Who Won The 2002 Nba Finals?
The question of who won the 2002 NBA Finals is a bit of a controversial one. The Los Angeles Lakers were the defending champions, but they were facing off against the up-and-coming New Jersey Nets.
The Los Angeles Lakers
In 2002, the Los Angeles Lakers finally exorcised the demons of their bitter losses in the 2000 and 2001 NBA Finals, winning the franchise’s 14th championship with a resounding 4-0 sweep of the New Jersey Nets. It was a vindicating moment for a Lakers team that had been left for dead after losing in six games to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs just two seasons earlier.
The New Jersey Nets
In 2002, the New Jersey Nets won their first and only NBA Championship, defeating the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The Nets were led by All-Star point guard Jason Kidd, who averaged a triple-double for the series, and were coached by future Hall of Famer Byron Scott.