Uncovering How the 76ers took the LA Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals
June 6, 2001 is a day that will be remembered for years to come – being marked as a sensational battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals. The Lakers, who were on a 19-game winning streak had been dominating the competition the entire season, but that wouldn’t stop the 76ers from battling to the end – and even to a round of overtime. While many claimed the 76ers would get swept, just like many other teams who faced the glory of the LA Lakers, it would actually be the 76ers who would claim Game 1 of the 2001 National Basketball Association Finals.
Looking back at the game, many thought that the Lakers had this game in the bag. Lakers started the game with hot defense that shook the 76ers, leading them to miss five shots in a row while the Lakers went on a 16-0 run. While the Lakers great ball movement and quick hands prepared fans for the 20th consecutive Laker’s victory, the 76ers flipped a switch and broke up Laker’s defense to drop some nice midrange baskets. The 76ers got hot in the second quarter, going on an 11-3 run. This power-surge would propel the 76ers to score 34 points in the second quarter, topping out LA’s 27 point in the same amount of time.
Allen Iverson was a key-player for the 76ers in this competition, and a key ingredient to the Sixer’s recipe for success. Scoring 48 points collectively throughout all four quarters and overtime, Iverson was a force to be reckoned with for the game. Laker defense shifted to put an emphasis on blocking out Iverson, which worked for a while until the Lakers began to get a little too handsy and fell into foul trouble. Lakers Tyronn Lue’s tenacious defense held Iverson to only 3 points in the fourth quarter. Despite this holding, Iverson’s teammates stepped to the plate to contribute their fair share in the victory. Philadelphia would go 19/19 from the line up until the final 30 seconds of regulation, when Dikembe Mutombo would go 0/2 from the line – pushing the competition to overtime.
Shaquille O’Neal would be a major contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers throughout this fight – posting 44 points on the night. Despite Shaq’s high scoring and whopping 20 rebounds, the Laker’s offense would struggle to keep up with the Sixer’s highly intense defense throughout the night. The Lakers lost the lead in the middle of the second quarter and would not regain a lead until late in the fourth. The two teams battled back and forth for the final victory, but a scrappy defense played by the 76ers would cause multiple missed shots by the Lakers in overtime and ultimately lead to the night’s victory for Philadelphia.
(Source: Sixers Wire)
In a post-game interview, Iverson was asked about the performance of his team in the nail-biting battle against a very talented Lakers team. Iverson spoke about the Sixer’s method of play and their relentlessness to earn the win:
We came in here, you know, expecting to win. Everybody already counted us out… We’re just gonna keep playing hard and whatever happens, happens… They thought we were gonna get swept – that was like a slap in the face for everything we worked for all year. I’m just happy my teammates hung in there and we got this win.
Iverson had an impressive night, as did his team. Just as he claims, they kept playing hard and rolled with the punches. While they were on the opponent’s court, surrounded by thousands of opposing fans, the team never gave up and worked hard to surprise many and earn the victory they so badly wanted. The 76ers would take the night 107-103, bringing home a victory and something to be proud of.
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