2002 NBA Finals

The 2002 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2001–02 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. In a best-of-seven series, the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers swept the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets to three-peat as NBA champions, winning their 14th championship in team history. The Lakers became the first team since the Chicago Bulls to achieve a three-peat in NBA history. The series began on June 5 and ended on June 12. Lakers coach Phil Jackson won his ninth ring, tying him with Red Auerbach for most all-time. During the series, he surpassed Pat Riley for most career playoffs wins with 156. Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the third consecutive year, after dominant performances averaging 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game. This was the last Finals to date to be broadcast by NBC, as ABC would acquire the broadcast rights starting in 2003. As of 2026, the Lakers are the most recent team in the four North American major professional sports leagues to accomplish a three-peat.