"June 15 in Sports History: The LA Lakers won the NBA Finals, Record Triumph and Iconic Moments”

Today in Sports, June 15 - The LA Lakers won the NBA Finals, finishing with a 15-1 playoff record, the best in NBA history

Los Angeles Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal holds the MVP trophy , really, and after that championship, the Lakers. won his second straight NBA championship with a 108-96 win over the 76ers in Game 5 on June 15, 2001 in Philadelphia.

June 15

1901 - Willie Anderson defeats Alex Smith by one stroke in the final to advance to the US Open.

1938 - Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds hits his second straight home run in a 6-0 opening night win over the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

1947 - Lew Worsham beat Sam Snead by one stroke on the final playoff hole to win the US Open.

1951 - Joe Louis gets the last elimination win.

1957 - Dick Mayer defeats defending champion Cary Middlecoff by seven strokes in US Open final.

1969 - Orville Moody shoots 281 to beat Deane Beman, Al Geiberger and Bob Rosburg by one stroke to win the US Open.

1970 - Shirley Englehorn won the LPGA Championship, defeating Kathy Whitworth in a four-stroke playoff.

1980 - Jack Nicklaus won his fourth US Open with a record 272 in 72 holes.

1984 - American boxer Thomas Hearns retains the WBC light middleweight title over Panama's Roberto Durán over two rounds at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas; it is the first time in his illustrious career that Durán has been sent off.

1985 - Pinklon Thomas knocked out Mike Weaver in the eighth round to defend his World Boxing Council heavyweight title at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

1986 - Ray Floyd, 43, beat Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins by two strokes to become the oldest golfer to win the US Open. This is Floyd's fourth and last major win.

1987 - Michael Spinks defeated Gerry Cooney by TKO in 5 rounds for the Ring Heavyweight Championship at Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

1991 - Carl Lewis, who was one jump away from snapping his 64-game winning streak in the long jump, ended it with a dramatic victory when he topped Mike Powell by half an inch at 28 feet, 4¼ inches for United. states Championships in New York. 

1996 - Roy Jones Jr. pulled off a unique double whammy by successfully defending his IBF super middleweight title after a professional basketball match. Jones stops Eric Lucas in the 11th round after scoring five points to help the Jacksonville Barracudas beat Treasure Coast 107-94 in an American Basketball League game this afternoon.

1997 - Ernie Els won his second US Open title in four years, beating Colin Montgomery by one stroke. Els had shot of the day at 480 yards on Aug. 17, hitting a 5-iron from 212 yards to just 12 feet on the peninsula green.

2001 - Los Angeles defeated Philadelphia 108-96 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to end the best championship streak in NBA history. The Lakers, who finished the playoffs with a 15-1 record, are the first to make the playoffs undefeated.

2003 - NBA Finals: The San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Jersey Nets 88-77 in Game 6 for their second championship in the series. MVP: Tim Duncan.

2003 - Jim Furyk won his first major and entered the record books by matching the lowest 72-hole score at a US Open in 103 years. Furyk finished with a 2-under 72, beating Australia's Stephen Leaney by three shots.

2004 - Detroit defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 100-87 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to give the Pistons their first title in 14 years.

2008 - Down to the last shot at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods sinks a 12-foot birdie putt to force an 18-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate at the US Open. They finish at 1-under 283, the first time since 2004 that anyone has broken even at the US Open.

2011 - The Boston Bears won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1972, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Game 7 of the Finals.

2014 - Germany's Martin Kaymer won the US Open after dominating Thursday at Pinehurst No. 2. Kaymer won by eight shots over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton to become just the seventh player in 114 years to win the US Open. go from wire to wire.

2014 - The San Antonio Spurs won their fifth NBA championship, defeating the Miami Heat 104-87 to take the series in five games.

2015 - Chicago's Duncan Keith scores in the second period to lead a dominant defense that shuts down Tampa Bay's offense, and the Blackhawks beat the Lightning 2-0 in Game 6 for their third NHL title in the last six seasons.

2018 - Portugal's Christiano Renaldo scores a hat-trick in Portugal's 3-3 draw with Spain at the World Cup. Renaldo becomes the fourth player to score in four different World Cups and the first player to score in eight consecutive major tournaments.

2019 - In an NBA offensive trade, the New Orleans Pelicans send Anthony Davis to the LA Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three future 1st round draft picks..