The 2010 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2009–10 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs, held from June 3 to 17, 2010. A best-of-seven playoff series, it was contested between the Western Conference champion and defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. It was their twelfth Finals meeting overall.

2010 NBA Finals
TeamCoachWins
Los Angeles Lakers Phil Jackson 4
Boston Celtics Doc Rivers 3
DatesJune 3–17
MVPKobe Bryant
(Los Angeles Lakers)
Hall of FamersCeltics:
Ray Allen (2018)
Kevin Garnett (2020)
Paul Pierce (2021)
Lakers:
Kobe Bryant (2020)
Pau Gasol (2023)
Coaches:
Phil Jackson (2007)
Eastern FinalsCeltics defeated Magic, 4–2
Western FinalsLakers defeated Suns, 4–2
← 2009 NBA Finals 2011 →

The Los Angeles Lakers earned home court advantage for finishing the regular season with a better record. Though the Lakers were heavily favored[1] and won the opening game on their home court, the Celtics led 3–2 entering Game 6 before Los Angeles rallied to win the next two games. Bryant was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals for the second consecutive year.

Background edit

The Lakers had won the previous season's NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic for the franchise's 15th championship. The Celtics won their previous NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2008. This was the 12th Finals played between the two rival teams. The Celtics won nine of their previous 11 Finals meetings against the Lakers, winning in 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1984, and 2008, while the Lakers won in 1985 and 1987.

2010 NBA Playoffs edit

Los Angeles Lakers (Western Conference champion) Boston Celtics (Eastern Conference champion)
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Los Angeles Lakers 57 25 .695
2 y-Dallas Mavericks 55 27 .671 2
3 x-Phoenix Suns 54 28 .659 3
4 y-Denver Nuggets 53 29 .646 4
5 x-Utah Jazz 53 29 .646 4
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 50 32 .610 7
7 x-San Antonio Spurs 50 32 .610 7
8 x-Oklahoma City Thunder 50 32 .610 7
9 Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 15
10 Memphis Grizzlies 40 42 .488 17
11 New Orleans Hornets 37 45 .451 20
12 Los Angeles Clippers 29 53 .354 28
13 Golden State Warriors 26 56 .317 31
14 Sacramento Kings 25 57 .305 32
15 Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 42

1st seed in the West, 3rd best league record

Regular season
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Cleveland Cavaliers 61 21 .744
2 y-Orlando Magic 59 23 .720 2
3 x-Atlanta Hawks 53 29 .646 8
4 y-Boston Celtics 50 32 .610 11
5 x-Miami Heat 47 35 .573 14
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks 46 36 .561 15
7 x-Charlotte Bobcats 44 38 .537 17
8 x-Chicago Bulls 41 41 .500 20
9 Toronto Raptors 40 42 .488 21
10 Indiana Pacers 32 50 .390 29
11 New York Knicks 29 53 .354 32
12 Detroit Pistons 27 55 .329 34
13 Philadelphia 76ers 27 55 .329 34
14 Washington Wizards 26 56 .317 35
15 New Jersey Nets 12 70 .146 49

4th seed in the East, 9th best league record

Defeated the (8) Oklahoma City Thunder, 4–2 First Round Defeated the (5) Miami Heat, 4–1
Defeated the (5) Utah Jazz, 4–0 Conference Semifinals Defeated the (1) Cleveland Cavaliers, 4–2
Defeated the (3) Phoenix Suns, 4–2 Conference Finals Defeated the (2) Orlando Magic, 4–2

Regular-season series edit

The regular season series was split, with each team winning on the opponent's court by only a point:

Boston Celtics edit

The Celtics finished the regular season as the Atlantic Division champion with a 50–32 record. As the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, they eliminated the No. 5 seeded Miami Heat in five games during the first round in the playoffs. Then in the conference semifinals, Boston defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games, the earliest that a top seed has been eliminated since the Dallas Mavericks' first round loss to the Golden State Warriors in 2007. In the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics went on to eliminate the Orlando Magic in six games. In reaching the Finals the Boston Celtics became the first team in NBA history to do so with a better regular season road record than home. Also, the Boston Celtics became the second team in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals after beating the team with the best record, Cleveland Cavaliers, and team with second-best record in the league, Orlando Magic, after the Houston Rockets did it in their championship season of 1995.

Los Angeles Lakers edit

After the Lakers won the Finals in the preceding year, the team management wasted no time in making changes to the roster. Their most notable offseason player change was when Trevor Ariza departed to the Houston Rockets and was replaced by free agent Ron Artest.[2] Longtime assistant coach and former head coach Kurt Rambis left the organization to pursue a head coaching opportunity with the Minnesota Timberwolves.[3] The Lakers finished the regular season as the Pacific Division champion, compiling a 57–25 record.[4][5] On February 1, Kobe Bryant moved past Jerry West into 14th place on the NBA's career scoring list. He also surpassed West to become the Lakers franchise scoring leader.[6]

As the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, they eliminated the No. 8 seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in six games during the Western Conference First Round Playoffs, with the final game ending when Kobe Bryant missed a jumper but Pau Gasol grabbed the offensive rebound and made a layup to clinch the win.[7] Then in the Western Conference Semifinals, Los Angeles swept the Utah Jazz in four games, earning their right to play in their third straight Western Conference Final.[8] In the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers won both of their first two games at home, but proceeded to lose the next two in Phoenix both by 9 points. In Game 5, Ron Artest made an off balance layup to beat the buzzer off a Kobe Bryant miss to give the Lakers the victory. The Lakers then proceeded to beat the Suns on their home floor in Game 6 led by Kobe Bryant's 37 points. The Game 6 victory gave the Lakers their 31st NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.[9] The team also earned their third straight consecutive appearance in the Finals, with the last team to achieve such a feat being the 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers themselves.[10]

Series summary edit

Game Date Road team Result Home team
Game 1 June 3 Boston Celtics 89–102 (0–1) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 2 June 6 Boston Celtics 103–94 (1–1) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 3 June 8 Los Angeles Lakers 91–84 (2–1) Boston Celtics
Game 4 June 10 Los Angeles Lakers 89–96 (2–2) Boston Celtics
Game 5 June 13 Los Angeles Lakers 86–92 (2–3) Boston Celtics
Game 6 June 15 Boston Celtics 67–89 (3–3) Los Angeles Lakers
Game 7 June 17 Boston Celtics 79–83 (3–4) Los Angeles Lakers

Game summaries edit

All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4). If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.

Game 1 edit

June 3
9:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. PDT)
Boston Celtics 89, Los Angeles Lakers 102
Scoring by quarter: 21–26, 20–24, 23–34, 25–18
Pts: Paul Pierce 24
Rebs: Paul Pierce 9
Asts: Rajon Rondo 8
Pts: Kobe Bryant 30
Rebs: Pau Gasol 14
Asts: Kobe Bryant 6
L.A. Lakers lead series, 1–0
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997
Referees:

Both teams started strong, playing a close game for most of the 1st quarter until a 7–2 Los Angeles run inspired by bench players Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown to end the quarter. Boston again started the 2nd quarter strong. However, Los Angeles managed to extend the lead 50–41 at the end of the first half with another run led by Ron Artest and Pau Gasol. More of the same came in the 3rd quarter, as Los Angeles matched nearly all of Boston's attempts to get back in the game. To end the 3rd quarter, Los Angeles went on a 15–4 run to give L. A. a 20-point lead going into the 4th quarter. While the Celtics would try to get back into the game with Nate Robinson and 2008 Finals MVP Paul Pierce, they never got closer than 11 points. The game was capped off with a three-pointer by Kobe Bryant with 3.6 seconds left, securing his 10th 30-point game in his last 11. Boston was outplayed by Los Angeles in nearly every statistical category, most notably in rebounding (31–42) and second-chance points (0–16). Much of the Celtics' performance came from Kevin Garnett, who finished with 16 points (on 16 shots) and 2 rebounds. Ray Allen, who was hampered by foul trouble, finished with 12 points and 5 personal fouls.[11]

Game 2 edit

June 6
8:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. PDT)
Boston Celtics 103, Los Angeles Lakers 94
Scoring by quarter: 29–22, 25–26, 18–24, 31–22
Pts: Ray Allen 32
Rebs: Rajon Rondo 12
Asts: Rajon Rondo 10
Pts: Pau Gasol 25
Rebs: Pau Gasol 8
Asts: Kobe Bryant 6
Series tied, 1–1
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997
Referees:

Boston came out much more aggressively to begin game 2. Los Angeles fought back (Pau Gasol had nine points in the quarter) and managed to reduce Boston's lead to seven points at the end of the 1st quarter. In the 2nd quarter, Ray Allen hit an impressive five three-pointers (only missing once) to add to the two that he hit in the first quarter. This explosive offensive output pushed Boston forward and allowed them to lead by as many as 14 points. Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles put up a quick 7–0 run to end the first half to cut it to a 54–48 Boston lead. Foul trouble plagued players of both squads, with many players having three fouls going into the break. The Lakers would continue their attack and managed to take the lead 57–56 early in the 3rd. Both teams fought hard, leading to the 72–72 tie going into the 4th. The final quarter was dominated by the Celtics, though, as Rajon Rondo's 10 points in the quarter helped tie the series 1–1. Rondo finished with an impressive triple-double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and Allen hit eight of 11 three-pointers to secure the NBA Finals record. The last Finals series to be tied at 1–1 after two games was the 2004 NBA Finals which involved the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons.

Game 3 edit

June 8
9:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers 91, Boston Celtics 84
Scoring by quarter: 26–17, 26–23, 15–21, 24–23
Pts: Kobe Bryant 29
Rebs: Bynum, Gasol 10 each
Asts: Bryant, Gasol 4 each
Pts: Kevin Garnett 25
Rebs: Kendrick Perkins 11
Asts: Rajon Rondo 8
L.A. Lakers lead series, 2–1
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624
Referees:
 
Derek Fisher scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to ensure the Lakers a Game 3 win.

Prior to the start of the game, singer Monica performed the national anthem.[12] Kevin Garnett scored the first six points of the game to give the Celtics a 6–0 lead and eventually helped the team to a seven-point lead (12–5) early in the first quarter.[13] Following the first full timeout of the game, the Lakers scored 13 straight points thanks in part to free throws by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.[13] After the score was tied at 16–16, the Lakers outscored the Celtics 10–1 for the remainder of the first quarter.[13]

The Lakers' 32–8 run continued well into the second quarter when Bryant completed a free throw after being fouled by forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis en route to making a layup 43 seconds into the game.[13] Further helping to widen the gap was Shannon Brown who made a 20-foot jumper from a Lamar Odom assist.[13] Odom, Farmar, and Bynum also made shots to widen the score to 17 points above Boston.[13] The Celtics would soon create their own comeback with an 11–4 run before the Lakers called for a full timeout.[13] Bryant made jumper on a Gasol assist while Pierce shot another three-pointer on a Rondo assist.[13] The final two minutes of the first half ended in a shootout both Celtics and Lakers starters resulting in a 52–40 Los Angeles lead.[13]

The first few minutes of the second half proved to be a slow start for both teams as Boston piled 2–8 shooting while Los Angeles posted 2–11 shooting before the first full timeout.[13] Gasol made a 20-foot jumper to give the Lakers their first points of the third quarter; Garnett responded by a 20-foot jumper.[13] Shortly after making his third shot from beyond-the-arc, Pierce received his fourth foul sending him to the bench.[13] Odom, who replaced a limping Bynum, also earned two fouls of his own in addition to bad passing.[13] The Celtics soon took advantage of the Lakers problems when Davis, Tony Allen, and Rasheed Wallace managed to successfully hit several critical shots to end the quarter on a six-point deficit.[13]

The Celtics continued their momentum into the fourth quarter eventually pulling to within one point after two minutes.[13][14] After coming off the bench to replace a struggling Gasol in the fourth quarter, Derek Fisher made a 12-foot jumper in what would be another of his finest postseason performances in his career.[13] He then made four consecutive shots to give the Lakers a 78–73 lead before earning a foul on Ray Allen.[13] With 1:40 left in the game, Bryant made his lone shot of the quarter despite posting 25 points in the first three periods combined.[13] Foul troubles for both Garnett and Pierce hurt the Celtics chances of closing the gap with the Lakers.[15] Pierce made one final layup with five seconds left in the game, but the Lakers edged the Celtics with a 91–84 victory to take a 2–1 lead in the series.[13] Bryant was the leading scorer of the game with 29 points; Garnett's 25 points bested all other Celtics players for Game 3. Derek Fisher scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.[16][17] Compared to his record eight three-point field goals in Game 2, Ray Allen went a near-record 0–13 in field goals for this game.[18]

Game 4 edit

June 10
9:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers 89, Boston Celtics 96
Scoring by quarter: 16–19, 29–23, 17–18, 27–36
Pts: Kobe Bryant 33
Rebs: Artest, Odom 7 each
Asts: Artest, Gasol 3 each
Pts: Paul Pierce 19
Rebs: Kendrick Perkins 7
Asts: Paul Pierce 5
Series tied, 2–2
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624
Referees:

After the first quarter, the Celtics held a 19–16 lead; Paul Pierce scored eight points in the quarter for Boston, while Pau Gasol had eight points for Los Angeles. The Lakers rebounded to take a three-point lead entering halftime.[19] Los Angeles maintained a two-point lead following the third quarter, in which Kobe Bryant made three three-point baskets. Early in the fourth quarter, the Celtics went on a run that gave them control of the game; with a lineup that featured four reserves, Boston outscored the Lakers 13–2 over nearly half the quarter.[20] The Celtics held an 11-point lead with 3:57 remaining,[19] but the Lakers mounted a late comeback bid behind Bryant, who posted 10 of the final 12 points for Los Angeles. Three free throws with 1:08 remaining pulled the Lakers within 92–86, and they had an opportunity to get closer in the final minute; however, a Bryant pass was stolen by Rondo, who subsequently made a layup to extend the Celtics' lead. Pierce led Boston with 19 points in the game. The Celtics benefitted from strong bench play, as their reserves doubled the scoring of the Lakers' backups. Davis scored 18 points (nine in the fourth quarter) and Nate Robinson added 12. For the Lakers, Bryant and Gasol, with 33 and 21 points respectively, accounted for most of the team's scoring. Andrew Bynum was unable to play in the second half because of a knee injury.[20]

Game 5 edit

June 13
8:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers 86, Boston Celtics 92
Scoring by quarter: 20–22, 19–23, 26–28, 21–19
Pts: Kobe Bryant 38
Rebs: Pau Gasol 12
Asts: Kobe Bryant 4
Pts: Paul Pierce 27
Rebs: Kevin Garnett 10
Asts: Rajon Rondo 8
Boston leads series, 3–2
TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624
Referees:

Boston started the game with a 6–0 run, and ended the first quarter leading by 2 on a strong performance by Paul Pierce. After a short Laker run, the Celtics pushed the lead to 6 by the end of the half, with Pierce shooting 7–10, scoring 15 points, despite the Celtics only getting to the free-throw line six times. Pierce's three-pointer pushed the Celtics' lead to double digits, 50–39, early in the third quarter, but the Lakers chipped away at that lead to bring it down to 8, as the Celtics went into the fourth quarter attempting to maintain a 73–65 advantage. With the Celtics leading by 12 with less than three minutes to play, seven straight free throws by the Lakers cut the lead to 87–82 with a little over 40 seconds in the game. On an inbounds play, Garnett lobbed the ball to Pierce, who, while falling out of bounds, hurled it toward a streaking Rondo, who laid it up and in, essentially icing[clarification needed] the game with a 7-point lead with 35 seconds to play. Garnett chipped in with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Rondo played well, shooting 9–12 from the floor for 18 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. The game featured a 38-point performance by Bryant (hitting numerous shots in the 3rd quarter), being the only Lakers player to score over 12 points and one of only two in double figures. Pierce, on the other hand, would dominate the game with 27 points on 57% shooting from the floor.[21] This was the Celtics' last win in the NBA Finals until Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals.

Game 6 edit

June 15
9:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. PDT)
Boston Celtics 67, Los Angeles Lakers 89
Scoring by quarter: 18–28, 13–23, 20–25, 16–13
Pts: Ray Allen 19
Rebs: Glen Davis 9
Asts: Rajon Rondo 6
Pts: Kobe Bryant 26
Rebs: Pau Gasol 13
Asts: Pau Gasol 9
Series tied, 3–3
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997
Referees:

The Lakers returned to Los Angeles with a 3–2 deficit in the series. This was an elimination game for them, and the Celtics were one game away from the championship. Boston starting center Kendrick Perkins suffered a serious knee injury in the first quarter, rendering the Celtics more vulnerable on defense and rebounding. The desperate Lakers opened up a massive lead, peaking at 27. The Lakers' bench had outscored Boston's bench 24–0 entering the fourth quarter.[22]

It was later revealed that Perkins tore both his PCL and MCL, and he was ruled out for Game 7.[23] His Lakers counterpart, Andrew Bynum left the game early in the third quarter due to swelling in his knee from a torn meniscus. He, however, was not ruled out for Game 7.[23]

Game 7 edit

June 17
9:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. PDT)
Boston Celtics 79, Los Angeles Lakers 83
Scoring by quarter: 23–14, 17–20, 17–19, 22–30
Pts: Paul Pierce 18
Rebs: Paul Pierce 10
Asts: Rajon Rondo 10
Pts: Kobe Bryant 23
Rebs: Pau Gasol 18
Asts: Pau Gasol 4
L.A. Lakers win NBA Finals, 4–3
Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Attendance: 18,997
Referees:
 
Lakers forward Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest) made a critical three-point field goal late in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers a six-point lead.

This game was the first Game 7 in an NBA Finals since 2005 five years earlier.[24] Both the Celtics and Lakers kept the game close early in the first quarter with each team holding a one-point lead.[25] Suddenly, the Lakers offense began to falter with starters missing field goals and easy layups.[25] The Celtics utilized their opponents struggles to widen their lead.[25] After the team's first full timeout, the Celtics managed to outscore the Lakers 6–1, with Davis scoring four points on questionable calls. Boston held the Lakers to only 14 points and took a 23–14 lead ending the first quarter.[25]

At the start of the second quarter, the Lakers got back in the game by scoring 11 straight points to take a two-point lead over Boston.[25] The lead proved to be brief, however, as Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett scored two-pointers to regain control of the game.[25] Nevertheless, the Lakers continued to score points, with Ron Artest hitting 3 of his 4 free throws in the quarter to maintain a four-point deficit.[25] Before the second quarter concluded, Paul Pierce sunk a pair of free throws to end the first half with a 40–34 Celtics lead.[25]

The Celtics opened the second half going on a 9–2 run which widened their lead over the Lakers by as much as 13 points, 49–36.[25] The turning point for the Lakers however arrived after the team took a twenty-second timeout.[25] Bryant made a running jumper on a Lamar Odom assist in what would turn out to be a 6–2 run by the Lakers cutting their deficit to six points behind Boston.[25] Pierce then scored a three-pointer to restore the lead to nine.[25] As the third quarter drew to a close, the Lakers continued their momentum as Bryant completed a 4-foot jumper while Gasol hit two free throws.[25] Lakers reserve Lamar Odom made a tip shot to make the score 57–53 at the end of the quarter.[25]

The Lakers' fortunes rode high midway through the fourth quarter as Fisher sunk a three-point field goal from 26-feet to tie the game at 64.[25] Despite having a poor night offensively, Bryant hit two free throws and followed through with a 17-foot shot to give the Lakers a 68–64 lead, the team's first lead since early in the second quarter.[25] Gasol hit two more free throws on a Garnett foul to extend that margin to six.[25] The Celtics would not give up, however, as with Lakers leading by 6 with a minute-and-a-half remaining, Wallace hit a three-pointer to cut the Lakers' lead to 76–73. Although Artest exhibited shooting difficulties throughout the game, he answered in spectacular fashion by sinking a three-point goal to restore his team's lead back to six with a minute remaining in the game.[25] It would prove to be the lethal blow for the Celtics. The Celtic offense suffered heavily in the fourth quarter as four key players (Garnett, Davis, Pierce, and Wallace) earned four or more personal fouls.[25] Wallace would later depart from the game after fouling out.[26] After Artest's three, Allen would respond with a three-pointer of his own to cut the Lakers' lead to three again. In the ensuing play, Bryant attempted a three, but the three missed. Fortunately for the Lakers, Gasol was there to get the crucial offensive rebound. Gasol then passed the ball to Bryant, who was then fouled by Wallace, fouling him out. Bryant attained two more free throws on Wallace's foul to extend the lead to five, 81–76.[25] After a Celtic timeout, Allen attempted a three-pointer but he missed it. Rondo grabbed the offensive rebound and hit a three-pointer to bring the Celtics within two, 81–79. However, the Celtics were forced to foul Sasha Vujačić, consequently enabling the Laker guard to complete two free throws and help his team take a four-point lead, 83–79, over Boston.[25] With 11.7 seconds left in the game, Rondo made one last-ditch effort to revive the Celtics' hopes by attempting a three-pointer.[25] The ball missed the basket enabling Gasol to make a defensive rebound.[25] Gasol passed the ball to Odom who quickly threw it to the opposite end of the court in the hands of Bryant as the buzzer sounded.[27]

Bryant, despite shooting 6 for 24 from the field, scored 10 of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. He was named the Finals MVP for the second straight season.[28][29] Pierce led the Celtics with 18 points and ten rebounds, but he shot 5–15 from the field.[29][30] The Lakers had 23 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded the Celtics, 53–40. Gasol had 18 rebounds and Bryant added 15.[31][32] Los Angeles shot 37 free throws to Boston's 17.[32] After the game, Lakers head coach Phil Jackson hailed Artest, who scored 20 points in Game 7 including his last-second three-pointer, as the "Most Valuable Player" of the game.[33][34]

Statistics edit

Category High Average
Los Angeles Lakers Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers Boston Celtics
Player Total Player Total Player Avg. Player Avg.
Points Kobe Bryant 38 Ray Allen 32 Kobe Bryant 28.6 Paul Pierce 18.0
Rebounds Pau Gasol 18 Rajon Rondo 12 Pau Gasol 11.6 Rajon Rondo 6.3
Assists Pau Gasol 9 Rajon Rondo 10 Kobe Bryant 3.9 Rajon Rondo 7.6
Steals Ron Artest 5 Kevin Garnett 5 Kobe Bryant 2.1 Rajon Rondo 1.6
Blocks Andrew Bynum 7 Kevin Garnett 4 Pau Gasol 2.6 Kevin Garnett 1.3

Rosters edit

Los Angeles Lakers edit

2009–10 Los Angeles Lakers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 37 Artest, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 260 lb (118 kg) St. John's
G 12 Brown, Shannon 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Michigan State
G/F 24 Bryant, Kobe (C) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Lower Merion HS (PA)
C 17 Bynum, Andrew 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 285 lb (129 kg) St. Joseph HS (NJ)
G 1 Farmar, Jordan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) UCLA
G 2 Fisher, Derek 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Little Rock
F/C 16 Gasol, Pau 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Spain
C 28 Ilunga-Mbenga, Didier 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) Belgium
F 6 Morrison, Adam   6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Gonzaga
F 7 Odom, Lamar 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Rhode Island
F/C 21 Powell, Josh 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) NC State
G 18 Vujačić, Sasha 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Slovenia
F 4 Walton, Luke 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Arizona
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Roster
Last transaction: October 26, 2009

Boston Celtics edit

2009–10 Boston Celtics roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 20 Allen, Ray 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Connecticut
G/F 42 Allen, Tony 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 213 lb (97 kg) Oklahoma State
G/F 7 Daniels, Marquis 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Auburn
F/C 11 Davis, Glen 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 289 lb (131 kg) LSU
G/F 40 Finley, Michael 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Wisconsin
F 27 Gaffney, Tony   6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) UMass
F/C 5 Garnett, Kevin 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 253 lb (115 kg) Farragut Academy (IL)
G 0 Lafayette, Oliver   6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Houston
C 43 Perkins, Kendrick 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 280 lb (127 kg) Clifton J. Ozen HS (TX)
G/F 34 Pierce, Paul (C) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Kansas
G 4 Robinson, Nate 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Washington
G 9 Rondo, Rajon 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 171 lb (78 kg) Kentucky
F 44 Scalabrine, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) USC
F/C 30 Wallace, Rasheed 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) North Carolina
F/C 13 Williams, Shelden 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Duke
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Roster
Last transaction: April 14, 2010

Player statistics edit

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Ron Artest 7 7 35.9 .361 .344 .550 4.6 1.3 1.4 0.6 10.6
Shannon Brown 7 0 12.1 .450 .000 1.000 0.9 0.4 0.0 0.1 3.0
Kobe Bryant 7 7 41.2 .405 .319 .883 8.0 3.9 2.1 0.7 28.6
Andrew Bynum 7 7 24.9 .452 .000 .700 5.1 0.0 0.1 1.3 7.4
Jordan Farmar 7 0 12.6 .321 .200 .500 1.1 0.9 1.1 0.0 3.0
Derek Fisher 7 7 30.6 .420 .200 .941 3.0 2.0 0.9 0.0 8.6
Pau Gasol 7 7 41.9 .478 .000 .721 11.6 3.7 0.7 2.6 18.6
D. J. Mbenga 1 0 2.7 .000 .000 .000 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Lamar Odom 7 0 27.4 .489 .100 .545 6.6 1.3 0.6 0.6 7.6
Josh Powell 2 0 4.1 .000 .000 .000 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Sasha Vujačić 7 0 7.4 .375 .400 .833 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.0 3.0
Luke Walton 4 0 7.8 .333 .000 .000 0.5 0.8 0.0 0.5 0.5
Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics statistics
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Ray Allen 7 7 39.4 .367 .293 .960 2.7 1.7 0.7 0.0 14.6
Tony Allen 7 0 14.7 .333 .000 .857 1.0 0.4 1.0 0.7 3.1
Marquis Daniels 2 0 2.2 .500 1.000 1.000 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5
Glen Davis 7 0 20.6 .462 .000 .688 5.6 0.4 0.9 0.4 6.7
Michael Finley 2 0 2.6 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Kevin Garnett 7 7 31.7 .511 .000 .895 5.6 3.0 1.4 1.3 15.3
Kendrick Perkins 6 6 23.5 .571 .000 .647 5.8 1.0 0.2 0.0 5.8
Paul Pierce 7 7 39.8 .439 .400 .865 5.3 3.0 0.7 0.9 18.0
Nate Robinson 7 0 10.1 .400 .333 1.000 1.1 1.9 0.1 0.0 4.9
Rajon Rondo 7 7 38.8 .454 .333 .263 6.3 7.6 1.6 0.3 13.6
Brian Scalabrine 1 0 0.9 .000 .000 .000 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Rasheed Wallace 7 1 20.6 .366 .238 1.000 4.6 0.9 0.4 0.7 5.3
Shelden Williams 2 0 9.2 .000 .000 .000 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Broadcasting edit

For the eighth consecutive year in the United States, ABC televised the Finals. Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson provided commentary for the games. The Finals was also broadcast on ESPN Radio, with Jim Durham, Hubie Brown and Jack Ramsay calling the action. Game 1 was watched by 14.1 million viewers, the most watched Finals opening game since 2004.[35] The viewership for the opening game resulted in a ratings percentage of 8.6% of households in the United States.[36] Game 7 had the highest average number of viewers with 28.2 million, since 1998 when 35.9 million watched the Chicago Bulls defeat the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of that year's Finals. The average number of viewers of 18.1 million, was the highest since 2001.[37][38] The flagship radio stations of the respective teams broadcast all Series games with their local announcers. In Los Angeles, KSPN carried the Lakers' English-language broadcasts, with Spero Dedes and Mychal Thompson announcing, while KWKW aired the team's Spanish broadcasts.[39] In Boston, WEEI carried the Celtics' English broadcasts with Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell announcing.[39]

Game Ratings
(households)
Share
(households)
American audience
(in millions)
1[36] 8.6 14 14.1
2[40] 9.2 15 15.5
3[41] 9.6 16 16.0
4[42] 9.9 18 16.4
5[43] 10.8 18 18.2
6[44] 10.4 18 18.0
7[45] 15.6 27 28.2

Impact and aftermath edit

Lakers head coach Phil Jackson earned his 11th title, further extending his record for most championships earned by either an NBA coach or any coach/manager in a major North American professional sports league. It was also his 13th title, as he had won two as a player with the Knicks in 1970 and 1973.[46] Bryant won his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP Award. He later said that this championship win was the "sweetest" because it was against the longtime, storied rivals and was the toughest series by far.[47][48] Furthermore, Lakers forward Luke Walton and his father Hall of Famer Bill Walton became the only (as of 2011) father and son to both have won multiple NBA championships Bill in 1977 and 1986 and Luke in 2009 and 2010.[49] Lastly, this would become Kobe Bryant's final championship, and, as of the 2022–23 season, the most recent Finals meeting between the Lakers and the Celtics.

Lakers edit

 
Derek Fisher during the victory parade.

The series win brought the Lakers' franchise NBA championship total to 16,[27] second only to the Celtics' 17 championships. This also marked the 11th title for the team since moving from Minneapolis in 1960, and it was the franchise's fifth Finals win in eleven seasons.[27] Notably, this was the Lakers' first Game 7 win over the Celtics in Finals history,[50] Boston had won all previous matchups.[24] Moreover, the Lakers were now 3–9 against Boston since the two teams first competed against each other in the 1959 NBA Finals.[51]

 
President Barack Obama meets with the 2010 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers at the THEARC Boys and Girls Club in Washington, D.C.

On June 21, a victory parade took place for the Lakers. Unlike like previous years, however, there was no pep rally that followed after the end of the parade due to both security and financial reasons.[52] The team was transported around on an open-air float equipped with loudspeakers enabling the players to talk to the spectators. The parade began at 11 a.m local time at Staples Center, turned east on Chick Heart Court, turned south onto Figueroa Street, then east onto Jefferson Boulevard before entering beneath Interstate 110.[52] The parade concluded at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Grand Avenue near the University of Southern California's Galen Center.[52][53] Occasionally, Ron Artest led the crowd in chanting "Boston sucks!"[54] Over 65,000 people were estimated to have attended the parade.[55] Most of the 2009–10 Lakers team were on hand to receive their championship rings before the start of the season opener against the Houston Rockets on October 26.[56] They also visited U.S. president Barack Obama at the THEARC Boys and Girls Club in Washington, DC. in December 2010, presenting him with a banner declaring the Lakers as 2009–10 NBA World Champions.[57][58]

In November, Time Capsule Press published a book entitled Journey to the Ring: Behind the Scenes with the 2010 NBA Champions Lakers. The book, written by coach Jackson, featured various photographs from sports photographer Andrew D. Bernstein chronicling the Lakers 2009–10 season en route to their triumph against the Celtics.[59]

The Lakers struggled since the 2010–11 season, missing the playoffs for multiple years. They did not return to the Finals until 2020, defeating the Miami Heat and winning their 17th title, which tied the Celtics for the most in league history.[60]

Celtics edit

Allen departed for the Miami Heat in 2012, while Pierce and Garnett were traded to the Brooklyn Nets the following offseason. Also in the 2013 offseason, Rivers took over as the Los Angeles Clippers head coach, and the last remaining piece of the “Big Four”, Rondo, was traded to the Dallas Mavericks early in the 2014–15 season. Rondo would ironically join the Lakers in 2018 and win a championship with them in 2020. The Celtics did not return to the Finals until 2022, attempting to win their 18th title (which would've broke a tie with the Lakers for the most in franchise history). Their Finals record remained tied when the Golden State Warriors won the series in 6 games.[61]

References edit

  1. ^ "2010 NBA Playoffs Series Prices". Sports Odds History. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  2. ^ Plaschke, Bill (July 3, 2009). "Lakers move the wrong move going with Ron Artest". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  3. ^ Stein, Marc (August 9, 2009). "Rambis will be Wolves head coach". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  4. ^ Harris, Beth (April 4, 2010). "Spurs earn playoff berth in 100-81 win over Lakers". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  5. ^ "NBA Recap - Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers April 14, 2010". CBS Sports. CBS Corporation. April 15, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
  6. ^ Medina, Mark (February 1, 2010). "Kobe Bryant's record breaking night soured with Lakers' loss to Memphis". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
  7. ^ Latzke, Jeff (May 1, 2010). "Lakers knock out Thunder on Gasol's tip-in". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  8. ^ Alden, Doug (May 11, 2010). "Lakers sweep away jazz, look ahead to suns". NBC Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  9. ^ Baum, Bob (May 30, 2010). "Lakers stop Suns, to face Celts in Finals". FOX Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  10. ^ Mahoney, Brian (May 30, 2010). "Familiar foes renew rivalry". The News-Sentinel. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  11. ^ Chu, Bryan (June 4, 2010). "Lakers' defense shines in Finals-opening win over Celtics". NBA.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
  12. ^ "Star Gazing: Monica Sings Anthem at NBA Finals". Eassence. June 8, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics – Play by Play". ESPN. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  14. ^ Dzen, Gary (June 8, 2010). "Final: Lakers 91, Celtics 84 -Celtics blog – Boston Globe basketball news". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  15. ^ Fenton, Jim (June 8, 2010). "Boston Celtics need Big Three to avoid foul trouble in Game 4 against Los Angeles Lakers". The Enterprise. GateHouse Media. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  16. ^ Lisa Dillman and John Cherwa (June 8, 2010). "Lakers defeat Celtics, 91–84". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  17. ^ Bresnehan, Mike (June 8, 2010). "Derek Fisher saves the Lakers again". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  18. ^ Buckley, Steve (June 8, 2010). "Ray Allen's game amiss". Boston Herald. Hoops Daily. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  19. ^ a b "Lakers 89 Celtics 96: Complete Play-By-Play". ESPN. June 10, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
  20. ^ a b "Big Baby, Celtics bench provide spark as Celtics tie Finals". ESPN. Associated Press. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
  21. ^ Mourhead, Cooper (June 14, 2010). "Celtics' defense stymies Lakers as Boston claims 3–2 lead". NBA.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  22. ^ ESPN Game 6 Recap
  23. ^ a b Forsberg, Chris (June 17, 2010). "Perkins sidelined with knee injury". ESPN. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  24. ^ a b Beacham, Greg (June 16, 2010). "Game 7: Lakers, Celtics Face Weight of History". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics – Play by Play". ESPN. June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  26. ^ Forsberg, Chris (June 18, 2010). "Wallace heads to refs locker room". ESPNBoston.com. ESPN. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  27. ^ a b c Beacham, Chris (June 18, 2010). "Lakers edge Celtics in Game 7, win 16th title". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 5, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  28. ^ Smith, Sekou (June 18, 2010). "No Doubt About The MVP". nba.com. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  29. ^ a b "Lakers Beat Celtics for Championship 83–79". CBS News. Associated Press. June 18, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  30. ^ Mannix, Chris (June 18, 2010). "NBA Finals Report Card: Game 7". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  31. ^ Holmes, Baxter (December 14, 2010). "In the end, Lakers beat Celtics at their own grinding game". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  32. ^ a b Isola, Frank (June 17, 2010). "Los Angeles Lakers repeat, stave off Celtics, 83-79, Kobe Bryant captures fifth ring, Finals MVP". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013.
  33. ^ Dwyer, Kelly (June 18, 2010). "Lakers take Game 7, win back-to-back titles". Sports.Yahoo.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  34. ^ Solomon, Jerome (June 18, 2010). "Artest was Game 7 MVP for Lakers". The Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010.
  35. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 4, 2010). "ABC Generates its Most-Watched-Ever Opening Night with the NBA Finals". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  36. ^ a b Stransky, Tanner (June 10, 2010). "Ratings: NBA finals on ABC, 'SVU' finale take the week". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  37. ^ Flint, Joe (June 18, 2010). "Lakers-Celtics Game 7 draws almost 30 million viewers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  38. ^ "2010 NBA Finals Most Viewed Since 2001". Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  39. ^ a b Little, Jeff (June 17, 2010). "TLN's Finals Chat: Game 7 — Lakers vs. Celtics". LakersNation. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  40. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 7, 2010). "ABC Dominates Sunday with Biggest NBA Finals Game 2 in 6 Years". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  41. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 9, 2010). "The NBA Finals Generates its Best Results in 6 Years, Registering as the Second-Strongest-Ever Numbers on ABC". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  42. ^ Seidman, Robert (June 11, 2010). "Game 4 of Lakers/Celtics Is Most-Watched NBA Finals Game in 2 Years; Through 4 Games, Best Finals in 6 Years". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  43. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 14, 2010). "TV Ratings Sunday: NBA Finals Leap, Tony Awards Sag". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on April 1, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  44. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 16, 2010). "ABC Marks its Best-Ever NBA Finals Game 6 Numbers in Viewers and Adults 18–49". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  45. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 18, 2010). "NBA Finals Game 7 Averages 28.2 Million Viewers, Highest Since 1998". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  46. ^ Lee, Michael (June 18, 2010). "Lakers' Jackson unsure if he'll return to coaching". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  47. ^ "Lakers battle to win Game 7, win 16th championship". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  48. ^ "'Sweetest' Repeat as Lakers Beat Celtics for Title". NBC Sports. Associated Press. June 18, 2010. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  49. ^ Tomasson, Chris (June 15, 2010). "Bill Walton "I'm Back In The Game Of Life"". NBA.FanHouse.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  50. ^ Miller, Devon (June 18, 2010). "Lakers Title Run Leads to Back to Back NBA Championships". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  51. ^ Falgoust, J. Michael (June 18, 2010). "Kobe Bryant finds a way, comes up clutch for Finals MVP". USA Today. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  52. ^ a b c Grad, Shelby (June 18, 2010). "Lakers' victory parade Monday; team says it will cover costs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  53. ^ "Lakers parade will complicate Monday morning commute". Los Angeles Times. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  54. ^ "Parade participants celebrate NBA champion LA Lakers". Los Angeles Daily News. June 21, 2010. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  55. ^ Alexandra Zavis, Gale Holland and Carla Hall (June 22, 2010). "For the Lakers, another march in June". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  56. ^ Jannis Carr (October 26, 2010). "Lakers get their rings and a glimpse into the future". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  57. ^ Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner (December 13, 2010). "Lakers visit with President Obama, spend time with local Boys and Girls Club". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  58. ^ "Meet and Greet". Los Angeles Times. December 14, 2010. Archived from the original on December 16, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  59. ^ Praise for Andrew D. Bernstein. "Behind the Scenes with the 2010 NBA Champions". Journey to the Ring. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  60. ^ McMenamin, Dave (October 11, 2020). "Los Angeles Lakers lean on defense in dominant Game 6 win vs. Miami Heat, claim first NBA title in a decade". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  61. ^ Hightower, Kyle. "Warriors hold off Celtics for 4th title in last 8 seasons". NBA.com. Retrieved June 17, 2022.

External links edit