MWP has really picked things up. Over the five games leading into Sunday afternoon's tilt, he'd averaged 8.3 points, 4.2 boards and 3.8 assists while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. Relatively modest numbers, but a major boost over what he'd been doing for most of the season. Sunday, the positive trend continued, and then some. While it wasn't always pretty -- some of his scoring possessions included more dribbling than a toddler learning to drink from a glass -- in the end Metta was a credible option offensively for the Lakers, hitting 6 of 10 shots for 17 points, moving the ball well (three assists), grabbing seven boards and doing some of that MWP stuff that can make him valuable. Tipping loose balls and keeping plays alive under the rack, and so on.

Defensively, Metta was a force as well, doing what he could to put a body on LeBron James and make his life difficult, clogging up passing lanes and generally making himself a nuisance. The defense is what people expect. If he can bring it while being a positive on the other end, the Lakers become a very different team.

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The first time these teams met on Jan. 19 in Miami, it was no contest. The Heat dominated L.A. from the jump, rolling to a 15-point lead at halftime en route to a 98-87 win.

Sunday, Miami visits Staples Center, looking for the season sweep. The Lakers, playing better of late, could still use a signature win. Add in the standard dose of Kobe vs. LeBron hype supplemented by any lingering controversy surrounding Dwyane Wade and his All-Star level foul on Bryant last weekend -- he will be booed, that much is certain -- and you're left with what should be a very entertaining game.

To break it down, we fired up the Google Chat machine and conversated (virtually!) with ESPN.com's Tom Haberstroh, who covers Miami for the Heat Index.

Brian Kamenetzky: Right now, it looks like the only thing that can stop LeBron James is the fourth quarter of a Finals game (cheap writer zing!). What’s he doing differently?

Tom Haberstroh: If there's one thing he's doing differently, it's that he's playing more at the four, which has been a matchup nightmare of nightmares for opponents. The potential has always been there, but he had to be sold on it. The best salesman is the scoreboard. Score don't lie. We emphasize how versatile LeBron is, but this is something that's unique to LeBron only. He played 1-through-5 Thursday night in Portland like he was in a video game. Just unfair.

Brian Kamenetzky: How do you think that translates to Sunday's game? Does he force Mike Brown to put a big on him?

Haberstroh: It's a fascinating battle of personnel. Does Erik Spoelstra put LeBron at the four if he knows that he'll have to guard Pau? Does Mike Brown dare ask Pau to guard LeBron? Basketball is kinda fun in this way.

Andrew Kamenetzky: Does Brown play Metta World Peace at the four, which has happened at times?

Haberstroh: But then you're putting World Peace on the floor instead of Pau or Andrew Bynum. Win for Spo, right?

Andrew Kamenetzky: Depends on whether MWP can be effective, but your point is well taken.

Brian Kamenetzky: I'll go ahead and call that a win for Spo.

Andrew Kamenetzky: Who typically plays the 3 with LBJ at the 4?

Haberstroh: The Heat like to throw out Shane Battier next to LeBron so that they can cross-match as they please. Battier, like LeBron, can guard 4s as well as 2s so they use those two like a Swiss Army knife. Mike Miller is also there, as well as a 3-point contestant in James Jones. To say the Heat are loaded on the wing is like saying water is wet.

Turning back to the Lakers, what's the solution for L.A. at the 1?

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It's not often we do game specific podcasts, given how this truncated schedules affords them so little shelf life. However, certain games are big enough to make an exception, and a date with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would qualify as such. We break down the implications of Sunday's marquee matchup, whether on the court or moving forward this season. Clock on the module to hear the entire show, and below is a breakdown of talking points:

- (3:01): After paying tribute to our wives' mutual love of "The Golden Girls" (those sassy blue hairs lived in Miami, after all), we talk about break down the implications with Sunday's game against the Heat. For starters, Broken-Nose-And-Concussion-Gate. Wade has insisted his foul on Kobe Bryant during the All-Star Game wasn't delivered with an intent to injure. Kobe himself has insisted it wasn't delivered with an intent to injure. But Laker fans certainly don't believe Flash and more importantly, Matt Barnes views the incident as another example of why he and Metta World Peace may have to adopt the role of enforcer and enforcer sidekick. (MWP would be the head honcho, which I only imagine is a source of comfort for everyone involved.)

Will the incident in Orlando lead to excessive chippiness in L.A. come Sunday? And if so, does that play into the Lakers' favor?

- (10:45): How are the Lakers gonna put up points against the Heat? Last season, the Lakers couldn't score against them while Miami was still in the "getting to know each other" stages. This season, the Lakers are the ones lacking continuity, and the Heat have only gotten better defensively.

- (12:00): How would a win on Sunday affect our perception of the Lakers? At the very least, I could maintain a more open mind towards the potential for this team moving forward. Wholeheartedly buying in, no questions asked, as the result of one victory feels like a premature reaction, but there's no question this would represent a very strong win. A loss, however, would mark the fourth in as many tries in Miami's James-Wade-Bosh era, and naturally prompts skepticism about how much they're really improving against legitimate competition.

- (17:30): More important than how Brian or I will react to the results against the Heat, how will the front office?

- (19:40): How much will money be a factor for the Lakers moving forward? And even if they are willing to pony up whatever it takes to secure a young superstar, the opportunities may be few and far between? We go through the list of the league elites under 30, and the overwhelming majority are locked up.

The Lakers made things interesting Friday night at Staples Center, but came away with the win, 115-107 over the Kings. Kobe Bryant was again mask-a-riffic, piling up 38 points on 13-of-24 from the floor. He was supported well by Andrew Bynum (19/15) and Pau Gasol (15/7/4) and a big 15 point night from Metta World Peace.

Now, we can all look forward to Sunday's game against Miami, which is basically what everyone was doing anyway, except now the clutter of another game in between has been removed.

Friday on Lakers Late Night, we hit on these things, and more, including:

• A steadily improving offense for the Lakers. Can they continue the trend against the league's better teams?
• Why Kobe ought to keep the mask. Apparently, the thing brings good fortune.
• Mike Brown continuing to give his players more freedom offensively, something they appreciate.
• L.A. vs. Miami. What do the Lakers need to do to win, and what would a victory mean?

Click below for postgame video, from Brown, and Bryant...

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There was much to dislike in Thursday's loss to the Heat in Miami Thursday night, and we talk about all of them!

Among the big topics of conversation:

• After scoring 73 points Monday against Dallas, the Lakers managed to post 87 tonight... but needed a garbage time, 31-point fourth quarter to get there. L.A. had 39 points at the half, which ain't gonna cut it. Pau Gasol had a nice game, but everyone else struggled.
• Things have slowed down over the last two games for Kobe Bryant. We talk about why.
• The lack of bench production, or more specifically the lack of specific parts that might make the guys they have more effective. The whole Metta World Peace-as-sixth-man experiment appears to have stalled.
• Friday vs. Orlando: We try to put all the Bynum-for-Howard talk in context.

All that, plus a jaunty tune to lighten the mood. Hope you enjoy it.

The first meeting between these teams last season was met with enough hype to make P.T. Barnum blush. (It was also met with enough purple and gold lethargy to make a Lakers fan lose his Christmas brunch.) One year -- and two similarly disappointing series against the Dallas Mavericks -- later, and the setting has changed. The Lakers are trying to prove that a championship pedigree still exists, while the Heat are trying to prove their pedigree is matched by a championship heart. A win in AmericanAirlines Arena would help re-establish the Lakers' credibility, and a win with Dwyane Wade possible in street clothes would be a meaningful one for the Heat.

For a look inside Thursday's extravaganza, we talked some shop with Tom Haberstroh, who covers the Big Three & Co. for the Heat Index.

Brian Kamenetzky: Is Wade going to play Thursday?

Tom Haberstroh: I'd bet my authentic Drazen Petrovic jersey that Wade is not going to play. All the players at Wednesday's practice spoke as if he was already ruled out. Erik Spoelstra called him "day-to-day," which has been his status for a couple weeks now.

BK: So what does that mean? They're like Tim Tebow without him. All they do is win. Or at least like pre-losing Tebow.

TH: This is a great point. Maybe we have to look into this a little more, because LeBron made some Tebow comments before the game that Wade got hurt in ... Conspiracy! Wade being out means that LeBron James and Chris Bosh get to go back to their Cleveland and Toronto days, respectively. You saw the free-wheeling attitude Tuesday against the Spurs.

But I should add -- 4-0 does NOT mean that they're better without Wade. Bosh and LeBron are better without Wade, but the Heat are not better. Need to put this meme to bed.

Andy Kamenetzky: Kinda like the meme people throw out whenever the Lakers happen to win a game without Kobe. Having said that, how much confusion still lingers between LeBron and Wade in terms of co-existence?

TH: They're worlds better than they were Jan. 19, 2011, but they still have a way to go. I'm still clamoring for more Wade/LeBron pick-and-rolls, but something tells me Spoelstra is keeping that trick up his sleeve for the playoffs. But I think it's no secret that they need to create more actions where each of the Big Three are moving together, not just LeBron and Wade.

Of course, it makes it tough when Wade is in street clothes with a canary-yellow diamond in his ear weighing him down.

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The Lakers are headed to Florida for a two game roadie with the Heat and Magic. The Kamenetzky brothers are in L.A., taking the collective pulse of the fan base.

Topics tossed our way included the trade value of Pau Gasol, three-point shooting woes and defense.

Here is the link.

No doubt, Thursday's and Friday's back-to-back games against the Heat and Magic represent the biggest test for the Lakers this young season. Between the quality of competition (even if Dwyane Wade's leg issues shelve him, Miami remains a formidable opponent), the recurring issue of fatigue and the Lakers' issues while battling outside Staples, a split would be a quality showing, and an undefeated clip in Florida would be quite the reason for cheers. And among the players made available made available Tuesday in El Segundo (an admittedly small sample size), this road trip serves as a legitimate gauge for where the Lakers currently stand at the moment, even for a veteran team with 17 rings between them.

"It's been one of those tough back-to-backs that I think multiple teams have faced throughout the years," said Derek Fisher. "It's similar to, over the years, you have a Dallas-San Antonio back-to-back. You have to play those back-to-backs within regions. They're just tough. They're two of the better teams, not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the NBA as a whole. And when you combine that with our struggles on the road, it presents two good tests for us."

No argument from Andrew Bynum, who labeled the games "good measuring tools for us."

"We can definitely see where we're at," added the center. "Hopefully, we can get two wins ... We need to get at least one.

Interestingly, when I asked Mike Brown about the measuring stick potential for this Floridian jaunt, he downplayed the possibility.

“I don’t know. No matter who we play, I’m always gonna try to use that game to determine where we are. So, yeah, we’re playing Miami and then Orlando, but we played Dallas [Monday], but because we beat them that doesn’t mean we’re the best team in the West or anything. I think we did some good things and it shows we have a chance to be real good because we were able to execute and do some things positively against the NBA champions. But we still have a ways to go.

“We could lose and do a lot of things right and play well but it just wasn’t our night or something like that. We could win and we could get lucky winning. We could hit shots out of our behind all over the place the whole time, and they could just be off. And I’d be just as hard on our guys if we win a game like that and we didn’t do things the right way on both ends of the floor. I’d be just as tough on them as if we lost.”

Truth be told, Brown's exactly right. The way the team plays is much more important than the actual score in either direction. This squad being a work in progress, progress is in fact the most critical element moving forward, and that's the bottom line, win or lose. Still, it would feel nice to touch down in L.A. with another W or two in the ol' back pocket.

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With the lockout now ended, we can actually examine questions beyond, "When will we see basketball again?" One topic, of course, is how the Lakers' offense will run under new coach Mike Brown. Since October 2005, we've seen this Lakers core run the triangle under Phil Jackson. Really, that system represents the Lakers' look since October 1999, save a brief period under Rudy Tomjanovich.

It's safe to say the aesthetics under Brown will be different.

How different, you ask?

Well, that's difficult to answer with real certainty. Since July 1, when the lockout began, access to Brown has been limited. When he has been available, league rules have prohibited him from speaking publicly about current players by name. Thus, specific details have been in short supply for quite some time. But we have been offered hints, along with some templates, to stoke our imaginations.

During his introductory news conference, which took place before lips were zipped, Brown downplayed the shadow of the triangle. "A lot of people run bits and pieces of the triangle offense," he insisted. "It's just basketball. It's spacing. It's reads. Even Cleveland, we had some bits and pieces of it within our offense." For that matter, he predicted his offense "will have bits and pieces of it that will be incorporated and will be based on the skill set and the comfort level of our players that will determine how much of it will be part of our offense."

Having said that, Brown also added, "We're not gonna run the triangle offense."

So there you have it.

As for what Brown actually will run, a small nugget was introduced that same afternoon:

"A lot that I'm gonna take offensively will stem from the time I was with San Antonio. ... We had two big, skilled 7-footers in Tim Duncan and David Robinson. So we'll do something similar to what they did with a little sprinkle of the triangle offense and a little sprinkle of what I want to bring to the table, also. We'll kinda combine it. But offensively, I think you have to tailor your offense to your personnel. You can't take our offense from team to team to team."

On draft day, amid the Darius Morris/Andrew Goudelock hoopla, Brown expanded these details a bit, offering thoughts on the following:

The role of the point guard in what will presumably be a more traditional offense
“It will be an equal opportunity offense where the 1, the 2 or the 3 can bring the ball up. Because all the smalls are interchangeable. So it’s not going to be too much different, because in the past here they had multiple guys, even including Lamar [Odom], bring the ball up. But the one thing we like to emphasize, we like to emphasize attacking the clock. We want to get the ball from the backcourt to the frontcourt within the first four seconds or so, so that we can get to a second, a third and sometimes a fourth option without our backs being up against the shot clock. So we’d like to get the ball up the floor a little quicker than what we’ve done in the past.”

Whether Brown has an idea of how he wants to use Kobe Bryant
“Yes, I do. It fits into what I’m trying to do in our early offense. What I was saying is our early offense is going to be similar to what San Antonio did back when they had the two bigs in David and Tim. Again, there will be some bits and pieces of the triangle involved. But I think the triangle, it’s a motion offense for the most part, and a lot of people have bits and pieces of that within their offense. It won’t be any different for us, and we’ll make sure Kobe’s in his comfort zone, or his sweet spots out on the floor.”

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For a while, we've known under a new CBA some of the historical advantages enjoyed by the Lakers -- namely the ability to generate revenues and spend at very high levels -- would be mitigated. They'll be sharing more other franchises, and will find spending at higher levels more onerous, whether because of an increased tax burden, restrictions placed on roster construction, or both.

Ideal? No. Inevitable? Yes, and still far better than the alternative, namely cancelling the season. Say whatever you'd like about tweaks to the mid-level exception or escrow accounts. The Lakers need to play, because the window on this team's title chances isn't getting any bigger.

With that in mind, here are a few thoughts about what could be a pivotal day in the lockout saga.

1. I don't believe it all blows up on Wednesday, even if there's no fruitful meeting and the NBA makes their next offer more punitive (and I'd be surprised if they didn't). It might get uglier and the rhetoric will rise with the stakes, but we're still weeks away from a point at which the 2011-12 campaign must go the way of the Betamax. Neither side will walk away from the season with that much time left on the table.

2. At their press conference Tuesday, the NBPA finally did a decent job turning attention away from the revenue split and towards the system, and their ability to exert a larger degree of control over where they play and the direction of their careers. Why it took so long to get here I'm not sure (maybe it's because they've effectively lost the B.R.I battle) but it's a far more sympathetic position. Nobody cares if these guys make, say, $3.2 million instead of $3.6. The hope of preserving mobility is more universal.

Plus, as fans we, or at least the "we's" who don't pull for teams like the Lakers, might always worry about losing our best players... but we simultaneously dream about poaching the ones from competing teams. Nobody (outside NBA front offices, at least) wants this to disappear under a new CBA.

3. If there was a good moment in the NBPA press conference Tuesday, it came when Billy Hunter said decertification was barely discussed. Not that it ends the discussion.

4. Regarding decertification, if players decide it could be effective as a negotiating tactic -- theoretically giving them a little more leverage in the intervening period between filing the petition to decertify and actually having the vote-- fine. It's risky, no doubt, but defensible. That said, I have no interest in hearing the game's biggest stars/earners grow militant, declaring on principle the need to give up the season. If members of the rank-and-file choose to adopt that stance, I would respect it. But in a league where the average player lasts maybe five years, who are the NBA's elite, guys who have already made their money, to say another member of the union should sacrifice such a substantial portion of his career?

5. For those rank-and-file guys, if ultimately they're willing to decertify before the NBA cancels the season, it would constitute either one of the larger acts of selflessness in modern sports labor history, or an incredible act of ignorance (whether because they don't completely understand the ramifications or from a misguided need to, as Stephen A. Smith has noted repeatedly on 710 ESPN, avoid getting "punked").

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The death of heavyweight legend Joe Frazier has naturally prompted considerable conversation about Muhammad Ali. Intense rivals, the two fought on three occasions, the first a victory for Frazier, and each match is regarded as a classic. The barbs Ali tossed at Frazier were outside the lines and below the belt. Ali's presence overshadowed Frazier's, but ultimately help create a foundation for the latter's legacy. They are permanently intertwined.

Monday also marked the 20th anniversary of Magic Johnson's HIV press conference, and while the remembrance of this milestone obviously didn't center around a rivalry with Larry Bird, that chapter of Magic's life also wasn't ignored. We've been reminded of how Magic selected few friends to learn about his situation from him rather than the media, Bird among them. Plus, HIV prompted his retirement, which in turn prompted reflection, and it's impossible to remember Magic's career without Bird entering the picture. The two are synonymous, which added a wonderful layer to an already iconic story.

Thinking about Frazier/Ali and Magic/Bird, I was reminded of how Kobe Bryant, despite 15 unforgettable seasons under his belt, never really enjoyed a legitimate rivalry. Unless you count the one with Shaq, but that hardly qualifies in this context. As teammates, their quarrels were depressing and counterproductive, even acknowledging the championships. As ex-teammates, the war of words has largely been one-sided, with Shaq dragging himself through the mud by refusing to let go. Either way, it's hardly been inspirational.

From there, it's hard to peg exactly who Kobe's rival would be.

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