NBA Finals 2009

Logo of the 2009 finals

The NBA Finals of the 2008/09 season in the North American professional basketball league NBA were played from June 4 between the Orlando Magic (winner of the Eastern Conference ) and the Los Angeles Lakers (winner of the Western Conference ). Like the entire play-offs, the final round was decided in a best-of-seven process. In the USA, the finals were again broadcast under the cooperation ESPN on ABC . The Lakers enjoyed home game rights due to their better result in the regular season. Los Angeles won the series with 4: 1 games.

Before the finals

Los Angeles Lakers ( Western Conference Champion)		Orlando Magic ( Eastern Conference Champion)
65–17 (.793) 1st Pacific, 1st West, 2nd overall	Regular season		59-23 (.720) 1st Southeast, 3rd East, 4th overall
Defeated the (8) Utah Jazz , 4–1	First round		Defeated the (6) Philadelphia 76ers , 4–2
Defeated the (5) Houston Rockets , 4-3	Conference semifinals		Defeated the (2) Boston Celtics , 4-3
Defeated the (2) Denver Nuggets , 4–2	Conference Finals		Defeated the (1) Cleveland Cavaliers , 4–2

game schedule

general overview

team	game					Victories
	1	2	3	4th	5
Los Angeles Lakers	100	101	104	99	99	4th
Orlando Magic	75	96	108	91	86	1

Game 1

June 4th 9:00 p.m. (EST)		Orlando Magic 75, Los Angeles Lakers 100			Staples Center , Los Angeles Visitors: 18,997 Referees: Ken Mauer, Dan Crawford, Joe DeRosa	ABC
		Points per quarter: 24–22, 19–31, 15–29, 17–18
		Points: Mickaël Piétrus 14 rebounds: Dwight Howard 15 assists: Jameer Nelson 4		Points: Kobe Bryant 40 rebounds: Lamar Odom 14 assists: Kobe Bryant 8

In the Staples Center ( Los Angeles ), last year's finalist achieved a 100-75 victory. Kobe Bryant contributed 40 points and eight rebounds and assists to the Lakers victory . Dwight Howard, on the other hand, only got twelve points and 15 rebounds. The best thrower at the Magic was replacement guard Mickaël Piétrus with 14 points. Overall, Orlando had a hit rate from the field of 30 percent. Howard said: "We have never thrown so badly ... We have to improve significantly".

Game 2

June 7th 8pm (EST)		Orlando Magic 96, Los Angeles Lakers 101			Staples Center , Los Angeles Visitors: 18,997 Referees: Steve Javie, Tom Washington, Monty McCutchen	ABC
		Points per quarter: 15-15, 20-25, 30-23, 23-25. Overtime / s: 8-13
		Points: Rashard Lewis 34 rebounds: Dwight Howard 16 assists: Rashard Lewis 7		Points: Kobe Bryant 29 rebounds: Pau Gasol 10 assists: Kobe Bryant 8

When the score was 88:88, Magic Guard Courtney Lee failed (two points) after a pass from Hedo Türkoğlu , who had previously blocked Kobe Bryant , from very close range in an alley oop . In the end, the team lost 96: 101 in extra time. "We screwed it up, I can't think of anything else," said Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy . For Lakers coach Phil Jackson, the narrow victory evoked a "sense of relief". The Lakers' best thrower was Kobe Bryant with 29 points. Behind it followed Pau Gasol with 24 points and ten rebounds. At Orlando Rashard Lewis was most successful with 34 points and eleven rebounds. Dwight Howard scored 17 points and got 16 rebounds.

Game 3

June 9, 9:00 p.m. (EST)		Los Angeles Lakers 104, Orlando Magic 108			Amway Arena , Orlando , Florida Visitors: 17,461 Referees: Joe Crawford, Derrick Stafford, Mark Wunderlich	ABC
		Points per quarter: 31-27, 23-32, 21-22, 29-27
		Points: Kobe Bryant 31 rebounds: Trevor Ariza 7 assists: Kobe Bryant 8		Points: Howard & Lewis each 21 rebounds: Dwight Howard 14 assists: Hedo Türkoğlu 7

Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis each scored 21 points for Orlando, Kobe Bryant was the Lakers' most successful thrower with 31 points. Pau Gasol got 23 points.

Game 4

Jun 11 9:00 p.m. EST		Los Angeles Lakers 99 , Orlando Magic 91			Amway Arena , Orlando , Florida Visitors: 17,461 Referees: Bennett Salvatore, Mike Callahan, Scott Foster	ABC
		Points per quarter: 20-24, 17-25, 30-14, 20-24. Overtime / s: 12-4
		Points: Kobe Bryant 32 rebounds: Pau Gasol 10 assists: Kobe Bryant 8		Points: Hedo Türkoğlu 25 rebounds: Dwight Howard 21 assists: Rashard Lewis 4
		Los Angeles leads 3-1

The Magic had developed a five-point lead 1:34 minutes before the end of regular time. A minute later, Pau Gasol shortened to 84:87 for Los Angeles, and 4.6 seconds before the end Derek Fisher scored 87:87, bringing the Lakers into overtime. In his five attempts over the course of the evening, he had not previously scored a single three. With another three he gave the guests the lead 31 seconds before the end of the game. Gasol and Trevor Ariza each had 16 points for the Lakers, Fisher a total of twelve points. Hedo Turkoglu scored 25 points for Orlando. Dwight Howard finished the game with 16 counters and 9 blocks (final record), but also missed eight free throws.

Game 5

June 14 8:00 p.m. EST		Los Angeles Lakers 99 , Orlando Magic 86			Amway Arena , Orlando , Florida Visitors: 17,461 Referees: Dan Crawford, Joe DeRosa, Ken Mauer	ABC
		Points per quarter: 26-28, 30-18, 20-15, 23-25
		Points: Kobe Bryant 30 rebounds: Pau Gasol 15 assists: Kobe Bryant 5		Points: Rashard Lewis 18 rebounds: Dwight Howard & Rashard Lewis 10 assists: Rashard Lewis & Jameer Nelson 4
		Los Angeles wins 4-1

With Game 5, the Los Angeles Lakers secured the NBA title for the first time since 2002 and for the 15th time.

Kobe Bryant celebrates the championship in Disney Land in Anaheim, California .

Awards and statistics

• 2009 NBA Champion : Los Angeles Lakers
• Finals MVP : Kobe Bryant

category	Best performance		average
			Los Angeles Lakers		Orlando Magic
	player	total	player	average	player	average
Points	Kobe Bryant	40	Kobe Bryant	32.4	Hedo Türkoğlu	18.0
Rebounds	Dwight Howard Dwight Howard	21 (OT) 15	Pau Gasol	9.2	Dwight Howard	15.2
Assists	Kobe Bryant	8th	Kobe Bryant	7.4	Rashard Lewis	4.0
Steals	Dwight Howard Mickaël Piétrus	4 (OT) 3	Trevor Ariza	1.8	Dwight Howard	1.6
Blocks	Dwight Howard Marcin Gortat Kobe Bryant Pau Gasol	9 (OT) 4 4 4	Pau Gasol	1.8	Dwight Howard	4.0

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Game 1: Dream start for Lakers, equalization for Penguins

Web links

• Official website