On To Game 6

I'm tired of all these sports analysts who are still unable to give the Lakers credit for being as far along as they are now. They are still saying the Lakers didn't belong in the finals, that it was an improbable run they made to the playoffs. I can't believe there are that many Laker haters in the professional industry. What is it about them that makes people not recognize them as a championship caliber team? What do they have to do to prove to people they got where they are from their sheer talent and abilities?

I recently read an article about the Lakers where the columnist claimed that only a delusional fan would believe the Lakers would be the first team to rally back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. My response to that is only an ignorant columnist would write something to that degree. No one game is ever guaranteed, and it's statements like that which make the writer a fool if ever proven wrong. Every sports analyst and columnist knows they should never guarantee anything, whether it be a game, series, championship, etc. They know that any one team can beat any other team on any day. It's never a guaranteed possibility with sports.

Now, on to the NBA Finals series. The Game 5 victory for the Lakers was very comforting for me. They showed the world that they could win a "must-win" game with their backs against the wall. Now they have to rally together and win two more, it's not as easy as it sounds. One loss will put them out for good, and it's that mentality that they have to take in with them for the rest of the series. They have to realize that the next game could be their last. When you play with that "nothing to lose, everything to win" attitude, you play with a ferocity that no one can match. And the Lakers have everything to win. No one is giving them credit for being in the Finals, no one believes they can beat the Celtics, no one thinks they can win this series and this championship. No one has faith in the Lakers, except for their loyal few who reside in Los Angeles. No one is giving them a chance, which is why they have to have the drive to prove everyone wrong. Nothing to lose, everything to win.

Game 6 will be a tougher challenge for the Lakers than Game 5. They performed pretty well Sunday night, but some of that gameplay they will have to bring with them to tonight's game. Kobe Bryant needs to get hot early out, like he did the previous game. When he performs well, the team gets fired up. And when he explodes offensively, it brings all the attention to him, which in turn frees up his hot-handed teammates. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol need to play a big role in tonight's game as well. Combined, they scored more than Kobe Bryant, which I don't think has happened in this series so far. If they continue to crash boards and score when needed, the Lakers can come out on top. 

Those were the things the Lakers had to carry over from Game 5, but here's where they need to improve. The Lakers' bench did not produce as much as usual. Sasha Vujacic was in a three-point drought, as he shot five but missed them all. He needs to be automatic like he usually is. Jordan Farmar also needs to be big off the bench. He performed well, finishing with 11 points, but it was in spurts. If he's going to be a factor, he has to be offensively as aggressive as usual. Luke Walton really needs to just sit down. I think he pissed me off more in Game 5 than any other game. He missed a triumphant opportunity to throw Kobe a lob pass that would have given the Lakers more fire in the game. Instead, he took a wild shot with two defenders in front of him. I don't know how he made it, but that's the only reason I partially excused his idiotic play. They claim Luke Walton has "basketball I.Q.", but I have yet to see it. He finished with 2 points and 5 fouls, putting the Lakers in foul trouble too early in the 4th Quarter. In place of Luke Walton, they need to play Trevor Ariza more. He is better, faster, and taller defensively than Walton, and I believe his offensive decisions are smarter than Walton's as well. The last piece to the Laker bench is Ronny Turiaf. I love his aggression, but he has to keep it under control at points. The only reason he wasn't in foul trouble Sunday night was because he barely played two minutes.

With all this in order, the Lakers have a strong opportunity to win Game 6. I only hope they keep their aggression at its maximum level, that they play with no mercy and no remorse, and that they prove to the world that they can be the NBA Champions. Nothing to lose, everything to win.