Lakers Score Like 76ers

The Lakers played down to their competition, or lower, which, against the Golden State Warriors and micro-sized Muggsy Bogues, was quite a stoop.

Dennis Rodman got tossed, his jersey was handed away, the Lakers looked lost on offense and turned in their worst performance of the season, an 81-76 defeat before a muzzled 17,505 at the Great Western Forum on Saturday.

The Lakers definitely did not play up to the halftime event--a salute of several Laker players of the 1980s, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Jamaal Wilkes, Larry Spriggs, Mitch Kupchak, James Worthy, Norm Nixon, Orlando Woolridge and Brad Holland.

On Saturday, the Lakers didn’t even get to the 80s, and didn’t claw their way past the 60-point barrier until the fourth quarter was several minutes old.

Coach Kurt Rambis, a member of those championship teams, wasn’t pleased by this game. He went from the Lakers’ locker room into the officials’ room, but said, “Don’t ask me about that.”

He also didn’t want to be asked about the Lakers’ effort.

“I just think it was a lack of focus, he said. “Ask those guys [players] in there about why.”

Of course, the Warriors are nobody’s version of an offensive powerhouse, and showed why in a tepid fourth quarter that almost cost them the game.

In a frantic final period, the Lakers started making their free throws (some of them, at least), worked to find shots on offense, turned up the pressure on defense and tried to steal this one.

Then, with 2:04 left to play, Rodman fouled John Starks, argued, drew two technicals, was ejected, pulled off his jersey and handed it away as he loped off court.

When the extracurricular activity was over, the Lakers trailed, 74-69, and whatever momentum they had was squelched.

It was pretty bleak for the Lakers through three dismal, and very similar-looking quarters, after which they trailed, 65-53.

The Lakers’ previous three-quarter season low was 54 points.

Shaquille O’Neal (21 points) made both his free throws with 5:29 left, after missing seven of his first nine, getting the Lakers within four, and Kobe Bryant finished a 14-4 Laker run and made it a 69-67 game with a leaner from six feet.

But the Warriors scored six of the next eight to lead, 75-69, and the Lakers dropped to 22-12.

Both teams played in other cities the previous night, and the travel seemed to treat the home team far more harshly.

The Lakers slumped and grumped their way through a lifeless first half, a performance sketchy enough to elicit a disgusted comment from Derek Harper as he wandered near press row in the second quarter.

“Damn,” Harper said, “it’s Friday the 13th or something.”

Yes, there was horror involved. And, like the movie, nobody wanted to see a sequel.

O’Neal missed his first six free throws, the Laker offense went into a catatonic state, and the Warriors gratefully picked up the pieces.

The Lakers made only 12 of their 42 first-half shots (28.6%) and missed their first six free-throw tries on their way to an 11-for-21 first half.

Meanwhile, reserve Warrior forward Donyell Marshall buzzed around the court fairly freely, tallying 12 points in 14 footloose minutes.

So, at halftime, the Lakers stunned the world by trailing the Warriors, 47-36, and they were fortunate to be that close.