The Last Stand?

One word describes the performance I witnessed last night for Game 6 of the Lakers and Celtics....UNREAL. I couldn't believe my eyes as the second quarter unraveled into a murderous slaughter dealt by the hands of the Boston Celtics. There are many things I could say to defend the Laker massacre last night, but none of them would justify the loss the were handed. Yes, the referees turned a blind eye to some fouls. Yes, the Celtics played a little more physically than the league allows. Yes, the environment was loud and distracting. But where was the Laker passion I had seen so many games before? Where was the spark that fueled the fire of their triumphant victories? Where was the aggression and pure dominance I had seen attached to their performance in the first series? Where were the Lakers? I know they weren't on the Celtic home court last night. Maybe they didn't make the trip to Boston, because I know those weren't the Lakers I saw last night.

The team I saw last night had no heart. It was hard for me to continue watching the game, to give effort and support, when they themselves were playing with no effort. I would have love to cheer them on throughout the third, because they could have at least made a riotous comeback, but it's hard for me to cheer when they play like the game is already over. I would have screamed my lungs out for them from the third quarter until the end of the game, if I saw that they still wanted to win. Even the Boston reserves showed more fire than the starting five for the Lakers when they took the floor. I would have loved to give my all to the Lakers last night, but they didn't want to play. I'm not saying I abandoned my team, because that action is for bandwagon jumpers. All I'm saying is that the Lakers didn't give their fans at least the minimal of what they deserved, and that was for them to go down fighting. A loss is never a good thing, but it's more satisfying if the opposing team had to fight until the very last second. Give them hell and make them work for their win. Instead, the Lakers just handed the game right over to them.

I really feel bad for Kobe Bryant. I know he wanted the championship. I wanted him to have another championship, just to shut all those Shaq-lovers/Kobe-haters up. I saw his emotion after the game. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I saw the pain in his face and the tears welling in his eyes. But Kobe is such a great sport. He could have just stormed out of the stadium, head down, bottom lip poking out. Instead, he walked up to every Celtic player and congratulated them while some of them disrespectfully taunted the Lakers. He even walked up to Kevin Garnett while he screamed and yelled like someone overdosing on Crystal Meth. I know it was an amazing gesture by Kobe Bryant, because personally, I couldn't do it. If I were the best player on my team, and felt like I would not have been in the position I was in had my teammates played to their full potential...I probably would have stormed off the court after the buzzer had sounded. But I admire Kobe for his unselfish gestures. I only hope that he'll get another ring soon enough. 

Though the Lakers have a lot of things to work on for the future, I really feel positive about the Laker team of tomorrow. They have a young and powerful Center coming back off an injury next year. Andrew Bynum has more length, and is much more aggressive than Pau Gasol. He can handle the bigger men better on defense, and can produce a more violent threat in the post offensively. This move will make Pau Gasol a better player. He can move over to the Power Forward position, and at 7-feet will cause tremendous problems for other players in that position. There aren't many Power Forwards in the league with as much finesse and talent Gasol has offensively, and his length defensively is rarely matched. Lamar Odom will then move to the Small Forward position, leaving Kobe and Fisher, if he decides to stay another year. This tandem can be unstoppable. I wish I would've seen a glimpse of it once Gasol was acquired, but Bynum was hurt the whole time. So I guess I'll have to wait until this year's preseason.

The last move the Lakers need to make is to get rid of Fluke Walton. I don't care how they do it, just get rid of him. I know they gave him a 30-million dollar contract, but please, get some performance out of it. Trade him, either for more picks or for well-performing players. I would be happier if they used that $30 million towards seat tickets, so that people attending the games didn't have to pay so much. Luke Walton has been the cause of so many hardships for the Lakers, yet I hear so much good about him. I hear announcers during the games saying how much fire and leadership Walton brings off the bench. How much of a producer and performer he is, no matter what his stats say. I always get confused, like maybe they're talking about another player, or that they're watching another game. Luke Walton is not a performer, not a leader, and not a producer of anything but pure garbage. I wonder what goes through Phil Jackson's mind as he's watching this ridiculous player take the floor in place of someone who is actually talented. I don't know, maybe the Laker organization sees something in him that the rest of us don't see. Maybe they realize something about him that no one else can. If that's the case, then please...please, someone call or email me and tell me exactly what he is capable of.

With all said and done, my heart remains with the Lakers through this drastic time of despair. They lost a game that could have turned the whole series around for them. They lost their chance at having this year's championship. But there is hope for a brighter future, and although it might take us a year to see them back in the NBA Finals, I am ready to cheer for them once again. I know they will have a great season next year, but even if they do not, my heart will always be there with them. And we will always remember the accomplishments and awards obtained by their players and their team this year. So here's to the Lakers, currently the second best team in the NBA, but still #1 in LA's heart.