Game Rewind: Double-Double Your Pleasure – Lakers 118, Pacers 96

I could have sworn that In-N-Out Burger was a West Coast only chain of burger joints, but the Lakers must have found a lone franchise in the middle of an Indiana cornfield, because they were dealing out double-doubles faster than the guys at the drive thru after a Jack Johnson concert.

Great, now I’m hungry.  In-N-Out run anyone?

The Laker big men took control of this game animal style, especially Andrew Bynum who notched his first double-double (27 points, 12 rebounds) of the season in a game that Pau Gasol played in.  Not to be outdone, Gasol himself went for 21 and 13 to help the Lakers spark a second half surge that allowed the Lakers to pull away from the hapless Pacers.  But the double-doubles didn’t end there, even Lamar Odom got in on the action with 12 points and 14 rebounds of his own.  That’s right, for the first time in recorded history (or at least my memory), all three Laker big men double-doubled in the same game.

It took almost two years, but the Lakers finally got the first real glimpse of the ultimate potential of the Triple Towers.  Never have all three of their bigs played so well all in the same game.  The Lakers have constantly been trying to figure out the best way to get all three to consistently play nice together.  It’s always something with them.  Someone wants more touches.  Someone doesn’t like coming off the bench.  Someone doesn’t like having to focus on defense so much.  Someone is hurt.  Someone forgot he is a big man and not a point guard.  Someone married a reality star… OK, I’m getting off track now, but I think you see my point.  This was the game the Lakers have been waiting forever for and they best make sure it isn’t an aberration.

If I am Phil Jackson, I am taking the game tape of this game and strapping Pau, Drew and Lamar into chairs Clockwork Orange style and playing the tape on loop for two weeks straight.  The potential that was realized tonight should be striking fear into the hearts of all other NBA teams.  To put it bluntly, if the Lakers have three big men who play this well all the time is unbeatable.  I don’t mean that in a hyperbolic way either, I mean it literally unbeatable as in they won’t lose a game.

Alas, being the realist that I am, this was probably just lightning in a bottle against a bad team.  As fun as it is to dream of a Triple Tower Reign of Terror, one game does not a dynasty make.  Until we see this kind of performance again, I remain guardedly optimistic and nothing more.

• Tonight could have been even crazier had Kobe just snagged one more board and three more assists, he would have had himself a triple-double.  Had he pulled that off in addition to the three double-doubles, my head might have exploded.
• I’m not going to jinx it, but I just feel that it needs to be pointed out that Pau Gasol has now made 13 of his last 15 free throw attempts.  I’m not saying he is fixed or anything (especially with a pressure-filled Boston game looming), but I’m just saying.  That’s all.

Lake Show Outtakes:

• OK, seriously, am I going to have to write an open letter to Phil Jackson to bench Ron Artest for a few games?  He did an admirable job on Danny Granger (though Granger’s foul trouble helped), but he gave the Lakers absolutely nothing else.  With him and Derek Fisher on the floor at the same time, the Lakers are basically playing 3-on-5 on offense (as opposed to 4-on-5 back when Ron-Ron was healthy).  Just let Artest rest the remainder of the week, don’t let him play in the Philly game, that way he can be in better shape to do battle with the Celtics next week.
• And splat goes Shannon Brown.  His 1-for-9 shooting performance only underscores why the Lakers need more bench help.  Maybe we should go ahead and start getting that Kirk Hinrich uniform jersey ready.

Tags: Andrew Bynum, bench mob, Derek Fisher, Game Rewind, Indiana Pacers, Kirk Hinrich, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, trade rumors