LA head to Phoenix with some serious questions being asked of them, and a lot's expected over this small road-trip. 3 games: Phoenix, Golden State, Sacramento. 3 wins will be expected. So... what needs to happen for LA to realise that?
A lot of people are talking about execution. Some more about defense, even more about offense. But for me it doesn't come down to Xs and Os, it comes down to attitude.
Getting mean, getting nasty.
At the end of last season, and the beginning of the season, the champs had an aura of flat out meanness about them. The Lakers were physical. They were the bully. They were ruthless, malevolent, despicable, and down right not nice.
Now?
Well sheesh... Matt Barnes figures he can pump-fake a pass at Kobe's face. Everyone sees the Lakers as beatable. Lamar Odom thinks that other teams see LA as "soft". If LA are to repeat then they've got to start to physically intimidate the teams they play. Start punishing people. Do that, and the rest will come.
Forget the minutiae - don't focus on outcomes. Focus on who you need to be. All starts with a game in Phoenix on Friday night.
And if LA come out angry? Remind me to send Matt Barnes a fruit basket.
Peter D. Newmann of NBA Statistics and Information Research has tallied some numbers that take into account this season. Here are some of his findings:
This season, Bryant has made seven of the 12 shots, with a chance to win or tie the game, in the last ten seconds of regulation or overtime.
Bryant's the only player in the last decade who has made seven such shots in a season.
Bryant has made 26 of the 89 potential game tying or game-winning field goals he has shot over the last decade. That's 29.2%, which is slightly above League average.
His game-winners, against the Heat, Bucks, Kings, Celtics, Grizzlies, Heat and Raptors come in a season when no other player has hit more than three such shots. Derrick Rose has the second-most attempts, with eight.
The best field goal percentage, on potential game-tying or game-winning field goals in the last 10 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime, belongs to Chris Paul. He has hit three of his four shots. Chris Bosh, Chris Duhon, Tim Duncan, Raymond Felton, Rudy Gay, David Lee, Rashard Lewis and O.J. Mayo are all two of three. This season, the League as a whole makes just 26.7% of its shots in that situation.
Over the last decade, by field goal percentage the best shooters in this setting have been Carmelo Anthony (13-28, .464), Pau Gasol (9-22, .409), Tony Parker (11-29, .379), Chris Paul (9-24, .375) and Shawn Marion (10-28, .357). Bryant over the same period is 26-89 (.292).
Bryant has attempted by far the most such shots of anyone over the last decade. His 89 is trailed by Vince Carter's 69, Paul Pierce's 57, Dwyane Wade's 51 and LeBron James' 50.
Bryant's 26 makes also lead the League, followed by Carter with 20, Ray Allen with 17 and Allen Iverson's 14. Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce have each made 13.
Definitely agrees with what I've seen all season, and the numbers are clearly in support of the theory.
The Lakers needed Kobe to hit another at-the-buzzer winner to vault them to a win over the Raptors that broke a 3-game losing streak.
So... what does it mean?
Well, depending where/who you're reading, you'll note that it's either fantastic that the Lakers broke the losing streak or you'll read that the fact that LA needed Kobe to bail them out again is further proof that 'something is wrong'.
My point being that I don't think that LA are in too much a different position than they found themselves around the same time last season. Sure, Brian Kamenetzky's right ('twas Brian I was conversing with), last season they were a little more consistent... but I do indeed think that LA feels that when the time comes, it'll be ok.
"Are LAL fans taking it a bit too far? LAL is comfortably sitting atop of the west and as an SAS fan, that sucks. Besides, they got to save some gas for the playoffs."
I agree with him... to an extent. "Saving gas" for later is a tenuous path to tread, and I do think LA are trying to find balance, trying to get some momentum going... and whilst a win that necessitated some last second heroics from Kobe might not be the best way to get it going, you know what?
I'm kinda hoping that a different LA turn up to the somewhat sporadically indifferent team that I've watched over the past few days... it's been somewhat tough. Very rarely in the past 3 games have LA looked like a team that's at all interested in winning. There's been finger-pointing, innuendo, blame-shifting... not at all pleasant. Pau Gasol was on the money tho' when he suggested,
"We need to find some balance with our interior game, develop it a little more, moving the ball and changing sides..."
LA play there best ball when they pass the ball around, and start insided-out. Gotta get back to that.
At the moment, LA seems to be simply going through the motions during the remainder of the regular season, but will appear come playoffs (as suggested in Silver Screen & Roll's "*insert witty and relevant title here*"). No need for panic as yet. Disappointing? Sure, but nothing worth getting upset over.
I agree to an extent. Sure: a three-game losing streak isn't something the defending champion should be carrying around, but it's not like it's been forever since LA played well. Only last week LA beat Denver, and then completely dismantled Indiana.
But still: as seems to happen post every somewhat-puzzling LA loss, there's a lot of hand-wringing from the fans. What does the loss to Orlando mean in the big scheme of things? Well... not a lot. Teams lose.
I'm a bit worried about their mindset, but not that much. Do LA need to get back onto the winner's podium? Sure. Is it time to sound the klaxons? Ummm... no.
And what better tonic could there be than playing Toronto in LA? They present the perfect opportunity for several reasons:
They're not an absolute crapola team that the Lakers will find it hard to get enthused about.
They're not one of the overwhelmingly elite teams tho'. The way LA have played their last 3 games, we don't want that. Yet.
Chris Bosh is back, reinforcing point 1.
This is a bit of a revenge game too... with the Raptors having defeated LA when they played in Toronto...
Can LA really put up a 4 game losing streak? I don't think so...
LA haven't panicked yet, and I'm not about to run around screaming "THE SKY IS FALLING"!
Hang around after the jump to read a blog-interview with a Toronto blogger...
I love what Ron Artest has brought to the Lakers. His dogged defense has been great, and of late the guy's been BEASTIN' it. Laid claim to ownership of 'Melo, and rumor is he owns at least part of Danny Granger's soul now. Apparently he's dropped a bit of weight (how? Running!), and that's been his secret - more energy to apply himself.
Anyway, guy's not satisfied: now he's summoning his inner Dennis Rodman.
Have a look how it happened...
Check out X-zibit at the end there...
I like it. Ron needs to rebel a bit, and this is a creative way to do it. Look out NBA!
Ok, a very good win to the Magic sending LA to it's first 3 game losing streak since Gasol joined.
But - wow... pretty disappointed with Matt Barnes' performance during the game tho'. I've always hated the "What? Me?" reaction from players (regardless of team) when a player does something wrong, and Matt Barnes had several of these during the game. The pump-fake to Kobe's face was a childish attempt at intimidation, which clearly didn't work (Kobe didn't even bat an eyelid)... but it just goes to show the lengths at which Barnes was prepared to sink to (review that, Stu Jackson?). Here's an excellent pic, courtesy of A Stern Warning...
The best part? After a put-back dunk Barnes swings into Kobe, and then gets in his face. Barnes is T'd up - but has to check his own number to see if the ref's referencing him.
(play from 0.51, the "Is that my number?" at 1.11)
Aaaah... that made me smile. Despite the loss.
Edit- Ok, to be fair, Matt Barnes DID indulge in some class post-game:
Not sure if that justifies what he did IN game tho'...
Yup. Been very busy over the last few days, thus no previews/recap. Picked one helluva time tho', huh? But back-to-back losses? Honestly, I'm not surprised. Miami ALWAYS play LA tight, and Charlotte for some bizarre reason almost always manage to beat LA. Every season. No matter how they're playing generally. Due to that, I'm not overly worried... at least, not yet.
LA do have a tough stretch coming up - Orlando tomorrow. That's the big test. I suspect that this game had it's part to play in the losses to the Heat/Cats, as I'm betting this is the one they're focused on. How they do at Amway Arena will play a big part in how I feel... Dallas are beginning to nip at LA's heels too - only 3.5 games back now.
Ok. In brief.
Andrew Bynum has stepped it up a bit, but could do with doing a bit more.
Pau Gasol needs to step it up a LOT. For someone who shoots so close to the basket and NORMALLY does so with great accuracy, he's been terribly inefficient.
We need to look to our big guys early. All 3 of the main bigs (Gasol/Bynum/Odom) do better when they start well. Likewise, we could attack the rim a bit more with those smaller than 7 foot. Pound that paint, it'll clear up space for the rest of the game.
Kobe's been much more effective in the last two games...
My first thought as LA hit OT in the Miami game? It just about guaranteed a loss vs LA's personal bugbear: Charlotte.
A note to Phil: Fish's killing us at the moment. Start Farmar? Please?
And a note to officials: when a guy is late to position, and slides into a charge, it's a blocking foul.
Look at the 2 minute mark...
I'm pretty confident that LA will be up for this game, expect big things.
Reality check: LA are the defending champions, having a damn good season, and should have all the pieces to really put a dampener on the Heat.
But... recently that hasn't been the case. It took last second heroics from Kobe to beat Miami the last time these two met.
In case you forgot...
And this time the Lakers are in South Beach. Dwyane Wade has been playing some damn nice basketball after a calf-strain, and Jermaine O'Neal's been solid. Despite being pretty much a .500 team, at times the Heat have shown that they're more than capable of punching above their weight.
However, this go round? I think LA will roll.
Yes, Miami/LA are often close... but Ron Artest's been killing it on D of late - a veritable pitbull, and Wade relies on getting to the basket.
Offensively, Kobe's been just that: offensive. If anyone's due for a good game, it's #24. Bynum too - he's looked 'promising' more than several times of late - but it's time to step up and play with the big boys - Jermaine O'Neal provides an appropriately-sized challenge.
Pau Gasol could be in for a big game too. Yes, he's been very solid pretty much every game, putting up customary double/doubles - but I've been expecting a breakout from him for a few games now. Lamar Odom will likely face up against Michael Beasley - and that's a big mismatch that LO will look to capitalize on.
Along with Odom on the bench, Jordan Farmar's been more than solid of late. Sure, he's not the point guard we all hoped and prayed he'd be... but he's been pretty good recently. You could probably write that same sentence about Shannon Brown. Tho' to be fair on Shan-WOW, expectations weren't never quite the same as they were with Farmar. Anyway... both have been bringing it off the bench, and with Odom there that's equated to a very stable LA.
I think this all ends up being too much for the Heat - even in Miami.
I think the Lakers run out of the AA Arena with a win to the tune of ten points or more.
Just a few hours ago, I was asked in conversation as to how I thought the impact of Cleveland's acquisition of Shaq/Jamison would go. And someone stated that they thought Jamison would do better on Gasol than anyone else on the Cavs - probably play him to a draw.
Before we begin: "who you'd think could play Gasol to a draw..."? Does anyone honestly think that Jamison is a wash with Gasol...???
I certainly don't.
I think that Varejao plays Gasol better than Jamison...
I also don't think that weighing up teams position by position is an effective way of measuring an outcome...
Still, it's an intriguing question:
PG - I think it's a push. Williams is fragile mentally, he's either on, or he's off. Moreso, I think that all of what the Cavs have at the point are mentally fragile. LA? Fisher's old, and more than a step slower. But I bet at more than one point during the playoffs Fish'll hit a huge shot that changes the flow of a game.
SG - Kobe. Done.
SF - LeBron. Done.
PF/C - I rate the three-headed beast of Gasol/Bynum/Odom quite a bit more than Shaq/Varejao/Jamison and possibly Z. I don't think anyone on the Cavs can stop Gasol if he's on. Odom too. Bynum? It all will depend where his head is at.
The reality tho' is that a lot of it's going to come down to the impact LeBron James has.
And how prepared to play the entire LA team come.
Well... ok: Gasol/Bynum/Odom & bench. Kobe coming to play's a given.
I'm also interested that there's the assumption that Shaq will cope with Bynum/Howard. I don't think that will happen (him coping). Shaq will probably return mid-way through the first round of the playoffs. On one hand, we have the notion that Shaq will be motivated, as Kobe just won a title to equal him. On the other hand, Shaq's old, and his history of recovery from injuries isn't exactly stellar. There's just as much chance of him coming back out of shape as him returning to where he left off. Either way, generally speaking the Cavs play just as well without him... and they're going to have to for a while - no Shaq, no Z. It's going to be interesting. Varejao's going to have to step up big-time, and a lot of the guys who normally play at the 4 are going to have to spend time in the center rotation. I see rhythm being somewhat upset, and I think that Cleveland will drop a few unexpected games because of this. That could impact them long-term, in quite a few ways. When O'Neal's coming back, Cleveland may actually be better off without him (many would argue that they are now!), as they'll probably have established a new rotation, a new 'rhythm'. And regardless of how Shaq fits back into the team - and whether he'll still have residence in Howard's head - I expect (hope?) the Lakers to begin their run to the playoffs. Currently the gap between the teams record-wise is minuscule, and the slightest miscue could tip the balance of who gets homecourt advantage should LA and Cleveland meet in the Finals. And that, I believe, could have a major impact on the outcome.
Still, getting ahead of it all a bit - still a lot of basketball to go.
You can play online poker during the commercial break while your watching the Lakers on TV.
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Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account! 