Los Angeles Lakers: The five best playoff moments since 2000
By Jason Reed
Los Angeles Lakers best playoff moments since 2000: 4. Kobe’s buzzer-beater in the 2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals are not great in retrospect for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team lost the series four games to one against the Detroit Pistons and it effectively served as the end of an era. The most dominant duo in the league split up after this Finals, as Shaquille O’Neal was dealt to the Miami Heat.
In the moment, Laker fans were hoping for the team’s fourth championship in a row, which would give Kobe and the Lakers something that Michael Jordan and the Bulls did not even accomplish: a four-peat.
Kobe seemingly knew the historical importance of pulling this off as he essentially gave the Lakers their only win in the series. Down three in the fourth, Kobe took a long stepback three with a hand in his face, definitely not a good shot, and did what he often does: buried it home to tie the game.
This tied the series at a game apiece and gave the Lakers hope in winning championship number four, but it ultimately was not meant to be. If the Lakers would have won this series then this would undoubtedly be higher on this list.
However, because it stands alone as the one win that the team had in the NBA Finals, it only comes in at number four, even with the degree of difficulty involved.