San Antonio Spurs (12-18) at Los Angeles Lakers (16-16) December 23, 2021 | 9:30 PM CT

[BatManu20]

1474258282378260483

[Fireball]

always fun to throttle the Lakers ... props to KBD .. guess I was a little too harsh to him a few weeks ago when I said he could not dribble the ball

[Biggems]

We are better than our record. We have lost several close games early on because we didn't know how to close or who to go to. Still, we can't keep beating the Bucks, Nuggets, Clippers, Lakers, Warriors, and Suns, but like to the Kings without 6 if their players. So, once they clean that up, we should start ascending in the standings at a good pace.

[Dejounte]

https://twitter.com/spurs/status/1474276570235822100?s=21

Will this be an iconic photo someday?

[Dejounte]

I think this was one of DJ’s better games despite the poor shooting. He pulled some monster rebounds OVER LeBron in this game. Crazy to see from your point guard.

[HankChinaski]

I missed watching a ton of games due to an increased work schedule. Always nice to jump in the game threads and skim through to see the reacts and overreacts. But nothing feels better than a W against the Lakers. Never gets old.

[MannyIsGod]

I think this was one of DJ’s better games despite the poor shooting. He pulled some monster rebounds OVER LeBron in this game. Crazy to see from your point guard.

He played really well. The Lakers made a huge effort to stop him and he didn't force the action but rather played within himself and got others involved. Super impressive imo.

[dbestpro]

Love the minutes Diop and Landale got. Diop cause he was hot and we road the hot hand. Landale cause he is just consistant, opens up the court for everyone else, and deserves more minutes.

[Mugen]

:lmao Lakers

[rankingtear]

were in the play in for now while having the 8th worst record. West is so bad this season.

[Sugus]

I think this was one of DJ’s better games despite the poor shooting. He pulled some monster rebounds OVER LeBron in this game. Crazy to see from your point guard.

He played great, no doubt. I especially liked both his non-hesitance on shooting all types of shots, even if they weren't falling, and his impressive court vision last night. KBD did a great job getting open and good position for most of his buckets, but DJ kept finding him and threading good passes to him.

I also loved the whole team feeding the hot hands. Whether it was KBD, or Lonnie, or White, they shared the ball beautifully. What a team.

[koriwhat]

I missed watching a ton of games due to an increased work schedule. Always nice to jump in the game threads and skim through to see the reacts and overreacts. But nothing feels better than a W against the Lakers. Never gets old.

nbahd.com bro!

[Russ]

Which moment was better closing the Lakers out in the Forum in game 4 in '99 or closing the Lakers out in Staples in game 6 in '03?

As someone who attended both (gotta brag), '03 was way better than '99.

First off, the Forum was a morgue for that Game 4 in '99 -- it was a foregone conclusion that the Lakers would lose the series (down 0-3 going in). The place was dead from the opening tap and the Lakers never seriously challenged.

Contrast that with '03 when the three-time defending champ Lakers were going for a fourpeat. The Spurs had gone up 2-0 in the series but the Lakers took 3 & 4 at Staples and then came within a Robert Horry in-and-out buzzer-beater of putting a stranglehold on the series in Game 5.

The Lakers were confident, the Spurs were scared and the series would surely go seven. The Spurs would have to beat the three-time champs in a Game Seven. Game Six at Staples was just the Spurs playing with house money.

But the Spurs gutted out a tough win (the final score was way more lopsided than the game) and finally the Jumbotron showed Kobe and others weeping on the bench as their fourpeat evaporated -- it forever became "The Crying Game."

That was my favorite Spur-Lakers game ever. Way better than '99.

[Chomag]

Watching the Spurs go balls deep on the Lakers is something that will never get old.

[BatManu20]

ESPN is such a joke. Watched two different segments that showed Spurs vs. Lakers highlights and both were 80% Lakers/Lebron highlights and one of ‘em didn’t show a single KBD play lol. Trash ass network.

[BatManu20]

4-EXeZLAYcY

[daslicer]

As someone who attended both (gotta brag), '03 was way better than '99.

First off, the Forum was a morgue for that Game 4 in '99 -- it was a foregone conclusion that the Lakers would lose the series (down 0-3 going in). The place was dead from the opening tap and the Lakers never seriously challenged.

Contrast that with '03 when the three-time defending champ Lakers were going for a fourpeat. The Spurs had gone up 2-0 in the series but the Lakers took 3 & 4 at Staples and then came within a Robert Horry in-and-out buzzer-beater of putting a stranglehold on the series in Game 5.

The Lakers were confident, the Spurs were scared and the series would surely go seven. The Spurs would have to beat the three-time champs in a Game Seven. Game Six at Staples was just the Spurs playing with house money.

But the Spurs gutted out a tough win (the final score was way more lopsided than the game) and finally the Jumbotron showed Kobe and others weeping on the bench as their fourpeat evaporated -- it forever became "The Crying Game."

That was my favorite Spur-Lakers game ever. Way better than '99.

That had to have been a lot of fun to be at that game 6. What was the atmosphere inside Staples for that game at the start? I'm guessing the crowd must have been upbeat with a lot of confidence that the Lakers were going to win that game up until the 4th quarter when the Spurs stepped on the Lakers throats.

[daslicer]

ESPN is such a joke. Watched two different segments that showed Spurs vs. Lakers highlights and both were 80% Lakers/Lebron highlights and one of ‘em didn’t show a single KBD play lol. Trash ass network.

After 2010 I stopped watching ESPN SportsCenter and their other crappy shows. The only time I watched them was during the Kawhi fiasco just to see whose side the media was siding with.

[objective]

Derrick White had some exceptionally sharp passing, Dejounte also

[Russ]

That had to have been a lot of fun to be at that game 6. What was the atmosphere inside Staples for that game at the start? I'm guessing the crowd must have been upbeat with a lot of confidence that the Lakers were going to win that game up until the 4th quarter when the Spurs stepped on the Lakers throats.

I was tense the whole game, thinking that things would come crashing down until it became mathematically obvious that the Spurs would win. (After all, in the previous two years, the Lakers had swept the Spurs in 2001 and beat the Spurs in 5 in 2002 -- that's 8-1 Lakers going into 2003.) So I was cheering politely for the Spurs but not becoming obnoxious about it (I hope). Not only because I didn't want the inevitable derision if the Spurs blew it, but because I can't stand that visiting fan who rubs it in and becomes a pain-in-the-ass for the good and loyal local fans.

After the game, a little kid in the row behind me (probably about 8) looked at me wide-eyed and said, "Are you really a Spurs fan?" As if being a fan of a team from a place no one had ever heard of that no one knew anyone from was unthinkable. I just smiled and said "Yes, I'm a Spurs fan but the Lakers will be back before you know it."

Then I went down with my printed asterisks and wadded them up and threw them down.

[daslicer]

I was tense the whole game, thinking that things would come crashing down until it became mathematically obvious that the Spurs would win. (After all, in the previous two years, the Lakers had swept the Spurs in 2001 and beat the Spurs in 5 in 2002 -- that's 8-1 Lakers going into 2003.) So I was cheering politely for the Spurs but not becoming obnoxious about it (I hope). Not only because I didn't want the inevitable derision if the Spurs blew it, but because I can't stand that visiting fan who rubs it in and becomes a pain-in-the-ass for the good and loyal local fans.

After the game, a little kid in the row behind me (probably about 8) looked at me wide-eyed and said, "Are you really a Spurs fan?" As if being a fan of a team from a place no one had ever heard of that no one knew anyone from was unthinkable. I just smiled and said "Yes, I'm a Spurs fan but the Lakers will be back before you know it."

Then I went down with my printed asterisks and wadded them up and threw them down.

I hated the Lakers with a passion since the lockout season. Shaq had run his mouth about Duncan and Robinson being WNBA players before the playoffs started in '99. You would think he would be humble after getting swept but started running his mouth the moment Phil Jackson branded the '99 team as asterisk champs. Phil-Shaq-Kobe and that team's role players were all insufferable POS.

Those next few years of seeing the Lakers win were painful. I hated them so much that I was excited in '02 when the Kings went up on them 3-2. I thought to myself well at least they will finally lose. That game 6 against the Kings traumatized me with all the bad calls the Lakers got in their favor that I had a lot of fear the same thing would happen to the Spurs heading into game 6. I was nervous from the get go and didn't lose the nervousness until the Spurs were up by 20 in the 4th and then cursed at the top of my lungs in joy at the TV screaming a bunch of curse words towards the Lakers. It felt so good to let out my anger I had for that team and misery they had put me through as a Spurs fan. That was a moment where I had so much joy and anger at the same time.

[tbdog]

I hated the Lakers with a passion since the lockout season. Shaq had run his mouth about Duncan and Robinson being WNBA players before the playoffs started in '99. You would think he would be humble after getting swept but started running his mouth the moment Phil Jackson branded the '99 team as asterisk champs. Phil-Shaq-Kobe and that team's role players were all insufferable POS.

Those next few years of seeing the Lakers win were painful. I hated them so much that I was exciting in '02 when the Kings went up on them 3-2. I thought to myself well at least they will finally lose. That game 6 against the Kings traumatized me with all the bad calls the Lakers got in their favor that I had a lot of fear the same thing would happen to the Spurs heading into game 6. I was nervous from the get go and didn't lose the nervousness until the Spurs were up by 20 in the 4th and then cursed at the top of my lungs in joy at the TV screaming a bunch of curse words towards the Lakers. It felt so good to let out my anger I had for that team and misery they had put me through as a Spurs fan. That was a moment where I had so much joy and anger at the same time.

In that championship dvd, pop said to the team not to hold back in celebrations.

[spurraider21]

It’s been really nice having good Derrick white again

[Slippy]

Noteworthy would have to be the bench output.
From Lonnie looking comfortable again , to KBDs efficiency and Jocks activity from limited mins. Their production helped make it an easy win despite DJs shooting.

[Ice009]

Spurs whooped the Lakers ass in the last ever game at The Forum back in 1999. They whooped their asses tonight in the last ever game at Staples Center.

LFG.

I didn't know it was the last game at Staples. What is the reason?

Even though they were missing Davis, great win from the Spurs.

[daslicer]

I didn't know it was the last game at Staples. What is the reason?

Even though they were missing Davis, great win from the Spurs.

Crypto.com paid AEG which is the company that owns Staple Center to change the name to Crypto.com arena.

[DeRozan m8]

ESPN is such a joke. Watched two different segments that showed Spurs vs. Lakers highlights and both were 80% Lakers/Lebron highlights and one of ‘em didn’t show a single KBD play lol. Trash ass network.

That's how they've manufactured that LeClown his whole career

[lefty]

https://twitter.com/dom_2k/status/1474388415131131913

[BatManu20]

1474510472326131716

[John B]

It’s been really nice having good Derrick white again
The Spurs are becoming deep that they sem to have a different scoring leader every night.

[buttsR4rebounding]

Pretty funny I’m LG forum talking about the importance of the January meeting with SA to get the tie breaker with the Spurs. lol

[NASpurs]

1474510472326131716

Last 15 games, they've been 4th.

Last 10, they've been second.

Last 5, they're first at 120.8 efficiency according to nba.com

[CGD]

https://twitter.com/spurs/status/1474276570235822100?s=21

Will this be an iconic photo someday?

The “transitioneers” — a time in spurs history that we’ll look back to and remember a very fun, upstart, scrappy grouping of overachieving late FRPs that made a rebuilding period bearable in small market SA, and dare I say entertaining for .400 level pro bball.

[RC_Drunkford]

The offense clicking that well is really impressive. Means 3-point shooting is improved while the team plays very smart. More and more shades of the beautiful game coming back. Now they just need to improve the defense

[wildbill2u]

Legendary performance tbh.


1474261766024544259 Lazy bastard could've had a triple double if he'd only got 3 more rebounds. He needs more bench time,eh?

[wildbill2u]

One game that made me hate the Lakers back in the day was when the refs called over 20 fouls on the Spurs in the first half at the Staples center. We mad a run but could never overcome the lead that the Lakers got because of those fouls. Glad to see we closed out the Staples center a winner in total games played and their last game ever there. I believe it was the hand of God that directed Bates-Diop in that game.

[baseline bum]

Crypto.com paid AEG which is the company that owns Staple Center to change the name to Crypto.com arena.

LOL sponsored by Wish.com and Crypto.com, Lakers are the ultimate scam team.

[daslicer]

One game that made me hate the Lakers back in the day was when the refs called over 20 fouls on the Spurs in the first half at the Staples center. We mad a run but could never overcome the lead that the Lakers got because of those fouls. Glad to see we closed out the Staples center a winner in total games played and their last game ever there. I believe it was the hand of God that directed Bates-Diop in that game.

I felt they were a lot of games during the Kobe-Shaq era where when the Lakers were down against the Spurs at Staples the refs would allow them to hack like crazy and wouldn't call a foul but the moment the spurs did the same, they would blow the whistle. It drove me nuts.

Two games that still stand out to me that took place at Staples in the past are game 4 in '03 and '04 against the Lakers. The game 4 in '03 I remember the Spurs being up by 15-16 points in that game and the refs started calling touch fouls left and right. Robinson ended up fouling out, Willis got 4 fouls, Rose got 5 fouls, and Duncan had 5 fouls. It was ridiculous and the Spurs ended up losing by 4 when they should have won that game. Game 4 in '04 stands out to me because there was one play where I believe the Spurs had an open fastbreak for an easy bucket and the refs stopped the fast break. I remember it was the ref Salvatore that POS stopped the fast break because he felt the camera crew was too close to the court. That was bs and a momentum killer since that play occurred in the third quarter and could have broken the game open for the Spurs, but Salvatore killed the momentum. It also paused the game for like 5-10 minutes which gave the Lakers basically a free time out.