Shaken up

Lakers have reason to be nervous about spunky T'wolves

The earthquake struck Southern California at about 11:30 p.m. Pacific time Thursday. Only this temblor didn’t show up on any Richter scale.

With their stunning overtime victory over the Lakers in Game 3, the Timberwolves have shifted the tectonic plates of these NBA Playoffs.

Forget those predictions of an easy first-round series for Shaq and Kobe. No longer are the Lakers a shoo-in to reach the second round, let alone the Finals. The three-time defending champs are in a fight.

It's way too early to start writing their obituary, of course. The Lakers are still the Lakers. They’ll make adjustments and no doubt come out with something to prove Sunday in Game 4.

But, make no mistake, the Lakers have ample reason to be nervous.

For the second straight game, Minnesota outplayed, outhustled and, for much of the night, dominated Los Angeles. In fact, the T’wolves not only overcame the Lakers and the loss of Kevin Garnett in OT -– they overcame a string of bad calls by the refs.

17 Points scored by Milwaukee's Sam Cassell in the third quarter of the Bucks' loss to the Nets. "We lose a playoff game because Kenyon Martin can get away with murder on pushing [Anthony Mason] underneath the damn basket." -- George Karl, head coach of the Bucks, following Milwaukee's loss to New Jersey. Anyone still think the T'wolves can't win a big game?

Minnesota simply has the look of a squad determined to shut up all of us who said it had no chance to take down the mighty Lakers.

Garnett is playing like an MVP. Troy Hudson is running wild on the pick-and-roll. Wally Szczerbiak and Marc Jackson and Anthony Peeler are hitting big shots.

Meanwhile, Shaq has been smothered for long stretches by the T’wolves' zone. Kobe, perhaps bothered by a sore shoulder, isn’t knocking down those 3-pointers. Robert Horry and Rick Fox can’t seem to make simple passes against Minnesota’s in-your-face pressure defense.

In what could be an omen for the Lakers, the T’wolves actually won Thursday despite the loss of Garnett just 12 seconds into OT. In one of a series of bad calls down the stretch that went against the visitors, Garnett got whistled for his sixth foul after Robert Horry flopped 25 feet from the basket. Without its Big Ticket, the T’wolves looked to be finished.

But Minnesota kept battling and somehow cobbled together the victory. Peeler shadowed Bryant like lint, while somehow finding the energy to grab key rebounds. Jackson battled Shaq to a draw in the lane, then sank three clutch foul shots. Gary Trent came off the bench to draw a big foul on Bryant that led to two additional free throws.

It was like that all night for the T’wolves, who routinely made the Lakers look, well, like the Clippers. Careless turnovers. Botched inbounds passes. Blown defensive assignments. All were on display by a Lakers team that looks kind of old and satisfied.

The Lakers need to repair those self-inflicted mistakes, as well as find a way to slow down Garnett. The Lakers don’t want to double-team him, for fear of leaving Minnesota’s outside shooters unguarded, but he’s abusing their single coverage. Garnett is playing like a man on a mission, and somehow he's gotten his team to go along for the ride.

All season, the Lakers have been acting like they were waiting for a challenge. Now they have one. Thursday night's rattle under their sneakers should be a reminder that dynasties can be toppled.

	AP Stud: Rodney Rogers, F, Nets Rogers came off the bench to tie his season high (18 points) and hit the game-winner with 2 seconds left on the clock.		AP Dud: Reggie Miller, G, Pacers Indiana's elder statesman was 0-for-7 from the floor as the Pacers were blown out by the Celtics. He finished with five points.

Tracy McGrady scored 46 points in Game 2, but he was knocked out of rhythm for a stretch by the defense of Pistons rookie Tayshaun Prince. T-Mac no doubt will be more prepared for Prince and his 7-foot-2 armspan Friday in Game 3. Who would have thought that the Spurs needed big games from Speedy Claxton and Danny Ferry to avoid being down 2-0 to the Suns in the first round? San Antonio better hope Tony Parker (3-of-20 in the series) regains his shooting touch soon. With his team’s season on the line, Blazers forward Rasheed Wallace (three rebounds, one assist in Game 2) needs to give his team a dominating all-around effort in Game 3. After all, he’s only getting paid $16 million this season.

 

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Marty Burns: Blazers let one slip away Horry fined for shoving a cameraman With Garnett on bench, T'wolves still beat Lakers in OT Previous Marty Burns Columns

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