June 9, 2008

Can the Lakers Bounce Back?


The Los Angeles Lakers are down 0-2 against the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. Suddenly, people who picked the Lakers to win now look more stupid than ever. (Myself included.)

But the question now is: "Can the Lakers make a series out of the Finals?"

I say "Yes" in reply to that question but the Lakers need to do three things first:
  1. Get to the free throw line - Yeah, people (including the Lakers) have complained about the disparity in free throw shooting. Why is Kobe Bryant not going to line? Is this another case of non-calls similar to the ones in the series against the San Antonio Spurs? Perhaps the Celtics defense is THAT good that the Lakers all of a sudden become very lame. The key here is to show the grit and aggressiveness shown in the fourth quarter of Game 2.
  2. Play "Their Game" - and that game is offense-- smart basketball characterized by crisp passing and easy baskets. The triangle worked for them against physical teams like the Spurs and the Utah Jazz in the playoffs and the Lakers must regain their composure despite being down two games. The Lakers will definitely find their confidence back in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
  3. Don't get too overconfident - Almost all NBA Finals previews handed the Lakers the Larry O'Brien trophy, similar to the Finals series against the Detroit Pistons in 2004. The Lakers should stay with their upstart mindset that needed to prove something to the world. Yes, the Celtics did have the better regular season record, but people don't give them credit because the play in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers dethroned the Spurs and beat teams like the Denver Nuggets (who would be a good Eastern Conference team) and the Jazz. This is the time Phil Jackson should dig deep into his Zen Bag-of-Tricks and get the Lakers motivated again.
So, if the Lakers do these three things, we will see a 6 game series with the Lakers winning in Boston. Otherwise, we may see a sweep of the team that should have won the NBA Finals.


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7 comments:

  1. Lakers can never...ever...ever complain about the officials, when they beat Sacramento in game 7 they had like 30 trips to the free throw line in the 4th qtr...so no...never can they ever blame the officials....it's just something they have to deal with just like the Kings tried to....

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  2. I'm a long time laker fan and the Lakers are going to loose ! They won't do it - not this time - I'm afraid its going to be a repeat of past Celtic Laker rivals from the 70's and 80's. I'm happy for KG because he deserves to win a ring and Kobe already has 3 or so rings. So its not so bad afterall.

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  3. Good analogy to 2004.

    I felt just as nervous going into that series as this one. I have being the favorite when the opponent looks so good.

    Even tonight with the win I found myself thinking, Boston shoots the ball better. That concerns me when Kobe and Sasha are the only ones who can shoot the ball.

    Fisher needs to be step up a bit.

    I love Odom, I really do, but is he the only big man who can't dunk a basketball? I can't count how many times he's blown dunks.

    Even Paul plays a soft lay it in game. This is where I realize how much I took Shaq for granted.

    Guys, go hard to the basket!

    *For the record I'd like to question "Anonymous'" fandom ... "I'm happy for [insert name of biggest superstar on the team most hated by the Lakers here]"?

    What's up with that? Sure, KG getting a ring would be poetic, assuming he finishes his career with the Lakers, just as it would have been a happy ending for Karl Malone to get one with LA.

    Barring that, no ring for any non-Laker ... not ever, especially never for a Celtic.

    C'mon! Get your mind right. It's the NBA Finals for crying out loud.

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  4. I picked LA in 6 before the series!

    But let's face it, LA barely won Game 3.

    In fact, I didn't see LA win Game 3, I saw Boston lose it.

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  5. Boston will steal one tonight or Sunday and win it all at home next week.

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  6. ahahhahhahahhahahaaha lakers lost!

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  7. Just pathetic. No other word comes to mind for me.

    Something like that doesn't happen to a champion.

    I'm afraid Kobe's legacy is now very much in jeopardy, right or wrong.

    I realized in Game 3 what I suspected in the first two, the Celtics are a better team.

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