The Night Staples Center Let Its Guard Down

The storied arena had a different vibe than normal as the Lakers paid tribute to Kobe Bryant in their first game since his death.

The vibe was the exact opposite Friday night, the Lakers’ first home game since the death of franchise icon Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash five days earlier. Over three hours before tipoff, hundreds of fans crowded the sidewalks around the arena, some to make sure they could spend every allowable second inside, others to experience just a small part of probably the most emotional NBA game ever.