Since their last title in 2002, the Lakers have lived through the trading of one superstar, the trial of another superstar, three coaching changes, a historically blown first-round playoff series against Phoenix, a completely choked Finals against Boston and general daily turmoil.
Even in Sunday's triumph there was weirdness, as Joey Buss, a front-office worker and one of Jerry's younger sons, accepted the Larry O'Brien trophy with a nod to . . . the Lakers' most hated rival?
"We have two more to go to meet the Boston Celtics," he said of the Celtics' record 17 titles.
It was last year's flop in the Finals against Boston that provided the impetus for the Lakers to find the strength to win this season. The difference in the clinching games was proud and pointed.
Last year, the Lakers were outscored 34-15 in the second quarter before being run out of the Finals in a 39-point loss.
This year, the Lakers outscored the Magic 30-18 in the second quarter before cruising to the crown.
"We were put in a position where we had to dig deep, find out who you are," Fisher said.
In that second quarter, we learned exactly who the Lakers were, as at one point they outscored the Magic 16-0 in a flurry of that scratching and clawing.
It can be recounted here in four paragraphs. The Magic will be thinking about it for the next four months.
Fisher hit a three-pointer. Bryant stole the ball and found Trevor Ariza for another three-pointer.
The Magic were harassed into another miss, Bryant scored on a running jump shot, grabbed another defensive rebound, found Ariza for another three-pointer.
A twisting steal by Lamar Odom led to a Fisher layup. A diving steal by Ariza led to an Ariza free throw.
Yet another steal by Ariza led to a fast break in which the ball pinged from Laker to Laker to Laker until Odom scored on a scooping layup.
Read enough? The Magic had enough.
Of the Lakers, Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy grunted, "They're the best team in the league, and pretty damn good."
Though the Finals required only five games, it wasn't that easy, with two of them going into overtime and one of them requiring jaw-dropping shots from Fisher for a tie and the victory.
All of which was typical of the last seven years, when the Lakers tore themselves apart, only to slowly put themselves back together.
