For the first time in 16 outings, the Rockets finally lost with Chris Paul in uniform. They began yesterday’s set-to with just about as much energy as a tortoise at rest, spotting the Lakers — the very same underperforming Lakers who carried nearly twice as many setbacks as wins — 37 points in the first quarter. To be fair, they did pick up steam from the second period on, to the delight of the 18,104 who filled the Toyota Center expecting a 15th consecutive triumph and 21st in 22 matches. Unfortunately, they expended too much energy getting back into the match that they ran out of it in the crunch.
To be sure, the National Basketball Association is talent-laden to the point where an upset is possible on any given meeting. And, make no mistake, the Lakers posted exactly that, belying their standing as the fifth-worst team in the West to display inspired hoops on the road against the league’s supposed best. They were active from the get-go, no doubt buoyed by their close call against the vaunted Warriors on the day living legend Kobe Bryant’s jerseys were retired. And featuring red-hot Kyle Kuzma, who took advantage of a rare start to puncture the hoop with authority, they managed to hold off the comebacking Rockets until the final buzzer.
Parenthetically, the Rockets wound up being victims of circumstance. First, they had Paul at far from a hundred percent; he didn’t even get to finish the contest due to a sore left leg. Second, they caught Kuzma, arguably the best rookie in the pro scene not named Ben Simmons, on a career night. That said, there is simply no excusing their poor effort from the opening tip. In stark contrast to head coach Mike D’Antoni’s preference for “getting [opponents] right at the beginning,” they seem to be content with coasting of late, perhaps showing too much confidence in their capacity to recover under pressure.
So, yes, the Lakers deserved to come out on top, just as the Rockets deserved to be handed their backsides. Interestingly, both view the outcome as lessons for improvement. As to whether progression, or avoidance of regression, is the better claim, only time will tell.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
