Lakers Lambasted

Houston, you have no problem. That is, you do not seem be crumbling courtside without colossal center, Yao Ming. The Rockets manhandled the L.A. Lakers 95-80 on their own terms at the Toyota Center in Thursday night’s Game 6. The series is even at three a piece and I feel like I’ve been tuning in to the NBA’s version of “Men Behaving Badly”. The six games played so far have been closed to fatal with all the physicality. Houston is down their two biggest players with Ming sidelined and Tracy McGrady on the mend for the remainder of the season. Ming’s absence has not caught up to the Rockets yet. They somehow have been able to connect the dots. A suspenseful Game 7 showdown is set up for Sunday in the Staples Center.
The Rockets sizzled in Game 6, scorching the highlight reel while archly accumulating leads they would not relinquish. Houston’s, Luis Scola, got the Rockets off to a flaming start, hitting 14 of his 24 points in the first quarter. Scola has only recently found his swagger and assaulted the Lakers front court in Game 6. The 12 point first quarter lead was increased to 16 by the midway point. The Lakers made a push for the game lead during the third quarter, getting within two points. Carl Landry, Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier passed L.A.’s test though and the Lakers went limping into the final quarter down by nine. Battier came up with a steal and an offensive rebound late in the third and Brooks assisted on Landry’s three-pointer to maintain a comfortable distance.
Kobe Bryant and his teammates never really threatened or dominated like they did on the road in the 118-78 Game 5 victory. Bryant was called for a technical foul by the referees in the second quarter of Game 6. The league has since rescinded the foul. It would have been Kobe’s fifth of the playoffs, bringing him within two of an automatic suspension. Bryant is now back at four technicals and is the best player on the court for both teams. L.A. also has a head coach with nine championship rings.
Kobe endured a slow start in Game 6, but finished scoring 32 points. After bombing for two games in Houston, the Lakers have a chance to put the Rockets away at home. The series was never expected to go the distance. The Rockets have been pensive shooters and fastidious on defense. Houston is a team recharged and energized, relying on underrated players to be difference makers. The Rockets need to pass and shoot with the poise they showed in games one and four. Houston was smothering on defense and decisive and crisp offensively in those games. Ming is an important low-post presence and it was evident in the Game 5 blowout, the Rockets’ big man was missed. Houston was outscored 59-30 in the combined second and third quarters of Game 5. They did not shoot well from the perimeter or pressure L.A. into making mistakes and errant passes. Los Angeles overwhelmed the offense and was resolute in protecting their court. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are much stronger and have a sizable advantage, but the Rockets were successful when Brooks and Landry injected life into the defense. Landry, after getting shot in the leg, has been truly remarkable. The athletic Landry can jump through defenders, attack the basket and complete reverse layups with grace. Carl had his best game of the series coming off the bench for Rick Adelmann’s Rockets. He scored 15 points on his way to leaping defenders. Chuck Hayes’ clutch play down the stretch helped keep the Rockets rising.
Scola has struggled against Gasol this entire series and looked nervous against the tall defender. Luis came through with a patient effort at just the right time. Scola plowed through Gasol for layups and three pointers. He and Landry finally played well simultaneously for Houston’s depleted offense. The shallow Rockets front court cannot play inconsistently in Game 7, but must infuriate the Lakers defensively.
Bynum did not have a point or a block in the Game 6 drudging. Houston needs to slow down Bryant, space the floor and make every shot difficult for the Lakers in order to prevail. Brooks’ 26 points in Game 6 were just as essential as Battier and Ron Artest wearing down Kobe. Luke Walton has not stepped up for L.A. He keeps drawing fouls and passing up open shots. Walton doesn’t distribute the ball and the Lakers rely too much on Bryant for open buckets. Jordan Farmar had two big three-pointers in the first quarter, and 13 points on the game. He has performed well as of late and has the ability to stop Brooks from running wild. Los Angeles did not hustle or protect the rim in their three losses this series. They need to show up ready to play Sunday.
There were innumerable accounts of L.A.’s dominance in the playoffs, but the series has been anything but Lakers trademark basketball. This seems like a team simply going through the motions, playing without heart. The team needs a vintage Kobe in Game 7 to pull off the 4-3 series win. The winner faces the upstart Denver Nuggets, who are no easy out.


Parting points: My Saturday play list- “Glycerine” by Bush, “You were meant for me” by Jewel, “Half-truism” by the Offspring, “Knights of Cydonia” by Muse