Finals success is make or break for Bryant's golden season

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has enjoyed one of the most rewarding seasons of his career but he says that would count for nothing if his team fail to win the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic.

The best-of-seven series starts on Thursday with Game One at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles with the Western Conference champion Lakers installed as favorites.

"It's been a helluva year, winning a gold medal and making it to the finals last year," Bryant told reporters after the Lakers completed a practice session at Staples Center. "We didn't win but we gained valuable experience."

The Lakers were beaten by the Boston Celtics in last year's finals, two months before Bryant and his U.S. team mates won Olympic gold in Beijing with a 118-107 victory over world champions Spain.

"Being on that Olympic team, building the friendships we built there, coming back to this season and having the season that we've had to this point, it's been very rewarding."

Asked if all that would go to waste if the upstart Magic upset the Lakers in the NBA's season finale, Bryant replied: "In my eyes, yes.

"This is what I play for all summer. All I thought about was the Olympics and the gold medal. We were able to accomplish that. My next goal is winning the NBA Championship and we don't want to fall short of that."

Although the Lakers are seeking their 15th NBA title while their opponents are appearing in the finals for only the second time, Bryant expects a grueling challenge.

UNFANCIED MAGIC

Unfancied going into the post-season, Dwight Howard and the Magic overcame the Philadelphia 76ers and the defending champion Boston Celtics before stunning MVP LeBron James and the Cavaliers in six games.

"They've beaten us twice this season and we split with them last year so they've beaten us three out of the last four times," last year's MVP Bryant said of their recent meetings in the regular season.

"They obviously play extremely well, so we're very, very concerned."

The Lakers' own path to the finals was far from smooth but Bryant believes the experience has hardened the Western Conference champions.

Los Angeles needed seven games to oust the injury-ravaged Houston Rockets and six to beat the Denver Nuggets in Western finals.

"The mental toughness just comes from all the battles you've had to overcome to get to this point as a team and as a whole," he said.

"We feel good about where we're at right now."

(Editing by Alison Wildey)