Los Angeles may be the second most decorated franchise in NBA history, but their 2010-2011 season has come to a most ignominious end, with the Dallas Mavericks burying them 122 – 86 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals over the weekend. It was the first ever sweep against the venerable Phil Jackson, arguably the most successful coach in the history of the league. “It takes a toll on you, physically, mentally, emotionally,” Jackson mused on his Lakers winning the two previous NBA Championships.

Jackson has won six titles with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of that legendary Chicago Bulls squad; two sets of three-peat titles. He completed another grand slam of three more titles with the Lakers in his first stint in Hollywood, behind Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Then there were the two previous titles this time with Bryant and Pau Gasol; that made 11 NBA Titles in all over a span of 20 years, and he also had 13 appearances in the NBA Finals. The only times he lost were to Larry Brown and the Detroit Pistons in 2004, and the Boston Celtics of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rey Allen in 2008.

Jason Terry proved to be the executioner for a dynasty as he nailed nine three-pointers on his way to 32 points. Terry outscored the Lakers all by his lonesome 20-16 in a second quarter stretch where he made five of his nine three-pointers. “We knew we had to put this game away because they are capable of coming back,” Terry said. As a team, the Mavericks tied a league playoff record with 20 three-pointers made. It was just too much of an avalanche even for the mighty Lakers.

Dallas returns to the Western Conference Finals. Their last appearance was in 2006 when they made the NBA Finals only to blow a 0-2 series lead and yield the NBA Title that year to Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat. Throughout this series they found ways to points up in bunches and the Lakers just weren’t able to respond. Dallas however should still be wary of their on-again-off-again defense. JJ Barea and Dirk Nowitzki proved to be nearly unguardable for the Lakers in this series, but that will not always be the case with the young and electric Oklahoma City or Memphis still ahead of them.

For the Lakers, this might be the end of a gloriously long run. Jackson himself had to be coaxed out of retiring last year to try and complete one last three-peat title reign, which would have given him an even dozen in NBA Championships. “We knew it would not be easy when I agreed to give it one last go. It was going to be a bigger challenge,” said the NBA’s acknowledged Zen master. Jackson will definitely be retiring for good now, although the official big media announcement has yet to be made. He already said as much after this Dallas series. Four of his five kids were in attendance in Game 4, probably knowing this would indeed be the end of their father’s remarkable career.

Barely making it past the New Orleans Hornets in the first round, the Lakers were certainly looking very vulnerable, certainly not scary. They were still the reigning champions until the Mavericks unloaded them, and certainly no one thought the Mavericks would finally end their title run. Pau Gasol was the true missing link in this series. Gasol barely got going, as the 7-foot forward was barely a factor off the boards and in the lane. His counterpart on the Mavericks – Nowitzki – was simply nailing shot after shot and helping tend the boards, which made Gasol’s disappearing act all the more glaring.

For the Mavericks, this might be the best time to slay the ghosts of playoffs past. After their debacle against the Heat in the 2006 Finals, and subsequent first-round exits in the West, returning to the NBA Finals should assuage a lot of the pain and frustration. Dallas does seem to be peaking at just the right time, and their bench has been very strong. If they can somehow find it in them to play better defense, even on the various zone looks, it should augur well for their title aspirations. “We just want to keep playing good, smart basketball, play better defense and hopefully make it back to the NBA Finals,” declared Nowitzki.

If they do make it back to the championship series, they may likely face the Miami Heat or the Chicago Bulls. Both of those teams have strong, young, athletic rosters who love to take it strong into the gut of a defense. With the weak interior of the Mavericks they will make a very tempting target. “Dallas can take on any team in a shootout. But if they run into a team with their kind of firepower, defense has to make the difference. Dallas unfortunately has never been known as a defensive team,” observed one long-time assistant coach on an Eastern Conference team. “Imagine them trying to outgun say the Celtics or even the Bulls. It isn’t going to happen. Those are teams that play tough defense and give you various looks.”

Whatever else happens to Dallas the Lakers will most likely just want to forget this whole series ever happened. Ron Artest already served a suspension in this series. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom both got tossed in Game 4 some 45 seconds apart for wayward elbows. Suffice it to say, especially at their age, that these Lakers won’t be coming into the 2011-2012 season with the same swagger. Not only are they no longer NBA Champions. They’ve just been unmasked by a team not know for being top-dollar contenders by simply firing away at them. There will be a lot of questions for the Lakers in the offseason, not the least of which is whether or not Brian Shaw really will be Jackson’s replacement as head coach.

In the meantime, the Mavericks have come to bury the NBA Caesar.