On May 29, 2007, the immediate future of the Lakers looked foredoomed. Kobe Bryant, the league’s premier talent and Dr. Jerry Buss’ meal ticket for the last decade, had gone on national sports radio and declared his desire to be traded. The organization, he said, was an utter mess, a wayward ship run by simpletons. He called his employers dishonest and said he would rather play anywhere but for the franchise that traded for him on Draft Day 1996.

It is indeed amazing what 365 days can change. Exactly a year to the day that Bryant threw his team (and his teammates) under the bus, the Lakers clinched a place in the NBA Finals after defeating the Spurs 100-92 on Thursday night in Los Angeles. That sort of coincidence and ultimate happy ending would never get past the first draft of a poorly written Hollywood drama; it would be too corny, too unbelievable, too neatly packaged to be taken seriously. Yet it is exactly what’s happened in the City of Angels this season, and by dominating the Spurs for much of this five-game Western Conference Final, the Lakers have made themselves the clear favourite to raise the Larry O’Brien trophy in two weeks time.

When the Finals tip off next Thursday in either Boston, the Lakers will be making their 23rd appearance since moving from Minneapolis in 1961. The nine titles they have captured during their time in Los Angeles, in addition to the five they cleared in Minneapolis, has made them arguably the marquee franchise in David Stern’s empire. From Jerry West to Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain to Shaquille O’Neal, some of the greatest players ever have each donned purple-and-gold. That Kobe Bryant had already secured his place amongst those immortals was clear long ago: three championships in a row will do that. But now Bryant and his new band of merry running mates have the opportunity to crave out their own unique slice of Lakers lore. With all the storylines and extracurricular events that have circled this season, it would seem only fitting that they reach the summit of the NBA’s mountain. All that remains to be seen is if they can knock the East’s champ from off hilltop with them.

Bryant scored 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter on Thursday when his Lakers ousted the San Antonio Spurs. His will to win has never been more evident, as he seemed to enter another level of intensity and singular focus as the game wore on. His team down early by as much as 17 at one point, Bryant raised his concentration to whatever level was necessary to push his young supporting group forward. Whenever Tim Duncan hit a big shot, Bryant responded in kind, almost immediately. Whenever Tony Parker made a breath-taking move to the hoop, Bryant raised his will one more notch. He did not do so necessarily in the manner he has in the past: he took only 11 free throws in this series after attempting 96 against Utah in the second round. Instead, he raised his efficiency across the board (including shooting over 53% for the series, a career best for a postseason round) and imposed his will to score on a helpless Bruce Bowen.

For the first time in nearly half a decade though, Bryant was never, ever alone in his excellence. His teammates have been equally as special in their performances throughout the first three rounds, and while he is the captain steering this LA ship, they collectively are the oars that move the boat. Pau Gasol stuffed the boxscore as much as one player could possibly hope to: 12 points, a career playoff-high 19 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. That sort of all-around contribution speaks to how improved the rest of the Lakers are. Bryant and friends will now get a week to fine tune their offensive execution and defensive switches, and while there is the potential that they gain some rust from a prolonged break, there is equally the frightful idea that they will be more rested and more confident. With Games 3, 4 and 5 in Los Angeles, it is likely that the Boston Celtics don’t want anything to do with a trip to Southern California: the Lakers are 8-0 at Staples Center this postseason and they haven’t lost at home in over two months (in total they have won 14 straight home games)

Even more than the home court advantage, it’s the Lakeshow’s youth, quickness, speed and team athleticism that will have their green and white opponents climbing the walls, things the Spurs have seen first hand. San Antonio was out of this contest practically before it even started: in losing their 20-point lead late in Game 1, the Spurs blew their only chance to steal the Lakers’ youthful enthusiasm. Bryant knows that enthusiasm, combined with the young legs of his teammates, will need to continue to carry them. A year removed from his darkest period at the organization, he and his team are back atop the mountain.