Kobe, Los Angeles Win the NBA Championship
Lakers Capture Their 15th Title in Franchise History
Jun 15, 2009
If basketball is truly an art form, then the Los Angeles Lakers have painted another masterpiece. With NBA titles in Minneapolis and Los Angeles, the Lakers now have 15 in total. The Lakers now trail only the Boston Celtics who currently have 17 NBA championships.
Magic No Match for Lakers
The 2009 NBA Finals saw as much excitement as any series in recent history, and the Orlando Magic were certainly worthy opponents. However, somewhere during Game 5 it became very apparent...the Lakers were simply the better team. Kobe Bryant once again made his claim as the best player on the planet, and Phil Jackson took his place in history with his record 10th title. In this case, the best player and the best coach, equals the best team!
Kobe Bryant
Jammed fingers, broken fingers, sprained fingers or no fingers at all, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 30 points. Kobe was named NBA Finals MVP averaging 32.4 points per game. Was it sheer will? Was it superior talent? Or perhaps it was the Nike Zoom Kobe IV shoes? Whatever the reason, he proved unstoppable when the Lakers needed him the most in Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Bryant seemed to make clutch basket after clutch basket each time Orlando seemed to make a late game push. Bryant refused to lose, and Orlando had no answer for one of the greatest players in the game. After falling to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant captured his fourth NBA crown against Orlando.
Phil Jackson
With his 10th NBA ring, Phil Jackson passed Celtics legend Red Auerbach from most championships by a coach in NBA history. Jackson, who stays calm, focused, and treats the game like a business man treats his high paying job, has moved mountains on his way to the top. Jackson is not the flashiest personality in the league, but if you want to win...he'll take you to the promise land.
Statistics/Notes
Score:
Los Angeles 99
Orlando 86
Kobe Bryant (NBA FINALS MVP)
30 Points
Pau Gasol
14 Points
15 Rebounds
Rashard Lewis
18 Points
10 Rebounds
Kobe Bryant scored 162 points in the 2009 NBA Finals. He now ranks fourth all-time in NBA Finals scoring for a single player in a five-game finals series. In 2001 Allen Iverson had 178 points for Philadelphia in a five-game finals series.
Following the game, Phil Jackson received a congratulatory call from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
