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Ron Artest handled the first three quarters almost alone, then Kobe and Gasol decided to help out. The Lakers finally beat the Celtics (again) for their 16th NBA championship. Rough, intense, low-scoring game. Final 83-79.
LAPD out in force at Staples Center, vowing to keep crowds on the sidewalks and off the streets. Chief Charlie Beck at Staples: "So far, so good. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst." Sheriff's deputies are also deployed in big numbers on Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles.
* Updates:
- LAist reports the LAPD radio was saying shots were fired at 11th and Flower and that an officer needs help, but the radio later cancelled the call. About that time, a bicyclist collided with a police car at the intersection and has been put in an ambulance.
- Crowds on Flower Street near Olympic beating other pedestrians, harassing cars. No cops in crowd, but do have street closed off at one end.
- You can monitor LAPD radio traffic here.
- Pedestrians on the Santa Monica Freeway at Figueroa, per Twitter reports.
- Updates are coming quicker at LA Observed on Twitter. Bunch of arrests being made Downtown as crowds run through the streets, LAFD put out a car that got torched, and on Whittier Blvd. partiers were jumping on cars.
- OK, things are calimg down. We'll get the final stats and damage reports in the morning.