Game 7 WCF against Portland.

Game 7 1988 finals.

Big Game James was always my favorite player, but this might be one of the craziest laker games of all time.

I also say Magic's first game 7 might tie it. I can't decide. But Game 7 did give us our first back to back, which is just as huge!

Other nominees but less important but incredibly vital: 62, 81,

I was born in 1980, so I will stick to the ones I can remember. Anyway, my top 10 (actually more like top 15, not including the honorable mention entries):
1.) games 6 & 7 (tie) vs. the Pistons in 1988:: The two games have sort blurred into one in my memory- no defining moment really (unless Zeke playing hurt against the Lakers and Laimbeer complaining about the officials count) but two very closely contested games.
2.) Game 4 vs the Celtics in 1987, Baby Hook.
3.) Game 7 vs. the Blazers in 2000, down 13 late in the fourth.
4.) Game 5 versus San Antonio in 2004, "One lucky shot deserves another."
5.) Game 6 vs. the Celtics in 1985 (so low only because I can barely remember any of it.)
6.) game 4 vs. the kings in 2003. Big Shot Rob completes the comeback in a game in which I don't think they ever lead until time ran out.
7.) Game 2 vs. the Bulls. Magic hugging Vlade at the end kills me every time.
8.) 1992 All-Star game (admittedly not technically a Laker game, but post HIV Magic winning the MVP has to count for something.)
9.) Game 5 vs. San Antonio in 1995. What can I say- through it all I still love Nick Van Exel. I will defend the ref push (watch the type, he doesn't even see Ron Garrettson, who then flopped like a fish out of water) and the Cancun comment and everything else 'til the end, as long as the Lakers don't move to some small burg in the High Plains of course. His two late threes- one in the 4th to tie and another in OT to win, push the top seeded Spurs.
10.) games 2-4 vs the now extinct Supersonics (1967-2008, R.I.P.) in 1995. I got to admit to really liking those Lake Show early 90's teams. Really kind of under-appreciated. Van Exel destroyed future HoFér (and future Laker- though unfortunately for us his H.o.F. credentials were cemented in Seattle, despite his performance as a Laker) Gary Payton, a.k.a. the Glove. This was a team that make to the Finals the following year with pretty much the same cast, so it is really kind of under appreciated as far as upsets go.
Honorable mention: games 1&2 vs the Suns in 1993. Two road wins against the Barkley led finalists, back when the 1st round was still five games.
The 2001 post season, they basically dominated for two months, so no single game stands out.
game 4 vs. Indiana in 2000, Kobe sprains his ankle, then Shaq fouls out late in the fourth, then Kobe and Reggie trade shots in OT, though Miller misses the potential games winning three late.
Dishonorable mention: Cedric Ceballos missing a playoff game in what was it? 1996? To go fishing?
Kobe's airballs in 1997. Why does a rookie have the ball in his hands with the game on line? Van Exel had made some clutch 3's in his career, and he was the point guard, shouldn't he have had the ball in his hands?
The various seemingly flat out submissions in elimination games. Game 5 vs. Pistons in 2004, game 6 vs. the Celtics in 2008, game 6 vs. the Spurs in 2003, the sweeps vs. Utah in 1998, vs. San Antonio in 1999. As much as I love this team, they do just seem to quit every now and then (which is why I continue to defend the whole Cancun thing; Van Exel said he was trying to lighten the mood, which was grim if not downright hopeless, and I have to take his word for it.)

EASY, 1999- 2000 season. Game 7 Western Conference Finals, Lakers vs. Blazers.
Lakers down by thirteen in 4th quarter. The Lakers bench brings them back then Kobe
and Shaq took over. That game made the dynasty without which there would not have been one.

Mike T,

You've been riding Gasol like he's your favorite pony.

Here's my question to you: With Bynum as the
C & Gasol as the PF are the Lakers tough enough
to win the whole thing?

I believe in calling a spade a spade. Gasol is a finesse
player. It is what it is. However, the man does have skills!

So if we have a 3 who is aproximately as tough as
Fisher, with Kobe at the 2 and Fisher at PG ... is that
enough?

If you go back 3 years ago, the PG & C positions were
our weakest followed by the SF. Last year we were
weak at the SF and yet we still made it to the finals.

Is the lineup of Fisher, Sasha, Kobe, Gasol & Bynum
[ with backups of Farmar, Odom & Ariza ] tough enough
to win?

There's so many games, it's impossible to choose just one.

One game that stands out in my opinion is the Western Conference Finals game 6 in the 90-91 season when we lost to the Bulls.

We were playing against a Blazer team that was up and coming. They were good. Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey, Buck Williams, Kevin Duckworth, Danny Ainge, Cliff Robinson; these guys were good.

This was the Lakers first year without Kareem in the middle. It was Vlade's rookie year, but Magic was at the top of his game, Worthy was entering his prime, we just got Sam Perkins, Byron Scott, Coop was on the decline...anyways.

This was my favorite game because Magic and the Lakers were facing a hungry team that was ready to reach that next level, and it was Magic's experience and smarts that won it for us to reach the finals.

The defining play in that game was when the Blazers had the ball and a chance to take the lead down by one. This was "nervous time" at the Forum. The Blazers had some straight Laker killers on that team, especially Terry Porter and Danny Ainge.

I can't remember who took the shot, but the Blazers missed and there was a mad scramble for the ball with about 10 seconds left. Magic somehow came up with the ball, and instead of taking the foul, giving the Blazers another chance at it, he tossed the ball down to the Lakers end of the court with just enough force so that no Blazer could run it down, wasting almost all of the time left on the clock.

What a great game that was. Magic was the best player in the game at the time, and he came through big time in that game in the clutch. Magic always came through in the clutch. That was Magic's last great moment before he had to retire. Mentally, there was no one even close to Magic at the time except maybe Bird, but Bird's back was shot by then.

Really, he gave Mike Dunleavy a good coaching reputation in that game. Rick Adelman out coached Dunleavy in that series.

The Lakers went on to lose to the Bulls in the Finals as Magic was forced to hand over the throne to Micheal Jordan. Which was due to poor coaching by Mike Dunleavy in my opinion.

Other great Laker games were the 2000 Western finals, coming back from 15 down in the fourth qtr. Capped by the Kobe/Shaq alley-oop. That was a great one.

And of course, 0.4 with Fish. That was great even though we lost that year.

Great question to reminisce.

Hey I forgot about the big shot Rob game when Robert Horry hit the 3 pointer, as well as the
0.4 sec DFish shot game. THERE ARE TO MANY HILIGHT GAMES BK. thats why the Lakers
are The Lakers

Either Game 7 2000 WCF Final or Game 7 1988 Final. Toss up for me. Both great, great memories.

KG should of been in the olympcic team!!!

he's awesome....

mike t....gasol s not soft....you are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZnLgYfhhKw

There's the play.

Mamba24,
"Lamar Odom will be selected to the all-star team and voted most improved player in a tie with Bynum"

Assuming a healthy roster:
Lamar won't get enough "stats" to make it to the All-Star team - Kobe, Gasol, and Bynum are ahead of him as scoring options, possibly Sasha and Vlad, as well. And Bynum and Gasol will be getting too many rebounds for Odom to get as many as he has in the past, especially since he will likely be playing a good part of the time at SF.

As far as "most-improved" - he is starting at too high a level to be able to improve enough to get that award. I will be surprised if his stats are as good as they were last season. (See above.)

Best game ever? Easy. The last game of the 71-72 championship playoffs against the Knicks, when the Lakers won their first championship ever. The game that knocked the gorilla off the Lakers back. The game that ended all the years of frustration and capped a season where they won 33 games in a row. What a lot of people don't remember about that game is that Wilt hurt his hand the game before. There was even doubt that Wilt would play, or if he did if he would be effective. He stayed up all night before the game, soaking his hand in ice and he was able to play with his hand bandaged. He wasn't very effective on offense, but I still remember an electrifying block he made toward the end of the game that had everone on their feet, and cinched the outcome.

Roger

0.4!

Walt's list is pretty good.

GO LAKERS!

Exhelodrvr:"As far as "most-improved" - he is starting at too high a level to be
able to improve enough to get that award. I will be surprised if his stats are as good
as they were last season"

You know Ex. I'm going to start calling you the Mr. Spock of the Blog.
Your "logic" is exceedingly sound but show a lil Heart EX. Don't deflate a Laker fans dreams during
the dog days of summer.

game 7 vs portland..also Lets go C's...I see you shortened your name to LGC.

"but dang--magic was the best..."-LGC

That says a lot coming from a Celtic fan. I think you're right on that point.

In about 20 years, you might be saying the same thing about Kobe.

Does anybody have a clue how to figure out what time and what channel the next Team USA game will be on? You figure Aug 20 (Wednesday) and Aug 22 (Friday), would be on the USA channel... I guess but... when?

This is crazy! There's so much interest and nobody can put out a friggin schedule?

Best Laker games of all time? The Horry shot game, the Derek Fisher .04 game rank right up there. Several of the Phoenix playoff games the previous few years went right up to the last seconds... of course the Portland comeback game topped by the Kobe lob to Shaq for a slam... older games are more fuzzy but certainly several of the old Boston/Laker games, how about the Bynum/Shaq game where Shaq flattened Bynum, then Bynum got up and went right back at him? That was exciting.

Top 10 Laker games and rankings:

3. Game 6 1985 Lakers vs. Boston – The game that ended the curse and on the parquet of Boston Garden no less. Not great memories of this game as I was only 8 and this was my first season as a Lakers fan. Side note: My father took me to my first Lakers game in the WC Finals against Denver at the Forum. Not even sure how he copped those tickets as he wasn’t even a fan at the time and these were playoff tickets. I was only 8 but I knew all the players on the floor including the Nugget players, in fact the game was Dan Issel’s last in the NBA.

1. Game 7 1988 Lakers vs. Pistons – As noted earlier by others big game because of the back-to-back implications, the incredibly tough road it took to get there, and the game 7 heroics of Big Game James. Still have this game on VHS.

2. Game 7 2000 Lakers vs. Blazers – The real beginning to the Kobe, Shaq, Phil Jackson era. Without this game there is no 3-peat. Another botched coaching job by Mike Dunleavy. Does Phil Jackson have this guy’s number or what? Still remember watching this game at a bar in Boston of all places and thinking the Lakers were done entering the fourth and going crazy in the fourth when the rally was on.

4. Game 4 1987 Lakers vs. Boston – There are 4 shots in Lakers history that have significance, and the baby hook by Magic is one of them. The defining moment to the end of the Bird/Magic rivalry and to the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of the 80’s.

5. Game 4 2002 Lakers vs. Kings – Another one of the 4 greatest shots in Laker history. I think many forget that the Lakers were down 24 in this one and came back. All people remember is the shot by Horry. But oh what a shot, that one shot ruined the legacy of the Kings and Chris Webber and neither has ever recovered. If the Kings had beat the Lakers in that game more than likely they would have been the champs that year.

6. Game 4 2004 Lakers vs. Spurs – Doesn’t it seem like all these big shots happen in game 4’s? One good shot needs another. Fisher’s shot proceeded Duncan’s bank shot with one second left. Too bad the Lakers couldn’t use the momentum of this shot to push them to another title. That whole 2004 year was the most dysfunctional year of any since I have been a Laker fan.

7. Game 3 1970 Lakers vs. Knicks – I doubt any of us are old enough to remember this game but it is worth mentioning because of the Logo’s shot from like 80 ft. to send this one into OT. One of the 4 great shots in Laker’s history along with Magic’s babyhook, and Horry and Fisher’s buzzer beaters.

9. Game 4 2006 Lakers vs. Suns – Kobe’s heroics, two epic shots one to send the game into OT and the runner to win it. Pretty sure that Smush Parker(can’t believe I am bringing up his name again) and Luke Walton got away with fouls on both possessions. Too bad we got smashed so bad in game 7 in Phoenix.

8. Game 6 1980 Lakers vs. Philly – The game that started the Showtime era of the 80’s and the beginning of the Magic Johnson era. Too young to have witnessed this game but Magic’s line of 42 pts. 16 reb and 7 assists as a 20 year old rookie is crazy when you think about the fact that this was a deciding championship game and without Kareem going against the best NBA player at the time Dr. J.

10. Regular Season Lakers vs Toronto 2006 – 81 points is all you need to know. Never thought that anyone would top 80 in a game, let alone a perimeter player. 55 points in a half is just crazy! I don’t think anyone will get near this number ever again. Cemented Kobe’s status forever with this one.

BK that is one of the 10 best laker questions of all time!
And there's obviously no right answer here. It doesn't even matter what era your from, you still can't come up with definitive best game ever. I have a 0.4 D-Fish t-shirt, so if i go to my closet, that's the best game ever. Then again I got an 81 point Kobe t-shirt too. Horry's look what I found three-pointer against Portland might be my favorite. I was at a friends parent's house for that game and I literally jumped off the sofa and hit the antique light above me and broke it. I felt sooo bad cuz I barely knew the people and they wouldn't let me pay for it. So emotionally, on a scale of 1-10, that was the best game ever. Either that or, ... well let's just call it what it is, clearly too much beer.

Magic's baby hook is my father son moment. Me and my dad listening to Chick, ahh the good ol days! Back when Ron Jeremy was king (not that I would know). The Laker Celtic rilvary was basketball and from that game we got the Magic vs. Bird video game. So techie wise, that's the best game ever. But if struggle and climbing to the top of the mountainhill is your viewpoint on the best game ever, then the last game of the 72 championship against the Knicks, technically should be the best laker game ever. But that's too long ago, I was born in 71. I remember 1980 Finals Game 6, Kareem out with an ankle injury, and the rookie sittin in Cap's seat. The result, 42 points and Wilkes adds 37 which when compared upon what Jordan and Lebron did coming in, makes it the best game ever. And hold up yall, I haven't heard anyone mention this game. The Ron Artest of Laker games. Who could forget the shaq's lakers against the Sacramento Queens. Rick Fox Doug Christie in the tunnel, hell that was the best game ever. I watched that clip so much my girl thought i had mental problems.

So, if I had to pick one. I really don't think I could do it. I'lll tell you this though. Take the top 10, watch the whole game and see which one gives you the biggest goosebumps, thats the only way to relive it. I will say this however, every Laker fan all over the world can agree on ONE THING "best ever" about the Lakers organization. The refrigerator door is closed, lights out, butters gettin hard, and the jello is jigglin- Mr. Chickie baby who we will always love. Go Lakers!

p.s. i wrote a poem for you guys:

if i were a loser, i would go on the celtic blog site and annoy people with my laker banter.
if i were a loser, my favorite player would be the only multi-millionaire from l.a. who doens't own a razor
if i was a loser, me and my buddies would go out wearin green
if i were a loser, I would brag about my team who historically has 2 great (all-time) players that i can remember. -we got magic, kobe, wilt, west, kareem, and shaq for starters
if i were a loser my team would win every 30 years
if i were a loser, my team would win the championship solely on the fact that i got (a gm hookup of) KG for some skittles, some cornuts, and a bag of funions
if i were a loser I would take more pleasure out of pissin off laker fans than pleasurin my girl
if i were a loser, i would consistently waste my time, along with the time of others who don't want to discuss anything i have to say- ever!
if i were a loser

MAMBA24 -

You are TOO kind, sir!

There are some days where I approximate your greatness; I guess today is one of those days! :-)

Caliphilosopher, Stop It! STOP IT NOW! LOL! Great blogging
with you again my friend. Keep the faith.

hobbitmage,

"Is the lineup of Fisher, Sasha, Kobe, Gasol & Bynum
[ with backups of Farmar, Odom & Ariza ] tough enough
to win?"

I don't think that starting line-up is good enough to get out of the Western Confernce.

Sasha can shoot for sure but he's strictly a back-up, in my opinion.

The question of success for the Lakers is the 4 and 5 spots with Bynum and Gasol.

The quesiton being: Is Bynum even going to come back at all? And the other question is this: If he does come back, is Jerry West right when he said they are both too slowfooted and will eventually get burned in transition?

When you evaluate a team you have to see how they do in the regular season against the top defensive teams.

For example: Boston was the top defensive team last season when it came to how much points they allowed.

How did the Lakers do against them? Well, Bynum was healthy then and playing at the top of his game at the time. What happened? In the first game Kendrick Perkins scored 20 points on him by just bullying him out of position. The Lakers lost to Boston. Then there was the 2nd game where the Celtics fouled Bynum out of the game with their penetratoin.

You see, Perkins can handle Bynum. The question is this: Can the Celtics handle both Bynum and Gasol? Well, if Perkins handles Bynum and Garnett has to defend Gasol what would the results be?

That's what you have to look at in the upcoming regular season. You can't evaluate by the teams the Lakers beat who don't play defense. That's what you call a false read. You can't put stock in that. That's foolishness.

But here's the thing for the upcoming season. Not only do the Lakers have to contend with a possible finals rematch with Boston but Detroit has the tools to be a very dangerous defensive team, too.

If they put Kwame in the middle to handle Bynum and Rasheed to handle Gasol. That's trouble for the Lakers. Kwame is strong enough to keep Bynum away from the rim. And the way the Pistons play team defense those little alley-oops won't be available for the Lakers against the Piston. Just as they weren't available to the Lakers against the Celtics.

In the regular season watch the Lakers/Celtics Lakers/Pistons games to get a glimpse of the Lakers chances to win it all.

Then if you see another solid defensive team check out the games with the Lakers against them, too.

That should tell you plenty about the Lakers chances to win it all. And if you see a solid defensive team from the East make it to the finals to meet the Lakers. Go back and remember what happened in the regular season when the Lakers played them. If they beat the Lakers pretty soundly like Boston did this year, then make a big bet against the Lakers.

Good day, sir!

I SAID GOOD DAY!

mike t.

The greatest game I've seen was Game 7 of 2000 WCF followed by the 0.4 game.

The Lakers comeback from a 20 point deficit against the Spurs this year was pretty awesome too.

Hobbit mage,

Hope you saw my earlier post