Who won the 2009 NBA Finals?
The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA Finals, defeating the Orlando Magic four games to one. It was the Lakers' 15th NBA championship overall and their 30th Finals appearance, the most in league history.
Questions about 2009 NBA Finals
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was named MVP of the 2009 NBA Finals?
Kobe Bryant was named the Finals MVP. He averaged 32.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game during the series, a combination that had not been matched since Jerry West averaged 37.9 points and 7.4 assists in the 1969 Finals.
Why was the 2009 NBA Finals called the Disney Series?
The series was nicknamed the "Disney Series" because of its multiple connections to The Walt Disney Company. Disney owns both ESPN and Finals broadcaster ABC; Walt Disney World is located about 20 miles from Orlando, and Disneyland is located about 30 miles from Los Angeles.
What record did Dwight Howard set in the 2009 NBA Finals?
Dwight Howard set an NBA Finals single-game record with 9 blocked shots in Game 4. The previous record of 8 blocks had been shared by Bill Walton, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal, and Tim Duncan, across Finals games from 1977 to 2003.
What was significant about the Orlando Magic's Game 3 victory in the 2009 Finals?
Game 3 was the first Finals win in Orlando Magic franchise history. The Magic had lost their first six Finals games, including being swept by the Houston Rockets in 1995. Orlando also set a Finals record for field goal percentage in that game, shooting 63 percent from the field.
How many championships did Phil Jackson win as a coach in the 2009 NBA Finals?
The 2009 title was Phil Jackson's 10th NBA championship as a head coach, surpassing Red Auerbach's previous record. It also made Jackson the winningest head coach by title count across all four major professional sports leagues in North America.