Lakers vs. Bobcats (Game 72 3/26/08)

There Are No Gimmes

The Warrior games are over, the Lakes are back home, they had a day off and in roll the Bobcats. It’s not time to relax, but it’s a good game to have off of those scorching competitive games with Golden State, or so you’d think.

With the tough back to back with Golden State and having the day off yesterday, the Lakers definitely looked sluggish at the outset. On the other end, that curious lack of inside game again versus a team that has no presence in the paint was there. I know they’re injured in the middle, but the softness inside is coming more from no pop in their step, rather than the obvious short-handed roster.

The story of the game, an all too familiar one – lazy Laker play, giving the Bobcats the lead, the rhythm and the confidence they needed to get over the hump. So the Lakers had to overcome both the lead and a team that had their game kicking on all cylinders thanks to a pitifully played game by the Lakers from the very beginning. Its one thing to play like this on the road during a rough run or in the second of back to back, but there’s no reason the Lakers should be coming out with this kind of non-effort on their home floor after a day off no less.

The Lakers were again letting every Bobcat get far too deep into the teeth of the D before any contest came. By the time any kind of help or obstruction came, the Bobcats were already where they had to be for a high percentage shot.

It wasn’t just the slow to nowhere defensive movement; it was the overall lack of any kind of enthusiasm. The Lakers just waltzed into this game with a slow-witted style that became a good-sized lead for too long.

Between Kobe’s lightning quick rebound between 2 Bobcats and his strong block of Okafor from behind in the 4th Kobe was active. The problem was, the Bobcats were absolutely stifling Kobe as soon as he got the ball anywhere on the floor. As he got buried, the Lakers got more stagnant, making the Lakers easily readable offensively. There wasn’t anyone else stepping up as aggressively as they needed. As that went on you could see Kobe trying to take the brunt of the offensive load, which never benefits the Lakers.

Gotta love Ronny making defense pay for slacking off of him. His defensive tenacity was just as usual – constant and determined. It was another game where Ronny didn’t let any shots around him go without a fight. The telling one was early in the 1st when Dudley went in for a 3-point play. He got the hoop but even with that Ronny was rotating over to help even after the whistle.

His shooting is getting much more solid. In this one he showed no hesitation, as he did against the Warriors when he was on an over-passing binge. In the 2nd half though Ronny’s energy wore down and his fighting for inside position was being thwarted.

Sasha came into the game with that same brand of manic hustle he always has. The diving save of the ball in the 1st was good to see. He kept his feet active even after the shot went up. A lot of times Sasha will stand still once the shot goes up, releasing too early. Tonight though he was running down low as the ball went up.

His energy coming into the game in the 1st quarter (along with Farmar and Luke) really changed the mood of the game. Its good to see that quick footed aggravating brand of defense Sasha got himself known for coming back since the Warriors mini-series. His addiction to the 3 has become telegraphed right now. Again, he has to put the ball into the paint so his shot will ease up.

Spells of late help coming from weak side to middle plagued the Lakers tonight. That slow to react defense has moments where it’s a chronic problem. You expect a little lag in the middle with the majority of Laker big men hurt, but that’s no excuse for why most Lakers simply don’t look to help as much as they should. You’d think with less size in the idle, there would be a concerted effort to move in front of drives, but it’s been the opposite.

Luke was fading off of his man on the arc a bit too early and too much. When the ball would come inside of the 3-point line, Luke (from the weak side) would take about 3 steps into the paint away form his man. Those 3 steps are what have been getting him in trouble. Its good to see him try to help on the inside drives, but he’s putting himself in bad position for the drive and kick. He didn’t get burned on it too badly tonight, but he’s teetering on a dangerous situation.

When he steps away, it obviously lets his assignment much more available, but it also makes recovery to that player too hard. When he rushes out to recover, he rushes so fast trying to make up ground that his man merely has to put the ball on the floor for one dribble to free himself.

But offensively, Luke played tough tonight. He was relentless on the post when he drove into it. His stand up post game is still trying to find its way, but as of right now he’s found a better, more fluid game moving in from the mid-post to get his shot instead of planting himself on the block. It’s just the careless passing that showed up yet again. Luke has great basketball sense on that front and it’s been odd to see him melt down within the passing game like he has.

Jordan had excellent balance in his game. It wasn’t the 3 point-fest he’s been leaning towards lately. He made good decision with the ball on the half break (when a couple of defenders are almost on defense with him) aside from the awful light pass through 3 Bobcats in the 3rd.. Case in point, when he pushed the ball right into the Bobcats in the 2nd quarter. He had a chance to pull up for a jumper and he had pass options on the wing. But he turned down the bad angle passes and pushed the ball into the paint. More drives like that (as Farmar was doing more often earlier this year and the Laker point guard won’t have such trouble finding room for their shot.

The same goes for Derek. He actually had a drive along the baseline tonight to dish to Turiaf. Derek has turned himself into a perimeter player almost exclusively. This game had him shooting a lot of distance jumpers again, but the real success came from Derek putting taking the ball to the rack. Still it wasn’t anything to write home about for Fisher.

Lamar just looked like he had some trouble getting himself going tonight. He had some slow footwork in the paint, letting a lot of drives get by him. There may be some fatigue from the incredible run he’s on right now. In the 3rd quarter his energy picked up a bit but not without a good amount of labored breathing showing.

In that 3rd quarter though as Odom’s game began to rise a bit, the rip of the ball out of Mohammed’s hands and the sweeping steal from behind were outstanding plays from a guy who looked like this game was a big chore to get through. His moves on the inside (though questionable traveling-wise) were surprisingly spry.

Terribly lazy passes from Radmanovic. You cannot just float a ball into the post or expect a light flat pass to get through on a team that has quick hands. In fact, you can’t expect this brand of lethargic passing to really be successful against anyone.

DJ played well tonight. Call me crazy, but I like the guy and what he can bring to a game. He had 2 good defensive plays causing the turnover by simply holding ground strongly.

The bench play was fantastic though. They made a good run in the first half and likewise in the 4th quarter coming in and infusing the game with an energy that was absent with the starters.

And what happened at the end of the 2nd quarter - yet another buzzer beater (from my count #9) going into the half. Closing out quarters is vastly important. The 2nd 12 minutes was another set that finished with a sloppy turnover morphing itself into an uncontested shot from the arc. It has to stop at some point – right?

Well that was a big opportunity blown - a home game against a team under 500 (teams the Lakers have righted the ship against this season) with Phoenix losing in Boston. That along with the win by New Orleans in Cleveland is putting some pressure on the Lakers to keep up with the race for the #1 spot in the West. The injuries are quickly becoming a bigger and bigger chink in the armor as the season winds down. But the strength of character the Lakers have shown in keeping up with the West’s best can’t stop now.

The missing Lakers will come back from injury, but the opportunity to have the best record in the West may not.