Just 11 days ago, the Celtics pulled away from the Lakers in the fourth quarter and prevailed, 109-96, sending Los Angeles to yet another embarrassing home loss. The Celtics, Heat, Bucks, and Grizzlies have convincingly defeated the Lakers at Staples Center this season, while the Pacers, Spurs, Suns, and Kings also have walked away with wins there.
The Lakers won the first two games of this trip (they had to vacate Staples Center because of the Grammy Awards), beating New Orleans and Memphis, but tonight’s matchup holds special importance. Critics have lambasted the Lakers for struggling against the NBA’s elite. A home victory over the Bulls in November is really all they have to show, and there is concern that this crew has dropped a level from last year’s championship team.
But Jackson, whose team practiced at Emerson yesterday, said, “I still think when they’re playing their best, they’re the best team in the league. We’re still not playing great, but we’re looking better as a team.’’
Jackson understands the concern but won’t play into it. It’s still early February, and the Lakers are on a 57-win pace. Last year’s team won 57 games in the regular season and you know how it fared in the playoffs.
“It doesn’t bother me,’’ Gasol said of the scrutiny. “I understand the position that we’re in and how many people we have following us. It’s understandable you’re going to get some criticism if things don’t work out at times. We have to prove it but there’s a lot of time and a lot of season to prove it.’’
Yet this season has been dramatically different. Bryant, at 32, is slowly showing signs of age. Gasol is putting up his usual numbers but nothing more, and Bynum said yesterday he is not near 100 percent, following another offseason knee surgery.
Ron Artest, as in many of his previous stops, is making the Lakers regret his five-year contract, because he is regressing in Year 3.
