Caught in the Web: Reactions to Lakers' 122-86 Game 4 loss to Dallas Mavericks
-- The Times' Mike Bresnahan details the carnage of the Lakers' 122-86 Game 4 loss Sunday to the Dallas Mavericks. Bresnahan also reports that the Lakers' main option to rebuild their roster entails trades because they don't have a first-round pick and can only sign a free agent using the midlevel exception.
-- The Orange County Register's Kevin Ding notes some admittedly embarrassed Lakers.
-- The Riverside Press Enterprise's Gregg Patton faults the Lakers for not trying in Game 4.
-- The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko credits the Mavericks for staying humble and staying hungry.
-- The Daily News' Elliott Teaford faults the Lakers' inability to defend Dallas' three-point shooting.
Sidebars
-- The Times' Broderick Turner details Jackson's post-game conversation with Bryant where both agreed it's better they lost now instead of in the NBA Finals.
-- The Times' Melissa Rohlin profiles Laker girl Katie Reynolds.
-- The Times' Jerry Crowe features former Laker Mark Landsberger.
-- Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick reports the Lakers will likely keep most of their roster intact.
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne talks to Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, who declined to talk about offseason plans but admitted that he thought this was truly Jackson's last season.
-- Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears looks at the Lakers' poor effort and the team's offseason.
-- Dallas Morning News' Brad Townsend focuses on Jason Terry's heroics.
Notebooks
-- The Times' Bresnahan and Turner explain what Pau Gasol has learned from a disappointing postseason.
-- The Riverside Press Enterprise's Gregg Patton details how Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom lost their composure in separate fourth-quarter ejections.
-- The Times' Bill Plaschke focuses on all the distractions and locker-room issues that plagued the Lakers.
-- The Times' T.J. Simers criticizes Magic Johnson for saying the team needs to be "blown up."
-- The Times' Mark Heisler reflects on the Lakers' past five NBA championships.
-- ESPN.com's J.A. Adande believes the Lakers' rebuilding process will take time. Adande also reports that the Lakers consider Brian Shaw to be the top candidate to replace Jackson.
-- The Daily News' Vincent Bonsignore says the Lakers' Game 4 loss marks a bitter end to Jackson's storybook career.
-- ESPN Dallas' Jeff Caplan highlights Jason Terry's record-setting playoff performance.
-- Dallas Morning News' Tim Cowlishaw focuses on the Mavericks' bench.
-- The Orange County Register's Ding reflects on Jackson's coaching career.
-- NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper explains why Jackson doesn't have any regrets about this being his last season.
-- CBSSports.com's Jan Hubbard says the Lakers lost their character and their class.
-- Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum describes Jackson as the "game's finest coach."
-- ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon looks at how Dirk Nowitzki and the reserves have given the Mavericks plenty of depth.
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Dave McMenamin runs down a list of questions surrounding the Lakers and what will likely be a long and busy offseason.
-- The Orange County Register's Jeff Miller says the Lakers failed spectacularly.
-- The Riverside Press Enterprise's Patton criticizes the Lakers for making Jackson's finale end on a bad note.
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Shelburne believes Jackson deserved a better ending.
-- NBA.coms' Sekou Smith looks at how the Lakers' dynasty came to a screeching halt.
-- Fox Sports' Billy Witz says the Lakers' bad habits finally caught up to them.
-- Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski shoots down any premise that Jackson might coach somewhere else.
Blogs
-- CBSSports.com's Ken Berger argues Andrew Bynum shouldn't be allowed to wear a Laker uniform again after throwing his forearm to Dallas guard J.J. Barea in the Lakers' Game 4 loss.
-- Ball Don't Lie's Kelly Dwyer rips the Lakers for playing poorly in Jackson's last game. Dwyer also makes fun of Ron Artest's missed dunk.
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Andy Kamenetzky faults the Lakers lack of effort and class in their Game 4 loss.
-- ESPN Los Angeles' Brian Kamenetzky says the Lakers' poor effort in Game 4 symbolizes their up-and-down season.
-- Lakers.com's Mike Trudell has a running diary of the Lakers-Mavericks game.
-- Silver Screen and Roll's DexterFishmore describes the Lakers' elimination as a "low point in Laker history."
-- Forum Blue and Gold's Darius Soriano thought the Lakers' Game 4 loss provided a microcosm of the entire series.
Interview
I appeared on Comcast SportsNet New England with Michael Felger to discuss the Lakers Game 4 loss to Dallas.
Mark Medina on Comcast SportsNet New England
Rick Friedman Reader Comment of the Day: "This feels a lot like when we ended the 2003-2004 season. Bad taste in my mouth." -- NuggetsCountry
-- Mark Medina
E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
Photos, from top: Lakers Coach Phil Jackson is greeted by friends and family as he makes his way to the news conference after Game 4 in Dallas, May 8, 2011. Kobe Bryant exits American Airlines Arena after the 122-86 loss. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times