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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Should the Lakers Make a Trade Now?

The situation: The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling against elite teams in the NBA. This season, they have a couple of 3-game losing streaks, and are getting beat by athletic teams. The team's defense is as inconsistent as Ron Artest's shooting.

Therefore, the Laker should make a deal.

Mitch Kupchak is open to it. Lakers legend Magic Johnson embraces the idea. But should they do it?

The way I see it, the Lakers are playing like the 2002-2003 team. This was the team that was coming off a three-peat and virtually sleepwalked though the regular season. The result? The team barely made 50 wins in the regular season and got their asses handed to them by eventual champion San Antonio Spurs. The 2010-2011 Lakers are demonstrating a similar pattern.

The Lakers did not make a trade during that awful season and logic tells us that if the Lakers are following a similar trajectory this season, then not making a trade will lead to a similar conclusion: a playoff exit.

Even if a deal is the solution to the team's ills, who is the one to go?

The most attractive assets right now are Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. But I don't think the Lakers front office would be willing to trade key parts to the Lakers' championship machine.

If a deal is to be made, it would be one involving Shannon Brown, Steve Blake, or Luke Walton. As far as market value is concerned, Shannon Brown is the highest among the three. It also helps that Shannon Brown has his contract expiring after this season.

If the Lakers were to make a trade before the deadline, I suggest going for an athletic wing defender who can cover guards and small forwards.


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NBA Doesn't Let Shannon Dunk

Last year, there was much hoopla surrounding the anticipation whether Shannon Brown would be joining the NBA Dunk Contest. It made perfect sense: Brown was a high flyer that electrified crowds with his forays to the basket. He also was seen as a player who had yet to get a break, until he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. Pairing that with the league's desire to add up and coming players, it was a matter of Brown getting an invite.

It also helped that the fans were abuzz about it. There was a pretty good viral campaign with the Let Shannon Dunk website getting traction among the Laker fans.

However, with the poor performance of Shannon Brown in the 2010 NBA Dunk Contest (he finished third out of a lot of four) a lot of people (and I guess the NBA) were disappointed. The result? No Shannon Brown in the dunk contest.

If you ask me, that's perfectly fine-- I don't think anyone can beat Human Dunk Machine Blake Griffin in this year's dunk contest.


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L.A. Lakers First Quarter Report

After a quarter of the 2010-2011 season gone, how's the Los Angeles Lakers' chase for its historic three-peat?

If you ask me, it's not looking good.

A quarter into the season, the Lakers showed that its dream season will not go without the bumps and kinks.Yes, they are one of the top teams in the NBA in terms of offense, but over-all, their play is far from championship caliber.

But let's look at the bright spots first:

• The Killer B's - The Lakers have found a good consistent bench rotation in the Killer B's (Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, and Shannon Brown). Brown has been the offensive sparkplug off the bench, thanks to his much improved outside shooting. Barnes and Blake have done what is expected of them-- play good defense, make outside shots, and don't do too many mistakes. This group makes people forget about the Bench Mob of the past.
• Kobe's Minutes - Did you know that Kobe Bryant is playing five minutes less this season per game compared to the previous season? As of now, Kobe is playing 33.4 minutes per game, his lowest since the 1997-1998 season. Coach Phil Jackson knows that at age 32, Kobe Bryant needs close monitoring of minutes played. And it seems to have worked in the past: 32 is the age when Michael Jordan's minutes of the Chicago Bulls were reduced by Jackson.
• Lamar Odom - His tour of duty for the USA team at the World Championships may have improved Odom's offensive efficiency. Odom's scoring average is up by 50 percent and he is shooting less three balls for the season. Odom has emerged as a reliable third option for the Lakers for sure.
• Pau Gasol -  Not to take away anything from Kobe Bryant, but Pau Gasol has been the Lakers' MVP so far. In the absence of Andrew Bynum, Gasol has held the fort in the paint for the Lake Show, upping his rebounds and blocks numbers. There was a stretch at the start of the season where Gasol was a constant 20-10-5 threat. It's surprise that the Lakers went on an eight-game winning streak then.

Now for the bad:

• Big Man Woes - Outside of Gasol and Odom, the Lakers are thin in the middle. Andrew Bynum is still out, with Theo Ratliff joining him in sick bay. Derrick Caracter has been doing his best Ronny Turiaf impersonation as an undersized big, with no results.
• Team Defense - No doubt that the Lakers can out-shoot their opponents, but the team has shown little interest in the defensive end on a regular basis. The team did a pretty decent job in the first couple of weeks into the season, but struggled as of late.
• The Four Game Losing Streak- A first since the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, the Lakers went from a unstoppable juggernaut to middle-of-the-pack contender during this swing. Yes, there were pretty bad breaks, but the team lost games it should have dominated over weaker opponents.
• Ron Artest - Can someone look for Artest's shrink? Ron-Ron has been an offensive disaster this season, with his shooting taking a huge dip. 36 percent shooting from the field and seven points for a starter are unacceptable numbers.
• Weak Schedule - Interesting thing about the Lakers's past 24 games: You will not find the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks, the Orlando Magic, the Boston Celtics, and the Miami Heat. If you ask me, the 17-7 record is a little inflated.

It's still early and the Lakers have shown they are capable of making a complete 180 when it matters. What I don't want to see is this becoming a trend going to the All-Star break.



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The Killer B's

Phil Jackson collectively called Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, and Shannon Brown as the "The Renegades" of the Los Angeles Lakers because of their gritty play off the bench.


But one nickname that has caught the Lakers faithful's fancy is "Killer B's." (Get it? Barnes, Blake, and Brown, all starting with B).


In the last three games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and the Chicago Bulls, the Killer B's averaged almost 36 points per game and a handful of them were made in the clutch. The trio can be considered as the Lakers' out as they have made a total of 23 three point baskets in the same period.

Most notable of the three is Shannon Brown, who has been huge in the game against the Bulls. He scored 18 point in the first half, just enough to keep the pressure off starters Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. It's also no coincidence that the Lakers have been winning in the games that the bench played very well.

The nickname "Killer B's" is great because of the dagger three's the trio have been making, as well as the same gritty play. I hope the nickname sticks.


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Shannon Brown Keys Lakers Win Over Bucks

Two losses should be enough of a streak for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After losing games to Western Conference rivals Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, the Lakers made sure that they get out of Milwaukee winners. Shannon Brown had a hot fourth quarter and cemented his reputation as an improved three point shooter. He keyed the Lakers' 118-107 win over the Bucks.

How hot was Shannon Brown? He hit four three balls and scored 16 of his 21 points off the bench. His hot shooting helped stop a Bucks rally in the fourth quarter and kept the Bucks defense honest. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 31 points, but it was Brown that sealed the deal.

It's been said that Brown wanted to be a contender for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award. His performance as of late has been encouraging, but no Laker has ever won the Sixth Man of the Year award since its inception in the 1982-1983 season.


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Lakers Look Good in Stomping Grizzlies

There were a lot of positives in the Los Angeles Lakers' dominating 124-105 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

• First is another strong game from Pau Gasol. The reigning NBA Western Conference Player of the Week continued his string of 20-10-5, with 21 points, 13 boards, and 5 dimes. This performance came against his brother Marc in a tough battle in the paint.
• The next good point is Lamar Odom's all-around game. Although he missed another double-double, Odom was solid with 17 points, 8 rebounds, as well as 6 assists. For the game, Odom led the Lakers in minutes played.
• Speaking of minutes, Kobe Bryant was well-rested, needing only 25 minutes.Kobe was monster in the first half, scoring more than 20 points. If the game was a close game, we would have seen Kobe scoring at least 40 for the first time this season.
• And finally, the bench play was great. The 3-B's (Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown, and Steve Blake) combined for 39 points, and 5-8 from the three-point line. Also worth noting is that Barnes led the game in rebounds with 14.

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Lakers Bench Mob All But Gone

The scrappy and energetic Bench Mob of the Los Angeles Lakers is all but gone.

A couple seasons ago, when the Lakers starters took a rest near the end of quarters, a young group of subs took the court. Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Josh Powell, and DJ Mbenga were all counted on to spell the starters and provide a spark of energy on the offense. The bench never lacked the drive but often was too eager for its own good.

For every high-flying Shannon Brown Dunk or Jordan Farmar fast break lay-up or Sasha Vujacic three-ball, there were ill-advised shots, turnovers, and poor shooting. Fans cheered and groaned at the inconsistency of the Lakers bench.

But in the upcoming season, the Lakers bench is no longer the Bench Mob. Of the players in the group, only Vujacic and Walton are under contract. And Luke Walton will likely be playing very limited minutes because of a sever back injury. Brown is still under contract negotiations, and the rest are going to play elsewhere.

The new bench now features veterans Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff, plus in all likelihood, rookies Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter. The rookies might get limited tick, but the veterans will take a lion's share of the back-up minutes.

This new crew will not be as energetic as the previous bench teams, but will be tougher on the defensive end and hungry to win a championship of their own. We'll see less of the bonehead plays, but we probably will also see less of the hustle and speedy basketball.

So my hats off to the Lakers' Bench Mob. You had your moments in the regular season and playoffs, excited fans during garbage time, and provided a lot of off-court humor.



Photo: Jordan Farmar (1) splits the defense of Boston's Paul Pierce and Michael Finley (40) for a layup during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times


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Four Keys to a Lakers Win in Game 4

The Los Angeles Lakers are up 2-1 against the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals and at this point, nobody is sure how that lead will hold up after Game 4. Both teams have had their hot and cold moments, plus the officiating has been spotty.

If the Lakers are to take a commanding 3-1 series lead, here are four keys that I think are important factors to help them claim Game 4:

• Lamar Odom - Derek Fisher was big in Game 3, but it was the steady play of Lamar Odom that silently buoyed the team in key moments. Prior to that game, Odom was plagued by foul trouble and had limited minutes. If he can stay in the game, Odom will be able to crash the boards and
• Interior defense - Kevin Garnett scoring 25 in Game 3? That was unthinkable at the start of the series, but Pau Gasol struggled to limit Garnett offensively. Rajon Rondo also made a handful of slashes in the lane without much trouble. This puts the onus on the Lakers bigs to put up a tough "D" like the Game 2 loss.
• Bench play - With the exception of the third game, the Lakers bench play resulted in a negative +/- stat. Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Sasha Vujacic need to produce better whenever they are on the floor, especially with how the fouls are being called in the series. In the second game, Kobe Bryant was hampered with three fouls early and that meant extended minutes for the bench.
• Shot selection - Here's one trend you'll rarely see mentioned: The team that shot better from the field in the first three games won the game. This means that offensive execution and shot selection is vital in the series. Both the Lakers and the Celtics are capable of playing lockdown defense and each must solve the defensive problems presented by their opponent.

No one is sure what type of Game 4 will be, but the Lakers can win it if they will address the factors I've mentioned.


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Lakers Show Toughness in the NBA Finals Game 1

The Los Angeles Lakers are making us forget that they were deemed "soft" two years ago.

From the take-down action between Ron Artest and Boston's Paul Pierce to Pau Gasol's dominance in the low blocks, the Lakers set the physical tone throughout their victory in Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Finals. The Lakers out-rebounded, out-hustled, and out-played their historic rivals in a game that showed how evolved the team has become.

Apologies to Kobe Bryant, but the MVP of Game 1 for me is Pau Gasol. Gasol scored 23 points on 57% shooting, but his game-high 14 rebounds and 3 blocks were more noteworthy. Moreover, his eight offensive rebounds matched that of the Celtics' offensive rebounds as a team. This clearly mirrors the Lakers' intensity in Game 1.

Another huge boost for the Lakers was their bench play. Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown made key plays when foul trouble plagued the starters. Sasha Vujacic was able to help the Lakers maintain the lead by not making a huge bonehead play. A huge game from Lamar Odom was not needed as Andrew Bynum was not in foul trouble the whole game (surprise!)

Game 1's are critical as the team that wins the first game of the Finals usually would go on to win the title. But for now, I'm not yet ready to proclaim the Lakers as the next champs. The Lakers have to defend their home court and beat the Celtics in their home floor for me to really feel better.


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Should Kobe Bryant Return Now?

Let's make this clear: As good as the Los Angeles Lakers have been in the last five games, Derek Fisher is no Kobe Bryant.

Down by a point with two ticks left, the Lakers had a chance to steal a game from the hated Boston Celtics, but the Lakers missed the clutch presence of Kobe Bryant. Derek Fisher took the last shot that had little because of the tight D the Celts had in place in the final seconds. That shot virtually had no chance of going in.

But let's try to look at the big picture: In the last five games without Kobe Bryant, the Lakers had been pretty OK. As expected, Pau Gasol has been the primary option for most part of that stretch, but we're also seeing Lamar Odom step up and be more aggressive.

But the bigger revelation has been Shannon Brown. He has almost doubled his scoring output (from 8 to 15 points in the last five games), rebounds, (2 to 4), and assists (1.5 to 3). His big game was the win over the Golden State Warriors where he exploded for a career-high 27 points and 10 boards. If you ask me, he seems determined to put the All-Star game brouhaha behind him.

So, should Kobe Bryant return? I say no. Give him time to rest and unleash him to hapless opponents in the Playoffs.


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Lakers Grades at the 2010 All-Star Weekend

The Los Angeles Lakers has been very active in participating in the NBA All-Star Weekend and the team members have performed pretty well in past All-Star Games (Kobe Bryant won the All-Star MVP three times and Shaquille O'Neal won MVP two times as a Laker in the past decade). How did the Lakers fare this year?
Here are my grades to the Lakers who had something to do with the 2010 events:

• Kobe Bryant (INC.) - He skipped the most-attended basketball game in Dallas due to a nagging ankle injury. It's a good call for the franchise but a big hit in Kobe's All-Star Weekend resume. 
• Pau Gasol - (B+) - He was brilliant with Brent Barry and Marie Ferdinand-Harris on the NBA Shooting Stars competition (They finished second), but Pau was a "meh" in the All-Star Game. The game is the third All-Star Game for his career, but he only managed to score 13 points and grab 6 boards in a no-defense game.
• Shannon Brown (F) - Don't get me wrong. Shannon Brown is an accomplished in-game dunker, but failed to elevate his status as a dunk artist in the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The hype leading into the competition really got Lakers fans riled up, but the contest was HUGE letdown. Maybe next year Shannon.

Now that the All-Star Weekend is done, maybe it's time to focus on trading for that point guard eh?


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Shannon Brown's Top 10 Dunks

The folks at NBA.com prepared this nice top ten highlights of Shannon Brown's best dunks in his career:



Shannon is competing in the 2010 Sprite Slam Dunk contest against defending champ Nate Robinson, Gerald Wallace, and either Eric Gordon or DeMar DeRozan. Here's the official interview video:



Knowing Shannon's power dunk style, what kind of jams will he be busting out? Let's see this weekend.


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Mid-Season Look at the Lakers

Midway through the 2009-2010 season, the Los Angeles Lakers' title defense doesn't look all formidable.

The Lakers may be the #1 team in the Western conference and the league for a great portion of the season's first half, but for some reason, questions about the Lakers' toughness and hunger to win a back-to-back championship have been raised as of late.

But let's first look at what went right:

• The Lakers were almost unbeatable at home - The Lakers own the best home record in the league and it seems they are in their element in L.A.
  
• Kobe Bryant stepped up - When Pau Gasol was out early in the season, Kobe adjusted his game to be more dominant and willed the Lakers to wins. When Pau came back, Kobe toned down on the scoring and integrated Gasol into the Triangle. Kobe even saved the Lakers with his buzzer-beaters on multiple occasions. Kobe is my first half MVP.
• Andrew Bynum was healthy - Andrew Bynum may not be All-Star material yet but he did keep himself on the floor to be a defensive and occasional offensive presence in the game. After Kobe and Gasol, Bynum is the third most important player in the Lakers' roster because he's a match-up nightmare for 95% of teams in the NBA. His averages of nearly 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks indicate his continued development

Now, for the things that went wrong:

• Injuries took its toll as the season wore on - The Lakers' lineup was not decimated by injuries like Portland, but over-all roster health was a major concern for the first time in years: Kobe Bryant broke a finger in his shooting hand, Luke Walton was out with a bad back, Pau Gasol took time off early in the season because of hamstring injuries, and Ron Artest injured himself falling down the stairs.
  
• Level of play was down - Compared to standard set by the team last year, the Lakers' over-all play is down in the first half of the season. Offensive numbers suggest that the Lakers are scoring and execution have declined. Defensive stats like opponents' FG% and scoring, as well as team blocks and steals, are down. Could this be the effect of complacency?
  
• Bench play was ugly - Save for Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown, the Lakers bench in the first half was virtually non-existent. Teams beat the Lakers by making them a one-dimensional, top-heavy unit that failed to capitalize when the starters took a breather. The total bench only comprised 1/3 of the team's offensive output.
  
• Ron-Ron struggled - When Ron Artest was acquired, everyone was expecting a tough defender who will contain the likes of LeBron James. In the Lakers' games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, James averaged almost 32 points.
  

From my assessment, the Lakers are showing signs of what I'd like to call "The Boston Celtics Effect"-- where a championship team wins the ring one season and dials down in the next. The talent is there but the hunger seems to have declined. This is very dangerous considering the Cavs, Magic, Celtics, and Nuggets are more than happy to take advantage of the Lakers' missteps and steal the crown.


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The NBA Lets Shannon Dunk!

It's official! Shannon Brown will be in the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest!

Browm, the Lakers' high-flying combo guard, will be facing two-time champ Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks, Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats, and either DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Eric Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers.

After launching a massive social media campaign and a website (www.letshannondunk.com), Shannon Brown has gotten the attention of the league officials and will be competing for the first time since joining the league in 2006. But given how Shannon has been known in the league as a flyer, I'm surprised he only got an invite this season. The last time a Laker participated in the contest, a kid named Kobe Bryant wowed the judges to win the competition in 1997.

For my part, I launched an online petition for fans to support Shannon's cause to be in the dunk contest. As of this writing there are 1037 digital signatures in the campaign. I'd like to believe that this little online petition made a little dent in the efforts to put him in the dunk contest. :D

The 2010 NBA Slam Dunk contest will no longer be a footnote for Laker fans as we'll be seeing Shannon Brown throwing it down.


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Clippers Shock Lakers

Ugh!

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to their Staples Center co-tenants Los Angeles Clippers and it was an eyesore of a game. (Kinda like watching Gilbert Arenas make gun jokes).

Normally, I'd point out that Kobe Bryant did his job by scoring 33 points and dishing out 8 assists. But for this game, absolutely not. Kobe shot a dismal 33% from the field and and his 30 shot attempts represent 33% of the team's total shot attempts for the game. Apart from Andrew Bynum's double-double and Shannon Brown's 15 points off the bench, there's really nothing good about this game. Well, except for the Clippers.

The oft-maligned Clippers crushed the Lakers rallies by defending the paint and playing better team basketball. It also helped that potential All-Star Chris Kaman went nuts with 21 points and 14 rebounds. (I'm seriously reconsidering him in my 2010 All-Star team forecast)

The Lakers losing to the Clippers may represent a minor blip, but the team is entering a brutal week, with the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs waiting in their respective home cities.


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Shannon Brown Should be in the Dunk Contest

I'm officially starting the Big Lakers Fan campaign to include Los Angeles Lakers guard Shannon Brown in the Slam Dunk Contest in Dallas in 2010.

Shannon Brown has found his place in the Lakers' rotation thus he has seen more regular minutes. That also means that we're seeing more of his high-wire act on the floor. Here are some of his best so far:







I seriously think Shannon Brown is the ideal Slam Dunk contest participant because of his stature. At 6 feet, 4 inches, people will be able to appreciate more how he rises for the jam. (Unlike Dwight Howard). Brown has also shown he can throw it down with reckless abandon. (Unlike Nate Robinson).

If you also want to see Shannon Brown in the 2010 Slam Dunk Contest, then sign the online petition at http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/shannonbrowndunk/

The world should see Shannon Brown throw it down at the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.


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So Much for 82-0

So much for going 82-0.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Dallas Mavericks at home, 94-80, no thanks to a stagnant third quarter and a weak performance from the starters.

In the last game against the Clippers, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum combined for 59 points. But in the Mavs game, the duo came up with only 34. This slip-off in the offense also affected the rest of the starters (Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher) shot 8 for 26 (30%). Artest was the worst offender as he only made one field goal for the game. If you're a starter for any team, that totally unacceptable.

Apart from the offensive failures, the Lakers' defense was bad. The team committed 29 fouls and did not protect the perimeter and low blocks effectively, as evidenced by the paltry blocks and steals of the team. The only saving grace was this beauty of  a putback from Shannon Brown:



Perhaps the Lakers were still high from their ring ceremonies that a better opponent than the Clippers brought them back to earth? The Lakers should definitely step-up against the rising Atlanta Hawks in the next game.


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Shannon Brown Dunks on Mikki Moore

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Shannon Brown throwing it down.



I hope people will give Shannon Brown a little more respect after the shirt contest for "Throwing it Down like Shannon Brown" drew ZERO entries. :P

You still have a chance to win that shirt, along with the "Big Bad Bynum" one for this week's PurplenGoldLA T-Shirt contest. Join now and you could be wearing purple and gold. :D


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Team Play Lifts Lakers in Game Five

With the 103-94 win over the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers reminded us that they can play five-on-five basketball.

In the previous four games, it was the Kobe Bryant Show instead of the Lake Show-- Bryant dominated the offense and the results have been two close wins and a blow-out loss in Game Four. But for the pivotal fifth game, Kobe became the decoy at offense and his team mates responded early on.

In the first quarter, Trevor Ariza, Andrew Bynum, and Derek Fisher made most of the Lakers' baskets. In the second, it was the inside attack of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum that kept the Lakers afloat. During that time, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol were facilitating the offense, but Denver kept close. The scores after the first and second quarters were all tied.

After the halftime break, the Nuggets were the first ones to show signs of distancing themselves from the opponent: the led by seven points by the middle of the third. But that was the time the Lakers started a run that the Nuggets wouldn't recover from. Starting with Pau Gasol's dunk, the Lakers outscored the Nuggets 23-5 until the 7:52 mark in the fourth. The 7-point deficit became an 11-point lead thanks to that run. Reserve Shannon Brown made six baskets in that stretch, including a dunk over Chris "Birdman" Andersen and an improbable fade-away jumper as the shot clock expired.

Many experts will point to that run as a turning point for the game. The Lakers played great team defense and executed the offense sharply (the Lakers only made two turnovers and had eight assists in that 11 minute stretch). The Nuggets were able to cut it to four with three minutes left, but two consecutive three-point plays sealed the Nuggets' fate.

The Lakers pounded the ball inside, played excellent team offense, and held the Nuggets down when it mattered. Let's see if they can sustain the effort in Game Six and earn a ticket to the 2009 NBA Finals.


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