By Mike Bresnahan
May 17, 2009
Nobody talked about Saturday's practice possibly being the last of the Lakers' season, though it hung in the air, an uncomfortable guest during video sessions, a quick round of shooting and as the players went their separate ways after leaving the team's training facility.Few people would have predicted a Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals, particularly after Houston center Yao Ming went down after Game 3, but here the Lakers are, forced to extend themselves to the max a month before many forecast they would be beating Cleveland for their 15th NBA championship.Players are typically reluctant to admit there's pressure on their team, but there will be plenty on the Lakers today if they want to get to the next round against Denver, much less the NBA Finals.
"A lot," Kobe Bryant said. "We're supposed to be there. As players, you have to respond. If you're to be the NBA champion, you've got to be able to respond to situations like this."
That the Lakers are in this situation in the first place can be traced to a host of realities.They haven't been able to control second-year point guard Aaron Brooks, who has averaged 18.8 points and 2.5 assists this series only three months after being handed the starting job. (How unexpected is his success? He's not one of the seven players pictured on the cover of the Rockets' 2008-09 media guide.)
Derek Fisher has averaged only 5.2 points while shooting 29.4% in this series and has had trouble defensively with Brooks. The Lakers' big men haven't been as effective as expected down low against the Rockets' undersized front court.
Steps have been taken to remedy the above. At least, that's the Lakers' hope.
After Saturday's practice, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol put in extra work on pick-and-roll defense with Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis, part of a concentrated attempt to "control Brooks," Gasol said.
"He has been feeling comfortable, especially at home, finding a lot of good looks and penetrating," Gasol said. "If we contain, then we have a lot of ground gained."
Fisher's minutes have been cut to only 19.7 a game the last three games while Jordan Farmar has averaged 21.3 minutes and Shannon Brown 16.7 minutes over the same span.
"[Fisher] says he's ready to play and he's got his shot back," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "We count on him. We believe in him."
Bynum has been scoreless in three of the games in this series, but there seemed to be some support to get him more touches in the post.
"The guys just have to look for him," Jackson said. "He's a great target, he's got a big body. If he asks for the ball and guys rotate off him, we've got to get him the basketball. He's open in certain situations."
Said Farmar: "We have to go inside to Pau and Andrew and let them play, no matter if they miss three or four. We have to get [Houston] in foul trouble."
Meanwhile, the Rockets have persevered without Yao, Tracy McGrady and Dikembe Mutombo, most recently answering their 40-point loss in Game 5 with a 95-80 victory Thursday in Game 6.
Spoilers? It's obviously possible.
The Rockets haven't been to the West finals since 1997.
"L.A. is the top team in the West and the top team in the East is Cleveland. That would be a great matchup," Brooks said. "But we're in a good position to try and spoil that."
It's been a busy 20 years for the Lakers, what with seven Finals appearances and three championship parades, but they haven't done a lot of Game 7s.
May 17, 2009
Nobody talked about Saturday's practice possibly being the last of the Lakers' season, though it hung in the air, an uncomfortable guest during video sessions, a quick round of shooting and as the players went their separate ways after leaving the team's training facility.Few people would have predicted a Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals, particularly after Houston center Yao Ming went down after Game 3, but here the Lakers are, forced to extend themselves to the max a month before many forecast they would be beating Cleveland for their 15th NBA championship.Players are typically reluctant to admit there's pressure on their team, but there will be plenty on the Lakers today if they want to get to the next round against Denver, much less the NBA Finals.
"A lot," Kobe Bryant said. "We're supposed to be there. As players, you have to respond. If you're to be the NBA champion, you've got to be able to respond to situations like this."
That the Lakers are in this situation in the first place can be traced to a host of realities.They haven't been able to control second-year point guard Aaron Brooks, who has averaged 18.8 points and 2.5 assists this series only three months after being handed the starting job. (How unexpected is his success? He's not one of the seven players pictured on the cover of the Rockets' 2008-09 media guide.)
Derek Fisher has averaged only 5.2 points while shooting 29.4% in this series and has had trouble defensively with Brooks. The Lakers' big men haven't been as effective as expected down low against the Rockets' undersized front court.
Steps have been taken to remedy the above. At least, that's the Lakers' hope.
After Saturday's practice, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol put in extra work on pick-and-roll defense with Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis, part of a concentrated attempt to "control Brooks," Gasol said.
"He has been feeling comfortable, especially at home, finding a lot of good looks and penetrating," Gasol said. "If we contain, then we have a lot of ground gained."
Fisher's minutes have been cut to only 19.7 a game the last three games while Jordan Farmar has averaged 21.3 minutes and Shannon Brown 16.7 minutes over the same span.
"[Fisher] says he's ready to play and he's got his shot back," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "We count on him. We believe in him."
Bynum has been scoreless in three of the games in this series, but there seemed to be some support to get him more touches in the post.
"The guys just have to look for him," Jackson said. "He's a great target, he's got a big body. If he asks for the ball and guys rotate off him, we've got to get him the basketball. He's open in certain situations."
Said Farmar: "We have to go inside to Pau and Andrew and let them play, no matter if they miss three or four. We have to get [Houston] in foul trouble."
Meanwhile, the Rockets have persevered without Yao, Tracy McGrady and Dikembe Mutombo, most recently answering their 40-point loss in Game 5 with a 95-80 victory Thursday in Game 6.
Spoilers? It's obviously possible.
The Rockets haven't been to the West finals since 1997.
"L.A. is the top team in the West and the top team in the East is Cleveland. That would be a great matchup," Brooks said. "But we're in a good position to try and spoil that."
It's been a busy 20 years for the Lakers, what with seven Finals appearances and three championship parades, but they haven't done a lot of Game 7s.
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