LOS ANGELES — Kevin Dyson, a die-hard 19-year-old Lakers fan, showed up at Dodger Stadium on Friday night wearing a purple-and-gold L.A. ballcap before the Rockies-Dodgers game.
“I’ve got to fly my colors, got to show my faith,” Dyson said. “Last game was bad, but they’ll come back. No worries.”
Dyson appears to be in the minority.
Judging by sports-talk radio shows in Southern California and reports on local television, the hoops apocalypse is just around the corner.
Lakers fans are shocked and angry that the Nuggets hammered their team 113-96 on Thursday night at the Pepsi Center, forcing a Game 7 tonight at the Staples Center.
Expectations are always sky-high for the Lakers, and fans here are not used to them playing like mere mortals.
Hosts of the local ESPN radio affiliate, KSPN, came down hard on the Lakers. They were especially hard on the two 7-footers, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, who did a pratfall Thursday night in Denver. Meanwhile, an ailing Kobe Bryant managed 31 points, despite needing two IV bags before the game and two more at halftime because of dehydration.
That prompted the ESPN radio hosts to call the Lakers “The Champs and the Chumps” throughout the day.
A man from Sherman Oaks, who called himself “Mantis,” called into the radio show and called the Lakers “an embarrassment.”
“This is the end of a dynasty,” he continued. “They should keep Kobe and get rid of everybody else.”
A number of fans at the Dodgers game were almost as harsh.
“That was a very, very uninspired effort Thursday night. The Lakers were very flat,” said John Ronca of San Luis Obispo. “Unless they come out with a tremendous amount of energy and play with more passion, they are going to lose Game 7.”
Said Tre Gaves of Newport Beach: “These guys are all proven professionals. Kobe has proven he can step up. This is what it’s all about. So now the other guys have to prove they are pros.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
