OTTO-Not a Lakers fan
June 12, 2008
Yucaipa, CA
Not happy in La-La Land
YUCAIPA, CA – In Lakers land this morning, fans are all a glow over
L.A.’s, 99-91, overtime victory over the Orlando Magic.
Me? Not so much. I can’t stand the Lakers – never have since the
deserted Minnesota in 1961 for California. But that’s beside the point.
Keep the knives, ropes, and guns away from the Magic. They should
feel so depressed over giving this game away that they’d do anything
to relieve their misery.
11.1 seconds left to go in regulation and Orlando up by 3. All Dwight
Howard had to do was make one-of-two free throws and the game’s in
the win column and Orlando heads back to L.A. tied 2-2 in the series.
But Howard clangs both of them. But let’s back up. We know Howard’s
not a good free throw shooter (6-14 for the game.) But Hedo Turkoglu?
There’s no excuse for him missing 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch
(and a paltry 8-13 for the game) that would have buried the Lakers.
And what did Stan Van Gundy tell his team during the Lakers’ final
timeout in regulation? It should have been, “we’ve got a foul to give
– take it and force them to inbound the ball again. And get up on the
three-point shooters.”
But if he did issue that advice, it didn’t sink in. Especially with
Jameer Nelson, who backed off Derek Fisher by four feet to allow him
to launch the game-tying three. Fisher, known for hitting big-game
treys, buries it, ties the game at 87-87, and Orlando goes down in a
flaming free fall in overtime.
And they deserved it. At the end of regulation I turned off the TV in
disgust.
Here’s a fastpitch analogy: ISC World Tournament championship game.
Starting pitcher for Team “A” gives up 4 runs in the first inning to
put his team in a deep hole. But Team “A” fights back, takes over the
lead, and in the bottom of the seventh leads, 7-4, with two outs.
Just one out away from victory.
But no, our Team “A” starting pitcher implodes by issuing back-to-
back walks, and then throws a gut shot that renowned slugger of Team
“B” blasts over the fence to tie the game, and eventually Team “B”
goes on to win the game in extra innings.
Did the Lakers win this game? Not so much as Orlando imploding and
essentially saying, “here you can have it.”
For more Bob Otto stories and photos visit: www.ottoinfocus.com.
