2002 SPORTS: COURT OF DRAMA LAKERS' ROAD TO THREE-PEAT BUMPY.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

It was a season that started with so much promise, thoughts of a Lakers three-peat slam dunk dancing in the heads of fans after the 2001-2002 Lakers had put personality conflicts and jealousy behind them with their back-to-back NBA championship win over Philadelphia the summer before.

United they stood, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, two pillars of Lakers strength who went long periods without speaking to one another in the 2000-2001 season only to rally at the end to steamroller through the playoffs and claim their second consecutive title.

Now here they were, side by side to start the 2001-2002 season, powering the Lakers to a record 16-1 start to the year.

Who would stop their roll to a third title in a row? Who could possibly stand in the way of history?

No one, it turns out. But as easy as the three-peat quest appeared to be from the outset, a dreary winter filled with uninspired play, Shaq's sore toe, the improved Sacramento Kings and long stretches of indifference threatened to derail the Lakers.

But as this Lakers dynasty has proved ever since coach Phil Jackson came aboard three years ago to lead two superstars and a handful of role players to the Promised Land, it's just not a season without a sense of drama.

This is Hollywood, after all. Nothing wrong with making things interesting, right?

The season started with Shaq, the most dominant player in the game, declaring this was the year he'd help get his new best buddy Kobe the Most Valuable Player award.

Considering the Cold War the two players had waged just a few months before, Shaq's goodwill gesture was a breakthrough.

Things got started with a bang - the Lakers raced to a 16-1 record, becoming just the 11th team to start a season with 16 wins in its first 17 games.

But things slowed dramatically after that. Injuries were a big factor - Derek Fisher and Mark Madsen started the year on injured reserve. O'Neal was in pain throughout with his arthritic right toe. A roster makeover was also a factor. Gone from the back-to-back team were Ron Harper, Horace Grant, Tyronn Lue and Greg Foster, replaced by Lindsey Hunter, Samaki Walker and Mitch Richmond.

The reduced pace was in direct contrast to the surging Kings, who took advantage by taking a 2 1/2-game lead in the Pacific Division by the All-Star break.

The Lakers put O'Neal on the injured list to rest the foot, he returned and immediately earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors two out of the three weeks after his return.

It wasn't enough to catch the Kings, but the Lakers finished strong to close the regular season with a 58-24 record, second best in the NBA and good enough for the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Up first was Portland, which fell to the Lakers in three consecutive games, the series clincher highlighted by Robert Horry's game-winning 3-pointer in Portland with 2.1 seconds remaining.

Then came the San Antonio Spurs, who shocked the Lakers by winning Game 2 of the semifinals to tie the series 1-1 and take away home-court advantage.

But that just set the stage for Bryant, who delivered two clutch performances in the fourth quarters of games 3 and 4 in San Antonio to put the Lakers ahead, 3-1. They closed the Spurs out in Game 5 in Los Angeles to set the stage for a dramatic showdown with Sacramento in the Western Conference finals.

It was a classic series, filled with off-court drama and on-court heroics. The Lakers stunned Sacramento with a victory in Game 1 at the loud, raucous Arco Arena. But with Bryant struggling over the next two games, Sacramento pulled ahead 2-1 and was poised to go up 3-1 in Game 6 before Robert Horry hit one of the biggest shots in Lakers history, a deep 3-pointer as time expired to give the Lakers a 1-point win and tie the series 2-2.

The Kings won a classic battle in Game 5, followed by a narrow Lakers' win in Game 6 to set up a Game 7 at Arco.

The Lakers raced back from a 9-point third-quarter deficit to prevail 112-106 in overtime.

After such a dramatic series in the Western Conference finals, it was impossible for the NBA Finals to measure up. The Lakers faced the surprising New Jersey Nets, who were coached by former Lakers great Byron Scott and led by All-Star point guard Jason Kidd.

But with O'Neal on top of his game and playing through the foot pain, the Nets had no chance. O'Neal averaged 36.3 points per game and 12.3 rebounds to power the Lakers to a four-game sweep. O'Neal was named MVP of the playoffs for the third consecutive year, joining Michael Jordan as the only players to achieve that honor. O'Neal and Bryant were named first-team All-NBA, the first time two players from the same team earned that distinction since Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the 1996 Chicago Bulls.

As for Jackson, it was his ninth NBA championship as a head coach, and he surpassed Pat Riley for most playoff wins all-time.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kobe Bryant, left, and Shaquille O'Neal celebrate with a bit of bubbly after winning the NBA Finals. The dynamic duo overcame problems off the court to lead Los Angeles to its third consecutive NBA title.

(2 -- color) Thousands of Lakers fans fill downtown L.A. to celebrate the team's third consecutive NBA title after the team defeated the New Jersey Nets.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Kobe Bryant hoists the NBA championship trophy up for fans to see during a victory parade in downtown L.A. near Staples Center.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) FAREWELL, CHICK

Chick Hearn's 42-year career with the Lakers ended after the team won a third straight NBA championship. The hall-of-fame broadcaster, who called a record 3,338 games in a row, died Aug. 5, a few days after a fall at his Encino home. He was 85.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer