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They're not really showing it..
DENVER - Last year at this time, the Lakers were in the process of flicking away the last of their Western Conference rivals en route to the NBA Finals. It was a smooth road paved with few twists or turns to jar the team on its journey. The first three rounds were almost too easy. Denver surrendered meekly to the Lakers in four games in the first round. Utah went down in six in the second round. San Antonio went in five in the conference finals.
This spring has been a different story. The Lakers actually have faced something resembling adversity. They didn't trail in a series until the Finals last season, and were tied only once. But this season they have trailed in a series once and been tied four other
times going into Game 4 of the conference finals against the Nuggets on Monday at the Pepsi Center.
"Last year we didn't face adversity until the very end, and we didn't respond to it the way we would have liked to," forward Pau Gasol said, referring to the Lakers' loss to Boston in the Finals. "This year, we're facing it and I think it's making us tougher. "Getting there and losing was very hard. Those memories come back to you during games. So, it makes you push yourself through fatigue and pain, all that kind of stuff. We've been up and we've been down, we've just got to continue to keep our poise, keep our composure and trust in our key guys out there. I think we do that pretty well. At this point in the year, you've got no other choice." Some of the Lakers' difficulties this spring could be tied to their inability to show up and play with the required energy and efficiency in losses to the Houston Rockets in Games 4 and 6 of their second-round series. The Lakers had to go seven before winning.
Gasol said he believed the Lakers learned their lesson.
"Against Houston, you could say we might have relaxed in the two road games, or they played really well and we weren't able to respond, whatever you want to say," Gasol said. "But still, it's been a demanding playoffs and that's what it's going to take.
"If you want to be a championship team, you're going to have to go through struggles and be fatigued and be tired, but at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how far you can get and if you can get to the ring." Kobe Bryant complained to the referees in Game 3 the Nuggets were taking liberties with teammate Lamar Odom, cracking him in the bruised lower back that's troubled him since he fell to the court May 10 against Houston.
"If you think about posting up or boxing out, I don't think anybody is purposely trying to elbow me or hit me in the back," Odom said before Game 4. "But just in case they do, I got a little football pad back there."
Odom patted his back, revealing protective padding.
Foul play
Foul play (Part II) NBA officials upgraded a personal foul charged to Denver's Dahntay Jones in Game 3 for shoving Bryant in the back to a flagrant-1 foul.
They're not really showing it..
In order to learn from something you have to do the opposite the next time the situation arises. They have shown repeatedly that they have no heart or killer instinct. They still have so much basketball talent though, that it probably won't hurt them on the way to a le.
I've heard every Laker say this this season.
At this point the Lakers are who they are. AN inconsistent team that only shows up when their backs are against the wall.
The danger in playing this way is that anyone can have off shooting nights and you could very well lose a game due to that despite playing at maximum effort.
Lakers will be the laziest/most lackadaisical team to ever win a championship.
The Lakers have been very inconsistent thus far but have bounced back every time
I wouldn't count DEN out until this whole thing is said and done.
Billups scares the out of me.
wow lakers fans humble ?
The combination of the Lakers inconsistency combined with Denver's schizophrenia will push this series to 7 games. In the end, the team that happens to be less dysfunctional that day will win.
only when we think we about to be beaten
The local beat writers here in OC call the Lakers bi-polar.
Reminds me of Boston in this year's and last year's playoffs. Last year it worked, this year it didn't. Prehaps due to KG's injury, however, they have a lot of very good players even with KG's absence.
Uhhh the dropoff from KG to Big ing Baby is astronomical.
Boston played well in the playoffs this year, all things considered.
^ I'm with Ghazi on this one, I think they have demonstrated they are still a good team. With KG healthy they would have been among the favorites to win it all.
Adversity makes teams tougher. The Celtics played 26 games last playoffs.
Isn't this what every team says? if it doesn't make you tougher,don't even show up. I guess Denver is scare now because Lakers are tougher since last game
The Lakers have so much talent it is gross. I wonder why they keep coasting like this. I also wonder why they seemingly make things harder on themselves by not doing the simple things they know wins you games, such as: moving the ball and consistently going inside to their bigs who have nice offensive games and huge size advantages.
They are truly an anomaly of a team, and although highly unlikely, it could come back to bite them.
whatever helps you sleep at night GaSOFT
Wait 'till they win game 5 and you'll see the Lakers fans we all know and love again.
14 rings, ot.
And you have yet to contribute to 1 ring so STFU
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