Let's start with the Lakers. On Friday they got embarrassed by the Denver Nuggets, as they lost 105-79. I stated in my weekend preview that the Lakers could have made an early statement to the rest of the NBA if they came away with a win, but instead they came out and looked nothing like the team that beat the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in May, not to mention the team that won the championship in June. They scored 23 points in the 2nd half, which is a franchise low, and they shot just 35% from the floor.
I figured the Lakers would rebound from the bad loss in Denver, and come back home and defeat the Houston Rockets last night, but I was wrong. Instead Houston came into Staples Center and handed the Lakers their second straight loss in their 101-91 victory. The Rockets outplayed the Lakers in nearly every aspect of the game, but most noticeably in the rebounding category, as Houston outrebounded LA 60-38. The Lakers' shooting woes carried over from Denver, as they shot just 38% from the floor.
The Lakers' record is now 7-3, which is somewhat disappointing considering some NBA experts thought they could be 20-1 after their first 21 games. I think the Lakers are finally feeling the effects of not having Pau Gasol in the lineup. With Gasol, the Lakers are a bigger team, they are a more physical team, and they are a better offensive team.
I'm not disappointed over the fact that the Lakers have lost their last two games, but I'm disappointed with the ways in which they have lost. It seems to me like they're in a championship hangover, and that they're playing with zero effort and nothing to prove. Teams are gunning for them this year since they're the champions, and I would hope to think that they would be more prepared. You rarely hear a Staples Center crowd boo the Lakers, but last night they did, and they had every reason to do so.
Let's talk about the Sun Devils of Arizona State University, who lost their fourth game in a row Saturday night against the Oregon Ducks. ASU is now 4-6, and has two games remaining: at UCLA, and home against Arizona. Even if ASU wins their final two games and becomes bowl eligible, it is highly unlikely they will go to a bowl since there are six teams in the Pac-10 that are already bowl eligible (USC, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, and Arizona). At this point I'm just hoping ASU can beat Arizona (That will make up for this lost season).
I will be coming home this weekend to cover the ASU-UCLA game at the Rose Bowl for The Blaze.
I've jumped on the Stanford bandwagon since my sister is an alum, and since their football team is actually good. Stanford beat the hell out of USC this weekend, and in doing so ended the USC dynasty, much to my delight. I hate Pete Carroll, I hate the USC marching band and the only two songs they know how to play, and I hate everything about the USC football program, so seeing them get their butts kicked in their home stadium made my weekend. If Stanford somehow makes it to the Rose Bowl, I will be going (assuming my sister can hook me up with some tickets).
No Sports Lounge this week due to The Blaze's coverage of ASU Basketball, so I will be off-the-air until after Thanksgiving.
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