Game Rewind: That Should Settle That – Lakers 108, Suns 88

That is now two, count ‘em two, Laker ass kickings of the Suns.  If that doesn’t put to rest any talk of who is really the class of the Pacific Division then I don’t know what will.

Nice try, Phoenix, but you aren’t slowing down the Lakers.

Sure, both games were in Los Angeles, but a whooping is a whooping, no matter where it takes place (well, unless it is in New Jersey, where it is just called a Nets game).  The Lakers’ effort tonight was dominant on every level.  They carved up the Phoenix defense in every single quarter.  They held the vaunted Sun offense to not just under 100 points, but under 90 for the Suns lowest scoring game of the entire season.  Heck, even the Laker bench mob didn’t gag away most of the league when garbage time rolled around.

What will be more curious than this game, actually, will be what happens to each squad afterwards.  Phoenix certainly can’t be feeling too good about themselves having now lost three of their last four games, especially all three of those losses being lopsided losses.  15-5 record or not, they can’t possibly believe they are still in the top class of the NBA, not after getting totally outclassed twice now by their top divisional competition.

As for the Lakers, they now have nine wins in a row and have finally beaten a few teams that are respectable.  With a slew of road games looming, this win couldn’t come at a more perfect time as everyone on the Laker roster has to be brimming with confidence again.  Any of those feeling of self-doubt stemming from the two ugly losses against Denver and Houston are just distant memories now.  Look out league, here come the Lakers.

• Five steals for Ron Artest… excellent.  I know Ron-Ron actually isn’t normally much of a steals guy despite his defensive reputation, but his expert thievery tonight shows just what he is capable of doing when freed up to focus only on defense rather than worry about his offense.
• FINALLY, the Lakers knocked down some damn three-pointers.  Their 10-21 performance from downtown is probably their best three-point shooting performance of the season.  Let’s hope they can keep it up because their shoddy three-point shooting is quickly becoming their Achilles’ heel.

Lake Show Outtakes:

• Yes, it is now officially time to worry about Lamar Odom’s scoring when he horribly bricks a three and then on the very next possession blows a one-handed jam.
• I love that Derek Fisher has abandoned a lot of his flopping and has now replaced it with his new signature move of watching his guy blow by him and then turning around and staring quizzically at the other Lakers as if it is somehow their fault.  Good times.

Tags: Derek Fisher, Game Rewind, Lamar Odom, Phoenix Suns, Ron Artest