We’d been saying all week that Houston posed the biggest challenge to date in L.A.’s 2008-09 campaign.
I took a look at Houston’s roster, had a conversation with their beat reporter and watched them play on TV, and was excited to see what the Lakers might do against a team with solid low-post depth and outstanding overall talent.
And then … the Lakers killed ‘em.
After falling behind by 16 in the first quarter - a deficit that I’m convinced had more to do with a three-day layoff than anything - L.A. turned on its afterburners and rolled to a 29-point victory. The ease with which the Lakers dissected the Rockets was surprising even after four games of relative dominance, though the formula was quite similar: flood the paint defensively, rebound like Evelyn (after Johnny Bananas took her key) and let its second unit run the opponent into the ground with superior athleticism.
Impressive.
L.A.’s defense led to a season-high 10 blocked shots, a 50-36 edge on the glass and kept every Houston starter at or below 12 points. Here are a few more numbers that emphasize L.A.’s dominance:
