Inexcusable loss!

Sacramento, CA

Arco Arena was the backdrop for one of the most uncomprehensive NBA losses this season. The Los Angeles Lakers traveled north to play a 5-16 Kings team coming off an 8 game losing streak. This Lakers team who severely underestimated the Kings, looked more like their D-league counterpart, the Defenders, just with no defense at all. The Kings, in front of a raucous crowd clanging more cowbell than all of Barstow, put a whooping to the boys in purple and gold. The Kings came out like men, John Salmons and Francisco Garcia put up 21 pts each, veteran Bobby Jackson added 15 of his own, enroute to a 113-101 victory. The team that Phil Jackson once famously called the 'Queens', made Jackson look like a village idiot, especially late in the game when he stuck with a poor shooting Trevor Ariza off the bench. 

The Lakers shot poorly all night, finishing at just 40% from the field. Kobe lead the team with 28 points but shot poorly all night. Kobe needs to go on one of his solitary shooting practices as he has shot poorly most of the season thus far. Last year after Bryant's shots didn't fall for a couple of games he would go shoot like 500 jump shots by himself until he found his rhythm. It's definitely time for him to find it now. Pau Gasol may have been the only light for a Lakers team that just looked soft all night. Pau ended with 25 points and 12 boards. The combination of Bynum, Radmanovic, and Fisher went a combined 9-22 from the field, sucking any life out of LA's chances. Fisher was a -17 on the night, meaning the Kings outscored us by 17 points when he was on the floor, not very efficient at all. Phil Jackson's best move might have been leaving Kobe and Pau on the floor for the entire fourth quarter. Thus allowing them to really take abuse from the Kings crowd and let the embarrassment sink in. 

In order for the Lakers to keep up with teams like Cleveland 18-3, and reigning champs Boston 20-2, they will need to take a deep look at themselves. Los Angeles has been taking some flak from sources around the association citing them as weak, and lacking fortitude, soft even. Well, after last nights ugly loss, the Lakers are proving the critics right. The Lakers are still the NBA's number 1 scoring team. With this in mind, they need to come out with some of that Swagger that Magic used to play with. LA needs to play with attitude and strike first in games, especially against bottom rung teams like Sacramento. This loss, the Lakers first in the Western Conference will surely be talked about throughout the league. When the Kings got a huge standing ovation in the fourth quarter, they deserved it. Playing without their top scorer, Kevin Martin (ankle injury) Sacramento came out from the jump to hand it to one of the leagues top teams. 

Los Angeles will have to go right back at it tonight against Shaq, Amare Stoudamire and the surging Phoenix Suns. Then on Friday they have a chance to exact revenge on the Kings when they visit Staples Center. You know the LA crowd will be calling. Will the Lakers be ready to answer? Yes, is all we can hope for, or else Los Angeles might be seeing green for a long time.