All that glitters is not purple and gold
as we all sat and watched our favored
team lose both to Sacramento last Friday
and then on Sunday afternoon to the
Boston Celtics. Granted we did win
against Utah Tuesday evening and
by a large margin too after their 3
day break and the Jazz seemed
to be sleepy out on the court.
Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown, Steve
Blake and Lamar Odom were jumping
'with vigor and our team was well on
their way toward a commanding lead
by halftime. So what on earth happened
then with Sacramento we ask? Sacramento
made final points at 100 while our Lakers
only came up with 95. Kobe Bryant, however,
swept past Hakeem Olajuwon on the NBA's
all time scoring list Friday night. In fact, he
got it done in the very first quarter of play.
Bryant went into the game needing 13 points
to pass Hakeem for 8th. place. Playing the
Kings, there was a sell out crowd too of 18,997
at Staples Center. We even trailed by 20 points
late in the 3rd. quarter. Bryants' dunk, however,
which accounted for his 26,946th. & 26,947th
points of his career, was one of the few highlights
for the Lakers during this game in the first 3 quarters.
Sunday's game was disappointing to say the very
least as we were ahead by 4 points at half time.
Our defense crumbled in the second half and
Boston Celtics won on our own court with score
of 109-96. A tough call. Ron Artest, the hero of
the Lakers' victory over the Boston Celtics in
game 7 of the finals last June, seemed power-
less to stop Bostons' sharpshooters. Kobe either.
Potential Champions next spring? We wonder.
Tuesday at home, we play Houston and also
at home on Thursday night so maybe we can
win a couple for redemption on these games?
Babs Wells