For as much flak as LeBron James has endured in the last few months, the picture that has been painted by his decision to take his talent to South Beach is glaringly clear: the Miami Heat’s Super Trio is looking to dethrone The Black Mamba from his perch atop the NBA because as things stand, the Lakers are still the team to beat.
We all know that Kobe often petrifies his opponents with his killer instinct in crunch time, but that fear is only magnified tenfold if you surround him with an abundance of talent as is the current state of the 2010-2011 Lakers team.
It’s not completely ridiculous to think that Kobe’s resurgence to the “top of the mountain” as he likes to call it, didn’t make the prospect of winning a title that much more daunting for James, Wade and Bosh, as the lone superstars of the Cavs, Heat and Raptors, respectively.
While there are other legitimate title contenders such as the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic, the fact of the matter is that the members of Beantown’s Big Three are playing through the twilight of their careers and Orlando still has much to prove in order to reach the Larry O’Brien summit.
My point is, the Lakers are not going to back down whatsoever with back-to-back titles in tow and a potential dynasty at stake. Oh and by the way, repeating as NBA champs is a feat that has not been achieved since 2001, when it was… well, the Lakers.
All great players in professional sports understand that the key to untouchable and immortal legacies are built on the number of titles won during their careers. Kobe is one away from tying Michael Jordan’s six rings while the Super Trio in Miami has one combined championship on their resumes.
Having teamed up now though, James, Wade and Bosh are all in a much stronger position to add the hardware that matters most to their mantels and take down The Black Mamba.
Now all that remains to be seen is how far they can go together.
NEXT: Kobe at the top
