A Big Night for the City of Angels

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 21: Los Angeles Lakers fans use binoculars to see the red carpet for the season seven finale of ‘American Idol’ at the Nokia Theatre before the Lakers take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the Western Conference Finals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 21, 2008 across the street at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Within just feet of each other, two of the nation’s biggest events went down on a section of Figueroa in downtown Los Angeles last night.

An American Idol was crowned and a NBA team moved one win closer to becoming a champion.

Over at the brand-new Nokia Theatre a rocker-bartender named David Cook upset the baby-faced David Archuleta to be named America’s seventh Idol. Cook racked up 56% of the 97.5 million votes cast defeating the 17-year-old Archuleta in deciding fashion. Cook’s victory was joined by the star-studded audience at the Nokia with stars such as Seal, George Michael, The Jonas Brothers, Teri Hatcher, Mike Myers, Carrie Underwood, Donna Summer, Bryan Adams and the typical cast of Idol contestants of the past and present.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 21: American Idol winner David Cook onstage during the American Idol Season 7 Grand Finale held at the Nokia Theatre on May 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/American Idol 2008/Getty Images for FOX)

Across the street at Staples Center, the Lakers had a tough time defending their home-court against the San Antonio Spurs in game one of the Western Conference Finals. A sluggish start by the league’s MVP Kobe Bryant – scoring only two-points in the first – left his Lakers down by 20-points. But Bryant wanted to do his best to impress in the second half.

In front of soccer star David Beckham, his son Brooklyn, actor Andy Garcia, actress Eva Longoria-Parker and others, Bryant put on a performance worthy of an Idol himself, scoring 25 second half points and the game-deciding shot to lead the Lakers to the 89-85 victory.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 21: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates the Lakers’ win as Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs walks to the bench in Game One of the Western Conference Finals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs on May 21, 2008 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers defeated the Spurs 89-85. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

With so much going on in one-small section of Los Angeles, parking, traffic and congestion was much worse than usual. Getty Images was covering both events with large teams in order to capture the magical moments at both venues.

I worked the Spurs-Lakers game last night and was constantly checking the photos on Getty Images to see who won across the street at American Idol (let’s just say my girlfriend was curious, haha). I have a feeling the same anticipation for the winner of the basketball game wasn’t the case for the crew over at the Nokia.

The photographers from the San Antonio Express News, who were in town covering the Spurs, were able to double-dip and cover the red-carpet over at American Idol and then the start of Spurs-Lakers game just minutes later. Express News staff photographer Ed Ornelas, said, “this could only happen in LA,” and was shocked how much has changed in downtown in LA since he lived in the area years ago.

Now it’s on to game two for the Spurs and Lakers before I head to San Antonio this weekend for games three and four. Stay tuned.

American IdolblogKobe BryantLakersNokia TheatreSan Antonio SpursStaples Center