Lakers Look to Get Back on the Winning Track Against the Blazers by Jeff Little

It’s February 20, 2012 and the (18-13) Los Angeles Lakers return to the Staples Center to face the (17-15) Portland Trailblazers. The Lakers had a disappointing and forgettable performance against the Suns in Phoenix. It appears that the team that beat the Suns easily on Friday at the Staples Center was not the same team that showed up in purple and gold jerseys the following Sunday in the valley of the sun.

The Lakers are a poor road team and what ails them appears to be mental. They can overcome this issue by playing better defense, playing with more focus, more intensity, a higher energy level, better execution on offense and more of a sense of urgency.

What was surprising was the fact that the Suns won the game without a phenomenal shooting percentage. Phoenix did not knock down a high percentage of three point shots and the Lakers’ bench outscored the Suns’ bench. The difference in the game was the Lakers’ defense – or lack thereof. L.A. did not get back in transition and the result was 21 fast-break points for the Suns.

The Lakers trail their season series against the Blazers 1-0 after winning last season’s series (3-1) against Portland for the first time since the 2005-2006. Overall, it was just the third time since 1989. At Staples Center, the Lakers are 7-5 all-time against the Blazers. L.A. has won seven of their last eight games in Los Angeles.

The key player that the Lakers need to slow down is Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge who is coming off a career year. Aldridge is an elite low-post scorer and an unblockable turnaround jumper. He runs the floor well, possesses a good mid-range game and excels at spinning out of the post for lob passes at the rim.

Blazers’ forwards Gerald Wallace and Nicholas Batum both present tough match-up’s and always seem to have stellar performances against the Lakers. The Blazers are a long team, but they do not have anyone to match up with Laker Andrew Bynum’s width. Bynum is 285 lbs. and has a significant weight advantage over Portland’s 37-year-old center Marcus Camby who lists at 235 lbs. The Laker center has more in his back pocket than both Aldridge & veteran reserve center/forward Kurt Thomas.

The Lakers’ defense has had its moments, but there is a lot of room for improvement. It is imperative that they do a much better job of defending the pick-and-roll play, stopping the dribble penetration of the guards, getting back in transition, controlling the tempo and quickly rotating out to open shooters. L.A. has to use their size advantage to out-rebound, out-hustle and out-work the Blazers.

Andrew Bynum and teammate Pau Gasol have both been averaging 14 shots or less. That number needs to increase. The Lakers need to establish both Bynum and Gasol inside and allow them to go to work. The team must do a good job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to find high percentage shots going to the basket.

If the Lakers are aggressive and make it a point to use their size and attack the basket, their free throw attempts will increase.  Their reserves are producing points, but the second unit has to score 35+ points consistently to be effective.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Blazers: R. Felton, N. Batum, G. Wallace, L. Aldridge, M. Camby

Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST

Television –

• Los Angeles: TNT
• Portland: TNT

Radio –

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Portland: 95.5 FM (Brian Wheeler & Antonio Harvey)

Injuries –

Lakers:

• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

Suns:

• LaMarcus Aldridge (Sprained Ankle) Probable