This is the time of year where I feel true colors begin to get exposed. Some teams melt down, and some teams rise up like the Lakers have been doing since the All-Star Break. They have now won seven in a row against some quality opponents, none more so that the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were riding their own franchise-record streak of 22 consecutive home wins and last night, it was their streak that failed.
The first Lakers possession started with a missed shot, but was kept alive by Andrew Bynum who subsequently got the rebound and dunked it. It was a positive way to begin a tough road game and a harbinger of domination yet to come, as well. Bynum was extremely active on both ends of the court; he blocked shots, pursued errant boards, and did a particularly good job of collecting offensive boards and keeping his teammates involved.
While he only finished with 4 points, they were both dunks. More important was his game-leading 17 rebounds, 8 of which came in the first quarter! Jeff Van Gundy said it well during the ABC broadcast: “Andrew Bynum is dominating the game with his length, strength, defensive awareness and protection of the basket.”
Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom were very active in the front court as well. It soon became clear that the Spurs couldn’t match their size or their skill, which is always a huge advantage for L.A. In general, the activity level and focus of the whole team was off the charts. Every single player was engaged from the moment they stepped on the court.
Next: Prepare for total domination
While the proverbial switch may or may not exist, it is shockingly apparent when it is in the “on” position. Granted, the Lakers have lost some games that they played well in because that is life. I think it is clear, though, to even casual observers and especially to Lakers fans when their team is fully engaged.
The stat boxes tend to fill up, but it is the little things that get done, the extra-effort plays like altering shots with defense and getting the second opportunity on offense that showcase the difference between apathy and commitment.
Things were going so well for the Lakers that I smiled after almost every shot without thinking. It happened most often when Kobe or Shannon or Ron or whoever would hit a shot from downtown. As well as they played inside the paint, the jumpers were falling at a high rate too. It makes me genuinely happy to see the team do well, and it makes a nice change from yelling at the tv in aggravation!
Of course, what would a Lakers game be without a jaw dropping dunk courtesy of Shannon Brown? It came early on and quite literally made my jaw drop and my eyes bug out: off a pass from Kobe, he took two absolutely giant steps from the vicinity of the free throw line corner and slammed it home one handed. While he might not be the most creative dunker- hence his less-than-stellar Slam Dunk performance last year- he is certainly one of the most explosive and exciting in-game dunkers that the NBA has today.
Next: The Defensive Duo of Ron Ron and Matty Barnes
Although he didn’t play well offensively, it was good to see Matt Barnes get some quality minutes last night! He hit a nice three in the second quarter and continued to play his patented intense D. I believe it was Mark Jackson of ABC who paid him a nice compliment, saying that the Lakers don’t lose anything defensively when Barnes comes in for Ron Artest.
Considering that Artest is a former defensive player of the year and still one of the league’s elite shut-down defenders, that is saying something. It also speaks to his role on the bench and how vital he is. I really believe that once the season is over, everyone will see Matt Barnes as the missing piece. He brings a lot to the table.
Ron Artest has been fairly quiet and professional on the court, but last night in San Antonio he definitely had some memorable moments! While he only finished with 8 points, one was a three pointer that he drilled in the first quarter to put the Lakers up 22-10. He was also active getting in the lane and making layups as opposed to just his corner three.
One of the most impressive moments was when Ron succeeded with a running block on a three point attempt and celebrated by standing on the sidelines flexing his muscles at the crowd and kissing his bicep. It was so hilarious and one of the few moments this season that his crazy personality has seeped from his Twitter account and sound bites to the floor.
Next: Snake Bitten by the Black Mamba
Now let’s turn our attention to the perennial star of the show, Kobe Bryant. He started slow and it looked as if his poor play against San Antonio this season would continue. It didn’t last long though because he was soon one of the feistiest, most active players on the court… not that that is a surprise to anyone.
His first points were on a patented turnaround jumper off a nice feed from Lamar Odom, and it snowballed from there. He was moving well without the ball and looking to post up. Kobe was also aggressive in fighting for offensive boards; I like seeing Kobe get involved in ways other than pure scoring sometimes.
His intensity on the glass reminded me of Game 7 last year, when rebounds and defense pretty much won us the Larry O’Brien trophy. As well all shudder to recall, Kobe had a terrible game from the field but crashed the boards hard and did anything he could to give his team a chance to win. That’s the Kobe I saw on the floor last night.
The Mamba was all sorts of riled up last night, at one point getting his 14th technical of the season for elbowing Manu Ginobli after being fouled. Bryant was looking to send messages last night whether he admits it or not. I thought it was hilarious to see Ron run over and separate them by the way, considering his own aggressive streak. It was definitely a positive thing but made me laugh.
During this same interval, Kobe pulled out one of my favorite moves of his arsenal: shake, jab and drains the three. Baller! Just because he can’t always resist showing his emotions or trash talking, he turned to the courtside fans behind him and shouted “Yeah” while nodding his head and running up court.
Late in the third quarter, Bryant got a steal and ran up the floor to create a three point opportunity. After being fouled, he was absolutely fired up, gesticulating and shouting and generally acting like this was the biggest game of his life. Feisty Kobe is awesome.
Next: Best Game Thus Far
I agree with Magic Johnson, all the ABC guys and pretty much everyone who said last night that it was easily their best performance of the season. The Lakers needed to show the NBA that even though San Antonio’s record is better, the Western Conference doesn’t belong to them. It is still firmly a purple and gold country until proven otherwise.
Throughout the telecast, I heard the following words being bandied about with regard to the Lakers’ performance: avalanche, pummeling, ballooning lead, very shocking. The Lakers led 65-37 at the half and gave the Spurs their largest deficit of the season two baskets later.
It was a meeting of NBA giants and the Lakers rose magnificently to the occasion. They have a tough road ahead for the next week, but I can honestly say that I have full confidence in them for the first time since the beginning of the year. The champs are back and they are here to stay.