Lakers Celebrate 15th Championship

More than 100,000 Los Angeles Laker Fans dressed in Laker purple and gold filled the streets of down town Los Angeles and jammed the LA Memorial Coliseum last Wednesday for a parade to mark the franchise's 15th NBA Championship.

The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic on the Magic home court the previous Sunday, June 14, behind Kobe Bryant's 30 points and Lamar Odom's 17 point 10 rebound effort. With the win, LA took the series 4 games to 1.

"This means everything to me" said Bryant, who also won his first Finals MVP Trophy. "We sacrificed so much, we put in so much time, so much effort. It's unbelievable to be here with a group of guys who are like brothers to me. It feels like a dream, it's unbelievable..."

Bryant had worn a scowl of seriousness and intensity throughout the series, but he was all smiles after adding another page to his legacy. It was his fourth championship, but the first without Shaquille O'Neal. The dynamic duo had carried the Lakers to 3 consecutive titles in the early part of the decade.

When asked how it felt to win one without the big Diesel, Bryant replied that "...From the standpoint of responding to the challenge, from people saying I couldn't do it without him, that feels good, because you prove people wrong...So from that standpoint it feels extremely good to do that".

The championship also marked a milestone for Laker coach Phil Jackson who captured his 10th title, to surpass the legendary Boston Celtic coach Red Auerbach as the all-time coaching leader in championships.

The Lakers have some interesting decisions ahead of them this off season, with pending Unrestricted Free Agents Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, who were vital to the Lakers championship run. Another question will be whether coach Jackson will be returning next season. Last season, Jackson missed a couple of road trips due to Plantar’s Faciaiitis and after two hip replacements his health has become a concern.