The Los Angeles Lakers are going to the NBA Finals.
Let that sink in.
I know some fans see this as a birthright. The Lakers, owners of 16 championships and nearly double that many trips to the Finals are supposed to do this, right? They’re supposed to win, supposed to hover over the league like a specter, beating back opponents to claim what’s rightfull theirs.
That’s not how this works, though. A storied history is just that, history. It’s no guarantee for future success and after six years of not even qualifying for the post season, that much should be crystal clear now.