I really don’t know why analysts and columnists are patting the Lakers on the back so much for stringing together a meager four-game winning streak. Can you honestly say that we’re playing great basketball? We’re the defending champs, shouldn’t a four-game streak be a minimum requirement?
We are mediocre at best, sorry to say.
To reiterate my point from earlier, even Jordan Farmar attests, “We did what we’re supposed to do.” Like I said, I agree, but 100 points in the paint allowed is far more than what we should be giving up. I was definitely not pleased to see us give up 50 interior points again in Game 2.
While I do give the Lakers credit for handling their business in the paint, on the boards, and on defense (kind of), we are still playing with fire or lack thereof actually, by falling into moments of complacency, which in turn causes our team to engineer bonehead plays. And I don’t mean just the bench here. Kobe had seven of the team’s mindless 20 turnovers in Game 2 from which the Jazz capitalized with 28 points.
To touch on the second unit however, there’s really not much left to say with them. They know as much as we all do that their play must improve and soon at that. There is close to no offensive rhythm when three or four of our bench players are out on the floor and I put the onus on our quote-man, Jordan Farmar.
A few weeks ago, I wrote how Farmar deserves a shot at being our lead guard starting next season, but I was telling my roommate during Game 2 that perhaps I was being too presumptuous in my assessment. While I’m glad to see that he buzzed his hair, I’d more so like to see him start making plays for others instead of jacking up threes on every other touch he gets and making foolish drives to the basket that result in offensive fouls or turnovers.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Mitch Kupchak has Jordan on a very short leash right now and if he doesn’t step up in however much time we have left in the postseason and prove his worth, he will not be back with us in any capacity next year.
To be fair though, everyone, starters included, must figure out how to close the door, turn off the lights, cool the eggs, harden the butter, and jiggle the Jell-O! Miss you Chick. When we’re up by 15, it’s imperative that we push it to 25 or so because as the playoffs wear on, our margin for error will only shrink more and more as each game concludes. Committing 20 turnovers is not going to bode well for us in Utah nor will we keep getting away with it in subsequent rounds.
Saturday will hopefully spell a different trend that actually has the Lakers playing at a higher clip and putting this hopeless Jazz squad to bed.
No more game to game reenactments though, please.
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