tlongII
03-09-2011, 11:01 AM
http://www.foxsportswest.com/03/06/11/Lakers-show-little-respect-in-blowout-of/landing_witz.html?blockID=434553&feedID=8063
SAN ANTONIO -- When Ron Artest swatted George Hill's 3-pointer into the crowd, Artest gazed at the audience as he admired his work. Then he gave it a stamp of approval.
Artest raised both arms, flexed both biceps and took turns kissing them.
The gesture served to deliver a message: We're still champs.
Yes, the Lakers were Sunday, eviscerating the San Antonio Spurs 99-83 in a game that was not remotely that close.
Their victory will certainly reinforce the popular notion that the Lakers -- not the Spurs, who have the runaway-best record in the NBA -- are the team to beat once the playoffs begin.
It's a compelling argument to make, particularly the way center Andrew Bynum is transforming them as a defensive tour de force.
But if the Lakers played like champs, they often enough carried themselves like chumps.
What's that phrase: Act like you've been there before?
The Lakers did not. If it was not Artest mugging for the crowd, it was Kobe Bryant sinking a jumper and turning to glare at the Spurs' bench and picking up a technical foul for barking at Manu Ginobili, Derek Fisher kvetching over foul calls with the Lakers up by 20 late in the fourth quarter, or Shannon Brown showboating with between-the-legs dribbles.
And then there was Bynum afterward, calling out the Spurs as quitters.
"I haven't seen that yet from San Antonio this year," Bynum said. "But their starters definitely quit."
Funny, but when the Spurs, trailing by 25 points, crashed the boards for four offensive rebounds on the same possession, that didn't smell like quit.
Actually, the Spurs' comportment was no different from the way they carried themselves two days earlier, when they were doing the throttling – beating Miami by 30 points. The Spurs trailed by 30 points in the third quarter, but they were still running their offense, competing for rebounds and playing the game. The only noticeable frustration came from Tim Duncan when he put his hands over his head after missing another shot.
The same could not be said for the Lakers.
That was evident in the third quarter, when a foul was not called quickly enough for Bryant's pleasure as he drove for a layup. After Bryant made the free throw, he continued to snipe at the officials, while the Spurs hustled the ball up court and got it to Bryant's man, Steve Novak, who sank a wide-open 3-pointer.
That cut the Lakers' lead to 27.
This is not just a matter of getting an F in citizenship. It speaks to how the Lakers will carry themselves when they don't make 23 of their first 38 shots – including Pau Gasol's first 3-pointer in more than two years.
And what happens when the Spurs, or anyone else, don't miss 16 of 22 shots in the first quarter?
And what happens when the stakes are much greater than they are now?
And make no mistake, those days will come. The Lakers are no doubt very good, but with the exception of Bynum, they don't look any better than last season – only older. They can't count on any production from their point guards, Fisher and Steve Blake. And Lamar Odom is the only player off the bench who can be counted on for anything other than playing hard.
And, with the possibility of playing two or three playoff series without home-court advantage, the road will be a little more difficult.
But when the Lakers were on the court Sunday, those were possibilities they did not consider. They were, as it were, feeling it.
"I wouldn't say arrogance," Gasol said of the Lakers' mien. "I would say confidence or swagger. Obviously, when you work hard and it pays off, it translates into stops and good shooting at the other end. And then the next thing you know, you're up 15, 20 in the first quarter, you've got to get a little confidence, right?"
Odom, who has been known to hot dog it, did not on Sunday. But he saw nothing wrong with the Lakers playing with a little posing and posturing.
"It's still a game at the end of the day," Odom said. "When everyone gets involved and we're talking and communicating, offensively and defensively, that's what it turns into."
A fair point, but if the Lakers' season ends and they are not putting their lips to the golden trophy, their self indulgence may be their kiss of death.
SAN ANTONIO -- When Ron Artest swatted George Hill's 3-pointer into the crowd, Artest gazed at the audience as he admired his work. Then he gave it a stamp of approval.
Artest raised both arms, flexed both biceps and took turns kissing them.
The gesture served to deliver a message: We're still champs.
Yes, the Lakers were Sunday, eviscerating the San Antonio Spurs 99-83 in a game that was not remotely that close.
Their victory will certainly reinforce the popular notion that the Lakers -- not the Spurs, who have the runaway-best record in the NBA -- are the team to beat once the playoffs begin.
It's a compelling argument to make, particularly the way center Andrew Bynum is transforming them as a defensive tour de force.
But if the Lakers played like champs, they often enough carried themselves like chumps.
What's that phrase: Act like you've been there before?
The Lakers did not. If it was not Artest mugging for the crowd, it was Kobe Bryant sinking a jumper and turning to glare at the Spurs' bench and picking up a technical foul for barking at Manu Ginobili, Derek Fisher kvetching over foul calls with the Lakers up by 20 late in the fourth quarter, or Shannon Brown showboating with between-the-legs dribbles.
And then there was Bynum afterward, calling out the Spurs as quitters.
"I haven't seen that yet from San Antonio this year," Bynum said. "But their starters definitely quit."
Funny, but when the Spurs, trailing by 25 points, crashed the boards for four offensive rebounds on the same possession, that didn't smell like quit.
Actually, the Spurs' comportment was no different from the way they carried themselves two days earlier, when they were doing the throttling – beating Miami by 30 points. The Spurs trailed by 30 points in the third quarter, but they were still running their offense, competing for rebounds and playing the game. The only noticeable frustration came from Tim Duncan when he put his hands over his head after missing another shot.
The same could not be said for the Lakers.
That was evident in the third quarter, when a foul was not called quickly enough for Bryant's pleasure as he drove for a layup. After Bryant made the free throw, he continued to snipe at the officials, while the Spurs hustled the ball up court and got it to Bryant's man, Steve Novak, who sank a wide-open 3-pointer.
That cut the Lakers' lead to 27.
This is not just a matter of getting an F in citizenship. It speaks to how the Lakers will carry themselves when they don't make 23 of their first 38 shots – including Pau Gasol's first 3-pointer in more than two years.
And what happens when the Spurs, or anyone else, don't miss 16 of 22 shots in the first quarter?
And what happens when the stakes are much greater than they are now?
And make no mistake, those days will come. The Lakers are no doubt very good, but with the exception of Bynum, they don't look any better than last season – only older. They can't count on any production from their point guards, Fisher and Steve Blake. And Lamar Odom is the only player off the bench who can be counted on for anything other than playing hard.
And, with the possibility of playing two or three playoff series without home-court advantage, the road will be a little more difficult.
But when the Lakers were on the court Sunday, those were possibilities they did not consider. They were, as it were, feeling it.
"I wouldn't say arrogance," Gasol said of the Lakers' mien. "I would say confidence or swagger. Obviously, when you work hard and it pays off, it translates into stops and good shooting at the other end. And then the next thing you know, you're up 15, 20 in the first quarter, you've got to get a little confidence, right?"
Odom, who has been known to hot dog it, did not on Sunday. But he saw nothing wrong with the Lakers playing with a little posing and posturing.
"It's still a game at the end of the day," Odom said. "When everyone gets involved and we're talking and communicating, offensively and defensively, that's what it turns into."
A fair point, but if the Lakers' season ends and they are not putting their lips to the golden trophy, their self indulgence may be their kiss of death.