Heated Lakers series makes for great television

By Sarah Elkeaikati

It’s Sunday evening and as I sit here trying to decide what to
write about this week, I can’t stop thinking that four short hours
ago the Lakers were defeated by the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of
the Western Conference Semifinals.

Devastation aside, I have to say that the series has been
nothing short of a circus, with more conflict on the court than
actually plays.

Now this is not a sports column, but when NBA playoffs start to
look more like boxing matches, you can’t help but stay glued to the
television.

And before the male readers get their jock straps in a twist
about a female writer discussing playoffs, let me just say that if
you guys are allowed to wear thong flip-flops and skinny jeans, we
can watch basketball.

Fair trade.

During Game 1 against the Rockets, I figured the Lakers must
have put a hit out on Shane Battier because by the end of it, I
thought I was watching Bloodsport.

Cue the blinding powder.

Even though the Lakers lost the game and home court advantage,
the aggression definitely set the tone for the rest of the
series”and it was cool to see him bleed.

Go Lakers.

Game 2 was something else.

The referees were handing out technical fouls like Christmas
presents and the trash talking from both sides was priceless.

Derek Fisher came to the aid of his team in more than one way,
most notably by practically assaulting Rocket’s power forward Luis
Scola.

The Lakers’ quiet and eloquently spoken point guard showed off
his football skills when he tossed Scola an elbow that sent the
6-foot-9-inch Argentinean sliding down the court.

Very impressive.

Whether it was intentional or not”and judging by the satisfied
smile on Fisher’s face after being ejected, I vote yes” it benched
Derek for Game 3 leaving him alone in his hotel room Twittering
with the rest of us.

Ron Artest, rocking a Mohawk and the Rocket’s logo shaved into
his fade, and his Kobe-must-die frantic bared a striking
resemblance to the belligerent displays of Dennis Rodman from years
before.

Don’t you just love basketball?

Though tonight’s Game 4 loss was a hit to Los Angeles, I doubt
that a team that lost in the first series of the playoffs last year
will hold the No. 1 team in the west back from those shiny
championship rings.

The Lakers and Rockets face off again tonight at 7:30 p.m. for
Game 5 of the seven-game series.

Reach Sarah Elkeaikati at
asstlifestyle@thepolypost.com

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