No. 7: Pau Gasol – 2010 NBA Finals
Kobe Bryant won the MVP award in the 2010 NBA Finals and while that can’t be overshadowed, Pau Gasol came up huge for the Lakers in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles won its 16th championship, 83-79, and handed the Boston Celtics their first-ever loss in Game 7 of the Finals.
Gasol finished with 19 points off of 6-for-16 shooting, 18 rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 42 minutes. The Lakers scored just 21 field goals throughout the first three quarters of play and trailed by 13 points entering the fourth quarter. Pau came up big in the final quarter with a few shots to help Los Angeles reclaim the lead, scoring nine of his 19 points.
There is no quit in @paugasol 💪 #LakeShow2010 pic.twitter.com/kJTh7fNcM9
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 16, 2020
The Lakers’ fifth championship in 11 seasons marked only the third time that the team was able to overcome the Celtics in the past 12 times that the teams had met each other on the league’s biggest stage. That’s what makes Gasol’s performance noteworthy and if it wasn’t for Kobe, Pau would’ve been the MVP. Bryant led the team with 23 points, but shot 6-for-24. The Black Mamba deserved the individual title, but Gasol was also a candidate.
Pau finished the seven-game series with an average of 18.6 points and 3.7 assists (second on the team). He led the purple and gold in rebounds (11.6) and blocked shots (2.6). As if that’s not enough, Gasol out-rebounded Kevin Garnett 18-3. If it wasn’t for Pau’s determination, the Lakers would’ve failed to win back-to-back-to-back titles. It’s no surprise that his No. 16 jersey is set to hang from the rafters of the Staples Center.