Lakers regain championship swagger

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be losing their grip on the conference they’ve dominated for nearly three years.

Now that grip looks more like a chokehold again, and only the Phoenix Suns still have a chance to break it.

With six consecutive playoff victories illustrating everything the defending champions do so well, the Lakers earned a week of rest and practice before starting the Western Conference finals at Staples Center on Monday night against Steve Nash’s Suns.

Halfway to the chance to extend his own NBA record with an 11th championship ring, coach Phil Jackson directs the credit for the Lakers’ postseason surge to his veteran roster’s collective playoff wisdom.

“These guys know that you’ve got to save the best for last,” Jackson said. “We’ve generated some energy and got the momentum back in our favor.”

After watching the Lakers’ cool, systematic domination of the Utah Jazz in a four-game second-round sweep, it was easy to forget Los Angeles seemed ripe for picking last month after one of the most unimpressive regular seasons by a No. 1 seed in recent history.

The Lakers won 57 games, yet their 25 losses stuck out much more prominently. They flopped in their Christmas Day showdown with Cleveland, lost an NBA finals rematch at Orlando, and dropped games against several of the West’s top teams, including Dallas and Denver, before closing the season with a dismal 4-7 stretch.

“In playoff basketball, we have another gear,” center Andrew Bynum said. “I think we’re playing like that right now as a team. Collectively, we just picked it up. When we get to the playoffs, we’re focused.”

When eighth-seeded Oklahoma City won twice at home to even the clubs’ first-round series, the Lakers appeared to be injured, tired and scrambling. Instead, they’ve been smooth operators for two perfect weeks.