The biggest shots in Lakers playoff history

The setting: Gasol took a pass from a double-teamed Kobe Bryant, laid the ball in with his left hand and drew a foul. The subsequent free throw gave the Lakers a 97-91 lead with 1:14 left in overtime at Staples Center.

The significance: The three-point play finished a 7-0 run by the Lakers, whose 101-96 victory gave them a 2-0 series lead.  (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: On the verge of falling behind 2-0 in the series, Bryant hit a three-point shot from 28 feet with 2.1 seconds left to tie the score at 89-all at Staples Center.

The significance: Bryant’s basket, which came after the Pistons decided not to foul him with a three-point lead, sent the game to overtime. The Lakers outscored Detroit, 10-2, in the extra five minutes for a 99-91 victory. After the game, Bryant called his basket “the biggest shot I would ever hit.” It proved to be the last highlight for the Lakers, as they lost the next three games in Detroit in one of the Finals’ biggest upsets.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: With the Lakers holding a tenuous five-point lead, Kobe Bryant jumped to take a shot from behind the three-point line. Bryant’s shooting motion drew all the attention to him, so when he passed the ball underneath to Odom, the forward was wide open for a layup. Fouled on the play, Odom made the free throw to put the Lakers ahead, 99-91, with 1:02 left at Staples Center.

The significance: The Lakers’ 103-94 victory gave them a 3-2 series lead and they clinched a spot in the NBA Finals with a Game 6 victory in Denver. Bryant became a “decoy” for the game, throwing the Nuggets off by looking more for teammates than his own shot. Bryant took only 13 shots and had eight assists.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Nick Van Exel was taken 37th overall by the Lakers in the 1993 draft.  (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: Down by a point in overtime, Luke Walton forced a jump ball with Steve Nash at midcourt. Walton tipped the ball to Bryant, who rushed toward the basket and made a 17-foot shot over two defenders at the buzzer to give the Lakers a 99-98 victory at Staples Center.

The significance: Bryant sent the game to overtime with an arching layup over Boris Diaw with 0.7 of a second left. The Lakers’ victory gave them a 3-1 series lead, but the Suns won the next three games.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: Trailing by two points, Kobe Bryant threw the ball in the corner to Horry, whose three-point shot with 2.1 seconds remaining gave the Lakers a 92-91 victory at the Rose Garden.

The significance: The latest highlight from “Big Shot Bob” gave the Lakers a 3-0 sweep of the series, the third season in a row in which they eliminated the Trail Blazers. The Lakers made up a five-point deficit in the last 39 seconds. Horry’s shot was his only make in four three-point attempts.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: On a possession in which the Lakers missed four shots from close range but got the rebound every time, Worthy finally scored on a putback to give the Lakers a 118-116 lead with 20 seconds left in Denver.

The significance: After Worthy’s basket, the Lakers forced a turnover and two Byron Scott free throws with five seconds left finished off a 120-116 victory, giving the Lakers a 3-1 series lead. They won the next game at home and then beat the Celtics for the NBA title.  (J.D. Cuban / AllSport)

The setting: Harper took a pass from Kobe Bryant and made a 19-footer from the left corner with 29.9 seconds left to give the Lakers a 93-91 lead.

The significance: Harper’s points were the last of the game, giving the Lakers a 2-1 edge in the series and allowing them to regain home-court advantage after losing Game 2. On the game’s final play, Harper and Bryant blocked a shot by Arvydas Sabonis as the Lakers won a road game in the conference finals for the first time in nine years.  (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: The final game of the first-round series saw the Lakers trailing by a point when Abdul-Jabbar made a 10-foot sky hook with 12 seconds left at Denver.

The significance: After David Thompson missed a shot at the other end, the Lakers had a 112-111 victory and a second-round date with Seattle. Abdul-Jabbar scored 29 points on 13-for-19 shooting, and added 16 rebounds, eight steals and six blocks. “God, he was sensational,” Lakers Coach Jerry West said of Abdul-Jabbar.  (Jose Galvez / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: On the verge of losing home-court advantage, Bryant swished a 14-foot shot over Jason Kidd with 2.6 seconds left to give the Lakers a 97-96 victory at Staples Center.

The significance: Bryant’s basket gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead in the series, which they won in five games. Bryant made the final shot, but it was Shaquille O’Neal who was the man for the Lakers. On the night he was presented his most-valuable-player award, O’Neal had 38 points and 20 rebounds.  (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: The Lakers trailed the Pistons by three points at the Forum when Scott went past Isiah Thomas and made a 15-foot shot with 52 seconds left.

The significance: After Scott’s basket, the Pistons missed a shot and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to give the Lakers a 103-102 victory, forcing a Game 7, which the Lakers won. Scott’s shot allowed the Lakers to become the first team in 19 seasons to repeat at champions.  (Bob Galbraith / Associated Press)

The setting: With the score tied at 85, Bryant grabbed a rebound of a Derek Fisher miss with one hand, immediately went back up and flipped a shot over 7-foot center David Robinson from four feet. It went in and the Lakers had an 87-85 victory before 35,000 fans at the Alamodome.

The significance: The victory gave the Lakers a 3-1 series lead and they closed it out in Game 5. The Lakers trailed by 10 points with 4:55 remaining in Game 4 before Bryant took over. He scored 10 points in the last five minutes, 12 in the quarter, or two points more than the Spurs scored in the quarter. The Lakers went on to a third consecutive title.  (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: With the score tied, Goodrich hit a 15-foot jump shot at Milwaukee to give the Lakers a 99-97 lead with 1:33 remaining.

The significance: On Goodrich’s shot, Happy Hairston was fouled and made a free throw to give the Lakers a three-point lead. They went on to win, 104-100, clinching the series over the defending NBA champions. The Lakers then beat the New York Knicks in five games for their first championship in Los Angeles.  (Bill Varie / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: With the Lakers ahead by one point at a raucous First Union Center, Horry hit a three-point shot from the left corner with 47.2 seconds left to give L.A. a 92-88 lead.

The significance: Horry followed his shot with four free throws in the last 20 seconds to secure the Lakers’ 96-91 victory, giving them a 2-1 series lead on the way to their second straight title. Horry scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, including the Lakers’ final seven points, all of which came after Shaquille O’Neal fouled out.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: On the cusp of another NBA Finals appearance, Bryant made a hanging, double-pump jumper from just inside the three-point line with 34.2 seconds left to give the Lakers a 107-100 lead at Phoenix.

The significance: Bryant’s shot, which came with the Suns’ Grant Hill playing him tightly, drew an emphatic “Yes!” from TNT announcer Marv Albert. Bryant playfully tapped Suns Coach Alvin Gentry on the behind after the play, which wrapped up the 111-103 victory and the series for the Lakers. Said TNT’s Doug Collins: “You can’t defend that.” With 1:59 left in the game, Bryant made another incredibly difficult shot, this one over two defenders, for a five-point lead. Bryant finished with 37 points.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: As the shot clock was winding down, Cooper made an 18-footer to give the Lakers a 106-100 lead with 1:51 left at the Boston Garden.

The significance: Cooper’s shot helped the Lakers secure a 109-102 victory and tie the series. The Lakers, coming off a seven-game defeat to Boston in the 1984 Finals, opened the ’85 series with a 148-114 loss that brought into question their ability to actually beat the Celtics on the biggest stage. They responded in Game 2 by taking an 18-point halftime lead. The Celtics rallied, but Cooper’s shot (his eighth basket in nine attempts) iced the game. The Lakers won the series in six games, ending decades of frustration to the Celtics.  (Paul Morse / Los Angeles Times)

The setting: Gasol grabbed a missed shot by Kobe Bryant and made a layup with 0.5 of a second left to give the Lakers a 95-94 victory at Oklahoma City.

The significance: The Lakers clinched the series and avoided a Game 7 against a Thunder team that gave them all sorts of problems with its athleticism and quickness. Gasol struggled for much of Game 6, scoring only nine points on four-for-11 shooting. But his rebound off Bryant’s miss was his 18th of the game.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)