In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals to clinch their first NBA Finals berth in 10 years. The win also marked the Lakers’ 32nd Finals appearance, the most in NBA history. The 10-year gap between finals appearances was the longest drought in team history. The Lakers last finals appearance came in the 2010 NBA Finals where they faced off against the Boston Celtics. Led by Kobe Bryant’s 23 point performance in game 7, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Celtics 83-79 to clinch the championship. Bryant averaged 28.6 points in the series. In 2020, the Lakers played against the Miami Heat for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. LeBron James led the Lakers averaging 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in the series. The Lakers defeated the Heat (4-2). The Game 6 win marked the Los Angeles Lakers franchise’s 17x NBA Championship, tying the Boston Celtics for most titles in NBA history.
Today in Sports History: September 26
