Kobe Bryant: A Look Back at His First NBA Finals Loss

Kobe Bryant: NBA Finals 2004 (Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons)

During the 2002-03 season, the Los Angeles Lakers were attempting to become the first team since the 1960s Boston Celtics to win four championships in succession. That dream would end brutally in the second round of the playoffs, as the Lakers were eliminated in six games by the eventual-champion San Antonio Spurs.  

As he left the court in tears following that Game Six, Kobe Bryant said that he never wanted to feel that feeling again. At the beginning of the summer of 2003, it appeared he may get his wish. 

With the additions of aging stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone, the Los Angeles Lakers boasted the most star-studded lineup since the 1999 Houston Rockets. Another La...

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