Rampant Lakers sweep Spurs

Derek Fisher (left) and Kobe Bryant celebrate

LA Lakers 111-82 San Antonio Spurs
(Lakers win best-of-seven series 4-0 to reach NBA finals)

Reigning NBA champions the Los Angeles Lakers completed a 4-0 sweep of the San Antonio Spurs to reach the NBA finals again.

The defending champions' victory stretched their winning streak to 19 games.

Derek Fisher scored a game-high 28 points, Shaquille O'Neal scored 26 and 10 rebounds and Kobe Bryant added 24 points and 10 assists.

As a team, they did everything - they beat us to loose balls, they got rebounds, they made shots, they were fantastic

  David Robinson

It was the Lakers third consecutive play-off sweep and stretched their current winning streak to 19 games.

They now have at least a week off before playing for the title against either Milwaukee or Philadelphia.

The Lakers are on the verge of NBA history, going 11-0 in the play-offs and needing four more victories to complete an unprecedented 15-game post-season sweep.

No club has ever taken a title without a play-off loss.

Dejected

The nearest any team has come to playoff perfection was the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers, who went 12-1.

The Lakers sank 26-of-41 from the field in the first two quarters for a 64-41 half-time lead over the dejected Spurs.

Fisher scored a career play-off high with 11-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-7 from three-point range.

The Lakers are 26-5 since he returned from a foot injury on 13 March.

O'Neal helped LA pour in the points

Fisher's 15 three-pointers in the conference final set a play-off series record, surpassing 13 of ex-Laker Nick Van Exel and current Laker Robert Horry.

Los Angeles gained revenge on "Twin Towers" Tim Duncan and David Robinson for the Spurs' 1999 second-round play-off sweep.

The Lakers last lost on 1 April at home to New York.

But they then won their final eight regular-season games, then a best-of-five over Portland and best-of-seven matchups with Sacramento and now San Antonio.

The Spurs had the best record in the NBA this season but looked like plodders against the rampant Lakers.

Coach Phil Jackson is seeking his eighth NBA title in the past 11 years, having won six with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.

Milwaukee lead Philadelphia 2-1 in the Eastern Conference final, and host game four on Monday.