Bryant's appetite for winning shows no sign of abating

Kobe Bryant, who proved last year he can win a championship without Shaquille O'Neal, says he doesn't feel the need to score 40 points a game for the Los Angeles Lakers to win their 16th title.

"At the end of the day it is a body of work you are going to be measured by. It is not a game on Tuesday night in February or March or whatever," said Bryant who scored a career-high 81 points in January 2006 against the Toronto Raptors.

"As a young player you try to learn from the older guys. Fast forward eight, nine years and you want to make sure you have a good body of work that can challenge some of your peers."

Bryant scored a game-high 30 points as Los Angeles routed the Boston Celtics 102-89 in Thursday's game one of the NBA finals.

After a humbling loss to Boston in the 2008 finals, Bryant is seeking atonement and a fifth championship ring.

He put on a superb performance Thursday, breaking the game open with 14 third quarter points. Arguably the best closer in the NBA, Bryant was the driving force behind Thursday's win but not a one-man show.

Game one was an example of how Bryant's current Laker teammates, and especially forward Pau Gasol, complement his game nicely.

"It is important for me at this stage in my career to have big players who can shoot the ball and can also post because it allows me to penetrate," Bryant said Friday. "At this stage in the playoffs you can't have one guy that's creating shots for everybody. You have to have other guys that can make plays for others and (Gasol) does that."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said at practice Friday that over the years Bryant has evolved into a competitor with an insatiable appetite for winning titles who simply won't take losing sitting down.

"Kobe can't live with not competing at the top level," Jackson said. "He doesn't understand that.

"We had many conversations early in his career about what it would be like when Shaq retired and they weren't going on together as a combo and he never saw himself in a position not to win. He thought that was his destiny."

When he played with O'Neal, critics said Bryant would never win without the giant centre. But Bryant proved them wrong and continues to find new ways to spark his game.

"It is a challenge," Bryant said. "Whether it is you are not tough enough or whether it's making teammates better or you are too old. It is all challenges you have to accept as a player and move on.

"It comes from understanding that opportunities don't come along very often and making sure you take full advantage.

"Early in my career we would pop up and win three straight and after that there was a drought. So now I want to make sure we don't leave any stones unturned."

Bryant and the Lakers set the early tone in game one against Boston with their physical play. They punished the Celtics in the paint and on the boards, never letting them get into an offensive flow.

The Lakers like to think they not only have the psychological edge, but also history on their side as Phil Jackson led teams are a perfect 47-0 in series wins after having won the first game.

Jackson said Friday the Celtics have shown all season that they can bounce back from tough losses.

"They will make it more difficult for us to get to the basket," Jackson said of Sunday's game two. "They are a good adjustment team. They are going to try and close their lanes off and they will make adjustments with their screen and roll opportunities.

"They have such a big menu of options."

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