The LA Lakers are back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. It was a great feeling for the Lakers when they returned to the finals this year after defeating the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

The Lakers have multiple veterans with NBA Finals experience. Since 2008, the Lakers have had at least one player play in the NBA Finals.

The success of the 2019-20 Lakers

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Throughout the regular season and playoffs, the Lakers have shown why they are among the best teams in the league. The Lakers arguably have the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and they also have a talented supporting cast. They came together as a team this season, and with the passing of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, this season meant so much more to the Lakers.

After finishing the season with a 52-19 record, the Lakers secured the No. 1 spot in the Western Conference. It was the first time the Lakers made it to the playoffs since 2013. Going into the playoffs, the Lakers had one mission: to get to the finals. The Lakers have only lost one game in each series leading up to the NBA Finals. With James and Davis leading the way, the Lakers have played like they are the league’s best team.

No team has found a way to stop LA, and the Miami Heat will have a tough task during the finals. The Lakers have four players with NBA Finals experience, and three of them have won a title. That experience will help the Lakers out a lot during this year’s finals. Look for those players to step up and help the Lakers in a significant way.

Who are the players with NBA Finals experience for the Lakers?

Let’s start with the lone player out of the four that does not have a ring, and that’s Dwight Howard. Howard made one finals appearance before this year, which was with the Orlando Magic back in 2009. Coincidentally, he played against the Lakers, who he’s now playing for. Howard knows how it feels to lose in the finals, and he does not want to experience that again. 

The next player with finals experience is Rajon Rondo. This is Rondo’s third trip to the NBA Finals with his previous two being with the Boston Celtics. Rondo won his first title in 2008 when the Celtics defeated the Lakers, and he went back to the finals in 2010 as the Celtics lost to the Lakers. Like Howard, Rondo has experienced losing to the Lakers in the finals, and now he’s playing for them. 

Danny Green has won a title with the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors. He is making his fourth NBA Finals appearance and is looking to win his second straight title. LeBron James is the other player with NBA finals experience. James has the most experience out of everyone on the Lakers as he’s made it to the finals 10 times in his career. From 2011 to 2018, he appeared in the finals, and during that time, he won three titles. 

An impressive NBA Finals stat for the Lakers

Looking at that stat and seeing that the Lakers have had at least one player appear in the NBA Finals since 2008 is impressive. Those four players all have been in the league for a while now, and they have had their fair share of success. Now they’re trying to do something for the first time, and that’s winning a title as a member of the Lakers.

Winning the title this year would mean a lot for the Lakers, given their recent history of winning NBA championships. If the Lakers do win this year, a dynasty could be built over the next few years. They certainly have the team to do it too.