LOS ANGELES — Thousands of Los Angeles Lakers fans lined the streets of downtown L.A. to celebrate their favorite basketball team’s NBA championship.The Lakers’ victory parade left the Staples Center and headed down a 2.5 mile route lined with tens of thousands of cheering fans.This is the 15th NBA title for the Lakers, who beat the Orlando Magic four games to one.
The parade ended with a giant rally at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that was packed with approximately 95,000 fans.
There was controversy in the days after the championship game over who would pay for the two million dollar parade.
Critics said the Los Angeles taxpayers couldn’t afford it because the city is a half billion dollars in debt and facing layoffs. However, private donors stepped in and underwrote most of the cost.