During the post Game 7 National Basketball Association Finals press conference, a reporter asked Kobe Bryant what his fifth NBA championship ring meant, and the Los Angeles Lakers star answered: “Just got one more than Shaq. You can take that to the bank. You know how I am. I don’t forget anything.”

Bryant was dead-serious when he uttered those words, making one believe that his long-time feud with Shaquille O’Neal, a former Lakers mate from 1996-97 to 2003 04, is not yet over.

O’Neal and Bryant helped the Lakers to the NBA crown from 2000 to 2002. In the summer of 2004, LA traded the 7-1, 38-year-old Shaq to Miami and he earned a fourth NBA title two years later with the Heat.

Shaq then boasted in a rap song that Bryant could not win another crown without him. Of course, Kobe proved him wrong by getting his fourth a year ago against the Orlando Magic and his fifth this year versus the Boston Celtics.

The 38-year-old O’Neal is eligible for free agency on June 30 and hopes to land a job with his the Nets in his hometown New Jersey next season. Retirement is a more realistic possibility, though.

With a fifth NBA championship following the LA’s hard-earned 4-3 decision over the Boston Celtics in this year’s NBA Finals, Bryant duplicated the feat of legendary great Earvin (Magic) Johnson, who also was a five-time championship playmaker with the Lakers during the eighties (1980-82-85-87-88).

Bryant’s current backcourt partner, 35-year-old Derek Fisher, also is a five-time winner. Both entered the NBA with the Lakers in 1996.

During the 2010 NBA Finals, a memorable series that featured seven brutally-physical and defensive-oriented games, Bryant chalked up averages of 28.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.14 steals and owned shooting percentages of .405 (66-for-163) from the field, including .319 (15-for-47) from the three-point area, and .883 (53-for-60) from the free-throw line.

The 6-7, 31-year-old guard expectedly romped away with his second straight Bill Russell Trophy as the Finals Most Valuable Player.

A day before Game Seven was played, during a radio interview with host Ria Arevalo and Hoop Talk (Tuesday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.) over DWSY (918 a.m. dial), I cited four areas that would likely decide this year’s titlist. They were: defense, rebounding, energy/hustle and luck.

In an “ugly” game that saw Bryant and the entire team shoot poorly from the field (27-for-83, .325) and free throw line (.676, 25-for-37), the Lakers were able to turn the tide midway through the fourth period when they played with more energy than the fatigued Celtics at crunchtime, Bryant’s supporting cast (Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom and Fisher) picked him up offensively and Kobe made up for his miserable shooting by plucking down 15 rebounds.

Unquestionably, rebounding played a decisive role in the 2010 Finals. The team that had an edge in rebounds won in each of the seven games.

In Game Seven, the Lakers outrebounded the Celtics, 53-40, overall (including 24-14 in the second half), and were ahead, 23-8, off the offensive glass.

For the second consecutive year, the Lakers also finished with a 26-7 record (11-1 at home and 5-6 on the road) in the playoffs.

In 23 playoff appearances, Bryant averaged 29.2 points (on .458 field-goal shooting), 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.35 steals every time out. The 7-foot Spanish born Gasol collected per-game norms of 19.6 points, 11.1 boards, 3.5 assists and 2.09 blocks.

Two other Lakers starters also tallied in double digits – Artest (11.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and Fisher (10.3 ppg).