The Los Angeles Lakers outscored the Miami Heat by 20 points in the second stanza to take a 28-point halftime lead en route to a 106-93 win that secured the franchise’s record-tying 17th NBA championship.
In his record-setting 260th playoff game, LeBron James became the first player to lead three different teams to a title, logging 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in 41 minutes on his way to a fourth ring. He was also named Finals MVP for the fourth time unanimously. Only Michael Jordan has more with six.
Anthony Davis added 19 points and 15 rebounds. He is a champion for the first time. Davis owned the interior on both ends, the reason the Lakers outscored the Heat by a 34-16 first-half margin in the paint. Davis dedicated the victory to Kobe Bryant, the Lakers legend who died in a helicopter crash this year.
“We didn’t let him down,” said Davis. “Ever since the tragedy, all we wanted to do is do it for him. … It means a lot to us. It’s a tough moment. He was a big brother to all of us, and we did this for him.”
A Lakers team long criticized for its lack of depth had plenty when it mattered. Centavos Caldwell-Pope and Rajon Rondo also played well. The NBA’s bubble experiment was over. The 2019-20 season, after 355 days, was over.
NEW YORK SPORTS THIS WEEK 