Throwback Thursday: Lakers vs Celtics at Staples

By Kin Enriquez -

I forgot to blog this then, so I'm putting this on Throwback Thursday. One of the reasons why I wanted to visit Los Angeles is so I can watch the home team play, and the schedule was right on. There's a Lakers game on the day I was to arrive in LA, and it was serendipitous too, as it was against the Boston Celtics. This was my third time to watch an NBA game, after the one in New York, and the one played in Manila.

Fans milling outside the Staples Center
I arrived in LA just that morning and after checking in my hostel in Hollywood Boulevard I went to the Science Center and the Museum of Natural History, and from there, went straight to the Staples Center, the home of LA's two basketball teams. 

A mural for Kobe Bryant
The Lakers weren't that of a strong team this season (and so was the Celtics), but I still follow it just the same. I was hoping that I can see Kobe Bryant play, but he was injured at that time, so tough luck. 

Luke Walton signing autographs
It was still early when I got to the Staples, so I went around the area first. There were several booths in the nearby Nokia Center, so I went there too. I saw a former Laker, Luke Walton, signing autographs for the fans, and in another booth, the Laker girls. 
I entered the stadium shortly. My seat was high up but I liked the vantage point. I got settled in and waited for the game to start. Soon the stadium began to fill, and the teams were introduced to the boisterous crowd.


The game soon started, and it was fun to watch. The scores were close, but soon Lakers started to run up a good deficit, 74-63 at the end of the third quarter. I kind of lost my interest at that point, and I was planning to leave by then. Things started to turn around though, and the Lakers managed to claw back and outscore the visiting team, 101-92 by the end of the game. The win also enabled the Lakers to end its eight-game losing streak. 
The two teams on the court

 Even though I know that the Lakers do not have any chance to be in the playoffs I was still glad that I went to see the game. Watching team sports is one of the best ways to observe and experience American culture, and the two teams are like a East Coast-West Coast rapper rivalry in the NBA. I was also able to buy my brother, who was a bigger Lakers fan than I am, a Kobe Bryant shirt, which made him a very happy fan.

 How to Get There
You can take the LA Metro Blue Line and get off at Pico Station. Walk west from Pico Boulevard to Staples Center. 

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