Los Angeles Lakers: Top 10 Moments of the Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol Era

Laker dominance has always been linked with the big man-small man combo.

Go back throughout the annals of NBA history, and every good Laker team (and there have been quite a few) has had a 1-2 punch of an explosive guard and a forward/center. First came West and Baylor. They were followed by Chamberlain-West, Johnson-Abdul Jabbar and then Bryant-O'Neal.

The most recent edition has been the extremely successful Bryant-Gasol combo.

For years following Gasol's arrival, the Lakers heralded in a new era of dominance. They owned the league.

Here, I'll look at the top 10 moments of what has been a great few years if you're a Laker fan.

10. The Domination Begins: LA Trades for Pau Gasol

I had no idea what to expect in the 2008 season. Kobe would score a lot of points, that was for sure.

But what else could happen? I wasn’t sure.

I was pleasantly surprised as the Lakers jumped ahead to a 38-17 record and the first seed in the Western Conference behind Bryant’s usual brilliance and some dominant play from Andrew Bynum.

Disaster struck, however, as Bynum was injured. He would miss the rest of the season. Struggling without a post presence other than Lamar Odom, the Lakers lost four of their next five. Would a huge opportunity be wasted?

No, not if Mitch Kupchak is your GM. Some way, somehow (for all I know, he had pictures of Chris Wallace in a compromising position), he was able to trade Kwame Brown, Aaron McKie and the draft rights to Marc Gasol for Marc’s older brother, Pau, an All-Star power forward.

The rest, as they say, is history.

9. Lakers Snap the Cavaliers’ 23-Game Home Winning Streak

This was the one game of the 2009 season, other than the visit by Boston, that made me legitimately nervous.

LeBron James was having a sensational season to the tune of 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game. Normally, the LA’s plans to defend him would entail using Kobe Bryant in a man to man set-up, with Andrew Bynum in the post as an effective deterrent.

However, Bynum was taking his annual spring break and Bryant was playing with flu.

Not to mention that Cleveland had not lost at the Quicken Loans Arena all season.

Things looked pretty grim for the reigning Western Conference Champions as the Cavaliers built a 61-51 halftime lead.

Enter Lamar Odom.

In what was easily the greatest performance of his career, he recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter alone. He just could not be stopped. He rocked the Cavs’ world. After some scrappy play from Gasol, Fisher and Bryant had brought LA within three at 66-69, the Candyman took over.

The shortened version of the play by play for LA for the remainder of the quarter:

Odom layup, Odom layup, Odom jumper with foul, Odom free throw, Odom layup, Walton three, Odom layup, Odom layup.

Do the math. Odom scored 13 of LA’s 16 points in a desicive run to end the quarter. He finished with 28 points and 17 rebounds.

What of LeBron James? He was locked up and the key was thrown away. Odom put the clamps on him and was backed up by some great team defense. The self-proclaimed "King" finished with just 16 points on 5-of-20 shooting.

A spectacular showing by our favorite team. The Candyman will be missed.

8. Blowout Win Against the Mavericks, January 2010

Some may question the inclusion of a particular regular season game on this list, but I felt the need to include it here because it simply showed us just how high this Laker team’s ceiling really was.

Consider this: Dallas was the second seed in the West at that point, with an impressive 23-10 record. If you recall that each of the playoff teams in the West had 50 wins in the 2010 season, you’ll understand how difficult that conference was.

Despite being 27-5 going into the game, the Lakers were facing criticism. They had been humiliated on their own floor by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day, and then struggled to wins against Sacramento and Golden State.

Then, the Lakers just decided to move into second gear for that one game and dealt the Mavs a Pantheon-like evisceration. They jumped ahead 30-13 after the first quarter and really never looked back. The lead ballooned to 64-39 at the half, and a mind boggling 103-63 after three quarters. The deep bench hit the floor for the fourth, allowing Dallas to pull it back to a final score of 131-96.

Remember, this team was the second seed and were looking like favorites in that particular game.

What’s even more impressive about the performance is that the Lakers’ starting small forward, Ron Artest, was injured for the game. Kobe Bryant scored 15 points and handed out eight assists, but LA was in complete control from start to finish. Eight players finished in double figures.

The shooting percentage disparity was 63 percent to 38 percent.

The Lakers shot 14-of-24 on threes to 5-of-21 for the Mavericks.

If you consider that LA had 16 free-throw attempts to the Mavericks’ 28, that should tell you just how perfect the game was.

I remember telling a friend after that game that "This is how basketball should be played."

Anyone disagree?

7. Kobe Bryant Is the 2008 Most Valuable Player

This was a long time coming. Kobe should really have been awarded his third MVP in that season (he was too far ahead of the rest of the league in 2003 and 2006 not to win it), but as the old adage goes, better late than never, right?

Kobe averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the 57-25 Lakers. A lot of writers have suggested that Chris Paul, who was also stellar with 21 points per game to go with the assist and steals titles for the 56-26 Hornets, was robbed of an award that should have been his.

To these detractors: I say this. Remove Chris Paul from that Hornets team, and the Spurs merely defeat the Mavericks again in the second round. No harm, no foul. Remove Bryant from that Laker team, and you possibly have a different champion: remember, the Spurs couldn’t get past him.

If they had a clear path to the Finals, though, who’s to say Garnett and Co., a team that was put together on the fly, would have been able to outduel the more experienced Spurs? As it is, Kobe was responsible for a juggernaut that rolled through the league for the next two years as well.

Bryant’s scoring average took a dip from 35.4 in 2006 and 31.6 in 2007, but both his assists and rebounds went up. It wasn’t as if he could no longer put the ball in the basket, though, he scored above 30 36 times in the season and in 12 of 21 playoff games.

Really, Kobe did it all that season. Though his supporting cast let him down in the Finals, we all know how that particular problem was solved…

6. Comeback Win Against the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the 2008 WCF

This was the first real test that the young Laker team was going to face in the 2008 playoffs: the defending champion Spurs.

It was a trial by fire indeed, with the Spurs jumping ahead to a 65-45 lead in the early first half. Bryant scored only two points in that same time period.

The Lakers then rallied to an improbable victory behind a 25-point second half from their captain. He hit a jumper with less than a minute remaining to give them the lead for good, before Sasha Vujacic iced the game with two free throws to seal an 89-85 victory.

That second half, to me, really showcased the beauty of the triangle offense. The Lakers were really scoring effortlessly. Kobe finished with 27 points and nine assists, but not once did it seem as if he was hogging the ball.

An intense game from start to finish and some beautiful basketball, capped off by the raucous Staples crowd, has the No. 6 spot wrapped up.

5. 2010 Western Conference Finals Against the Phoenix Suns

Just like so many other things that are on and were considered for this list, this particular playoff series was all about the purging of past nightmares.

Kobe Bryant’s individual prime was undoubtedly from 2005-07. So naturally, would one not assume his Laker teams would be post dominant during that stretch?

That was unfortunately not the case. The Laker front office can certainly be blamed, but the Phoenix Suns must also take their share of the censure.

The Lakers lost twice to the Suns in the playoffs in two consecutive seasons despite Bryant giving it his all. A more balanced attack led by the dynamic Steve Nash overwhelmed the Lakers 4-3 and 4-1 in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

After that, the Lakers rose and the Suns tailed off. That was that, right?

Wrong. After missing the playoffs in 2009, Nash led his team back with a vengeance. After ripping apart the Portland Trail Blazers and, surprisingly, exorcising their own demons by demolishing the San Antonio Spurs in a 4-0 sweep, Phoenix rose to meet the defending champion Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.

They were in for a rude shock.

Bryant was at his ruthless best as LA shredded their long-time foe, 128-107 and 124-112, in Games 1 and 2. Bryant, Gasol and Odom combined for 80 points in the former, with Amare Stoudamire foolishly calling Odom’s 19-point and 19-rebound effort a "lucky game."

Odom rebounded to these comments with yet another double-double in Game 2, as Kobe, who scored 40 in Game 1, showcased his versatility by recording 21 points and a career playoff high 13 assists after that. Ho hum.

It was looking like another sweep, but behind heroics from Steve Nash and an improved performance from Amare Stoudamire, the Suns defended their home court and tied the series, 2-2, despite Bryant and Gasol playing absolutely out of their minds.

Game 5 was crucial; if the Suns won, then they would have too much momentum to be stopped.

Kobe had a great game, recording 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

The star was Artest, however. He played poorly all game long, unable to stop his defensive assignments and missing open three after open three.

No one would have guessed what was to come. After Bryant missed a potential game winner with the score tied at 101 and overtime looming, Artest grabbed the offensive rebound and laid it neatly in as time expired. 3-2 LA.

The sheer disbelief that was echoing through the NBA world cannot be understated. Ron Artest, Ron Artest, hit the buzzer beater? Inconceivable. Preposterous. Dare I say it: impossible?

It was very possible, all right, as Artest continued his resurgence in Game 6. Bryant capped off an incredible series with 37 points and clutch shot after clutch shot in a 111-102 Laker win, but Artest really caught eyes. He took advantage of the double teams on his superstar teammate and hit a bunch of open threes to score a personal season high 25 points.

The Lakers had done what was necessary and extracted revenge in the process. After being denied by the Suns on previous occasions, Bryant made them pay by averaging 34 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the series on 52 percent shooting. The only other player to average these kind of numbers in a series victory?

You guessed it. Michael Jordan.

4. Kobe Bryant’s 7 Game Winners of the 2009-2010 Season

I would rather not have placed these many individual achievements in an article about the team itself, but let’s be honest here: One cannot think of the 2009-2010 season without remembering the multiple times that No. 24 crushed the opposing team’s hopes with his crunch time heroics.

The madness began against Miami, with an impossible three that Bryant somehow banked off the rim with Wade’s hand in his face as time expired.

The assassinations continued at Milwakuee and against Sacramento, with a tough contested fadeaway jumper and a wide open three respectively, both of which splashed through the net as the buzzer rang out.

No. 4 had some more time left on the clock, but with the score tied 95-95 against the Mavericks at the American Airlines Arena with 29 seconds left, everyone knew who was going to get the ball. Kobe had scored only 10 points and was playing through pain. Regardless, the ball was inbounded to him and he dribbled to the right of the key. Jason Terry guarding him, he rose up/faded away and sank an effortless jumper. Laker lead. They would not give it up.

Probably his most underrated play of the season game against the Celtics at the TD Banknorth Arena. Kobe had not been having the best shooting night by any means, going 7-19 until there were 7.3 seconds left on the clock.

Bryant got the ball at the top of the key, with Ray Allen playing tough defense on him. He dribbled a few feet further, pump faked to create a bit of space and then let rip a dagger that gave the Lakers the leave for good. The look on disbelief on Ray Allen’s face was priceless.

There was more to come. Against Memphis, on Bryant’s first game back from an injury, Odom found him open at the three-point line with the ticker leading 4.3. What’s the first thing they teach you in basketball 101? Don’t leave Kobe Bryant open in crunch time. He yanked the cord and put LA up 99-98.

OJ Mayo had an attempt to win the game for his team, but of course he missed. When the Bryant speaketh, all else shall be silent.

Finally, after missing a buzzer beater in Canada, Kobe decided to punish the Raptors in the reverse fixture in Staples. With Chris Bosh hitting an improbable three pointer (in what was, on another note, probably the last memorable moment he had as Raptor, out of few) to tie the game at 107, Bryant dribbled the ball to the baseline on the next play.

Antoine Wright was guarding him; that should tell you about all you need to know about his chances of success. The help from Andrea Bargiani came very late, and the assassin effortlessly hit what is probably one of the hardest shots in basketball with one second left: the baseline fadeaway jumper.

It was a whirlwind season for Laker fans, and at the heart of it all was one of the most clutch players in NBA history who was at his devastating best when it came to mano e mano time.

3. The Los Angeles Lakers Are the 2009 NBA Champions

At last, the Lakers would wear rings again.

I feel no shame in admitting that as the seconds evaporated in the Amway Arena and Los Angeles claimed the title with a 99-86 victory, it took all I had to prevent the tears of joy from flowing.

This was the culmination of two years and over 200 games of effort and brilliance on the part of the players, and a huge emotional investment on the part of us fans.

Despite being a regular season juggernaut and rolling to a 65-17 record, many still doubted the Lakers' ability to get it done when it mattered.

Those doubters were silenced by a comprehensive 4-1 victory over reigning Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard and his Orlando Magic.

The only reason I don’t have LA’s first title of the era ranked No. 1 is because after the blowout win by the Lakers in Game 1, the result seemed almost a foregone conclusion. Sure, a couple of games went to overtime, but did the Lakers ever seem out of control during the series? The answer is no.

The 2009 Finals was slightly less exciting than the moments it is ranked behind, but nonetheless a great achievement.

2. Christmas Day Win Against the Boston Celtics, 2008

This was all about exorcism of demons.

The most highly anticipated Christmas Day game since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal first met as opponents, it was a Finals rematch and the first time LA played Boston since the 131-92 humiliation they suffered in Game 6 of the previous season’s Finals.

The Celtics had started the season 27-2 and were going into the game as the heavy favorites even though LA had unleashed holy hell until that point as well, winning 21 of their first 24 games with a point differential of plus-10.

It was a tightly contested game throughout, until the Lakers took it up a notch in crunch time. Trailing 81-79 with a few minutes to go, the Lakers went on a 13-2 run to clinch the game. This was highlighted by multiple effort plays, including a vicious block on Ray Allen by Gasol. A loose ball followed, but the Lakers were able to scramble to it and get Trevor Ariza a wide-open reverse dunk that effectively put the game beyond the Celtics’ reach.

Really, even though Kobe was in supernatural form, scoring 27 points to go with nine rebounds and five assists against the league’s meanest defense, the entire game was about the hustle plays and hunger of the Lakers.

Watch the video attached. Look at the multiple saves and tremendous effort by LA. They wanted it bad.

Some might question a regular season game being this high, but to me, this was the team’s turning point of the Bryant-Gasol era. After this, no one dared question the Lakers’ desire, hunger and toughness.

1. Game 7, 2010 NBA Finals

Could we have had any other moment at No. 1?

This was undoubtedly Kobe Bryant’s hardest championship. The six games leading up to the massive showdown at Staples were hotly contested between the Lakers and their bitter rivals, the Boston Celtics. LA fell behind 3-2 before rallying to blow the Celtics out of the building in Game 6, leading to what many expected to be an epic encounter for the ages.

It did not fail to disappoint. Right from the get-go, it was easy to see that every player on the court would commit not one, but multiple murders in order to reach the promised land. Shockingly, Bryant struggled through the game, going an appalling 6-24 from the field.

In true No. 24 fashion, however, he rallied to in the fourth quarter by contributing in any other way he could: He pulled down an incredible 15 rebounds for a shooting guard and got to the line multiple times.

The undoubted star, however, was the controversial forward and defensive stopper, Ron Artest. He not only made up for his failures in previous playoff games by shutting down Paul Pierce and hitting an incredible clutch three pointer to finish with 20 points and five steals, he provided us with probably the best postgame press conference in NBA history.

Individuals aside, this personified what the Lakers are about: No one player matters too much. Whatever happens, they will find a way to win. That is exactly why I love this franchise and will continue to do so until the grave.