http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2009 ... of+PistonsLakers remain wary of Pistons
Jackson knows team struggles at Palace. You want an indication of the gulf that separates the Lakers and the Pistons -- you know, other than the obvious fact the Lakers have 22 more wins? Check out their short-term goals. The Pistons, playing without three of their top players (Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton), have lost six of eight and are fighting to stay in the playoff picture. The Lakers, well, let coach Phil Jackson say it. "We want to come home with 60 wins," he told the Los Angeles Times. "That's an important part of it for us." Tonight will be the third in the Lakers' seven-game road trip, which they kicked off with wins at Chicago and Oklahoma City. They are 56-14, so they need to win four of the next five on this trip. "This is great for us, especially at this time of year," Kobe Bryant told the Times. "You can build a lot of momentum from these road trips, if they go well. There's obviously a flip side to that, but we believe we can play well on this trip."
Of course, there is a more tangible motivation than just getting to 60 wins. The Lakers are seeking the best overall record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They will go into the game tonight trailing Cleveland by at least one game (the Cavaliers played Wednesday). "They (Cavaliers) have a better chance right now," Jackson said, noting that the Cavaliers play eight of their last 12 at home. "They have a better chance, but the tie goes to us and it's important that we keep the pressure on them." After the Pistons, the Lakers finish the trip with games at New Jersey, Charlotte, Atlanta and Milwaukee, before finally going home April 1. Only Atlanta has a winning record, but Jackson didn't want to hear about that. "I haven't looked at their records," he said. "I know it's difficult to play in Detroit. We haven't won in Detroit in awhile, I'm guessing 2002 (correct). Jersey's never been a hospitable place to play. And we know what Charlotte does -- it's one of those games that's always been difficult for us. "We're not counting on anything this trip."
The Pistons have won six straight over the Lakers at The Palace, nine straight counting the 2004 NBA Finals. "When you have a team like Detroit who over the last several years has prided themselves on playing really good defense and executing on the offensive end, it makes it tough to win there," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. Fisher might not have seen any recent footage of the scuffling Pistons, but his point is well-taken. In their last six trips to Detroit, the normally high-scoring Lakers have averaged 88.6 points. "The Lakers are tough," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "They are playing at a high level right now. All we can do is keep on grinding and try to find a way to win." Bryant, by most accounts, is trailing LeBron James for most valuable player award consideration. He's averaging 27.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists, trailing James and Miami's Dwyane Wade in those categories. But Bryant has said all along his only mission this year is to win another NBA title. "For me, it's just go out there and do my job and help us win games," he told the Times. "That's all I am here for -- to help us win. If the MVP comes with that, man, that's great."
