Western Conference Final Fantasy; Lakers and Clippers Lose Game 7

This is the fictional tale of two LA professional basketball teams

The Lakers and Clippers could possibly play each other in a cross-hall rivalry in the Western Conference finals. Or much more easily they could both ignominiously lose in game 7s, after each being up 3-1 in their respective first round series.

It could use some more dialogue courtesy of Mitchell Hurwitz, or more inside camera exclusives with narration from Liev Shreiber. But Hollywood couldn’t write a script so . . . realistic

Scene 1: Morning shoot-around Toyota Center

Kobe Bryant sits out for his second shoot-around in three days. Andrew Bynum against his better judgment decides to talk to the media in the final fifteen minutes of the shoot-around, and risks putting more material on the Nuggets already crowded bulletin board. While even the quietest Lakers shoot-around is like Coachella compared to any Toronto Raptors shoot-around, there was a heightened frenzy around the facility. A barrage of questions and angst, transferred from the fans to their unelected, team-sanctioned representatives echo off the walls of the gym. After being suspended for 7 games for his appearance on Conan, Metta World Peace returns to the aid and distraction of the Lakers. How will that effect the game? Only one way to find out: ask Kobe. Enter: Reporters and Kobe

Reporter: “You seem calm”

Kobe: “I am calm”
R: “Is it because the Lakers have won 10 straight game 7s at home?”
K: ” I didn’t know that”
R: “ Or because only 8 teams all time have ever lost a 3 games to 1 lead?”
K: “I’m not interested really, in what 8 teams haven’t been able to do”
R: “Brian Shaw isn’t walking through that door”
K: “World Peace is”
R: “Have you been following the Clippers series?”
K: “No.”

Scene 2: Sunday morning shoot around, FedEx Forum, Memphis

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin don’t suit up, but rather do not pass go, do not collect $200, and go straight to getting treatment. The task before the visiting Clippers is simple. Win one game on the road to avoid another embarrassing chapter to a pathetically un-storied history. On Friday the Clippers hustled their way to one of the ugliest games possible; but clear path fouls, a bizarre technical on a high five, and a missed defensive board bobbled off the hands of Evans and Martin with under five minutes to play all cost the Clippers dearly. Classily, Del Negro handles the questions of the reporter eager to pounce on the futility of the Clippers franchise at the shoot-around. Enter: Del Negro and Reporter

Reporter: “What is the status of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin’s injuries?
Del Negro: “They’re game time decisions. They are competitors, so if they can go, they’ll go.”
R:” How do you respond to critics who say they shouldn’t have played?”
DN: “I am nit going to call out their effort or injury status. They’re professionals”
R: “What if anything has owner Donald Sterling said to you during these playoffs?”
DN: “We haven’t spoken”
R: “What was your reaction to last nights Lakers result? How does that effect your team”
DN: “We have our hands full already”

Scene 3: Saturday night, Staples Center, Lakers vs Nuggets Game 7

The obvious hero of this tale has fire in his eyes. He is not fond of Denver. He hasn’t smiled since Monday. The talented youth is Andrew Bynum. His talent is undeniable but his dedication is continually questioned. The All Star ensemble cast is present: two time champion Pau Gasol, peaceless Metta World Peace, and Lakers great Derek Fisher. Obviously not in uniform, Fisher is sitting hardly inconspicuously next to a man who has his own flare for the dramatic, Denzel Washington. Both judging and scouting his former teammates and possible competition, Fisher is a symbol in stark contrast to the immaturity displayed in two failed close-out games. The villain is not a single person, and hardly hated for their antagonistic ways. The Nuggets are like the more than one million soldiers who attack the 300 Spartans, the faceless waves of perpetrators who keep relentlessly attacking even if they are as impossibly old as Andre Miller.

The crowd is electric as the Lakers make their first three field goals: Bynum with a hook over his left shoulder, Kobe from the post, and a 3 pointer from Metta World Peace on a kick-out. George Karl calls timeout. The former SuperSonics coach “FaceTime’s” NBA great Gary Payton, to diagram which moves of point guard post-up destruction Andre Miller will rain down on Ramon Sessions. He inflicts up and unders, step throughs, spin moves and layups. Josh McRoberts was spotted with a pen and a notepad at the end of the bench.

Pau looks lethargic, like he had just spent a night out in the Spanish Riviera with brother Marc Gasol, whom spent a night out on the town with brother Pau Friday night in LA after an evening win at the Clippers.

The Lakers ended the first quarter and the first half down by 4 and 9 points respectively, unable to get anything going. The Lakers in the locker-room feel like now is probably a good time they will “turn it on.” At least they have their health.

Scene 4: Sunday Night, Fed Ex Forum Memphis, Clippers vs Grizzlies Game 7

The prediction, no the statement from Grizzlies fans on Wednesday came to fruition. They did in fact, “See you (the Clippers) Sunday.”

There is not much that needs to be said by either coach. Lionel Hollins won’t say anything more inspiring than the fans roaring, “I told you so.” Nothing Vinny Del Negro can say reverses the facts of Clippers lore. Heavy lays the dunce cap. Destined to fail, the Clippers win the opening tip and fall behind early again.

In a series where the outcomes rarely matched the outcome on the floor, Sunday’s game plays out exactly like you would expect. All of the magic and unpredictability of the series has been used up in the improbability of two Los Angeles franchises in the NBA playoffs, with 3-1 leads, likely losing their best of seven series.

Quickly Del Negro reverts to his bench who made the game on Friday. In the loud arena, Bledsoe looks out of sorts, Evans got two quick cheapy fouls, and Mo Williams looks like he did as the right hand man of Lebron James, unable to make the shots he normally does.

The Clippers look like they are running through mud, but they are running. Trying desperately to reverse the fortunes of the franchise as they trail by double digits at half time. They hope what happened to the Lakers . . .

Scene 5: Saturday, second half Lakers vs. Nuggets

Jump shots roll in and out. Put backs aren’t falling. If it weren’t for the volume of free throws the Lakers would really be in trouble. Not even Jack Nicholson yelling at the refs can save this team. The crowd’s anxiousness suffocates Staples Center like a thick fog, which doesn’t bother the Nuggets who are used to playing at altitude.

The game slows down to a virtual standstill. A slow motion scene, akin to Saving Private Ryan, of Ty Lawson dunks, missed defensive rebounds, and Javale McGee dunks leaves the home team stunned from the visiting team’s flash grenades. The

inevitability swirls around Kobe with the camera gaining speed and sound picking back up to Normal 100%, real time.

Its not just because of the score that it becomes apparent that the Lakers are going to be the 9th team in NBA history to give up a 3-1 series lead. As a long rebound off a Steve Blake missed three yields a fast break punctuated by a lob to Javale McGee beating Bynum down the floor, he Lakers do not rally, do not show a spirited effort. They are the cool kids in middle school. They deliberately decide its cool to not try. A gutsy spirited effort is beneath them, and their blasé attitude seems to lurk and wait only for the opportunity to commit a flagrant 2 foul like the one on JJ Barea a year ago. The camera cuts between Kobe and Fisher. Kobe and Fisher. Michael and Scottie. Kobe and Fisher.

Scene 6: Sunday night, Second half Clippers at Grizzlies Game 7

The looks on the new faces to the Clippers organization say it all. Chris Paul, Kenyon Martin, Reggie Evans, Trey Thompkins, helpless Chauncey Billups, and despite being used to dysfunction even Nick Young: So this is what its like to be on the Clippers. The crowd grew louder, Vinny del Negro yelled louder, the lead grew larger. The injuries were finally too great, Memphis finally figured out how to close the game as the Clippers aggressive defensive isn’t forcing turnovers but yielding layups.

Nowhere near Memphis, Donald Sterling will look at his phone Monday morning. Then he’ll see the spattering of text messages and phone calls informing him of what he was certain of before the season started—the Clippers lost.

Scene 7: Lakers season aftermath

It was even on announcer Stu Lantz’s mind before the game ended. Calling it how it is, disgusted with the team’s performance, he says “You have to consider what is Mike Brown’s future in Los Angeles after this. Kobe only has so many good seasons left, and management will have to look back and say, ‘Is this our guy?’”

The private line from the commissioner’s office to the referee’s earpiece somehow failed. It can’t affect effort either. Doug Christie watches with unabashed enjoyment, but jealous of the Nuggets success. The Lakers exit with a whimper of effort, and a whirlwind of speculation more intense than the previous season’s.

Derek Fisher escapes Staple Center, because he is not in a Lakers uniform. He is not driving the sinking ship but was put on the first life raft to Oklahoma City. As he looks up in the rafters where he certainly earned the opportunity to see his number 2 hang one day, his mixed emotions of empathy and spiteful joy mix like a rough shot your friends buy you on your 21st birthday. Despite the happy occasion it burns on the way down. He slowly exits the building to make a run after Kobe’s elusive sixth championship.

Mitch Kupchak gets offered enough money to jump off the flaming bridge and somehow land in Portland as their new GM. With no strong figure to save him, surely a combination of Buss Jr. and the new GM looking to make a name will fire Mike Brown. And to think before an elbow and a 3-1 series lead, everything was fine in LakerLand, if not LA land.

Scene 8: Clippers aftermath

Rehab and offseason surgeries, Fractured hands, hip flexors and knees all need to be scoped and repaired with glue, tape, and psychotherapy. The organization starting should take most of the responsibility. They are too inept to consider a name change like “Devil Rays” to “Rays.”

Next the players, most of them new, but still unable to undo the curse of the Clippers organization, a stronger brand than any goat could conjure, should take the responsibility.

But inevitably it will lie at the feet of Vinny Del Negro who pushed the right buttons most of the year, lead the Clippers to their best winning percentage ever, and to the playoffs. He will be fired. Déjà vu to his prequel in Chicago. Fired after only two successful years developing a young superstar. Seeing the melee from the bench as well, Chauncey Billups decides that he needs to escape and sign somewhere, anywhere else. Fade into a whole offseason for the pressure and expectations to build on the crushing failure of 2012.

Two teams. One city. Two 3 games to 1 leads. 2 crushing defeats in stunning parallelism.

Or both teams could pull out the victories in Game 7, you never know.