PHOENIX -- The number on the white board in the Los Angeles Lakers' locker room, representing the countdown to the wins necessary to complete their road to a repeat, remained at six after Tuesday's 115-106 Game 4 loss to the Phoenix Suns -- but the only thing on the team's mind seemed to be Game 5 on Thursday.
"Critical game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We say they're all critical, but this is what playoffs are about. If you can support yourself on the home court, you have a chance of going back and pulling an upset or winning the game, No. 5, and creating the momentum change. So, we'll see what comes out on Thursday. Should be interesting."
For the second time this postseason, the Lakers jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start a series, only to lose Games 3 and 4 on the road. Against Oklahoma City in the first round, Los Angeles was able to take Game 5 at home and Game 6 on the road to close out the series before it went the distance.
Working in the favor of the Lakers, the No. 1-seeded team in the Western Conference, is their home-court advantage. The Lakers have yet to lose a game at Staples Center this postseason, going 7-0.
"Now we've got to go back home and make sure we have a really good intense game, where we set the tone from the first second and we play as hard as possible for 48 minutes," Pau Gasol said after racking up just 15 points and five rebounds Tuesday. Gasol averaged 25 points in Games 1 and 2 at home and just 19 points in Games 3 and 4 on the road.
"We've got to understand they're a team that's dangerous, as they proved," Gasol said. "I think people were overlooking them after the first two games and [were] just thinking ahead already. And so obviously, that's a big mistake."
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