Lakers Beat Cavs, Lose to Clips
Lakers 97, Cavaliers 92
Thus ends a stretch of five straight games in which the Lakers have played non-playoff-bound teams—and struggled–though they finally did put away the Suns. The trouble with struggling against non-playoff-bound teams is that you can’t rest your starters as much as you’d like.
The Cavs got into a hole in the second quarter, losing it 27-13. The Lakers took a commanding 59-41 lead at halftime. Instead of keeping up the pressure so that the Big Three could rest, the Lakers lost the 3rd quarter to the Cavs, 29-23, and then lost the 4th quarter, 22-15, hang on to their five-point win.
Kobe played 40 minutes, which is ridiculous.
Kobe shooting twice as many shots as Pau and Bynum will win a lot of battles (especially against weak teams) but it will not win the war. Pau and Bynum have to have big nights, even bigger than their already having. Put it this way. Kobe’s excessive number of shots prevents Pau and Bynum from exploiting their advantage over nearly every opposing player in the league. No one can stop either one of them down low. That’s a big advantage. Instead, Kobe is taking too many difficult, low-percentage shots. Yes, he’s hitting about half of them, an outstanding percentage, but Pau and Bynum shooting the ball will convert even better than 50%, for starters, and it will add the inside-out game to the team’s repertoire, not to mention take some of the burden off Kobe’s shoulders. During the Lakers’ now-five-game winning streak, Kobe has averaged 40 points a game. He has also averaged 40 minutes a game. And that’s the rub, baby.
Clippers 102, Lakers. 94
The Lakers entered this game a 2-point underdog. And when was the last time the Lakers, playing at Staples Center, were a betting underdog? Or, while you’re researching that, the last time the Lakers were an underdog to the Clippers? With both teams playing on their home court, which you don’t see often, everything was NBA-equal, and the odds-makers said that, right now, the Clippers are a little better. As usual, they were right.
Last night was the fourth straight game that Kobe has dropped at least 40 points on the opposition (and played 44 minutes). Only this time the Lakers played a good team, something they’ve done just three times out of their nine games so far in 2012. Funny how when you lose, getting 40 points doesn’t seem as much of an accomplishment. In fact, it can call into question the very rationale of scoring 40 points. Pop quiz: How many NBA championship teams have had a player who led the league in scoring that year? Might have happened once—haven’t got time right now to research that one—but probably never. Because one guy scoring that much is not in harmony with the team concept. There I am—going all Zen on ya. As we speak, Kobe Bryant is leading the NBA in scoring. Just sayin’.
Gasol and Bynum, both of whom played 39 minutes, scored exactly no points from the foul line. (Bynum took three foul shots and missed all three. Pau never got to the line.) Two talented 7-footers who don’t get to the line? Gasol scored 14 points. Bynum scored 12 points. Not enough. The Lakers had three guys in double figures; the Clips had five guys.
Noted: Darius Morris split playing time right down the middle with Derek Fisher, and had an almost identical line—7 points, 4 assists and an all-around game, hitting his only 3-pointer and getting a steal. With Blake out for a while, Morris will be doing more of that. It’s only his third NBA start but it’s his time. McRoberts is back and suddenly the bench is much better. Biggest positives: Of the Lakers’ 35 field goals, 24 were off assists, and only nine turnovers.