Cru’s Corner: The Two Faces Of The Lakers Chop Down The Mavs

The Two Faces Of The Lakers Chop Down The Mavs

Another sluggish start for the whole team though. Everyone looked like they were running through mud for most of the 1st quarter. The slow start gave way to a Maverick hot start on the offensive end. Though the Lakers can, did and are capable of rebounding from these kinds of starts, they have got to get it under control before it becomes an even worse habit.

You saw tonight that sometimes you give that rhythm away and suddenly you’re dealing with a whole team being hot and confident rather than just one player.

If the Lakers are so hell-bent on drawing the charge, they have got to start knowing where the arc is under the basket. It’s a good intention and all, but giving away easy points on the line from not paying attention to where you are defensively isn’t acceptable.

There was a lot to be happy and shaky about in this one.

The Lakers did better tonight looking to Andrew as soon as the game started. It had the usually weak-minded interior defense of the mavericks even weaker. It got Wright into foul trouble and got Dampier working real hard to spend more energy on defense than offense.

Pau also did well in making Dirk play inside defense, no doubt his softest part of his game. His relentless boarding in the 2bnd half, not giving up an inch of ground in the paint no matter how many crowded around him did wonders for the Lakers second chance shots. Mostly a flat game for Pau, but he did small damage around Andrew’s bigger dents.

First play for Andrew was a monster block and then he proceeded to truly be a fighter on the inside any time a shot went up. He wasn’t running away from the boards, the was in the mix every single time, getting a body in or getting a hand on the ball before it got close to the ground.

Hustle and early position on the inside garnered him a lot of points (and chances at points) that were there other games but not cashed in on like they were tonight. Prime example of his game hustle was that beautiful block on Devean George’s 3-point attempt in the beginning of the 4th.

Amidst the good play though, Andrew was still keeping the ball far too low on his swing through move. He has got to follow Pau’s lead and keep that ball up high (especially since his hands aren’t the strongest in the world). Its killing me watching him almost instantly lower the ball to guard level making it easy to slap the thing away.

You have to hand it to Andrew for sucking up the pain in his foot and playing arguably the best of this season.

The hustle department would be incomplete without mention of the Lakers very own battery pack – Trevor Ariza. Put-back dunks, drives, rebounds, defensive hops, basically Trevor’s entire box score and more were all because of off ball movement – constant off ball movement.

I mean – wow – the guy is an unusual privilege to have wander into a game off the bench.

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