| 16 March 2010
Hosting LA first up is perhaps the most dysfunctional team in the NBA at the moment: the Golden State Warriors. Even the bright sparks of the franchise: super-rookie Stephen Curry and sharp-shooting Anthony Morrow are dimmed by the black hole that Don Nelson has become.
LA need to take what they did with Phoenix, and continue where they left off. The Warriors present a good opponent for just that: all things being equal, there's not an ice-cube's chance in hell that they can match up with the Lakers.
Be that bully, stomp the underdog. Take a very physical attitude into the game and utilize the bigs well. There's no way on earth that the Warriors can match up with the Cerebus-like attack the LA front-court presents. I really like what the Lakers brought to the game against the Suns - a team that's been impressively strong at home this season. There was a nastiness about the team that's been absent for... well, since the start of the season.
And Golden State? There are some really nice pieces there. Stephen Curry's fantastic. Anthony Morrow has been incredible post going undrafted, and has turned out to be one of the league's premier 3pt threats. Anthony Tolliver and Reggie Williams head a host of "D-League call-ups" that have played for GSW this season, and these two stand out as having really having done well with the opportunity. But two things have conspired against the Warriors this season. Injuries, and Don Nelson. Well... you could include 'roster' in there as well, but I'll lay that at Nellie's doorstep.
Don Nelson has become consumed with personal glory, and quite frankly his ego has laid the once-exciting franchise to waste. This has been compounded by the Warriors have simply too many injuries to actually compete on a nightly basis. It's sad, because but a few seasons ago this was a team on the rise. Their direction is unclear, the path ahead beset by difficulties.
But LA's road is clear: and the Dubs are but an obstacle that needs to be smashed.
Crushed.
Destroyed.
----------------------------------
March 16th - Then it's off to Sacramento. From the Lakers' perspective: it's more of the same. Weaker opponent, opportunity to get some momentum going.
The Kings themselves are an entirely different opponent to the Warriors. They have a good, young roster with solid pieces surrounding the strong core that Tyreke Evans gives them. This is a team that has a clear focus and eyes on the future. But clearly not in the same street as LA. Hell... not in the same zip code. And LA should smash 'em. Should. That may depend to an extent on how they come out on the second night of a road back-to-back. The attitude should be one where they proverbally put the foot on the neck and don't let up. We'll see.And that's an interesting back-to-back: the Lakers face two teams that are currently in very similar positions, but facing very different futures.
LA's immediate future is very clear, and this road trip couldn't come at a better time.
