Believe it, Lakers will face stiffer competition

A review of Lakers playoff game No. 3 -- 13 wins to go.

DENVER -- Twenty-five years ago to this very Saturday, I'm a reporter here covering the Broncos' draft, standing in the food line because I was told that's what reporters do, when a secretary tells assistant coach Fran Polsfoot, "I've got Jack Elway on the telephone."

Right away I turn to Polsfoot to ask if the Broncos are trying to trade for Elway, who has been drafted by Baltimore hours earlier but who makes it clear he will not play for the Colts.

"Nah," Polsfoot says, "Jack and I were fraternity brothers and it's nothing."

I never give it another thought -- until six days later when the Broncos announce they have acquired Elway in a trade.

And people wonder why I don't believe most of the things coaches and athletes have to say.

Or baseball owners, who say they are going to spend $500 million so everyone can come to the ballpark during the off-season because it looks like there's no reason to be going during the season anymore.

How about spending $440 million on greenery and a museum, and $60 million on a third baseman?



I DIGRESS, I know, but it's the third quarter, the game already out of hand and I've got another hour or so to kill before the Lakers have officially demolished the Nuggets.

I can't wait to tell Tex Winter all about it. PhilJackson is sitting on the Lakers bench in the chair they use to go easy on his back, which places him more than a head taller than anyone else sitting there today. Winter gets the seat behind him, missing a great Lakers team performance.

As for the straight scoop, of course I don't expect to get that from anyone after the game.

The other night, for example, Lamar Odom is talking about the Nuggets, I'm predicting sweep and he gets very serious and says he thinks the series will go seven games. And people wonder why I laugh when they say some of the things they say.

"I weigh 240 pounds," the Dodgers' Tubbo says, and I laugh every time I think about that, but then I digress once again.

Jackson tells his team at halftime that although Denver is just horrible shooting the ball, "they are not going to shoot like this the whole game." The Nuggets shoot even worse in the second half, and it's comforting to know a coach has no problem misleading his players as well as the media.

Or how about Luke Walton, who says Saturday, "Everyone was saying this series was over at 2-0, but we came in here knowing this would be the toughest game of the series."

And what is it, Lakers by 40 or 50?

I knew it was over when the Nuggets brought out the saxophonist to play the national anthem. It never fails to kill the mood. They ask everyone on the overhead scoreboard to "make noise," pass out white T-shirts to everyone in the building that read, "Can you feel it," and then bring out the sax.



EVERYONE LIES. The Nuggets not only have a JackNicholson imitator sitting in the front row, but as part of introductions, they show highlights on the scoreboard, the Nuggets just tearing up the Lakers in play after play -- like they are up 2-0. Yeah, that fooled the crowd.

Then some guy comes on the P.A. and tells the paying customers, "It's going to take each and every one of you today," like there's no way the five guys Denver puts on the court can do it by themselves.

OK, so he has a point.