June 17, 2010, was a night Los Angles Lakers fans will never forget as Kobe Bryant and the team beat the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to clinch the 16th championship in franchise history.
This was the second of back-to-back championships for the Lakers, giving Bryant a total of five in his illustrious career.
It was far from a pretty game, but it was an absolutely gritty one, with L.A. scoring just 34 points in the first half.
And for a moment it looked like the Lakers were cursed to repeat history, as they trailed by 13 in the third quarter.
Boston was determined to prevent Bryant from beating them on his own, sending constant double-teams at the Lakers’ star. While the Black Mamba scored a game-high 23 points, he shot just 6-of-24 from the field.
Kobe with the meanest pump-fake in the game 🥵 #LakeShow2010 pic.twitter.com/parR0ikdPA
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 16, 2020
“This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said afterward. “This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up.”
The Lakers compensated by dominating the battle for possession, getting extra chances by scrapping for offensive rebounds and turnovers.
Mamba Forever #LakeShow2010 pic.twitter.com/6rj4fa22TD
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 16, 2020
Enjoy this throwback of the Boston Celtics at the LA Lakers in their game 7
