Three games hardly matter over the course of an 82-game season.
That is unless the games prior to those three games have left fans feeling like their team is disheartened, uninterested, going through the motions and basically playing at such a lethargic level that even sloths seem more motivated.
So maybe the Lakers haven’t been that off their game, but their recent string of double-digit defeats has left fans flabbergasted. The talk around the water cooler was if the defending champs had lost their will and ability to overpower opponents, night in and night out. Add to that the influx of reports swirling of the Lakers ineptness and the publicized back-and-forth banter between Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, another loss, double-digit or not would spell disaster for the team.
A 19-point win over the Pistons Tuesday night was great, but it was merely a start. A four-point win over the Suns on the second night of a back-to-back? We’ll take that too. After playing the Hornets and winning their third straight game, it seems the Lakers are back on track.
Victories are nice, but a winning method is twice as nice. It would appear as though the Lakers have found it, or at least have started implementing a strategy to hold them over until they become a fully functional, efficient unit for the full 48 minutes of play. Over the last three games the Lakers have been making progress in the effort and energy department as well.
Next: Andrew Bynum is getting back to where he needs to be
Now having a few weeks of playing time notched under his belt, Andrew Bynum is finally showing signs of the player he has the potential of being—the player he was prior to missing most of the second half of last season. While his 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots contributed to the Lakers victory over the Suns, it was his energy, hustle and effectiveness on both ends of the floor that made him standout among the rest of the team.
It’s always been Bynum’s goal to make the All-Star team. This might be his year. That is of course, he’s able to pass an injured Yao Ming in the voting.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, their top notch front court has been without Pau Gasol’s token consistency. For reasons unknown, Gasol has been in a funk lately. Instead of powering up or driving to the hoop, he’s settling for jumpers—some easy, some not so easy.
Teams are making a conscious effort to have one or two players body him up, which tends to put a hamper on Gasol’s offense. He could just be adjusting to having Bynum back in the starting lineup, but they’ve played together before. Perhaps those 40-plus minute games have finally caught up with him and all the Spaniard may need to get back on trap is a few nights left to rest on the bench.
In any case, expect Gasol to make the necessary adjustments and go back to being the Lakers’ pillar of consistency. Last night’s performance was more like the old Gasol. It’s probably for the best before Phil Jackson makes a subtle comment to get Gasol going.
Next: Lakers modify their defensive strategy
We’ve recently learned that the coaching staff is implementing a new defensive strategy. The team followed suit, realizing they would face several challenges in the getting-used-to stages of learning the new defense. Tuesday’s result? They forced the Pistons to turn the ball over 19 times, among other things. Wednesday night? Well, at least the Suns only made 11 three-point shots as opposed to 22. Agasint the Hornets, active hands on the floor led to steals and fastbreak points.
Over the course of the last three games, the Lakers have at least been exhibiting great ball movement, using their size advantage, making an effort on the defensive end and gotten significantly better at taking care of the basketball.
We’ve been here before though right? A win today, perhaps another the next game, but one more lop-sided game could tap Lakers Nation back into a roller coaster ride of emotions. At the risk of sounding like a cynic, three games don’t blur the memory of the Lakers recent struggles with lethargy, but the numbers show signs of at least a concerted effort to improve.
“We have to really turn it around,” Jackson said after the Lakers victory over the Pistons Tuesday night. “One game is not the end of this situation.”
It remains to be seen whether or not two games could end the situation Jackson is referring to.
Next: Jackson and Artest clear the air
The situation Jackson made sure everyone knew that had ended however, was a man-to-man confrontation he and Artest had in practice Monday reported by Yahoo! Sports scribe Adrian Wojnarowski. Although Jackson acknowledged the report was partly true, he downplayed any controversy the report would stir up, stating that it was nothing out of the ordinary. Just that it was “out of character for both that to happen at practice, and for Ron.” Perhaps the leaked report to the media was also something Jackson felt was out of line.
If it were up to Artest, all matters regarding his actions on-and-off the court would remain in-house. The Lakers forward has little interest to be involved in any controversies.
“Ron came in and apologized not only to me, but in front of the team for what he said was a distraction at practice,” Jackson said. “That was his own desire to do that; I didn’t solicit it from him.”
Since the incident, Artest has looked like a different player. He looked more relaxed on the floor, took his time finding the right shots, had two steals and even dished out four assists against the Pistons. Against the Suns he scored he made three of his shots from beyond the arc, one of those reminiscent of the one he made during game six of the Western Conference Finals.
Recently, the media has been a platform for Jackson to express his grievances and failed expectations towards his team. That’s really nothing new. The targets sometime change, but the message is usually pretty consistent. Whether it’s lamenting Bryant’s disengagement with the triangle offense, Gasol’s soft shooting or an inconsistent Artest, his statements are heard loud and clear. Whether or not the messages are crystal clear is always up for interpretation.
It’s anyone’s guess if it ever crossed Jackson’s mind that this season wouldn’t be the cake-walk through the Western Conference like everyone assumed it would be when he was reflecting on his decision to come back this season, while enjoying the view from Whitefish, Montana. Jackson has won 11 championships as a head-coach, it’s doubtful he’s not familiar with facing challenges or adversity. Turns out he’s actually going to have to do more than just manipulate his troops out of complacency, at some point he may have to start coaching.
There’s no time quite like the present.