The Los Angeles Lakers clinched the NBA title on Wednesday with a 113-107 victory over the New Jersey Nets. Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers went into the game at the Continental Airlines Arena in Rutherford with a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
They knew a 4-0 lead would ensure the seventh sweep in NBA Finals history and the first since the Houston Rockets beat the Orlando Magic in the minimum number of games in 1995.
O'Neal turned in another dominating performance, scoring 34 points.
The "three-peat", and the manner in which it was achieved, confirmed the Lakers dynasty and elevates the team, their coach Phil Jackson and O'Neal to places among the all-time greats.
Through the finals O'Neal was virtually unstoppable, the hulking 7-foot, 1-inch, 330-pound centre scoring 145 points in four games.
The Nets stepped onto the court for Game Four aware history was against a comeback, no team having ever clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series.

Finals: Lakers v Nets Lakers clinch NBA title Nets left heartbroken LA take control Lakers win opener Our man's preview

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