"They didn't even bother to show up.... Bunch of ??????? (except Fisher);
I purposely left out the derogatory word as it's painful to read. Her "spot on" comment hit me like a ton of bricks. As a die-hard Lakers fan, that was a big dose of reality about their pathetic play.
Another moment that aptly describes this series was early in the 3rd quarter of Game 4. Laker Ron Artest had an open layup that would have cut the lead to 17 points. The momentum was in LA's favor as Dallas came out lazy in the 2nd half after a glorious first half of basketball. Artest missed the terribly easy shot and in an instant, the game was back to a 25 point Dallas lead.
Game and series over.
There was still a glimmer of hope when Artest choked yet his failure exemplified the consistently poor play of the Lakers throughout this series.
Magic Johnson (NBA Hall of Famer) couldn't explain the complete collapse of his beloved team. I can't. I don't think anyone can. There must be some underlying issue as I have never seen any legendary franchise compete this poorly in a playoff series. Is someone in the Laker organization dying and we don't know about it? That might explain a collapse of this proportion.
Whatever the reason, let's not forget that this Dallas team played extraordinary basketball. When two players hit 15 of 16 three-point shots as Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic did in game 4, it's nearly impossible for an opposing team to get a victory.
For my Lakers to get blown out in this pivotal game 4 is embarrassing. As a fan who has been bleeding Purple and Gold for 32 years, it was painful to witness. It's happened to us before (Memorial Day Massacre) when Boston crushed us in Game 1 of the 1985 NBA finals although it was only one bad game. The Lakers recovered after that terrible defeat and went on to capture the 1985 NBA championship.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIja-CPHfUI)
Am I angry? A bit.
Am I disappointed? A lot.
Does it hurt? Sure does.
Am I excited for the 2011- 2012 season and beyond? Absolutely!
We have a proud and long history of success - namely 16 NBA titles and we will be back.
Mitch Kupcheck (Lakers GM) will have to make some tough choices in the coming months. In my opinion, every player except Kobe Bryant is expendable. I would love to see them make a serious effort for Dwight Howard of the Orland Magic and we have the players that others teams desire ( Gasol, Odom or Bynum) to make a deal like that happen.
After this disaster, we need new blood and that includes the coach.
Brian Shaw has been a faithful assistant to Phil Jackson for 6 years. In addition, he played on some great Laker teams and was a strong player and leader on and off the court. I hope they are smart enough to give the reins to him.
As for Dallas, the way they are playing gives them a great opportunity to win an NBA title. If they don't get their first championship, the heavy sweep of the Lakers won't mean much. It will just be another playoff failure for this solid organization. I wish them well as I am a fan of their owner, Mark Cuban.
For all the Laker Haters (and there are many), enjoy your time in the sun as it won't be long. The Lakers will rise again and compete for the 2012 NBA championship.
A personal thanks to the greatest coach of all-time, Phil Jackson. He guided this Lakers franchise to 5 thrilling championships in the last decade including last year's stunning victory over Boston - my personal favorite.
Kobe, get re-focused. NBA teams, watch out.
Laker Doubters, I look forward to smiling down on you with the NBA's O'Brien trophy glistening in the air as we hold it up for our 17th NBA title.
Happy Gswede Sunday!
(www. lakers.topbuzz.com)
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