Lakers focus on keeping their edge intact.
November 27th, 2008 Posted in NBA basketball newsLakers focus on keeping their edge intact. The Lakers did not play as well as they would have liked Sundaynight, but they still defeated the Sacramento Kings.
They did not defend the Kings as well as they had hoped, but they stillscored more points than their Pacific Division rivals.
They did not make as many baskets as they thought they might, but theystill made enough to win and improved their record to a league-leading 11-1.
So, on the day after their seventh double-digit victory this season, canit really be said that there’s such a thing as a bad victory in the NBA?
“Yeah, that was one of them,” a grim-faced Kobe Bryant said Mondayafternoon, expressing his genuine dissatisfaction after the Lakers’ 118-108victory over the Kings. “We’ve just got to regroup and get ready for(tonight’s game against the New Jersey Nets at Staples Center).”
It might be overstating things a bit to say that the Lakers have raisedexpectations and standards to the point this season that they must play nearflawlessly in order to satisfy themselves.
Although they’re pleased by their lofty record so far this season, theyare far from content with their play. They believe there’s room forimprovement.
“We didn’t like giving up that many points,” Bryant said. “It’s importantfor us to keep our eye on the prize and understand that we need to continue toget better. That’s the key. It’s not just about winning games. It’s aboutgetting better and winning games.
“I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. It’s not that big of a deal,but we can play much better and we will play better (tonight).”
Improving day-by-day, game-by-game, could prove to be a tall order,particularly since it’s still November and the season has only just begun.
It also could prove difficult since the Lakers are in the midst of astretch of games against subpar opponents, and it’s not as easy to get excitedfor games against the dregs as it is for games against the elites.
The Nets are 6-6. The Dallas Mavericks, who visit Staples Center onFriday, are 6-7 as are the Toronto Raptors, who face the Lakers on Sunday.Next week’s three-game trip features three more teams with mediocre or poorrecords as of Monday afternoon: Indiana (5-7), Philadelphia (7-6) andWashington (1-10).
Looking further ahead, only a few potentially difficult games appear onthe schedule before the Lakers’ play host to the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.
In fact, at least one veteran Lakers beat writer has suggested in printthat the Lakers might be riding a 17-game winning streak by the time they facethe Magic in Orlando on Dec. 20, one night after starting a four-game trip inMiami.
Letting down against the league’s lesser lights is “natural,” accordingto Bryant. “But it’s not something we want to focus on,” he added.
“Playing hard, playing the right way and getting better … that’s ourgoal, to get better. So that when June comes around we feel like we’re playingour best.”
Derek Fisher, Bryant’s backcourt mate, said it’s also human nature topick apart one’s flaws.
Fisher also said the Lakers have been highly critical of their play sincethe season began late last month.
He said it’s been easier to handle the increased self-analysis since theLakers have been winning consistently since defeating the Portland Trail Blazers by 20 points on opening night Oct. 28.
“During the games, at halftime of the games, after the games, we aren’tletting ourselves slip this year as far as our approach,” he said. “Weliterally want to come back and be better than we were the night before.”
Fisher smiled faintly when asked whether reporters and fans have been astough on the Lakers as the Lakers have been on themselves.
“Maybe it’s equal,” he said. “This season so far, we’ve been verycritical in a constructive way of ourselves in terms of how we want to playand taking every game seriously and taking the good and the bad that comesfrom every game.
“Even though guys might go through struggles, you still get back to thepoint where you say, ‘We’re 11-1, who cares?’ Nobody is going to hang his headabout his performance when the team is winning at the percentage we are.”
And that’s the bottom line.
