It’s always interesting sifting through the barrage of status updates on Facebook following tough losses by the Lakers, especially at home. The loyal fans, bandwagon fans and haters alike, all post messages that seriously entertain. You’ll see things such as:
The outright infuriated…
“I’m seriously going to break JJ Barea’s legs.”
The anti-loyal…
“I want 2 hours of my life back.”
The mockery of haters…
“LOLAKERSSSS.”
My status update?…
“If Wade did it to the Mavs in ’06, gotta BELIEVE KB24 can do it in 2011. 0-2. Let’s see what we’re made of.”
In case anyone missed the memo, this is the playoffs. The Lakers are two-time defending champions going for a three-peat and an unprecedented fourth NBA Finals appearance in a row. By the way, that’s only been done by two teams – the Lakers and those dudes from that city where the Red Sox play.
Steve Kerr even mentioned during the broadcast that getting to the Finals four years in a row is just something that isn’t supposed to happen. We’ve all been richly spoiled these last few seasons with superb postseason success that we often forget, there are fans in San Antonio still coping with an artery-buster of an exit in the first round at the hands of an eighth seed after regular season dominance.
And don’t forget, that was the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. Do you remember what happened to them in 2006?
Allow me to reboot your memory.
NEXT: 0-2. So What?
[phpbay]Los Angeles Lakers, 3, “”, “”[/phpbay]
As much as I despise ever comparing Kobe to any other player in the league because he is bar none, still the deadliest and baddest baller on the planet, the reference here is uncomfortably appropriate.
Am I foolishly insinuating that the Lakers will somehow reel off four wins in a row to take the series 4-2? Not at all. Is a Game 3 win even anywhere near a guarantee? Not quite.
What I’m saying is, we all need to take a deep breath, bring our heart rates down and take things game by game, quarter by quarter, possession by possession. As twisted as this may sound, I asked for this. I pretty much enjoy this. It’s not easy for me to completely convey this idea, but the last two titles, even the epic win against Boston, you kind of had the feeling that no matter what, the Lakers were going to win those championships. There’s no question that we were all cheering for the best team in the league and in the NBA, the best team always prevails.
As unbelievably gratifying and euphoric it was to witness the last two title runs, it almost felt like…destiny. Yes, I clearly recall the anxiety and heart palpitations of Game 7 against the Celtics, but you just knew that somehow, someway, we were going to pull it out.
If a three-peat was as simple as microwaving Easy Mac, every team would do it. It’s supposed to be this hard, this gut-wrenching. But take solace Laker fans, the light is still shining. We’re down 0-2, not 0-3.
Dwyane Wade was able to inspire the 2006 Miami Heat squad and propel them to a furious series comeback against the Dirk-led Mavericks. Is there anyone out there who would truly put their paycheck on the line and say that the Black Mamba can’t lead the defending champs down the same road?
If you say so, straight up, you’re wrong.
Even 0-3 is not out of the question. Granted, the NHL is about as far of a cry from the NBA as you can get in terms of the mechanics of the two sports, but it was just last year that the Philadelphia Flyers orchestrated a historic comeback from three games down against the Boston Bruins, even overcoming sudden-death overtime in Game 4, ultimately taking the series in seven. For those who aren’t all too familiar, the Flyers made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and the NHL Playoffs are no joke.
As Kobe said last night in his post-game press conference, “If you want to make history, you have to do historic things.”
NEXT: Game Plan
[phpbay]Los Angeles Lakers, 3, “”, “”[/phpbay]
As is the constant whenever the Lakers appear “unmotivated” and “flat,” defense is the culprit. The thing about defense though is, when you have a team as experienced and talented as we do, most errors can be easily identified and corrected. Ron Artest’s suspension for Game 3 is no excuse. It is what it is, we’ve got to deal with it. You don’t win playoff series without your role players taking it to another level. It’s time for Matt Barnes to carve his niche into Laker lore.
It’s rudely apparent by now that Dirk Nowitzki is basically unstoppable, as evidenced by the ridiculous turnaround fade-away jumper that turned into a three-point play towards the end of Game 2. However, I’d be hard-pressed to believe that his teammates fall right in line with that assessment. Dirk can score 50 points, I don’t care, but the Lakers absolutely have to contain all of the action and execution that works off of him. When you play a team as good as the Mavs, you’ve got to pick your poison.
As much as it pains me to admit this, Charles Barkley made a great point on Inside the NBA following the game in saying how the high pick-and-roll with Dirk and J.J. Barea may have looked like the diminutive guard was the star of the show, but it was mostly because no gold jersey was willing to leave the body of Nowitzki. I’d much rather see Dirk take a tough shot than watch Barea glide to the rim uncontested.
While it’s often irrevocably frustrating to watch the Lakers play defense that is leaps and bounds below the level to which they are capable of playing, we do also know that “it” is there. The attention to detail, grind-it-out championship moxie is there. We saw it last year in Game 3 in Boston and Game 7 here in L.A. For the first time since the ’08 Finals, I feel as though we are truly being challenged.
I’m an idealist fan, but not in the straight-forward sense. I want it to be this hard. You remember these moments the most. Think back for a second to 2002 when the Lakers were staring at a 24-point figurative grave in Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference Finals. Yes, the Robert Horry game. Had it not been for that epic comeback and Big Shot Rob’s heroics, the Lake Show would have been left with a 3-1 series deficit and who knows how that would have turned out.
For those who watched that series, you’ll always remember it. Will you always remember any of the series against he Jazz in the last three years? Even the one against the Rockets that went seven (but not really)?
All I can hope for is that all Laker fans maintain steadfast loyalty, remain positive and…enjoy the hell out of this. THIS IS WHAT THE PLAYOFFS ARE ALL ABOUT! It’s supposed to be this hard. Championships are not handed to anyone, they are won fighting through adversity with unrelenting resolve and poise. Our captains will lead the way.
For all those losing their minds, take comfort in Kobe’s words,
“Everyone’s trippin. We just need to win one game. Win one, move onto the next one and win that game. Simple as that.”
Game 3, Friday.
Simple as that.
[phpbay]Los Angeles Lakers, 3, “”, “”[/phpbay]