The regular season ends next Wednesday. After the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors on Wednesday night, just four regular season games remain before the post-season begins. As we count down the remaining games of the regular season and wait for the playoffs, let’s remember some of the top moments against these remaining opponents over recent years. Some of these plays being pivotal moments for either franchise, and some just plain nasty. Some of them in the playoffs, and some of them not.
As the Lakers sustained a one point loss to the Utah Jazz, let’s remember when Kobe Bryant and Kyle Korver met at the rim in 2008.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khfSqT9cvVo
Known as one of the greatest playoff comebacks in NBA league history, and possibly the greatest ever in Lakers team history, Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals was as dramatic as we’ve ever seen. The Lakers outscored the Portland Trail Blazers by 18 points in the 4th quarter, including this:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmxgLx3k0do
While The Oklahoma City Thunder made a valiant run at the defending champions in 2010, age and experience was too much for youth and exuberance. The Thunder had the Lakers on the hook in the closing seconds of Game 6, almost forcing a Game 7 back in Los Angeles. But that was before someone forgot to box out Pau Gasol.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeRrn1Kgj2o&playnext=1&list=PLE7D0BF2EFC3BEC99
In 2004, the San Antonio Spurs had the Lakers in a similar situation. The series was tied 2-2 and it looked like the Spurs would be going up a game after Tim Duncan hit an impossible fader across the top of the key. I would be willing to bet that everyone who remembers this series of plays honestly believed the Lakers were going to lose that game. I, for one, had never seen a shot be taken with any time less than .4 seconds on the clock. And then, Derek Fisher made a believer in all of us.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mav2iBA1cwo
There is something special about anytime the Lakers play the Kings. Regular season or playoffs. Even a preseason game is still a rivalry. That’s because it’s not just Lakers vs. Kings. It’s Southern California vs. Northern California. It’s the state capital vs. the largest city. It’s Silicon Valley vs. Hollywood. It’s Sutter’s Fort vs. Olvera Street.
Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. Lakers went for the 2-point shot to send the game into overtime. A miss, a bobble and Vlade Divac tips it away from the basket and into the hands of a waiting Robert Horry. And time has proven that the Kings organization has never been the same since.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYQDsZljAOY