10 years ago we had a completely different NBA than the one we have today. This season was expected to be a great one, and if we focus entirely on the matches, it really was a good campaign. However, off-court matters damaged the image of the season, including the coronavirus outbreak, which forced the league to suspend the season.
Back in 2010, though, things were different in the association. The 64th season of the NBA was one to remember, especially for the Los Angeles Lakers fans, who enjoyed one of the best years in the franchise history. Today, we’re going to take a look at that season and all the things that happened at the beginning of the past decade in the association.
Most Valuable Player – LeBron James
In the 2009/10 season, LeBron won his second consecutive MVP award after taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to have the league-best record in the regular season. The Cavs boasted a 61-21 record that made them the top seed in the entire league.
That season was the last one LeBron played with the Cavaliers, recording 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists. Unfortunately for the King, he would be unable to get past the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Semifinals that year, which marked the last time James suited up in a Cavaliers uniform before joining the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010.
Rookie of the Year – Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings took home the Rookie of the Year award in the 2009/10 season, after having a really good campaign with the Californians. Evans posted good numbers that campaign, recording 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists for the Kings.
Unfortunately, winning the ROY doesn’t mean you’ll have a successful career in the NBA and Evans is the biggest example of that. After that season, he couldn’t keep the pace and decreased his level season after season until he became one of the biggest busts in the NBA in recent times.
Defensive Player of the Year – Dwight Howard
Orlando Magic Dwight Howard was a beast, no doubt about it. D-12 was having the best moment of his career during the 2009/10 season, and he took home the Defensive Player of the Year award that season, showing he was the most dominant big man in the entire association.
He had taken the Magic to the Finals the previous year, losing against the Lakers in five games. However, that season he couldn’t get past the Boston Celtics, who beat Orlando in 6 games in the ECF. Howard was called Superman at that time, but his powers and defensive prowess weren’t enough to beat the C’s that season.
Most Improved Player – Aaron Brooks
Perhaps you don’t remember Aaron Brooks now, but back in the day, the then Houston Rockets player was becoming one of the most exciting ballers in the league. Brooks was drafted by the Rockets in 2007 and after years trying to prove himself in the league, even going to the G League, he finally proved his worth.
During the 2009/10 season, Brooks recorded a career-high of 43 points in a triple-overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He took his game to the next level in Houston, earning the Most Improved Player award, averaging 19.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. He’d suffer a sprained ankle the next season, which altered his career and decreased his level considerably.
Sixth Man of the Year – Jamal Crawford
Jamal Crawford is part of the best six men in NBA history, and this was the year when that legend started. At the time, he was part of the Atlanta Hawks, backing up two great point guards, Joe Johnson and Mike Bibby.
Crawford did a terrific job with the Hawks, recording 18 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2 assists coming off the bench. Those numbers earned him the Sixth Man of the Year award, starting the legend of Crawford, arguably a top 3 sixth man in NBA history.
First Team All-NBA:
- Kobe Bryant
- Dwyane Wade
- Kevin Durant
- LeBron James
- Dwight Howard
NBA Finals: Lakers 4, Celtics 3
This season marked the last time the Los Angeles Lakers won the Larry O’Brien, and they did so beating their biggest rival in the league, with their maximum figure having a terrific series. The Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in seven games, finishing the season with a dramatic victory at the Staples Center.
After winning the title the prior year, the Purple and Gold looked ready to repeat, and they didn’t fail. Kobe Bryant wanted revenge for the title they lost in 2008, and he finally got it. That was the Lakers’ 16th title in history, and 10 years later they’re trying to do the same, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nBQ_AoRwk
Finals MVP – Kobe Bryant
The Lakers won the championship in the 2009/10 season, and they had a great leader to win that title, Kobe Bryant. Kobe had to prove himself and the league that he could win a ring without his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal. He did it against the Orlando Magic in 2009 and he had to do it against the Celtics.
Kobe went off on the C’s, averaging 28.6 points, 8 rebounds and 3.9 assists in the big series. Throughout the playoffs, he scored 671 points, taking the Lakers to the promised land, winning his fifth NBA championship and his second Finals MVP.
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