The Lakers have only 11 games remaining in the regular season, and they must close out the season strong if they plan to capture the top seed in the West. The Lakers have had bright spots this season, but they have also played stretches of games with a lack of focus and energy. There have been games where Los Angeles did not play well and were embarrassed on national television. However, despite their humiliating losses to the Heat and Spurs, the Lakers have also had major wins.
The Lakers have beaten upper echelon teams and they have come out victorious in many hostile environments such as the AT&T Center and the Oklahoma City Arena. Here are the five best wins in the Lakers’ 2010-2011 season.
Next: Game #5
5. Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks- Madison Square Garden. February 11th, 2011
The Los Angeles Lakers played their second game of a back-to-back at the world famous arena, Madison Square Garden, which is located in the heart of Manhattan. The Lakers came off a big win in Boston, and many people believed the team would feel fatigued coming into this game. However, Kobe Bryant has a penchant for performing under the bright lights of New York City, and he was pumped up to play in front of the hundreds of Lakers fan in the stadium.
The Lakers attacked the Knicks early, and they opened up a double-digit lead in the first quarter. The game continued and the Knicks never challenged the Lakers at any point. Kobe Bryant has 61 points at the Garden in 2009, and although he did not break his own record in 2011, Bryant poured in 33 points to give the Lakers a 113-96 victory.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyq95D2E1Jo
Next: Game #4
4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder- Oklahoma City Arena. February 27th, 2011
The Lakers returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since their epic Game 6 of the first round in the 2010 NBA playoffs. The Lakers were accustomed to a hostile Oklahoma crowd and they were harassed with deriding chants throughout game. In previous marquee games the Lakers typically failed to present any challenges or problems to the opponent, which resulted in perplexing losses.
However, in this game the Lakers prevailed due to the clutch play of Kobe Bryant. Despite being besieged by defenders, Bryant hit multiple fade-away jumpers to silence the crowd and take care of the Thunder. Pau Gasol dropped 18 points and 11 rebounds, Bryant finished the game with 17 points and the Lakers walked off the court with a 90-87 victory and they extended their cushion over Thunder in the Western Conference standings.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeF6UKSRBr4
Next: Game #3
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks- American Airlines Center. March 12th, 2011
The Lakers came off a loss to the Miami Heat two days earlier, and they had to face-off with a tough Mavericks team in order to get back on the winning side. The Lakers failed to maintain their late-game lead in the previous meeting versus the Mavericks and they completely fell apart in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Lakers, looking for revenge, came out of the gates strong and they were playing as a cohesive unit. Although Kobe suffered a severe ankle sprain in the third quarter, he returned to the court and helped carry the Lakers to victory, 96-91. This game had serious playoff implications as Los Angeles gained ground on the Mavericks for the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
The victory was also very special for Coach Phil Jackson since he won his 600th game as the head man for the Lakers, becoming the fifth coach in NBA history to reach that milestone with one team.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U946_2VDT_w
Next: Game #2
2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics- TD Garden. February 10th, 2011
The Lakers and Celtics share a storied rivalry and both teams have been involved in multiple thrilling games and playoff series. The Lakers beat the Celtics in their most recent Finals matchup, and the Lakers took home the NBA title after an exciting seven game series. The Lakers and Celtics met before on January 30th, and Boston escaped with a win in front of the Staples Center crowd. The only way for the Lakers to erase the horrible memory was to beat the Celtics on the infamous TD Garden court.
Just like their performance in Game 7 of the Finals, the Lakers played as a collective unit and knocked off the Boston Celtics. The Lakers played a poor first half, but thanks to to their offensive execution and stellar team play, they completed the comeback. Despite the fact that Ray Allen surpassed Reggie Miller for the most three-point field goals made in a career, the Lakers silenced the Boston crowd. Bryant scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half and he helped the Lakers beat the Celtics, 92-86.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay82DF_RoIg
Next: Game #1
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs- AT&T Center. March 6th, 2011
The Lakers lost their previous two meetings to the San Antonio Spurs, and many critics doubted the Lakers’ ability to beat the best team in the NBA. The Spurs had the best record in the league, and the Lakers had yet to find a way to defeat their old Western Conference rival.
The Lakers came out of the gates strong, and they were in control of the game by the first quarter. The Lakers expanded their lead in the opening minute of the game, and they maintained it throughout the full 48 minutes. The Spurs never made a dent in their insurmountable deficit, and they were humiliated in front of their home crowd. The final buzzer rang, and the Lakers sent a message to the entire league with a 99-83 victory.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnWKqKB3-g