2009 NBA Finals Game Used Basketball | Game 3 | Kobe Bryant's Penultimate Championship | Los Angeles Lakers Championship Series

This NBA Finals Game Ball was used in Game 3 of the 2009 NBA Finals on June 9, 2009, when the Los Angeles Lakers played the Orlando Magic. The Magic beat the Lakers, 108-104. 

The series had seen the Lakers secure victories in the first two games, and with the Finals shifting to Orlando, the Magic were determined to make a stand and avoid a daunting 3-0 deficit.

The game delivered the high drama expected of a Finals matchup. The Orlando Magic came out strong, determined to defend their home court and make a statement. They were led by a stellar performance by star center Dwight Howard, who dominated the paint with 21 points and 14 rebounds, and by sharp shooting from Rashard Lewis and Hedo Türkoğlu, who contributed 21 points and 18 points respectively. 

Kobe Bryant led the way for the Lakers, scoring 31 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists.

Going Deeper | Kobe and the 2009 NBA Finals

The 2009 NBA Finals was the 4th championship of Kobe Bryant’s career, but this one felt different. This team was his. He no longer stood in the shadow of Shaquille O’Neal, the de facto leader of the Lakers’ early 2000s dynasty. After imposing his will on the Magic on both sides of the ball, game after game, Kobe secured his first NBA Finals MVP and in the process, cemented his legacy as one of the most lethal basketball players the world had ever seen. 

After clinching the championship in Game 5, Kobe was asked how winning compared to his previous three rings. Bryant’s tone was noticeably more relaxed. “Well”, he said smiling, “I just don't have to hear that criticism - that idiotic criticism - anymore.” 

This time, he had achieved his dream on his own terms, proving to the world that he was more than just “1B” to Shaq's “1A” —he was the Black Mamba, a legend in his own right, destined to be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game.