Lakers' Glorious History

Hat Tip: The Lakers Nation

Kobe with Conan-Video

THANK YOU Dr. Jerry Buss

When championships occur we typically hear about the great players, the coaches, the GMs or management and on a few occasions, the owner or ownership group.

In the case of Dr. Jerry Buss, here is man that 30 years ago bought a franchise and has now brought 9 NBA championships to the City of Angels, as well as the top marquee players in NBA history!

So let's not forget:

In the hoopla over Phil Jackson winning his 10th NBA title, Kobe Bryant winning his first without Shaquille O'Neal, etc., it went all but unnoticed that owner Jerry Buss won his ninth. . . .

No NBA owner ever won more. . . .

Six ownership groups presided over the Boston Celtics during their Bill Russell-led run of 11 titles in 13 years. . . .

Without Buss, who followed form by staying out of sight Wednesday as the Southland celebrated his team, there might have been far fewer Lakers parades -- or maybe none at all. . . .

They didn't get one in 1972. . . .

Their first championship celebration, in 1980, drew about 6,000 to a downtown parade and about 8,000 to a City Hall rally. . . .

Riding in her ninth parade was Marge Hearn, 91-year-old widow of Chick, who noted afterward, "I think tonight I'll skip my dinner and stay in to see how it looked on TV because it certainly was fun. Those younger players were just in awe."

Purple & Gold Kings of the World

Can you spell R-E-P-E-A-T???


"We've got an amazing young group of people here," player Pau Gasol told the crowd. "We're still hungry. We're not done yet. We want more. We want more. . . . After experiencing what we experienced in the parade coming here and being in this beautiful stadium, we want to definitely offer you more. So be ready for it."

Kobe Bryant added: "We feel this championship. We feel the energy of the city. We want to do this thing again and again. So you know we'll be back next year ready to go."

Pictures and video courtesy of the LA Times.

Read more about that magnificent crowd at the Coliseum here.

*This post is dedicated to Redlands' best, Robert "Pat Riley" Calderon, to my infidel, Lakers Nation brother-in-arms, Jaco Pastorius, and to the greatest broadcaster of all time, who is no doubt celebrating in Heaven, Chick Hearn!!!

Lakers Rejoice Triumph

Related Links:

*From New Zealand to another title, Phil's amazing journey

*Ariza and Odom powered victory and playoff run

*Defense wins championships

*Complete game round up

Kobe's interview highlight:

Q. A couple years ago you weren't satisfied with your help at all. When did you become convinced that this was a team you could win with?

KOBE BRYANT: Got a new point guard, got a new wing, got a Spaniard, and then it was all good. It was all good. I had a bunch of Christmas presents that came early.

Redemption in Orlando

Pictures courtesy of Daylife-Reuters & Getty

Top photo courtesy of LA Times

Related Links:

Lakers beat the Magic for their 15th Title

Official box score of game

Kobe named Finals MVP

Lakers are champions again

Kobe's first title sans Shaq

Indications are Kobe is coming back, staying with Lakers

Jackson expected back?

Kobe & LA Bashes Magic in Game 1

Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (2nd R) goes up for a basket among Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (R), Rashard Lewis (L) and Mickael Pietrus (2nd L) of France during the third quarter of Game 1 of their NBA Finals basketball game in Los Angeles June 4, 2009. (Daylife-Reuters)



Andrew Bynum surprised many last night:

Andrew Bynum, the one with the still-smarting knee and the curiously shaky game, played Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard to a relative draw, more than enough to allow the Lakers to win Game 1 of the NBA Finals with ease, 100-75.

Bynum was averaging only 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in the playoffs before Thursday, but he had nine points and nine rebounds despite fighting foul trouble throughout the game.

He was aggressive from the start, dunking off a feed from Pau Gasol, making a 12-footer and scoring a layup off a rebound in the first four minutes.

He was part of the reason Howard shot so poorly -- one for six.

"He had some times out there that I thought he played [Howard] really well," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "Offensively, he had some opportunities that he converted on, which we like."

Howard had 12 points and 15 rebounds, though he played almost 35 minutes to only 22 for Bynum, who picked up his fourth foul 9:38 into the third quarter.

A year ago, Bynum was watching from the sidelines. Now Orlando is going to have to keep an eye on him.

"This was big for me, even though I'm not playing my best basketball," he said. "Just to be a part of it is way different from last year, when I had crutches and was having surgery." (Read entire story)

Related Links:

Kobe drops 40 and wills his way in Game 1

Kobe's new nickname, "Grumpy"

Lakers' complete Gameday wrapup with videos

Official box score here

Game 2, Sunday, ABC-8pm EST

Lakers Prepare for the Ultimate Battle

"NO MERCY"...Kobe exhorting his team mates in the 3rd Quarter!

Photos courtesy of the LA Times

NBA.com reports:

DENVER(AP) Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are heading back to the NBA finals after dispatching the pesky Denver Nuggets with a 119-92 victory in Game 6 on Friday night.

Bryant got plenty of scoring help from Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as the Lakers shot 57.3 percent from the field to avoid having to play a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals back at the Staples Center.

They will finally get some much-needed rest after playing every other day for a grueling two weeks.

These Lakers, who are headed to their record 30th NBA finals and are seeking their 15th title, are a more grizzled group - but also more bruised and battered - than the one that fell to Boston in the finals last year.

"Now we're in a place where we didn't get the job accomplished last year,'' Bryant said. "Hopefully we will this time.''

Instead of cruising through the West this time, the Lakers survived an arduous seven-game semifinal series against Houston and a physical test against Denver.

The Lakers will face either Orlando or Cleveland in the finals. The Magic lead 3-2 and can clinch the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night at home in Game 6 and prevent the Kobe Bryant-LeBron James final that has basketball fans and corporate sponsors atwitter.

The finals begin Thursday, at Los Angeles if Orlando wins, and at Cleveland if the Cavaliers prevail. (Read entire article)

Related Links:

George Karl exclaimed "No. 24 had a great five minutes at the end of the (first half) that no one in basketball could have covered him. He made about four shots in that stretch that I think Jesus would have had trouble covering. And those took the game from a manageable game to 13 (points)."

Lakers demonstrate true grit and redemption

24 for 24 from the free throw time

LA Times Simers to and fro with Jackson, the Zen Master

Jerry West backtracking from his remarks or was it reverse psychology motivational?

Full wrap up, videos, quotes and box score of the game

Complete NBA finals schedule

Mitch Kupchak, whom I tend to be relatively hard on, was classy as ever, especially receiving the Western Conference Championship trophy from old school, Showtime Era, James "Tomahawk" Worthy, 3 time World Champion and one time finals MVP.

This team has been beleaguered and maligned from all angles, even from Lakerdom, but tonight, just like in Game 5, they manifested the will, the valor and the temperament of a professional championship sports team!!!

*On a personal note, this post is dedicated to my fellow Lakers fanatic and infidel brother in arms, Jaco Pastorius, over at the Infidel Bloggers Alliance.

Pastorius with your depth and knowledge you should be working for the Buss Family/Lakers in some high end capacity!!!

O'Reilly in the Lakers House!

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, left, talks to political commentator Bill O'Reilly in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 96-83.

(Yahoo Sports-AP Photo)

Inside the Lakers has Kobe's feedback about the huge efforts from both Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol.

LA Times Bill Plaschke thinks a Bryant-Shaq reunion tour for next season is not unthinkable!

Lakers Gameday post game stats and breakdown here.