Lakers' playoff fate is tough to predict
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Wednesday, April 14
Updated: April 14
11:52 AM ET
Today, it's still Kobe Bryant taking one shot before halftime. Yesterday, it's Shaquille O'Neal not defending the pick and roll. Tomorrow, it's Karl Malone retiring or Phil Jackson ending contract talks or Gary Payton meeting an opposing team's head coach in the parking lot.
Oh, yeah, before we forget, the Lakers also play their final regular-season game tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers with the Pacific Division crown at stake.
"This team has always had a lot of drama," Jackson said in the Los Angeles Times after the Lakers, behind Bryant's 11 shot attempts in the first quarter, defeated the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night, 109-104, to tie the Sacramento Kings at 55-26. "Kobe was bound and determined to show you guys what. Heh, heh, heh. So there."
But everyone is wondering if it was too little, too late.
"They'll be all right," Jackson said. "Some of these players are new to this. Some of us are used to this. If not used to it, we've dealt with it in the past few years and we're ready to go on, put it behind us and go on."
Even coach Phil Jackson doesn't know exactly what to expect from the Lakers in the playoffs.
Like they did last night . . . right? Or the night before that. Or the night before that.
Against the Warriors, the Lakers fell behind by 10 points at halftime and by as much as 16 when Golden State scored the first six points after the break. Against the Kings on Sunday, they were behind by 19 at halftime and eventually by as much as 25.
Does anyone remember the halftime score of the last Sunday's game between the Spurs and Lakers? It was 53-42 in favor of San Antonio, which eventually turned into a 14-point lead. And the game after that against the Blazers? That one was 51-40, which swelled to an 18-point deficit after that.
In the last five games, the Lakers have been down at halftime by an average of 11.6 points.
In those same five games, they have been down at some point in time by an average of 18.4 points.
"It's like a broken record," Malone said in the Los Angeles Times after Tuesday night's come-from-behind victory. "We try to outscore people and we'll get our butts kicked. We can't be happy. We just got away with it."
Last night, they won. So they're back on their championship run . . . right? But Sunday night, they lost. So they're back to their old flawed ways . . . right? Does anyone remember that 11-game win streak? Can we forget that they're 2-3 in their last five games?
"You don't know what you're going to find with this team sometimes," Jackson said, "when you get on the court."
This is a team that usually scores 98 points a game. But in the last five, they've averaged only 42.8 by halftime. This is also a team that usually gives up only 94 points a game. But in those same five games, they've surrendered 54.4 by halftime.
Stretch those out to a full 48 minutes and that's an average final score of 108.8 to 85.6 in favor of the Lakers' opponent.
That's 23.2 points in the whole a game, every game for the last 10 days that saw them go from the top seed in the Western Conference to fourth.
"I have no explanation for that," general manager Mitch Kupchak said in the Los Angeles Daily News. "I'd like to think that, and it's dangerous to think this way, but this group needs a challenge. I think they get complacent, and being at home, and not being as challenged as they should have been, bang-bang-bang, you lose three out of four. And that's not good. But I also don't think that it's something that can't be turned around in a couple of days."
But that's exactly what the Lakers have, one game and maybe three or four days before the playoffs start. After 169 days since the beginning of the season and 2,346 NBA games played league wide, the Lakers still do not know which team will be their first-round opponent or which Laker team will face them.
As it stands now, the Lakers would finish fourth in the conference with a game against the Dallas Mavericks either Saturday or Sunday in Staples Center. Or, they could finish third and face the Memphis Grizzlies. But, then again, a win tonight and Kings loss puts the Lakers back into first in the Pacific and second in the conference with an opening-round series with the Houston Rockets.
"We kept hope alive tonight," coach Phil Jackson said in the Daily News.
Yes, but for who?
"A lot of people think we match up better with the Spurs," Maverick owner Mark Cuban said in the Dallas Morning News. "But when it comes right down to it, it's been such a funky season. If we go out to L.A. and steal a game, you just never know."
And neither do the Lakers.
* The Drama Is Replaced by Old Flaws
J.A. Adande / Los Angeles Times
* Kupchak: Kobe causes no worry
Howard Beck / Los Angeles Daily News
* Bryant Locks In and Unloads
Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times
* Mavs look at Lakers and say, 'Why not?'
David Moore / Dallas Morning News
* Kobe goes off on air in Lakers win
Howard Beck / Los Angeles Daily News
NBA Insider
Wednesday, April 14
Updated: April 14
9:02 AM ET
Yao
Houston Rockets: Yao Ming is feeling every bit of his 7-foot-5 frame these days as the regular season winds down and the playoffs loom. "I think it (fatigue) has affected me," Yao said in the Houston Chronicle. "There are a lot of things I want to do, but I can't get it done. I worry that if I play like this, it will affect the playoffs. I feel like I'm pulling on myself. But I worry I'll wear myself out in the regular season and not be able to play until the end. Last year, it really was almost over. This year, we have a lot to go. We still have a road to travel. We were prepared to make it to the end of the season. Beyond that, I'm not sure." But head coach Jeff Van Gundy will hear none of that. "We need him to play big minutes for us," Van Gundy said. "If we're going to beat anybody of quality, he can't be taking the kind of fouls he's been taking. We need him to play at a high energy level over a long period of time. In the playoffs, he's going to need to play 38 to 40 minutes if we're going to beat anybody we play. He's got to deliver late. I think that's critical."
Philadelphia 76ers: Larry Brown . . . check. Randy Ayers . . . check. Chris Ford . . .? "It's started - the process has started," team president Billy King said in the Philadelphia Daily News about the search for next year's head coach. "Hopefully, it won't take that long. Chris is a guy that I will consider for the job. I think he did a great job; he got our guys to play hard." And Ford understands completely. At least he says he does. "I'll meet with Billy sometime and see where I'm going to be," Ford said. "I have no idea. I'll wait until I talk to Billy . . . I don't think Randy or myself really had the team that they thought they were going to have. Unfortunately, it just never presented itself on the court. It's tough to evaluate what could have been if they were all available and healthy. But that's professional sports."
Minnesota Timberwolves: So what do the Timberwolves get for the best record in the West? "Once we start playing in the playoffs, nobody is going to remember," head coach Flip Saunders said in the Star Tribune. "Everyone is 0-0." But his players think otherwise. "We just want to finish first," Latrell Sprewell said. "That's where our mind-set is. We have an opportunity to be the best in the West, and have home court throughout the Western Conference playoffs. . . . For us it would be a notch in our belt to be able to say we were the best team in the West."
New Jersey Nets: Rod Thorn may deny it but the New York Daily News is reporting that the Nets have decided make Lawrence Frank their next head coach and drop that interim tag regardless of what happens in the playoffs. "As I said before, that will take care of itself," Thorn said. "At this time I'm only thinking of the playoffs, not worried about anything else. I think that is how he looks at it too." But other people are looking, too. "Everybody wants to see him back," Jason Kidd said. "His record is unbelievable, what he has accomplished, winning 13 in a row as a head coach - his debut. Anybody would dream of that situation to come true. It shows how good he really is."
Cleveland Cavaliers: Jeff McInnis has earned at least one more year with the Cavs. But, at this point, that's all he's earned. "We're going to see him in a Cavs' uniform next year, and (a possible extension) has to be discussed," owner Gordon Gund said in the Lorraine Morning Journal. "It's up to (Cavaliers general manager) Jim (Paxson) and the coaching staff. When he's been healthy, he's made a big difference." And Cleveland has made a difference to him. "I hope so," McInnis said of staying with the Cavs. "I love playing here. That's something for my agent to deal with. Everyone knows I've been looking for a home forever. It's no secret that I want to be here."
* Yao accepts playoff responsibilities
Jonathan Feigen / Houston Chronicle
* Coaching situation is first on King's to-do list
Phil Jasner / Philadelphia Daily News
* Wolves like notion of being best in the West
Kent Youngblood / Minneapolis Star Tribune
* Sources: Frank to stay with Nets
Ohm Youngmisuk / New York Daily News
* Question remains, will Mcinnis be offered a contract extension?
Bob Finnan / Lorain Morning Journal
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Wednesday, April 14
Updated: April 14
11:52 AM ET
Today, it's still Kobe Bryant taking one shot before halftime. Yesterday, it's Shaquille O'Neal not defending the pick and roll. Tomorrow, it's Karl Malone retiring or Phil Jackson ending contract talks or Gary Payton meeting an opposing team's head coach in the parking lot.
Oh, yeah, before we forget, the Lakers also play their final regular-season game tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers with the Pacific Division crown at stake.
"This team has always had a lot of drama," Jackson said in the Los Angeles Times after the Lakers, behind Bryant's 11 shot attempts in the first quarter, defeated the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night, 109-104, to tie the Sacramento Kings at 55-26. "Kobe was bound and determined to show you guys what. Heh, heh, heh. So there."
But everyone is wondering if it was too little, too late.
"They'll be all right," Jackson said. "Some of these players are new to this. Some of us are used to this. If not used to it, we've dealt with it in the past few years and we're ready to go on, put it behind us and go on."
Even coach Phil Jackson doesn't know exactly what to expect from the Lakers in the playoffs.
Like they did last night . . . right? Or the night before that. Or the night before that.
Against the Warriors, the Lakers fell behind by 10 points at halftime and by as much as 16 when Golden State scored the first six points after the break. Against the Kings on Sunday, they were behind by 19 at halftime and eventually by as much as 25.
Does anyone remember the halftime score of the last Sunday's game between the Spurs and Lakers? It was 53-42 in favor of San Antonio, which eventually turned into a 14-point lead. And the game after that against the Blazers? That one was 51-40, which swelled to an 18-point deficit after that.
In the last five games, the Lakers have been down at halftime by an average of 11.6 points.
In those same five games, they have been down at some point in time by an average of 18.4 points.
"It's like a broken record," Malone said in the Los Angeles Times after Tuesday night's come-from-behind victory. "We try to outscore people and we'll get our butts kicked. We can't be happy. We just got away with it."
Last night, they won. So they're back on their championship run . . . right? But Sunday night, they lost. So they're back to their old flawed ways . . . right? Does anyone remember that 11-game win streak? Can we forget that they're 2-3 in their last five games?
"You don't know what you're going to find with this team sometimes," Jackson said, "when you get on the court."
This is a team that usually scores 98 points a game. But in the last five, they've averaged only 42.8 by halftime. This is also a team that usually gives up only 94 points a game. But in those same five games, they've surrendered 54.4 by halftime.
Stretch those out to a full 48 minutes and that's an average final score of 108.8 to 85.6 in favor of the Lakers' opponent.
That's 23.2 points in the whole a game, every game for the last 10 days that saw them go from the top seed in the Western Conference to fourth.
"I have no explanation for that," general manager Mitch Kupchak said in the Los Angeles Daily News. "I'd like to think that, and it's dangerous to think this way, but this group needs a challenge. I think they get complacent, and being at home, and not being as challenged as they should have been, bang-bang-bang, you lose three out of four. And that's not good. But I also don't think that it's something that can't be turned around in a couple of days."
But that's exactly what the Lakers have, one game and maybe three or four days before the playoffs start. After 169 days since the beginning of the season and 2,346 NBA games played league wide, the Lakers still do not know which team will be their first-round opponent or which Laker team will face them.
As it stands now, the Lakers would finish fourth in the conference with a game against the Dallas Mavericks either Saturday or Sunday in Staples Center. Or, they could finish third and face the Memphis Grizzlies. But, then again, a win tonight and Kings loss puts the Lakers back into first in the Pacific and second in the conference with an opening-round series with the Houston Rockets.
"We kept hope alive tonight," coach Phil Jackson said in the Daily News.
Yes, but for who?
"A lot of people think we match up better with the Spurs," Maverick owner Mark Cuban said in the Dallas Morning News. "But when it comes right down to it, it's been such a funky season. If we go out to L.A. and steal a game, you just never know."
And neither do the Lakers.
* The Drama Is Replaced by Old Flaws
J.A. Adande / Los Angeles Times
* Kupchak: Kobe causes no worry
Howard Beck / Los Angeles Daily News
* Bryant Locks In and Unloads
Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times
* Mavs look at Lakers and say, 'Why not?'
David Moore / Dallas Morning News
* Kobe goes off on air in Lakers win
Howard Beck / Los Angeles Daily News
NBA Insider
Wednesday, April 14
Updated: April 14
9:02 AM ET
Yao
Houston Rockets: Yao Ming is feeling every bit of his 7-foot-5 frame these days as the regular season winds down and the playoffs loom. "I think it (fatigue) has affected me," Yao said in the Houston Chronicle. "There are a lot of things I want to do, but I can't get it done. I worry that if I play like this, it will affect the playoffs. I feel like I'm pulling on myself. But I worry I'll wear myself out in the regular season and not be able to play until the end. Last year, it really was almost over. This year, we have a lot to go. We still have a road to travel. We were prepared to make it to the end of the season. Beyond that, I'm not sure." But head coach Jeff Van Gundy will hear none of that. "We need him to play big minutes for us," Van Gundy said. "If we're going to beat anybody of quality, he can't be taking the kind of fouls he's been taking. We need him to play at a high energy level over a long period of time. In the playoffs, he's going to need to play 38 to 40 minutes if we're going to beat anybody we play. He's got to deliver late. I think that's critical."
Philadelphia 76ers: Larry Brown . . . check. Randy Ayers . . . check. Chris Ford . . .? "It's started - the process has started," team president Billy King said in the Philadelphia Daily News about the search for next year's head coach. "Hopefully, it won't take that long. Chris is a guy that I will consider for the job. I think he did a great job; he got our guys to play hard." And Ford understands completely. At least he says he does. "I'll meet with Billy sometime and see where I'm going to be," Ford said. "I have no idea. I'll wait until I talk to Billy . . . I don't think Randy or myself really had the team that they thought they were going to have. Unfortunately, it just never presented itself on the court. It's tough to evaluate what could have been if they were all available and healthy. But that's professional sports."
Minnesota Timberwolves: So what do the Timberwolves get for the best record in the West? "Once we start playing in the playoffs, nobody is going to remember," head coach Flip Saunders said in the Star Tribune. "Everyone is 0-0." But his players think otherwise. "We just want to finish first," Latrell Sprewell said. "That's where our mind-set is. We have an opportunity to be the best in the West, and have home court throughout the Western Conference playoffs. . . . For us it would be a notch in our belt to be able to say we were the best team in the West."
New Jersey Nets: Rod Thorn may deny it but the New York Daily News is reporting that the Nets have decided make Lawrence Frank their next head coach and drop that interim tag regardless of what happens in the playoffs. "As I said before, that will take care of itself," Thorn said. "At this time I'm only thinking of the playoffs, not worried about anything else. I think that is how he looks at it too." But other people are looking, too. "Everybody wants to see him back," Jason Kidd said. "His record is unbelievable, what he has accomplished, winning 13 in a row as a head coach - his debut. Anybody would dream of that situation to come true. It shows how good he really is."
Cleveland Cavaliers: Jeff McInnis has earned at least one more year with the Cavs. But, at this point, that's all he's earned. "We're going to see him in a Cavs' uniform next year, and (a possible extension) has to be discussed," owner Gordon Gund said in the Lorraine Morning Journal. "It's up to (Cavaliers general manager) Jim (Paxson) and the coaching staff. When he's been healthy, he's made a big difference." And Cleveland has made a difference to him. "I hope so," McInnis said of staying with the Cavs. "I love playing here. That's something for my agent to deal with. Everyone knows I've been looking for a home forever. It's no secret that I want to be here."
* Yao accepts playoff responsibilities
Jonathan Feigen / Houston Chronicle
* Coaching situation is first on King's to-do list
Phil Jasner / Philadelphia Daily News
* Wolves like notion of being best in the West
Kent Youngblood / Minneapolis Star Tribune
* Sources: Frank to stay with Nets
Ohm Youngmisuk / New York Daily News
* Question remains, will Mcinnis be offered a contract extension?
Bob Finnan / Lorain Morning Journal
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