LAKERS, KOBE, REPEAT

 

(Image taken from NBA.com)

The 2010 NBA Finals was reaching it's climax. The series started in LA with the Lakers winning Game 1 102-89. That gave the Lakers the edge going into Games 2, 3 and 4. The Celtics won Game 2 103-94 before the series shifted to Boston where the Lakers won Game 3 91-84 before the Celtics replied with a 96-89 win in Game 4. Then, with the series tied up, came Games 5 and 6. The Celtics won Game 5 92-86 before the series switched back to LA one last time and the Lakers put the green champagne on ice by winning Game 6 83-79. So, the title fight went down to the wire for the first time since '05 and between two of the NBA's biggest rivals to boot.

After a cagey start it was the Lakers that landed the first bucket, and went on to go 5-2 up with 9:58 left in the first quarter before the Celtics went on to take the lead. The two sides then duelled for the lead for a bit but the Celtics still retained the edge. The Lakers then retook the lead briefly after a quiet period but this was starting to look like a Celtic show and the mean in green were starting to get the breathing space they needed to take the trophy on their rivals home court. The Lakers had no response before the opening buzzer. The Celtics led 23-14 at the end of one with Baron Davis leading with six points. The Lakers had a lot of work to do.

Early in the 2nd quarter and they looked more than capable of doing that work, cutting the gap down before hitting a drought spell. However they recovered from that spell eventually and went on to take a 25-23 lead with 7:38 to go in the half. Yet the Celtics were able to come back from that and though the Lakers tied the game once more, it looked as though that act of insurrection had been put down and the Lakers were back to the drawing board. The Celtics led 40-34 at half time. Paul Pierce was leading the green charge with 11 points. The Lakers had two more quarters to hit top gear otherwise they would be losing their title.

The Celtics got the first bucket of the third quarter and they went on to stretch their lead to double figures. For the first time in the game, the Lakers started to look as though a comeback wasn't doable, could the trophy be headed back to Boston? As the game wore on, the Lakers were at least able to cut the gap to single figures but time was starting to run out on them, they needed to come up with another big push from somewhere. In the last minutes of the quarter that last push started to come, cutting the gap to four with just over a minute to go. Celtics still led 57-53 at the end of the quarter though with Pierce still leading them on 14 points backed up by Kevin Garnett of 13.

The Lakers opened the 4th quarter with a jumper and then game a drought of over two minutes with the Celtics eventually replying to lead 59-55 with 9:04 left in the game. The Lakers kept banging on the door though and tied the game twice but they had still to turn it round. Then it came, a 6-0 run. The Celtics attempted a comeback but suddenly, the Lakers fans were on their feet. Despite the best efforts of their bitterest rivals, when it mattered, glory awaited them once again. There was nothing the Celtics could do to stop it, the Lakers won the game 79-73 with Kobe Bryant on 23 points. They won the series 4-3. Time for another celebration.

So, congratulations to the LA Lakers, 2010 NBA champions. It's their second title in a row and it's the first time they've claimed that achievement since '01-'02 when Shaq was on board. Kobe Bryant was awarded the NBA Finals MVP, the second year in a row that's happened. He's the first player to have been awarded that honour back to back since former teammate Shaquille O'Neal in '01-'02. No one can deny that the Lakers had yet again proven themselves the best team in the West before the Finals though for me there's the question mark of how the Cavs would have dealt with them. Fact is though when there's a trophy to be won - these guys will always know what they're doing.

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