No reason to think Kobe won't win another title News Boston Celtics

When Michael Jordan won his fourth NBA championship, at age 33, he held up four fingers to the United Center crowd. Then, with a playful grin, he held up five, six, seven.

Jordan ended up winning six titles with the Bulls, and will go to his grave believing he would have won at least seven if the franchise had not imploded.

Kobe Bryant is 30 years old. He now has four titles to his credit. And there is every reason to believe that before he retires, he will pick up at least one more.

Why shouldn't the Lakers be favored next year? You can come up with reasons, but they will surely apply more to another contender.

Are they getting old? The Celtics' top three players are all older. Do you still question Kobe's supporting cast? LeBron's is much worse. Could they lose Lamar Odom or Trevor Ariza to free agency? Possibly, but Orlando could lose Hedo Turkoglu. Besides, as good as Ariza has been in this postseason, are you really going to downgrade the Lakers' chances if he leaves?

Here is a number that should scare the rest of the NBA: 17.4. That's how many minutes Andrew Bynum averaged in the playoffs. If Bynum is healthy next year, he can be a highly efficient 16-point, 10-rebound 7-footer. He is only 21. He isn't Shaq, but in a league where Dwight Howard is a premier center despite having no apparent post moves, Bynum should develop into an All-Star.

Unless Odom departs, the only reason to bet against the Lakers is fatigue. They will be shooting for their third straight Finals appearance, and Bryant did Olympic duty during one of his breaks. That takes a mental and physical toll.

Sunday's Game 5

Lakers 99, Magic 86 (Lakers win 4-1)

FOXSports.com analysis

Playoff results, schedule
2009 NBA Playoff Central
Tomasson: Kobe proves critics wrong
Feigen: Jackson in class of his own

Video

Postgame: Lakers celebrate 15th title
Postgame: Kobe leads Lakers to title
Postgame: Magic discuss Finals loss
Marques Johnson's NBA Finals recap

Photos

NBA Finals, Game 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Kobe has been compared to LeBron a lot lately (hey, I just did it again — I think I'm addicted or something) and he has been compared to Jordan since his rookie season. But in terms of playoff career arc, Bryant most resembles another Laker legend, Magic Johnson.

Magic won five titles and played in an astounding nine NBA Finals. Kobe has won four titles and played in six finals.

When Magic won his first three titles, he benefited from having one of the best centers in NBA history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But by the time Magic won his fourth and fifth titles, in 1987 and 1988, Kareem was an aging star, averaging less than 18 points and eight rebounds per game. Magic, meanwhile, was winning MVP awards.

When Kobe won his first three titles, he benefited from having one of the best centers in NBA history, Shaquille O'Neal. But by the time he won No. 4, Shaq was gone.

This is Bryant's team — and his title, more than anybody else's. But Kobe Bryant wants more. As he looked around the locker room Sunday night, I bet he was already thinking about it.