The long season has finally come to an end. As has the quest for the gold. The Los Angeles Lakers have defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, giving them their fifteenth NBA championship.
Los Angeles beat Orlando by a score of 99-86, with the Magic having entered the fourth quarter down by fifteen points, truly a symbol of the Lakers dominance. The Magic did not go down without a fight however, as all five of their starters were in double digits. It was clear that they did not wish to leave the Amway Arena crowd going home empty-handed.
The win gives Lakers center Pau Gasol his first ever NBA title, after having played in the series last year in a defeat to the Boston Celtics. He had been acquired earlier via a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Kobe Bryant picks up his fourth ring (and the NBA Finals MVP with a 30+ point performance as well), while head coach Phil Jackson picks up his thirteenth overall (including as a player).
Orlando had been somewhat of a Cinderella Story throughout the NBA Playoffs, knocking off the number one seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (with LeBron James of course) and defending champion Celtics through clutch shooting and excellent defense. Their efforts fell short however, along with their All-Star center Dwight Howard. He was seeking his first bit of gold as well.
We here at SportsFullCircle would like to congratulate the 2008-2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, and will have more coverage as the days roll on. A spectacular ending to a great NBA season.
Congratulations to Kobe Bryant, who should be sitting in jail right now for raping a woman. What a great guy.