Bryant playing for the team, not himself

Ever since Shaquille O’Neal left the Lakers, there has been an ongoing debate about whether Kobe “Black Mamba” Bryant is true championship force or merely an extremely talented player interested more in his own numbers and success than that of the team. It was an interesting back-and-forth. Here was Bryant, clearly the top player from a physical skills standpoint in the NBA, answering to those skeptics who distrusted his motives and considered his three championship rings the property of O’Neal, and not Bryant, to whom Shaq referred as “Little Brother” during the title runs.

Was Bryant in need of a better supporting cast? Was he inhibiting his teammates’ development with his me-first play? Were his periodic tantrums the actions of a leader or the behavior of a spoiled brat? Those who came down on the anti-Kobe side were labeled “haters” (or “hatas” in the vernacular). Those who took his side were star-gazing hero worshippers. It wasn’t pretty, and until this year, it wasn’t going to be resolved, at least not in a definitive way.

There might still be no end to the argument, but Bryant’s play over the past six months has made those in the anti-Kobe camp think much more about his value to the Lakers. Instead of being an energy force that could dominate a game but also suck the life out of his team, Bryant has become a leader of what has become a true championship contender. Credit L.A. GM Mitch Kupchak with a big assist, fleecing the Grizzlies for Pau Gasol, but Bryant had displayed signs of maturity before that. It’s ironic that a season that began with his demanding a trade has turned into his best to date.

Bryant has averaged more points per game during his career; in fact, the past two seasons were more productive from that perspective. He has certainly taken more shots. This year, he seems to trust his teammates more, perhaps because the arrivals of Gasol and Derek Fisher, the development of Sasha Vujacic and Lamar Odom’s continued productivity have given him more to trust.

The most important component in the equation is time. Bryant turns 30 this summer, and that means he has become more mature and less impressed with himself. Don’t get me wrong. NBA history is filled with players who remained devoted to number one well into their 30s, but this is Bryant’s 12th season in the league, and you tend to learn a few things when you have been around something that long. Bryant has finally understood that the greats must strike a balance between their own goals and those of the team. Michael Jordan won countless scoring titles, but he did so in a way that elevated the team first. When the situation called for 40 points, that’s what he did. When it called for 28, he did that. For the first time, Bryant has shown he can live with that, especially if it brings him a title ring.

Nothing is guaranteed in that regard. The Lakers had the pleasure of racing through Denver in the first round in what was little more than a four-game layup line. (Allen Iverson, on the other hand, has never learned how to balance his need for points with his team’s success.) The opening-game win over Utah looked like pretty light work, too. The Jazz may stretch things to six games, but it lacks the talent to stop L.A. And unless the Spurs snap out of it, the Lakers will likely play New Orleans in the conference finals. The Hornets are impressive but not ready yet.

There isn’t a clear path to the Finals for the Lakers and Kobe, but things look pretty good. Today, he’ll likely get the MVP award. Though my vote would have gone to Kevin Garnett, it’s hard to argue with Bryant, given what he has done this year. His play has been impressive, but more important is how he took what could have been a horrible situation — of his doing — and turned it into a great positive. Now, it’s legacy time. Should Bryant lead the Lakers to the title, in this year of Western Conference power, he’ll finally have what he has said he wants: inclusion with the true great ones.

To this point, Bryant has done what he’s supposed to in pursuit of team goals. The remainder of the playoffs will confront him with more challenges in that regard. In the past, he hasn’t always been able to overcome them. Should he hurdle those obstacles now, the completion of the Kobe Bryant package will have occurred. He’ll no longer be the One Man Show. Instead, he’ll be a headliner in a great performance. It takes a while to realize the latter is far more rewarding than the former. Bryant seems to get it now.

Finally.

GAME OF THE WEEK: New Orleans at San Antonio, Thursday, 9:30

The Spurs are in a quick, 2-0 hole to the lively Hornets, and it has appeared as if San Antonio is too slow to keep up. This game will tell us whether the Hornets were able to feed on the home-crowd energy to get out fast or if they are just a better team. Losing two games by 19 and 18 points would lead one to think New Orleans is simply superior. We’ll find out Thursday if the defending champs have enough to fight back.

IN THE PAINT

If Mike D’Antoni is smart — and I think he is — he’ll run from Phoenix. That doesn’t necessarily mean he should take the head coaching job with either Chicago or New York, but it’s time for him to get out of the desert. It’s clear he and GM Steve Kerr don’t get along, and the team’s talent base is dwindling. He has two years left on his contract, so maybe a season behind the microphone might make sense.

The Wizards can say whatever they want to the contrary, but their goon-it-up approach to the series with Cleveland was bush league. It makes sense to play physically against a player like LeBron James, but there were too many cheap shots thrown. The outcome might have been different if Gilbert Arenas had played, but that doesn’t excuse the low-rent tactics.

Atlanta’s 34-point game seven loss to the Celtics was ugly, but the Hawks shouldn’t be ashamed of anything. (Okay, Marvin Williams should hang his head about that classless head-hunting foul on Rajon Rondo.) The team emerged as a solid bunch toward the end of the regular season and played well at home against Boston. The next step is learning to win on the road and putting together a consistent regular season.

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