The Lakerhead

Lakers Have Only Selves to Blame

There I was a few weeks ago, defending the Lakers from claims that they just don’t want it enough when the Houston Rockets stretched them to 7 games.

The Birdman Blocks Shots. The Birdman Rebounds. The Birdman Wins.

I pointed to the match-up problems.  I referenced history.  Surely this would not happen against a Denver Nuggets team with Carmelo Anthony playing poorly if the Lakers had a chance to make it a 3-1 series.

I was flat out wrong.  The Lakers have only themselves to blame for getting a beating in Game 4 and losing to the Nuggets in Denver, 120-101.

With Gasol Showing Up, All Kobe Needs Now is For the Rest of the Team To Do the Same.

The Lakers got out-rebounded 40-58.  All effort and heart.  They committed lazy fouls and didn’t stay in front of the Nuggets on defense as a team: All effort and heart.  They lost to the Nuggets when Melo shot a horrible 3-16 from the field:  Inexcusable.

On a night where Kobe didn’t shoot the ball well, he was still the catalyst, desperately attempting to get his team going.  Starting from Game 3 and including tonight’s Game 4, Bryant and the coaching staff must have successfully gotten into Pau Gasol’s head.  He’s delivering that 2nd punch.  His 21 points on 8-11 shooting were, in a word, spectacular.

Odom is Being Paid $11.4 Million For His Magic Tricks This Year. Eat Your Heart Out, Lance Burton.

The rest of the team, however, is nowhere to be found.  Trevor Ariza’s 3 point performance might be the only one with a legitimate alibi.   His hip pointer and strained groin is surely slowing him down.

Derek Fisher is still mysteriously playing over 20 minutes a game.  Phil Jackson wants veteran consistency: he’s sure getting it.  Only it’s consistently bad basketball.  Fisher went another predictable 2-7 from the field for 5 points.

Gasol and Kobe Will Look for Help in Game 5.

Lamar “The Magician” Odom made himself disappear again, with 5 points on 1-8 shooting.  Bynum had 5 rebounds and 5 fouls in 23 minutes.

The role players usually play better at home for the Lakers, and Game 5 in Los Angeles will be key.  But if the Lakers are sweating it out right now, they have only themselves to blame.