The Lakers are finally to the point where they can throw it in cruise control to beat lower level opposition. With their recent form resembling what you’d expect of champions the Lake Show is in a groove that the New Jersey Nets weren’t going to wreck.
Sure, this game wasn’t a 55-point thrashing. But it was rarely in doubt even though a Sasha Vujacic three late in the third made it a measly two point Laker lead. But that was where you saw the pedigree of champs takeover.
The night began by welcoming a few former teammates back to Staples as Jordan Farmar received his ring and Sasha was paid video tribute. The one-time Lakers did their thing too. Vujacic dropped 17 and Farmar put 12 of his own in the box. But neither could escape being bit by Mamba. Kobe Bryant put both of his friends in the nightly highlight reel by throwing down a baseline dunk on Sasha and making an impossible reverse on Farmar.
Poor Jordan did about all he could to stop the Jordan-esque move. Farmar’s tug of Kobe’s jersey might have helped to prevent a dunk but all that did was make the move even more amazing. KB24 did some mid-air improvisation as the Lakers took down Jersey 100-88 for their 7th straight W.