The Cleveland Cavaliers won Sunday, while the Lakers played their worst game in months and lost to Atlanta. The Lakers are now two games back of Cleveland for the best record overall.
Cue Chicken Little among some Lakers fans, people who enjoy picking at the scab of Game 6 from last year’s Finals. The players and coaches, they couldn’t care less, although that's not exactly how they phrase it.
"Who knows what's going to happen with Cleveland?" Jackson said. "They have to win, and we're certainly not going to win out, but we'll continue to put pressure on them."
While it didn’t show on the court in Atlanta, the Lakers are a supremely confident team in the locker room. They ooze it. They know they can beat the best in the West anywhere, they took back-to-back road games from San Antonio and Houston recently.
When it comes to the big dance, the Lakers have beaten Boston and Cleveland at home and on the road this year. Home court or no home court, they think they can win it all. What has Lakers fans concerned may really be the manifestations of boredom.
Everyone, players and fans, just wants the second season to start. But with that three weeks away, there is nothing to do but fret.
