LA Times: Lakers can breathe easy, as long as they play hard

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

Reporting from Orlando, Fla. — The door to the Lakers coaches' office opened and assistant coach Brian Shaw stepped out into the hallway with a smile across his face.

Shaw barely was able take a step before he got a pat on the back, a handshake, a hug and congratulations because of the Lakers' 99-91 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

It was the first time Shaw had been able to smile during this best-of-seven series. He had reason to because the Lakers have a 3-1 lead and are on the cusp of winning the 15th title in franchise history.

"One more to go," Shaw said. "They've got to beat us three times in a row, and I don't know if we lost three games in a row all season."

That would be a no.

In fact, the Lakers haven't lost three consecutive games since they acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 1, 2008.

If the Lakers don't finish off the Magic on Sunday here in Game 5, they will have two more chances (if needed) to accomplish the feat at Staples Center.

"It's not over, but it feels a lot better knowing that we have one more to go and that we can possibly end it on Sunday. That's all I'm going to say," said Shaw, who has scouted the Magic all season for the Lakers and now is in charge of putting the game plan together for the Finals.

"It's a seven-game series and the final two would be in L.A. I won't say that I'm happy. I'm relieved that we won [Game 4], but I'm not going to relax. We've got to put the nail in the coffin."

In Shaw's view, this is how to close out the series:

Don't relax

"The way Orlando shoots the basketball, you can never relax," Shaw said.

No team has ever rebounded from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals, plus the Lakers have the luxury of returning home for Games 6 and 7 if necessary. But Shaw has warned his team not to relax.

Play a complete game

"I want us, from the jump-ball tip, to play the game hard so we don't have a heart attack going on," Shaw said.

Shaw said the Lakers can't depend on rallying in the third quarter, as they did Thursday when they trailed by 12 points at halftime.

He wants the Lakers to put forth the same effort right from the start.

Compete better

"It's like we get down, and in the fourth quarter we get desperate, and that's the desperation that we play with," Shaw said.

Shaw reminded the Lakers of the 2000 championship team he played on that had a 3-1 lead over the Indiana Pacers but lost Game 5 in Indianapolis by 33 points because it didn't really compete.

Orlando may be down, but Shaw said the Magic will "fight."

"It's not a mistake, it's not an accident that they're here," Shaw said.

What the Magic must do better

Free-throw shooting.

The Magic was 22 for 37 from the line in Game 4. Dwight Howard was six for 14, including two misses with 11.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter with Orlando leading by three. Hedo Turkoglu was eight for 13, including three for seven in the fourth.

Take care of the basketball.

The Magic turned the ball over 19 times, seven by Howard.
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers-transition13-2009jun13,0,6740132,print.story

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

Shaw droppin' his knowledge, again.

huevonkiller · Jun 13, 2009

Good job from Shaw here, don't let up.

ivey · Jun 13, 2009

Btw what is Shaw writing down every single game to his sheet. Every time camera shows him, he's writing something down. Haven't seen someone like him for other teams.

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LA Times: Lakers can breathe easy, as long as they play hard

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LA Times: Lakers can breathe easy, as long as they play hard

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