The Real Lakers May Take a While

Hi, I’m Rick Fox for Cintas, reminding you that being in uniform makes all the difference.

Don’t I know.

Another opening, however ceremonial. Another show, however deferred.

A journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step but for teams like these, which aspire to play into June, it seems like it’s even longer than that, with many tests along the way....

Like the Lakers’ ring ceremony.

It may have been fun for them but what about the Spurs, who were champions before their three-title run started, who were humiliated by the Lakes in the 2001 playoffs and pummeled again by them last spring?

How do you think the Spurs feel when they hear Santana is playing outside on the balcony and that rendition of “I Love L.A.” isn’t a recording, but Randy Newman, himself?

Actually, the Spurs didn’t think anything of the Lakers’ ceremony because they skipped it, waiting it out inside their dressing room until it ended.

“We have the option [of watching it] because we were invited here to play and we can stay out there if we want to,” said Coach Gregg Popovich before the game.

So what were they going to do?

“I got no clue,” said Popovich. “Whatever the guys want to do, they can do.”

Not surprisingly, they voted to stay inside.

Three years ago, the Spurs were holding the ring ceremony, although their guests that night, the 76ers, watched. Popovich had been an assistant under 76er Coach Larry Brown and considers him a mentor.

Let’s just say Popovich and Laker Coach Phil Jackson don’t have quite the same relationship.

Someone asked Popovich if he thought of wearing his own ring Tuesday night.

“No,” he said. “I’m not [crazy]. Besides it’s three [titles for the Lakers] to one [for the Spurs] here, anyway. I don’t think anyone would have been that impressed.”

Then there was the game.

For the Lakers, looking overmatched but playing better than that before succumbing to the superior force, 87-82.

The problem for the Lakers isn’t one night but the next two weeks, which threaten to be just as ceremonial. Jackson suggests they could start 0-7, 1-6 or 2-5 and, although he laughs when he says it and people assume he’s joking, he may not be.

The Spurs are in better shape than the Lakers right now, but who isn’t?

The Spurs’ new hope, Argentine shooting guard Manu Ginobili, is still backing up 33-year-old Steve Smith. After three seasons of transitioning from his 1999 champions to his Spurs of today, before David Robinson retires this summer and they go out looking for another big man, Popovich has learned to value stability.

“We had guys that were older,” Popovich said. “We had to change. Sean [Elliott] and Avery [Johnson] basically couldn’t play any more. The core is there but we had to make some changes.

“But I think it’s gone very, very smoothly, as transitions go. Usually, when teams make transitions, they go in the dumper for a while and have a tough time.

“I think [Tony] Parker coming in was just huge for us. Without him coming in, I don’t know where we would have been. We would have been in big trouble, if he hadn’t developed as quickly as he did.”

Popovich said Parker even went after 7-0, 250-pound teammate Kevin Willis in a recent practice for elbowing him.

“I loved it,” Popovich said. “I just sat back and hoped that Willis wouldn’t break him in four pieces.”

On the plus side for the Lakers, there were no fights or suspensions. The way things are going, they’re going to need everyone.