Kobe Bryant helps soak Ron Artest in champagne in the Lakers ‘ locker room. Bryant earned his fifth championship ring. Artest, who scored 20 points in Game 7, earned his first. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Coach Phil Jackson and the Lakers get a champagne shower as they celebrate their second consecutive NBA title on Thursday night in their locker room at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Kobe Bryant hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy during the Lakers’ celebration of their 16th NBA championship after an 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ron Artest celebrates after the Lakers defeated the Celtics to win the NBA Championship in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Big men Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum embrace in the middle of the Lakers’ celebration on the Staples Center court following an 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Kobe Bryant stands on the scorers’ table at Staples Center after the Lakers defeated the Celtics to win the NBA championship on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Coach Phil Jackson is surrounded by family and friends after the Lakers won Game 7 of the NBA Finals, 83-79, over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Derek Fisher and his wife Candace celebrate on the Staples Center court following the Lakers’ 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers players celebrate winning the NBA championship as Celtics Paul Pierce walks off the court at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Kobe Bryant and his Lakers teammates begin to celebrate their 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers Derek Fisher (2), Ron Artest (37) and Kobe Bryant (background) begin to celebrate after their 83-79 victory over the Boston Celtics earned them the NBA championship on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Boston power forward Kevin Garnett strips the ball from Lakers forward Ron Artest during play in the fourth quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers power forward Pau Gasol and Boston power forward Glen Davis have different reactions after Gasol made a basket and drew a foul in the fourth quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers power forward Pau Gasol has the ball knocked from his grasp by Boston forward-center Rasheed Wallace in the third quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers power forward Pau Gasol wrestles a loose ball away from Celtics guard Tony Allen during the third quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Boston power forward Kevin Garnett reacts after the Celtics scored a basket against the Lakers in the third quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers forward Ron Artest tries to split the defense of Boston’s Paul Pierce, left, and Rasheed Wallace in the third quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant elevates for a pull-up jumper over Boston guard Ray Allen in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant puts on the brakes and goes for a behind-the-back dribble in an attempt to get around Boston guard Ray Allen during the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Boston power forward Glen Davis goes for a reverse layup against the Lakers during the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers forward Ron Artest and Celtics forward Paul Pierce go face to face after getting tangled while battling for rebounding position in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. Each were hit with a technical foul on the play. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Derek Fisher looks for a steal against Boston forward Paul Pierce, but Fisher was called for a foul on the play in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant started cold in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night, missing five of his first six shots against Boston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Boston forward-center Rasheed Wallace elevates for a blocked shot against Lakers power forward Pau Gasol in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Derek Fisher fouls Boston forward Paul Pierce while going for a steal in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett does his best to make sure Lakers guard Kobe Bryant can’t get off a difficult shot during the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
As Jack Nicholson abandons his courtside seat for a fallen Kevin Garnett (5) of Boston, fans grab for the loose basketball in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Boston forward Paul Pierce (34) is forced into an awkward pass by the defense of Lakers forward Ron Artest (37) and Lamar Odom in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers forward Lamar Odom is raked across the arm by Boston forward-center Rasheed Wallace as Odom tries to split the defense of Boston guard Tony Allen and Wallace in the second quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic decides to pass to an open teammate after driving into the heart of the Celtics defense in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Byrant stumbles over Boston power forward Rasheed Wallace as he tries to keep his balance and possession of the ball during a scramble under the hoop in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers power forward Pau Gasol gets hit in the face by Boston forward-center Rasheed Wallace as they go after a rebound along with Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett and Lakers center Andrew Bynum in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant power his way to a layup past Celtics guard Ray Allen in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Celtics forward-center Rasheed Wallace is replaced by teammate Glen Davis during the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Celtics guard Ray Allen falls to the court in trying to gather a loose ball against Lakers forward Ron Artest in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Byant draws a crowd of Boston defenders -- (from left) Ray Allen, Glen Davis and Paul Pierce -- on a drive in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers power forward Pau Gasol finds the going tough against the defense of Boston center Rasheed Wallace in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant leaps over Boston point guard Rajon Rondo during a scramble for a loose ball in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers center Andrew Bynum battles Boston center Rasheed Wallace for a rebound in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers center Andrew Bynum loses control of the ball as he drives to the hoop between Celtics big men Rasheed Wallace (30) and Kevin Garnett during the first quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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While Boston power forward Kevin Garnett (5) boxes out Lakers power forward Pau Gasol, Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) goes after the rebound in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant finds himself in a double-team trap by Boston guard Ray Allen and power forward Kevin Garnett in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Lakers center Andrew Bynum provides help defense as Celtics forward Paul Pierce drives toward the basket in the first half of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Boston point guard Rajon Rondo fouls Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in the first quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant loses his balance as Celtics power forward Rasheed Wallace tries to pull the ball from his grasp during the first quarter of Game 7 on Thursday night at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)