The Twelfth Star

"Are we finally about to win our twelfth championship?" Jerry West had combed his hair impeccably as he joined his boss, Old Buss, in welcoming the heroes returning from Chicago!

The wind at the airport was strong. Even a wastrel like Jim Buss stood there eagerly.

Heroes! These Lakers fully deserved the title!

Since 1988, the Lakers had never again tasted the joy of a championship—the happiness that came from the marrow of one's bones, the unforgettable sense of honor. The Lakers had not enjoyed any of it again.

Eleven stars had glittered at center court for far too long! They desperately needed a new addition!

As the team with the second-most championships in NBA history, every Laker dreamed at every moment of surpassing Boston's sixteen stars.

It was Kobe! It was Shaq!

They had brought the Lakers back to the championship stage!

Last year's narrow defeat had forged a team tougher and more possessed of championship mettle this year.

Seventy-nine points!

The greatest Finals performance in history!

He had blasted the God of Basketball to death!

Even West admitted that, at his peak, he would have had absolutely no way of producing such a performance!

That was seventy-nine points in the Finals!

Greatness!

This game had sent the entire sporting world into a frenzy.

Even people who had never heard of basketball would repeatedly see replays and commentary on the game in their own countries' media.

A classic battle! A classic battle for the entire world and the entire sports world. This game would become a defining work of basketball.

Whenever basketball was mentioned, this game would have to be mentioned!

Even West, who had weathered countless storms, could not help but feel his blood boil when he watched this game!

Now, they were just one step away from