After two postseason victories many are calling the Lakers true title contenders. Slow your roll.
Let’s not forget we’re talking about a young, undersized, overmatched and outclassed Denver Nuggets roster here. Not exactly like the Lake Show is rolling through the Spurs or the Thunder in round one.
Now if you’re looking for validation as far as getting another parade through Downtown L.A. goes then tune in tonight. Beating Denver in the Pepsi Center won’t warrant heightened hopes but it will go a long way in showing just how focused Mike Brown’s bunch is.
All year long the Lakers have been road weary. To their credit they did show much improvement after those disastrous losses in Detroit and the Nation’s Capital. Still, we know all too well to expect the unexpected with these Lakers.
One game they come out with all the intensity of Bob Knight in the Final Four. The next game they’re as dialed in as JaMarcus Russell in a team meeting. Hard to know what to expect night-in and night-out.
All that said it was refreshing to see an all-too-angry Andrew Bynum after the close call that was Game 2. Bynum looked more like his line of credit at Fry’s had been closed out during his postgame interview. It was nice to see that type of playoff intensity in the at-times immature big man. Hopefully that translates to the rest of the roster.
Keep in mind the Lakers are relying on playoff newbies like Ramon Sessions and Devin Ebanks to play expanded roles. Neither of them will have experienced anything like what they’ll see from the Mile High crowd tonight.
Let’s also not forget how comfortable the Nuggets got in Staples. After the first game George Karl got his guys to relax and play their game. The result was an improved effort but still a loss none the less. Tonight the story could be much different.
Should the Lakers come out flat, unable to match the intensity of the inspired Nuggets then you’ll know the title talk is as premature as the LeBron G.O.A.T. conversations. On the other hand, if we get a Laker team focused and determined to put the Nuggets behind the 8-ball then we can, perhaps, entertain some thoughts of a parade.