Lakers give moving tribute to Dr.Buss

Kobe, D-Fish, Buss

From left to right (Nash,Metta World Peace,Kobe,Dwight,Pau)

Jerry Buss

After a moving tribute to Dr. Jerry Buss at Staples Center Wednesday night before the Lakers first game since his death the Lakers went out and thrashed the team Buss disliked most  the Boston Celtics.Thursday at a memorial service held across the street from Staples at the Nokia Theatre the emotion continued to pour out as great Lakers past and present including coaches Phil Jackson and Pat Riley player executive Jerry West Showtime era Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson and champions of a later era Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant talked about their relationships and experiences with Buss.They talked of his friendly touch with common folks his love of blue jeans his penchant for staying out late or all night his uncommon vision his sharp intellect and his surprising humility.They talked of how Buss would like nothing more than for the Lakers to continue to win at the astounding level they did under his ownership.Buss often said he wanted Los Angeles to by synonymous with the Lakers, and the Lakers known for winning.And so it was to an large degree. In his nearly 34 years as owner the Lakers had the best record in the league by far went to the NBA Finals 16 times and won 10 titles.Buss died Monday at age 80 amid one of the Lakers most troubling seasons a season that was expected to get the team of Bryant Pau Gasol Dwight Howard and Steve Nash into another Lakers championship.