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Freaks of nature Lakers' demise about as real as the Easter Bunny
Happy Easter? Not for all those little chocolate bunnies that lost their heads Sunday. Not for the Timberwolves, who are still searching for their defense like kids after stashed eggs. And certainly not for those who still think Lakers coach Phil Jackson is more ham than meat-and-potatoes. Sure, it was just one game. But L.A.’s impressive rout over the T’wolves in Game 1 on Sunday had to leave fans in Sacramento, San Antonio and anywhere else they dream of an NBA title with a holiday hangover of biblical proportions.
Under Jackson, the Lakers have won 16 of their past 18 playoff games away from Staples Center. Yes, that’s right. Sixteen of 18. Sorry, Red Auerbach, but we don’t care if you’ve got Shaq, Kobe AND the U.S. Army’s third infantry. Sixteen of 18 on the road in the playoffs isn’t a streak. It’s a freak of nature. The Lakers just don’t get fazed by loud crowds, fired-up opponents or homer calls. Indeed, they seem to thrive on them. Like Jackson’s old Bulls teams, the Lakers so often come out in a big road game and put on a clinic. Heck, last year they even won a Game 7 in Sacramento. On Sunday they added another chapter to their NBA version of Road Warrior. Playing in the Target Center, where the T’wolves had a 33-8 record, the Lakers made themselves right at home. They blistered the nets for 61.4 percent shooting in the first half (including 7 of 11 from 3-point range) while committing just two turnovers en route to a 66-52 halftime lead. So what does the Zen Master have to do with it? Clearly, the Lakers were prepared. Despite a surprise opponent (L.A. expected to face Dallas or Sacramento) and the distractions surrounding Shaq’s personal life, Jackson and his staff scripted a winning game plan. From the opening tip, L.A. ran its triangle offense to near perfection against the packed-in Minnesota defense. On defense, they made a concerted effort to deny Troy Hudson’s penetration, thereby limiting his kick-outs and open 3-point looks for Minnesota's shooters. As usual, the Lakers also were loose. Derek Fisher and Rick Fox were given the freedom to launch from the start, which they did, helping L.A. take the crowd out of the game. Jackson kept Mark Madsen in the starting lineup instead of going to veteran Robert Horry. He even let Madsen guard Kevin Garnett without help at the start. Jackson knows his team and how to push its buttons. Even during a furious Minny mini-run in the third, when the Lakers got bored and lazy with some passes and the T’wolves cut the lead to four, he sat passively on the bench, refusing to call timeout. Eventually, L.A.’s players worked it out on their own and were back up 14 by the break. It was supposed to be the big storyline for the Lakers this postseason. Could they win it without home-court advantage? There’s still a long way to go, but anybody who doubts the Lakers now probably also believes in the Easter Bunny.
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"When I'm feeling good and my jumper is falling, he's pretty much at my mercy."
