Lakers Eliminated by Thunder

The Los Angeles Lakers are now out of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

Like what happened last season, the Lakers have been eliminated from contention in the Western Conference semi-finals. But in stark  contrast the Dallas Mavericks' verteran savvy in 2011, it was the youth and energy of the Oklahoma City Thunder that the Lakers in.

Kobe Bryant did his best "back-against-the-wall" scoring performances with 42 points in Game 5, but it was clearly wasn't enough. Pau Gasol was more aggressive and scrapped inside the paint to get boards, but that also wasn't enough.

Not enough for sure-- definitely not against this version of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers needed to execute for 48 minutes to have a chance in this series, not 45 or 46. There were breaks that would have swung the series completely in the Lakers favor, but faulty late-game execution led to its early exit in the playoffs.

I'm sure there will be plenty of soul-searching happening in the off-season for the Lakers and fans all over are looking for something to optimistic about, but right now for, it's easy to look at what just happened: another fruitless Lakers season.


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Odds Not in Lakers' Favor

Down 1-3, the odds are not looking good for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The last time the Lakers were down 1-3, they succumbed to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. If you ask me, this version of the Lakers team has yet to show a fight when down that deep. In this Western Semi-Final against the much improved Oklahoma City Thunder, I foresee a similar ending in the 2008 Finals.

Even in the NBA, only a few teams have recovered from a 1-3 series deficit, with the Lakers being a victim of the Phoenix Suns in 2006, when the Suns climbed out of a 1-3 hole behind Steve Nash.

If you ask the oddsmakers, the Lakers are not in good shape. The current line for the Lakers is 9/1, or 10%. That's pretty low, considering there are eight teams in the second round of the NBA playoffs. If you think about it, if all teams had equal chance to win the crown, the odds of one team winning is 12.5%

In any case, the quest for the franchise's 17th championship and Kobe Bryant's sixth ring is likely to end in the next few days.


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Lakers Squander Game 2 vs. Thunder

Seven points. Two minutes.

Usually, when those two are said in the same sentence, it usually means the winning team preserved the lead and kept the loser at bay.

However, Game 2 of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference Semi-Finals, it was not the usual ending. The bad thing is that the Lakers were the ones that squandered the lead in the final two minutes and ended up in a 0-2 hole against the up-and-coming Thunder.

It's easy why people are already writing the Lakers off-- they have failed to execute in Games 1 and 2, with the latter game the more crucial as the team has struggled to win on the road all season.

Can the Lakers still even the series after the stops at Los Angeles?


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Lakers Get Blasted by Thunder in Game 1

Somewhere in Oklahoma City, Derek Fisher is smiling.

In Game 1 of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder,  the Lakers lost in humbling fashion to a team that's well-rested and very eager to exact revenge-- Fisher included.

Derek Fisher was sent packing to Houston during the trade deadline and was moved to OKC soon after. Fisher played quality minutes behind Russell Westbrook, who played almost flawlessly in the initial game. With the Lakers failing to stop the perimeter play of the Thunder, and their seemingly fatigued performance, the outcome was pretty much expected as early as the first half ended.

Can the Lakers even the series in Game 2?

I think so, but this has to do with more perfect execution on the defensive side, such as:

• Preventing Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook open looks 15 feet from the rim
• Disrupting the Thunder's offensive flow (forcing 4 turnovers won't cut it)
• Better face up defense without giving too many free throws (The Lakers gave up 24 free throw attempts)

I can make this list longer but the bottomline is defending better in Game 2.

Otherwise, Fisher may end up getting Championship Ring #6 ahead of former teammate Kobe Bryant.


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Lakers On the Verge of An Epic Playoff Meltdown

WTF, Lakers?

Just last week ago, the Hoops world was already anticipating a massive matchup between you and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now, you're just one loss away from repeating the 2006 playoff debacle where you squandered a 3-1 series lead.

What the heck happened to your defense? In Games 5 and 6, you let the Denver Nuggets score an average of 107.5 points on 49% shooting. (And people say playoff basketball is more grind it out).

Ugh, this is really a frustrating time to be a Los Angeles Lakers fan.


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Lakers Fail to Close Out Nuggets in Game 5

OK, fine. I was wrong.

I predicted a 4-1 series win for the Los Angeles Lakers, but JaVale Mcgee and Andre Miller of the Denver Nuggets had a different idea of how the first reound series would go.

A furious fourth quarter rally and Kobe Bryant's 43 points weren't enough to lift the Lakers in their fifth game against Nuggets, losing 102-99 in Los Angeles.

McGee and Miller punished the Lakers inside with drives and dunks in the fourth quarter, even pushing the Nuggets' lead to 15 in the 8-minute mark. As I watched the game, I was really frustrated how the Lakers failed to get key stops, particualrly preventing Miller from going to the hoop, in the final quarter. Miller scored 10 of his 24 points in that stretch.

And get me going about Andrew Bynum's statement about "easy" close-out games:

"Close-out games are actually kind of easy," Bynum said. "Teams tend to fold if you come out and play hard in the beginning, so we want to come out and establish an early lead and protect it."

Sheesh.


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Dagger 3's Sink Nuggets in Game 4

The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from a terrible playoff loss to win Game 4 with the help from a couple of key three-pointers in the final minute.

Laker point guards Steve Blake and Ramon Sessions both hit dagger three's that eventually made the difference in the tightly contested Game 4. That game saw several lead changes throughout and neither team controlled till the final stretch.

Apart from the point guard duo, the Lakers also got quality minutes from power forward Jordan Hill, who got double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) off the bench.

The Lakers' bench picked up some its scoring after finishing 26 points for the game. This is a big improvement since the subs averaged 13 points in the previous three games.

Game 5 will swing back to Los Angeles where the Lakers will look to advanced to the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.


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Lakers Fail in Game 3 against Nuggets

Argh, I knew it.

I had an inkling that the Los Angeles Lakers would drop Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff match-up against the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers were vulnerable in Denver in the regular season and I was somewhat anticipating some sort of struggle in the series swing to the Mile High City. I've even blogged about what the Lakers should do to win Game 3, but things didn't pan out-- the Lakers lost 99-84.

Let me revisit those three keys I mentioned:

• Avoid the speed trap - Honestly, I think the game was lost in the first quarter. The Lakers gave up 30 points to their 14 points and let the Nuggets run like madmen. By the time second quarter rolled in, the Lakers found themselves in a 41-17 hole and were never able to catch up.
• Take care of the ball - You know who took care of the ball? The Denver Nuggets. They only had 5 turnovers for the game and forced the Lakers to 15 turnovers.
• Bynum bash - Andrew Bynum finished with 18 points, but in the critical first half, he had ZERO. 'Nuff said.

I wasn't expecting a sweep, but I do expect the Lakers to learn from this game and win Games 4 and 5.


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Keys to a Lakers Win on Game 3

After pretty good performances in Games 1 and 2, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to go up 3-0 against the Denver Nuggets in their first round playoff series.

If the Lakers are to put the Nugs on the brink, here are some points I think are needed to make that happen:

• Avoid the speed trap - It's no secret: the Nuggets are at their best when they run with the ball and give everyone a chance to score in transition. Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson is starting to play better and slash through the Lakers' defense. The Lakers must put the brakes on Lawson (and the whole Denver team, for that matter) by playing more grind-it-out hoops.
• Take care of the ball - What feeds the Denver fast attack? Turnovers. The Lakers were extra sloppy with the ball against the Nuggets and if they can avoid turning the ball over, this will limit the Nuggets' opportunities in running.
• Bynum bash - In the regular season, the Lakers leading scorer against the Nuggets was Andrew Bynum. It's crucial to keep the big guy involved in the offense and keep him committed to playing heavy D.

The Lakers are up 2-0 and if they can keep focus and not get too relaxed, Game 3 will be a cinch.


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Lessons from Derrick Rose's Season Ending Injury

After the first few games of the NBA playoffs, one thing is on my mind: playoff strategy in giving playing time to NBA superstars.

The NBA is a business and it has the responsibility for giving the basketball fans what they want-- and that is a competitive game with the superstars on them. Teams, therefore, should do their best to win games (*cough*Bobcats Tank*cough*). If that means putting the team's best players and stars on the floor during the games, especially in the playoffs.

In the case of the Chicago Bulls, coach Tom Thibideau insisted on playing Derrick Rose in the final minutes of their series opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, even though the game was going into Chicago's favor. In the final minute of the game, Rose tore his ACL and would be out for the rest of the post-season.

We all know tickets prices for the Los Angeles Lakers are some of the most expensive in the NBA and it gets harder to buy tickets when the playoffs come. (If you're looking to find floor seats to the Lakers, good luck-- they're all probably sold out.) So you'd expect the team, particularly Lakers coach Mike Brown to maximize Kobe Bryant to playoff victory.

In the NBA's shortened season, that is going to dangerous territory.

Kobe missed seven games late in the regular season and I think the Lakers should be cautious in playing him 38-40 minutes a game in the playoffs. The better move looks like relying on Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol on the post (like giving them around 30+ field goal attempts per game) and giving Kobe around 32-35 minutes per game.

I'm not saying the Lakers should stifle Kobe, but rather save enough of his energy to go deep in the playoffs. NBA folks know the conditioning regimen that Kobe is going through, but 16 seasons and over 1,300 games (regular and post-season) should get folks scared a bit.


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Lakers to Face Nuggets in First Round

So it's confirmed: the Los Angeles Lakers will face the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

If you ask me, this is good news for the Lakers.

In my first round playoffs preview, I predicted that the Lakers would win the first round if they went up against the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have the size, but the Nuggets will counter with a faster pace and precision shooting.

However, we all knw that NBA offenses tahe a dip in the post-season and the Nuggets are poised to face roadblocks in the paint with the Lakers bigs.

Bottomline: The Lakers are favored, but should be wary of surprises the Nuggets will throw at them.


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Lakers 2012 NBA Playoffs First Round Preview

It's hard to believe that the 2012 NBA Playoffs is already next week. It's probably because of the compressed 66-game season and the Los Angeles Lakers have only had their first Metta World Peace incident just last week.

The Lakers are sitting comfortably at third place in the Western Conference, following the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. The team was able to finalize their seeding in their win against the Thunder last week (the infamouse World Peace elbow game).

The Lakers' first round opponent is still to be determined as the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks have yet to lock-up their respective playoff positions. So for this 2012 NBA Playoffs first round preview for the Lakers, I'll take a look at both potential opponents.

Denver Nuggets

The Lakers have a 3-1 advantage over the Nuggets in their regular season match-up and this is looks good for the Lakers on paper.

The Nuggets don't have the size to go up against the Lakers' frontline tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and it doesn't help that the Nugs sent Nene to the Washington Wizards last February for the less intimidating Javale McGee.

Nuggets forwards Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington will get minutes trying to stretch the floor (Harrington has averaged 20+ in the teams' last two meetings), and they may fare even better with World Peace suspended for six games in the playoffs.

But what the Lakers need to worry more about is the Nuggets backcourt. Ty Lawson and Andre Miller have run circles around the Lakers' point guards and this means Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake have to step up their games.

The Nuggets have the NBA's best-scoring offense and team assists per game, and this means that they play at a fast rate and share the ball. Personally, I these metrics will take a hit in the playoffs as I foresee the Lakers to tighten the screws on defense come playoff time.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have to demonstrate their championship mettle this season against the Lakers (the Mavs were swept by the Lakers in the regular season). This bodes very well for the the Lakers.

The players that killed the Lakers last season (J.J. Barea and Tyson Chandler) have left the Mavericks and this will put a lot more weight on the shoulders of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry to lead the Mavs.

Unfortunately for the Mavs trio, it will be an uphill climb, which is more like scaling a high wall. The Lakers will use their size advantage to frustrate their optential opponents and clog the lanes to prevent the slashing to the hoop. The only chance the Mavs have is if their outside shooting floats in the 50% range.

I am not the only one who thinks the Dallas Mavericks will not repeat as NBA champs this season and I think the Lakers will avenge their defeat, should the two teams meet in the first round.

Prediction: Lakers in 6


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Lakers Still Looking for Consistency

After the dealine trades that saw the Los Angeles Lakers changing their backcourt dramatically, the team has yet to go on a dominating tear.

Since the March 15 deadline, the team has won as much as it lost. There were good wins immediately after the Ramon Sessions acquisition, but frustrating losses to the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, and Memphis Grizzlies undermine any progress.

It's not that the team is in such a bad shape. They haven't defended their home court well, they go on a stupor after great stretches, and outside shooting is still an afterthought.

One thing I've observed though is that the improved play at a faster pace. With Sessions, the Lakers hav done better at running the break and attacking defenses in the half court.

With playoff picture slowly taking shape, the Lakers better figure out how to beat teams more convincingly. Otherwise, this will be another wasted season.

Did the Deadline Trades Make the Lakers Better?

So much for standing pat.

I know what you're thinking Laker Faithful: Did the NBA trade deadline deals make the team better? I see the trades as a mixed bag of positives and negatives.

On one hand, the perennial problem of weak point guard play has been addressed: Ramon Sessions was nabbed by the Los Angeles Lakers, along with Christian Ayenga, for Luke Walton and a draft pick. This is clearly a short to medium term solution to help the franchise get its 17th championship (and Kobe Bryant's sixth ring).

Sessions brings good pick and roll skills, good ball-handling, and aggressive forays into the hoop that can break down defenses. Ayenga is still raw but superb athlete, which is quite similar to where Devin Ebanks is. It's no accident that Ayenga will be sent to the D-League (where Ebanks spent some time early in the season).

From a financial point of view, the deal is good because the team was able to shed Walton's albatross of a contract. Perhaps this is Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's way of saying "mea culpa" to the Lakers after nixing the deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers?

But the deadline didn't come without a price: Lakers fan favorite Derek Fisher was sent to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill.

This feels like an end of an era because Walton and Fisher were part of the Lakers' success in the past decade. Fisher's legacy in the Lakers lore is pretty much set, but I hoped he would finish his career in purple and gold.

With the deals, the Lakers' depth chart looks like this:

• PG - Ramon Sessions, Steve Blake, Darius Morris
• SG - Kobe Bryant, Andrew Goudelock
• SF - Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, Devin Ebanks, Christian Ayenga
• PF - Pau Gasol, Troy Murphy, Josh McRoberts
• C - Andrew Bynum, Jordan Hill

If you ask me, the only problematic area left is the Small Forward position. I guess Michael Beasly would have helped there.

But that's a different story.


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Should the Lakers Stand Pat? Absolutely!

With the hoopla surrounding the 2012 NBA All-Star Game to be over in the next 24 hours, it's a good time to look at the Los Angeles Lakers in the season's midpoint.

As the team's roster stands, a lot of people from experts (ESPN.com) to oddsmakers (online sportsbook click here) pick the Lakers as reaching the play-offs, but a second-round finish at best. A championship is quite a reach, considering the play of the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder (which kicked the Lakers' butts before the All-Star break).

Now the big question is what kind of roster tweak should the team make, if at all? Many folks (including myself) still think that the core of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum can compete to reclaim the NBA championship, but there are a lot of voices that echo the opposite: The Lakers must make a deal.

But come on people, what deal out there makes sense? The team obviously can't get a player the same value for, say, Pau Gasol and there are very few players in the Lakers roster that other team wants. Players outside of the Lakers' Big 3 are either too old or too raw.

Dwight Howard would be a great addition to the team, but the team put itself in a bad trading position after Gasol's performance dipped and traded away Lamar Odom.

Here's my message to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak: Don't pull the trigger. Give this team some time to come together under Mike Brown's system.


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The World is Right Again

The Los Angeles Lakers are winning and the "Superfriends" featuring the Miami Heat are losing.

Ah, the world is right again.

After dominating the San Antonio Spurs in the Alamo, the Lakers are officially on a roll. The Lakers are the hottest team in the NBA right now (sorry Chicago Bulls), with a seven-game winning streak. This streak is the longest active streak in the league right now.

Have the Lakers flipped the switch? I think so. I've been seeing the inspired play from Andrew Bynum on the defensive end in the last seven games. He has averaged 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in that stretch, including a 17 rebound-6 blocks beauty of game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Another noteworthy improvement is Ron Artest, who upped his scoring average by 30% and his steals average by 50% in the winning streak

The Miami Heat is a different story. The self-proclaimed "Superfriends" team of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh has been on a four-game slide. But the team has gotten unwanted attention for "CryGate"-- the story where Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said that several Heat players were in tears after losing to the Chicago Bulls. While I understand the frustration of losing, but crying for a loss in the regular season? Come on!

We've seen the likes of Derek Fisher cry after a loss. But that happened in a playoff game, a stage where the stakes are obviously higher. The Heat come off as literal cry babies with this story. The Heat players must be dumbfounded by the amount of heat/hate their getting, but I guess should have expected that teams would want to kick their asses. Just ask the Lakers-- I've seen a lot of teams play bust out their "A" games when they play the Lakers.

Still, I have nothing to complain about. The Lakers are winning again and that's what important for a fan like me.


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Lakers Stood Pat: Now What?

The Los Angeles Lakers did not make any major trades before the trade deadline a few days ago. After rivals like the Boston Celtics shook up their roster, the Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak opted not to tweak the team that already made changes as the season started.

As a fan, I take this as a sign that the Lakers brass is confident that this season's team is good enough for a three-peat. This, even though the Thunder became bigger with Kendrick Perkins, even though the Celtics became younger with Jeff Green, even though the Portland Trailblazers added former All-Star Gerald Wallace into the mix.

This inactivity becomes better especially in the context of an absence of a deal that makes sense for the Lakers. Even with Carmelo Anthony available during the trade season, I saw that there were no assets the Lakers should move. Andrew Bynum? Let's give him time to gel with the team. In their last three games, Bynum has averaged 9 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.67 blocks a game. Not bad but it's an indication that he's still getting into the team's flow.

What about Ron Artest? I think his shot has improved in the last couple of games, but to deal him would have been premature. He can still be a disruptive force on the defensive end, but I want suspend my judgment till the playoffs.

Finally, Shannon Brown could have been a good player to move, especially with his value soaring this season. Maybe the could have gotten someone to play better defense, but Brown is the only one of few players who can give an offensive spark off the bench for the team.

What the team needs to do now is to focus on playing consistently and playing great team defense. As their opponents have upgraded, the Lakers need to play more inspired ball.


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Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade

I've followed Ball Don't Lie's series on the Top 10 players in the different positions in the NBA of the last decade and I was inspired to come up with my own list of the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade:

#1: Kobe Bryant - I guess there will be few arguments for this selection. Kobe was part of all the Lakers' 4 championships in the first decade of the 2000's and has won individual accolades as well. He scored 81 points in a game once and held the scoring title for a couple of years. His best season? Personally, I think it was the 2008-2009, when he led the Lakers to the championship.

#2: Shaquille O'Neal - The Big Aristotle was a monster even before the decade started but he won his lone MVP award as a Laker in 2000. He butted heads with almost everyone in the Lakers organization, but maintained his clown-like demeanor in public. But I still think Shaq's reached his peak wearing purple and gold, winning all the Finals MVP's in the Lakers' Dynasty run early in the decade.

#3: Derek Fisher - Derek Fisher's stats won't wow anyone, but he was the Lakers' locker room leader and silent #3 option in the Dynasty years.  Fish also provided some of the most clutch performances in the last decade. Who can forget the ".04" shot he made against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004 and the clutch three's he made against the Orlando Magic last year?

#4: Pau Gasol - Pau Gasol's career Laker is still young but he has been a great #2 option for the last couple of years. After getting slammed by the critics for his weak performance against the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Gasol toughened up and stood his ground against the towering Dwight Howard. Gasol's skill in the post and basketball IQ also supports his case as #4 in this list.

#5: Lamar Odom - Lamar Odom has made fans crazy with his inconsistency-- in one moment he's a versatile forward who can score, rebound, and facilitate the Triangle Offense with ease, in another, he's a lackadaisical player who disappears in the game. Whatever mode he's in, Odom is good for the top half of this list by his talent and solid numbers. Remember, he was one of the players who was traded for Shaquille O'Neal.

#6: Robert Horry - Like our #3 guy, "Big Shot Rob" gets in because of his intangibles. He lost a great deal of athleticism when the decade set it, so he relied on his wile and shooting to earn his place in the roster. Sacramento Kings fans will never forgive Horry for draining the 3 that sealed the Kings' fate in 2002.

#7: Andrew Bynum - Shaq's replacement? Hardly. But Andrew Bynum is still brimming with potential, despite his early injuries. He has shown flashes of becoming a dominant big man, but he's still enamored with scoring in the low blocks instead of patrolling the middle and letting the offense come to him. Thanks to his mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bynum is slowly getting more polished by the day as he is just about to turn 22.

#8: Rick Fox - Rick Fox may be plying his trade in Hollywood right now, but his role during his Lakers days was the team's resident enforcer. His best statline of the decade was during the 2000-2001where he averaged 9.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, but his tough play and defense were things that never showed in the scoreboard.

#9: Luke Walton - "Luuuuuuke" chants will always be a fan favorite but fans seems to have forgotten Walton was a solid #3 option when the Lakers' starting lineup consisted of Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Walton. If you ask me, if Luke Walton played in a different system, his lack of athleticism would make him an NBDL candidate. But thanks to his crafty passing and mastery of the Triangle, Walton's career is still going strong.

#10: Caron Butler - Butler only wore the Lakers jersey for only one season but he came up with above average stats that season (15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals). The only problem then was that the Lakers missed the playoffs and the Bryant-Butler combo was deemed a failure. Butler was shipped to Washington for Kwame Brown, who was in turn, traded to Memphis for Pau Gasol.

So that's my list, the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade. Did I miss anyone? Feel free to chime in.


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