| 17 November 2010
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The win versus the Bucks couldn't have come at a better time, and if you're going to forget everything else, just remember this: it was a very good win.
Going into the contest, Milwaukee had the best D in the league. Prior to the Lakers game, they'd allowed a mere 89.4 points per contest, and hadn't allowed a 30 point scorer for their opposition thus far this season.
What comes next?
Milwaukee surrenders 118 to LA - the highest score against the Bucks this season - and Kobe Bryant hits 31.
Pau Gasol was his usual efficient self, but the man of the moment was someone unexpected.
Shannon Brown. Seven of nine from the field, 21 points, 4 from 5 on 3s, 21 minutes, zero turnovers - that's a nice day at the office for the guy who has stepped up to be the leader of the bench, who Phil Jackson has termed "The Rebels", but they've also earned the nickname "The Killer Bs" - Brown, Blake and Barnes. With Lamar Odom starting in Andrew Bynum's absence, Brown's stepped up... and then some.
Milwaukee are a good team, the best defensive team at the moment in the league - LA came into their house and walked out with the W under their arm.
Not the best of quality vid-clips, but an amazing pass...
Hopefully, this will put an end to the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands LA fans have experienced over the past two contests for LA. There was no malaise associated with either the loss to Denver or Phoenix, the simple reason is that losses happen.
We're somewhat akin to Chicken Little in that respect... we'll focus on what's wrong over what's right.
I guess that given how spoilt we've been over the past several, well... decades, one might be forgiven that LA fans are "glass half full" kinda people. But most tend to be just the opposite. That glass is definitely not as full as it could be. Funny that.
But anyway, I'll bet that by now that many of us (Laker-fans) are so bogged down in the minutiae of the last two losses that the sky will definitely be falling by the time we're through.
The win versus the Bucks couldn't have come at a better time, and if you're going to forget everything else, just remember this: it was a very good win.
Going into the contest, Milwaukee had the best D in the league. Prior to the Lakers game, they'd allowed a mere 89.4 points per contest, and hadn't allowed a 30 point scorer for their opposition thus far this season.
What comes next?
Milwaukee surrenders 118 to LA - the highest score against the Bucks this season - and Kobe Bryant hits 31.
Pau Gasol was his usual efficient self, but the man of the moment was someone unexpected.
Shannon Brown. Seven of nine from the field, 21 points, 4 from 5 on 3s, 21 minutes, zero turnovers - that's a nice day at the office for the guy who has stepped up to be the leader of the bench, who Phil Jackson has termed "The Rebels", but they've also earned the nickname "The Killer Bs" - Brown, Blake and Barnes. With Lamar Odom starting in Andrew Bynum's absence, Brown's stepped up... and then some.
Milwaukee are a good team, the best defensive team at the moment in the league - LA came into their house and walked out with the W under their arm.
Not the best of quality vid-clips, but an amazing pass...
Hopefully, this will put an end to the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands LA fans have experienced over the past two contests for LA. There was no malaise associated with either the loss to Denver or Phoenix, the simple reason is that losses happen.
We're somewhat akin to Chicken Little in that respect... we'll focus on what's wrong over what's right.I guess that given how spoilt we've been over the past several, well... decades, one might be forgiven that LA fans are "glass half full" kinda people. But most tend to be just the opposite. That glass is definitely not as full as it could be. Funny that.
But anyway, I'll bet that by now that many of us (Laker-fans) are so bogged down in the minutiae of the last two losses that the sky will definitely be falling by the time we're through.
We'd be wrong to think that.
I think I've mentioned this somewhere before in the dark, distant past, but the great Australian football coach/sage Allan "Yabbie" Jeans once said "Each win is one step closer to a loss." ·
Sounds obvious, but the truth is that especially for teams on a streak, especially 'good' teams, we don't expect it.· When it happens, it's a cold, hard dose of reality.· The letdown.·
The dour Jeans used to serve as the cold bucket of water on his teams, and as a result they became famous as for their ability to bounce back from a loss as for their ability.
I realise that all teams aren't alike, and to draw analogies to an Australian Rules football team and their coach might be somewhat misplaced... to some, however the simple message is that losses come.
Denver's a good team, and their homecourt advantage is real and palpable. They played well, got the win.
Phoenix had to nearly get an NBA record on hitting 3s to beat LA. No-one in the NBA was beating Phoenix on that night.
This isn't to say I wouldn't have preferred the "W" in those two games - that's a given 100% of the time. Just that a loss here and there - even two consecutively - isn't any cause for gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands.
It's a helluva long season, and I'm pretty damn certain that LA will be their come the pointy end of it all.
Enjoy the ride.
I think I've mentioned this somewhere before in the dark, distant past, but the great Australian football coach/sage Allan "Yabbie" Jeans once said "Each win is one step closer to a loss." ·
Sounds obvious, but the truth is that especially for teams on a streak, especially 'good' teams, we don't expect it.· When it happens, it's a cold, hard dose of reality.· The letdown.·
The dour Jeans used to serve as the cold bucket of water on his teams, and as a result they became famous as for their ability to bounce back from a loss as for their ability.
I realise that all teams aren't alike, and to draw analogies to an Australian Rules football team and their coach might be somewhat misplaced... to some, however the simple message is that losses come.
Denver's a good team, and their homecourt advantage is real and palpable. They played well, got the win.
Phoenix had to nearly get an NBA record on hitting 3s to beat LA. No-one in the NBA was beating Phoenix on that night.
This isn't to say I wouldn't have preferred the "W" in those two games - that's a given 100% of the time. Just that a loss here and there - even two consecutively - isn't any cause for gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands.
It's a helluva long season, and I'm pretty damn certain that LA will be their come the pointy end of it all.
Enjoy the ride.
