Los Angeles, Ca
Before the Lakers get ready for a decisive game five tonight at Staples center, some reflection on the past. First of all this is a Lakers team that is still responsible for an outright embarrassment in the FInals a year ago when Boston just plain beat them up. A team that has had but one goal all season, to win a championship, is again struggling with similar tendencies. This Lakers team has had a whole year to play with Pau Gasol, a whole year to get tougher, and a whole year to learn team defense is essential to success. Well Gasol has been pretty consistent all year, even scoring 30 in Sunday's loss to Houston in game 4. The team has seemed tougher throughout the season, posting the leagues best road record (29-12) and being overall more aggressive. Outlook appears positive so far for a parade down Figueroa come June. Herein lies the problem, defense. The Lakers now are just plain defensive when talking about their own defense, or lack there of. Almost every Laker was asked about their defensive efforts in the 99-87 defeat this past Sunday. The common response, Houston just shot the ball well. What ever happened to taking responsibility for your actions? Before that, what ever happened to the defensive strength the Lakers opened the seasons first seven games with? That team and this team are so far removed from one another. Fans had so much hope and the talk of the town was nothing less than that of hanging banner number fifteen in the rafters at Staples. Now the same town is telling a different tale. Magic Johnson, the pride of the Lakers Showtime era is publicly lambasting Kobe and his team on the big four letter networks. Newspapers are printing stories of what could be, what should be. The average Joe's and the toe headed surfers from Malibu are equally expressing worry about Denver if we can even survive this series. More telling, those nifty little car flags that were once seen in droves on our gridlocked freeways are few and far between. Tonight ought to be a statement game, and hopefully tomorrow when I sit in traffic I spy flags on all sides of me.
Aside from Gasol, and really only in the fourth quarter, every Laker played a down game against a weakened Houston team. With Yao Ming breaking his foot again, and yet again missing the rest of his teams post-season Los Angeles should have rolled. Instead Kobe put up a measly 15 points, Shannon Brown followed with 14, Ariza 5 and the veteran Odom and Fisher could muster only two each. Two points apiece from two of the team leaders is unacceptable in playoff basketball. Enough of LA.
Houston played well, led by an inspired Shane Battier scoring 23, including five 3 pointers and 14 of the Rockets points in the first quarter. A little guy with a big effort was Arron Brooks who put up a career best 34 points for his squad. Ron Artest played physical as usual with 8 points and the Landry-Lowry combo played great as well getting inside often.
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