Press-Enterprise: No team to act like big shots

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

ORLANDO, FLA. - Phil Jackson is so determined to keep the Lakers from celebrating a championship prematurely he even felt the need to caution the media that his team hasn't won anything just yet.

Instead of greeting reporters on a conference call the morning after Derek Fisher's larger-than-life threes propelled the Lakers to the brink of a 15th title, Jackson launched into an opening statement that felt more like a public service announcement minus the catchy jingle.

Said Jackson: "I just wanted to inform our listeners and participants that even having won that game, which is obviously a big boost for us in advancing toward winning a championship, we recognize that we still have a big battle to win before we can claim anything more."

Jackson's stay-focused mantra is the same one the Lakers have been preaching since the giddy aftermath of Thursday's emotional overtime victory over the Orlando Magic. Fisher immediately reminded his teammates of the Game 5 beating Indiana gave the Lakers after they took a 3-1 lead in the 2000 Finals, while the coaching staff addressed the importance of matching Orlando's desperation in a team meeting Friday morning.

Both the Magic and Lakers took Friday off from practice, a much-needed mental respite after Thursday's draining back-and-forth classic. The Lakers put the Magic in a 3-1 hole thanks to Fisher's tying three-pointer from the right wing with 4.6 seconds left in regulation and go-ahead three from the top of the key in the final minute of overtime.

What makes Jackson's preemptive strike all the more important is that the Lakers will be reminded until Sunday's tipoff that history doesn't favor Orlando. No team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals, nor have the Lakers lost three straight games since Pau Gasol was acquired in February 2008.

"The big key is if we can match the energy they throw out on the floor, then we give ourselves a chance," Jackson said. "What I told them is there's a chance (today's) practice may be the last one of the season, and that's also something that gets them pretty excited."

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy is hoping the resilience his team has demonstrated throughout the season will be enough to ensure this afternoon will not be his team's final practice. He insisted his team remains optimistic even though they could just as easily be leading 3-1 in this series had Courtney Lee not blown an alley-oop layup at the end of regulation in Game 2 or Dwight Howard not missed a pair of game-clinching free throws in Game 4.

"The way these games have gone, it's not like we're in a situation where we feel we can't play against the Lakers and don't have a chance to win," Van Gundy said. "I think our confidence level will be high. I think our guys have demonstrated incredible resilience all year and they demonstrated it again last night after that awful third quarter."

Jackson's final message to the Lakers at Friday's team meeting was to remember how determined they were not to watch Boston celebrate at Staples Center in Game 5 last season.

Facing the same daunting 3-1 deficit as the Magic now must tackle after a similarly heart-wrenching loss, the Lakers rose up and defeated the Celtics to send the series back to Boston for Game 6.

"We came back and won that game simply because of winning at home, winning it because a let's not lose in front of our home fans type of thing," Jackson said. "(The Magic) are going to play their hearts out, so we have to match that."
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http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_lakers_13.49d1122.html

Mamba · Jun 13, 2009

I don't think this team is getting big headed this time, I think we'll win it all on Sunday.

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Press-Enterprise: No team to act like big shots

Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

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