L.A. seeks answers in hostile environment

If the Los Angeles Lakers would go on to win the NBA championship, the comparisons would be similar to the last title Michael Jordan had in Chicago, where every series and every game for the most part ended up being a severe challenge. Right now, that is probably the furthest thing from Kobe Bryant’s and his teammates mind, as they are waste deep in torment, dealing with Denver team that has strong desire to show they are the new kids on the block.

To this juncture, the difference between the Lakers and Denver is thinner than the Rocky Mountain air and that was in smog-filled L.A. The first two games were mirror images of one another, just from opposite ends.

Denver started Game 1 fast, missed a boatload of free throws and didn’t execute at the end and lost. In Game 2 it was Los Angeles who powered to early lead, only to see the Nuggets come back by halftime. In the second half, Denver made nearly everything from the charity stripe and it was the Lakers who didn’t execute in halfcourt at crunch time.

The perception that the Lakers have better personnel is being backtracked quickly. Derek Fisher should be coming off the bench, since he is defensive liability and doesn’t offer much when his shot is not falling. Though generally effective, how many teams would forward Trevor Ariza start for in the NBA?

Another noted difference is intangible and subjective, but Denver has two mentally strong players in Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who do the Lakers have beyond Kobe? Pau Gasol is a very good player, but does he play in elite category when the game is on the line, sometimes.

The Lakers are 3-7 ATS in last 10 conference final conflicts and are in third different circumstance in this year’s postseason embarking on first road playoff game of the series. They were up 2-0 heading to Utah and lost by two. They were tied with Houston getting ready to play Game 3 of that series and gave convincing winning effort; however that was coming off a win.

Even the great Zen Master is being dragged through the mud in these NBA Playoffs. Hardcore Lakers fans and backers were shocked Phil Jackson didn’t out-coach Doc Rivers in the Finals last season and many agreed Rivers got the better of Jackson, from motivational perspective in getting his players to play harder.

Jackson is under the microscope again with his team giving more than one sorry effort in the postseason and his substitution patterns coming into question. In Thursday’s contest, he gave Kobe a "mental break" in the fourth quarter and in less then 100 seconds, Denver turned a one point deficit into a five point lead. It should be noted, Jackson has always made discussion generating substitutions, they just always used to work.

Even lame brains like Andrew Bynum are calling Jackson out, saying, "Honestly, I think we need to rethink how we are doing the defense. … They are just attacking it and swinging [the ball] to the other side. It is an easy three-on-two every time that they swing it to the other side."
This zero-sum insight from starting center who was going to be the difference-maker for L.A., yet has logged 34 total minutes and 15 points in two games, not earning the trust of his coach, based on actions, not words.

Denver has covered a confounding dozen straight playoff games and returns home to the Pepsi Center energized and confident. George Karl’s club has won 15 in a row at its mile high place of work (11-4 ATS) and is 20-5 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog this season. Comparisons to other Denver teams are useless, as this group is completely different.

I think we got a lot tougher in the last two minutes of the game," Billups said. "We had guys diving for loose balls. ... We just got tougher, where we should have done that in Game 1. We learned from that and did it in Game 2."

Sports bettors are paying attention also and believing what they are seeing in Denver. DiamondSportsbook.com opened the Nuggets as three-point favorite and it was hit hard the Denver money, moving line to four points, before settling back to 3.5. The total is relatively stationary at 211.5, with the Lakers 15-6 UNDER after one or more losses this season. Melo and the guys will want to come out flying and are 12-3 OVER at home after scoring 100 points or more three straight games.

The Lakers are 22-11 ATS as a road underdog and they are 4-3 SU and ATS in last seven visits to Colorado. Denver is 28-10 ATS after playing consecutive road games and on 22-5 ATS run against teams with winning records.

ESPN moves its cameras East for Game 3 and 8:35 Eastern start, with the last five meetings in Denver between these teams having played UNDER.