Ranking Kobe Bryant’s Five NBA Title-Winning Postseasons

(last updated on October 18, 2025)

The legacy of Kobe Bryant has many facets. We often judge greatness by the number of championships he won. In the case of Kobe, his five championships certainly raise his status among the best players ever in the NBA. His title wins have come with varying levels of responsibility – and therefore varying levels of influence.

2000

In his fourth season, it was still clear that Shaquille O’Neal was the man around whom the rest of the Lakers revolved. The Hall of Fame center won Finals MVP in their three successive championship runs – deservedly so. But Kobe was by no means just riding on Superman’s cape. Los Angeles had failed to advance past the second round in each of Shaq’s first two years in purple and gold.

But it all came together in year three. The Lakers nabbed the top seed and cruised into the conference finals as Kobe was en route to a stat line of 21.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists throughout the entire postseason. His biggest assist came in Game 7 against Portland with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. The Lakers came back from 15 down in the fourth quarter, punctuated by an alley-oop dunk from Kobe to Shaq.

But on the road against the Pacers, when Shaq couldn’t be out there, the 21-year-old stepped up like never before. In Game 4, O’Neal fouled out and Bryant took over. He played 47 minutes after not playing at all in Game 3. He scored 28 points, capped by a reverse layup putback to seal the win with 5.9 seconds left. The Lakers took a 3-1 series lead and eventually won it all in six.

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2002

We skip ahead a bit. The third straight championship march was not as smooth as it was the year before. And in terms of statistics, it wasn’t as productive for Kobe. His 26.6 points per game average was nearly three points lower than ’01. The 5.8 rebounds was 1.5 less than the previous postseason. He also was not as efficient in the assist category either.

Interestingly, Kobe’s best playoff series in ’02 turned out to be the toughest for the Lakers. The Sacramento Kings proved to be a serious impediment in LA’s hopes of clearing the last hurdle before the NBA Finals. It went the full seven games and turned out to be one of the best playoff series in recent memory, filled with clutch moments, high drama, and controversy.

Bryant was particularly steady in terms of points, scoring 30 in Games 1, 5, and 7 and putting up 31 (along with 11 rebounds and five assists) during a must-win Game 6. The New Jersey Nets were no match in the Finals. On the way to a series sweep, Kobe tallied a playoff-high 36 in a 106-103 Game 3 victory.

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2010

Kobe’s fifth and final championship was also a defense of his fourth. But it ultimately resulted in getting revenge against a Celtics team that had baffled him two years prior.

Defeating Boston was a struggle for Bryant, even though he was ultimately named series MVP. He shot just 40.5 percent. He averaged 28.6 points, but it took a lot of energy to get there. That was especially true in Game 7. Kobe made only six field goals in 24 attempts and was 0 for 6 from three. But in a true sign of maturity, he created opportunities for those around him. He had 15 rebounds and made 11 of his 15 foul shots. The Lakers showed their mettle in an 83-79 triumph.

Kobe was at his scoring best in the previous round, especially in the contest that closed out the Phoenix Suns. On the road, Bryant scored 24 of his 37 points in the second half including nine points in the final two minutes. It was punctuated with a 23-foot fadeaway over Grant Hill with 34 seconds remaining.

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2001

On the Lakers’ record-breaking 15-1 playoff march, Kobe’s overall numbers improved from the 2000 postseason. He scored 29.4 points per game while averaging 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Although he regressed a bit during the Finals against Philadelphia, it didn’t hurt LA’s mission. Shaq dominated the 76ers, and Bryant got to celebrate another title where he played high school ball.

The meeting with the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals was Kobe’s opportunity to emerge. San Antonio boasted the best frontcourt in the league with the towering figures of David Robinson and Tim Duncan patrolling the paint. Even that might have been too much for O’Neal, so head coach Phil Jackson opted for more of a perimeter game and gave his young 22-year-old star the green light in terms of initiating the offense.

In Game 1, he shot 16 for 28 from the field and brought in 10 rebounds. The Lakers swept the Spurs, and Kobe averaged 33.25 points in what was his most impressive effort in a postseason series thus far.

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2009

There was no doubt now. This was Kobe’s team. Once Shaq was dealt to Miami after 2004, the burden fell on Bryant to lead the Lakers back to the Finals. That was not easy. Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2005 and failed to make it out of the first round in ’06 and ’07. In 2008, the Lakers made it to the championship round before falling to Boston in a forgettable series for Kobe. But redemption was around the corner.

Taking everything into account, leadership, responsibilities and the ability to will his team forward, the ’09 season and playoffs may have been Kobe’s peak. He made up for a 5-of-24 outing in a Game 3 opening-round loss to Utah with 38 points on 16 of 24 from the field in Game 4.

With his team down 95-93 and facing a potential 2-1 series deficit against Denver in the Western Conference Finals, Kobe drained a big three pointer that gave Los Angeles a lead it wouldn’t give up.

Then in the Finals versus Orlando, Bryant averaged 32 points in a five-game victory. He wasted no time in asserting himself, tallying 40 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in the opener at Staples Center. And he probably could’ve had more, but a dominant 100-75 win deemed it unnecessary.

For the playoffs, Kobe scored 30.2 points a game with 5.5 assists and 5.3 rebounds.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, July 13th, 2024 at 7:23 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.