LA Lakers 80, Houston Rockets 95: Lakers Playoff Road Woes Continue

It's Friday, May 15, 2009.

And the big question is on the table: How the heck are the Los Angeles Lakers ready to win a Western Conference trophy, let alone a Larry O'Brien Trophy, if they can't win on the road?

I dare you to come up with a list of excuses after another subpar performance at the Toyota Center against the Houston Rockets, 95-80. You've got a few minutes.

Time is ticking...

Okay. Time's up.

If you guys have unbalanced scoring on your list, give yourself one point.

If you guys have Andrew Bynum and Derek Fisher taking the day off, give yourself one point.

If you guys have Luke Walton, Shannon Brown, and Sasha Vujacic taking the day off, give yourself one point.

If you guys have the "Curse of the Toyota Center" as an excuse, you get an F for this paper.

There are no such things as curses. They exist because certain kinds of fools have the capacity of neanderthals to believe it.

As far as the Lakers are concerned, Sunday must be theirs. There can be no excuse not to prove home court advantage will determine this series.

Lamar Odom only had eight points this game. Inconsistent, and unacceptable. Bynum and Fisher have made the unfortunate choice of not coming out ready to fill the stat sheets, with only two points combined.

As far as the Houston Rockets are concerned, they can trade Yao Ming to [insert NBA also-ran here, perhaps the Clippers] and they will be championship caliber.

By the blood of Hu Jintao, the team can jettison Ming back to Bayi for all he is worth. They simply do not need him.

Not when you already have Luis Scola (24 pts), Aaron Brooks (26 pts), Ron Artest (14 pts), and sixth man catalyst Carl Landry (15 pts) scoring double figures.

The Lakers have to be wondering why they have not been able to close the deal outside of Staples. Tomorrow, there can be no excuses not to show up.

Surely the Denver Nuggets, who had the luxury of pummeling the Dallas Mavericks in five, are reveling in the show.