Lakers vs Warriors NBA Handicapping
Mike D’Antoni is mad. Mad at his players, mad at himself, mad at his assistant coaches. Just plain, seeing-red mad.
Los Angeles Lakers (36-34 ) at Golden State Warriors (40-31)
Monday, March 25
Oracle Arena, Oakland
10:30 p.m. EST
Odds: Warriors -1 at Bovada
O/U: 204.5
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That’s what he said, anyway, after his Lakers found a way to lose at home to the Wizards on Friday night, blowing a great chance to put some air between themselves and the three teams (Utah, Dallas, Portland) chasing them for the 8th and final Western Conference playoff spot.
While D’Antoni was obviously ticked at Kobe Bryant, whose perimeter defense on Washington’s Trevor Ariza (25 points, 7 for 12 from 3-point territory) was virtually non-existent, the coach could hardly lay it all on Bryant if he had any inclination about having a job in LA next year, so the whole team had to take one for No. 24.
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“I’m talking about everybody,” D’Antoni said two days after the debacle in which Washington outscored the Lakers, 63-43, in the second half. “To say one is more guilty than the other? No. It doesn’t really matter. The Lakers screwed up.”
Whatever you say, but everyone in Laker Nation knew that D’Antoni was calling out his star without calling out his star, and all eyes will be on their body language tonight when LA treks up the coast to Oakland for the start of a 4-game road swing and also the beginning of a 3-week season-ending sprint that is important for both teams.
As the last two games have shown (the Lakers, sans Bryant, were also run off the court in Phoenix a week ago today), there are no guarantees. The Lakers have to figure that the Jazz, Trail Blazers of Mavericks will get hot down the stretch and could steal away the final playoff spot. [ad-6571516]
Los Angeles will be trying to regain its footing tonight while at the same trying to get Pau Gasol ready for the playoffs. Gasol looked more than rusty in his first game back from that foot injury, going just 2 for 10 from the field against the Wizards over 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, if the players are paying attention to what D’Antoni is saying, they have to be a little confused. After the Wizards loss he was talking about an early exit even if the Lakers make it to the post-season; two days later he had this to say: “I’m just happy to get into the playoffs. I don’t care what (seed) it is. If we play to our max (potential), I’m not afraid of anybody.”
Go figure.
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At mid-morning oddsmakers were still holding off on a line as they waited to make sure Golden State’s Stephen Curry is OK after turning an ankle in the Warriors’ win over Washington on Saturday. Curry says he’s fine and will play, and if he’s at anywhere near 100 percent the Warriors should be able to take care of business at home.
GS now has depth on the front line since the return of C Andre Bogut, and has 3 wins in its last 4 games and a 7 of the next 8 games at home.
GOLDEN STATE 104, LAKERS 93
