2009-10 Season
Record: 57-25, first place in Pacific Division
The Lakers signed Ron Artest in the off-season to shore up the defense and opened the season 23-4. Kobe Bryant fought off the pain of a broken finger all season, in addition to chronically sore knees. Throw in the annual injury to Andrew Bynum (this time a strained Achilles') and the Lakers did well to come away with the best record in the Western Conference.
Playoffs: The Lakers got past a tough Oklahoma City Thunder and then swept the Utah Jazz to set up a conference finals matchup with Phoenix. With the series tied, 2-2, Artest tipped in Bryant’s last-second shot to give the Lakers a Game 5 win and help the team advance to the Finals against the Boston Celtics. In a tough, hard-fought series, the Lakers overcame a 13-point deficit in the third quarter of Game 7 to win the game and their second consecutive title.
Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight season and Phil Jackson won his 11th title as a coach.
Playoff Results
Western Conference first round
- at Lakers 87, Oklahoma City 79
- at Lakers 95, Oklahoma City 92
- at Oklahoma City 101, Lakers 96
- at Oklahoma City 110, Lakers 89
- at Lakers 111, Oklahoma City 87
- Lakers 95, at Oklahoma City 94
Western Conference semifinals
- at Lakers 104, Utah 99
- at Lakers 111, Utah 103
- Lakers 111, at Utah 110
- Lakers 111, at Utah 96
Western Conference finals
- at Lakers 128, Phoenix 107
- at Lakers 124, Phoenix 112
- at Phoenix 118, Lakers 109
- at Phoenix 115, Lakers 106
- at Lakers 103, Phoenix 101
- Lakers 111, at Phoenix 103
NBA Finals
- at Lakers 102, Boston 89
- Boston 103, at Lakers 94
- Lakers 91, at Boston 84
- at Boston 96, Lakers 89
- at Boston 92, Lakers 86
- at Lakers 89, Boston 67
- at Lakers 83, Boston 79
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