Consider this a short preview with a bunch of other stuff thrown in.
Record: 17-18 (Pythagorean 17-18), 9th seed in the West
Record last 10 games: 3-7
Offensive Rating: 106.6 (15th in league)
Defensive Rating: 108.7 (20th in league)
The Lakers coming in: Hopefully the Lakers learned this lesson against Portland: They can’t look past anybody. Anybody. Play well and they can hang with or beat the second tier teams in the NBA (for example Cleveland). Don’t show up focused and they couldn’t beat my Sunday morning pickup crew. And we’re 30-something slow guys who met at a wine bar. They don’t have the talent to look past anyone.
At the end of the season Golden State may well be one of the teams the Lakers are fighting for a playoff spot with, so the Lakers had better show up ready to play. Besides, Gatinho paid for tickets to this game, and they don’t want to piss him off.
Trivia Question: The movie Glory Road came out this week, the story of Texas Western University being the first team to start five black players back in 1966, a group that went on to win the NCAA title. The team they beat in the championship game was traditional power Kentucky, a team that starred what future Laker great? (Answer at the end.)
One game I will see live this weekend: My Cal State Northridge Matadors crushing my wife’s Long Beach State 49ers.
Three things you should read:
1) From 82games.com: Some answers for Bill Simmons (and a chance to size up the Lakers in the clutch — they need to play better defense).
2) From True Hoop: Vlade Divac and George Clooney are working together. Seriously. Clooney is working with HBO to put together a behind the scenes look at a fictional NBA expansion franchise. But don’t think cheesy like “Playmakers†for two reasons: 1) HBO does good work; 2) George Clooney isn’t just someone on your wife/girlfriend’s “freebie list” — he directed the very good “Good Night and Good Luck.†This has potential.
3) From LA Observed: This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while.
About the Warriors: Jason Richardson and Barron Davis form one of the best offensive back courts in the league. They lead a team that plays at a fast pace — the fourth fastest in the league — and that leads to entertaining games. Richardson in particular has flourished with this style of play — he is averaging 22.9 points per 40 minutes and is shooting 49.7% (eFG%). Baron Davis is good and likely to remember how Smush Parker got under his skin back in those preseason in Hawaii games and could try to take the game over.
The downside is neither is a very good defender. That follows with most of the other people on the team. The only position the Warriors have defended well is the three — the Lakers should be able to score plenty tonight.
Key’s to a Laker win: Playing defense. Not getting into a track meet.
Trivia Answer: Pat Riley.
John R says
Um, I think that should read, “beat the second tier teams in the NBA when they are missing an important starter (for example Cleveland).”
chris henderson says
I pitched the UTEP story to Castle Rock/Ron Shelton, (sports themed direcor, Bull Durham, Tin Cup) back in ’97 after hearing the story on NPR, I liked my title better, “A Minor Victory”, (UTEP was called the “Miners”, an A&M school, Ag and Mining). I met Harry Flornoy here working in LA, a great guy, and I’m very happy they finally got their story told. (the problem at the time was that their, (the players), rights were sold (for life), years ago and they made a bad deal). Not a huge fan of Disney, but happy to see the scale of the promotion, this is a story that should be seen, like “Remeber the Titans”, a story that can make a difference in some kind way towards the health of society.
I heard a similar story, white vs black in the 60’s south, but was a high school championship, (I think Magic made it for ..like TBS/TNT?)…we’ve come far, but have far still to go.
Re; the Lakers, I do like the way the second unit is playing, now we have to find a way to bring Kobe back in and the team continues to play rather than stand around, watching him jack up threes, long rebounds, fast break for the other side.
I have liked seeing Lamar, Kwame and Chris do a little bit more slam dunking when they are down low, makes me want to think that this is something Phil is trying to drill into their minds, finish with Authorrity!! be aggressive!!
Gatinho says
That story is made more poignant by Adolph Rupp’s refusal to have any African Americans on his team…
Ny fear is that the Lakers are only thinking about Monday. Come on Lakers, don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.
john says
what a disgusting defensive effort.
geez, did they say something while i was out of the room, or did anyone even annouce that kwame had 18 and 12? give him some ups, or whatever the kids call it.
i don’t know why that papa dude was giving smush and kobe the same kind of dual billing as davis/richardson, talking as if the lakers had the 2nd most offensively powered backcourt in the league or somethin [heck, maybe they do, but it’s not like it’s an evenly spread-out ppg twosome]… if you’re going to give smush credit for lookin like jordan against that sorry D, heck, kwame could use that appreciation just as much, if not more.
kwame may be pretty boss at defending the post, but he really seems like a pretty piss poor help defender.
chris mihm– 3 fouls! again, against nothin in the middle, but still! i like the way he came out, not wildly swiping and smacking his ass into people on the way down.
early on in the game i was possessed by the ghost of chris henderson after an odom layup or two and all i could think for awhile was “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DUNK THE DANG BALL!!!!” his layups were so lassie-faire tonight i could tell this was going to be a stoned lamar outing.