Lakers have the best center in basketball. Arguably the best two guard as well. They likewise have a premier player at the 4. The Spurs only had a clear advantage at the point. But the PG position was never a position of strength for the Lakers in years. Even w/ Blake or Nash on the floor, Parker would still get his shots. It has always been the bigs and Kobe.
Lakers were at home. Lakers actually shot better from the field. Had a rebound advantage in double figures 48-38. Kobe played incredibly shooting a scorching percentage and adding 8 assists. Bench scoring was almost at a stand still. Stephen Jackson and Manu were off. Lakers had double the free throw attempts than the Spurs 22-11. Had a 3pt lead w/ 45secs to go.......
I'm surprised this was considered an "OK" loss. Talk about lowering expectations.
If anything I think it was a disappointing defeat.
if you look at it by parts, sure, the Spurs only have a clear advantage at the PG spot.. but as a team, they are way, way better than the Lakers at this point of the season..
the Lakers are still in a period of adjustment.. their plays aren't set plays.. they just go to their strengths.. they go to Kobe on isolation or Howard at the post.. it's predictable.. the Spurs, on the other hand, have structure.. they have chemistry so the ball goes to who it's supposed to go.. on defense, they know when to rotate.. and in crucial plays, they know what to do.. in short, the Spurs already play as a team while the Lakers are still getting there..
individually, the Lakers have an advantage in multiple positions.. but as the saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.. it's an OK loss because the Lakers lost to a way better TEAM than them by just 2 points.. they didn't lose to Tony Parker or Tim Duncan or Danny Green.. the lost to their TEAM, the Spurs..