Los Angeles Lakers beat Miami Heat to win a record-tying 17th NBA Championship. This was the first time since late Kobe Bryant’s fifth and final title a decade ago that Lakers won the NBA championship with a 106-93 victory over Miami Heat. The win sealed the best-of-seven title series 4-2 in their favour, restoring the franchise to top of the basketball world. The Championship win, their 17th in history, tied them with Boston Celtics for most NBA Championship titles. The final match of the NBA finals will be played on October 13. NBA Finals 2020 Meme Templates: Funny Images to Make Hilarious Jokes That Only True Sports Fans Will Understand.

LeBron James, who was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), led the way with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Anthony Davis has 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers. James won the NBA Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career becoming the first player to win the Finals MVP award with three different franchises. He was instrumental in leading the LA Lakers to their first NBA title since 2010.

LeBron James First Player to Win NBA Finals MVP With Three Different Franchises

2020 NBA Champions LA Lakers

Moment LA Lakers Became NBA Champions

“It means a lot to represent this franchise,” James, who joined the team in 2018 after the Lakers had missed the playoffs for five seasons in a row, was quoted as saying by Reuters. “I told (Lakers president) Jeanie (Buss) when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back in the position where it belongs. We just want our respect. Rob (Pelinka) wants his respect, coach (Frank) Vogel wants his respect, our organization wants its respect, Lakers nation wants its respect,” he added. “And I want my damn respect too.”

LA Lakers Wins 2020 NBA Championship

This was an important season for the Lakers, one with full of agony and anguish. The tragic loss of Lakers and NBA legend Kobe Bryant on January 26 after a horrific helicopter mishap while he was travelling with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others left the entire basketball world in a shock. The LA Lakers has said they will play the rest of the season in the memory of the great man. They delivered their promise by lifting the first NBA title in the club’s history since Bryant lifted the last in 2010.

“You have written your own inspiring chapter in the great Laker history,” Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said. “And to Laker Nation, we have been through a heartbreaking tragedy with the loss of our beloved Kobe Bryant. Let this trophy serve as a reminder of when we come together, believe in each other, incredible things can happen.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 12, 2020 11:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).