Lakers' Last-Second Loss To Spurs Is More Predictable Than Sensational

My father used to begin some of my most sobering moments during my youth as follows: "Let’s get something straight first.”

This usually meant I listened to a lot of truth that made it abundantly clear how errant my ways were. Thursday’s Laker loss to the Spurs began somewhat the same way. All you needed to do was recognize the warning signs.

Eighteen painstakingly earned first quarter points in the first twelve minutes of regulation set the bar low. I realize some will argue that the Spurs only had four more by the same time; but the rule had already been established: Lakers, you are the cat that will be chasing the elusive mouse, tonight donning a Spurs’ jersey.

From the tipoff, it was apparent L.A’s offense had shown its shadow like the groundhog the day before.

Instead of six weeks of winter to follow, the Lakers revealed to all the fans collected in Staples Center that it was going to be an ugly, grind-it-out shooting affair for the Lakers.

Other than the second quarter spurt when L.A. rallied to a seven-point lead, the Spurs spent most of the time dictating.

Dictating? Here’s what I mean. The Lakers are on their home court, and you get the sense that the Laker team is collectively thinking to themselves,

“Hey, we’ll hang tight until the end, make our last second gasp, and bring home the win.”

Hmm. That sounds more like gambling than playing to win. Another note on that: that’s visiting team mentality against a superior foe.

Nevertheless, time and time again, on their home court or not, the Lakers are simply hanging onto the coattails of their opponents.

And then, if a few plays go their way in the last quarter, they’ll win and smile when they’re pulled for postgame interviews. Against Houston on Sunday night and that amazing win against a lowly Clipper team earlier in the year, it worked out.

I have to ask: How’s it working out with the NBA’s best? Not so good.

It’s quite astonishing to see the Lakers playing so horribly against top teams. Their 1-5 record is horrific frankly.

Let me let you in on a little secret. It’s not because it’s the regular season and they’re on cruise control, despite coach Phil Jackson telling people, “It’s only the regular season."

Surely, it’s partially because Matt Barnes is injured; but that only accounts for a small percentage of it, not one large enough to explain away this 20% win ratio versus the league’s elite.

The Lakers did not lose this game in that last, thrilling half-second when Antonio McDyess tipped the ball in. I don’t care if the ball was halfway over the cylinder, as Fisher and Gasol rightly pointed out.

The loss was secured in the first quarter, when the Lakers failed to score twenty points. It was lost in the second quarter when they could not build on their lead and seal of the visiting team that was showing itself to be mediocre at best, with a 41% shooting percentage by the end of the night.

It happened when, in the fourth quarter, time winding down, the Lakers got their stops only to maintain a poor offensive display, with four misses in a row. Any one of those goes in L.A. wins, by the way.

Lakers fans don’t have much confidence in the L.A. offense these days, and neither do analysts. Both are for good reasons.

It goes to show that when the key to last night’s game, according to Fox Sports West number crunchers, was offensive execution, i.e. taking that round thing and putting it into the basket a few more times than the opponent, you know you’re in trouble.

So does Mitch Kupchak. He’s all too aware, which is why he’s contemplating a trade. Should the Lakers’ offense be this way with Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Artest, Bynum? Of course not.

But the days at the beginning of the season when the Lakers reeled off over one hundred points a game midway through the fourth quarter are over. And Kupchak is picking up this scent.

That smell is not a dying body (offense) procured with formaldehyde. It’s a dead corpse (offense) stinking up the joint.

Am I too doomsday for it being the middle of the season?

I am simply echoing the voice of many L.A. fans who want to stop pulling sticks before every game wondering which team they’re going to get on a given night. 

It’s basketball. Simple basketball. Put the ball in the hoop more times than they do.

The Lakers proved that they are capable of neutralizing the Spurs’ offense. Bravo. For that they deserve praise. But all that does is put your offense in a better position to win. That’s right. It puts your “offense” in a better position. No more, no less.

When the buzzer sounded, it’s too bad it was another case of L.A. affirming another penurious shooting display.