NBA Champions ·
2009 Los Angeles Lakers
The 2008-09 Lakers went 65-17 and beat Dwight Howard's Orlando Magic in five for the franchise's 15th title. Kobe Bryant averaged 32.4 points in the series and won his first Finals MVP without Shaquille O'Neal. The trade that made it possible was a steal a year earlier: Pau Gasol from Memphis.
A year after losing the Finals to Boston, the Lakers came back as the best team in the West at 65-17. Pau Gasol, acquired from Memphis in February 2008, now had a full season alongside Kobe Bryant. Phil Jackson's group had size, with Gasol and Andrew Bynum up front and Lamar Odom off the bench.
Bryant carried the offense and averaged 32.4 points in the Finals. Gasol gave him a skilled second option who could score and pass from the post. Trevor Ariza added perimeter defense and timely threes, and Odom was one of the best sixth men in the league.
Los Angeles handled Orlando in five games. Howard anchored the Magic's defense, but the Lakers had too many scorers. Bryant won his first Finals MVP, the first championship of his career in which he was clearly the best player on the floor.
For Bryant, the ring answered the question that trailed him after the O'Neal partnership ended in 2004. He had won three titles with Shaq. This one was his.
Championship roster
Featured in Ring Holders Club
| Player | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Fisher | PG | 71 |
| Kobe Bryant | SG | 95 |
| Trevor Ariza | SF | 76 |
| Pau Gasol | PF | 88 |
| Andrew Bynum | C | 79 |
| Lamar Odom | 6th man | 81 |
| Phil Jackson | Coach | 91 |
Ratings are year-specific curated estimates for Ring Holders Club, not official NBA stats.
Rest of the roster
| Player | Pos |
|---|---|
| Sasha Vujacic | G |
| Jordan Farmar | G |
| Shannon Brown | G |
| Luke Walton | F |
| Josh Powell | F/C |
| D.J. Mbenga | C |