POP CULTURE: CONGRATS TO THE 2009 NBA CHAMPION LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Big ups to the 2009 nba champions of the world, the los angeles lakers. Mr Bryant, aka the black mamba has to hear the “can’t win without shaq” rhetoric no more, & I’m sure he’s ecstatic about it. With a great supporting cast, including the unguardable pau gasol, the tenacious lamar odom, & the up & coming superstar trevor ariza, along with mr fisher, who helped #24 get his 4^th title, and perhaps the sweetest one of all, because he was in no one’s shadow, and because he is now widely considered to be the greatest player in the game. My hats off to you, although I’m not really a kobe fan, I absolutely recognize & respect his prowess on the hardwood, as well as his work ethic. Oh, and just as a side note, make sure you check out lil wayne’s song entitled what else, but kobe Bryant. That should put everything that’s transpired in the last 24 hours, and one could say the entire year, into perspective. Plus it’s a dope song. Cheers & enjoy

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers, who earned their first NBA championship in seven years and 15th overall with a 99-86 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night.

In the end, Los Angeles' defense was just as up to the task as Los Angeles' vaunted offense. The team circled the wagons after Orlando busted out with a 28-point first quarter. Orlando's screen-and-roll attack was barely a factor, as the Lakers' spacing and efficient perimeter shooting on the other end made this a one-sided game by halftime.

Kobe Bryant(notes) finished with 30 points, five assists, and four blocks, but in spite of a series of jaw-dropping drives and perimeter looks, he was merely a brilliant part of the championship puzzle. Pau Gasol's(notes) defense in the interior was a huge part of Dwight Howard's(notes) limited effectiveness in the paint, and Trevor Ariza's(notes) 12-point second quarter helped turn a close game into a Lakers walk.

We'll have more quotes and analysis live from Orlando as the night moves along, but for now, pop a cork, and don't turn over a car, Los Angeles. Your hometown team is a champion, once again.

Source: nba.com