2010 NBA Champions: Lakers Win Second Straight NBA Title After Thrilling Game 7

The Lakers and Celtics provided sports fans with a remarkable Hollywood ending.

Game Seven lived up to all the hype but in the end it was the Los Angeles Lakers holding up the Larry O'Brien trophy for the 16th time in franchise history.

The Celtics led by as much as 13 points in the second half, before the Lakers changed the script and provided plenty of drama and excitement for the sold out crowd in the Staples Center.

Despite poor shooting and a slow start, which resulted in a 14 points first quarter, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 23 points and 15 rebounds to a 83-79 Game Seven victory to win the NBA Championship for a second straight year.

Bryant, awarded the Bill Russell Award, given to the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals, overcame a terrible first half to make clutch shots and show his leadership.

Bryant adds his fifth NBA Championship and second NBA MVP to cement his legacy as the best player in the NBA and one of the best players in the history of the game.

Ron Artest, who was acquired from the Houston Rockets in the offseason for his defensive prowess, helped the Lakers contain the Boston's players and contributed on the offensive end with 20 points.

Pau Gasol had a great performance as well, pouring in 19 points and adding 18 rebounds.

Gasol and the length of the Lakers posed plenty of problems for Boston in this game, especially with the absence of Celtics C Kendrick Perkins who missed Game Seven with a knee injury.

This advantage was exemplified even more tonight as L.A. outrebounded Boston by a 53-40 margin including a dominating 23-8 margin in the offensive rebounding category.

Paul Pierce led all five Boston starters in double figures with 18 points and adding 10 rebounds. 

The Lakers win their 16th NBA Championship and are only one title away from tying, ironically, Boston for most NBA titles.

The Lakers and Celtics, the two most storied NBA franchises, have combined to win 33 of the 64 NBA Championships.

The Lakers will now strive to win their third straight NBA Championship next year, which would be their second three-peat in the Phil Jackson-Kobe Bryant era.

Thank you, Lakers and Celtics, for a truly memorable series.

Roll the credits.