The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to win their first NBA Title in 10 years and tied the Boston Celtics with a NBA record 17th championship. It was also LeBron James' 4th NBA title and is now among only a handful of players who have won titles with three different teams.
But this belonged more to one man who wasn't on the court but was very much present in spirit. The Lakers won the title in a year full of sorrow which truly began on January 26th when Kobe Bryant along with his daughter and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash. As Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times wrote earlier this evening:
The real hero of the Lakers’ title run, however, could be found in the clothing they wore and the name they chanted. The biggest star was the memory of the late Kobe Bryant, whose spirit hovered over everything and whose influence was felt everywhere.
Even though it has been a decade since the Lakers' last title under normal circumstances most NBA fans would be rooting against them including portions of the Greater Los Angeles area which are more apt to support the crosstown Clippers. But with Bryant's sudden death, it would have been difficult to root against the Lakers at least for this one season.
This will, however, not be the case if this proves to be year one of a brand new Lakers' dynasty. But this is a year which has been like no other year.
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