“I sweat by way of my uniform as I performed it” – Mitch Richmond returns to the sadly well-known Lakers -Tings 2002 WCF Initially appeared on Basketball community.
Earlier than the tip of his NBA journey, Mitch Richmond36 years previous, took the chance to play for the Los Angeles Lakers Throughout the 2001-02 season and finish his profession on the famend temple with a championship ring.
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Richmond had simply develop into a free agent after the 2000-01 season, and though he had a number of contenders, he selected the Lakers, a crew that got here out of two consecutive races, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
After a daily season of 58 victories, the Lakers swept the Portland Path Blazers within the first spherical of the playoffs, then despatched the San Antonio within the second 4-1 collection within the second spherical.
However in opposition to the Sacramento Kings Throughout the finals of the Western Convention, the reigning champions have been taken to their restrict.
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“Sacramento was good,” mentioned Richmond. “This collection was basically the collection of championships, definitely. I am like” Le Paillasson? “”
Horry saved the search for 3 peats of the lakes
Richmond was one of the best Kings participant from 1991 to 1998, however the group had bother throughout his mandate – they did the playoffs solely as soon as in 1996. Nevertheless, the arrival of Chris Webber overthrew their fortune.
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Throughout the 2001-2002 marketing campaign, the Kings skilled their greatest common season within the historical past of the franchise with 61 victories, and so they have been decided to take away the Lakers from the NBA mountain summit.
After the Lakers stole the match 1, the Kings took matches 2 and three to construct a 2-1 advance. They have been just a few seconds to take a 3-1 advance on the Lakers, nevertheless it was then that Robert Horry struck his iconic 3-point buzz in match 4 to equalize the collection at 2-2.
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The 2 groups took a full street of seven video games, however the Lakers lastly survived, beating the Kings 112-106 within the serial decan.
The Lakers swept the nets within the 2002 NBA finals
Within the 2002 NBA closing, the Lakers confronted a New Jersey Nets crew led by Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles and Keith Van Horn. Nevertheless, they’d no reply for O’Neal, which raised a mean of 30.3 factors, 13.6 rebounds and a couple of.4 blocks per recreation in 4 video games and received the ultimate MVP.
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Bryant collected a mean of 26.8 factors, 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists for Lakers. Richmond, in the meantime, solely performed a minute all through the collection, however his veteran administration was an important asset within the locker rooms of the Lakers. He was rewarded for this with a hoop.
“It was an important feeling of acquiring this chance on the finish to get a hoop and having the ability to be a part of a crew with a few of my good buddies now, with Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Kobe that we misplaced and Shaq, Fox. I imply, we had good groups. It was lots of good guys on this crew”, “ Richmond concluded.
This story was initially reported by Basketball community On July 23, 2025, the place he appeared for the primary time.
