Back in the Building: Lakers Host Game 1 at Home for the First Time Since 2012
The Los Angeles Lakers are finally set to host Game One of a playoff series at Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) for the first time since April 29, 2012. It’s been a long road back, but playoff basketball is officially returning to L.A.’s home court.
Last Time Out: Kobe Leads the Way
The last time the Lakers opened a series at home, they handled the Denver Nuggets with a 103-88 win. The late, great Kobe Bryant led the charge with 31 points.
L.A. went on to win the series before falling in the Conference Semifinals to a young, hungry Oklahoma City Thunder squad led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Despite Kobe averaging over 30 points per game, the Thunder closed the series in five.
The Lakers will host a Game 1 at Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena for the first time since April 29, 2012 pic.twitter.com/nlgQLGVJK5
— The Laker Files (@LakerFiles) April 12, 2025
Postseason Setbacks and a Long Playoff Drought
The following season brought more bad luck. Although the Lakers reached the playoffs in 2013, Kobe suffered a devastating Achilles tear just before the postseason.
Without him, L.A. was swept in the first round by the San Antonio Spurs. That series marked the beginning of a painful five-year playoff drought—three of those seasons spent at or near the bottom of the Western Conference.
The 2020 Championship—Without the Home Crowd
In 2020, the Lakers finally returned to form. They secured the No. 1 seed and, behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, captured the franchise’s 17th NBA title.
But the journey came with an asterisk of sorts. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA moved the postseason to the Orlando “bubble,” eliminating crowds and neutralizing any true home-court advantage.
A Long-Awaited Homecoming
Now, in 2025, the moment has come full circle. Game 1 will be played in front of a packed house, with the energy of the home crowd behind the purple and gold.
For a franchise known for legendary postseason moments under the L.A. lights, this game marks more than the start of a series—it’s a return to form and a homecoming 13 years in the making.
