NBA Playoffs 2011: Down 0-2, Los Angeles Lakers Need Introspective Analysis

This doesn't happen too often. In fact, it hasn't happened since 1977 when the Portland Trail Blazers took a 2-0 lead on the Lakers at the old Forum and ended up winning the series and championship.

The Lakers were booed off their home court Wednesday night after a disgraceful performance. It was a comedy of errors for the Lakers.

From missing their first 15 three-pointers to sloppy play with the ball in the second half. The fans turned against the Lakers early and it seemed to work against them.

The Lakers now take a sigh of relief for two reasons.

For one, Wednesday's game finally ended. Secondly and more importantly, they get to hop on a plane and escape Los Angeles. They go on the road where they will be welcomed by 20,000 Mavs fans. No Laker fans to boo them everytime they miss a shot. No Laker fans to get on Gasol after a few fumbles. No Laker fans to add unnecessary tension in what's already a tense battle.

It's not the Lakers job to please the crowd at all times. Unfortunately, they let the crowd get to them on Wednesday. It was most obvious when Pau Gasol, after having been booed, picked up the ball and dunked it ferociously when he really didn't have to as if to say "I'm not soft." But it was a situation where he didn't even have to dunk it that hard. It was just awkward.

The whole night was awkward.

From Ron Artest's strange elbow to J.J. Barea's head to Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom seemingly giving up and showing lack of emotion late in the fourth.

It seemed like they kept shooting three-pointers to try to please the crowd. They kept missing one after another yet they kept resorting to threes. What's usually a dead crowd at Staples completely sucked the life and energy out of the Lakers.

So what now?

They head to Dallas, a hostile environment, where they won't have to please the crowd. They can just focus on the game. The Lakers had one of the best road records in the NBA this year. One would think the Lakers will shoot better than 10 percent from the three-point line.

Being down 0-2 might be the greatest thing to happen to them. We've seen this team regroup and focus many times during slumps throughout the past several years. Maybe it's exactly the wake up call they need to bounce back in the series.

But this team needs to go back to its fundamentals. In the first half when they were feeding Bynum and he had 14 points things were going well. They need to use their size to their advantage.

But most importantly, each and every Laker needs to sit down and look at themselves. They need a reexamination, an introspective look to see how each and every one of them can improve their game.

Being on the road will help this team. Maybe all they need is one pivotal moment. That moment in the first round were those electrifying dunks by Kobe in Game 5. Physicality can help bring that one pivotal moment.

Whether it's being physical toward the rim or physical against the opponent, the Lakers need to look at who they are: an experienced, physical team that has won two consecutive championships. They need to channel their emotions properly. Sure, it's frustrating to be losing in a huge playoff game but that doesn't mean they have to take out their anger on the game and force bad plays.

They can't lose confidence at this point. Wednesday showed that they lost a little bit of their swag. But true champions are what they are because of how they handle adversity.

So Laker nation sits on the edge of their seats and waits impatiently for Friday night. And the Lakers sit on a plane and wait to land in Big D.

They say things are always bigger in Texas.

Friday's game will be as big as it gets for the Lakers.