Watch: Pau Gasol receives standing ovation at Lakers-Nuggets Game 3
In a crucial Game 3 for the Los Angeles Lakers, franchise legend Pau Gasol made an appearance at the Crypto.com Arena. With Gasol showing up on the big screen, fans were hyped to see a former superstar in the arena.
Pau Gasol gets a standing ovation in Game 3 💜💛 https://t.co/tfCyTMhhdr
Gasol received a standing ovation from the home crowd in LA. Considering what he has meant for the franchise and all he has accomplished with the team, it goes without saying that Gasol has a lot of love in the city of angels.
Gasol's appearance could also be viewed as a timely morale boost for LAL in Game 3. As the Purple and Gold make a valiant attempt to hold off the Nuggets from stealing a game on the road, they will need every ounce of inspiration they can get.
With the game heading into the fourth-quarter, LA has closed the gap to within two points. However, with Denver still leading 84-82, the Lakers need to stay sharp if they hope to remain in this series.
Pau Gasol's career with the LA Lakers
Pau Gasol's career with the LA Lakers was nothing short of spectacular. With two championships to his name, Gasol has brought a lot of success to this franchise.
Gasol joined LA midway through the 2007-08 season. His arrival spelled the start of a new era in LA with Gasol and Kobe Bryant as the star duo.
Although they didn't win the ring right away, LAL would eventually go on to win the championship in 2009. To build upon this, Gasol brought even more success in the following season as the Lakers repeated title success.
Gasol remained a Laker till the end of the 2013-14 season. After several injury issues and a failed run at the playoffs, the Lakers opted to trade the Spaniard.
Although Gasol's tenure as a Laker came to an end, the big man remained in the league for another few years. He even earned himself two All-Star selections during his time with the Chicago Bulls.
Gasol ended his career with 4 All-NBA selections, 6 All-Star selections, a Rookie of the Year award and an All-Rookie selection.
LAL eventually retired Gasol's jersey earlier this year. The No. 16 jersey hangs from the rafter of Crypto.com arena right next to Kobe Bryant's.
Read: 5 reasons why Pau Gasol is a first-ballot future NBA Hall of Famer