If you want to win Game Five, this is what you must do: play Trevor Ariza at least 25 minutes. This is the prescription for the Lakers to get back in this thing.
Remember when Boston kept penetrating your defense and spreading the floor so their shooters could spot up and knock down open threes? Remember how Farmar's and Vujacic's on-the-ball defense was completely exposed by a much tougher Celtics lineup? Didn't it seem like Jordan, Sasha, and Vladimir were late in rotations on defense in the second half?
I know you're thinking that if we had Andrew Bynum in the middle to protect the paint, these players wouldn't be struggling as they have been. But the fact of the matter is, Bynum's not coming back until October. So how can you counter Doc Rivers' brilliant move using Eddie House at the point, Ray Allen at the two, Paul Pierce at the three, James Posey at the four, and Kevin Garnett at center? It was this particular lineup that changed the whole momentum of the series.
I'm wondering... why play Derek Fisher only two minutes in that all-crucial fourth quarter when Fish is going four-for-five shooting from the floor? And you know he would play tough defense on House all day every day.
Why keep Sasha Vujacic in the game, when he'd been struggling all night, and you know Trevor Ariza is playing exceptional on defense and offense?
And why keep using the obviously confused Vladimir Radmanovic on hot-as-a-hot-pocket James Posey, when you know you can create a mismatch by having either Lamar Odom or Ariza guarding him?
What needs to be done to immediately counter the Celtics' small shooting lineup is to use a big, quick lineup. Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Ariza, Odom, and Gasol the entire fourth quarter. When you look at this lineup, you think defense first and foremost. And failing to get stops when you needed them most was the Lakers ultimate downfall in Game Four.
Think about it coach. Doc Rivers is probably going to use that same lineup again since Kendrick Perkins is all baanged up and Rajon Rondo has practically been out of it since game two. By the way, great job of limiting Rondo's production in L.A.
Therefore you use Fisher to get all up in House's face so he can't get wide open looks. I'd stick Kobe on Allen so you immediately put an end to all of those Ray-Ray special penetrations from all angles. You're good to go guarding Pierce with either Ariza or Odom because they have the length and foot speed and either of these two players can also guard the slow-footed Posey. Gasol on Garnett is not going to change.
The great thing about this Lakers lineup is that the players are interchangeable at three different positions. And L.A. won't be sacrificing offense. A huge matchup problem is created for Boston, with Odom being guarded by Posey (since Allen is guarding Ariza and Pierce is on Kobe). Odom can post him up and make plays and force the Cetlics to scramble on defense. So it's a safe bet you'll generate spacing, you'll be able to spread the floor, and most importantly you don't become a jumpshooting team because you know Ariza will cut through the open lanes and find ways to be active around the basket.
What if Boston decides to go big and replace Posey with Leon Powe? That's when you bring in Ronny Turiaf and stick Lamar at the three to guard Pierce. So on defense, you have both Kobe on Allen and Fish on House on a permanent basis. You match muscle-for-muscle with Boston's interior players by using defensive players, and you match Boston's shooters with your two best defensive guards.
Because Ariza is playing so well, you want to use that to your advantage since Trevor affords you the flexibility when it comes to matchups between the many different looks Boston likes to throw at you. Simply put, I can't believe Ariza only played eight minutes, when he's giving you 6 points, 5 rebounds, a blocked shot, a couple of batted balls, and he disrupts the passing lanes better than anyone on the team.
Had you utilized him more throughout the series, the Lakers certainly wouldn't be down 1-3. It'd be tied, for sure. Who knows, maybe they'd even be up 3-1. But instead, we have to look at what's in front of us.
A lot of people are now saying that you're being outcoached by Doc Rivers, but I don't believe that. After all, a coach can't control the amount of effort and energy the players are giving when they already know the game plan.
But it's up to you, Zenmaster, to counter the Celtics with your best combination - Fish, Kobe, Trevor, Lamar, and Pau. Defense. Balance. Length. And only one European player.
Vujacic, Radmanovic, and Turiaf can sit and learn while watching from the pine. But make sure to give Sasha a good 20 minutes if he's got the stroke.
Time to get tough, Lakers. This is Los Angeles USA, not freakin' Western Europe. Coach Jackson, make sure the Lakers' assault continues on their opponents and not on themselves.
Backs against the wall. Game Face is On. What up to all Dads. Wutz crackin' fellas!
FORTITUDE. That is the difference in this series between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. It hasn't been Ray Allen's shooting or Paul Pierce's all-around play. It's not Kevin Garnett's defense either. It's fortitude. It's resiliency and determination. It's courage and internal strength. Guts and grit. Veteran endurance. Boston has it, and Los Angeles doesn't. My hats off to the Celtics, who are playing the way I expected my Lakers to play like.
The Boston Celtics deserve everything they've accomplished in this series so far, while the Lakers have sat around and let a special opportunity get away from them. Because they were waiting for something to happen in the second half instead of grabbing their opponents by the horns and pummeling them down to the ground. They didn't have the staying power. In four Finals games, the Lakers have not played a complete 48-minute game. I don't know about you, but this means a lot. Not that the Celtics have played a complete game either. They've had their share of bumps in the road. But this Celtics team has fortitude, which breeds staying power. That's the difference. It was never the talent level - both teams are evenly matched as far as skill is concerned - but rather the mental toughness. The Celtics' veterans did not panic while the Lakers relaxed and they took complete advantage by annihilating the confused Lakers, outscoring them by 30 points after the Lakers took a 45-21 lead in the second quarter.
Aside from the fact the Lakers didn't have their heads in place in the second half, here are some other notable Lakers failures that cost them the game and perhaps the series.
1)Coach Phil Jackson did not come to coach: After watching his team build an 18-point lead at halftime, his most effective lineup turned out to be the lineup that had Fisher or Farmar at PG, Kobe at SG, Trevor Ariza at SF, Lamar Odom at PF, and Pau Gasol at C. And then Jackson fell asleep. Instead of using Ariza in the second half to counter James Posey, Jackson relied on the space cadet. And later in the fourth when it was evident the Lakers had lost their luster and the Celtics had complete momentum, what did Phil counter with? He stuck with Farmar and Vujacic way too long instead of allowing Ariza and Fisher, two expert defenders, the opportunity to bother and counter Posey and Eddie House. Simply put, the coaching staff fukcked up big time.
2) Kobe Bryant: The MVP has a long way to go despite my blowing him up all the time like he's the second coming of Michael Jordan. Not only did Kobe shoot poorly, he failed to recognize game situations in the most crucial of games. Why did Kobe only shoot the ball four times in the first half and defer to his teammates instead of taking an active part in their offensive outburst? The fact that Kobe was not assertive prevented him from developing a rhythm as he did in Game Three, and by the time Pierce started defending him Kobe was already out of the game. Kobe's mental breakdown and lack of awareness cost his team the game.
Jordan would have recognized that Boston was playing better and better as the game progressed, and MJ would have turned it on at the right time knowing that his team was slipping. Jordan would have gotten to the foul line in order to stop the momentum from the Celtics' many runs. Jordan would have gathered his teammates in a huddle and talked about what they needed to do. Jordan would have helped on Sasha when it was apparent Allen was going to take him to the rack with 16 seconds left in the game. Kobe did none of these things.
As a Lakers fan, I'm extremely bothered by it. As a Kobe hater, you are saying, " I told you so." And as an NBA fan, I believe Kobe is still not there yet. If you were to pinpoint the player who was responsible for this loss, all fingers should point to Kobe. He did not know how to take advantage of and react to what the Celtics were doing in the second half. Championship leaders and MVPs don't let this sort of thing happen to his team, especially when they're playing at home. The Lakers have a lot of growing up to do, and it all starts with Bryant.
3)European style of play doesn't win NBA titles: First of all, the Lakers have way too many European players on their team. I don't like it because it makes the Lakers too much of a jumpshooting team. And when you appear lax, lenient, and tender on the defensive end, teams are going to take full advantage. Gasol played with heart, produced a respectable 17 and 10, and tried his best. He plays hard and he's a keeper on this team. He's the type of power forward who would shine with a defensive center. That's why we've got Andrew Bynum.
The Machine is also a keeper. He has a tremendous work ethic, he's determined, he's the best shooter on the team, he was game last night, but like I said, it's very rare that Sasha puts up two consecutive games in which he has a high scoring output. This is because he's a young player who's learning the intricacies of utilizing one's talent to the fullest extent. He's maturing and you can't blame him for his effort.
Ronny Turiaf is game, but it's clear he doesn't yet possess the veteran moxie of a PJ Brown or James Posey. He'll get there, whether or not it's in a Lakers uniform. He's a free agent this year.
Radmanovic is the biggest disappointment of them all. Remember that play in which Ray Allen took the ball to the rim on a fast break with Vladimir running with him step-for-step? And then the space cadet stepped aside and let him score easily on a lay-up instead of fouling him hard and knocking him to the ground? I said before the playoffs that even Luke Walton was tougher than Radmanovic. How much heart and pride does VladRad really have? Will he give up and mail it in? Or will he come out and score 20 and play aggressively on defense? If he has another bad game on Sunday, I say it's time to part ways.
My point is this: If one-third of your twelve-man active roster is European, you will have the reputation of being "soft". The Lakers are sure playing that way right now, and the only solution may be to trim the fat a little bit, replace the fat with muscle (Ron Artest perhaps?), and come into next season with a renewed focus on defense because Bynum will be back and Ariza will have his health.
At the end of the day, MVP Kobe Bryant sounded optimistic but you could see it in his teammates' body language that they were deflated. But you never know. History was made last night and history can be made once again. I don't give up after nine rounds in a 12-round fight. And neither should the Lakers. Especially after all they've been through.
L.A. has to forget about the last three games and treat the series like it's game one. The players have to avoid reading the newspapers and stay away from the internet. The coaches have to throw away any game plan and just let them play. Jackson needs to start Ariza at SF so the Lakers will be quicker on defense and in transition. All Lamar Odom has to do is give us one good half since that's all we expect. Gasol needs to control the boards since that's all we expect too. But Kobe is the one who has to take it to another level if the Lakers even want to make this thing interesting. Which means he has to produce a triple-double. L.A. has to come out on fire and not play with complacency. The players have to show passion in game five. They have to show a ton of heart and most importantly, pride. This is what I expect from players who have the word "Lakers" etched on the front of their jerseys.
It's crystal clear who the favorites are in this series. It's so clear it would put ProActiv out of business. 38-10 free throw disparity! What?! Unbelievable!! Ludicrous!!! No f'n way!!!! There are so many adjectives to explain the refereeing in last night's game I had to pull out a thesaurus just to count how many there actually were. But wait Boston fans and Laker haters.... just before you even think that I am going to blame the zebras for this one, you should already know me better. No excuses, baby. The Lakers are getting roughed up like a Mexican fighter going heads up with Manny Pacquiao.
Put simply, the Lakers' mentals are not into this series.... yet, and this is why they dropped the first two games. Boston has played with a purpose to win at all costs, while L.A. is standing around waiting for something to happen. This better change. The Lakers need to forget about the refs and limit Vladimir Radmanovic to about 15 minutes a game and use him stirctly for game situations in which you desperately need threes. Like only when they're down 20 points. As far as I'm concerned, Coach Phil Jackson needs to insert Trevor Ariza into the starting lineup (he did during the regular season so why not now?) immediately for the Lakers to have a chance to gain any semblance of momentun in this series.
The Celtics have a great mix of players. But it's they're toughness, both mentally and physically, and their resolve is what allows them to be dominant. It doesn't surprise me one bit. In fact, it shouldn't surprise anybody. They've been doing this all season long.
Two of their starters, Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo are talented young players who are key components to what they're trying to build. They are playing exceptional in these playoffs and what allows them to play at a higher level than most second-year players is the constant leadership and guidance they are receiving from the Big Three while being out there on the floor. The finished product that we are witnessing now are two sophomores with unbelievable composure. That's why Rondo's held his own against Derek Fisher, and that's why Perkins doesn't seem to be bothered by either Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom.
And when you bring into the game poised veterans like James Posey, Sam Cassell, and P.J. Brown, you better believe that more often than not the team will maintain its execution and level of play. On the other hand, my Lakers' famed Bench Mob has not lived up to the hype, obviously playing in slow motion as they continue to shows signs of being intimidated and their inactivity has caused them to be extremely tentative.
On the other hand, the relentless Leon Powe scored at will and did major damage to the Lakers' interior defense with his wide array of post moves and athletic ability to get out in transition, run the lane and finish. Sam Cassell was, well, Sam. Brown has been stready in two games, hitting the open midrange shot when it's there and constantly positioning himself to get offensive rebounds to help his team get second chances. Posey is playing solid defense on anyone he's assigned to guard, including Bryant, and he's coming through and hitting timely three-pointers. All in all, it's an all-out Celtic demolition.
The combination of athleticism, depth, and versatility that the Celtics have shown in these two games is the same balance the Lakers exhibited all year and allowed them to win the west. The Celtics are giving the Lakers a taste of their own medicine. In fact, one might even speculate and think that the reason Pierce pulled off his acting stunt was to take a shot at Bryant who, in the Utah series, appeared to hurt his back only to recover so quickly. Of course, Bryant and the Lakers lost that game in overtime as Kobe seemed to lose track at the end there a little bit. But with Pierce, Boston won. I don't know... I was just thinkin.'
And in Game Two, with all those highlight reel plays, it almost looked as if Showtime was wearing Celtic green. I never thought I would see it but, the Celtics were running the Lakers to the ground like Magic, Kareem, and Worthy used to do to their opponents. Boston did their job and now the Lakers have to answer back.
Now the Lakers are in trouble. Just kidding. Not even panic time yet. Not even close. For those Celtic fans thinking sweep... if a series were two games long, the Boston Red Sox don't beat the Yankees. And if they stopped after two games, the New England Patriots would have won the Super Bowl. This thing is far from over folks. It's Boston's turn to be on the road and deal with all that hoopla, the hype, and all the possible distractions brought on by what we know as Hollywood.
Although most people in the East Coast are now probably talkin' sweep, it's probably best that they refrain from being too overconfident. The Lakers haven't played their game yet. Whether or not it's the result of the stifling Celtics defense or Kobe Bryant's reluctance to get off to fast starts or the absence of certain role players stepping up, I really can't pinpoint the exact answer. You be the judge. But I do know this, the problem involves all three of those issues. And the only way for the Lakers to get back in the series is for them to bring their heads into the game if you know what I mean.
Time for the Lakers to solve the riddle that is the Celtics' defense
A lot of people are convinced about the supposed eternal greatness of this Celtics' defense and rightfully so. But I'm not. Not yet at least. Yes, they're tough, solid, determined, and confident but it's not like the Lakers are playing the Bad Boys, folks. It's not like it's Bird, Parish, and McHale out there on the floor with DJ and Danny. The Lakers have to assert their will and stop worrying about the officials. They have to play physical man-to-man defense off the ball as Rick Fox mentioned. They have to stop reaching in on defense and move their feet. They need to beat their opponents to the ball on the boards and make the hustle plays. They need to force the contact as opposed to trying to draw the contact. Most of all, they have to develop their identity against Boston and establish themselves. They have to do all of these things in Game Three because it is in their absolute benefit to do so. We all know zebras, er officials, have a way with turning the tide and influencing the dramatic aspect of the series.
For two games the Lakers tried to solve their defense to no avail. And after two games, the Lakers now have a chance to really assess the situation. What will L.A. have to do to penetrate that defense and establish themselves?
Kobe needs to be setting the pace from the getgo. And the only way for him to do this is play like he's the best damn basketball player on the planet period. It's as simple as that. Assert yourself early Mr. Bryant, stop looking at the refs, attack the boards even more, and dunk on some fools. Attack, attack, and attack the teeth of that defense. With absolutely NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE. Seriously. Dunk on all of 'em. Take it to the rack. Jump over people. Fly through the lane. Do what's gotta be done because after all, isn't that what Kobe is supposed to do?
With this mindset, Kobe doesn't have to worry about the shots because they will go down eventually. His teammates, like they have all season, will follow his lead and slowly develop confidence and a killer instinct mindset. It's all psychological, because the talent on both teams is so good. In a series like this, it's the mental aspect of the game that separates the winner from the loser. It's the ability to play through adversity and the will to overcome the toughest of challenges that separates first place from second. And for the Lakers, it starts with Kobe and it better start now.
Another adjustment the Lakers can make is in their defense, obviously. It was clear in the Detroit series that there were spurts in which the Celtics had a difficult time handling the Pistons' half court trap defense. The Lakers employed some of this in the fourth quarter of Game Two and it seemed to bother Boston a little bit. It was instrumental in their comeback, and the Lakers can certainly take some positive signs out of this heading into Tuesday's game.
The reason the Celtics have effectively disrupted and interrupted the triange offense and the Lakers' ball movement is because Lakers' players are taking to long to read and react. The Celtics' defenders are just as long and agile as the Lakers' players and its causing the Lakers to appear as if they're running the offense in slow motion. They can't seem to get anything going, as far as inside-out play is concerned. Above all, they're doing a phenomenal job harrassing and confusing Kobe by sending a variety of defenders at him from all directions. So what can L.A. do to break this down?
Although it all starts with Kobe, the player who's got to get it going big time is Lamar Odom. Phil said he looked "confused" but added "we'll get it together." The way he's going to do this is to involve him in set plays down in the post early on. Lamar has to be ready to be in attack mode at all times, a characteristic he hasn't always brought consistently.
And then there's Pau, and the big question as to how on God's green earth is he going to neutralize Kevin Garnett. Boston fans will say it's impossible. I say Kobe and Pau go pick-n-roll 75% of the time on offense and make KG have to think about where Gasol is on the floor. The idea here is to have the Lakers' two best offensive players in action at the forefront and have everything else develop from it. At the same time, if Pierce is guarding Kobe and Pau is being guarded by KG, there's more of a chance that the Celtics' two best defenders may be in foul trouble. The Lakers cannot get away from their weapons. Right now, the Celtics are comfortable defending the Lakers. Screen-n-roll plays with Kobe/Pau and Kobe/Odom extends the floor for the Lakers on offense and brings the Celtics' big men out of the paint. Once L.A. get some momentum from this adjustment, it will open up opportunities for shooters like Vujacic, Farmar, Fisher, and the space cadet to inflict damage and make the Celtics pay. The Lakers already know that Kobe will be doubled no matter what. Now they have to use this to their advantage.
A major reason why Boston has felt so comfortable playing against the Lakers and why they're 10 points better than L.A. is point guard Rajon Rondo, who is outplaying Derek Fisher so far. Rondo's ability to get into the lane to create havoc and make defenders think is opening up his teammates for easier opportunities. Offensively, he spreads the floor with his quickness, and Fisher's ineffectiveness on offense has allowed Rondo to roam freely defensively and intercept passing lanes while playing solid help defense all at the same time. Rondo has performed the job of floor general quite well as he is spearheading the Celtics' attack, so it may be time for Kobe to guard him and frustrate him a little bit.
It doesn't take much to get back into a fight. The Lakers just have to bring more passion, more energy, and more balls of courage to the battle. This ain't no joke and I'm sure first-timers like Ronny, Sasha, Jordan, Pau, and Lamar have found out. You gotta bring it; as if your life depended on it. You get socked up a little bit, you weather the storm, and you get back up and counter. The Celtics jabbed and hooked, bobbed and weaved, and knocked the Lakers down twice with a couple of blows to the ribcage.
Don't be suprised to see a good dose of DJ Mbenga in the next three games, the one player off the bench the Lakers have who could likely ignite the team with his length, ability to body up on guys, shot blocking, and physical strength. Although he won't put up major numbers, he could potentially provide something for the psyche of this team. And I guarantee you that Mbenga would have fouled Powe real hard on that play in which Leon dribbled the length of the court and dunked it when no Laker player stepped up to stop the ball. Like Powe, DJ also has his own story about overcoming adversity when pitted against all odds. It's your turn to shine Mbenga, so you better be ready when Phil calls your number.
Now the series is at Staples Center for the first time. I expect an advantage on home court. I expect the fans to bring their die-hard attitude. I want to see passion. I want to hear heckling. I want to smell killer instinct from the Lakers. So far the ASSAULT is being done on us, Lakers fans. There will be blood before all of this is over.
Last night the Boston Celtics showed the Los Angeles Lakers what their defense is all about. They suffocate you, rush and collapse at you, they taunt you, and best of all, they protect the paint. All the while, the Boston Three Party threw a party of their own. And the Lakers' couldn't crash it after building momentum with a halftime lead. Good job, Celtics.
But this party is just beginning. It's not quite over. Far from it. This party is so big that even the world's best actors are taking part in the game. Literally. Talk about a Hollywood script.
Paul Pierce, in a desperate attempt to gain some elite recognition in this league, takes full advantage of the festivites and does his best Willis Reed impersonation. With one glaring difference. Reed was actually hurt. A trained NSA/CIA/FBI agent or anyone with a psychology degree will tell you based on Pierce's post game comments that his apparently serious knee injury was all an act. Talk about overstating what happened. The Eagles would say that "you can't hide those lyin' eyes."
Who are you fooling Paul? I've strained my left medial meniscus (cartilage) during a game before and partially tore it and you don't just get up after three minutes and return to the game, score 11 more points, and run on a bike during timeouts. When you hear a "pop" after injuring your cartilage from landing awkwardly, your knee locks up and you can't run let alone jump. That's all I have to say about that.
For this, he has been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in the 2009 Academy Awards. The Boston Celtics operations crew, meanwhile, has also been nominated for Best Film Score in a Drama for their outstanding work. I've never heard the theme from Rocky resonate like it did Thursday night.
Now back to the game. In summary, the Celtics were much more physical than the Lakers. In the second half, the boys in green pushed L.A. around like a bunch of chumps. They outmuscled them, outrebounded them, outhustled them, and outshined them. Boston not only dominated the boards, they fed off the crowd in the third quarter as the Lakers seemingly were on the verge of extending their five point lead before Pierce took over.
As I mentioned before the series started, the key to the series for the Lakers is their forward play. Lamar Odom and Vladimir Radmanovic were severely outgamed by Pierce and Kevin Garnett, being outscored 56-19. This cannot happen. Although it's virtually impossible to outplay two potential Hall-of-Famers, Odom and Radmanovic still have to give a better effort both on offense and defense. They almost played as if they were intimidated by the Celtics. They were not aggressive, they were tentative with the ball, and did not attack the basket. Against the Celtics' frontcourt, they have to force the contact as opposed to hoping to draw the contact. It's a mindset that these players have to come with. As Phil Jackson said in his pregame locker room speech, "You have to play with a purpose." These two Laker forwards did not do this.
The difference in the game
There are two obvious differences in the game. The first one is the disadvantage of the Lakers at the forward position. The Lakers have to find a way to score inside and get to the line if they hope to establish some kind of momentum.
Another difference was the Celtics' advantage on the boards. They saw how Utah used this to their benefit and applied it to the game. The ferocity that KG brings uplifts his other teammates. He is a Defensive Player of the Year but is an MVP at the same time. KG's dominance inside, his two monstrous dunks, and his attitude seemed to lift teammates PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, and even Leon Powe. They were quicker than the Lakers to react to the ball and the tone was set by KG. It seemed like for much of the game, the Lakers were moving in slow motion.
What the Celtics need to do to keep homecourt
1. Keep doing what they're doing. Rajon Rondo played well and matched Derek Fisher's output, and Ray Allen kept Boston in the game in the first half with his outside shooting.
2. Maintain the defensive intensity. Again, it starts with KG. So I don't have any reason to believe the Celtics will lose their focus over the next two days. The Celtics did a commendable job on transition defense last night and they've done an even better job of slowing the Lakers down to a halt, forcing L.A. to run their half court offense, which plays right into Boston's hands. The reason they are 3-0 versus L.A. so far this year is because of their defense and because they seem to know how to guard Kobe. It's up to Mamba to make an adjustment on offense so his teammates can follow the lead.
3. Treatment for Kendrick Perkins' ankle. I don't believe it's a serious sprain, maybe just a slight tweak. Nevertheless, ankle injuries are extremely tender. Although PJ Brown has played exceptional in his backup role, Perkins will be needed for the duration of the series. I believe he will be at least 90% for game two, but you know how they do it in Boston nowadays. They like to make you believe one thing and they go out and do something else. With that said, I guarantee Perkins will start and be 100% come Sunday.
4. Finally, Boston will need to think of another script to implement for Game Two. Because it's so obvious they're trying their hardest.
What the Lakers WILL DO to win Game Two
1. Execute a much different game plan. Kobe and his teammates will run, run, run. They will be more aggressive on both sides of the ball. They will attack the rim with more vigor. They will get Radmanovic involved early. Pau Gasol will be all over the paint, blocking shots, and throwing down dunks. After having watched the film, he will know how KG approaches rebounding position and be ready to match him and box out. Odom will rebound and lead fast breaks. The young Bench Mob will have shaken off the jitters and will be ready to attack. Kobe will be Kobe. All in all, the Lakers will be forced to bring Showtime back.
2. Attack the glass. This starts with the Lakers' "soft" frontcourt. After they watch film and dissect how they lost, they will play with a purpose. This starts by being physical with the Celtics. If the Lakers successfully match the Celtics' physicality, all of a sudden they will see that more of the Celtics' players will be in foul trouble and this opens everything up for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant to run-n-gun and operate the triangle with precision. One way for L.A. to get things started and establish themselves is to commit some hard fouls early on and put some Celtics on the ground so as to send a message.
3. Kobe Bryant will watch film and make the appropriate adjustments. As I speak, the Lakers are in an enclosed room dissecting the game tape. And Bryant is noticing that there was one sole reason as to why he was limited to midrange shot attempts and wasn't able to get to the rim with accuracy. The Celtics played him smart. They didn't double Kobe right away. They waited for Kobe to make his move and then when Kobe was getting ready to commit himself, they would converge on him with an extra defender or two. This would usually happen after Kobe would take a few dribbles or attempt to penetrate, but every time he drove the lane, another defender would come at him from the blindside catching him off guard. And that's why we saw a lot of fallaway jumpers and plenty of contested shots from Kobe.
This is how Detroit's Bad Boys used to frustrate Michael Jordan in the eighties. The only difference is the Jordan Rules, in which the Pistons would literally hit MJ every time he drove to the basket. If today's NBA would only let them play as physical as they did back then and refrain from eject ing a player from doing those things, there would be the Kobe rules.
As intelligent a player Kobe is and as exceptional a coach Jackson is at making adjustments, don't be surprised if the Lakers start the half court offense by getting Bryant the ball at the pinch post position in the triangle immediately. Kobe will be more patient reading the defense, and when the double team comes, there will be a plethora of cutters for Kobe to feed the ball to.
4. Knock those Celtics to the ground. Boston came in with a mindset and implemented it. Just like the eighties Celtic teams, they forced their physical style of play and succeeded. It has temporarily frustrated the Lakers. But those great Lakers teams never backed down. They got physical too and responded. They didn't shy away from contact and weren't afraid to knock some enemies upside the head. The Lakers will undoubtedly come with a much tougher mindset on Sunday. In the same way role players such as Kurt Rambis, A.C. Green, Bob McAdoo, and the skinny Michael Cooper responded to the Celtics' constant taunting, bullying, and trash talking, this version led by Derek Fisher, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton and Jordan Farmar has just received its wake up call and now it's time to show what they're made of.
5. Trevor Ariza. Because Luke Walton cannot guard Pierce, it's time for Coach Jackson to utilize his best kept secret weapon, who's been in hibernation since snow last fell in the city of Los Angeles. We've got The Machine on offense. Well... we've also got "The Specialist" on defense. Ariza's been ready to run-n-gun. He's waiting for an assignment. Why don't we go ahead and have him stick the actor.
A Boston Celtics fan recently commented on my most recent blog, The FINAL ASSAULT: How the YOUNG GUNS will crash the BOSTON THREE PARTY and stated that Los Angeles Lakers fans, including myself, seem to sound overly confident about the team's chances in the NBA FINALS and that we lack objectivity. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A lot of Lakers fans have a tremendous amount of respect for the Celtics franchise because Boston has earned it over the years, defeating the Lakers a whopping 8 out of the 10 times they've faced each other in the Finals. However, the Lakers have won the last two series and as we all know, Showtime dominated the eighties. This is a brand new era with brand new players playing a brand new style of basketball in front of millions of fans, old and brand new. So all this talk about history only benefits fans and the media. As far as I'm concerned, the players aren't even thinking about the past battles. The ONLY commonality between the past and present rivalry with these two teams right now is the color of the jerseys.
Since this will probably be the highest rated Finals ever, and since Celtics fans have a way of getting Lakers fans riled up, I have decided to grant a certain blogger's wish. I'm going to go ahead and think objectively, and reveal to everyone how it is the Celtics are going to defeat the purple-and-gold.
In honor of THE RIVALRY, It's now time for me to take off my Lakers jersey and dissect the Boston Celtics. The Beasts of the East. Gang Green. The best defensive team in the NBA with the best defensive player in the NBA. The team with the best regular season record. Now Lakers fans... before any of you lose your cool, this is in no way meant to disrespect or hate on our Lakers. I am doing this for the purpose of debate. I am doing this so Celtics fans can come out and talk basketball with us. I am doing this for the love of the game.This series is going to be the best of the best, so it's only fair that I honor both teams.
VITAL FACTOR #1: The CELTICS' BENCH. We all know what the Big Three can do so there's no need to explain further. Most experts have already mentioned the Lakers' advantage with their reserves because of the impressive balance of the Bench Mob. But beware Lakers fans. Boston's group is no slouch.
James Posey, who has a ring, is their sixth man. He plays excellent defense, hits clutch threes, and his ability to guard multiple positions and harrass players such as Kobe Bryant, Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton, and Trevor Ariza will be key to the Celtics' success in this series. He stepped up every time Coach Doc Rivers called his number, and there is no reason to believe he won't continue to do so. Posey's play was monumental to Miami's success during their title run in 2006. He has an instrumental role once again in the championship round.
When Posey is on his game and ignites the team, the rest of the bench becomes that much more dangerous. They're a bunch of veterans - Sam Cassell, P.J. Brown, Eddie House - so they won't wilt under pressure. I also expect Rivers to play House significant minutes in this series because his threat as an outside shooter can counter the Lakers' Sasha Vujacic. When House is on, there's only a handful of players in this league that can match his marksmanship from long range. Lastly, the Celtics are deeper than one would think at first glance. Forwards Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis both play bigger than their actual size and both played significant minutes for them during the regular season. And as we know, the Lakers have had trouble in the past with bruising, physical forwards.
If Boston's reserves can provide consistent scoring and excellent transition defense against the Lakers' second unit in order to complement the production of their starting unit, the Lakers will have an extremely difficult time matching up.
A side note: This is so key for the Celtics because the Lakers have not had to deal with a team in the playoffs that was 10 players deep in the rotation. Therefore, if the Boston bench can step it up two notches and give the Lakers problems, Coach Phil Jackson will be forced to make adjustments he's never had to make in the postseason.
VITAL FACTOR #2: RAY ALLEN. So far in the postseason, Ray Allen has struggled to maintain consistency in his outside shot. He seems to be over the hump, scoring 46 points over the last two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. Was it perfect timing? Certainly. Is this a sign of things to come? Celtics fans hope so. Allen has always been a big time clutch player throughout his career so I expect Ray Ray to come out firing in the first two games in order to develop a rhythm for himself.
If Kobe is going to guard Allen the majority of the time, then Ray needs to attack Mamba. He needs to run Kobe into screens and tire him out on defense so it forces Jackson to take Kobe out of the game. If Allen can establish some kind of penetration or mid range game against the Lakers' rotating Triangle Defense, it should open up his long range bombs from downtown. The Celtics are at their best offensively when they establish Kevin Garnett down low, Paul Pierce on isolation post-ups, and Allen coming off screens along the wing. When they execute this to perfection, they are truly the Big Three. It's Allen, not Pierce or KG, that opens it all up for the Celtics, much in the same way Peja Stojakovic does for the New Orleans Hornets. And it's no surprise that when Allen was on his game, the Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons two games in a row with relative ease to close out the series.
VITAL FACTOR #3: The BOSTON CROWD. Without a doubt, Celtics fans are going to bring it. They will throw up signs like "Beat L.A", "Kobe S-u-c-k-s" or "A-nother B-oston C-hampionship" since ABC is going to televise the series. They will be raucous. They will be loud. It will be a sea of green at the Garden.
All of the Celtics old-timers like Havlicek, Bird, Russell, McHale, Ainge, Parish, Cousy, and Heinsohn will be in attendance. All kinds of celebrities will fill the crowd. In other words, the atmosphere at the Garden will be just as electric as the star-filled Staples Center. Boston has always known how to take full advantage of their home court and we all know that the Lakers have struggled against heckling crowds. It seemed like the Utah faithful got into their psyches a bit as the Jazz took two games at home against the Lakers. Boston fans won't be able to penetrate the head of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, but if they can affect the performance of other key Laker players, namely Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, then home court advantage will truly work in their favor.
VITAL FACTOR #4: TRANSITION DEFENSE. The Celtics' suffocating half court defense is the best in the league, hands down. They are excellent at trapping and forcing the opponents' best scorer right into the heart of their defense, which usually ends up being KG or Kendrick Perkins, who is no slouch inside. But in order to defeat the Lakers, you have to limit their transition baskets since L.A. loves to get out and run. Boston does this by taking each possession like it's their last, meaning they milk the clock. They go inside to KG and exploit the mismatch. Doing these things accomplishes two things. First, it allows the Celtics to dictate the tempo of the game and play at their pace. Secondly, it gives the Celtics more opportunities to get to the free throw line and steal momentum. They ought to take a page out of the Lakers-Jazz series. Utah was able to win two games versus L.A. because their forwards frustrated and outplayed L.A.'s forwards and got to the foul line numerous times.
VITAL FACTOR #5: TRANSITION OFFENSE. Whether the Celtics like it or not, they will have to get out in transition. This is the only way to keep up with the Lakers and their penchant for scoring. Utah did this well, getting out to early leads in games four and five. I mentioned previously that the Celtics will have to limit the Lakers' fast break by slowing it down. It's obvious that for Boston to defeat the Lakers, they have to play a balanced game and be willing to run as well. Beat L.A. by beating them at their own game. San Antonio didn't stand a chance because they played a standstill offense. The fact that Boston has the ingredients to execute a running game looms large for Coach Rivers. Rajon Rondo needs to be the catalyst here. He needs to force the issue when the opportunity presents itself because this will put pressure on the Lakers guards, namely Derek Fisher, who will try to be physical with him. And when Boston gets out on the break, guys like House, Posey, Pierce, and Allen all of a sudden become tremendous threats along the wing or three-point line.
SUMMARY: Although I predicted Detroit to reach the Finals, the Boston Celtics have proven to be the most complete team in the Eastern Conference despite their late season stagnation. While the Lakers peaked the last week of the regular season and maintained their dominance throughout the playoffs, the Celtics began to peak in Game Seven of their hard fought semifinal battle with Cleveland. It carried over to the Detroit series and it finally all came together in the last two games. Heading into the Finals, the Celtics are as confident as ever. They've found their stride and look to be in the same form that won them 66 games during the regular season.
The Celtics will be fresh come Thursday. The players, as well as the fans, will be so charged up the Energizer Bunny will be seen cruising through the parquet.
Somewhere in that New England air, the ghost of Red Auerbach exists. If one were to look carefully, there's a cigar hiding somewhere inside that Celtic locker room.
Boston Celtics fans want to continue bringing up the fact that Boston was 2-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the regular season. And because of this they will defeat the Lakers to capture the title (as Aerosmith's Dream On plays in the background).
But at the same time, it's also widely known that both Celtics victories came way back in 2007 and Pau Gasol was absent from both of those games.
Must I remind everyone that although Andrew Bynum played in both games, Andrew Bynum is not Pau Gasol. They are two completely different players.
Pau Gasol is VITAL FACTOR #1: While Bynum was barely starting to find his niche offensively early in the season, he proved to be ineffective against the Celtics because he is primarily a defensive player. Defending the paint against Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins is a daunting task for any player in this league, let alone a young kid like Bynum. So it's not surprising that Bynum could not be effective both on offense and defense against theDefensive Player of the Year.
But with Gasol, the Lakers are able to give Boston a wider variety of looks. Gasol's versatility as a big man gives the Lakers a huge advantage that the Celtics cannot overlook. Gasol is a more creative scorer than Bynum. Gasol is a better passer. Gasol, the veteran, has a higher basketball IQ than Bynum at this point in their careers. And most importantly Gasol has better court awareness and recognition, allowing him to put more pressure on the Celtics' bigs when he's on offense.
Not to mention Pau is an underrated defensive player, as most average fans tend to dismiss the importance of his length and ability to bother and alter shots. All in all, the fact that Gasol is a constant threat to score 18-23 points per game allows the other Lakers players to become more of an offensive threat themselves. This is why Lamar Odom has flourished with Pau, and this is why Vladimir Radmanovic seems to always hit timely three pointers when Gasol is on the floor. Like gasoline, Pau is the one who adds fuel to the Lakers' engine.
Here's some food for thought: The Lakers are 33-8, incuding the postseason, with Gasol in the lineup. That's a 66-16 pace, which is the same record the Celtics had in the regular season. And we all know that the playoffs are much tougher than the regular season, so go ahead and try to analyze the two teams now.
Speaking of Radmanovic, he is going to be VITAL FACTOR #2 in this series. Paul Pierce will most likely be guarding VladRad and he will most likely be doubling on occasion in order to help out against Kobe Bryant and Gasol. This will be one of the biggest mistakes the Celtics will make in this series. Throughout the playoffs, the Lakers have made it a point to involve Radmanovic early in games so that he can find his rhythm. And Vladdy has responded to the challenge quite well. If this trend continues, the Celtics will be in a ton of trouble because again, they will have another weapon to worry about.
Must I remind Celtics fans that they have never dealt with a team with as much balance and firepower as the Lakers in this here playofffs. Meanwhile, the Lakers have already dispatched two of the leagues best defensive teams in Utah and San Antonio, and both of these teams have their own set of legitimate Big Threes.
VITAL FACTOR #3 is obviously Lamar Odom, because he is option #3. This I know for sure: Lamar is going to be outmatched if he has to guard Garnett by himself. KG will attack Odom from all angles and the most important thing for Lamar is to stay out of foul trouble, a daunting task. So how will LO counter KG? Take it to the Big Ticket on offense. Just like Kobe, Odom has to remember that he has to be in attack mode 100% of the time. By dribble driving constantly on Garnett, the Celtics may even find the need to help out and double and this opens up the lanes for LO to dump off to Pau inside once the help comes and free up Kobe, Radmanovic, and Ronny Turiaf for offensive boards and second shot attempts.
A side note: In the playoffs, KG has never faced a player as versatile and as quick off the dribble as Odom and he's never been pressured as a defender because the players he's guarded (Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, Anderson Varejao, Marvin Williams) have all been stationary players who are either set shooters or lack the ability to be creative on the floor. This is something to keep a close eye on.
We all remember The Microwave, Vinnie Johnson, and his importance as a bench player, sharpshooter, sniper, and clutch player for the Detroit Pistons during their championship runs. Pretty soon, we will all be remembering The Machine, Sasha Vujacic and his excellence as a defensive pest and timely outside shooter for the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Which brings me to VITAL FACTOR #4. What impresses me most about Vujacic is his relentlessness and his ability to play with NO FEAR whatsoever. The guy is game. Never mind the flops. This guy knows how to get under a player's skin. He's Dennis Rodman and Frank Brickowski with a touch of Reggie Miller wrapped up in a 6-7, 200-lb frame. What we will remember most about Sasha in this series will be his tenacious defense against Ray Allen, who's proven to us in the playoffs that he's anything but consistent. Of course, the Machine will also get his threes. Even if it means throwing up a buzzer beater with a Lakers' victory all but assured.
Most people like to talk about the Big Three and their leadership when describing the ascent of the Boston Celtics to the top of the NBA. But at the same time, we tend to overlook the importance of the leadership Rajon Rondo has brought to the ballclub all season long. In fact, Rondo has looked even better in the playoffs than he did in the regular season. Opponents continue to sag off him defensively and Rondo has continued to knock down the open shot series after series. However, all of this ends now. Because Derek Fisher, the toughest player in the league pound for pound, is not going to let it happen. Which brings me to VITAL FACTOR #5.
Think about the motivations here. Fisher remembers 2004 like it was yesterday. He remembers the pain so much he brought it up during his locker room interview after game five versus the Spurs. He remembers what a young Chauncey Billups did to him. But let me remind everyone that this young Rondo is no Billups. Once Rondo feels the muscle, once Rondo experiences what he didn't experience against a soft Mike Bibby, a thin Delonte West, and an injury plagued Billups of '08, he will realize why Fisher has the rings and he doesn't. Moreover, Kobe will recognize that Derek will have open shots because Rondo will be scrambling to double him. Kobe's intelligent enough to know that when the the Fish is hungry, you've got to feed him. Ironically enough, D-Fish will be sending Rondo fishing in about two weeks.
SUMMARY: Analysts and experts always want to harp on the Celtics' great defense and the Lakers' great offense. The big mistake is to overlook the capabilities of this Lakers defense. While Boston has struggled the entire playoffs, primarily on the offensive end, the Lakers have given the world a complete display of basketball perfection.
Against Denver, L.A. showed the world their run-n-shoot capabilities against a team that loves to run-n-gun, averaging close to 120 per game.
Against Utah, the Lakers showed the many different ways they can defeat a team that prides itself on execution and precision. They won against the Jazz by fast breaking them to death, they pummeled Utah inside with their half court game, and they applied their killer instinct against the Jazz on the road in a closeout game in front of the toughest arena to play in.
And then they humiliated the defending world champion San Antonio Spurs by beating them at their own game while completely tiring them out at the same time. Never before have I ever seen a defending world champion so deflated and demoralized at the hands of a young team.
And the Celtics? All they've proven is that they have a hard time scoring, barely squeaking past a team who wasn't supposed to be in the playoffs, another team with a King and bunch of paupers, and a former East power whose star power forward never seemed motivated from the start and conceded the series by showing too much love to his rival after a crucial game five loss. The bottom line is the Celtics are barely gettng by. Against the Lakers, that spells doom. If the champs couldn't do it, what makes you think the first-timers in green can?
Like I've always said, the Lakers were not only built for the long term. They are built to win championships. This means that the players are assembled with complete balance both on offense and defense in mind. The Lakers have the perfect mix of offensive threats and defensive stalwarts, old school ballers and new school killers. The Lakers have fine-tuned the formula by combining the attributes of Showtime with the precision of the Triangle Offense and Bermuda Triangle Defense. Now that Trevor Ariza is back, it even gets that much tougher for guys like James Posey, Tony Allen, and Pierce. And Bynum isn't even playing!!
So look out, Boston. Here we come with a vengeance. The Lakers are locked in and loaded and they are a force to be reckoned with. With all guns-a-blazin.'
1.VERSATILITY and BALANCE - The Lakers' personnel, along with the diversity of the triangle offense, allow them to give the Spurs different looks. They can beat you with pick-n-roll play. They can go inside-ouside with a combination of shooters like Vladimir Radmanovic, Sasha Vujacic, and Derek Fisher. They can post up either Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and even Luke Walton. They can run-n-gun on transition with athletes like Jordan Farmar and Trevor Ariza. And above all, they've got the unstoppable Bryant doing whatever it takes to will his team to win, be it penetrate and dish, get to the foul line at will, create on the open floor for his teammates, or knock down three-point shots to deflate the Spurs at crucial moments of the game.
Meanwhile, the Lakers already know what the Spurs are going to come with - screen rolls with Tony Parker/Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan. High post entry passes to Duncan, who will look to drop off passes to Fabricio Oberto or Kurt Thomas down low. And iso's for Ginobili at the top of the key. Bruce Bowen waiting on the wing for wide-open three-point attempts after Duncan gets doubled and defenses are scrambling to recover. The problem for San Antonio is that the Lakers are good enough that they won't have to double team Duncan, thereby nullifying his outside shooters.
2. ATTACK MODE- Because of Bryant's leadership, the Lakers will continue to attack and penetrate the Spurs' interior defense like there's no tomorrow. Even The Machine will take it to the rack when defenders run out on him at the three-point line. Odom will get to the line at will and put the Spurs' power forwards in early foul trouble just like he did to Andrei Kirilenko and Carlos Boozer. Gasol will take it to Duncan in order to get him into foul trouble. Gasol will even pull Duncan out of the lane because Pau can hit the mid range shot that the triangle offense will give him. And we can't forget about the high-flying Ariza, who just adds another dimension to the Lakers' fast break attack. Either way, whether it's a slow down tempo or in transition, the Lakers will constantly attack the Spurs from all angles. Most importantly, they have the personnel to do it.
3. DICTATING TEMPO- The Lakers are excellent at accomplishing this because they have Bryant, who can get calls at any time. The Lakers will jump out to early leads in Games 1 & 2 and if they blow out the Spurs in both of these games, it will be very difficult for San Antonio to recover. The Lakers are more experienced than most would think. This nucleus, save for Gasol, has been together for three postseasons in a row and have tasted failure. They've grown and matured, learned how to play with toughness, and above all developed the hunger needed in order to take each and every possession like it's the last one. They learned this lesson after being up 2-0 on Utah. They woke up and finished them off. Killer instinct. And if the Lakers go up 2-0 against the Spurs and win these games easily, the defending champions won't have the firepower to overcome this Laker juggernaut.
4.THE MVP- No team, no player, no double-team, no triple-team can contain the incomparable Bryant. He can do it all and he is the only player in this league that can singlehandedly will his team to win a series. In the modern era of the NBA, a great offensive player on a great team will always defeat a great defensive player on a great defensive team. Once Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker feel the wrath of Kobe's fire, the Spurs will be mentally defeated just like they were in '04 after Fisher hit that shot with .4 left. San Antonio never recovered. The Spurs, overall, have been the best and most consistent elite team in the NBA this decade and I have the utmost respect for their franchise. But unfortunately, they have run right smack into a well-oiled machine called the Los Angeles Lakers. And L.A. has homecourt advantage.
You give Mamba homecourt and you've just given the greatest player this generation has ever seen another piece of ammunition in his arsenal.
Guess what ladies and gentlemen? THE ASSAULT CONTINUES...
1) The L.A. Lakers became overconfident and are being punked by the much more physical Jazz.
2) They're losing the battle of the boards.
3) Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom can't make wide open free throws. In other words, they're choking. Stop spinning that god damn ball so many times, Lamar, and just go up there and shoot it. You don't get bonus points for trying to make your free throw routine look all nice and artistic.
4) Vladimir Radmanob-!-t-c-h has given this team absolutely NOTHING. He's a bust, plain and simple. The new Slava Medvedenko. Soft as hell and plays with no fire under his belt. Send him to the Alps or Whistler Mountain so he can play the sport he really wants to play. Guaranteed he's gone next year as Ron Artest waits patiently to take his spot. Hurry back, Trevor Ariza, L.A needs you to take him out of the rotation.
5) Jordan Farmar and his nonchalant attitude. It's no surprise why UCLA players can't step up during the big games. In two postseasons, Farmar has not shown me anything to make me believe he's the Lakers' starting point guard of the future.
6) The Utah Jazz are playing with more heart, more grit, and certainly more toughness.
7) The Utah Jazz have figured them out.
8) Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and Ronnie Price have outplayed Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Ronny Turiaf, and Farmar decisively.
9) Kobe Bryant, the MVP, once again had a lapse in game recognition in overtime, when he kept jacking up shot after shot not realizing Derek Fisher had the hot hand and was solely responsible for bringing his team back in the game late in the fourth quarter. Whether it's due to his bad back forcing his competitve nature to try and take over, I won't let Bryant off the hook on this one. There are no excuses. Kobe did not lead his team in Game 4.
10) The Lakers have allowed the raucous Jazz fans to affect their concentration. ALL momentum is now with Utah, and the young Lakers are rattled, dazed, and confused.
11) Mehmet Okur, the former All-Star, is outgunning Pau Gasol, the former All-Star. Conventional wisdom says it should be the other way around. Then again, it's Okur who has the championship ring and the big game experience and not Gasol.
12) Deron Williams is outsmarting the entire Lakers' defense, including Bryant.
13) Losing this series would teach this young team a lesson or two about defensive execution against a highly cerebral team that is extremely well coached.
14) The Jazz are getting All-Star performances from four All-Stars - Williams, Okur, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko. And they are taking it to the Lakers, no holds barred. Meanwhile, only three Lakers showed up for the trip to Utah - Bryant, Odom, and Gasol. The rest are still wearing their pajamas.
15) The lackadaisical Lakers are discombobulated on both sides of the ball and are offering very little resistance.
This Lakers supporter is probably as angry and frustrated as Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson combined right now. But I make no excuses. I point out the facts. I point out what I see.
And the reality is, I was wrong about Utah. They are playing high intensity playoff basketball while the Lakers think they're still playing the Denver Nuggets.
Humble down, Lakers fans. The memo is out. We have a series.
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!! We wouldn't be the same without you.
How amazing was the Lakers' regular season? To put it in perspective, their best defensive player (Andrew Bynum) and their second-best perimeter defender (Trevor Ariza) missed a whopping 91 games combined while former starter Chris Mihm was out another 43 games as was starting center PauGasol for 10 more in March. All this adversity and the Lakers still managed to gain the top seed in the conference, further justifying why the great Kobe Bryant should win MVP honors every season.
It didn't take long, but the Young Guns in purple-and-gold sure shoved a few basketballs right down all the haters' throats (sorry, but I had to get that off my chest).
A season filled with the type of drama topped only by your typical TV soap opera, the Los Angeles Lakers showed the rest of their competitors what commitment to excellence really means to an organization. This team, led by the incomparable Bryant, has grown up. They've endured the journey thus far, slowly and confidently adopting the qualities and skill sets needed to become a championship dynasty while picking apart the rest of the league at the same time.
With a remarkable combination of size, athleticism, depth, fundamental play, and Zen-inspired moxie, the Lakers have become arguably the most balanced team in the NBA next to the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. L.A. went from 42-40 and seventh place in the West a year ago to 57-25 and first place this year, a 15-game improvement which in most seasons would be enough for Coach Phil Jackson to capture the elusive Coach of the Year honors. Once again, the Zenmaster won't win the annual award. But how do you explain a coach who possesses nine NBA titles and only wins Coach of the Year once in his career? Nevertheless, it doesn't matter to P.J. because we all know he has much bigger fish to fry.
There were numerous contributing factors to the Lakers' successful turnaround this season. Of course, the mid-year acquisition of Gasol catapulted the Lakers to elite status, but keep in mind that L.A. was just as strong and talented with Bynum at the center position before he went down in January to injury. At the time, Bynum was leading the league in FG% and was averaging 17 ppg, 12 rpg, and almost 3 bpg during a three-week span in which the Lakers began to peak and find their identity. The team really started to show how great they were long before Pau came to town.
Meanwhile, the much maligned Lamar Odom found his identity and began to flourish as the number-three option. L.O. was an automatic double-double every night, and he finally figured out how to play with Kobe - he cut to the basket more often, shot less three-pointers, and drove the lane with regularity (a la Scottie Pippen) to take advantage of all his length.
For those who haven't noticed yet, Lamar's extension is an absolute thing of beauty. The thought of Odom in the spotlight makes Lakers fans cringe and gasp for air, but when he's behind the scenes and flying under the radar, he plays like an All-Star. And it has made the Lakers great. Just ask Charles Barkley.
But there's more work to be done, for the final mission still hasn't been accomplished. The Lakers cannot take solace in the fact that they have home-court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. After all, they haven't been that dominant at home. The Lakers are actually a better and more efficient team on the road.
As Gasol said, "This is when the fun starts," making reference to the upcoming postseason. This we know for sure: the road to the NBA Finals in the West goes through L.A., not S.A.
And finally... a quick summary on the Lakers' key rotation players in order to break down what once was and why they are where they're at now:
Bynum
Before: Everyone, including their grandmother, wanted to trade him for Jason Kidd. Kobe trashed him publicly. Mitch "Cupcake" Kupchak stood pat and maintained the faith like most true Lakers fans.
After: An extensive off-season workout regimen transformed him into a top-five center, and all of a sudden he's Bryant's favorite teammate on the floor. He looks like an All-Star, plays like an All-Star, and will be a perennial All-Star. Suddenly, Cupcake just might win Executive of the Year.
Odom
Before: Everyone said he was overpaid, soft, lacked consistency, and played with no energy or passion. Nonetheless, he stepped it up in postseason play but was never a constant threat as Kobe's Pippen.
After: Bar none, the best third or fourth option in the NBA. Defender deluxe and rebounding machine who's a triple-double waiting to happen. Surprisingly consistent, he is now playing like an All-Star, he's a mismatch for every opposing team, and he has turned into Kobe's Dennis Rodman for the all-around defensive effort he brings to every contest.
Gasol
Before: Memphis Grizzlies, 0-12 in the playoffs, singin' the blues.
After: Los Angeles Lakers, first place in the West, singin' "I love L.A."
Derek Fisher
Before: Leading Utah to the Western Conference Finals as the stabilizing force in the locker room, then took a pay cut.
After: Leading L.A. to the top of the most competitive playoff race in history as the stabilizing force in the locker room. Priceless.
Sasha Vujacic
Before: Tentative shooter with little confidence, little minutes, and was afraid to make mistakes on the floor for fear of being benched by Coach Jackson. Called the "11 o'clock player", his little hair made him look like a little boy in a big man's world.
After: Among the top 10 most accurate three-point shooters in the league who is also a pest on defense. He gets under the skin of opposing guards, and he is now playing big minutes. Went through NBA's version of puberty and can no longer stop his hairdo from growing, just like his game.
Jordan Farmar
Before: Young rookie was prematurely thrusted into the starting lineup during last season's playoffs. He struggled offensively and defensively, his jumpshot was highly inaccurate, and at times was almost as lost as Smush Parker out on the floor.
After: Returned in the best shape of his career after strict off-season training regimen and yoga program in Tahiti. Outside shooting improved dramatically, but most importantly became a consistent floor leader, spearheading the Bench Mob attack into one of the best second units in the NBA. Fans love Jordan so much they booed Smush Parker every time Parker touched the ball during his first game against his former team. The fans' message? If Smush had never been in Farmar's way in the first place, Jordan would have gotten his turn much sooner in his development.
Ronny Turiaf
Before: Huge heart, constant energy, constant effort, not enough experience.
After: Huge heart, constant energy, constant effort, more experience leading to a better jumpshot and better understanding of his role on the team. All of a sudden, he's tagging along with Kobe on commercial shoots.
Vladimir Radmanovic
Before: Overpaid, snowboarding "space cadet" who was so lost in the triangle offense it made fans wonder why the Lakers ever signed a Clipper. They started to call him "Vlade", doing a major disservice to former Lakers semi-legend Vlade Divac. Somewhere in Yugoslavia, Divac kept reiterating, "There's only one Vlade."
After: Injury-free and no longer snowboarding on company time, he actually found a way to crack the starting lineup. Once again an outside shooting threat, reputation has been upgraded from "space cadet" to "astronaut farmer", suggesting he may be on his way back down to earth. Nickname adjusted to "Vladdy", making Divac proud.
Luke Walton
Before: Regular starter, who averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and assists in 2006-'07 but was still a step behind the competition.
After: Regular Bench Mobster, who averaged career lows in every statistical category but still knows the system better than most of his teammates. Scrappy player is perhaps the most well-rounded 10th man among the playoff teams, and he has finally made up his mind to post up smaller defenders in order to take advantage of game situations. New nickname is "Spanky", because there isn't a game in which he doesn't get his shot blocked at least once.
Kobe
Before: Problem child. Need I say more?
After: MVP. 'Nuff said.
Let the fun-and-games begin. It's showtime all over again in the City of Angels, where winnin' time happens.
Payback sure is a b!*#* When spoiler Sacramento was up 71-60 over the Lakers at halftime, I turned off the television. I knew right away the purple-and-gold did not come ready to play.
The Lakers were scoreboard watching. They saw that San Antonio had lost to Phoenix earlier in the day and they relaxed. Above all, they thought the Kings would fold flat like a lawnchair and instead it was Los Angeles who folded. Just like a lost poker hand.
The symptoms of the old Los Angeles Lakers began to show up in the third qu
