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Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking all 20 seasons of Kobe Bryant’s illustrious career

By Justin Hickey

LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers points in the air in a game he scored 81 points in against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 22: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers points in the air in a game he scored 81 points in against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2006 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo credit: STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images) /

Ranking every Kobe Bryant season with the Lakers: 7. 2008-09

Championship Kobe has returned! After a long delay of seven years, Bryant would get his fourth championship tying his long time teammate Shaquille O’Neal. After winning 65 games in the regular season, the Lakers would go on to beat the Orlando Magic in five games in the NBA Finals.

Bryant enjoyed his first Finals MVP award that season and displayed yet again how dominant he could be on the big stage. In leading the team to 65 wins alongside Gasol, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per night while playing in all 82 games plus the playoffs for a second straight year.

Further solidifying his dominant year, he made his yearly check-in to the All-NBA first team and All-Defensive first team lists. Providing his elite talents on both ends of the floor as he usually did a year in and year out. His offensive rating of 114.3 was the best of his career and his net-rating of +10.9 was the best of his career. His eFG% of 50.2 percent was the third-highest mark of his career, to show his efficiency was as high as ever.

After being selected to the All-Star game, Bryant would go on to drop 27 points, four rebounds and four assists winning co-MVP with his former teammate O’Neal. He provided dazzling play after dazzling play and put on quite the show at the All-Star game.

Fast forward to the NBA Finals and Bryant put on a clinic vs. the Dwight Howard led Magic. He averaged 32.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game and completely dominated both sides of the ball. The Magic never stood a chance as Kobe put himself back at the top of basketball and proved he could lead a team to a championship without Shaq.

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