Maybe the MVP award emboldened Kobe Bryant to take his game to yet another level. I mean, what else can explain the casual manner in which he hung around for  two and a half quarters appearing to give in to the champion San Antonio Spurs while they ammassed a 20-point lead?

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and the rest of the Spurs up 20 in the third quarter of a playoff game? Book it , see you in Game 2, right?

Nope. Not with MVP Kobe flexing his game. A three here, an assist there. Oops, a quick steal for another two. The Spurs were helpless as they saw the comeback steaming toward them but couldn't stop it.

Wow! That was impressive.

So now we have  the Spurs looking vulnerable once, again, even though, in reality, they simply lost a road game after a grueling past couple of days. Go ahead and count them out if you want, but I think I'll just settle back and enjoy this Western Conference Finals series because one thing I expect to see is the unexpected.