In time for the NCAA Final Four, The Hoop Doctors would like to take a look back to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2010 playoff and finals run. Here are the “Final Four” of Lakers’ playoff moments from 2010:
1. “Artest’s Game-Winner,” Phoenix Suns, Western Conference Finals, Game 5
In a 2-2 series against the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers were stuck in a hotly contested battle in the final moments of game 5. With the score tied and the Lakers on offense, Ron Artest secured an important offensive rebound. Instead of running down the game clock and setting up the offense, like the Coach and team wanted, Artest bricked a relatively open 3-pointer.
In the final moments of the game, Kobe Bryant was forced into launching a 3-point attempt while he was double-teamed by Steve Nash and Grant Hill.
After the miss, Ron Artest rebounded and scored the game-winning bucket. Later Coach Phil Jackson, and others, remarked how no one in NBA history had, perhaps, gone so quickly from a goat to a hero.
2. “Gasol’s Game-Winner,” Oklahoma City Thunder, 1st Round, Game 6
In a challenging series, highlighted best by a 110-89 Lakers’ loss in game 4, the end of Game 6 was the defining moment for L.A. Bryant tried to bail the Lakers out, but his missed shot led to a Pau Gasol rebound that will live-on in Lakers’ lore.
3. “D-Fish Delivers in Clutch,” Boston Celtics, NBA Finals, Game 3
Heading back to Boston, where the Lakers had been dismantled in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals, Kobe Bryant and others had difficultly coming up with buckets down the stretch of the game. Scoring 11 of his 16 points in the final quarter, Fisher came up with the play of the game, a coast-to-coast driving layup, as he was fouled by 3 Boston Celtics (Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and “Big Baby” Davis). For the Lakers, and especially Fisher, it was a remarkable play. It was essentially a 1-on-4 play that gave the Lakers a 7-point lead with less-than a minute to go. As soon as he got the board, Fisher started pacing up the left side of the floor, the other Lakers lagging behind. The Celtics, too, it seemed were more concerned with keeping pace with the Lakers than staying ahead of the ball. It seemed once Davis, Allen, and Paul Pierce were inside the half court line, they hesitated getting into defensive position. They saw Garnett on Fisher, and seemed to think, collectively, Okay, KG’s got that. That hesitation where maybe Allen and Pierce exchanged words, and Davis may have lost sight of the ball was enough of an opening for Fisher. Once D-Fish slid by KG, Allen raced back, but it was too late. Davis should have been further back to help. Defense won the Celtics the 2008 title, but a defensive lapse was the last nail in the coffin for the Celtics in game 3.
4. “Kobe’s 37 Points Take Down his Old Nemesis, Suns,” Phoenix Suns, Western Conference Finals, Game 6
This series meant a lot to Bryant and the Lakers because the Suns had knocked the Lakers out of the playoffs in 2006 and 2007. Then, there was the harsh (and I believe overly harsh) criticism Bryant received after the losing in Game 7 (2006) after the Lakers (7th place) had taken an improbable 3-1 series lead against a very talented and balanced Suns’ team (2nd place). After blowing that series, many people came down hard on Bryant, who finished the game 8/16 from the field, 4/8 from 3-point range, and 24 points. I always thought Bryant stuck with the team strategy that Jackson was pushing, and that his teammates should have taken more heat for that loss. It’s not like Bryant did not pass the ball—no one else made shots. The other Lakers’ starters were all pretty bad from the field.
Smush Parker 4/13, Luke Walton 6/13, Lamar Odom 5/14, Kwame Brown 2/10
In the 2010 closeout game (WCF Game 6), Bryant erased any doubters left over from that earlier series. It actually seems a bit silly as we look back from 2010, but in 2006 people were questioning whether or not Kobe Bryant was even a good closer. For the last few years, now, though, Bryant has been considered by many to be the best closer in the game.
Looking back at the 2005-2007 Lakers, it looks pretty clear that Kobe Bryant knew it was “all on him.” And he showcased his talent, scoring 81 in 2006 (2nd all-time), scoring 40 points or more in 9 consecutive games (1 of 3), scoring 50 points or more in 4 straight games (2nd only to Wilt Chamberlain) in 2007. In the playoffs, though, you could see Bryant’s lack of confidence, not in himself, but in his teammates (perhaps aside from Odom). And, Bryant said basically as much himself: put him around guys like Smush Parker, and what did you really expect to happen? Now, put him around a cast of all-star level talent (Gasol, Odom, and Andrew Bynum), Bryant has been (and still is) ready to roll.
In Game 6 in the 2010 Western Finals, Bryant was “on” from the opening tip, taking charge and leading the offense. He was so dominant, so unbelievable, that he even found himself, late in the game, giving Alvin Gentry a pat (ala Michael Jordan) after making a flat-out unreal shot. What is best about this play is how hard the Suns worked on defense, basically keeping the Lakers out of even getting into their offense until less than 10 seconds left on the shot clock. Then, the Lakers found Bryant, and with about 5 ticks left on the shot clock, Bryant took a dribble or two, made a little space between him and Grant Hill, rose and nailed a deep jumper, giving the Lakers a 7-point lead with only 34 seconds left.
Honorable Mentions: Games 6 & 7 of the NBA Finals v. Boston Celtics. Game 6 featured an amazing all-around performance by the Lakers, as well as a Jordan Farmar dunk on Kevin Garnett. Game 7 featured Ron Artest coming through, again.
Rob S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition living in Los Angeles. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. De France has played, coached, and officiated competitive high school basketball in California for many years. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.
