The stage is set. Every ticket has been sold at least once.
The culmination of 20 years is tough to prepare for, although the Lakers have tried. Former players have been invited back to Staples Center. Celebrities from all walks of entertainment have been enlisted to appear in video tributes that will air throughout the game Wednesday against the Utah Jazz. Rock star Flea will play the national anthem.
The only person who seems unfazed by the grandeur and pageantry is Kobe Bryant himself.
In the crescendo to the end, Bryant has regarded his final game as a certain formality.