Lakers Win Finals With 99-86 Victory Over Orlando

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA FINALS, NBA Game Recap

The Los Angeles Lakers are atop the basketball world as they defeated the Orlando Magic 99-86 in game five of the NBA Finals to win the 2009 NBA Championship. The victory concludes a Post Season for the Association that showed teams go from invincible to suddenly very vulnerable.

The opposite took place with the team from the “City Of Angels” as they struggled in their previous two series against the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets only to wrap this series up in just five games. Once again Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with a game high 30 points as he finally got the “Big Aristotle” monkey off his back winning his first NBA Title without former teammate Shaquille O’Neal. Kobe was named the NBA Finals MVP after the conclusion of the game.

Let me get this out of the way right off the top; I was wrong! I said that the Los Angeles Lakers did not have the innate toughness that a Championship team needs. The Lakers showed in this series by keeping Dwight Howard under 20 points in four off the five contests. The only game they did not achieve that was the only time they lost in the series. Howard did record yet another double-double but with only 11 points and 10 rebounds certainly not the dominant numbers he put up against the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. Rashard Lewis led the team with 18 points.

The Magic came out strong in the first and led 28-26 as the period drew to a close. But the contest and the season would be decided over the next two quarters. Los Angeles picked up their intensity at both ends of the floor and walked into the locker room at the half leading 56-46. The Lakers put the game away in the third as they had a 76-61 advantage at the end of the quarter. Orlando was never a viable threat in the final 12 minutes of the season.

Kobe Bryant had a game high 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals while Lamar Odom came in off the bench and got himself a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 1 steal. Trevor Ariza put 15 points on the scoreboard, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist while Pau Gasol recorded a double-double with 14 points, 15 boards, 4 blocks and 3 assists. Veteran Derek Fisher added 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

Rashard Lewis was a non-factor in the game four loss but he led his club in game five with a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee scored 12 points each for the Magic. Dwight Howard recorded a double-double including 11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal. Los Angeles has now won 15 NBA Championships trailing only last year’s Champions the Boston Celtics who have 17 NBA Titles.

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6 Responses to “Lakers Win Finals With 99-86 Victory Over Orlando”

Lakers Win Finals With 99-86 Victory Over Orlando on June 15th, 2009 1:02 am

[...] the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets only to wrap this series up in just five games. Onc click for more var gaJsHost = ((”https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : [...]
Greg on June 15th, 2009 10:18 am

Great now i get to hear Kobe’s mouth for the next yr! Let’s hope KG comes back as the force he was last year so we can shut the smug, teeth gnarling, i am the real King/Superman all in one down next yr! Yea I’m sure David Stern is sooooo happy w. the outcome!
kobeofthenba on June 15th, 2009 10:19 am

Man just give up and give my boys the props they deserve!
David on June 16th, 2009 6:20 pm

Greg, Kobe won his 4th ring. He deserves, deserves everything that he worked so hard on. Guess what is next?
Kobe gets his 5th ring(should be his 7th nonetheless) and Phil wins his 11th!
Jeff Sack on June 16th, 2009 6:54 pm

David,
Congratulations! The Best Team won! Enjoy your Championship Summer Your Team Earned it and deserved it! Awful tough to repeat in today’s NBA! Just ask Boston! Also remember come late October there will be a Hungry Healthy Celtics team as well as a Cavaliers team with a Superstar who Hates LOSING! So your guys will have their work cut out for them and a HUGE target on their backs! But Bask in the moment for now my friend!
Chris Humpherys on June 22nd, 2009 3:13 am

Dig your site.

Here’s my take on the series. Would love to hear your feedback and exchange blogrolls.

http://sportschump.net/2009/06/15/nba-finals-loss-rests-in-dwights-hands-or-lack-thereof/562/