It’s hard to learn too many lessons from Saturday’s 102-94 loss to the Clippers in the first installment of this year’s city rivalry. At least in terms what it means about each team’s long term future in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. The Lakers fall to 5-2 when Kobe goes for 30 and more plus the Clippers outrebounded the Lakers by 9, 57-48 with Blake Griffin getting a double double. However if Saturday was any indication, Los Angeles basketball fans will enjoy having two high caliber teams operating out of Staples Center.
Chris Paul was spectacular, and Kobe Bryant again hit the 40-point mark for the fourth straight game. Fans saw a good show and the LAC fired the first punch at their cotenants.
Some Key points:
Kobe Bryant/Andrew Bynum:
For those keeping track, that’s four straight 40-plus games for Bryant, a incredible stretch of scoring made particularly so given the once-again high shooting percentage, high volume attempts and the obvious torn wrist ligaments affecting his outside shooting, even though Kobe was 6-12 from the three point line in the last two games. As a team, though, the Lakers lacked any real rhythm. The decrease production of Andrew Bynum has to be concerning considering it’s coincided with Kobe’s 40 point barrage. In the last four games since Kobe’s onslaught, Andrew has averaged Bynum has scored 12 points per game and 12 rebounds and on Saturday Andrew Bynum scored 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor and added 16 rebounds. Scoring 40 for Kobe is a great night once in a while but failing to utilize the Lakers advantage which is Pau and Bynum will doom the Lakers come playoff time.
Chris Paul’s domination of L.A. point guards:
Whether it was Darius Morris1 or old man Derek Fisher trying to stop CP3, Mr. Paul had himself a game to the tune of 33 points and six assists. Paul followed up his best game of the season with and even better game. The submissiveness and hesitancy that plagued him in his first few games is gone. Whether it was through Isolation, pick and roll situation in which he got a mismatch with a Lakers big man or just flat out blowing by Derek or Darius, he matched Kobe Bryant almost point for point and GOT himself into open looks through nonexistent seams in the Lakers defense. It got so bad that it prompted this conversation with my dad.
Me: Is it just me or does it seem like nobody can keep up with Paul
Dad: I know. What about Metta World Peace can’t he?
Me: You mean the artist formally known as Ron Artest hell no!
Dad: You’re right though he makes for great comedy
Me: Ohh ya let’s watch where the adventures of Metta World Peace will take him. Chapter 1, the amnesty clause.
Rebounding/physicality:
The Lakers were playing their fourth game in five nights, likely the cause behind the best rebounding team in the NBA getting out-rebounded by the league’s worst. All the signs — defensive confusion on pick and roll, reaching instead of moving feet, poor choices offensively, lack of ball movement and much more were there. Most of all, the energy mismatch showed on the glass, where the Lakers were outrebounded by eight overall, and allowed a whopping 17 offensive rebounds leading to 25 second chance points. There were moments of tension in this game resembling a Brent Sutter Darryl Sutter2 family reunion.
Metta World Peace arm-barred Griffin in the third quarter when he thought Griffin was over his back then tossed a couple elbows in Paul’s unfortunately nearby face. Moments later, there was another scrap involving Paul, Josh McRoberts, DeAndre Jordan, and Morris.
Matt Barnes spent most of the evening looking as if he might just beat the c***3 out of someone. It was a fun game to watch seeing the Clippers strut their stuff in Staples Center. The hope is that this quality of basketball will continue on throughout the year4
1. I’m not going to write like I know every single person who came out of college in the NBA Draft last year. (Chad Ford cough cough!) If you told me who Darius Morris was before the start of the season, my first guest was that he was the guy working at Tim Hortens who gave me my cappuccino. 2. For the five people in Calgary, you know what I’m talking about. For the rest of you, all you need to know was that they didn’t talk to each other since Darryl resigned in Calgary as GM. WE ARE FAMILY!!!!! 3. I don’t know if I can say that but if I can, it will be on my “to do” list next time I write. If not well… I had a good run 4. Might have spoken too soon. We got Cleveland-Charlotte and Houston-Washington on Monday, Golden State-Cleveland, Detroit- Houston on Tuesday followed by Golden State-New Jersey on Wednesday. The NBA IT’S FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!