Pau Gasol’s 33 Points, 18 Rebounds Propel Lakers Past Warriors in 2009 Victory
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On Jan. 7, 2009, the Los Angeles Lakers leaned on Pau Gasol’s dominant fourth quarter to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 114-106, at Oracle Arena.
The Lakers, fresh off an uncommon loss the night before, arrived in Oakland with six wins in their previous seven games and a firm grip on first place in the Western Conference. They opened the matchup with an eight-point lead after one quarter, though Golden State trimmed the margin to five by halftime.
Los Angeles stumbled early in the third period, but Gasol took control late, pouring in 14 of his 33 points over the final 12 minutes. The Spaniard finished 12-for-21 from the field, adding 18 rebounds and two blocks in just under 39 minutes as the Lakers secured their 28th win of the season.
Kobe Bryant supplied 21 points on 9-of-20 shooting, Andrew Bynum registered 18 points and 11 rebounds, and reserves Trevor Ariza and Sasha Vujacic contributed 17 and 12 points, respectively.
Golden State stayed competitive behind Jamal Crawford’s 25 points and nine assists. Center Andris Biedrins flirted with a triple-double, tallying 12 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists, but the Warriors ultimately fell short.
The result widened the Lakers’ conference lead and paved the way for a campaign that culminated in the franchise’s first NBA championship since 2001-02.
Gasol’s tenure in Los Angeles was later immortalized when the organization retired his No. 16 jersey in March 2023, months before his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Source: Lakers Nation
