You Lakers. You lollygag the ball around the perimeter. You lollygag your way down the court. You lollygag in and out of the locker room. You know what that makes you? Lollygaggers. Lollygaggers.
Maybe Phil Jackson needs to take Kevin Costner's advice from "Bull Durham" and scare the team a little. They're just kids (or acting like it, anyway). Don't believe me? Just ask Kobe, who said the same thing to the NBATV crew Tuesday night.
"It is my responsibility to make sure that we improve and continue to move in the right direction. The playoffs are right here, so it is important that I put my foot on the gas and make sure that we have in our mind's eye the kind of urgency that we need to play with and defend…
"The trap that you run into is that you play with that sense of urgency when you are down 10, 12, 13 points. That is the kind of mentality that I do not want us to have going into the post season. You kind of lollygag going into a series and then you are down 3-1. You kind of fall into that false sense of security and all of a sudden it is time to go and it's too late."
He actually used the word lollygag. You know things are serious.
Lakers fans should be concerned right now. This does not look or feel like a championship team. For a couple of seasons now, the effort from these Lakers has been inconsistent. But last season, the Lakers would rise to the occasion and put in 48 good minutes in a key game. They made some statements. This season they have made statements against the best teams in the West, but by playing a good quarter or a good half.
When was the last time you remember the Lakers playing a good 48 minutes? There is a lack of urgency on this team.
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And part of that falls to Phil Jackson, who is not coaching with any sense of urgency. I don't mean his usual Zen sideline behavior. We're used to that. We're talking the actual coach part of his job. Kevin Ding at the Orange Country Register broke down the Lakers practices on their current road trip.
After a win last Wednesday in San Antonio, the Lakers have terrible ball movement in a Thursday practice, but Jackson cuts it short anyway. Friday, the Lakers have terrible ball movement (and everything else) in a loss to Oklahoma City. The next night, they get a win against Houston (not a pretty win, but who cares, right?), something done without a practice. Sunday, Jackson cancels practice in New Orleans. Monday, the Lakers lose to the Hornets.
Tuesday, Jackson cancels practice again, this time in Atlanta. On Wednesday night, the Lakers take on the Hawks.
It's a hard line to walk this time of year. Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Paul Gasol and the rest of the team needs some rest before for the playoffs. But you risk coming in cold and without energy. Jackson is leaning toward rest with his squad.
And it is showing on the court. Where the Lakers are lollygaggers.
Kurt Helin lives in Los Angeles and is the managing editor of NBC's NBA blog Pro Basketball Talk (which you can also follow in twitter).
