Tonight is a very special night for the city of Los Angeles. In many ways, it is a night that the city has actually been dreading. That is because the Staples Center will no longer be the Staples Center after tonight. Instead, it will be named the Crypto.com Arena, which is certainly a shift that some fans are going to struggle with. After all, the Staples Center has been called by the name for 22 years, and the Lakers have won six NBA titles during that time.
In just a few hours, the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the San Antonio Spurs in the last-ever game at the Staples Center. To usher in this new era, the Lakers took to Twitter where they offered a heartfelt statement about the name change, and how the history of the Staples Center will never be taken away.
As a way to get fans feeling nostalgic, the Lakers decided to post a plethora of throwback photos from the last 22 years. From Kobe to Shaq to Pau Gasol to LeBron James, there were plenty of fantastic moments to relive. Of course, the Lakers will remain in the same building, but the nomenclature just won’t hit the same anymore. Either way, Lakers fans have plenty of memories to fawn over.
Let us know what you think about the impending name change, in the comments below.