Yeah.. Because Kobe was going absolutely insane..
The kings took the Lakers to a game 7 in 2000, (game 5) and this was with Shaq putting up incredible numbers 29/17..
Lakers swept the Kings in 2001 with Shaq averaging 33/19 and Kobe averaging 35/9... Every game besides game 3 was decided by 6 points or less..
Let than sink in, almost every game was decided by 6 points or less with Kobe/Shaq combing for 68/28/6 per game on incredible effeciency...
But according to you kobe could have played significantly worse and it wouldn't have been a problem for the lakers
And to top it off..
1999 playoffs vs the spurs, lakers get swept even with Shaq averaging 24/13 for the series & Kobe averaging 21/7/4 (which is give or take the 25% worse level you claim they could have cruised to the finals with)
00 Duncan is hurt, Lakers & Spurs meet again in the 01 playoffs..
Shaq averages 27/13 (3 more points per game than the 99 spurs series)
Kobe averages 33/7/7 and they sweep the series..
See the difference?
And what happened in the 00' & 02' when Kobe wasnt playing on this god mode of 32/7/6? Oh that's right Lakers got taken to game 7's each year..
Now please take this ether and STFU with your bogus claims.