Thunderstruck

As Laker fans wake up this morning, no matter how hard they try to brush the stigma of last nights collapse out of their blurried eyes, it will stay with them for the rest of their lives.  This is the Don Nelson game for this generation and those of us who witnessed that game have never been able to forget it.

This was no ordinary collapse; it was the kind of collapse that will haunt you forever. No matter how big a lead you get, you will never feel safe again. To lose an 18 point lead late in the 3rd quarter is unforgivable, to lose it at home with the MVP doing nothing to staunch the bleeding until the game was tied was surreal.

 I was lucky to be in the stands when the Lakers did this sort of turnaround against the Trailblazers on their way to the first Kobe/Shaq championship. It was the greatest sporting event I've ever witnessed and I was literally walking on air as I left Staples that afternoon and didn't give one thought to how the Portland fans felt. For those Portland fans it has to be the lowlight of their fandom. Still this doesn't compare, the hated Celtics did this to us at home and embarrassed all Laker fans. For those fans in attendance, this game will forever be the game that put a hole in their heart.  

When Portland lost to us, it was the end of their run. They were broken and never recovered. This won't break the Lakers as they are two young and it might even be a catalyst to them in future playoff games. The fury on several of their faces tells me they learned something. It will too late for this series, but it may prove beneficial in the future. That is the only possible good take I have from this game.