As we look back over the 2008, 2009 and 2010 playoff runs made by the Lakers it is interesting to note the number of key games within a series that was decided by five points or fewer. In the 2008 Conference Finals against the Spurs, Game 4 was a two-point Lakers win in San Antonio. The Lakers were able to finish the job at home in LA in five games without having to return to Texas.
In the 2009 Conference Finals against Denver, the Lakers lost Game 1 at Staples Center by two points. They only won Game 2 by three points. The point differential in the first two games was five points total, and it came at the expense of a home loss to start the series. Game 3 was actually decided by six points, but necessary to restore home court advantage.
It’s hard to slice up a series that ended 4-1, but it’s interesting to note that Game 2 of the Finals against Orlando was only a five point victory in Los Angeles, and the Lakers only loss of the series was by four points. A bucket here or a steal there and maybe that series goes six or seven games.
In 2010 things got very interesting for the Lakers in each playoff series. Beginning with Oklahoma City in the 1st round, Games 2 and 3 were both decided by five points or fewer, and almost cost LA home court advantage before heading back to Oklahoma. Game 6 was the infamous one-point victory on Pau Gasol’s putback at the buzzer. That series ended 4-2 and never returned to LA, allowing the Lakers to rest for the next round after facing a young and energetic Thunder squad.
Again, it’s hard to dissect a series that ended in a 4-0 sweep, but Games 1 and 3 of the Conference Semi-finals against the Jazz were decided by five points or less, again almost costing them home court advantage from the get-go and eventually closing the door on enemy soil as Game 3 was a one point victory. In fact, Game 3 turned sloppy at the end when Ron Artest missed Derek Fisher on the inbound pass with six seconds left, giving the Jazz the ball and an opportunity to win at the buzzer. It almost happened when Deron Williams got a good look at the basket, but missed from long range. Wesley Matthews also missed a point-blank put-back at the buzzer. It’s hard for any team to climb out of a 0-3 hole, and the Lakers finished their business the next game in Utah.
The pivotal moment in the Conference Finals last year came when Artest had a put-back at the buzzer in Game 5 against the Suns. That game was in LA, and might have meant going back to Phoenix down 3-2 and being forced to win just to bring the series back to Staples. The Lakers won Game 5 by two points.
The first six games of the Finals against Boston were somewhat decisive in nature. No real nail-biters that ended on the last play of the game. However, Game 7 resulted in only a four point Lakers win, which came down to ball possession and clock management.
Speaking of Boston, as I was watching the extra sessions on Tuesday night, it reminded me of Boston’s first round series against Chicago in 2009. Boston lost home court advantage in Game 1 by two points in overtime. Game 2 was a three-point Boston win in regulation. Game 4 was a three-point Chicago win in double overtime. Game 5 was a two-point Boston win in overtime, and Game 6 was a one-point Chicago win in triple overtime. A possession here or turnover there and that series could have turned out a lot different.
I believe it’s true that over the course of a seven-game series the better team will find a way to win four games before the other team. But as we’ve seen with the Lakers over the past few years, close games that end on the difference of a basket or two can come at a pivotal moment in any series. I don’t know if this Lakers team would’ve willed themselves a win a month or two like they did on Tuesday night, so it was great to see them scratch and claw when they had to.