By Joel Meyers
FOX Sports West | PRIME TICKET
March 3, 2011
Lakers play-by-play announcer Joel Meyers is always talking Lakers, whether the team is playing or not. Click here to submit your question. This week Meyers calls out a Celtics fan, takes a look at a new threat to the Lakers in the West, gives an update on Sasha Vujacic and Matt Barnes and more.
I've been a Lakers fan since I was a kid. I now work at the post office and I have a Celtic fan telling me that the Lakers have never won a 7-game series after losing Game 1. I find that hard to believe, but is it true?
Thanks for your time,
Louie
Louie,
Please do me a favor and tell the Celtic fan he needs to get his facts straight before he comes in with anything else as wild as this one. Not only have the Lakers come back in seven-game series after losing the first game, but they have done it 12 times. Twice while playing in Minneapolis and 10 times since moving to Los Angeles.
To follow are the 12 best-of-seven playoff series where the Lakers lost the first game, but still won the series:
1953 NBA Finals (4-1), lost first game 4/4 vs. New York 88-96
1959 Western Division Finals (4-2), lost first game 3/21 at St. Louis 90-124
1969 Western Division Semifinals (4-2), lost first game 3/26 vs. San Francisco 94-99
1972 Western Conference Finals (4-2), lost first game 4/9 vs. Milwaukee 72-93
1972 NBA Finals (4-1), lost first game 4/26 vs. New York 92-114
1980 Western Conference Finals (4-1), lost first game 4/22 vs. Seattle 107-108
1985 NBA Finals (4-2), lost first game 5/27 at Boston 114-148
1988 NBA Finals (4-3), lost first game 6/7 vs. Detroit 103-105
1998 Western Conference Semifinals (4-1), lost first game 5/4 at Seattle 92-106
2001 NBA Finals (4-1), lost first game 6/6 vs. Philadelphia 101-107 OT
2004 Western Conference Semifinals (4-2), lost first game 5/2 at San Antonio 78-88
2009 Western Conference Semifinals (4-3), lost first game 5/4 vs. Houston 92-100
Just print this out and give it to your favorite Celtic the next time he comes in. You might want to also tell him to do his homework before he comes up with another beauty like this one. Thanks.
I keep reading about how big the trade was for Kendrick Perkins in making the Oklahoma City a truly elite team. Do you agree? Can the Lakers still get by the Thunder?
Chris, LA
Chris,
I look at the Thunder more as a dangerous team than a truly elite team at this point. They have a chance to be very good, but they haven't done anything yet, especially when it comes to the playoffs. Picking up Kendrick Perkins was definitely a move in the right direction. He'll help them in their half court defense and especially come playoff time, when the game slows down. With a nucleus of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Perkins, as well as role players like Serge Ibaka and James Harden, the Thunder have a chance to become an elite team down the road. To be elite though, it requires postseason success, which is still not a part of their resume. The Thunder also have to prove they can consistently win on the road, right now they're just 16-13 away from home and got smoked last week at Orlando by a Magic team that hadn't been blowing anybody out. General manager Sam Presti has done a phenomenal job in a short period of time, but let's see how they finish the season before we put them in there with the Lakers, Spurs and Mavs in the West.
What will the rotation look like when Matt Barnes is back and healthy? How far away is he from returning?
Lauren, Newport
Lauren,
We're crossing our fingers that Matt Barnes will be back for the Charlotte game, after missing the last 25 following knee surgery. There won't be drastic differences in the rotation with his return, although Barnes can help out at more than one position. His first role is backing up Ron Artest at the small forward spot, and the best thing about Barnes is the way he moves at both ends of the floor. His activity off the ball at the offensive end is a huge plus. He makes the opposition account for him all the time, making them work at the defensive end, as opposed to a guy that just sits in the corner and waits for it. Barnes averages 7 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes a game, while shooting 47 percent overall and 81 percent at the free throw line. It just seems like his rebound total should be higher because the way he keeps balls alive on the offensive glass, even though he doesn't get credit for the board. It's going to be great to have him back for the final 20 games, making the lakers a much deeper team for the postseason.
Can we get an update on The Machine?? He seems to be developing a rhythm as he is having a bigger role.
Jim, Costa Mesa
Jim,
When the deal came down, sending Sasha Vujacic to the Nets, I mentioned in this space that I was happy for both Vujacic and the Lakers. It was a win-win then and that is still the case for both. The Lakers get to save close to $8 million by also including this year's first round draft choice and Vujacic is getting the time that never would have come his way, had he still been a reserve with the Lakers. In 34 games with New Jersey, Sasha is averaging 11 points, with three rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes a game. Now Vujacic has shown to the rest of the league that he can still play at a high level when he gets consistent minutes. Since New Jersey acquired Deron Williams, an exceptional drive and kick guard, they should be looking at Vujacic as a shooter that can potentially help them down the road.
Kobe Bryant was unreal at the NBA All Star Game. Was that the best AS performance by a Laker you have ever seen? It was vintage Kobe.
Nick, Covina.
Nick,
You're right, Kobe was unreal at the All Star Game but I haven't seen all the Lakers All Star appearances, so it would be tough to judge his against some of the great games that Jerry West and others have had. I do know Kobe's performance at STAPLES in this most recent one and his MVP award in the game in Philadelphia a few years ago, are my two favorites among his four MVP awards. There are only two players that have been honored with four MVP awards at the All Star Game, Kobe and the former St. Louis Hawk, Bob Petit, a Hall of Famer. I'm glad that you appreciate Kobe as much as I do. Too often we don't give enough credit to the great ones until their playing days are over. We won't see another one like him for a long time, and need to savor these days as long as we're lucky enough to have him out there.
Thank you for all of your questions and comments. Joel would like to answer as many questions from Los Angeles Lakers fans as possible. Click here for possible inclusion in a future Ask Joel column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content. Please include your name and location along with your question.
