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.
Well that's more like it! LA stomp down hard on a "lesser opponent", beating the Pacers 122-99 (tacos intact!), and maintaining the Pacer's winless record at the Staples Center.
There was a lot to smile about. Kobe had yet another abysmal shooting night, but managed to get to the charity stripe 15 times (hitting 14)... Andrew Bynum looked stronger and more aggressive, Ron Artest defended with bulldog-tenacity again - dominating Granger, and Pau Gasol did his best Pau Gasol impersonation - yet another double/double. Hell, even Fish was good - hitting 50% of his 6 3pt attempts.
Jordan Farmar got in on the act, providing energy off the pine and even bettering Fish at 3s (3-4 for 75%!), and adding 19 pts. Shannon Brown too - with an added 12, and one HUGE block on Dahntay Jones in a 3rd period that the Lakers completely dominated: outscoring Indiana 38-17.
But the thing that was most impressive was the minutes played by starters. Pau lead all comers with a meager 32 minutes. It's outings like this that make me smile - the starters get to rest and the bench gives a damn good contribution.
Next up for LA - a back-to-back on Thursday/Friday with games at Miami and Charlotte.
A few Lakers bloggers took part in a bit of a round table discussion (hopefully this will be a relatively regular thing), taking part in this round were Regnard Raquedan of Big Lakers Fan, Chris Clark - Silver Screen and Roll, Chris Shellcroft - Lake Show Life... and yours truly.
The question we first faced?
There's a perception out there that LA's weakness is at point guard defense, to what degree is this true?
Regnard Raquedan - Big Lakers Fan Is the Lakers worst area is point guard defense?
Let's look at the Lakers depth at that position...
Derek Fisher is regarded as one of the best defensive PG's in the NBA right now and that may be due to reputation. He was never a speedster, but he made up for it with strength and offensive foul-drawing. In his mid-30's, Derek Fisher's effectivity is lower compared to a few years ago when he routinely gave opposing PG's headaches. Now, Fisher is the one routinely getting burned. Off the bench, Jordan Farmar is still miles away from becoming a defensive stopper and Shannon Brown gets left behind by explosive point guards. (I maintain Shannon is better at defending 2-guards).
Relative to the defensive performances of the four other positions in the Lakers' roster, I think PG defense beats the PF defense as the worst by a hairline. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom at the 4 can be abused, but it may be because there are more great PF's than great PG's in the league.
Chris Clark - Silver Screen and Roll I take a certain amount of issue with the idea that the main weakness besetting the Lakers is on the defensive end. The Lakers have had a top 3 defense in the league all season long. Point guard is clearly their weakest defensive position, and often the other team's point guard has a great deal of success relative to the rest of his teammates, but whatever is wrong with the point guard position is hardly causing the team to suffer too dramatically. If the question were amended to read "is LA's weakness the point guard" or "is point guard the biggest defensive weakness", the answer would be absolutely to either question.
I think point guard defense is the most glaring weakness, but not the most important. It's something everybody can see, that everyone notices. But, if the point guard defense is so weak, the rest of the team sure can compensate for it, can't they? No, for me, the biggest weakness for the Lakers is on offense. It's difficult to pinpoint what that weakness is, but the Lakers offense is what's worse this year compared to last, not the defense.
Don - With Malice I think that the idea that the point guard defense is the weak link for the Lakers is based merely on the point being the weakest position for the Lakers. And if this were a game where the positional match-ups mattered, then LA might be be in a spot of trouble... but basketball's a game where defense is always going to be team-oriented - and LA's clearly strong there. On that, is anyone else amazed at how fast the Lakers transitioned from "offensive juggernaut" to "defensive monster"?
No, for me, the weakness is that on occasions LA can get into the "Waiting for (Godot?) Kobe" mindset... where the offense completely stalls And that's a combination of Kobe getting frustrated and the rest of the team getting passive. I think that this has been overcome often this season by Kobe looking to involve others early, and assert himself if necessary later on in the game. But if I were an opposition coach looking for a way to beat the Lakers, I'd be looking at encouraging Kobe to shoot bad shots often... and take the other Lakers out of their game. However, it's tough to do so: because he often hits 'em. And if he's on his game, heaven help you.
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! 