History Repeats Itself: Lakers 2020 Champions

BY: VANSH GUPTA

Photo courtesy of nba2k.

Ten years ago, Kobe Bryant held up the NBA championship trophy after winning his fifth and final title with the Los Angeles Lakers. After a hard-fought battle against the Boston Celtics, the series ended in a suspenseful Game 7 matchup, coming down to the very final seconds. Not only was it an unforgettable moment for Lakers fans everywhere, but it cemented Bryant as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In the nine years that followed, the Lakers struggled to play to their potential, and ended up entering a long stretch of rebuilding, experimenting with several different coaches and multiple line-ups. Nothing seemed to work until the current season of 20192020, in which superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis led them to a dominating regular season and an impressive playoff run. It’s no secret, however, that 2020 has definitely not been all good news. On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, died in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The devastating accident shook up not just the whole NBA community but the entire world. Kobe was so much more than a player; he was a loving husband, a caring father, an idol looked up to by millions, and the list goes on.

Impact of Bryant on Current Lakers:

With a lot riding on their season, the Lakers have been fueled by the tragic events of Kobe Bryant, and are playing in honor of him and how much he means to them. The team often wears their “Mamba” jerseys resembling a color pattern of the Black Mamba (Bryant’s nickname), as well as the number 2 (Gianna’s jersey number) in the corner with a heart around it.

One thing about Kobe Bryant was that he prioritized loyalty over anything else, and this is reflected by the current Laker team and how close they have become as a group. Bryant bled purple and gold,

as one of only two players to ever play twenty full seasons with one franchise; he is joined only by Dirk Nowitzki who did the same with the Dallas Mavericks.

The players are inspired by the well known “Mamba Mentality” attitude that Kobe Bryant possessed. He was the first one in the gym for practice every night and the last to leave; anyone who has played with or against him knew that he was going to work harder than anyone else on the floor, so beating him never came easily. The lessons that Bryant has passed down to the Los Angeles organization have proven to be highly significant to the success of the team. Some members of the Laker family commented on the influence Kobe Bryant has on the team: “I think not just me, but the entire team thinks about him all the time. I mean, we say ‘Mamba on three’ after every timeout, every huddle, knowing that he’s with us and knowing that we’re not only playing for our organization, but playing for him.” - Anthony Davis “He’s still with us. We have always wanted to embody what he stood for, and even more so now with what happened, we want to honor his memory.” - Coach Frank Vogel “A day doesn’t go by when I don’t think about him. He’s a legend. The impact that he made both on the floor and off the floor, being able to inspire people, it’s amazing.” - LeBron James

2020 Los Angeles Lakers:

Right off the bat, this 2020 Laker team has come out swinging. After ending its regular season with an outstanding record of 52-19, Los Angeles clinched the one seed in the west and looked ahead to a promising postseason. With the innumerable events that took place over the year, they knew they were playing for something more; it was not a normal season, but they knew what they had to do to win. Playing the Portland Trailblazers in the first round, the Lakers finished the series at 4-1, as they advanced to the next round. While the Blazers are a talented squad with all stars such as Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, the strength of the Lakers took over and helped them jump over their first hurdle. In the second round, they faced James Harden and the Houston Rockets who were filled with momentum, coming off of a Game seven victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite the unbelievable three-point shooting ability of the Rockets, the Lakers were able to close out the series in five games, moving on to the western conference finals.

The Lakers went head-to-head with the Denver Nuggets, who had come back from 3-1 deficits in both of their prior playoff series. With great players like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray on the opposing side, the Lakers had their work cut out for them but were ready for the challenge. The Lakers once again emerged victorious and were now, for the first time since 2010, heading to the NBA finals. On September 30, they tipped off to commence the NBA finals against the Miami Heat in a best-of-seven series to crown the 2020 NBA champions. After six unbelievable games, the Lakers came out on top with a 4-2 win to repeat history and win a championship for the first time in ten years.

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