Lakers defeat Miami Heat to win 1st NBA title in 10 years

LeBron James celebrates the Lakers' win.
(Image credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, giving the team its first title since 2010 and 17th championship overall.

LeBron James led the way with 28 points and 14 rebounds, and was named the NBA Finals MVP. James joined the Lakers in 2018, and this is his first championship win with the team and fourth in total. It was a tough year for the Lakers, with legendary player Kobe Bryant dying in January and the coronavirus pandemic upending the season, and James said this win "means a lot. It means a lot to represent this franchise. I told [co-owner] Jeanie [Buss] when I came here that I was going to put this franchise back to where it belongs. We just want our respect. And I want my damn respect."

The Lakers are now tied with the Boston Celtics for most titles by an NBA team.

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Catherine Garcia

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.