Kobe’s Knee to the Rescue
As I sat there, watching a first half in which the Lakers ran through the motions on defense against the Charlotte Bobcats. I wondered for a fraction of a second if the team I believed in had the pride to play defense like Kevin Garnett and the Celtics. Granted, it’s preseason and the Lakers are the defending Western Conference champions, but not caring whether you are embarrassed play after play by the dunking Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson had me wondering about the heart that pumps the purple and gold.
I expected something to happen to put an end to this. Usually, it’s Kobe leading by example. In a strange way, he sort of did. Kobe Bryant hyper-extended his knee, sending him out of the game and the collective Laker community into a state of shock. He came back in street clothes looking dismayed and disappointed and denied an interview. This was supposed to be their year. Nothing should go wrong. Nothing could go wrong.
Although it looks as though he’ll be stated day to day for now, it was a reminder to the rest of the Laker players that nothing should be taken for granted in the NBA. They came back into the 2nd half focused and hungry on defense. The layup/dunk line for Richardson and Wallace was shut tight. The Lakers cut a 7 point lead to one without their leading man. Phil Jackson sensed the sudden importance of the win, keeping Gasol, Bynum, and Odom on the court for the majority of the 3rd.
Bynum rejects Nazi Mohammed. Bynum beats him down the court to recieve a nifty pass from Odom for the jam. Gasol looks like his all-star self again, orchestrating the offense from the post. Fisher knocks down jumpers from the outside. Ariza even got in a three-pointer.
The 4th quarter brought the new Laker closer, Jordan Farmar, with his swarming defense. He trapped rookie DJ Augustine in the corner with Josh Powell, stole the ball, hung in the air for the foul and converted the and 1 against Matt Carol. He scorched the Bobcats with a quick 9 points, making his case again as starter material. The Lakers never looked back.
By the middle of the 4th, Phil Jackson sat down Gasol, Bynum, Fisher, and Odom. They had a glow on their faces again. They believed. They did it without their main man. And when he returns, they know they can’t take anything for granted again.
