Sunday, May 04, 2008

Favorite Playoff Moments


The NBA Playoffs. One of my favorite things to watch during the Springtime, especially if the Lakers are winning. I've been watching basketball since I was a young tyke in the 80s and over the years, I've seen some great postseason matchups. During these playoffs, I'm going to take you down memory lane, share a few of my favorite moments, along with background commentary.

2001 Western Conference Finals: Aww, the Lakers versus Blazers. My young Lakers came into the series with the best record in the regular season and had dispatched their two opponents with ease. And it looked like they were going to steamroll into the Finals with a 3-1 lead. However, the Blazers came back, tied the series up and headed to LA for an improbable Game 7. I remember taking two chicks with me over to my boy's house to watch the game with him and his wife. One of the chicks was a Laker bandwagoner, which usually is a no no in my book. But alas, I was a victim of the big butt with a smile and did not heed Ricky Bell's advice (and she was engaged! but that's a story for another day).

Anyway, we are watching the game, the Lakers look horrible for three quarters trailing by 15, my boy is talking mad s***, the bandwagoner is hopping off the train in the 3rd quarter, and everyone is just loving my team is getting smashed. So what happens? Brian Shaw and Robert "Don't Call me Fresh Prince" Horry go apes*** at the start of the 4th, dropping 3s all over the place. Once the Lakers got within 4, I knew it was over. Everybody remembers the alley oop but the play that changed everything was Brian Shaw hitting that 3 to tie the game. Portland was mentally crushed, Lakers take the lead for good, and the first of the 3peat begins. I remember talking to Gangsta for like forever after that game and we are just salivating at the ability to start talking championship Grade A s***.

It would kick off 5 straight years of classic material by the 3K Clique.
Anyway, click on 2001 Western Conference Finals t0 to check out the video

2 comments:

Gangsta D said...

When Kobe and Shaq hit that alley, I swear I jumped higher than I've ever jumped in my life. I must've had a 45" vertical that day. Good times. Good times.

Great Waldini said...

I hadn't been that pissed off sitting among haters since my Titans lost in the SB earlier that year :-). Good times indeed....