Filed under: NBA Finals Make it back-to-back for the Los Angeles Lakers . In a hotly-contested battle decided in the final frame, the Lakers edged the Celtics 83-79 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to win their 16th franchise championship. The Lakers became the first repeat champion since they won three straight from 2000-02. Kobe Bryant struggled from the field for much of the game, especially from 3-point range, but caught fire when it mattered most — the fourth quarter. Bryant hit two free throws in the fourth to give the Lakers their first lead of the second half, then drilled a jumper on the next possession to make it 68-64 Lakers with 5:21 left in the game. The NBA Finals MVP finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds as he took home his fifth career title. The Celtics took a 40-34 lead into halftime during the sloppy game, but Los Angeles closed the gap and stormed out to the lead behind Bryant’s rebound effort and the strong inside presence from Pau Gasol , who tallied 19 points and 18 rebounds. Boston was attempting to win an unprecedented 18th championship. This year’s NBA Finals earned the highest TV ratings for the finals since 2004.
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Lakers Rally Past Celtics for NBA Title
