Crucifido’s Corner: Lakers vs. Kings (Game 82 4/15/08)

The Los Angeles Lakers: To Be Continued…

If you predicted this in the beginning of the season after the crazy summer the Lakers went through, you would’ve been laughed at. There isn’t anyone in the basketball world, fan, analyst, player, coach or otherwise that would’ve believed that the Lakers could finish as the #1 seed in one of the tightest Western Conference races ever. The injuries, the duress, the unexpected teams coming up and performing huge – all of them would normally be a big deterrent to a team coming onto the court ready to take the home court throughout the Western playoffs.

This year’s edition of the Lakers took it as a challenge.

They took the tumultuous summer / season starting with Kobe’s issues and then finishing with Bynum’s terrible injury midway through the year as a chance to step up and show the fans, the league and most importantly themselves that they should be counted amongst the best teams in the league right now. Not in a couple years, not after this or that player gets healthy – but right this minute.

As a fan of the Lakers, whether you were a believer or a “doom-and-gloomer”, you have got to be impressed with what certainly is one of the more personally enjoyable Laker teams to watch in a long, long time.

All that being said this is but one step in the long road to the success that the Lakers set out to achieve. This remarkable #1 seed isn’t something to be swept aside, but it also isn’t the be all end all of the Lakers goals. The ultimate goal is still a long way away.

As you watch the Lakers this season, you have to know deep down (or on the surface) that overall this team looks to be mentally ready for the test.

So, another regular season comes to a close, with a game that was rickety and jagged from end to end.

The Lakers ran into this one looking more than ready to play. The first 2 plays being an inside jab from Lamar getting back to him after a great cut by Kobe and the other, a post for Gasol. There was no messing around. Their steps were assured and they had the look of the determined team we all wanted to see in this game.

What was disappointing to see early in the game was the Lakers running a bit too manic with the Kings. The Kings have nothing to lose and played accordingly, having a ton of sets where they looked out of control. The Lakers played into that a bit, as their loss of their 8-point lead off the bat will attest to. The 2 fouls on Lamar and Kobe in the 1st quarter also show that the Lakers were a bit too crazed in their drive to get after the loose ball.

All in all the beginning of this game was just annoying to watch. The Kings, looking more like a summer league team drew the Lakers into a chaotic game, when the Lakers could have easily paced the game. It comes down to that pacing thing again. Its so important to every team to come out looking to control the flow of the game, but for the triangle to run to its max efficiency, it has to be done methodically. Control is the name of the game for the Lakers, no matter how the other team wants to play.

The Lakers eventually gained that control, but they have to come into every game with it, not look to develop it over the course of a game.

You get the feeling that the defensive results they got in the Spurs game, even though they were Ginboli-less, had a profound effect on this team’s mentality. The might have just learned that they can not only talk about the kind of defense they need to play for a long playoff run, they can actually walk the walk as well. They have to get it in their heads to hold teams further away from 30 than they did tonight. Allowing 27 to teams in the 1st`quarter can’t happen against the stronger teams.

Another 4-point play was allowed in the 1st from Lamar running out to Garcia on the side 3 shot. The Lakers have got to be very careful on their approach to close out those shots. They gave 2 of the same fouls up versus the Spurs and they have a habit of over-running out to range shooters.

Defensively though Lamar did great filling the lane on breaks and swings to the middle. He had his hands up at the perfect time in plays and didn’t give up ground in the entire paint. He made the Kings look to where he was before they went up for shots around his area. Has anyone noticed that the whole consistency issue with Lamar has completely disappeared? The guy is bringing the hustle every night.

Pau works out of the post so well at times. His offense leading into his shot was on the money as usual, but his passing to mismatches behind him or off the run was perfect too. The drop pass to Luke behind him in the 1st quarter was just one example of how much proficiency Pau played with on the block. Pau does have to learn that when he has a mismatch in the post to completely abuse it. It is good to see your center run the floor as willingly and as strongly as Pau runs. There is rarely a break that Pau doesn’t make a concerted effort to fill the lane or at least get past ¾ court to be there for a high post pass option.

It’s not the worst habit in the world, but Ronny needs to not pass the ball off out of good scoring position. He’s been getting real good deep position on breaks and off cuts in the half court. He needs to use the same strength he shows on the weak side shot blocks to take the ball up in traffic to draw the foul. The Horace Grant style jumper he’s developed is going to come in real handy in the playoffs. Lastly, to nobody’s surprise, Ronny’s hustle was exemplary tonight. He was running back to defense in transition beautifully.

Luke’s movement off the ball was good tonight. His off ball game has come back into form and it helps the Lakers more than most notice. There was a bit too much offense coming from the low post from Luke. He can operate in the low block, but setting it up for passes works better than forcing contested shots up. When Luke uses the post as a jump off point for hustle or play initiation, he seriously makes an impact in the game. He looked like a new-fangled Rambis again tonight on a couple plays in the 2nd quarter. He’s developing some relentless hustle from the free throw line down to the baseline in the middle.

The missed 3 by Radmanovic wasn’t good but it was great to see what Vladi did after the shot. He didn’t plant himself on the 3-point line, he saw Lamar get the strong board, and then ran into the empty space to get the pass for the jam. That kind of foot movement from Vladi is essential; to him getting defense to back off of his shot. Radmanovic has a tendency to stand still off of misses or release back to defense too early. Tonight, he was active off the ball on both ends, and that is beyond important for him, especially if his 3’s aren’t going to fall.

That steal and dunk at the end of the 3rd was the kind of fire you need from him to get the entire starting 5 playing with the passion they need to win 16 more.

Kobe was subdued, but that’s alright. It was a good game to tune up the bench and let the starters get a big rest in the 4th quarter. Kobe did what he does, but it was in rhythm and with an eye to the playoffs.

The best moment from Kobe (and arguably the game) was the quiet little fist he gave Fisher on the bench after being taken out to a standing ovation. It was recognition that one small part of this crazy trip is done - and it’s a good familiar feeling.

Now we all move onto the playoffs, the real season, the beginning of the true test of this hard to dislike, tough to dismiss Laker team.

Let’s go Lakers!!

Sound off in the Los Angeles Lakers Forums!