Phil Jackson's Los Angeles Lakers didn't need to head anywhere for Game 7 of the 2010 FIBA World Club Finals against Euroleague champions FC Barcelona Bàsquet.
In the end, the NBA Champion Lakers were up to their shifty tricks yet again.
Adding salt to the wounds opened up by Spain's shocking 1-0 stinkbomb against Switzerland at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Los Angeles edged Xavier Pascual's FC Barcelona, 83-79 before a healthy crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center.
"Man, to be crowned FIBA World Champions as well as NBA Champions...it's quite an honor," said FIBA World Club Finals MVP Kobe Bryant. "Credit to Barça, they gave us all we could handle, but we took it to them."
The news was met with sheer disgust and irrepressible anger. Effigies that had Kobe's number and image were burned outside the Palau Blaugrana, as well as racist slurs aplenty.
"Kobe is a [expletive]in' cheat," said Marcel Orizaba, a 22-year old skinhead from Barcelona. "The refs are all cheats. This competition is a joke. [Expletive] them all!"
"I cannot believe that we wasted a golden opportunity to salvage our horrid performance by La Furia Roja against the Swiss," said Ernesto Cortes, a 44-year old arms dealer/right-wing politician. "This cannot go unpunished. Fire Xavier [Pascual]!"
Bryant led the Lakers with 23 points while Ron Artest added 20 and Derek Fisher added 10.
"I kind of feel for Barça because that was my first-ever major club I played, but I had to do what I had to do," said Pau Gasol, who scored 19 points and 18 rebounds in the victory. "No hard feelings.
"This year, Barça a well-coached team, and play an exciting brand of basketball. We were on our heels all night against the Eu...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
