LOS ANGELES LAKERS
by ClipperSteve of Clips Nation
Recap Rewind: I have good news, and I have bad news. First the good news. The Lakers are in the playoffs! Now the bad news. Since January 18, when they were 26-13, the Lakers are 16-27, among the worst records in the league in that stretch. So they're not exactly going into the post-season on a roll. The last 10 days of the season were shaping up as a complete disaster, as they started with a 118-110 loss to the dreaded Clippers (on the purple-trimmed floor no less - how dare they?!) Kobe Bryant's ninth 50 point game of the season was offset by a combined 71 from Maggette and Brand as the non-existent Laker defense let another fourth quarter lead evaporate. It was the third consecutive game in which a Laker opponent had scored 115 or more. The next night in Phoenix the defense held the Suns under 100, but the offense couldn't capitalize in a 93-85 loss. Kobe scored only 17, his lowest output since January 5, on 7-26 shooting and admitted after the game that he was tired (he had played all 48 the night before against the LAC). Suddenly, riding a four-game losing streak, the playoffs were in serious jeopardy. The Lakers, Clippers and Warriors were all tied with 40 losses, with only two playoff spots to accommodate them. But a huge sigh could be heard coming from Staples Sunday night, after the venue witnessed both the Clippers' loss to the Kings, and the Lakers' win over the Sonics, the two results combining to clinch Phil Jackson's 17th playoff appearance in 17 seasons as a head coach. But even the 109-98 win over Seattle was more of a struggle than it should have been, as the Lakers allowed a 19 point lead to dwindle to one before taking control down the stretch behind yet another 50-point game from Kobe. On Wednesday night, the final game of the season, there was still something on the line. A loss, combined with a likely Warriors win in Portland, would drop the Lakers to the 8th seed, and match them up against Dallas in the playoffs, and you know they wanted the rematch with the Suns. They trailed at halftime in Sacramento against the Kings, but rallied for a 117-106 victory behind Kobe's 34 and a surprisingly strong offensive effort from Kwame Brown. So it's off to Phoenix!
Notable news: Bryant became the only player not named Wilt Chamberlain to score 50 or more points at least 10 times in a single season. Astoundingly, he has reached the half-century mark in 7 of his last 16 games. Almost equally astounding is that the Lakers tend to need all of those points. They are 7-18 since Feb. 8 in games where Bryant scores fewer than 50. It's possible that Kobe will see a couple of double-teams in the playoffs.
Fast Forward: The rematch of the entertaining and competitive Suns-Lakers first round series kicks off Sunday in the Valley of the Sun, and continues Tuesday. It moves to LA for game three on Thursday, and then game four is also in Staples Sunday the 29th. The way the Lakers closed the season, it's hard to imagine that they'll be able to compete with the Suns. However, nobody really gave the Lakers any chance against Phoenix last year either (including yours truly) and they came out and competed for 6 games. Any team with Kobe Bryant has a chance, and Phil's game plan against the Suns last season was excellent. This Suns team has more inside strength with Amare Stoudemire and Kurt Thomas healthy, so it's hard to imagine the Lakers dominating inside they way they did last year. But it will be fun to watch, that's for sure, if only to see what happens between Kobe Bryant and Raja Bell.