Game Rewind: Running on Empty – Clippers 102, Lakers 91

Tonight’s loss made me upset.  Very upset.  Not because the Lakers lost, mind you.  Not even because the loss was to the Clippers.  I’m upset that the Lakers lost because they ran out of gas and that they ran out of gas because they continue to ignore their obvious lack of depth.

So much talent, so little energy.

Not to take anything away from LA’s favorite junior varsity team, the Clippers (sorry, even when they win, I can’t help but ridicule them), but the main reason the Lakers comeback efforts came up short wasn’t the overwhelming Clipper attack but rather because the Lakers were playing two men down on the back end of back-to-back games.  Kobe and company were only 24 hours removed from grinding out a rough win over the Houston Rockets and just didn’t have the necessary energy to play at the top of their game in this one, not when Bryant, Bynum and a flu-stricken Odom were all asked to play 40+ minutes against this surprisingly frisky Clipper team.

A game like this never would have come to pass though if the Lakers would have shown even an inkling of an inclination to address the lack of depth that has plagued this team since the first game of the season.  For all intents and purposes, the Lakers have five reliable players on the roster: Kobe, Pau, Artest, Bynum and Odom.  Beyond that, the rest of the roster is composed of players who have an ability to contribute but have proven themselves unable to do so on a nightly basis.  With as talented as the Lakers’ top five players are, that isn’t normally going to be a big problem, but when you take away Gasol, give Odom the flu and Artest a concussion, the bench becomes such a hindrance that even Kobe can’t overcome it, especially when you throw in an obviously amped up and hungry opponent like the Clippers were tonight.

If this loss doesn’t get Mitch Kupchak’s attention and immediately convince him to start working the phones to get his team so help, I don’t know what will.

• Good work by Andrew Bynum tonight.  He still fell asleep on defense a few times, but he hung in there on the glass against two excellent rebounders.  Tonight was definitely a big step forward for Drew but he still has a way to go.
• My hunch was right, Shannon Brown did have a strong showing.  I continue to amaze myself with my powers of prognostication (nevermind that I also predicted a Laker win).  What is actually disappointing is that the starters were so exhausted tonight that the rare strong performance from a Laker bench player ended up being more or less wasted.

Lake Show Outtakes:

• Boo on ESPN for torturing all the displaced Laker fans by sticking with the GMAC Nobody Gives a Crap Bowl between Central Michigan and Troy State and missing pretty much the entire first quarter of the game.  I thought there was going to be  Twitter flash mob of people who don’t get Fox Sports or NBA Season Pass organized to attack ESPN headquarters.
• Another game without Pau Gasol, another game of crappy ball movement.  This is not a coincidence.  I know that the Triangle offense doesn’t call for a true point guard, but the Lakers could still use a point guard who is a true playmaker, even if he is only a bench player.  Right now Lamar Odom is the best they have to offer and he just can’t always get it done.
• I already can’t wait for the Lakers to be able to trade away Sasha Vujacic’s expiring contract next year.  His line tonight: 6 minuts, 0-1 FG, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 personal foul, -14. Minus-14?  In six minutes?  I think I just puked on my keyboard.

Tags: Andrew Bynum, bench bums, Game Rewind, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Clippers, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Sasha Vujacic, Shannon Brown