Tim Peterson
Yes I did watch the entire Laker game on Sunday. I’m also into caning, flogging, electric shock and Chinese water torture. It was ugly – one of the ugliest losses in Laker playoff history, along with game six at Boston in the 2008 Finals.
Interesting Facebook post by Mid Valley Staffer George Hernandez Sunday. Big George, who roots for the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat or the San Antonio Spurs, depending on which way the wind blows, wrote that the Lakers lost to a team that they were better than.
In 1984 the Lakers lost to a Boston team that they were better than. They lost in seven but gave two games away with mistakes and costly turnovers. The Lakers led the series 2-1 and two went into overtime.
Lose on a last second shot in game seven and a case could be made that the superior team lost. When you’re swept in four the better team won. The Lakers might have been a lot of things in 2010-’11 but they weren’t better than the Dallas Mavericks. Sorry George you missed that one. Just don’t go all MMA on me.
Dallas has better perimeter shooters, a better bench and plays better defense. I mean, they made 20 (no, not a typo) 20 three pointers in game four. Jason Terry made more threes in the game than the Lakers made the entire series.
I thought the Lakers were better up front but after seeing Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum perform against the Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler I’m not so sure. Actually Bynum wasn’t bad but the Lakers were more content taking jump shots than looking for Bynum underneath.
Peja Stojakovic, Terry, and Nowitzki are all good shooters. I didn’t expect to see Terry and Stojakovic to hit 15 threes in game four but we know these guys can play. We know all about Nowitzki, he was going to get his. But you knew the Lakers were in trouble early in the series when they kept making Jose Barea look like a combination of Chris Paul and Isaiah Thomas.
Barea who? Don’t ask me. I have no idea.
Phil Jackson didn’t look like a guy who’s all that upset that this was his last series. Sunday at the post game press conference, and through out the series, he laughed, cracked jokes, and was generally light hearted.
When asked about Bynum’s statement that the team has trust issues, Jackson said “Oh I thought he was talking about Truss issues. My Dad wore a truss and thought he was talking about that.”
When another reporter asked him how he would motivate the team going into game four Jackson deadpanned “I’m going to have them all flogged tomorrow.”
And so it went for arguably the greatest coach in NBA history. I would like to see Jackson come back but when you’ve won 11 NBA championships you can do whatever you like.
Speaking of Bynum’s “trust issues” comment, I don’t think it had anything to do with why the Lakers were swept. The players barely acknowledged it and the ones that did agreed with him saying that it had to do with defensive switches. Dallas would have swept the Lakers regardless of who trusted who.
I didn’t think Lamar Odom’s foul on Nowitzki late in the game was a big deal. Deshawn Stevenson set a pick in the first quarter that was twice as hard as the hit Odom delivered.
But Bynum’s shot at Barea was bush league – embarrassing.
Consider it an upset if anybody other than Brian Shaw is named the next Laker Head Coach.
What do the Lakers do now? Put together a package that includes Ron Artest and Gasol and send them to Orlando for Dwight Howard. Howard wants to come to LA and Orlando would be happy to get something for him before he leaves as a free agent. Simple right?
I “trust” that Mitch Kupchak can get it done.
That’s my principle.
Tim can be reached at tim@midvalleysports.com.
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