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Doggin' it
Lakers have reason to worry after Game 2 rout
Posted: Thursday May 08, 2003 2:25 AM
Updated: Thursday May 08, 2003 2:25 AM
Phil Jackson had that look on his face.
Part discomfort. Part worry.
Like that look your dog gets after he eats your ham sandwich.
Or that any mammal gets when he knows the jig is up and something unpleasant is about to occur.
Jackson got the look midway through the second quarter of Wednesday night’s Game 2 massacre in San Antonio. Bruce Bowen had just hit yet another 3-pointer to throw gasoline on a Spurs inferno, and it was clear that the Lakers were in big trouble. Not just in this game, but in this series.
When the Lakers keep leaving a guy like Bowen -- the league’s leading 3-point shooter during the season -- wide open beyond the arc, something’s wrong. When they stand back and let Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Stephen Jackson waltz down the lane for layups, it’s more than just a bad night. When their famed triangle offense gets twisted into a pretzel, it’s a serious problem.
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.487
Shooting percentage allowed by the Lakers in their four postseason losses this year; L.A. is holding teams to .440 shooting in its four wins. |
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"Why would he start? He's 40 years old, isn't he? Or 37 years old."
-- Phil Jackson to the L.A. Times on Brian Shaw, who did end up starting Game 2 for the Lakers |
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Are the Lakers going to play any defense in this series? |
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How bad was it? Tim Duncan had just 12 points. And still the Spurs won in a rout.
It’s too early to say the Lakers are finished, of course. They’ve still got Shaq and Kobe. They’re still the three-time defending champs.
Two weeks ago, they were down 2-1 to the T’wolves. The Lakers didn’t panic. They just reeled off three straight wins.
But the Spurs aren’t the T’wolves.
The Spurs are a really good team. A 60-win team. And a team that is brimming with confidence. Shaq can only do so much himself. Kobe is trying to help, but Bowen is making him work hard for everything. Robert Horry and Brian Shaw look old and tired.
When it comes to their role players, the Lakers were thin before the playoffs started. Losing Rick Fox and Devean George has left them with a CBA bench.
During the second quarter of Game 2, the Lakers had Slava Medvedenko, Kareem Rush and Jannero Pargo on the floor at the same time. Soon after, Jackson came off a curl, took a pass and cruised right through the lane for a layup. The L.A. players all looked at each other.
It was a rare sight to see the Lakers so confused, but then again those weren’t the Lakers. At least not the defending champion Lakers.
Jackson believes the refs are to blame for his team’s woes. O’Neal has been in early foul trouble both games, taking him out of his rhythm. Bryant has had to deal with Bowen and others getting up in his jersey and putting their hands on him.
It’s possible the refs are subconciously holding Shaq and L.A. to a higher standard these days. Given the bad publicity surrounding last year’s Game 6 against the Kings, and then this year’s Game 3 against the T’wolves, it would be understandable. The refs are under a microscope and they don’t want to be seen as favoring any team.
But the Lakers aren’t down 2-0 in this series because of the officiating. They’re down because nobody on L.A.’s roster has been able to step up and help Shaq and Kobe. Somebody better do it soon, or L.A.’s dynasty will be a four-gone conclusion.
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Look for the Mavs to make a concerted effort to get Dirk Nowitzki more shot attempts early in Game 2 on Thursday. He had just three field-goal attempts in the first quarter of Game 1 as the Kings sprinted out to their big lead.
If the Sixers hope to even their series with the Pistons, their frontcourt needs to do more than just score more in Game 2. Keith Van Horn says they also need to do a better job defending the pick-and-roll and cutting off Detroit’s guard penetration.
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Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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