User:WorldTraveller101/Article Drafts/2010 NBA Finals
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The 2010 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA) championship series for the 2009–10 season. The best-of-seven playoff was played between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending NBA champions, and the Boston Celtics, champions of the Eastern Conference. The Lakers beat the Celtics, four games to three, to win the franchise's 16th NBA championship. The 64th[1] edition of the championship series was played between June 3 and June 17, was broadcast on ABC, and was watched by an average of 18.1 million people.[2]
File:2010 NBA Finals.png | |||||||||||||||
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Dates | June 3 – 17 | ||||||||||||||
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MVP | Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) | ||||||||||||||
Television | ABC (U.S.) TSN (Canada) | ||||||||||||||
[[List of {{{league}}} Finals broadcasters|Announcers]] | Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy | ||||||||||||||
Radio network | ESPN | ||||||||||||||
Announcers | Jim Durham, Hubie Brown and Jack Ramsay | ||||||||||||||
Referees | |||||||||||||||
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Hall of Famers | Coaches: Phil Jackson (2007) | ||||||||||||||
Eastern Finals | Celtics defeated Magic, 4–2 | ||||||||||||||
Western Finals | Lakers defeated Suns, 4–2 | ||||||||||||||
< 2009 {{{league}}} Finals 2011 > |
The Celtics earned their spot in the playoffs by winning the Atlantic Division. The Lakers won the Pacific Division to earn their spot. The Celtics reached the NBA Finals by beating the Miami Heat in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference First Round, the Cleveland Cavaliers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals, and defending Eastern conference champion Orlando Magic in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers reached the NBA Finals by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the best-of-seven Western Conference First Round, the Utah Jazz in the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals, and the Phoenix Suns in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals. The NBA Finals were scheduled in the Major League Baseball World Series 2–3–2 seven game type, with the Lakers having home-court advantage as a reward for finishing with better regular season record than the Celtics.
Repeated baskets from starters Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest brought the Lakers close to victory in Game 1. A record breaking performance from Ray Allen's eight three-point baskets ensured the Celtics a Game 2 win. Derek Fisher’s 11 points in the fourth quarter helped the Lakers win Game 3. The Celtics won Game 4; it didn't hurt that they netted an excellent performance in baskets by the team’s reserves, while Paul Pierce led the team to a Game 5 win with 27 points on 57% shooting from the floor. The Lakers avoided elimination by winning a decisive Game 6 with 24 points contributed by their bench. Although they were behind the Celtics by 13 points early in the third quarter, the Lakers won their second consecutive championship by taking over an exciting Game 7 aided by late contributions on offense by Pau Gasol and Artest and rebounding. Bryant was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals for his second trophy in a row.
This was the first NBA Finals to go the full seven games since 2005 and only the fourth since the NBA Finals returned to a 2–3–2 format in 1985. The Laker franchise has 16 NBA Championships (Five in Minneapolis, 11 in Los Angeles) behind the Celtics' seventeen championships. The NBA Finals used the "World Series" Format in 1949 Minneapolis Lakers defeated the Washington Capitols 4 games to 2; in 1953 Minneapolis defeated the New York Knicks 4 games to 1; in 1954 Minneapolis defeated the Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3; and in 1955 Syracuse Nationals defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons 4 games to 3. The NBA would return to the 2–2–1–1–1 National Hockey League seven game series format until 1985.