Christmas calamity: The Lakers just keep on giving.

Posted by: SPQR on Dec 25, 2009 - 11:53 PM
lakers-blog

So the much anticipated Kobe-Lebron christmas matchup is now in the books. On a day when giving is the word of moment, nobody gave away more than the Lakers this friday.

The giving started early: The formaly indominable Pau Gasol looked like the the diminutive Pau Gasol as he reacted to the new big Cleveland lineup like they the reincarnation of Kareem, Wilt and Russell. Pau did not resemble the player we have seen in any way, shape or form. He looked nervous and rushed spastic looking shots against men he finally had to play that matched his own height. His great rebounding disappeared and he resembled the soft player of yore who used to reap criticism for he lack of effort in physical games. In finally facing a large, determined lineup, he set the tone early by playing tentative, nervous, ineffective ball. On this day, he gave away all the determination and skills that had made him such a folcrum of the teams success since his return. Close behind him in the giving was Kobe Bryant. While his rebounding and assists were laudable, by the fourth quarter he was stuggling with a 9 for 28 shooting daze, and for a guy who was shooting that much, that percentage was a death knell for the team. For Kobe to do this, he all but gave away anyother chance we may have had to mount a comeback and win this game.

As the Lakers two best players did so little, they were backed by a team that seemed disinterested in playing defense or matching the intensity that Cleveland brought to the game. The bench had been outscored 31-12 and with all this going on, there was no hope of pulling out even a bit of pride, let alone a victory. But then I guess the bench gave away nothing it has not been giving all year. Why change now? Chistmas is he giving time.

Andrew Bynum once again pulled a disappearing act when he was needed most. Whether his problems are physical or mental, his recent slide was papered over by the teams success, but on the night we finally, really needed him, he was no where to be found. On this night, Bynum abdicated his post patrol and gave Cleveland and Shaq an edge where last year they had nothing.

Lamar Odom also failed to step up on a night our mainstays were obviously in trouble and needed help. Instead of taking a step forward, he faded away to the shadows to hide.

The Lakers faced a new look Cleveland team which has created a large, three headed monster-Shaq, Varejo and Ilgauskas-in large part to deal with the way they lost twice to us last year. After the first game of the matchup, it seems the move to bring in Shaq and other players have indeed changed the dynamic which existed between these two teams last year. The Lakers, instead of embracing the challenge of the new look Cavs, ran from it headlong. When the scoring disabled Varejo came into the game and got a quick six points, you knew the Lakers were not competing in this game.

It is not wise to place too much stock on one regular season game. The vicisitudes of the schedule maker can greatly influence the outcome of games. Yet every year there are a few that carry importance. In my opinion his was one of them. Both teams had this game circled. The Lakers had not played the night before and were rested and ready to go. They had home court. None of that mattered. In what very ominously looked like a reprise of the Laker-Celtic regular season games two years ago, we were rendered impotent on both offense and defense. It looked like men against confused boys. The size and magnitude of this loss makes the rematch in Cleveland all the more important. If we are again dominated like today, then it does not bode well for a Lakers-Cleveland matchup in the finals going our way. One bright spot would be that Cleveland, unlike Boston of two years ago, will have to fight through two teams they do not match up so well against-Boston and Orlando- in order to finish the job on us like Boston did back then.

In the spirit of christmas giving, what did the Lakers give up today? They gave up the assumption that we are without question the best team in basketball. They gave up the illusion that our league best defensive field goal percentage indicated we had a great defense. Cleveland hit at an ungodly 55 percent without seeming to break a sweat. Ron Artest gave up the expectation that him playing defense on Lebron could take that team out of their game and render them easy prey to us. The Lakers gave up the edge they had in losses over Boston. And finally, they gave up the strongly held belief that we are simply too talented to lose the finals this year unless we had injuries. Anyone who watched the Cavs simple, easy, breathtaking dismantling of the Lakers knows all this is true. On christmas day 2009 the Lakers gave until it hurt.

On the day of giving, the Lakers perhaps gave more than anyone. The last thing they gave was the expectations of the fans a great big surpise: one very ugly, large lump of coal for all of our stockings.

The games and season goes on. But make no mistake, this game, like that first Celtic blowout of our team two years ago will stick in the back of the mind. If the Lakers don't find the wherewithall or ability to change that result when the teams meet again, the giving may not end just today.