Lakers Watch: Games 5 and 6

Lakers game 5 was at Denver.  I already made a post about their effort levels and the "perfect storm" occurance of the Nuggets being fired up because of their loss a few days prior to the Celtics.  Both games were at home, both were championship level teams and the Nuggets had another chance.  They are also a division leading team and a team with aspirations of at least making the secnod round of the playoffs.  Obviously the Lakers didn't cover the spread, as they lost.

Game 6 for the Lakers was at Phoenix.  Here I think we could have expected more of an energy level rebound for the Lakers.  Again they may have been stymied though by the Suns own rebounding energy level.  They were blown out by thirty something at LA and were ready this time.  Shaq scored 35 points.  Again, Shaq has a lot of pride and I'm sure he got the team fired up for this one.  He doesn't want to lose badly to LA twice in a row, he doesnt' want to lose badly to Kobe twice in a row.  Kobe scored 49 points but obviously he couldn't win the game by himself.  

So the Lakers Watch recap is a six game stretch where they went 2-4 against the spread and almost went 1-5.  It took a late-game run against the OKC Thunder to pull them to 2-4.  2-4 is a good percentage ,1-5 can make you a millionaire. 

Also the Laker's success has meant that the beatings they deliver ensure teams will be trying harder the next time they meet.  Of course, the team has to have the skills and ability to translate increased effort into increased points and wins.