Brian Thompson The Lakers are the only
SoCal pro sports team Thompson has any respect for. He can be
reached at [email protected].
We can cut through the red tape/And bust through the fakers/Keep
your eye on big Shaq/And put your money on the Lakers.”
These, of course, are the words of noted wordsmith, star actor,
philosopher and Hollywood playboy Shaquille O’Neal in his
song “Straight Playin’.” And you know what?
Shaq’s right. Put your money on the Lakers.
Somehow, team turmoil put it all together at the right time.
Shaq is dominating. Look no further than his back-to-back 40-point,
20-rebound games.
Kobe is unselfishly playing team basketball. He’s been no
slouch in the domination department as well, dropping 48 points
Sunday to close out the Sacramento Kings.
The supporting cast has been chipping in at the right times.
Going back to the end of the regular season, the Lakers have now
won 15 straight ball games.
With the San Antonio Spurs lurking in the Western Conference
Finals, business is about to pick up.
The Spurs present a challenge the Lakers have yet to face in
these playoffs with their twin towers, Tim Duncan and David
Robinson.
But the Lakers have the aura of a winning team right now. And
while going through this transformation from disgruntled and
selfish bunch to championship team, the Lakers became a squad that
people want to cheer for and love.
They play hard. They rediscovered that playing defense is a good
thing. It doesn’t hurt that Shaq is such a cool, likeable
guy. And Kobe hasn’t been overly cocky as of late, which has
been a pleasant surprise.
Being from Northern California, where we have no NBA team (my
apologies to the three Golden State Warriors fans out there),
it’s great to see a whole city get behind a team. Make no
mistake about it: the Lakers ARE Los Angeles’ team.
I could go on about how we live in a divided society. Los
Angeles is one of the world’s great melting pots. But in the
process, it’s also a place where we are reminded every day of
racial, social and economic divisions.
One of the reasons why sports are so great is that they bring
communities together. But that doesn’t always happen in Los
Angeles.
We have two major universities that divide the city more than
unite it (all in good fun, of course). We have no pro football team
(my condolences to you XFL die-hards). The Dodgers are too mediocre
for anyone to get behind. And hockey doesn’t really count
here in L.A.
That leads us to the Lakers. Sure, it’s easy to get behind
a winner. But this city has a devotion to the purple and gold that
it has for no other team.
From my three years in Southern California, I truly believe that
the Lakers are the one constant that unifies this community. Just
drive around and look at the Lakers flags and stickers on
people’s cars, or the T-shirts and jerseys people are wearing
on game days. You don’t see Southern Californians supporting
their other teams in the same manner.
So as a transplanted L.A. resident, this is one of the reasons
the Lakers have become the one and only Southern California team I
actually like.
The team’s playing style has always suited Los Angeles.
The “Showtime” Lakers of the ’80s brought flair
and excitement that is characteristic of L.A. society. Magic
Johnson was like a Hollywood star. The team played with the same
fast-paced energy with which Angelenos live their lives.
And, it’s carried on to today’s version with Shaq,
Kobe, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher and company. Sure, they whine,
complain and act selfishly at times. But they know how to put it
together when it counts.
That’s why the Lakers have to be the favorites at this
point to win the championship. The Spurs will be the toughest
opponent for the Lakers in these playoffs. Their front line poses a
serious threat to containing Shaq. But without their shooting
guard, Derek Anderson, who is out with an injury, the Spurs
don’t have anyone that can hang with Kobe.
The winning streak may come to an end, but the championship run
should continue into June.
It’s scary to think that the Lakers are still getting
better each game.
With each victory, the anticipation of a repeat championship
grows throughout Los Angeles.
Rejoice, L.A. You have a dynasty in the making.