DEJA PHEW! : Lakers Don’t Dwell on Past as They Return to Site of Three One-Sided Losses

The Lakers often use either selective amnesia or road rationalization when it comes to dealing with unpleasant regular-season events.

But the Lakers’ three losses here during the regular season, perhaps the biggest blights of their 57-25 record, are vivid memories going into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals here tonight.

The Lakers did not even come close to winning here, losing by 15, 17 and 23 points.

So what makes them think anything will change either in Game 3 tonight at 7 or Game 4 Sunday afternoon?

“That doesn’t make a difference,” said Laker guard Byron Scott. “That was the regular season. This is totally different.”

Said reserve center Mychal Thompson: “Just chalk them up to bad games. We just happen to have about 10 bad games a season, and those happened to be two of them. OK, three of them.”

Added guard Michael Cooper: “Two of those, we were (playing) back-to-back (games). But we don’t want to blame it on that, because they played well. Matter of fact, I won’t even say that. I didn’t mention that.”

Laker Coach Pat Riley, however, chose to forget all about the nights of Dec. 26, Feb. 1 and March 28.

“I could make excuses and justify it, but I’d rather forget about it and put it behind us,” Riley said. “We have to remember they are two games behind us. Yeah, they had hammered us pretty well, but I think we’ll be a better team this time. I’m not worried about it.”

Here is a recap of the three losses in Phoenix:

Dec. 26--Suns 111, Lakers 96

After being slapped around by the Utah Jazz in a 14-point road loss on Christmas Day, the Lakers lost their sixth consecutive road game even though the Suns played without guards Jeff Hornecek and Dan Majerle.

So frustrated was Magic Johnson that he drew two technical fouls late in the game and was ejected for only the second time in his career. And, for the first time in his career, Laker reserve forward Orlando Woolridge was benched.

Feb. 1--Suns 114, Lakers 97

The Lakers’ road play had improved by that time. But, with Scott out because of a urological disorder and the Lakers playing games on consecutive nights, the Suns won easily. This time, however, they did it with a 22-0 run. The Lakers scored only 11 points during the second quarter, a club low for one period.

March 28--Suns 127, Lakers 104.

This one was never close, the Suns starting strong and putting the Lakers away in the first half. Later, Riley raged against his players to the media, accusing them of quitting. Asked how he could appeal to to his players, Riley said: “How can I threaten them? They all make 3 or 4 million dollars.”

Losing in Phoenix is nothing extraordinary for Western Conference teams. The Suns lost only one home game within the conference, but the Lakers don’t consider themselves merely another team.

Not now, at least. The Lakers say that, now that the playoffs are here, there will be a distinct change in their approach to playing in Phoenix.

“You can’t live in the past,” Thompson said. “That’s a philosophy of life you’ve got to take. You got to look ahead and say, ‘I’ll get the job done next time.’ We expect to play a lot better. They have been giving us the fight of our life on our home court, so we expect them to be even tougher now.”

Actually, the Lakers’ fourth trip to Phoenix already has gotten off to a bad start. Their Delta Airlines flight from LAX to Phoenix on Thursday morning was canceled, so they switched airlines and were delayed for more than an hour.

Once they finally hit town and the Coliseum floor for practice, the Lakers seemed determined to forget their earlier failures.

“I think the first game will be important,” forward A.C. Green said. “Confidence-wise, you know, just knowing that we can do it, that we can win.”