Thu Jan 13, 2005 · 8:30 PM
Cleveland CavaliersCavs
96
away
Chemistry
Tense
Los Angeles LakersLakers
98
home
Chemistry
Hot
Box Score
| TEAM | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | OT | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland CavaliersCavs | 33 | 20 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 96 |
| Los Angeles LakersLakers | 21 | 19 | 25 | 21 | 12 | 98 |
After Action Report
The Lakers squeaked past the Cavaliers 98-96 in overtime. Ugly basketball, but the Lakers did just enough. The Lakers owned the glass, generating extra possessions; the Lakers looked unstoppable — pure Buzzsaw mode. The Lakers locker room is humming, and it showed. Lakers' rotation plan looked deliberate, and the right guys made the most of their roles. Ugly, but it counts the same in the standings.
What tipped it
- Lakers · Glass Eaters Crashing the boards generates extra possessions and second-chance buckets.
- Lakers · Buzzsaw An 8+ game winning streak — they cannot be stopped (until the league catches up).
- Lakers · Tight-Knit Locker-room chemistry is humming — extra trust on every possession.
- Cavaliers · Ice Cold On a 4+ game losing streak — shots aren't falling.