Lakers Loss To Knicks Highlights Every Flaw
Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
It’s getting way too redundant to write recaps of these listless losses that are piling up for the Los Angeles Lakers. Blaming Mike D’Antoni for the team’s shortcomings is not only justified its already become accepted. When a team makes absolutely no improvement from game to game then it falls on the coaches.
Last night every single fatal flaw that has already derailed the season was on display in the 116-107 loss to the vastly improved post-D’Antoni Knicks.
It’s pretty much a check list at this point.
1) Get out of the gate slow.
Check. Carmelo Anthony torched the defenseless Lake Show dropping 22 of his 30 points in the first quarter. That would a first quarter that saw the Lakers fall behind 41-27.
2) Fall behind big effectively ending the game even though there is still time left on the clock.
Check. The Lakers were down by as many as 26 taking any drama out of Madison Square Garden by halftime.
3) Stand around and watch as the opposition does whatever it wants while making no defensive adjustments or any attempt to communicate on the court.
Check. More of the save as the Lakers continue to fail at defending the pick and roll and have no communication on the court aside from pointing at one another after another defensive breakdown.
4) Watch as Kobe Bryant drops 30 and the team loses yet again.
Check. KB24 led the team in points, rebounds and assists. At this point Lindsay Lohan has a better record in court than the D’Antoni Lakers do when Kobe puts 30+ in the box score.
5) Offer the same tired excuses after another loss.
Check. Once again we hear the same old song as players continue to talk up their shortcomings while D’Antoni continues to offer no solutions.
There really isn’t much more that needs to be said about this season. It is unraveling in the most surreal fashion possible for a team this talented. D’Antoni is a bad fit. We knew that from the start but this team is stuck with him. Someone inside the organization needs to get in his ear and let the confused coach know that he needs to adjust to the roster and not the other way around.
So…for now let’s just hope this team can at least put an end to this losing streak in Washington. The last thing I want to do is copy and paste this exact same recap again.