Over the years it’s become very apparent that teams just don’t beat the Los Angeles Lakers. When they lose, it has to be a result of off-court problems, a Kobe and Shaq fight, a Kobe and Phil communication breakdown or Phil’s adult depends riding up on his balls and ruining his Zen. In 2004, when the Pistons absolutely dismantled the Lakers, fans and media alike attributed the “five game sweep” to Kobe and Shaq not working together.
And now, after the Mavericks sent L.A. packing, a new theory has emerged as to why the Lakers spread eagled and allowed Dallas to have their way with them. Because, you know, it had nothing to do with those terrible defensive rotations and everything to do with girl trouble.
“I have to learn from this,” Gasol said. ”I have to learn that when something happens off the court, you have to keep it off the court.”
He was referring to the report that he stopped talking to Bryant during the postseason because Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, had contributed to the breakup of Gasol and his longtime girlfriend. Lakers fans will remember that Karl Malone once publicly accused Vanessa of interfering with his personal life in a similar fashion.
Whatever was happening, Bryant and Gasol haven’t connected on the court in a month, and the Lakers have been lost without the strength of their fusion.
Now, I don’t doubt that Vanessa Bryant is some raging bitch with a serious “Yoko Ono” complex. You can, in part, blame Kobe’s dalliances in an Eagle, Colorado hotel for that. That aside, the defense, specifically the rotations to open men were so ridiculously bad, it’s a wonder why other teams haven’t exploited it before.
Instead of asking how this Lakers got swept by the Mavericks, maybe we should be asking how this team won back-to-back titles.
Divided Lakers simply get lost on way to three-peat [L.A. Times]