The Lakers just finished their routinary February road trip and they did very well on the road trip less Trevor Ariza and less Andrew Bynum. They fared very well mainly because of the acquisition of Pau Gasol in the middle of the road trip. This is probably the most enjoyable 8700 miles for the Lakers and for the Laker fans and die hards. His [Pau Gasol] effect was so instant and evident that the Lakers went from a team who was in the verge of losing control of the season to a team that racks up as one of the legitimate contenders for the big dance in June. Gasol’s effect on the team was very drastic that it even caused other players to improve their game like Sasha Vujacic. This 9-game road trip is the longest of the Lakers this season, spanning 2 weeks, but the results were also very good and well above expectations. The Lakers embarked on the road trip expecting almost nothing to gain and everything to lose. Now they’re coming back to Staples with Pau Gasol and 7 wins from their longest road trip of the season.
Yes. The Lakers finished their road trip with a 7-2 record plus bringing with them impressive wins over Eastern Conference contenders Orlando and Toronto. Amidst the numerous blockbuster trades and deals that have been happening around the league, the Lakers have quietly taken care of their business in the road and head to the All-Star Break with a tight hold for one of the top four win-loss records in the very strong Western Conference. Now a little recap of the 9-game road trip:
Detroit, L 90-89 - The Lakers came up short in this game. But they gave out a good fight. Down by 17 in the first half, the Lakers managed to grab hold of the lead in the fourth quarter but Tayshaun Prince delivered a dagger of a three to send the Lakers to another loss. A wasted opportunity to beat the Pistons in their turf but the Pistons outlasted and survived the Lake Show this time.
Toronto, W 121-101 - This is the day that the Lakers got the news of the trade of Pau Gasol to the Lakers. Everybody seemed to be energized and had that extra bounce on their step on the court, especially Kobe. He was hitting shots everywhere and was showcasing moves and dunks that thrilled the arena. He was visibly happy with the trade with his 46-point outburst in this game.
Washington, W 103-91 - Gasol’s first game as a Laker but he was in the bench as Phil Jackson opted not to use him. Kobe’s hot streak continued in this game plus the bench rose to the occasion. The game was a no-contest from the get-go as Kobe outscored the entire Wizards team in the first quarter alone and then relaying to his teammates who finished the job.
New Jersey, W 105-90 - Pau Gasol’s official debut in the Purple and Gold. He scored 24 points and led the fourth quarter charge of the Lakers to turn a supposedly close game and give the Lakers some breathing room before settling for the 15-point win. Kobe and the rest of the team struggled the entire night but Pau and Fish picked up the slack for the Lakers.
Atlanta, L 98-95 - If the loss in Detroit was a good loss, this one is a loss that goes down with distaste. The Lakers let an eight point lead heading into the fourth quarter slip and somehow they found ways to make errors and missed shots that really contributed to this loss of the Lakers. This is one loss that will make fans crazy because they were on the way to win it but they still found a way to lose it.
Orlando, W 117-113 - The Lakers survived this game - thanks to the heroics of Lamar, Kobe and Pau. The trio made clutch plays for the Lakers as they survived the first quarter and the fourth quarter storm of the Orlando Magic. The Magic erupted for 44 in the first quarter and limited the Lakers to just below 20 points in the fourth quarter. They survived that via strong second, third quarters and stronger finishing kick.
Miami, W 104-94 - Debut game of Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks as new members of the Miami Heat. The Lakers were threatened at times especially when the Heat closed on the Lakers by as close as 4 points after being down by as much as 17, but all the way, this was the Lakers’ game. Kobe made a bunch of razzle-dazzle moves against the Heat and they closed out the game very well.
Charlotte, W 106-97 - Another game that belonged to the Lakers but seemed to be in jeopardy in the fourth quarter. No problem. That’s why the Lakers have the best player in the world and his name is Kobe Bryant. He hit some key jumpers, sank key freethrows and dished out a no-look to Lamar Odom for a dunk to lift the Lakers over the challenging Bobcats.
Minnesota, W 117-92 - The most boring game of the road trip. Throw the “save the best for last” cliche out the window because Minnesota was a total snore in this game. It seemed that they were not already interested to play after the halftime. The Lakers were piling up points up the scoreboard and all that the T-Wolves can do is to look in helplessness. They didn’t bother to defend until the fourth when the Lakers were already leading by 30+ points.
From a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, I say that I would score the Lakers something about 8.5. Their road trip is definitely not a 9-er or a 10-er quality but damn they were so good on this road trip especially with the emergence of Pau Gasol. This road trip could have been a total disaster if not for his existence. Kobe Bryant has now a lot to grin and smile about, especially when Bynum and Ariza both come back.
And for all the Laker Fans out there, yes, we are back on track. Normal service has been resumed.
