LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Lakers swerved unsteadily into an ever-widening valley separating them from a third consecutive championship, their charter flight depositing them on Monday at Los Angeles International Airport at 3:30 a.m. before they reconvened 10 hours later at their training facility.
Sleepy, injured, distracted, confused—choose any descriptor. Few would have predicted it four games into the first round against New Orleans.
Despite an 11-game difference in the regular-season standings, the Lakers are somehow tied with the Hornets going into Game Five on Tuesday night at Staples Center.
The only palatable headline for the Lakers coming out of Monday’s practice would be the one proclaiming Kobe Bryant available for Game Five of the best-of-seven series.
“He says he’ll play,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
And that’s where the kind words ended.
Bryant doesn’t want to undergo an MRI exam or x-rays despite the team’s desire to see what’s going on inside his habitually troublesome ankle. Perhaps he simply doesn’t want to know the extent of the damage. He didn’t talk to reporters on Monday.
There are plenty of disruptions beyond Bryant’s playing condition.
Rookie Derrick Caracter was arrested after an alleged altercation with a female employee at a New Orleans restaurant early Sunday morning. Four-fifths of the Lakers’ training staff was told on Saturday their contracts would not be renewed by the team.
And who knows what’s bothering Pau Gasol, who’s been quiet in three of four games while averaging a puny 6.3 rebounds. Was it really only 10 months ago he put up 19 points and 18 rebounds in Game Seven of the NBA Finals?
Jackson seemed apologetic for what’s happened to the Lakers, sharing an anecdote from when their team plane landed at an almost-empty airport a handful of hours after getting beat in New Orleans.
“The State Department plane was landing at the same time we were,” Jackson said. “So I know that the government’s working for you, even though the Lakers aren’t.”
Where to begin?
Trevor Ariza clearly outplayed Bryant in Game Three and Carl Landry put up better numbers than Gasol.
Chris Paul continued to outplay the entire Lakers team. The Lakers can’t corral him on the periphery and are unable to track him once he gets inside the key. It’s a lose-lose situation.
It’s worth mentioning (again) that the Hornets lost All-Star forward David West to a knee injury last month, went a mediocre 5-5 to end the regular season and looked nothing like serious playoff contenders.
The Lakers shrugged when they drew the Hornets. Let’s see, they had Paul and Ariza and...who else, exactly?
The Hornets have their attention now.
Bryant can’t shoot much worse than his five-for-18 night on Sunday, but the Lakers will be happy just to have him after his ankle curled under him toward the end of Game Four. He was last seen by reporters boarding the team bus Sunday night on crutches.
“I plan on my teammate being there because I know him,” Gasol said. “It’s not like he has a broken ankle.”
The box score confirmed Lamar Odom played in Game Four, though his one-for-seven shooting effort was completely forgettable. Matt Barnes was also invisible, logging three more fouls than points (zero).
The Lakers were indeed “punked” down low, as Jackson said, getting pounded in rebounds (39-32) and second-chance points (20-4).
Inexcusable? Indeed. Repeatable? The Lakers hope not.
“We’ve got to win the rebounding battle,” Gasol said. “They’re being a little more active than we are.”
Caracter arrest details
Caracter could face multiple charges after he allegedly grabbed and shoved a female cashier at an IHOP restaurant on Canal Street, New Orleans authorities said.
Caracter was arrested and booked after he had been refused service at IHOP around 1 a.m. Sunday because he was “obviously drunk, unruly and started harassing the cashier,” the New Orleans police department said in a statement.
Caracter, who was released after bond was posted, declined comment on the matter after practice Monday.
“We’re looking into it,” Lakers spokesman John Black said. “It’s inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
The player could face charges of simple battery, public intoxication and resisting arrest.
The 22-year-old has had a marginal role this season, playing in 41 games and averaging two points. His season also included two visits to Bakersfield of the Development League.
NBA’s turn?
The National Football League (NFL) labor situation took a step toward resolution Monday when a federal judge granted the players’ request for an injunction halting the management-imposed lockout.
The NBA is facing a lockout of its own after this season and hasn’t had any progress in talks between players and owners.
“I anticipate a lot happening between now and July 1 on our side,” said Lakers guard Derek Fisher, president of the National Basketball Players Assn. “And because of what is playing out on the NFL side, I think you’ll see both sides in the NBA watching it closely, making adjustments and adapting to things based on what is going on.
“Our goal is to get a deal done, not to have to decertify or go into a court situation to drag the process out. NBA basketball has never been better. There’s no reason for us to do anything to take that away from the most important people—our fans.”
