Shaq and Kobe have finally led the Lakers to their first NBA Championship since 1988. Coach Phil Jackson warns the team: once you win your first championship, it gets even harder to muster the fire needed to win the second.

That may be true, but not for Kobe. He’s never been hungrier — and he’s determined to make himself the team’s dominant player. Before long he’s supplanted Shaq as the team’s top scorer, but his showboating is pissing off his teammates. Shaq is filled with rage so fierce he can’t perform on the court. As Jackson puts it, the Lakers lack “wellness,” and it makes them easy pickings for teams eager to take down the champions.

To salvage the season, the Lakers have to rein in Kobe and help Shaq find his groove again. And a surprise injury could help turn things around…

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