NBA Playoffs: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs

NBA: The 30 most unforgettable individual playoff runs: 24. Kobe Bryant (2009)

Kobe Bryant has become legendary on the back of clutch performances and winning championships. However, it took until his second set of championship squads for him to be the lead man on a title-winning team. Plenty of doubters talked about whether he would be able to get over the hump without Shaquille O’Neal on the team.

One year prior, the Los Angeles Lakers had made it all the way to the NBA Finals before falling to the Boston Celtics. Bryant had led all playoff performers in points per game (30.1) and came into the 2009 Playoffs determined to take the final step.

In the run to his fourth championship, Bryant averaged 30.2 points, 5.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He had four 40-point performances and had at least 29 points in every game against the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. Perhaps more impressive, starting in the last two games of the Western Conference Finals and going through Game 4 of the Finals he had at least eight assists in each game.

The importance of winning his first (and subsequently his second the following season) title without O’Neal cannot be overstated. Bryant proved he could be the man on the top team in the league and his redemption arc was something to behold.