Los Angeles Lakers: 10 greatest Game 7 performances of all time

Los Angeles Lakers: 10 greatest individual Game 7 performances of all time

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 17: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates as the Lakers defeat the Boston Celtics in Game Seven of the 2010 NBA Finals at Staples Center on June 17, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

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No. 10: Byron Scott – 1988 Western Conference Semifinals

The top-10 list is kicked off with Byron Scott’s performance in a 109-98 Game 7 win over the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinals in 1988. Scott led the Lakers with 29 points off of 12-for-19 shooting, five rebounds and three steals in 40 minutes. Los Angeles was the top team in the Western Conference that year, finishing with a 62-20 record.

However, younger teams in the conference poised a tough challenge for the Lakers. That all began with Utah’s duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, who were the first of three teams to push the purple and gold to Game 7. Los Angeles was composed of the veteran trio of Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Scott and A.C. Green were the younger stars on the team that helped to pave the way to an NBA title over the Detroit Pistons.

Byron averaged 19.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the 24 games that the purple and gold played in during the 1988 postseason. He won three championships with the Lakers during the Showtime Era and the title that year marked Los Angeles’ final championship of the decade.

Scott was the head coach of the Lakers from 2014-16 and finished with a 38-126 record.

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