Analysis: Kwame returns to L.A. bigger and better

By Dave McMenamin, NBA.com
Posted Nov 15 2008 5:42AM

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers perfect season was snapped Friday at STAPLES Center by the Pistons in a game that felt like a Jeff Foxworthy You Might Be a Redneck If… comedy routine for L.A. fans.

“If Kwame Brown is outplaying Pau Gasol … it might not be your night.”

“If Rasheed Wallace is using glass on one of his four three-pointers as the shot clock expires … it might not be your night.”

“Again, if Kwame Brown is banking in a free throw to put Detroit up by 17 in the fourth … it might not be your night.”

Detroit took it to Los Angeles on both ends of the floor in the Pistons’ 106-95 win to lift their record to 7-2 overall and 5-1 on the road while the Lakers fell to 7-1.

“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do the right thing,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

The former No. 1 pick, much maligned by the fans during his days wearing purple and gold and celebrated during his departure for his contract’s role in acquiring Gasol for the Lakers, finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block.

“Kwame’s capable,” Jackson said. “We know that he’s had good games and he had one tonight.”

Brown drew a charge from Gasol late in the third quarter which led to a five-point swing for his team as the Pistons were able to hit a three-pointer with the gained possession before the period ended to go up by 15.

As for the bank shots, Brown says those things tend to go your way when your team is the one setting the tone.

“When you’re the aggressor, that’s what happens,” Brown said.

There’s some truth to that. The Lakers took 26 more shots than the Pistons did. If they hit even a quarter of those, you’re talking about a game that comes down to the final possessions instead of a Pistons’ blowout.

Jackson suggested that Wallace and Brown muscled Gasol and Andrew Bynum on the block, causing the Lakers bigs to miss some bunnies. The Lakers’ 14-feet of frontline combined to shoot a respectable 9-for-18.

It was the starting backcourt that struggled, with Derek Fisher going 4-for-16 and Bryant missing 18 of his 30 shots to finish with a misleading 29 points that was back loaded with 12 points in the last 5:01 when the Lakers were already trailing by 20.

While the Lakers missed, the Pistons hit.

The Lakers, with their renewed defensive philosophy and shiny statistics to show for it (coming into the game No. 1 in the league in points allowed at 86.7 and No. 2 in the league in opponent’s field goal percentage at .402) couldn’t get a stop against a Pistons team that’s only been a middle of the pack offensive ballclub.

Defense has been the Lakers mantra this season and members of the team were able to cite what went wrong and how. Allen Iverson’s dribble penetration opened up the floor not only for A.I. to collect 25 points, but for Wallace (25 points, 13 rebounds) and Tayshaun Prince (18 points) to have copious time to lock and load from downtown.

“What you want to tell a team and what they have to hear and believe is that if your offense doesn’t go well, your defense has to support it,” Jackson said. “Your defense has to be what you always rely on and we couldn’t rely on our defense tonight.”

“We caught them on a night when they were hot as a pistol and we were pretty cold there for some stretches,” Bryant said before coming up with a description for marksmanship I’ve never heard of before.

“Rasheed just really shot the blood out of the ball.”

To straighten all of that out for you, the Lakers blamed themselves for their porous defense, but also said that the Pistons just shot the ball well. Meanwhile, Jackson thought the Pistons defense negated the Lakers inside even though their shooting percentage doesn’t support that statement and the Lakers just didn’t shoot the ball well outside.

In other words, despite the ominous mention of blood on a night the Lakers’ seven-game win streak died, L.A. can live with this loss.

Bryant said that there was no team meeting necessary and no grave disappointment shown in the locker room after this horror of a game. Jackson addressed the team, said “I guess we’re not going undefeated” with a shrug and the team moved on.

“You just take it in stride,” Bryant said. “You take the wins with the losses and you keep on moving … We’re playing for the big picture.”

In the past the “big picture” in Kobe’s world view might have included another 50-point game or individual scoring feat. On Friday, after Kobe had passed Larry Bird and Gary Payton to move to 22nd on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, he responded to the accomplishment with the same level of emotion as he did to his team’s first loss.

There was no joy for the record, there was no fret for the L.

Iverson also passed Elgin Baylor to move to No. 19 on the all-time scoring panteon on this night.

When Pistons coach Michael Curry was asked before the game if he could think of a tougher regular season matchup than playing a 7-0 Lakers team on the road on the second night of a back-to-back he said:

“We could be playing Boston.”

Turns out that Boston lost on Friday just like L.A. did. The title of the hottest team in the NBA now shifts to Detroit’s Central Division rivals the Cavaliers with their six game win streak and LeBron James’ incredible play of late.

“It definitely opened up,” Wallace said after the game, talking about his team’s offense now that Iverson is involved.

Sheed could have been talking about the discussion about the best team in the league.

The Pistons have now entered the conversation.

http://www.nba.com/2008/news/features/dave_mcmenamin/11/15/laldetpost/index.html