Congresswoman Maxine Waters Cheers Passage of Resolution Honoring Lakers
"As the NBA Finals Champions, the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers are quite deserving of this honor the House of Representatives has bestowed upon them," said Congresswoman Waters. "The Lakers kept us on the edge of our seats all season, never failing to amaze us with their teamwork, talent, and determination."
The 2009 Los Angeles Lakers worked extremely hard to go all the way to victory in the Finals. Their 65-17 regular season record put them in the #1 spot for the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference, which led to hard-fought but well-deserved victories over the Utah Jazz, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets.
In the Finals the Lakers played the Eastern Conference Champions, the Orlando Magic. Congresswoman Waters and her colleague Congresswoman Corrine Brown of Florida had some fun at the outset of the first game playing up their team's assets and laying out their team's path to victory. Congresswoman Waters confidently – and accurately – predicted the Lakers' victory.
After a few spirited games, including a blowout Lakers victory in Game 1, the Lakers clinched the title in five games.
"The effective leadership and talent of Coach Phil Jackson and the athleticism and team spirit demonstrated by Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, Paul Gasol, and Trevor Ariza – a graduate of Westchester High School in my District – made for an unstoppable combination," said Congresswoman Waters. "Like previous Laker greats such as Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Earvin ‘Magic' Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley, and of course Coach Phil Jackson who now holds 10 NBA Finals Championships, the players on this year's team have cemented their place in the history books. Congratulations once again to the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers."
Video of Congresswoman Waters speaking in support of her resolution can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMLmCO-b-Q0&feature=channel_page
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