Lakers Can’t Hit from Perimeter, Spurs Romp 103-84

Leaving the friendly confines of the Staples Center, the Lakers were as cold and stale as three-day old pizza. Especially outside the paint, where they threw up nothing but bricks. The accuracy and quickness they showed in Game 2 weren't evident at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Both teams looked rusty at the start, missing open shots and committing turnovers. For the first six minutes, Kobe Bryant was the only Laker to get a hoop. Three of them. Then Gasol hit two straight and the Lakers jumped ahead of the Spurs 11-8 and looked like they were about to win their third straight over the defending champs.

But Ginobili finally found the mark from beyond the arc. Twice.  Something he hadn't done in the first two games.  And that was the beginning of the end for the Lakers.

Ginobili scored 8 of the Spurs last 13 points in the quarter, and Tony Parker was a perfect 3-for-3.  That was a harbinger of things to come.

Bryant was 4-for-7 with 8 points for the Lakers, and Gasol went 3-for-6 to give the Lakers a 24-21 lead at the end of the quarter. Each team had five turnovers.

The Spurs got their legs under them in the second quarter. Especially Ginobili. At one point in the quarter, he scored nine straight points. Then Parker and Duncan joined him with three field goals apiece while the Lakers were scoreless for four minutes.

The Spurs took a 46-36 lead and never looked back.

Ginobili was certainly feeling comfortable. He hit yet another three-pointer. 5-for-6 in the half. He had 22 points altogether to lead the Spurs to a 49-39 lead at halftime.

Parker and Duncan had 12 and 9 points respectively. Duncan also grabbed 12 rebounds and had 4 assists.

Bryant had 14 points for the Lakers. Gasol and Farmer each had 7. But it was Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher who delivered the cold pizza. They were 1-for-9 continuing the poor shooting they displayed in Game 1.

The teams pretty much exchanged baskets throughout the third quarter. The Spurs finishing with a 12-point lead, 69-57. The difference was the Lakers were unable to hit anything from the perimeter.

Despite the 12-point lead, Phil Jackson went with his normal rotation, keeping Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the bench to start the final quarter.

The Spurs quickly took a 20-point lead 81-61 as he Lakers poor shooting and turnovers continued.

Bryant was able to finally connect on a few three-point shots when he returned, but it was too little way too late. The Lakers just weren’t able to get any stops.

The Spurs wound up with an easy 103-84 victory.

Ginobili was the high scorer for the Spurs with 30 points. Duncan had 22 points and 21 rebounds along with 5 assists. Tony Parker added 20 points.

Kobe Bryant wound up with 30 points.  Most of them late—too late.  He had just one assist and only one free throw, which he missed, ironically.  It was that kind of night for the Lakers.

Gasol had 15 points but only five rebounds. He and Odom both missed easy shots around the basket.

When asked what he thought was wrong with his front line, Phil Jackson said, "Indecision. They just weren't decisive about what they wanted to do."

Jackson was also asked what was the difference in the game.  He was quick to reply, "I think it was our offense. We got out of rhythm. Teams do that."

Odom wound up with 11 rebounds but just 7 points. As in Game 1, Fisher was a no-show with only one field goal and one assist.

The Lakers will try to get their rhythm back and take one in San Antonio on Tuesday night. They would like nothing better than to go back to Los Angeles with a three games to one lead in the series.

I'm sure the veteran Spurs will have something to say about that.