Finals MVP Kobe Bryant was fantastic on his way to winning his fourth NBA championship. He scored 30 points, pulled down six rebounds, dished off five assists, blocked four shots and swiped two steals. Bryant, who won his first ring without Shaquille O’Neal at his side, did all of that while turning the ball only one time.

Kobe Bryant - 2009 Finals MVP (Image: Newscom)

Helping Bryant were Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Trevor Ariza and Derek Fisher. Odom had 17 points and ten rebounds off the bench, Gasol had 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, Ariza had 15 points and five rebounds and Derek Fisher had 13 points and four rebounds.

For the young Magic, they just didn’t have it this game. They held tough for the first quarter but the Lakers outscored them 50-33 in the middle too periods to take control of the game heading into the final stanza.

Congrats to the Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for a job well done on the 2009 NBA championship and props to the NBA for another exciting season of basketball.

Post from: EveryJoe

Lakers Win the 2009 NBA Championship

Kobe Bryant made an early case for Finals MVP with a fantastic performance. The Lakers shooting guard totaled 40 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks in 38 minutes of play. He hit 16-of-34 field goal attempts, all eight of his free throws and only had one turnover.

Kobe Bryant - 2009 NBA Finals MVP?

Pau Gasol helped out Bryant with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Lamar Odom had 11 points and 14 rebounds off the bench.

For Orlando, it was a long, long night on the offensive end. The Magic shot just 29.9% from the field and mustered only 32 points in the second half. Dwight Howard was only 1-for-6 from the floor, while Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu were a combined 5-for-21.

If the Magic are to come back and make this a series, they will need to shoot much better. They’ll also have to find some sort of answer to slow down Bryant.

However, the Lakers looked like the far superior team and appear destined to take home the 2009 NBA championship.

Post from: EveryJoe

Kobe Bryant Leads Lakers to Game 1 Win