Lakers Lack Championship Intensity

I was Angry. Then a little Depressed. Finally I just came to the realization that the Los Angeles Lakers are not who we thought they were, with apologies to Dennis Green of course...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDAq5tyfk9E

The Lakers played with zero heart, passion, or care. They were outperformed by a hungrier team that knew they would’ve had zero chance in L.A. if they went down 3-1.

Yes, this sometimes happens in the NBA. The old story of when a star going down, the team galvanizing and playing better than they really are, but here’s the thing… As far as talent is concerned, the Lakers are clearly better, but TEAM wise, the Lakers aren’t.

Houston moves the ball with extreme precision, picking and rolling the Lakers to their graves. We all know the kryptonite of the Lakers is pick and roll defense (it’s been that way since the Kobe-Shaq days), but at least then they could play good on-ball-defense and rebound the basketball, which this Laker squad does not care to do.

I actually find myself rooting for the underdog Rockets at times. They play the game the right way, as Larry Brown would say, and are giving the spoiled Lakers all they can handle. Here's a list of the Lakers problems:

1. Aaron Brooks is in a zone. He’s leaving Derek Fisher behind in a cloud of dust. I’m having flashbacks of Tony Parker blazing by Fish in the ’03 playoffs.
   
2. Kobe is gambling on defense and leaving the Rockets best three point shooter open in Shane Battier. He needs to pick someone else to sag off of because Kobe is making that 1^st Team All Defense selection look like a joke.
3. Finally, the bench is in shambles. Andrew Bynum is a shell of his normal self. He has lost all confidence with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson believing that maybe the Lakers should just shut him down and play DJ Mbenga. Yeah, it’s that bad…Also, Sasha Vujacic is back to his practice player days. The long haired freak can’t make a wide open 3-pointer to save his life. He was so critical to last year’s post-season stretch that he often was on the court in the final minutes. Now, I wonder if he should even play at all.

The bottom line is that the Rockets played without their best player in Yao Ming and were up by as many by 28 pts. The final score was in no way indicative of just how bad the Lakers played, as the party started early for the Rockets.

Sure Aaron Brooks will get all the pub, as he should (34 pts on 12-20 shooting), but one of the big reasons the Rockets were able to cruise to victory was Chuck Hayes. Yeah, 6'8 Chuck guarded Laker center Pau Gasol and never gave him an inch. He made every basket tough by not backing down to the big Spaniard. If Pau wants to get easier shots, he should face up more and back down someone easier like Yao Ming...oh wait he's not gonna play any more, sucks for the Lakers.

They got off to a 15-pt lead half way through the 1st quarter and never looked back. The Lakers had no answer whatsoever, and if you think that the Lakers will easily bounce back and win the next two games...well then you don't know basketball.

Yes, I do believe that the Lakers will win this series, but it’s not going to be easy. Tonight proved that you can’t take a day off, especially in the playoffs, and give a team momentum. Los Angeles can beat Houston, but if they play the same way against the Denver Nuggets, then the Lakers will have to start their vacations in May rather than June.

Update: Lamar Odom is questionable for Game 4 with a bruised back. If L.O. can't sack up, then the Lakers are going to be in a real tough situation. They're going to need to out energy, and out passion the Rockets. Lakers fans should be pumped for revenge in Game 5.

Lakers lose in disgusting fashion...That's Jakked Up! Please leave your comments below.