Kobe wants to be like Mike? Well here's his chance

Everything Kobe Bryant has done since he became a star in this league has been compared to Michael Jordan. Tonight, in game six of the Western Conference Finals, Kobe has a chance to do something truly Jordanesque.

Let's take the time machine back to the 1998 NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls visiting the Utah Jazz in game six of the NBA Finals. Everyone knows the story, Jordan hits the shot over Russell to win his sixth and final NBA title.

Fast forward to tonight's game. Los Angeles has a chance to go into Denver (similar setting to Utah) and close out the Nuggets on their turf.

While Kobe isn't quite on his last leg as one of the top NBA players as Jordan was at that time, he probably only has two, three years at most left as a top five NBA player.

Now of course, this is the Western Conference Finals and not the NBA Finals, but remember that Jordan's Bulls played in the Eastern Conference, so Kobe, like MJ, is going against the best from the West.

Closing out the series in Denver, as opposed to going back to L.A. for a decisive game seven, will go a lot further towards arguing for Kobe Bryant as the best current player in the NBA, and one of the best in the history of the game.

Of course, he still needs to capture the championship and Finals MVP before we can really talk.