Lakers at GS Warriors, 2009

2-18-2009. High scoring affair. This game shows the Lakers didn't even need to bother themselves to play D against some teams, and they didn't. They won 65 and lost 2 merely by farting around on O all night and then losing at triple zeros (at IND via Troy Murphy!, and vs PHI vs Andre Iguodala). They coulda matched 69 if they truly wanted to, but why add that extra pressure on yourself?

[@seanb199zero]

Ariza giving a preview of his ‘09 playoff run with the late 3s

[@nonplayerzealot4]

He is still one of the most regrettable Laker losses of my career as a fan. I also missed AP in 96, tho at least we got Shaq out of that. Artest really manned up that year, and I hate that term, but it's exactly what he did. He got help for his mental issues and kudos for that -- that was when it was less accepted than it is now. He also made giant plays in the playoffs that put him in the same stratosphere as Ron Harp, D Fish, Kobe, Big Shot Bob, (and even Trev w/ his timely steals in 09). I just hated to see Ariza go because we were the ones who honed him into a shooter, which we rarely do. We also lost desperately needed youth and athleticism in the full court. He was the only cat who could play that area of the floor as a gazelle type. Not Ron's kind of game, obviously. I think the FO was scared of Paul Pierce, but by the time we played the Smelts, we coulda beaten them w/ Ariza instead of Artest anyway, I'm convinced. Finally, Ariza's window was longer than Ron/Metta's.

[@seanb199zero]

@@nonplayerzealot4 hey, looks like we got that Ariza signing after all! 12 years late, but still. Anyway, I’m with you on this one - loved the Ron/MWP experience for diff reasons - obviously his great defense on Durant + clutch shots during the 2010 run, plus weird other stuff like his randomly short shorts haha. But yea, keeping Ariza prob was the right move - LAL’s athleticism evaporated in like 2 seasons it felt like

[@nonplayerzealot4]

@@seanb199zero It's a good thing simply because it happened even if it's nothing more than in a technical sense. I've been miffed about the Ariza thing for years. I'm not expecting the 2008-9 forms tho, trust.

[@ericalvarez8161]

I really miss this Laker team.

[@joesloadeddiaper3007]

I miss NBA basketball like this.

[@bennyd9994]

I’m telling y’all…that 360 dunk is how i fell in love with the game

[@Alien_Nukes]

Do you have any more golden state (monta ellis ) era games vs lakers?

[@NBaBall3r26]

lol since when 1:43 he can do that
but nice move