This was the second of back-to-back championships for the Lakers, giving Bryant a total of five in his illustrious career.

On the anniversary of an epic Game 7 between the NBA’s two biggest rivals, we counted down the top five plays from what was a low-scoring, back-and-forth affair.

5. Derek Fisher Hits a Classic Late-Game 3-Pointer

The entire night was an absolute slugfest with menacing defense and little scoring reminiscent of the old-school NBA. With the Lakers down by 13 at one point in the third quarter, they mounted an epic comeback to win 83-79.

All you need to say to Laker fans is 0.4 and they’ll know you’re talking about one of the most clutch playoff closers ever: Derek Fisher. “Give it to D-Fish on the wing,” said Lil’ Wayne in his song, “Kobe Bryant.”

This is exactly what happened as Pau Gasol dished the ball out to Fisher on the wing 6:13 remaining. Fisher held his follow-through after launching a high-arcing 3-pointer over the outstretched arm of Rajon Rondo while watching his shot swish through the net.

This shot tied the game at 64 apiece to help the Lakers finally get over the hump of a double-digit third-quarter deficit. The shot was so nice it even drew an iconic, “Bang!” from legendary announcer Mike Breen.

That’s because Fisher could almost always be counted on to make a smooth long-two or 3-pointer whenever the Lakers needed it. His shot with 0.4 seconds left against the San Antonio Spurs will live on forever as will his two clutch threes in Game 4 of the 2009 Finals. However, Fisher hitting this 3-pointer midway through the fourth may be the shot that gave the Lakers momentum to pull off their comeback and win their fifth championship of the Kobe Bryant era.

4. Pau Gasol Hits a Shot Over Three Defenders

True Laker fans know the importance Pau Gasol played in those back-to-back post-Shaq years. Game 7 may have been the best example of this as the Lakers needed every bit of defense and rebounding they could get from the legendary big man.

With 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Lakers were up by four but got true momentum on an epic shot by Gasol. He took a page out of Kobe’s book with expert footwork as he pulled out a spin-move into a pump-fake on the left block.

Gasol then went up over three of the great 2000s defenders in Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett cocking his arm back in mid-air to avoid the block by Wallace. The shot dramatically bounced off the rim twice before dropping in the hoop to put the Lakers up by six when they needed it most.

With Bryant’s broken finger, the Lakers needed all the help they could get on this night. Lamar Odom scored seven points in the game and Andrew Bynum only scored two. While these players will be remembered fondly for this era, Gasol showed everyone why he was so important to the 2009 and 2010 Lakers titles.

3. Sasha Vujacic Makes Clutch Free Throws

Sasha Vujacic was a staple for the Lakers in the mid-to-late 2000s. He and Bryant had a special relationship, largely bonding over their ability to speak Slovenian.

Vujacic always seemed able to turn on a smooth stroke when the Lakers needed him most. That’s why head coach Phil Jackson put him in at the end of the game to ice it with a pair of free throws for the Lakers.

The Lakers were only up by two after a quick Rondo three and then Vujacic validated the trust put in him by sinking the two free throws.

Kobe gritted his teeth before pumping his fist after Vujacic iced the game. Kobe and Vujacic then shared a moment in the huddle touching their heads together knowing that the latter stepped up with the two biggest points of his career.

2. Kobe Bryant Makes the Final Clutch Championship Shot Of His Career

Lakers fans will always remember Game 7 as part of Kobe Bryant’s legacy for a multitude of reasons. While some remain pessimistic on how he played, real ones know that he did absolutely everything he could in that game to will the Lakers to a win.

Bryant may have only scored 23 points on 6-of-24 shooting in this game, but the Black Mamba also grabbed 15 rebounds. This was exactly what the Lakers needed in such a low-scoring game with the two teams battling back and forth all night.

However, the most crucial bucket by Kobe came with 5:23 remaining as he dribbled to the right before raising up for his signature pull-up jumper. Kobe drilled the shot to put the Lakers up by four, giving them their first breathing room of the fourth quarter, while also allowing Lakers fans to breathe.

The most memorable aspect of Game 7 may be Bryant celebrating by tossing the ball up in the air, but this shot will always be a signature Mamba moment as it came on a night where he struggled to get his shot going.

1. “Kobe Passed Me the Ball”

Bryant is not only the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history but may very well be the most skilled scorer in NBA history. However, on this night, it was a pass that led to one of the more memorable moments in Lakers and NBA Finals history.

What makes this play all the more bewildering and special is that Kobe was known for trusting only himself to take the biggest shots. But on this night, he trusted the man formerly known as Ron Artest.

Artest had made some big shots during the 2010 playoffs including a game-winner against the Phoenix Suns. On this play, Kobe passed out of a double-team to an open Artest, who raised up over Paul Pierce to drill the most important 3-pointer of his life with 1:01 remaining.

This gave the Lakers a comfortable lead at 79-73 and was the biggest shot of the game in such a defensive battle. Artest kissed his hands before throwing them up in the air in celebration. It also led to one of the most iconic lines in NBA history: “Kobe passed me the ball!”

"Kobe passed me the ball. He never passes me the ball!"

11 years ago today, Ron Artest & one of the greatest NBA Championship press conferences ever ???? pic.twitter.com/WBhr8XX9Y9

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 17, 2021

This very well may be the most memorable Lakers squad and championship of all time, but without Artest’s shot and Kobe’s pass, we may have never heard Kobe say, “5 rings! That’s 5 of em'”

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The lifetime naming rights acquired by Staples in 2019 may have been bought out for $700 million so the iconic venue was renamed the “Crypto.com Arena” as of Christmas Day 2021. But that won’t stop fans from continuing to call it Staples Center, Staples or even, “the house that Kobe built.”

Regardless, the name change is here to stay.

That last name makes the most sense in many ways as Kobe Bryant dominated the Staples Center in a way we’ve never seen an athlete singlehandedly dominate one arena before. Staples Center was built in 1999, right as Bryant was becoming one of the best players in the NBA on the way to his first championship with Shaquille O’Neal.

The Black Mamba scored more points in the Staples Center than any athlete ever scored in one arena. Therefore, this list of the top five Lakers greatest moments in the arena will heavily feature Bryant along with the early days of Staples Center glory featuring O’Neal. No LeBron James moments here.

Here are the Lakers best moments, with the No. 1 Lakers play concluding the list.

5. Nothing Like the First Time

It was Game 6 at the Staples Center on June 19, 2000. Bryant and O’Neal had the chance to end the venue’s inaugural season with the soon-to-be legendary-dynastic duo’s first championship together.

It would also be the franchise’s first since 1989 during the era of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Showtime Lakers. With 2.5 seconds left, the then-23-year-old Bryant was fouled by Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers.

Bryant was already receiving comparisons to Michael Jordan after his iconic 28-point performance in Game 4 in which he took over to lead the Lakers in overtime and even hitting a game-winner in his first NBA Finals after O’Neal fouled out.

Bryant, arguably the most clutch player in NBA history, drained the shot and jumped into O’Neal’s arms to celebrate his first championship. The rest is history, as the duo went on to three-peat winning two more consecutive championships in the years to come.

It’s no wonder the Staples Center became home to so many iconic moments when the now-legendary venue’s first season finished with a storybook ending that could only happen in Hollywood.

4. The Lob that Started it All

The previous moment never could have happened without the young Bryant leading a miraculous 15-point-fourth-quarter comeback against the Scottie Pippen-led Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals.

With under a minute remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 7, Bryant hit a midrange jumper near the top of the key. This happened just before crossing over Pippen in the same spot he had just hit the shot from and tossing an iconic lob to O’Neal, who finished of the alley-oop pass with one of his signature, thunderous, vicious one-hand slams.

The Lakers were up by six as they completed the comeback and won Game 7 for O’Neal’s second trip, and Bryant’s first to the NBA Finals. The rest, as they say, is history.

3. The Greatest Rivalry of All Time On The Biggest Stage

Almost exactly 10 years after this play, Bryant was back on the NBA’s biggest stage, this time to get revenge on the Boston Celtics while going for his fifth championship. By this point, Bryant and O’Neal had a messy divorce that ended with O’Neal being traded to the Miami Heat and winning his fourth championship with Dwyane Wade in 2006.

Many began to question if Bryant could win without O’Neal, especially after Kobe made it back to the NBA Finals as the 2008 MVP following a trade for his new partner in crime, Pau Gasol, to reignite the legendary Lakers-Celtics rivalry.

The rivalry is undoubtedly the greatest in the history of professional sports as the two franchises have met in 12 NBA Finals, share nearly the same number of regular-season wins and have 17 championships each.

The Lakers lost to the Celtics and their new Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in six games with O’Neal even making a diss rap against Kobe: “You know how I be. Last week Kobe couldn’t do without me.”

Bryant proved naysayers wrong by winning his first championship without O’Neal against the Dwight-Howard-led Orlando Magic in 2009. The Lakers won on a 4-1 gentleman’s sweep in Orlando, so it doesn’t make this list, but Bryant’s 40-point, eight-assist, eight-rebound performance at Staples Center in Game 1 deserves an honorable mention.

Bryant overcame his demons without O’Neal, but still needed to exorcise them against the hated Celtics. This opportunity came in 2010 as the Lakers pushed the series to a Game 7 between the legendary franchises at the Staples Center.

Bryant struggled shooting from the field in the early portion of the game but made up for it with 15 rebounds.

Other memorable Lakers from that era stepped up to make big plays including Lamar Odom with his signature all-around game, clutch shots from Derek Fisher, incredible scoring from Gasol and a shot by Metta World Peace that will always remain in Staples Center lore.

It represented Bryant’s fifth championship as the Lakers finally beat the Celtics. However, Bryant was still exorcising his demons from his original partner in the Staples Center. “Just got one more than Shaq,” said Bryant in the postgame press conference.

2. 81

The number alone speaks volumes as Bryant scored a jaw-dropping 81 points on a blistering 28-of-46 shooting tear on Jan. 22, 2006, against the Toronto Raptors. It was the second-highest total in NBA history and while Wilt Chamberlain may have scored 100 points in 1962, there was no footage recorded.

It was primarily dunks, whereas Kobe’s is the highest total ever recorded in the modern era involving an array of 3-pointers, midrange jumpers, dunks, free throws and crafty inside finishes.

Another little known fact about this game is that although it was Bryant’s 10th season, it was the first time his grandmother came to see him play. This might have had something to do with the Mamba’s magical performance, but it certainly wasn’t the last time all eyes would be on Bryant in the Staples Center.

1. Mamba Out

It still feels as though Mamba Day — April 13, 2016 — may not have just been Bryant’s farewell to his NBA career, but also the farewell for Staples Center.

With the beginning of Staples Center coinciding with the start of Bryant’s prime — and the end coinciding only four years after his dual jersey retirement — it feels the two will forever be synced. This makes Bryant’s final game the greatest moment in Staples Center history.

The exterior of the Staples Center was decorated with giant pictures of Bryant while the surrounding area felt like a theme park dedicated to Kobe that was packed with fans in his jerseys.

The arena was a star-studded affair featuring many of Bryant’s former teammates including O’Neal and some of Hollywood’s biggest superstars like Jack Nicholson, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West.

The entire evening was a tribute to Bryant. But in the last game of his career at 37 years old following a litany of injuries, Bryant managed to give one final show-stopping performance. He scored 60 points including a game-winning jumper to put the Lakers up for good with 31.6 seconds left in classic Mamba fashion.

Finally, Kobe bid farewell to the crowd with an epic speech as he signed off by saying, “Mamba Out,” dropping the microphone and waving on the Staples Center logo, which will now become a relic frozen in time.

This may forever be the lasting image of Kobe and the Staples Center, which sounds like it may remain the name for many fans. While many have taken the news of the name change hard, fans will be cheering again once Bryant’s statue is unveiled outside the venue he dominated no matter what name it’s given.

L.A. Live is filled with great restaurants and bars to either go before or during games, so here are some of our favorites:

Tom’s Watch Bar

Tom’s Watch Bar is right in the heart of L.A. Live and features a sports-watching experience unlike any other. This joint is purely focused on enhancing the sports fan’s experience and is always bumping during the game with a crowd and multiple TVs. If you’re looking for a drink before the game they have a massive selection of craft, domestic and imported beers along with all the traditional sporting event food you could ask for.

Fogo De Chão

This Brazilian steakhouse features a modern, well-lit atmosphere along with a salad bar and every Brazilian meat cut being served that you could imagine. Fogo de Chão is a chain so if you’re looking for something more upscale, but don’t want to pay the typical prices of a steakhouse this would be your best bet.

Katsuya

Not only is Katsuya the best sushi spot to hit up before a Lakers game in L.A. Live, but the signature chain is also one the best sushi restaurants in all of Los Angeles. Their Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll is a must-try signature dish featuring blended spicy tuna, spicy ponzu mayo and shrimp tempura.

Sonoritas

If you’re craving some high quality Mexican food Sonoritas Prime Tacos is the right place to go before watching the Lakes perform on the court. This restaurant is all about homemade and locally sourced ingredients as they market themselves to be the best Mexican restaurant in Downtown L.A. They offer a wide selection of tacos, burritos and a healthier fare of bowls made with lettuce featuring an assortments of meats and seafood to go along with a selection of sides to include. All of their salsas and even their corn tortillas are homemade.

The Palm

L.A. Live has a variety of steakhouses to offer, but The Palm is classic fare before Lakers games as the chain has been around since 1926 and evokes an old-school vibe. If you’re willing to drop some cash this is the perfect place to go as they have an assortment of everything you could imagine.

Specifically, they specialize in seafood including a variety of oyster, shrimp, tuna and sea-bass dishes. The restaurant also offers Italian fare including Gnocchi Bolognese and Chicken Parmigiana along with sides to order for the whole table to share including Three-Cheese Au Gratin Potatoes. Last but not least, you can find a plethora of steak cuts from an 8 oz. Centre-Cut Filet Mignon for $56.50 to a 48 oz. prime porterhouse for $140 if you really want to dine like a celebrity before the big game.

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Take a deeper dive into why there’s no need to get down on the original championship expectations set for the 2021-2022 Lakers with the top three reasons they are doing better than you think.

1. The Miami Heat Started 9-8 When LeBron James Joined in 2010

Historically speaking, NBA super teams often get off to a rocky start. The most recent example of this comes from the summer where LeBron James singlehandedly helped NBA free agency become an annual spectacle of star movement and player empowerment in 2010.

That team was widely considered to be unfair because of how high expectations were for, “The Heatles.” Fans were burning James’ jersey in Cleveland, however, when the new Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh joined forces the result was underwhelming at the start and everyone was looking to rejoice that the Meami Heat wouldn’t work after all.

People began to question whether it was a good idea for James to leave Cleveland, but low and behold, the Heat went on to make the NBA Finals that year, eventually winning two championships along with four Finals appearances in four years. The primary difference between this Lakers team and that Heat team is experience.

James was 26, Wade was 28 and Bosh was 26 on the 2010-2011 Heat. James is 37, Anthony Davis is 28 and Russell Westbrook just celebrated his 33rd birthday as the Lakers experience will be their edge in the playoffs.

Fans have already panicked about the 2021-2022 iteration of the Lakers, but with an 8-7 record, there’s no need when given this context. Newly formed Big 3s like the Lakers are supposed to have ups and downs at the start with veterans generally thriving later in the season as they fully get their legs under them and are in a more consistent playing routine.

2. The Whole Team Hasn’t Even Played Together Yet

Another reason for Lakers fans to remain optimistic is that the whole roster hasn’t even played together yet. Look what happened in their first game back with Talen Horton-Tucker. He was dynamite and the Lakers pulled out the win against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday as he scored 17 points and assimilated back into the roster without an issue.

In fact, the entire Lakers Big 3, who essentially represent the main reason this squad came together, has only played together in six of the Lakers’ 14 games while also not playing together much in the preseason. Considering that Trevor Ariza, who was originally rumored to be in the starting lineup, hasn’t played, nor has Kendrick Nunn, who was a spark plug in the NBA Finals against the Lakers for the Heat in the 2020 NBA Disney World Bubble, we haven’t even seen this roster at their full strength.

In the meantime, Carmelo Anthony has been an early Sixth Man of the Year Candidate averaging 16 points, his highest total since his All-Star days with the New York Knicks, to go along with 47% shooting from the field, his highest mark since 2008. He’s also shooting a career-high 47% from the field, a career-high 47% from 3-point land and averaging a career-high 0.9 blocks as the 19-year veteran is even getting it done on the defensive end.

One thing to note is that Anthony scored 28 points while shooting 10-of-15 from the field 6-of-8 from deep, 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 6-of-12 from deep, 23 points shooting 8-of-14 from the field and 5-of-8 from deep, and 15 points shooting 6-of-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep in his four Lakers wins where both he and his 2003 draft class buddy LeBron have played.

This effect should be common for all the Lakers as there will be more spacing when the Big 3 plays together and the entire team is back as both Ariza and Nunn are a threat from distance while also providing a defensive boost for the Lakers. Let’s not forget Ariza won the 2009 championship with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and the Lakers, which makes him the last active player in the NBA to win a championship with the Black Mamba.

3. Lessons Learned From the 2013 Lakers

Some might cringe at the thought of comparing any team to the 2013 Lakers, but it’s clear there are some similarities between the veteran-ridden 2021 squad and that squad nine years later… especially with Dwight Howard back for his third go-round with the Lakers (which would have seemed unfathomable at the conclusion of the 2013 season). However, this comparison has a lot of great lessons and memories as it’s important to remember the 2013 Lakers were the NBA’s best team in the second half of the 2012-2013 regular season and would have had a strong chance in the playoffs with a surging Bryant if it weren’t for a tragic Achilles tear.

Bryant was having arguably the best stretch of his career, even referring to it as such himself nicknaming himself, “Vino,” as he aged like a fine wine. He singlehandedly led the injury-riddled Lakers to the playoffs.

From January 25, 2013 to February 12, 2013, he once again dispelled the notion of him being selfish by averaging 8.3 assists per game over an 8-3 stretch. The greatest player in Lakers history also scored over 30 points in 13 straight games while averaging 34.2 points per game at 34 years old.

The only problem was that Bryant was 34 years old in his 17th season and played through injury his entire career. Load management wasn’t even in the dictionary for the Black Mamba. He always considered the fans who had saved up to see him play just once so he played every night, even if that meant taking IV’s at halftime, as revealed by Vanessa Bryant in her emotionally impactful Hall of Fame speech on Kobe’s behalf.

After the All-Star break, Charles Barkley guaranteed the Lakers wouldn’t make the playoffs, which would lead Kobe to guarantee they would. From this point on, Kobe averaged 35.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists over eight games; all of this on 55.6 percent shooting from the field and 47.8 percent shooting from behind the 3-point line. Bryant had some epic performances down the stretch of the season too, including a 41-point masterpiece on March 8, 2013 where he hit three clutch 3-pointers in a row to lead a comeback victory against the Toronto Raptors before sealing his individualistic, heroic comeback with a game-winning overtime dunk.

Eerily, Kobe had his best game of the season, and one of the best of his career, when he scored 47 points on 51.9% shooting with five assists, eight rebounds, three steals and four blocks on April 10 before tragedy struck. On April 12, Bryant played the final game of his illustrious, seemingly unstoppable prime as he scored 34 points against the Golden State Warriors to lead the Lakers to a must-win victory that would get them into the playoffs and fulfill his guarantee.

Kobe tore his Achilles that night though, putting a sudden end to the Lakers’ surging championship hopes.

I tell this tale in full because this is where the difference in mentality between Lebron James and Kobe Bryant will actually help the Lakers this season. LeBron has always participated in load management and even took a vacation in the middle of the season once during his younger days.

Kobe would play at all costs, but LeBron’s willingness to engage in load management will help the Lakers in the long run because instead of riding him all year in his 19th season, James is rehabbing minor injuries and is more likely to be healthy at the end of the season so the Lakers can make a deep playoff run.

All this being said the Lakers are exactly where they should be to make the playoffs. In fact, they have a better shot at making a top seed than the 2013 Lakers and winning their 18th championship in franchise history.

As the Lakers finish the first week of the 2021-22 season, let’s look back at the three main takeaways from their opening games.

1. Patience Will Be Key Word For Lakers & Russell Westbrook Starting Out

Russell Westbrook’s homecoming may not have started as planned, but there are still plenty of reasons for Lakers fans to remain optimistic as the season continues. In 2010 when LeBron James joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in free agency with the Miami Heat to form “The Heatles,” they began their first 17 games with an 8-9 record before everyone began to panic.

The Heat went on to make the NBA Finals that year before winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, with another Finals appearance in 2014. Even as the Lakers racked up a win at the end of the week, it will be important for fans to remember to ride the ups and downs with this team.

After a rocky start to his Lakers tenure, Westbrook seems to be finding a stronger footing and looking more like himself with each passing quarter. This team is filled with stars, versatility and potential combinations, so fans will have to stick with their team as the new-look Lakers figure out which combinations work best.

Anthony Davis had a strong first outing with the Lakers as he dropped 33 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. He’s been adjusting his role since then, but as Davis begins to work out his pick-and-roll combination with Westbrook, it seems as though Davis could explode for his best season yet.

2. LeBron James Is Still Good… Even In Year 19

When James entered the NBA, 50 Cent and Eminem were the biggest rappers in the world, Tom Brady only had one Super Bowl victory and Michael Jordan had just retired from the NBA for his third and final time. The fact that Kobe Bryant was playing some of his best basketball in Year 17 before he tore his Achilles is mind-blowing, but with James having never faced such a catastrophic injury, it’s truly incredible to see him still thriving in Year 19 at 36 years old.

Going into Sunday’s matchup against the Grizzlies, James was averaging 29.5 points per game, 51.2% shooting from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. Through 3 games James, has now drained 14 3-ponters, which is the most in his 19-year career to start off a season.

James went off for 34 points, 11 rebounds and five assists on opening night as he looked just as spry as ever. It seems as though the Lakers’ veterans have all invigorated each other to continue performing at the highest level and prove the haters wrong.

3. The Lakers May Have A Big 4 On Their Hands

Everyone’s been talking about the new Big 3, “360,” consisting of James, Davis and Westbrook. However, after Carmelo Anthony played the largest role of the night on Sunday, it might be time to consider that he can also play a significant role on the path to the Larry O’Brien.

Not only was Anthony the Lakers’ leading scorer, but he passed Moses Malone to become the NBA’s ninth all-time leading scorer. Anthony further cemented his legendary status in NBA history as he was selected as one of the Top 75 Players in NBA history along with his Laker teammates James, Davis and Westbrook.

Anthony went 6-of-8 from 3-point land while going 10-of-15 overall, including multiple clutch shots in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers to a 121-118 victory over the Grizzlies. There has been buzz rising about Anthony winning Sixth Man of The Year, as I even predicted this for Lakers Nation in our roundtable predictions.

Anthony may have found himself a perfect role with the Lakers, which is pretty incredible considering he was out of the NBA with people unsure he would be back in 2018. One thing that’s for sure is that Anthony isn’t going anywhere soon as he figures to be a big part of closing out games on the Lakers’ path to banner 18.

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