| 04 December 2008
Dec 3 - LA Lakers (14-2) at Philadelphia 76ers (8-10)
The one thing I'll be watching for during the next game will be how the Lakers respond to getting man-handled - especially on the boards - by the Indiana Pacers the night before. The game had followed pretty much the same script as nearly every other game this season, but the Pacers simply would not die, and Troy Murphy's tip in with literally milliseconds to go was robbery. Not that they didn't deserve it, the Lakers relaxed, and seemed to expect that Indiana would just acquiesce... but to go into the final 12 minutes with a 15 point lead, and not finish it, is pretty disappointing.
It lacked the foot-on-the-neck aggression that a team that wants to make the Finals oh-so-needs.So... will LA come out and show that determination?
You'd have to expect so. Losses happen, that's simply a fact of not only basketball, but sport. Should LA have beaten Indiana? Probably. But to look at it at this point in time as anything other than a 'loss' would be foolhardy. It was not a harbinger of doom. It wasn't a flaw in the Lakers. They are still one of the top teams in the NBA. People declaring anything different have their own agenda to push.
But how they come out and react in Philadelphia will show a lot about the character of this team.
And Philadelphia - they have their own issues regarding character to resolve. This team that promised so much at the beginning of the season with Andre Miller, the emerging star Andre Iguodala, and the acquisition of Elton Brand... has failed to deliver. Being 2 games under .500 18 games in wasn't what the Philadelphia-faithful would have expected. Not with this roster.
Can they beat the Lakers?
Perhaps, but unlikely post a loss the Lakers were expecting to win.
LA by 13.
Talk about the game here, or on the forum.
Also check out these other Laker previews...
