Excellent defense, in both half-court settings and in transition, along with solid offensive patience and execution, were the critical reasons why the Houston Rockets dominated most of the proceedings against the Lakers in the first round of the Western Conference semifinals Monday night.
But the Lakers couldn't have played much worse and it's unlikely the Rockets can play any better.
There is your silver lining amongst a lot of dark cloud formations in the Staples Center, Lakers' fans.
FYI: Yao Ming is so much the most skilled center, offensively, in the NBA. And I'm not even sure if the gentlemen conceded by most to be the best player at the position in the league, Dwight Howard of Orlando, is even the second most skilled (again, offensively) center on the NBA level.
As a NON-Lakers fan, I am happy to see ONE PERSON actually CONGRATULATE a team that BEAT the Lakers. In my 40 years on this earth, I have NEVER once heard ONE LAKERS FAN admit that another team is BETTER or OUTPLAYED the Lakers. Even from last season, in the minds of Lakers fans, it wasn't the Celtics who BEAT the Lakers, it was the Lakers didn't play the way they like to play. Oh please, spare us already.
All I have heard when the Lakers lose is excuses (i.e the coach, a player was sick, they were tired, they were off for a week, etc, etc.)
IF the Lakers lose this series or the Conference finals or the NBA finals, what will be the excuses this year?????????
BC