A lot has been said about the Los Angeles Lakers’ stunning 103-109 Game One Western Conference first round loss to the seventh-seeded New Orleans Hornets on Monday (Sunday night in the United States).
Pau Gasol was a non-factor in the Lakers’ series-opener, scoring a quiet eight points and hardly making any dent on the defensive end.
On the other hand, Chris Paul, the Hornets’ diminutive playmaker took advantage of the lack of speedy backcourt men from the Lakers, scattering 33 points and 14 rebounds in a herculean effort that humiliated Los Angeles before a shocked LA fans at the Staples Center.
With that kind of a psychological disturbance caused by the Hornets’ win, it’s up to the Lakers to get back strong in Game 2 at the Staples Center.
Pre-Playoffs analysts are vocal of the Lakers’ capability to score a four-game sweep over an undersized and David West-less New Orleans squad. But with that Game One loss, it only shows that the Hornets won’t just allow themselves to be a minor speed bump for Los Angeles’ three-peat aspirations.
Just a few thoughts the Lakers ought to do if they plan to finish the series early and advance to the next round:
- Put the clamps on Paul. LA team skipper Derek Fisher is definitely a step slower considering that he’s now in his mid 30s, but perhaps, somebody else from the Lakers ought to put a body on CP3 to make sure he doesn’t set the tempo of the game with his playmaking.
- Pound the ball inside. Without West in the painted area, Emeka Okafor has little help inside. Gasol, Andrew Bynum as well as NBA Sixth Man of the Year awardee Lamar Odom should start dominating the post. I still believe this series ought to give Kobe Bryant more opportunities to score from the perimeter because the Hornets will be forced to play defense more down low.
- Maintain their killer instinct. The Lakers have shown their ability to dominate – and disintegrate during the regular season. But now that they are in the Playoffs, they just simply can’t afford to play complacent basketball. Doing so could be fatal in their drive for a three-peat this season.
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