Laker Fans Shouldn't Celebrate Just Yet

Christmas Day NBA Reflections

I had the chance yesterday, like most of the country, to sit back and watch the NBA from noon to midnight. It's the one day of the year when David Stern can proudly display his league to a captive audience, with no true competition from any other major sport.

The NBA has produced timeless classics over the years on Christmas Day, and yesterday was no different. Here are some of my thoughts the morning after...


1. Laker Fans, It Was Only One Game

As nervous as every Laker fan I personally knew was heading into yesterday's game against the Celtics, they were equally as vocal about their team's victory at home to end Boston's 19-game winning streak.

I would say they should be happy for stepping up to the challenge against their hated rival, and winning a game they truly needed to win. But with that being said, when Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce left Staples last night, each still had that shiny gold and diamond piece on his hand. They were still able to walk out of the scene of the infamous crime that happened during Game Four of the Finals on that very floor.

See, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and a regular season win at home was more psychological than anything else for Kobe's crew. When these two teams meet again, in Boston, on Thursday, Feb. 5 on TNT, that's when I am looking for the Lakers to atone for their sins last summer.

The play of Boston at home is what won the NBA title for them. Based on the teams' respective roads ahead, it would be safe to say that Boston will end up with a better regular season record than the Lakers. Therefore, if they make it back to the Finals, the same home court advantage will prevail.

Phil Jackson should not allow the Lakers to get too happy over this game, but instead challenge his team to go on a run of their own.


2. The Orlando Magic Are Really, Really Good

The way Dwight Howard and the Magic dismantled the New Orleans Hornets yesterday was very telling. Are the Hornets simply overrated, and a shell of the team that made it to West Semifinals last year, or is Orlando, behind MVP candidate Dwight Howard, that good?

I am going with the latter, as the Magic, who sit at 23-6, have the third best record in the East.

Five different players scored in double-figures yesterday, led by Hedo Turkoglu with 20. The play of Jameer Nelson has truly made a difference, as he is garnering some All-Star talk in the East.


3. The Phoenix Suns Just Cannot Beat the Spurs

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Phoenix, which had a completely different group on the floor than the cast that had failed against Timmy and the Spurs in years past, found themselves in a very similar situation. Close game, final minutes, and a chance to win.

Amare Stoudamire found Grant Hill on a backdoor screen in the closing seconds to put Phoenix ahead for the time being 90-88. But there was too much time for the veteran Spurs, who, with four seconds left, got the ball to Tony Parker. Parker found a wide open Roger Mason, Jr. in the corner for the win.

Mason, the former Wizard, is the new Robert Horry for San Antonio it seems. San Antonio is sitting at 19-10, and clearly pose the biggest threat to a repeat Lakers Western Conference title.


4. Dirk Nowitzki Is Trying to Single-Handedly Keep the Mavericks Franchise Relevant

Dallas, at 17-11, has no business being in the playoff hunt, except for the play of Nowitzki. Portland simply had no answer for the Mavericks forward, and though Brandon Roy showed up in crunch time, the Blazers wilted to Dallas and their defense.

5. How Did the Cavaliers Win Last Night?

I give the Wizards a lot of credit. For 44 minutes last night, the Wizards played inspired basketball, with Mike James playing lights out, scoring 26 points and going 5-for-8 from the three-point line.

Then, just as the Wizards' season has done, it all fell apart.

The Cavs did just enough to win and survive, going 25-4 overall.

Washington, once a sure bet playoff team in the East, has had the most amazing fall from grace in some time. They now are 4-23, and seemingly have to make some tough decisions regarding their roster in the coming weeks.