2010 NBA Finals - Boston vs Los Angeles - Game 7 Best Plays

Martez, who had a good game in game six, misses that. Gasol already. Another second shot opportunity. Fisher hits the three. Believe it or not, that Fisher three was his first of the finals. Was 0 for 8 prior to nailing that one. With Detroit in 0-4 and 0-5, Gasol off balance, can't get it to go. Ball taken by Bynum, knocked away, Bynum gets it back. They're letting him play early, blocked by Wallace. And Gasol with an excellent second effort. This is Lakers just length and also athleticism. But give them credit, they're quicker to the basketball. If you're dressed in green, you've got to find a way to get in there. And getting a number of offensive rebounds. Gasol, nice fake. Pretty bold from the 7-footer. Got to be ready to catch the basketball and be aggressive. But Paul Pierce is totally ignorant. The help that Pierce is creating. Rondo to Garnett, perfect pass. And Boston up by 4. Gasol inside to Kobe Bryant. The big man, and Bryant with his first field goal. Alternate shots and then offensively, be ready to be aggressive and attack. Kevin Garnett dominating early. And Kendrick Perkins says, that's what I'm talking about. See that first quarter setting the tone. Absolutely, the first quarter lead as Bryant takes. Well, this is good basketball. He caught the ball, two dribbles, showed the shot, on balance, in the paint. Excellent fundamental work by Bryant. And the shots he's been showing the other night. Garnett trying to save it. Jack Nicholson did not try to pick up the charge. And it's Laker ball. Oh, this crowd fired up. Oh, you can't walk away like that. And then give the fake hustle of helping him up. Very disappointing defense. Bryant nearly falls, gets backed up. Got one on the shot clock, puts it up. Get to the foul line and try to get some sort of rip. Bryant missing the first one badly. It's the second, seven of the finals. It has been an offensive struggle. Artest, that's good, a three-pointer for Ryan Artest. At some point, you have to understand how you're being defended. They're giving you these wide open shots. And you're Artest, be ready to lock and load on the weak side. With confidence, or if you don't shoot it, you're hurting your basketball girlfriend instead. Bryant pulls up, rattles that one. Just two for 11 before hitting that. Wallace, five on the shot clock. Turns and shoots and banks it in. Well, you see how good he is down low in the post. He wouldn't lay out on the drive. Pierce for three, puts it in. Paul Pierce from downtown. And the Celtics back up by seven, just like so ahead of the T-Mobile halftime report. One half of basketball to go, win or lose. How will the results of this game seven impact Kobe Bryant's legacy? Sixth and he took a shot from Artest on the drive to the basket. Kobe Bryant, count it, and a foul. They're gonna say before the shot. I like what Rondo's doing. Calls Kevin Garnett at half court. Certainly not an act of shooting. It says settle down, don't worry about it. Stay the course. Let's run our sets and we'll get something good again. And he's gonna come in, and it's Paul Pierce. Either because of his son, Mark Action Jackson, the second graduating from Taft High School. Artest drives inside. Banker, oh, right there. And the Celtics need a timeout for the Lakers. Sometimes you just gotta find a way to get back into the ballgame. Pushing the ball off of a stop, Lamar Odom outstanding job following in the contest. How about Derek Fisher coming off the down screen, lock and load. Knocks down the jump shot. Lakers, 18 offensive. Artest back defensively. Pierce for three. That's good. Paul Pierce from downtown. And a single coverage in the post. Wallace, nice bank shot. He does it again. Wallace has four field goals, all of them. Good low post shots. Garnett daring him to shoot. Drives inside. Against Gasol, Artest leading now. Garnett blows past, oh, he's blocked it. Oh, it's been a good defensive play here. Garnett had been hurting him with the face up, had scored on the play before. Gasol hits him on overtime. The commissioner cancels the game. Gasol. And getting other guys involved. So, Paul Gasol now gets a catch and he's able to take advantage of his mismatch on the offensive end. Mid-season has helped them win two big playoff games. Game six against Orlando. Important points. Doc Rivers, I give him credit. He has big guts. He was back that he was grimacing about before, Norris Burke telling us. Hits all three, one point game. Defense. Ray Allen on the drive, the floater. Shot's good. Maybe his toughest attempt of the night. It goes in. It was one for nine before. Gasol. Inside Artest. With a chance to tie it at the free throw line. Moving without the basketball, recognizing that Paul Pierce is a designated center fielder. Artest goes away. Going for the ball. Back out, Fisher. Fisher for three. Bang! Passer off the dribble. Rondo gives some help. That's an excellent closeout and a big time shot. 5.56 remaining, fourth quarter. Game seven of the NBA Finals. The NBA Championship hanging in the balance here at the Staples Center. They've trailed by as many as 13. That was in the third quarter. And slowly chipped away at the lead. And you gotta give credit to Bryant. Struggling all game long. This has been a bad game for him offensively. But the guy has 12 big rebounds. Where are the Celtics gonna find offense right now? Bryant on the pull-up. Puts it in! Great players believe. Bryant saying, I'm gonna roll these dice and I bet not crap out. Knocks down a big time jumper and a bench in joint. And the Lakers with that terrific performance in game six. And what a turnaround here in game seven. Bryant one for two, five point game. Both defenses have been amazing here tonight. Pass inside to Garnett. Garnett throws it down. The game. Todd Gasol. Pass in, spins, fake. Shot. It's good! Gasol gets it up. Celtics leads by six with a minute and a half to play. Kyle Gasol. Isolation one-on-one with Rasheed Wallace. The pump fake. Fundamentally sound. Lays it in. Big time move at a big time moment. Celtics down by six with a minute and a half left to go in game seven. Still plenty of time remaining. Pierce looking for an opening. Artest, that's a three. Bang! And Celtics still with two timeouts remaining. Either team with a foul to give. Some big shots down the stretch. How about Ron Artest with his. And how about the truck? Brunt makes the play. Instead of trying to go for the home run, takes the double team and gets the ball to Artest and he does the rest. And you gotta be happy for Ron Artest. Sit down, Artest. Game with 16.2 remaining. They have to foul. Reaching in. Odom looking. Finds Vujicic. And Vujicic is fouled. Vujicic has only played five minutes. That shows you the confidence that Phil Jackson has in him. Has him in the ball game, understanding the ball will find him. And he believes that he's an outstanding free throw shooter and the time won't change. Huge free throws here. Having to step up, not playing much. In a pressure situation, NBA Finals game seven. Vujicic, the 25 year old from Slovenia. With a chance to make it a four point game. Free throws. Calls his final timeout. Vujicic. Again, I don't know if he was calm, but he looked it at the free throw line. Two perfect free throws. And Kobe Bryant, ever so closer to a fifth championship. Key here now, Boston at a timeout. They obviously have to score. NBA Championship coming down to the final seconds. In the ball, Odom playing. Inbounds passing. You should recognize where the shooters are coming off. Gets it to Pierce. As the Lakers win their 16th title. And this has to be one of the sweeter ones. As they defeat the Celtics finally in a game seven. And are now just one title behind Boston for the most NBA championships. And what a hard fought physical game seven this was. Had to come back from 13 down in the second half. Al Gasol, the emotions flowing as he wins his second straight championship. 10 champs. And Bryant loving the feeling of being a five-time champ. And first to win the back-to-back since Bryant and the Lakers doing it in 2001 and 02. And he had a game six for 24. Couldn't find the basket, but had 15 rebounds and had plenty of help. And one man in his first year with the Lakers stepped up and had a huge game seven with 20 points as Ron Artest. He's with Dorris. Well, he's an abject joy over his first title. And Ron on a night his best attribute for most of the night was rebounding. What kind of satisfaction? The trophy represents all of that sacrifice and commitment that you put in. You wanna do everything in your power to keep it in your hands instead of somebody else's. You know it's gonna be hard. It's gonna hurt. But the feeling of winning just overcomes all of that. Buzzer goes off and you can't believe that you're actually hoisting that gold ball.