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LA Lakers fans were sent into a frenzy after the Boston Celtics squandered their opportunity to win a record 18th NBA title.
A win against the Golden State Warriors would've put the Celtics above the Lakers on the all-time championship leaderboard. However, Boston fell 4-2 to the Golden State Warriors in the Finals after suffering a 103-90 loss in Game 6. This means the two historic teams remain tied at 17 championships apiece.
Several Lakers fans actively rooted for conference rivals Warriors to win, and with Steph Curry and co. coming through, they couldn't contain their happiness.
One fan wrote on Reddit:
"BUCK FOSTON"
Another wrote on Twitter:
"This nightmare Lakers season ends with the Celtics not winning the title."
Here are some of the best reactions:
LA Lakers will aim to capitalize on Boston Celtics' missed opportunity next season
The LA Lakers finished their 2021-22 campaign with a dismal 33-49 record. They missed the play-in tournament despite assembling a star-studded roster featuring Russell Westbrook, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
It was easily among the worst seasons in the franchise's history. On top of that, the Lakers had to watch their rivals, the Boston Celtics, almost pass them in the all-time championship count.
LA breathed a sigh of relief following Boston's loss, and now the franchise can work towards returning to the championship fold.
It promises to be a tough road ahead, but the LA Lakers are still one of the most talented teams. The likes of James, Westbrook and Davis will be keen to bounce back and prove their critics wrong after their recent debacle.
The arrival of Darvin Ham as the Lakers' new head coach also has fans and the team's superstars excited ahead of the new campaign.
The last two seasons have been injury-riddled for James and Davis. Many believe the two can still lead a championship-contending team when healthy. The Lakers also have an idea of what their roster will look like for next season, with Westbrook likely to stay.
Additionally, the lack of resources to make any drastic changes to their current roster will see them continue with most of their players from the last campaign.
That notably wasn't the case during the 2021-22 season. James, Davis and Talen Horton-Tucker were the only players retained before the start of the campaign. This meant it was always going to be difficult for LA to develop chemistry.
The LA Lakers have also understood the personnel they need to place around their big three to make them more impactful next season. Consequently, there is plenty to look forward to for the 17-time NBA champions and their fans.
