Postcards From LA, Vol. 10: One Lakers Fan Tracks His Team Through the NBA Playoffs
May 17, 2008
As long as the Los Angeles Lakers survive through the 2008 NBA playoffs, Empty the Bench’s West Coast correspondent Christopher Thell will be submitting a local fan’s take on his beloved Lakers’ postseason trials, tribulations and successes. In this edition: The Lake Show advances with a sublime first half, though sullied by a late-game collapse.
As I drove past The Staples Center on my way home from lunch Friday afternoon I wondered if it would be buzzing with excitement or dormant come Monday evening.
The Lakers seemed intent on giving the downtown Los Angeles venue a night off by roaring to a 19-point halftime lead 62-43, vaunted Utah home court advantage be damned.
If you could bottle a stretch of Lakers basketball and replay it endlessly for the rest of the season, it would be the first half of Game 6. The Lakers looked like true championship contenders, playing inspired team ball. Seven players scored, led by Kobe Bryant with 16 points, Derek Fisher with 13 points, and Sasha Vujacic, rebounding from a horrid Game 5, notched 10 points, including 2-3 from beyond the arc. Pau Gasol chipped in with 6 points and 11 rebounds, and Lamar Odom contributed with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. The Lakers shot 50% from the field, 56% from 3-point land and 88% on free throws, while committing only 4 turnovers and holding their high-scoring opponents to 43 points.
A truly beautiful half of basketball that seemed to signal to me that there was no possible way there was going to be a Game 7 in LA on Monday night – I was sure of it.
The game wasn’t in the bag just yet, after the jump…
However, when Utah’s Mr. Clutch Deron Williams later launched a three-pointer at the final buzzer that would have tied the game and sent it to overtime, I fully expected a Game 7. I was just waiting for the ball to drop through the net and then for the Lakers to blow the game in OT – I was sure of it. But the ball caromed off the back rim, Williams’ shot barely off, and the Lakers escaped with a 108-105 victory.
Hat Tip to Ryne at Odenized
What swung the pendulum from the apex of hope at halftime to the depth of doubt at the end of the game was a Lakers’ 4th quarter from hell that saw them get outscored by 13. The Jazz went 5-8 on 3-pointers in the final quarter to almost tie the game while the Lakers helped them out with careless turnovers and suddenly shaky defense.
The abundant joy that was derived from watching a splendid first half of Lakers basketball was drained out in equal measure by the near 4th quarter meltdown.
But, as I’ve mentioned numerous times, I thought this series was going 7. So for the Lakers to finish it off in 6, even if they blew a big lead and were lucky to hang on for the victory – well, it’s pure gravy.
If the Lakers can summon and sustain the brand of team basketball they played in the first half Friday night during their next series, they’re going to the NBA Finals, regardless of opponent.
I’m sure of it.
More Postcards From LA:
Postcards From LA, Vol. 5
Postcards From LA, Vol. 6
Related: Postcards from LA, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Deron Williams, Pau Gasol, Sasha Vujacic
2 Comments »Posted by ETB Contributor on May. 17, 2008 at 3:30 pm in NBA
