Who says there is no more loyalty in sports? Two very important role players on teams with championship aspirations each re-signed with their respective teams on Monday. Derek Fisher, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, will remain a Laker for at least three more years while Udonis Haslem, a member of the 2006 Heat championship squad, spurned better offers from Denver and Dallas and will re-sign with the Heat.

After a weekend blanketed with news of free-agent superstars ditching their old teams for greener pastures, it was somewhat refreshing to see that there’s still some loyalty left in sports, and Fisher and Haslem proved there is no place like home.

L.A. has been Fisher’s home for 11 of his 14 seasons in the NBA. He was drafted by the Lakers in 1996, and after a brief three-year hiatus, he rejoined the club in 2007 and the Lakers have made three consecutive trips to the NBA Finals since his return. Life without Fisher would have been extremely difficult for the Lakers, especially for Kobe Bryant, who calls the 36-year-old guard the “emotional and vocal leader” of the Lakers.

Derek Fisher will return to the L.A. Lakers and make a run at a sixth championship ring. (GETTY IMAGES)

On the other hand, Haslem typifies what a Miami Heat player is all about: tough, aggressive, tireless and selfless. The undersized power forward has played his entire career with the Heat and is a close friend of Dwyane Wade. “UD is here to stay. Sacrifices all ard. I’m couldn’t b happier for any1 more then Mr Miami himself. My brother 4 life,” Wade wrote on his Twitter account.

Haslem’s deal is reportedly for five years at around $20 million.

Fisher has earned a reputation for making clutch shots throughout his playoff career, and is a huge influence in the locker room. During the 2010 NBA Finals against the Celtics, Fisher was the guiding force behind the Lakers’ huge victory in Game 3 and his tough defense on Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen, who is five inches taller than Fisher, was not to be ignored.

“Derek is very, very tough mentally and physically. He doesn’t back down from anyone,” Bryant said of his backcourt mate. “There’s not enough words or praise that I can use to describe him and how I feel about him.”

According to published reports, Fisher’s contract is a three-year deal, with the third year a player option. The negotiations got off to a slow start, with the Lakers not willing to match the $5 million per year Fisher was paid under his previous contract.

“I have decided to continue with Kobe [Bryant], continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles,” Fisher said in a statement. “While this may not be the most lucrative contract I’ve been offered this off-season, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin…”

Haslem opted to remain with the Heat, according to published reports, turning down bigger offers for the full mid-level exception from the Mavericks and Nuggets. Terms of Haslem’s new deal with the Heat were not available.

The Heat have stated throughout the offseason that bringing back Haslem was one of the team’s top priorities. It became an ever greater necessity when the team acquired All-Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play with Wade in South Beach because Haslem is the type of player who doesn’t need to have the ball to be effective and does all the little things on the court that ultimately lead to winning ballgames.

Udonis Haslem was a key member of the Heat's 2006 championship team. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

“He’s the ultimate Miami Heat warrior,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about the 6-foot-8 seven-year veteran. “Everything we try to have in a Miami Heat player, embodies all the characteristics, that’s Udonis Haslem.  He brings the toughness, he brings the character and he brings the leadership. And he’s true. There’s purity about who he is. He’s a Miami native and he’s special to all of us.”

Haslem, 30, averaged 12.7 points and 10.4 rebounds last season for Miami. In an e-mail to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel Monday, Haslem said, “Turned down full mid level from Dallas and Denver. See u next season.”

Miami is slowing building up its roster to surround Wade, James and Bosh. Joining Haslem on this year’s squad are third-year guard Mario Chalmers, rookies Jarvis Varnardo, Dexter Pittman and Da’Sean Butler and forward Mike Miller, who was acquired this week. The 6-8 guard/forward Miller reportedly inked a five-year deal. Haslem and Miller were former teammates at the University of Florida.

Last year, Haslem lost his starting job to second-year man Michael Beasley, who was recently traded to Minnesota to clear some cap space. Haslem is expected to come off the bench and back up Bosh this season and could play some center.

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Kobe Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, celebrate with Laker fans during the Lakers' championship parade. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The confetti inside Staples Center have all been swept up, but the celebration continued Monday as approximately 500,000 Laker fans flooded a two-mile stretch of downtown Los Angeles to catch a glimpse of the 2010 NBA champions.

Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Ron Artest and the rest of the Lakers rode flatbed 18-wheelers and partied with the rest of the Laker fans, who came as early as 2 a.m. to make sure they got a good spot to see their basketball heroes. The parade began at Staples Center on Figueroa and 11th, and ended at USC’s Galen Center on Jefferson.

Artest wore a Dr. Seuss-looking hat, designed by his daughter, and puffed a victory cigar during the two-hour celebration. Artest, who probably hasn’t slept in almost a week, said he’s going to enjoy this championship for a while, but once the champagne runs out it’s time to go to work. “We have to work harder in the offseason. We can’t have beer bellies,” said the eccentric small forward.

Well said, Ron-Ron. Basically, the Lakers can’t blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-a-a-alcohol if they don’t win it again next year.

It has only been days since the Lakers captured their second consecutive championship, but Laker fans were already chanting “Three-peat!,” “Three-peat!.”

“We’re the favorites because we’re the champs, until someone proves us otherwise. When next season comes around, we’ll be ready. Until that time comes, we’ll enjoy this,” Bryant told Fox Sports’ Michael Eaves.

The Lakers will attempt to win their third consecutive title, something that has been done five times in NBA history. The nucleus of the Lakers are back, but GM Mitch Kupchak has a few decisions to make.

Fisher is one of three key free agents this summer. The other two are backup guards Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown.

The Lakers are expected to re-sign Fisher, a co-captain with Bryant and is the unquestionable vocal leader of the team. It would be a huge upset if the Lakers didn’t bring back Fisher. Farmar and Brown were key members of the Lakers bench, but the Lakers may not be able to afford to keep both, and each player should get offers from other teams.

Should the Lakers lose Farmar or Brown, the team is expected to bring in some free agents such as Steve Black and Luke Ridnour.

However, the biggest free agent the Lakers must deal with is coach Phil Jackson. The 11-time champion says he is 50-50 on returning as coach wants to give this some thought. Lakers owner Jerry Buss could be force to pay Jackson what he wants now that he has brought a 16th world title to L.A.

Health is the main issue for Jackson, who couldn’t attend the parade because his back and legs won’t allow him to stand for a long period of time. He struggles with the day-to-day grind of the NBA, and at 65 years of age, he knows the end of his basketball odyssey is nearing. Bryant has publicly said he wants Jackson to return, and he’s even willing to chip in to pay for Phil’s next contract. Doc Buss may not have a choice but to open up his checkbook, especially if daughter Jeanie Buss, Jackson’s girlfriend, has a say in the negotiations.

If Jackson returns and Fisher is re-signed, the Lakers should be the heavy favorites to win the 2011 title and complete the sixth three-peat in league history.

Video courtesy of NBA.com

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Pau Gasol reacts after scoring a basket against the Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

While accepting the NBA Finals MVP trophy from Bill Russell, Kobe Bryant appeared almost embarrassed that he was receiving an award despite a very subpar performance in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Bryant may have been best player in the series against the Celtics, but it was his teammate Pau Gasol who proved to be more valuable. And deep down somewhere in his cold-blooded body, Bryant knew it.

“I can’t say enough about the Spaniard,” Bryant said, acknowledging the impact of his teammate Pau Gasol in front the 19,000 fans inside Staples Center who were celebrating the Lakers’ back-to-back NBA titles and the franchise’s 16th overall.

“The man was unbelievable. We couldn’t have won it without him,” Bryant continued.

As good as Bryant was in the series, the Celtics defense made him into a volume shooter and had a counter for his every move. However, the Celtics had no answer for the talented 7-foot Spaniard.

Kevin Garnett tried, but he ran out of gas. Rasheed Wallace tried, but he was too old and injured. Kendrick Perkins had some success, but his knee gave out. And Glen “Big Baby” Davis was stout, but he was just too short.

Gasol took on the entire Celtics’ frontcourt and won.

“Think about what we’ve accomplished since he’s come to this team. I don’t know if you can think of another player in the last five, six years that changed teams and had that kind of impact,” Lakers co-captain Derek Fisher said of Gasol. “His skill set and his ability to play the game all the way around: shooting, passing, ball-handling, length, size.”

Since acquiring (ahem! stealing) Gasol from Memphis in 2008, the Lakers have been to three consecutive NBA Finals and won nearly 80% of their games. Gasol immediately clicked with Bryant and the two have become the best 1-2 punch in the Association.

“There is a God,” Bryant said two years ago when the Spaniard first arrived.

Former TNT analyst and current Philadelphia 76ers coach Doug Collins calls Gasol “the most skilled big man in the game.”

I’ll take it one step farther. Pau Gasol is the BEST big man in the game.

His performance in the seven-game series against Boston was Hall-of-Fame stuff, and that alone should elevate him to first-team All-NBA status. In my book, he has surpassed Orlando’s Dwight Howard as the best low-post player in the NBA.

Howard (aka Blankman) relies solely on his athletic talents to dominate games. Gasol may not possess Howard’s brute strength and explosive legs, but his skill level is far greater than Howard’s. It’s not even close.

Gasol is so much more polished as a low-post player. He can score with either hand, passes well out of double teams, has an above-average mid-range jump shot, makes free throws, is a very underrated l0w-post defender and knows how to stay out of foul trouble.

Gasol also has a very high basketball IQ, which allows the Lakers to run their high-post sets through him. His ability to read defenses and make the correct play is about as good as any big man who has ever played the game. Just ask Steve Nash.

“He’s extremely long,” said the Suns All-Star point guard, whose team struggled to contain Gasol in the 2010 Western Conference Finals. “He’s a good shooter and passer for a big guy. He can look over the defense, look over double teams. He’s extremely versatile. He can put the ball on the floor and make plays. He’s a terrific player.”

Gasol was an absolute beast in the deciding game against Boston, scoring 19 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. When the Lakers, including Bryant, were launching brick, after brick, after brick, it was Gasol who kept giving his teammates extra possessions with his game-high nine offensive rebounds. His determined effort afforded the Lakers a 53-40 rebounding advantage – 23-8 on the offensive boards.

“If you don’t make shots you have to make sure you get your second-chance opportunities, and that’s pretty much what I figured early on in the game,” Gasol said. “So we had to work extremely hard to get those boards, pursue them to get our opportunities because we weren’t shooting the ball well. We were rushing a little bit. It’s Game 7. There’s a lot of pressure, there’s a lot going on. So we just continue to hustle, continue to work.”

In the last two games at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Gasol scored 36 points, grabbed 31 rebounds and had 13 assists. For the series, he averaged 18.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

“What I see from him is just a little actions that represent not backing down, getting hit, taking the blow, absorbing it, not reacting to it one way or the other with the mentality of looking at the referee or wonder about the blow or the legitimacy of it. Those are the things that he has learned in the last year and half or two,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Gasol, who was heavily criticized for playing “soft” against the Celtics in the 2008 Finals.

He obviously learned his lesson and has gotten physically stronger.

The perception is that Gasol tends to shy away from contact. On the exterior, he appears to be this whimpy guy who easily gets bullied. But in reality, he’s about as tough as they come and he proved it Game 7.

Two plays late in the fourth quarter against Boston captured Gasol’s evolution as a clutch performer.

The first was his block on Paul Pierce that allowed the Lakers to maintain their four-point lead. Then, after a Bryant miss, Gasol gobbled up a rebound over Rajon Rondo and passed to a cutting Bryant, who then drew a foul that resulted in two free throws. Bryant’s free throws gave the Lakes a 76-70 lead.

“I was able to box him out, hold him with one arm and get it with the other one and kick it out,” Gasol recalled. “I’m pretty proud of that play. Those little plays, those little things make a huge difference, especially at that point of the game. I’m glad that things turned out the way they did and we’re enjoying this incredible victory.”

Gasol has come a long way in his basketball journey. He has supplanted Dirk Nowitzki as the best European player in the NBA, but he’s got bigger goals than just being a flag-bearer for European or international players. He continues to work because he wants to be considered the best.

And I think he’s there now.

“For me, it’s incredible. It’s like I’m living in a different dimension,” Gasol said of winning a second NBA championship ring. “If I could get a Genie and asked for a wish, this would be my wish as far as my basketball life and career. I’m so thankful for having this opportunity. I continued to work hard and it has really paid off.”

Though the Lakers didn’t play their best in the finale, the fact that they were able to grind out a come-from-behind victory against the supposedly more grittier team in the Celtics was quite an achievement, and Gasol was right in the middle of it.

“It just tells how much we wanted this, and how much will and determination we put into this,” Gasol said. “It’s very sweet. It feels amazing to win a championship. It definitely adds up when you beat Boston. Especially the rivalry, the history of the franchises and our individual and personal history in 2008. It feels that much better. We won the championship, and that’s the ultimate accomplishment.”

Gasol added: “We’ve definitely grown. We’ve definitely grown as a team, grown as individuals and obviously it shows. Back-to-back championships is a pretty tough thing to do and we’re proud of that. Now we want to enjoy it, embrace it and have a beautiful summer.”

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Ron Artest enjoys his first NBA championship. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

A lot of people may not know this but Ron Artest is a loyal guy to the core. He has never forgotten where he came from (say Queensbridge!) and he goes out of his way to thank all those people who have helped him along the way – including his therapist.

During his proudest moment as a basketball player, just minutes after having a game for the ages in the deciding game of the 2010 NBA Finals to capture his first NBA championship, the ever unpredictable Ron Artest recalled his time with the Indiana Pacers and managed to recognize his former teammates and former managers Donnie Walsh and Larry Bird, saying how disappointed he was that he couldn’t share his greatest moment with them.

“When I was younger, I bailed out on my Indiana team,” Artest admitted after the Lakers’ 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7.

“I was so young, so egotistical and I bailed out on Donnie, Larry, Jermaine [O'Neal], [Jamaal] Tinsley, [Jeff] Foster, who never bails out. He just fights for you, for your team. Steve Jackson, who already had a ring, and he continued to fight for us,” Artest continued. “Sometimes I feel like a coward, you know, when I see those guys because, now that I’m on the Lakers, I had a chance to win with you guys. I never thought God would put me in this situation because of that.”

Artest feels that he owed the Pacers something after the ugly incident he ignited 16 years ago at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., where he infamously went into the stands with Jackson and started an all-out brawl that still haunts the league to this day.

He may feel like he let down the Pacers but he certainly didn’t disappoint his new team, the L.A. Lakers, with the way he performed in Game 7 of The Finals against L.A.’s chief rival.

In the biggest game of his career, Artest played a superb all-around game, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds and recording five steals in 46 minutes. And his defense throughout the series on Celtics forward Paul Pierce was top notch.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Artest was the Lakers’ MVP of Game 7 and was a big reason why the Lakers were able to escape with hard-fought victory and a big reason why the Lakers are celebrating their second consecutive NBA title and the franchise’s 16th overall.

“I want to thank Dr. Santi. She would come and help me relax in these moments because I’m not good at these moments,” Artest admitted. “And I know that about myself. So, what do I do to be good a these moments? We figured it out. I needed some type of way to relax during these moments. I missed a couple of threes, but then I trusted everything that she told me.”

So Ron Artest tells the whole world that he owes it all to his therapist. Great. Now, this surely validates the notion that a good therapy session can remedy all the craziness in Hollywood.

Artest’s outside shooting was absolutely therapeutic, though, because the Lakers badly needed offense on Thursday night against a very stingy Boston defense. With Kobe Bryant struggling and the rest of the Lakers were shooting just 28% from the field, Artest rescued the offense with some timely 3-point shots and his tenacity on defense kept Pierce and company from blowing the game open.

Artest said that even though Bryant was having an off night, he was still impacting the game.

“Kobe wanted to win. He didn’t want to lose. He was determined. He was Kobe Bryant, Black Mamba,” Artest explained. “Later in the second half, he started to move the ball and attack and pass. He trusted us and he made us feel so good, and he passed me the ball. He never passed me the ball.”

The “pass” Artest was talking about was the one Bryant fed him late in the fourth quarter. With the game hanging on the balance, Artest drained a 3-pointer from the wing with under two minutes remaining to put the Lakers ahead by six, 79-73. As Artest jogged back to play defense, he blew kisses to the crowd.

“Kobe passed me the ball and I shot a three,” exulted Artest while raising his arms up and down during his postgame press conference.

“And Phil didn’t want me to shoot the three. I heard him because he’s the Zen Master,” Artest said while pointed to his ear. “He can speak to you and he don’t need a microphone. You can hear him in your head, ‘Ron, don’t shoot. Don’t shoot.’

“I said, ‘Whatever. Pong! Three! Woo, hoo!’ ”

Of course, Artest was being overly dramatic with his story a little bit, but he’s Hollywood now. And you can’t blame the guy for being happy. He’s finally a world champion and this title can’t be taken away from him.

“My history in the playoffs is I’ll have two good games then I’ll have a bad game. Today was one of those where I trusted myself and I didn’t settle for shots. I just want to thank Coach Jackson and Kobe for having me and giving me this opportunity.

“I’m just really, really enjoying this. I just can’t wait to go to the club.”

Say Queensbridge! Say Queensbridge!

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Game 7 is here!

Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles is jumping early, but you can feel the tension in the building. Laker fans are in full force, with a few Celtic fans sprinkled around the arena.

Tons of streaks are on the line, as well as legacies. Game 7 is where star players become legends. This is one of those career-defining moments that would be replayed over and over again. It’s the Lakers against the Celtics. Amazing does happen! A quarter-by-quarter account of Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals:

FIRST QUARTER:

Derek Fisher opens the scoring with a 3-pointer. Lakers are pounding the offensive boards early and Pau Gasol is having his way against Kevin Garnett on the glass, but can’t finish. Gasol also missed two free throws, a clear message that he’s as tight as a low-rise jeans. Lakers have a 9-0 edge on the offensive boards, but are missing a lot of easy shots.

Ron Artest appears to be lost. Phil Jackson may need to buy him a GPS so he can finally re-join the action.

Rajon Rondo gets a couple of easy baskets and Rasheed Wallace is 2-for-3 from the field early. Wallace goes out with four minutes left in the quarter in favor of Big Baby Davis, who immediately contributes with a couple of layups and two free throws.

The opening tip of Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

Artest’s inactivity has allowed Paul Pierce to sag on defense and is playing free safety. Lakers appear very tight, while the Celtics are in total sync defensively. The winner of the first quarter has gone on to win each game in the series. Not a good sign for L.A. CELTICS 23, LAKERS 14.

SECOND QUARTER

Despite shooting poorly from the field, Lakers continue to pound the glass and that is what’s keeping them in the game. Kobe Bryant makes a short jumper (he’s 2-for8 from the field thus far) and Artest gets a put-back off an offensive rebound to get the Lakers to within four, 23-19, with 10 minutes left in the quarter.

After Wallace missed a three, Lakers had three chances at 3-pointers but Artest, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic all missed. Bryant re-enters and immediately sets up Gasol for an easy layup. Artest takes the ball out of Ray Allen’s and scores a layup to tie the game, 23-23. Staples crowd finally has something to cheer about.

Celtics are in a serious drought, and haven’t scored in four minutes. Both teams are playing so hard that it is affecting their offense. More bricks than swishes in the first half.

Just saw Ellen Pompeo. Loved her in “Old School.”

Artest finally makes a 3-point shot and he points to the stands. I think he was giving props to his man Boogie. Lakers continue to jack up threes. Not sure why. Memo to the Lakers: If you have an open three, it doesn’t mean you have to take it. There’s a reason why you they’re leaving you open.

Bryant and Gasol are a combined 6-for-26 in the first half. Yikes!

Lamar Odom’s head is somewhere else besides Staples. LO has one more point than his wife Kloe Kardashian. LOL!

Artest and Pierce gets tangled up under the basket and both got double Ts for staring at each other. Brian Scalabrine sighting! Who gave him tickets to the arena? I guess Doc Rivers feels he can’t do any damage in 34 seconds. Lakers shoot a miserable 26% from the field and Pierce got to the free throw line late to give Boston a six-point cushion. CELTICS 40, LAKERS 34.

Halftime.

THIRD QUARTER

Celtics start the half with an alley-oop to Garnett on a feed from Rondo, who is playing a very controlled game. Celtics go up 42-34. Kobe misses a long three. He’s 3-for-15 for the game. Just as I was typing that, Kobe just missed another three. Make that 3-for-16.

Garnett’s 3-point play and Rondo’s floater in the paint gives the Celtics their biggest lead of the game, 47-36, at the 9:45 mark. After a Laker timeout, Bryant misses another jumper (3-for-17!). Rondo follow-up gives Boston a 49-36 lead. Bryant finally ends his drought with a short mid-range jumper to cut the lead to 10.

Celtics have stalled a little bit, allowing the Lakers to make a little run. Artest blows a layup, but Odom follows. His first field goal, cutting the lead to six at 51-45 five minutes remaining in the quarter.

Kobe turns the ball over and his teammates jog back on defense. Pierce hits a three to push Boston’s lead back to nine. Fisher heads to the locker room. Shannon Brown in the ballgame. Lakers had a chance to cut the lead to under five, but Bryant turns the ball over which leads to a Celtic fastbreak. Ray Allen is 1-for-9 from the field. He’s not walking on water in Game 7.

Odom follow up makes it a four-point game with under two minutes left. Odom has provided a nice spark off the bench. Both teams looked gassed. Starters played heavy minutes in that quarter so the benches will play a pivotal role in the fourth quarter. CELTICS 57, LAKERS 53.

FOURTH QUARTER

Gasol posts up Big Baby Davis, gets fouled and hits the shot. Lead down to two. Pierce overdribbles and turns the ball over. The two best players in the series are struggling mightily. Did I say both teams are gassed? Geez. This is like a marathon with both runners stumbling across the finish line. Water break!

Kobe is playing like someone with a 500-pound weight on his shoulders. Everything is a struggle, even with his ball handling. His timing has been off the whole game and he just can’t find a rhythm on offense. Still plenty of time to correct his issues, but as the game wears on that 500-pound weight becomes heavier and heavier by the minute.

Kobe Bryant protects the ball from Paul Pierce (left) and Rasheed Wallace during Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

Bryant catches a break when Ray Allen got his arms locked up with Kobe’s shooting arm. Three free throws for Bryant, which could get him going. Kobe hits all three. It’s now a 59-58 ballgame! Artest scores and gets fouled. His 3-point play ties the game, 59-59 with seven minutes left.

Fisher back in the game, which is key because he’s one of the best clutch shooters in the game. Lakers need his offense and leadership down the stretch. Gasol misses two free throws. Lakers are now 13-for-21 on the line. If L.A. ends up losing this game, they can point to the missed free throws as killers.

Fisher on cue! He hits a huge 3-pointer with 6:13 left to tie the game at 64. Rondo misses a shot and Kobe grabs the rebound and gets fouled. This could be a big five-point swing for L.A. I’m exhausted typing up the action. Imagine how those players feel on the court. Lakers role players have done enough to keep the Lakers in the game. Now it’s Bryant’s turn to close the deal.

Bryant’s FTs give the Lakers their first lead since the second quarter, 66-64, then hits a jumper over Ray Allen to give the Lakers a four-point lead. Doc Rivers is sensing this game is slowly slipping away. Timeout Celtics.

Boston’s offense is on a serious gridlock. Pierce is tired. KG is running on fumes. Where are the Celtics going to get some offense? It doesn’t appear C’s have enough left in the tank to finish this game. They are just fouling the Lakers at this point, which is a sign of a very, very tired team.

Lakers are two minutes away from an NBA championship.

Gasol may have just iced the game. He blocks Pierce’s layup on one end and then drops in a shot on the other end to give L.A. a six-point lead with 90 seconds remaining in the NBA season, 76-70. The crowd is sensing a big-time celebration. Cue the riot squad because there is a party about to happen on 11th and Figueroa.

Wallace, Artest and Ray Allen exchange 3-point shots. With under 40 seconds left, Bryant jacks up a three but Gasol gets the rebound (L.A.’s 23rd offensive rebound), feeds Bryant and he gets fouled. Gasol has been huge in the fourth quarter. I think he just elevated himself to first-team All-NBA status. Kobe makes both foul shots to make it 81-76 with 25 seconds left. Artest has been huge in this game. He’s got 20 points and has locked up Pierce on defense. Queensbridge in the house!

Rondo knocks down a miracle three to cut the L.A. lead to two, 81-79. Rondo then knocks the ball out of bounds with 13 seconds left. Vujacic is fouled by Allen. Facing the two biggest FTs of his life, Sasha swishes two HUGE free throws. Somewhere in Phoenix, Goran Dragic is cursing at his TV.

Rondo misses a 3-pointer and Gasol grabs the rebound (his 18th of the game), outlets to Odom and he flings the ball down the court to Kobe, who runs out the clock. As the great Chick Hearn would say: “The game is in the refrigerator. The door is closed, the eggs are cooling, the butter is getting hard and the Jell-O’s jiggling.” Lakers win the NBA title! LAKERS 83, CELTICS 79.

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Though Pau Gasol is focused on winning an NBA championship, his heart is still in Spain.

So, when the Spanish national team suffered a stunning 1-0 loss to Switzerland in its first match in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Gasol felt the pain of his countrymen.

“Tough loss. Not the way we expected our team to start the championship,” said the Lakers forward, who plays for Spain’s national team in basketball. “It puts them in a position where they have to win probably the two games they have left against Honduras and Chile.”

Gasol said he watched the Spain-Switzerland match on TV and was just as surprised as anyone when the second-ranked team in the World Cup couldn’t score against the Swiss defense.

“I woke up this morning and I couldn’t sleep anymore,” Gasol said. “It’s 8:30 and I turn the game on and the next thing I know we’re down 1-0 and struggling and scrambling to try to score a goal. It happens. Soccer is an interesting sport and it was unfortunate that we started out that way, but we still have a long ways to go.”

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Game 7. Celtics vs. Lakers. The NBA couldn’t have scripted this any better.

One game will decide the 2010 NBA Finals and it will come down to the two superpowers of the league. The Boston Celtics, winners of 17 world titles, take on the Los Angeles Lakers, owners of 15 world titles. The great Celtics’ defense vs. the Lakers’ triangle offense. Celtic Pride vs. Showtime. The 2008 NBA champion vs. the 2009 NBA champion.

“This is for all the marbles,” said Celtics captain Paul Pierce. “It’s the last game of the season. There’s no turning back and no excuses.”

Game 7 brings out the best and worst in teams. Some can handle the pressure, some can’t.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers certainly understands the enormity of the moment. “It is here and I hope we embrace it,” Rivers said.

Lakers forward Ron Artest and Celtics forward Paul Pierce will go head-to-head in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

Lakers coach Phil Jackson describes Game 7 as a “really high tension situation” and theorizes that “a lot of times it’s not about the coaching. It’s about who comes out and provides the energy on the floor and play the kind of game that dictates the kind of game they want to dictate.”

Former Celtic Kevin McHale, who played in a Celtic-Laker Game 7 in The Finals in 1984, says the team that imposes their will is the team that wins Game 7, comparing it to a 48-minute fist fight.

However, you paint it or describe it, Game 7 of the NBA Finals is the ultimate game.

Celtics guard Ray Allen probably said it best: “This is definitely a special treat just for the NBA, knowing that we’re going to a Game 7, this is The Finals and it’s the Celtics and the Lakers.”

Kobe Bryant says if he has to tell his teammates how important this game is then his team doesn’t deserve to be champions. He is also approaching this game with the same fervor and intensity he has brought to the court since the start of the playoffs.

“No different to me. Hate to be a buzzkill,” Bryant claimed. “I know what’s at stake, but I’m not trippin. It’s a game we gotta win, it’s as simple as that. I’m not going crazy over it.”

Bryant continued: “My approach is doing what I always do. Because it’s a Game 7 you’d do anything different? If you play hard all the time you just gotta do the same thing you’re accustomed to doing.”

But Kobe is not the only one overflowing with confidence heading into the league’s ultimate game.

“We got some ballers on our team, guys that are ready to play,” Allen boasted. “You can’t shake the character on this team. We’re a group of trash-talking guys, and we compete at everything we do. Everybody believes they can make the shot or stop the guy from scoring. When it comes to Game 7, this is what we’re born to do.”

A few streaks are on the line as the Finals move into the final game of the season:

– Phil Jackson is 47-0 after he wins the first game of a playoff series, which his Lakers did.

– The team that wins Game 3 after a series is tied 1-1 is a perfect 10-0 (the Lakers won Game 3, 91-84) in the NBA Finals since the league adopted the 2-3-2 format.

– The Celtics have never lost a playoff series (7-0) when Kevin Garnett plays.

– The Celtics are 11-0 in their franchise history when leading 3-2 in a best-of-seven series in The Finals.

– The Celtics are 7-0 all-time in Game 7s and 4-0 against the Lakers in Game 7.

Pierce believes the Celtics can’t afford to put forth the same weak effort they displayed in Game 6, a game in which the Lakers dominated from start to finish and won going away, 87-69.

“We have to find a way to come out here and play to a certain level to compete with them,” Pierce said. “You have to understand they’re the defending world champs with a chance at a title. We gotta come out a lot harder. And I promise you, when I stand here Thursday, we will not be talking about energy.”

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Lakers center Andrew Bynum played only 16 minutes in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals and told Phil Jackson that he felt a little tightness in the back of his right leg, which made it difficult for him to run up and down the court.

“He wasn’t able to move fluidly in the second half,” Jackson said. “He just said ‘Take me out, I can’t run.’ He had some swelling in the back of his leg, and we’ll have to work on that, ice it down and control that.”

Jackson added: “Of course it concerns us. Both teams are playing without players at this time. You just have to gut it through.”

Bynum, 22, has been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since the first round and he re-aggravated the injury in Game 3 of The Finals and has been limited since. He is averaging 9.6 points per game in the series.

The 7-foot center started Game 6 but scored just two points, was 1-for-4 from the field and had just four rebounds. He will be re-evaluated Wednesday, but is expected to play in Game 7.

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The L.A. Lakers are a proud basketball team that doesn’t easily back down from challenge – at least the leaders of the team don’t.

So, after losing two of three in Boston, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson and team co-captain Kobe Bryant were in very salty moods. And who can blame them? For the first time in the 2010 NBA postseason, the Lakers trail a best-of-seven series 3-2 and are on the brink of elimination. Bryant and Jackson have had to answer a boatload of questions regarding the team’s shortcomings, but in reality, the Celtics should be given credit for holding serve and now it’s the Lakers’ turn to do the same.

“If you look at it they’ve come home and carried the 3-2 lead back and it’s basically homecourt, homecourt. Now we’re going back to [our] homecourt, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Jackson explained.

When Jackson was asked about the leaky Lakers defense, the Lakers coach pretty much dismissed it and thought L.A. defended well enough to win Game 5.

“If I’m not mistaken they scored 92 points, am I right? We’ll live with that and come back and play that game again, regardless of what they shot,” Jackson said. “They had their run, we know they’re gonna have their run and as I told the players before the game this team is going to shoot well one of these games. They haven’t shot well, yet, on their homecourt so they’re gonna have a game when they shoot well and you’re just going to have hang with them.”

Boston’s defense has gotten much of the credit for putting the Celtics ahead in this series, and Bryant believes the team dominates the hustle board and plays with more efficiency on offense has come out on top.

Kobe Bryant says the Lakers have a challenge ahead of them down 3-2 in the NBA Finals. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

“They got all the hustle points, got all the loose balls and offensive rebounds down the stretch,” Bryant said. “They just got to every ball. They played with more tenacity than we did, and we have to do a much better job in Game 6.”

Bryant continued: “They do a good job defensively. We normally do a good job moving the ball. We missed a lot of shots. We shot 37 percent, but that’s a testament to their defense as well. To be honest with you, the offensive part of the game kinda comes and goes. I just felt like defensively we weren’t very good at all. We didn’t get any stops. They shot layup, after layup, after layup. Can’t survive when a team shoots 57 percent.”

So, how confident is Bryant that his Lakers can win these next two games at home to win the NBA title?

“Nah, I’m not very confident at all,” Bryant joked, then broke into a wide grin to accentuate his sarcasm.

“We have a challenge, obviously, down 3-2. It is what it is,” Bryant said. “You go home, you got two games at home that you need to win. Pull your boots up and get to work.”

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The only thing standing in the way of Kobe Bryant and winning a fifth NBA championship is the Boston Celtics. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Kobe Bryant wanted to win another NBA title so bad it nearly cost him.

Despite shooting a pathetic 6-for-26 in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Bryant was awarded the Finals MVP trophy as he celebrated his fifth NBA championship.

Is Bryant the greatest Laker of all time? That’s the unavoidable question that everyone seems to be throwing around now that Bryant has just as many championship rings as basketball Hall-of-Famers and Laker legends Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and four more than his idol Jerry West.

Few can argue Johnson’s status as GLE (Greatest Laker Ever). He owns five championship rings, six MVPs (three in the NBA Finals) and made arguably the greatest shot in Lakers history when he swished the junior skyhook against the Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals.

And, oh by the way, his bronze statue stands on Star Plaza at Staples Center.

Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal and Abdul-Jabbar are three of the best players in NBA history, but because they played for other teams longtime Laker fans – as well as Dr. Buss – consider them as hired guns.

For whatever reason, Kareem has always taken a backseat to Magic. Just look at their positions in the current Lakers hierarchy. Magic is part owner while Kareem is a special assistant. Fair? Probably not. Dr. Buss has always favored Magic over Kareem. Same goes with West over Wilt and Kobe over Shaq.

West and Johnson played their entire careers with the Lakers, and Bryant has a no-trade clause in his big, fat contract so he should finish his career wearing purple and gold.

West has told everyone who would listen that Bryant is, without a doubt, the best player to ever wear the Laker uniform. Kobe is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, the 2008 regular-season MVP, a two-time Finals MVP and a five-time world champion.

However, there is a dark side to Bryant that has kept him from becoming Mr. Laker. Often times, Bryant can be very pugnacious toward the media, which really hurts his Q rating.

Bryant is a polarizing figure. He is both loved and hated. He may go down in history as the most talented Laker of all time, but his off-the-court persona and his 2004 rape charge still haunt him.

If Bryant had Magic’s personality, he would easily be the most beloved celebrity in Southern California. Right now, he’s stuck somewhere between Vic “The Brick” Jacobs and Kim Kardashian in the likeability rating.

But all of this may soon change now that Bryant has filled one hand with championship rings, and has a very good shot at surpassing Michael Jordan – who many consider as the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). It’s all about the rings, and Kobe is far from done.

Bryant certainly solidified his Laker legacy with a Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, the same franchise that broke West’s heart seven times in the Finals and the same franchise that Johnson had to hurdle to cement his legacy.

When Bryant was asked if he needed to defeat the Celtics in order to be considered the greatest Laker of all time, Kobe said “no” at first but then came clean after the Lakers’ 83-79 victory in Game 7.

“I was just lying to you guys,” Bryant admitted. “When you’re in the moment you have to suppress them. Because if you get caught up in the hype of it all you don’t really play your best basketball. But I mean you guys know what a student I am. I know every series that the Lakers have played in. I’m a Laker nut. I know every Celtic series, I know every statistic so it meant the world to me. But I couldn’t focus on that. I had to focus on playing.”

He added, “It was the most physical one. They believed they could beat us, especially after what happened in ‘08. Guys made big shots. It was tough. They weren’t going to beat themselves.”

Of course beating the Celtics meant the world to Bryant. This is a guy who can recite the NBA record book in his sleep and works himself to exhaustion to maintain his status as the No. 1 player in the world.

“It’s not in the front of his mind. It’s about his personality. It’s about winning,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bryant’s alleged quest to surpass Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan. “I think in retrospect he’s going to see that at some point.”

When longtime L.A. sportscaster Jim Hill asked Bryant what a fifth ring meant to him personally, Bryant took a shot at a former teammate and a current rival. “I just got one more than Shaq. So you can take that to the bank,” Bryant said with a big smile on his face. “You know how I am. I don’t forget anything.”

A lot of times, Bryant’s comments drip with sarcasm. But his verbal shot at O’Neal was calculated and serious. It was a direct response to O’Neal’s disparaging remarks through a rap song two years ago after Bryant’s Lakers lost in the ‘08 Finals. Like Bryant told the media, he never forgets anything – and he means it. Kobe had more chips on his shoulders than Phil Hellmuth.

Jackson said when he first became the Lakers coach, he received a call from West, the Lakers’ vice president and player personnel director at the time, and West told him that Bryant wished to bump up his scoring average close to 30 points – just like West and Elgin Baylor did for much of their Laker careers – but knew it would be difficult because O’Neal was the focal point of the offense.

“At that time of his career at 21, which was the age Kobe was at that time, he was very concerned about his mortality and how history is going to look at him as a basketball player,” Jackson said. “This time, I don’t think it’s in the back of his mind that he has to catch Magic or he has to catch Michael. He wants to win.”

If Bryant wins a sixth NBA title, it should not only vault him over Magic as the greatest Laker of all time but it should propel him into the Jordan conversation.

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