ALL SPORTS

So, that's that. Kobe got his fourth Championship ring, and first without the help of Shaq, and finally cracked a smile. Phil Jackson got to smoke a cigar in honour of Red
Auerbach after surpassing his mark and claiming a record 10th title. And the best team won in the end. Didn't they?
(The thought remains that the Magic were better than their 4-1 Finals defeat suggested... I wonder how much of Courtney Lee's summer will be lost to thoughts of that last-second miss in Game 2?)
Yes, the Lakers are the kings of the court, but how do they rank on a global scale? Does their achievement make them a better team than, say, Manchester United?
They both won their domestic leagues, but United almost triumphed it in Europe too? (And, of course, they did win the Champions League 12 months ago). But then, the Lakers don't get the chance to try for international honours, despite the MC at the Staples Center having already proclaimed them 'world champions'.