Magic Set Finals Single Game Field Goal Percentage Record, Beat Lakers 108-104
20secondtimeout.blogspot.com 6/10/2009 — The Orlando Magic set an NBA Finals single game record by shooting .625 from the field and had five players score between 18 and 21 points as they defeated the L.A. Lakers 108-104, cutting the Lakers' lead to 2-1. The 1991 Chicago Bulls had held the Finals single game field goal percentage ...

Simmons: Kobe's greatness still grating
sports.espn.go.com 6/16/2009 — Did Kobe Bryant really change between 2008 and 2009? Bill Simmons puts the Lakers star under his microscope.

Clutch Three Pointers by Fisher Lift Lakers to Commanding 3-1 Series Lead
20secondtimeout.blogspot.com 6/12/2009 — Couch potato coaches have been calling for Derek Fisher's head throughout the playoffs but the much maligned 34 year old point guard drained two clutch three pointers--one to force overtime and the second to give the L.A. Lakers the lead for good--as the Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 99-91 ...

Behind the Box Score, where we have a champion
sports.yahoo.com 6/15/2009 — Los Angeles Lakers 99, Orlando 86 (Lakers win championship, 4-1) Apparently the only thing I'm left with, after 82 games and two months of playoff basketball, is just to plead with you to appreciate what we have left. That's nothing new. I'm ...

Kobe Bryant’s Legacy Should Not Be Defined Based Upon This Past Title
thesportingtruth.com 6/15/2009 — As I sat there watching Kobe Bryant win his first championship without Shaq, I felt a sudden sadness. A sadness, that the game of basketball doesn’t usually cause. It wasn’t the same sadness you get when your favorite team loses, but it was the type of sadness you get when you ...

Kobe Bryant: A Hero By Definition
bleacherreport.com 6/11/2009 — Buddha. Moses. Jesus Christ. Kobe Bryant? When Kobe Bryant came into the NBA, he wasn't your average high-school player. Then-Laker General Manager Jerry West called Bryant the most talented player he'd seen. But very quickly, Kobe became one ...

The Lakers Pick a New Strategy, and Roll
myespn.go.com 6/5/2009 — Posted by Kevin Arnovitz LOS ANGELES -- When a team like the Lakers runs such a recognizable, well-defined system like the Triangle Offense, it's always striking when they depart from it. Normally, a team makes a drastic adjustment because the ...

Is Too Much Expected Out of Kobe Bryant?
mvn.com 6/11/2009 — Kobe Bryant is associated with some of the league's greatest players, stars such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. People jumped on James because he failed to meet with the press or shake hands with any Orlando Magic players after a game 6 loss ...

Deconstructing Bad Writing: Krolik's Slam Job on Kobe Bryant, Part I
20secondtimeout.blogspot.com 6/21/2009 — I recently explained specifically why the "New and Improved Slam 2009 Top 50" is a subpar product. Writing is a craft and it is disappointing when people who are allegedly professionals do not take that craft seriously. I'm not trying to call out people by name--the only writer I mentioned in ...

Bryant Returns Atop NBA Throne
hoopsaddict.com 6/15/2009 — A guide to how to read Kobe's celebration after Game 5 and what its signifies about his growth as a teammate and a leader.

Kobe Leads The Lakers To Their 15th NBA Title, On The Way To Finals MVP — Bleacher Report - NBA 6/15/2009
On a night which started great for the Orlando Magic, things quickly turned into a lopsided victory for the Los Angeles Lakers. After falling behind by nine points early in the game, the Lakers went on a 16—0 run and never looked back on their ...

Charles Barkley's view: Phil Jackson will leave the Lakers — L.A. Times - Basketball 6/15/2009
The bottom line is that the Lakers are the better team, and Orlando had no chance of winning. Now the Lakers must decide about Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, and face the huge prospect that their coach might not return. >  ...

Second Quarter Run Helps Lakers Pull Away From Magic, Win 15th NBA Championship — Bleacher Report - NBA 6/15/2009
Until midway through the second quarter, Game Five of the NBA Finals had all the makings of a classic.  It started out with neither team giving up an inch to one other, as they both made every possession matter. Then, the Los Angeles Lakers ...

Lamar Odom Or Trevor Ariza: Who Do the Lakers Keep? — Bleacher Report - NBA 6/15/2009
The box scores below represent Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza based on their career statistics. This offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have to decide which player they would rather retain.It is possible for both players to re-sign, but with potential ...

L.A.'s 4—1 Series Win Over Orlando Gives Lakers 15th Franchise Title — Bleacher Report - NBA 6/15/2009
Facing elimination in game five of the NBA Finals, the Orlando Magic started out fast by building an early eight point lead. The Los Angeles Lakers did not panic and slowly chipped in to the Magic lead. At the end of one quarter, the Magic lead by ...