Wow

Yes, Mike Bresnahan, I was expecting the Lakes to go 0-3 on this trip. Sorta. I certainly didn’t see them pulling off the Texas Two-step.

But something happened at halftime of the Rockets game. The Lakers really didn’t play that badly in the first half. But they were a different team in the second. I can’t remember the last time I saw them rotate so well to shooters and lock up the opposition. Maybe the game in Cleveland, but the Cavs couldn’t hit anything in that game.

The Rockets were similarly icy on Wednesday night, going 5-28 from three. That’s 18 percent, y’all. And get this, they shot 51 percent for the game! Attention, Aaron Brooks. Throw the ball to the huge Chinese guy. How can Yao miss only two shots and not get more than nine attempts.

The Lakes did have a few breakdowns. I think Fish dropped to double Yao and left Brooks wide open for a three late in the game. But they got big contributions from Josh Powell, Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton. Oh, and Ron “You’re not ready for me, Kobe” Artest.

That was just plain weird and its shows you just how insane Ron-Ron is. The whole time I was thinking, ‘Wait, aren’t these guys friends?’ Not that you can’t get in a squab with even your best mate from time to time. But for it to go on and on, even after Mamba was crushing him. Wacky.

If Wednesday was a surprise, last night was a shocker. As Big Game James said at halftime, if the Lakers play D like this, they’ll be champions. I couldn’t agree more. And you know all it takes is a little more effort. I know the season is long and the Lakes aren’t the most athletic team (neither is Houston or SA, but then neither in Portland), but just getting a hand in guys’ faces or chasing guys off the three helps. That was big since the Spurs scored 33 points from long range and not all were wide-open treys.

Again, there were some late game goofs. After they regained a seven-point lead I engaged the TV in the following conversation:

“Why is he (LO) handling the ball? Why is he (Luke) shooting?”

Then Kobe hit that monster three and Lamar made a great pass to Pau and all was forgiven. They didn’t panic like the Laker teams of a few years ago and they overcame some adversity (aka the atrocious no-call on Tony Parker pushing Farmar out of bounds at the end of the third that cost LA at least three points).

So wow. I can’t believe that’s my team.