What About Bob?

Resilient. Webster defines it as: characterized or marked by resilience: as 1: capable of withstanding shock without permanent deformation or rupture, or 2: tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

Based on the 2001 NBA Playoffs, they can add a third definition to that: the 2000- 2001 Los Angeles Lakers.

Saddled all season long with controversy, the Lakers are proving to the world that they are indeed one cohesive unit and want nothing else but one more ring. Sunday's 96-91 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of the NBA Finals is just the latest example.

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, including a truly masterful second quarter, and Shaquille O'Neal added 30 in what turned out to be a shorter day than head coach Phil Jackson probably would have liked. But the real hero this day was Robert Horry. O'Neal fouled out with 2:21 to play when he elbowed Dikembe Mutombo in the face while spinning to the basket. This forced the Lakers to play with an unconventional 4-guard, 1-forward lineup for the rest of the game, and also forced destiny into the lap of Horry.

A non-factor in the first two games of the series, Horry was averaging 4.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists throughout the entire post-season. In Game 3, he erupted for 15 points, going 3-for-3 from behind the three-point line, including the shot that sucked the heart and life out of the Sixers and put the Lakers up for good late in the fourth quarter. That also includes four big free throws and one defensive rebound in the closing moments that sealed the victory.

This is beginning to become a recurring theme for the Lakers: a different hero every night. With all the emphasis and focus placed on the two superstars, Shaq and Bryant, this post-season has been marked by the performance of the supporting cast. For the most part, the story has been the play of Rick Fox and Derek Fisher. Fisher's outstanding play through the first three rounds gave the Lakers a sense of invincibility as they swept their way to the finals. Fisher, who didn't commit a turnover during the three games against Portland and hit 15 of 20 three-pointers against the Spurs, provided that third scorer so badly needed to take the heat off of Bryant and O'Neal. Fox has chipped in with timely outside shooting, but more importantly, defense, averaging over two steals per game during the post-season. Add Horry's clutch performance to the mix and you begin to see the stuff champions are made of.

Michael Jordan would probably have two less rings if it weren't for the likes of John Paxson and Steve Kerr. That was what made the Bulls so unbeatable during their run -- their role players knew their roles and executed them to perfection. This Laker team owes its success to the whole team. Obviously without O'Neal and Bryant, they would not be where they are. But the contributions of Fisher, Fox, Horry, Tyronn Lue, who has played stellar defense against Allen Iverson, Horace Grant, and Brian Shaw are what makes this team hard to beat.

Philadelphia had their chance to wrestle the momentum away from the Lakers and possibly run away with the series. With O'Neal and Fisher both fouled out, it was a golden opportunity for the Sixers and their controversial star, Iverson, to take control. His two free throws cut the Laker lead to two, 86-84. After he and Fox traded free throws, an errant pass led to Kobe Bryant hitting a jump shot to push the lead to 89-85.

The Sixers would not die though, as Kevin Ollie completed a three-point play to trim the lead to just one. Then came Horry's three-pointer and consecutive missed three's by Iverson and Raja Bell. However Philly grabbed the offensive rebound and Iverson had another chance at a "three." And here is where the Sixers could have sucked the juice right out of Los Angeles as Tyronn Lue committed an unfortunate foul and gave Iverson three free throws, which he made, and the Laker lead was just 92- 91.

After the Sixers intentionally fouled Horry, the lead was 94-91. The Lakers defended the Sixers next possession flawlessly, as Iverson drove to the hoop and tried to lay it over a leaping Bryant, and Horry came down with the rebound and made his final two free throws. Game over.

During that whole stretch in the fourth quarter, the Lakers fended off every challenge like a schoolyard bully who has been charged by his smallest victim and simply extends his arm, and holds the boy by the top of his head, keeping him from inflicting any serious damage. They were faced with a do or die situation. If they had lost that game, with two more still to play in Philadelphia, their hopes for repeating as champions would have been very seriously threatened.

The Lakers showed their true character with their ability to circle the wagons and do what they need to do to win. "Grace under fire," the mark of a true champion.