LET THREEDOM RING LAKERS SWEEP NETS FOR 3RD TITLE IN ROW LAKERS 113, NEW JERSEY 107.

Byline: Howard Beck Staff Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - They danced again, sang again, soaked their feet in puddles of sweet champagne again. As if they had never left this scene, this drenched, balmy, comfortably crowded room of half-empty bottles and dripping foreheads and beaming relatives and eternal pride.

The Lakers hollered and they hooted and they puffed out their chests. As if they belonged here. As if they have always lived in this precise moment, straying only for a few months here and there before returning to the glory of it all.

Back to the stage with the glowing trophy. Back to the locker room littered with popped corks and drenched jerseys. Back to the top of the NBA.

It all looked the same. Like a repeat. Like a three-peat.

And a sweep-peat. A sweet-peat.

The Lakers entrenched themselves as one of the greatest teams in NBA history Wednesday, completing a four-game Finals sweep of the New Jersey Nets with a 113-107 victory at Continental Airlines Arena.

Three years, three championships, three boisterous celebrations.

If this is all somehow getting to be to routine, no one with the Lakers is complaining.

``It keeps getting better and better every year,'' said Brian Shaw, his ``NBA Champions'' hat askew, his black-and-purple leather ``Three-peat'' jacket still stiff.

The first two championships, over Indiana and Philadelphia, gave the Lakers an identity. The third one put them in elite company.

Only four other teams in league history have won at least three in a row. Only six others have swept a Finals. They became the first Lakers team to sweep the championship round. They won their eighth consecutive Finals game, an NBA record.

``It kind of sets these guys apart as a group,'' said general manager Mitch Kupchak, ducking out of the locker room.

``Went by fast,'' Kobe Bryant said of the three-peat. ``Unbelievable feeling to have three right now.''

It almost seemed anticlimactic, expected, even dull.

``But this one,'' Derek Fisher said, ``is just as special as the first one and the second one.''

It ended as it began, with Shaquille O'Neal dominating the game. He finished off the series with 34 points in the finale, then met his stepfather and grandfather in a tearful embrace at midcourt before claiming his third consecutive Finals MVP award. Only Michael Jordan has matched that feat.

It was a fantastic conclusion to a season in which O'Neal fought through injuries to toes and ankles and wrists. But he returned to his dominating self in the Finals and his 145 points were a record for a four-game series. So, incredibly, were his free-throw totals: 68 attempted, 45 made.

``Shaq,'' said teammate Mitch Richmond, ``was a beast.''

No matter where this goes next, these Lakers will be mentioned among the all-time greatest teams. Amazing, considering the doubts they raised with an uneven, 58-win regular season. More so, considering how close they came to elimination in their seven-game battle with Sacramento in the conference finals.

``It feels great,'' said Bryant, who had 25 points Wednesday. ``This is going to be a hot topic of conversation: Are we one of the best teams ever? And I can live with that. That feels great.''

The Lakers claimed the 14th championship in franchise history - their eighth in 22 years - putting them two championships behind the Boston Celtics.

And coach Phil Jackson, who engaged O'Neal in a battle of wills at times and had to force his team to focus in the dullish midseason months, padded his title as the best coach of this era, if not all-time.

The championship was Jackson's ninth as a coach, tying Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach's record.

``I just look forward to the next one, and great hopes that I have an anticipation of getting back here again for a 10th opportunity,'' Jackson said. ``Looks like I'm going to have to get my own cigar out of my briefcase in the locker room and light it up. I didn't get one FedExed by Red today.''

Jackson also earned his 156th postseason victory, moving him past Pat Riley to become the winningest coach in history.

There was more. Shaw and O'Neal became the fourth and fifth players to experience both ends of a Finals sweep. Robert Horry, who won two championships in Houston and now has five, is the first player in Finals history to be on the winning end of sweeps with different franchises.

And so the bottles of Carneros Cuvee and the Domaine Carneros kept popping and spraying and dousing. O'Neal's stepfather, Philip Harrison, sprayed relatives in the hallway outside the locker room.

Minutes earlier, he helped his father, Donald Harrison, down the steps and onto the court. It was an emotional moment for O'Neal, the Newark native who won the title in front of 80-plus relatives and friends. Soon, his girlfriend, Shaunie Nelson, and their three children, joined the celebration.

``I went to the park where I first started at, last night about 12, 1:30,'' O'Neal said. ``As a youngster, I used to play with the raggedy basketball my father got me. I just used to dream about certain things. I just stuck with it and all my dreams have come true.''

All around, it was a family celebration. Rick Fox, with his daughter and his father. Derek Fisher, doing interviews flanked by his brother, Duane Washington, and his parents, Annette and John Fisher.

Jackson was met on the court by his five sons and daughters.

There was something in this championship for everyone. Richmond, a six-time All-Star who sacrificed minutes and money, won his first title. So did Samaki Walker, who turned down more money last summer, and Lindsey Hunter. Devean George, who finished the Finals with a strong performance, got his third ring in three pro seasons, and another reason to consider re-signing with the Lakers this summer.

The three-peat did not finally come into focus until the final minutes.

Fisher and O'Neal combined for a 3-point play. Bryant hit a runner in the lane. O'Neal made a pair of free throws. Bryant hit a driving layup.

The Nets called timeout with 3:32 left, the Lakers up 104-95, and Bryant skipped toward the bench, meeting Mark Madsen in a flying chest bump. George started shaking his left hand downward, the last three fingers sticking out.

Across the court, Snoop Dogg danced in front of his courtside seat and waved a Lakers towel.

``This is awesome, this is too much,'' Fox said. ``How many more? You want a prediction? I know at least two more. I see that. ''

THREE-PEATS

This is the fifth time an NBA team has won at least three consecutive championships.

LAKERS 2000-'02

CHICAGO 1996-'98

CHICAGO 1991-'93

BOSTON 1959-'66

MINNEAPOLIS 1952-'54

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kobe Bryant holds the NBA championship trophy and Shaquille O'Neal displays his Finals MVP trophy with Lindsey Hunter after the Lakers victory Wednesday.

(2) Kobe Bryant slams one home during the Lakers' victory over New Jersey on Wednesday.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) NBA FINALS: Lakers defeat New Jersey 4-0

(2) THREE-PEATS (see text)