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This episode was filmed before Game 3, the first solid postseason showing for Ramon Sessions (12 points, 4 assists) in quite some time. All in all, the young point guard has underwhelmed in his first playoffs, sparking legitimate concern about his future with the Lakers. Along with Arash Markazi, we discuss why Sessions has struggled and his fit moving forward.

There is a popular saying that a series doesn't really begin until the home team loses. History, however, says that when the home team holds serve in the first two games, the series is over. Courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information, teams up 2-0 have won 94.2 percent of any series. Even the Lakers, among the most successful franchises in sports history, have only won 10.5 percent (2-of-19) after falling into this hole. The last successful bucking of the odds required a miracle shot from Derek Fisher (ironically now playing for the squad looking to eliminate the Lakers). That's what ultimately made the inability to close out Game 2 even more painful. A split in Oklahoma wouldn't have put the Lakers in the driver's seat, but an upset at least would have felt somewhat feasible. Instead, a battle uphill from the outset has taken on the feel of K2.

For more thoughts on Game 3, we conducted an instant-message exchange with Royce Young from the True Hoop network's Daily Thunder blog. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: As much as Game 2 was about the Lakers' failure to execute down the stretch, it was also reflective of the Thunder not giving up and remaining opportunistic. How characteristic is that of their nature?

Royce Young: Very. Game 2 Wednesday was extremely similar to Game 1 against Dallas in which OKC came back from a seven-point deficit with a few minutes remaining, capped by a Kevin Durant game winner. The Thunder have made a habit out of those types of wins. They feel like as long as they have time on the clock, they're alive. Which they should, because at any moment Durant, Russell Westbrook or James Harden can go on a burst and get them back in a game.

From the other side, is it like the Lakers to let a lead slip like that?

AK: Unfortunately, yes. Not necessarily at the end of a game, because the Lakers were 10-4 this season in games decided by three points or fewer. But a loss of focus is always a threat to plague them at any moment. All season, this team has suffered inopportune and self-induced lapses. Sometimes, they've resulted in losses. Other times, wins became more complicated than necessary. But either way, the Lakers are a team of bad habits, which makes slippage in the last two minutes not necessarily stunning.

But full disclosure, I was jaw-dropped by this. I just kept staring at the TV with this far-gone look on my face, like Private Pyle during his last scenes in "Full Metal Jacket."

RY: Allow me to be honest, as well: I had given up on the Thunder after Bynum's hook shot went down to make it seven. I just didn't see a way back, not with the way they were executing offensively.

AK: Speaking of execution, you've mentioned before the Thunder's periodic tendencies to go iso-happy and bog the entire offense. Wednesday night felt like one of those nights. Do you agree, and if so, to your eye, what caused it?

RY: I'm not entirely sure the Thunder played all that differently than they did in Game 1, but two things stifled the offense: The pace favored the Lakers, and the shots didn't fall with great regularity. Durant had attempted only eight shots entering the fourth quarter, instead choosing to kick out off his drives. The Lakers adjusted well on Westbrook and forced him into a poor shooting night. And the bailout guy, Harden, wasn't able to get going. That's where that ugly, ugly offense can come from. It's a strange thing, since they're so wildly talented on that end. But sometimes, it just doesn't work. But the Lakers deserve a lot of credit for that.

Brian Kamenetzky: I thought the Lakers' adjustments in the pick-and-roll, with the aggressive trapping and activity from the bigs, frustrated OKC. Coverages were more proactive and consistent, a big change from Game 1. Combine that with the work they did limiting the Thunder's transition opportunities, and it seemed like OKC was frustrated.

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Wow. Just... wow.

There are losses. There are bad losses. And there are bad losses that carry the sting of 1,000 bees -- all born and raised in Oklahoma, naturally -- working in unison to attack as one. A primo chance to drastically alter the tone of this series went out the window, and the Lakers will have to work overtime to dig themselves out of a hole. And by "overtime," I mean "quite possibly beyond their capabilities." And by "hole," I mean "grave."

On tonight's Lakers Late Night, we broke down the break down over the final two minutes, along with ...

• The magnitude of the wasted opportunity. The Lakers blew a seven point lead with two minutes remaining, fueled by giveaways and mismanaged possessions.
• A rough fourth quarter for Kobe Bryant, who not only turned over the ball in a critical spot with 1:45 remaining, but also missed his final five shots in a 2-of-7 final frame.
• Yet another disappearing act for Ramon Sessions. Two points, no assists, one turnover. He wasn't the only member of the supporting cast coming up short, and along with a lack of outside shooting from the team (2-of-13 from 3-point range) it was too much to overcome, despite a great effort defensively.
• A look ahead to Game 3. Is there any way the Lakers play themselves back into the series?

It was like any of the thousands of practices in which Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant had gone up against each other since entering the league as rookies with the Lakers in 1996.

But this time, there were 18,203 mostly blue-shirted fans in the stands, Fisher was wearing his Oklahoma City home white uniform and Bryant his purple Lakers road jersey, and the spirit of competition was dampened by the fact Fisher's Thunder were already up by 30 when he matched up with Bryant on defense and got him to miss a turnaround jumper on the baseline.

"It was interesting," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said Tuesday. "I was a little worried for Derek. But (Kobe) did miss the shot."

It wasn't the first time Bryant and Fisher have been opponents. There were those years when Fisher played for Utah and Golden State before coming back to L.A. for rings No. 4 and No. 5. It wasn't even the first time this season they've played each other, as the Lakers and Thunder had two games in the regular season since Fisher was traded from the Lakers in March.

It was the first playoff game, however. Now, Fisher and Bryant find themselves pitted against one another in individual quests for a sixth championship, rather than going for it together.

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It's fitting NBA games are now flooded with "Men in Black III" ads (there's even one with an NBA tie-in), because after Game 1, Lakers fans had the urge to "flashy thing" themselves. Who'd blame any member of the Laker Nation for making every last memory of a 29-point beatdown instantly disappear? That's not a bad plan for the actual players, too. Dwelling on what can't be changed is pointless and could perhaps hinder moving forward. Of course, this is also contingent on having addressed the problems causing their nightmare. Otherwise, the "flashy thing" would just be creating space in their brains for a brand-new set of horrors.

To help preview Game 2, Brian and I conducted an IM chat with Royce Young from the True Hoop network's Daily Thunder blog. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: I'll start with a question for Royce. Wha happa?

Royce Young: Yeah, that was something. I expected the Thunder to win, but definitely not a 29-point victory. The Thunder weren't rusty, and were foaming at the mouth to get on the court. OKC is good and has maybe the NBA's most explosive offense, but if they're going to turn it over just four times, the Lakers might as well hit the beach right now and save themselves the trouble.

Brian Kamenetzky: How sustainable is OKC's performance? The starters shot 63 percent. As a team they hit 60 percent between 10-15 feet. Russell Westbrook barely missed from 10 feet-plus, etc. Even if the Lakers don't do anything differently -- and they'd better do some things differently -- do you expect the Thunder to come back to earth?

RY: That's definitely about as good as it gets, although not completely out of left field. The Thunder have rolled up big offensive games before: Game 3 against Dallas, in the regular season against Miami and Chicago. But the mid-range game can dry up at a moment's notice, 3s might not fall and transition opportunities might not be available. Then it's about executing in the half court, getting to the line and finding easy buckets. They're capable of doing that every night, actually doing so isn't entirely realistic.

Is there an adjustment the Lakers can make to slow down Westbrook and Kevin Durant?

AK: Metta World Peace must do better staying with KD despite the constant screens. MWP's bulk can work against him fighting through bodies, but he's succeeded better than on Monday. Considering that his were the freshest legs of any Laker, I was disappointed by his general lack of defensive tenacity. As for Westbrook, when he's running pick-and-roll to that elbow spot, the Lakers bigs need to hedge harder to challenge shots or make him give up the ball. I realize the recovery after showing is tough for someone like Andrew Bynum, but Russ' looks were too clean, and he pulls up so quickly to begin with.

RY: Here's the dirty little secret with Westbrook: Everyone thinks you give him that mid-range shot and take away his path to the rim, but it's actually the opposite. Give him the jumper, he'll eat you alive. That's the hinge to his game. It opens the door to everything else. Actually, in hindsight, let's scratch my previous paragraph from the record. I don't want anyone to know this.

BK: If Mike Brown waits for game previews to get his scouting report for that night, I think you're OK.

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With sincere respect to the Denver Nuggets, that it took the Lakers seven games to defeat them suggests how well the Lakers must play against Oklahoma City to have even a hope of advancing. Kevin Durant and the gang were the preseason favorites to come out of the West, with some pundits predicting they'd win the whole enchilada. An erratic April cost them a No. 1 seed, but any doubts about their viability were put to bed by an opening-round sweep of the Dallas Mavericks. Matched against L.A., at full strength, the results have been pretty lopsided in OKC's favor. The Lakers enter this series in the unfamiliar position of being underdogs and have their work cut out to pull the upset.

For a look ahead to the series and Game 1, I spoke via instant message with Royce Young of the True Hoop network's Daily Thunder blog. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: What was your biggest takeaway from OKC's opening series?

Royce Young: I was most impressed with the way the Thunder closed games. Last postseason, Oklahoma City's crunch-time offensive struggles became a well-discussed topic, with Russell Westbrook the focus. This playoffs, it was the opposite. Three big fourth quarters are what won the series in four. Of course, just because James Harden was able to dice the Mavericks doesn't mean it will be so with the Lakers.

AK: As long as you mentioned Harden, might as well jump right into the prominent B-plot. Do you expect any lingering trepidation or animosity from Harden toward Metta World Peace?

RY: I don't think so. Carrying anything like that onto the floor would be too obvious. And it wouldn't reflect well on the team's focus. You're not there to get payback on Metta. You're here to advance. A vendetta in Game 1 doesn't make much sense. Then again, it'll have Thunder fans charged up, and many people feel as if World Peace is feeding the beast with his comments.

AK: Well, I was there as MWP addressed this issue, and actually took his words at face value. Starters never go out of their way for pregame handshakes with opposing reserves, so why would anyone necessarily expect it from Metta? And I honestly understand why he doesn't think now's the time and place for a reconciliation of sorts (if there's even a feud to begin with). These guys are about to enter competition. Frankly, I doubt Harden wants MWP to seek him out before Game 1 anyway. It would be awkward for both.

RY: For the record, I totally agree with that assessment.

AK: In any event, Harden is so important for OKC. You can make an argument he's their most important player, which is why I don't put much credence in the Lakers' double-OT win, Harden missing the second half and all.

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Following Friday's thumping in San Antonio at the hands of the Spurs, Sunday's tilt with Oklahoma City takes on a little extra significance. First, mentally it would certainly benefit the Lakers to play a strong game against an elite Western Conference team. Losing would run their record against San Antonio and OKC to an uninspiring 1-5, not exactly a top shelf omen looking ahead to the postseason.

Then there are the practical implications. Should the Lakers lose, they would no longer control their own destiny in the Pacific Division. Instead, the Clippers could win out over their final three games and take the crown, pushing the Lakers to a four seed and a first round date with an extremely dangerous Memphis squad.

Not good. To preview Sunday's action, we hit up the always insightful Royce Young, host of TrueHoop's Daily Thunder Blog with a few questions...

1. The Thunder put up points more efficiently than just about anyone in the league (2nd in efficiency), but the D has been good-but-not-great (9th). How good are the Thunder, really, on their own end? Where are the strengths and weaknesses?

Royce Young: The Thunder are extremely vulnerable against a good pick-and-roll team. Kendrick Perkins, while a wonderful post defender, struggles hedging, showing and helping. Scott Brooks tries to combat this by going small with Durant at the 4, but that leaves the Thunder weaker on the glass. It's been an issue for OKC this season and a reason the Thunder have had problems with San Antonio and the Clippers, both good pick-and-roll teams.

Two other things the Thunder struggle with defensively are 1) defending the perimeter and 2) defensive rebounding. Teams have been known to get hot from the outside against OKC because the Thunder are a bit slow in rotating the shell to the wings and corner when a guard penetrates against them, which opens up looks in bulk. And any time you give teams extra shots off the offensive glass, you're asking for trouble.


2. How has Derek Fisher fit in with the Thunder, on and off the floor?

RY: It's been a really strange thing with Fisher, honestly. His signing was billed as him being a new backup point guard to Russell Westbrook, but I'd contend he's barely played any point. James Harden runs much more point guard with the second unit as Fisher often just finds his way to the corner and waits for a kickout. He's been a steadier presence off the bench than rookie Reggie Jackson, but if his role is to essentially be a shooting guard, the Thunder might be better off using Daequan Cook -- a much better 3-point shooter -- more in that role.

Brooks seems to have fallen in love with sticking with Fisher for extended stretches, which has led to curious minutes for Fisher at times. Again, he's an upgrade from Jackson, but his role has been a tad confusing.

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The Lakers played their second straight game without Kobe Bryant in uniform Monday as Bryant sat out with an aggravated left shin.

The Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets 93-91 to run their record to 1-1 in Bryant's absence. And Bryant made the most of it by wearing a dapper suit and trying out a new role as "coach" Kobe, receiving rave reviews from Lakers coach Mike Brown.

"Kobe was great," Brown said. "He was great talking to the guys. He was great talking to us (on the coaching staff). I’ll tell you, he’s one of the smartest guys that I’ve ever been around, if he’s not the smartest. His I.Q. for the game is so high."

But, it doesn't take a genius to notice that the Lakers are vastly different with Bryant suited and (protective walking) booted, than they are with the five-time NBA champion out there on the court.

Here are five ways they changed the last two games without Bryant playing vs. what we saw in the first 56 games of the year with Bryant in there:

1. GASOL BECOMES THE MAN WITHOUT ACTING LIKE "THE MAN"

Gasol might have slipped down the pecking order in the Lakers' offense this season, taking a backseat to Bryant and first-time All-Star Andrew Bynum, but he asserted himself in the last two games without Bryant in the mix. Gasol followed up a season-high 30 points and 13 rebounds in the Lakers' 125-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday with a game-high 25 points and nine rebounds against the Hornets.

"Just more looks. More opportunities. Also more responsibilities since Kobe obviously attracts so much," Gasol explained on Monday as the reason for his 27.5 points per game average without Bryant in there, a more than 10-point increase from his 17.2 points per game average on the season. "I’m one of the anchors when he’s not there even more. So, I’m a lot more involved in the offense and it is what it is."

The beauty of Gasol's surge without Bryant is for all the talk of him being too passive a player, it actually reveals he sacrifices a lot so Bryant can play his game. He has experience carrying his team night-in and night-out for all those years in Memphis and he can draw on that when he needs to, without being demonstrative about it.

"I’m not trying to be the main guy here. We have a great team and great weapons. We just got to be able to utilize them at their best," Gasol said. "I just picked up a little bit the role of scoring and being aggressive defensively just because of the absence of the top scorer in the league, basically."

I even jokingly challenged Gasol before the game to try to eclipse his career-high 44 points on Monday because the circumstances might allow it with Bryant out and his opponent being a 15-41 Hornets team.

Gasol said he'd be fine just getting 10 points as long as the Lakers got the win. It's fitting that Gasol's most important play all night didn't involve him registering a stat, but rather him setting a solid screen to free up Sessions to hit a 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds left to put the Lakers up by six.

"Those are winning plays that don't show up in the stat sheet but are important and crucial sometimes," Gasol said.

2. BYNUM SEES MORE DOUBLE COVERAGE

Bynum has done a terrific job this season of learning how to deal with double teams and triple teams after really not seeing them much at all in the first six years of his career, but he's also gone through that process with Bryant on the court most of the time also commanding a lot of attention from the defense. With Bryant not in there, Bynum became the sole target for the Suns and Hornets. Faced with all that extra attention, Bynum didn't fall flat on his face -- putting up 23 points and 18 rebounds against Phoenix and 18 points and 11 rebounds against New Orleans -- but he did struggle somewhat. Bynum shot a combined 17-for-44 in the two games (38.6 percent) which was well below his 58.1 percent shooting percentage before the two game spell.

3. SESSIONS SPREADS HIS WINGS

Sessions and Bryant have been able to develop a decent on-court chemistry in their short time together already, but their strengths don't necessarily complement one another as Bryant likes to operate out isolation situations while Sessions thrives through pick-and-rolls and penetration. Sessions was needed to dictate the terms of the game without Bryant in there, and while he was solid if not spectacular against Phoenix (11 points on 5-for-8 shooting, nine assists and just one turnover), he was all-important against New Orleans (17 points, six rebounds, six assists and he hit the clutch 3 to seal it while assuming the same spot in the out of bounds play to set up the 3 that Bryant did a week ago when he hit the same shot off the same play against New Jersey).

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LOS ANGELES -- If you were buying what Kobe Bryant was selling following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 102-93 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, falling to 0-2 on the season against the Thunder is not a reason for the Lakers to feel down about their playoff chances.

“Last year when we played Dallas, I think we beat them every time during the regular season,” Bryant said. “So, (playoff success is) all about how teams continue to improve throughout the course of the regular reason.”

Before you agree with Bryant and throw the significance of Thursday’s loss out the window, consider two things:

• The Lakers were 2-1 against Dallas during the regular season last year, not undefeated as Bryant remembered so it wasn’t exactly unprecedented when they got swept 4-0 by the Mavs in the postseason.
• Thursday’s date was March 29. The Lakers’ regular season finale is April 26 and they’ll likely open up the playoffs on April 29 because the league traditionally likes having L.A. play a Sunday game during the postseason’s opening weekend for ratings purposes. So, that leaves exactly one month for the Lakers to show the improvement Bryant says is so important. It’s about time they start that improvement as the Lakers have been stagnant at best since trading away Derek Fisher and acquiring Ramon Sessions in two separate deals at the trade deadline. They’re 4-4 since then.

Simply pointing out that the Lakers haven’t exactly looked like they’re on an uptick lately isn’t exactly constructive analysis. If they are the make the leap in improvement over the last 15 games in the regular season, here’s a checklist of problem areas that would be a good place to start.

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Derek Fisher answered questions from the Los Angeles media for the first time since being traded before the Lakers played the Thunder on Thursday. The following is a full transcript:

Q: How strange are your emotions tonight?

Fisher: “My emotions aren’t really strange. I’ve kind of been through this dress rehearsal before a few times with a couple different teams. So, although it’s different, obviously different compared to what I’ve been through the last 4-5 years, but it’s a game. I play for the other team now and I’m looking forward to getting out there and competing tonight.”

Q: How about just seeing the fans and getting their reaction as well?

Fisher: “I’m most excited about seeing my friends and brothers, in terms of my ex-teammates, guys that I grew close to over the years and an extension of that, there are the fans and not just in the arena, but the entire city of Los Angeles. The love and support and appreciation that they’ve shown me over the years far exceeds anything that I could have imagined when I first moved here in 1996. So, I’m extremely thankful for everything and looking forward to playing in front of them one more time, actually a couple more times, before the regular season is even over.”

Q: Have your feelings changed now that you’ve had a week to digest this revolution and emotion? Have you changed your attitude and emotions at all towards the situation? Have you totally accepted the trade and of course, your delivering to the Thunder?

Fisher: “Yes. I know there have been a lot of statements made, including mine I guess, about what I thought I knew about the situation, whether I knew I was going to be traded, how I was going to feel about it, what my role would have been had I still been on the team, but I’m in a good place right now. Initially it was more shock then just pure disappointment. I’ve been in this business for a long time and not just for me personally, but for thousands of guys that have played this game, I’ve always thought that there were different ways to handle trade and waiver situations where there can be some more communication – not necessarily far in advance, but far enough not to have to find out from the mailman or at the post office that you’ve been traded. And I’m not saying that that’s what happened in this case, but I did wake up and I was traded.

“That’s the part that shocks you more than anything. You realize that it’s a part of the business and every guy in this league has to deal with those things, so, from that standpoint I’ve been good with it and I find myself in an extremely special situation in terms of the team of guys that I’m playing with now and the coaches and the front office, it’s just the right fit for me at the right time.”

Q: Part of the spin from the Lakers was that they worried if you would be unable to accept a lesser role in the locker room. That seems to go against everything you stood for. How do you react to that?

Fisher: “That goes against and flies in the face of not just what I’ve been since I’ve been in the NBA, but the type of team player I’ve been in every group I’ve ever been a part of. Team sports raised me in a sense. Besides my mom and dad and my family, I was raised on team sports and that meant and has always stood for sharing, sacrificing, giving of yourself so that the group can succeed. So, that’s what I’m explicitly focusing on doing for the Thunder now and I’m looking forward to finishing out this regular season and really trying to help a team that was great before I even showed up.”

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Even before a tumultuous turn of recent events -- a lethargic home loss to Memphis, Mike Brown sitting Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum during key stretches of two contests -- this game would be huge. As I wrote Wednesday, it marks the first of five games potentially instructive about the Lakers' postseason prospects. But with the Lakers attracting drama like a magnet attracts steel, the spotlight and stakes have increased. If the Lakers post another showing like the one in OKC in February, it will become that much harder to picture a deep playoff run. What becomes easy to envision, however, is growing tensions and eroding chemistry at the wrong time. It's important for the Lakers to win this game, but even more important that they appear on the same page.

Daily Thunder's Royce Young and I had an instant-message exchange tossing around various questions about this matchup. Below is the transcript.

Andy Kamenetzky: As far plotlines go, albeit ones that might not swing the game, the big one locally is Derek Fisher's return. What's been his impact so far and how has coach Scott Brooks used him?

Royce Young: Thus far, minimal. Nothing about his play has been all that striking. Other than the fact that Brooks played him way too much in that double-overtime game where Fisher got 36 minutes. He's been OK and brought some of that old confidence and comfort level to OKC's second unit, but he still isn't even close to what the Thunder had in Eric Maynor and not strikingly better than Reggie Jackson. "Adequate" is probably the word I'd say fits best.

AK: Do you picture Brooks continuing to use Fisher in crunch time?

RY: Brooks absolutely loves to go small, so in some situations, yes. He has said Fisher would play between 13-20 minutes a game, but there will be nights when he likes Fisher in the same way he liked Maynor with Westbrook late. Brooks uses his rotations a lot by feel.

AK: Either way, you gotta love Fisher's choosing "37" for the jersey. Rather cheeky of the ol' geezer.

RY: I did like that. It seemed by his explanation kind of a veiled shot at the Lakers.

AK: Um... yeah. You needn't be an expert in between-the-line reading to interpret what he meant by thanking rookies Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock like they'd been through the wars, but omitting the organization altogether. It'll be interesting to see the psychological effect of playing against Fish. It was very emotional the first time guys faced Lamar Odom, and Fisher's presence was even bigger. Plus, they know he's got the huevos to hit a huge shot, and will be aching to stick it to the Lakers.

RY: Secret weapon, huh? A little mental warfare. I can dig it.

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After the second high profile "benching" in two games, today's chat room was hopping like the Easter bunny on a sugar rush.

Talking points included Andrew Bynum's attitude, whether Ramon Sessions is being properly utilized, and Steve Blake's recent skid. Plus, a Halloween 2012 suggestion for the K Bros!

Here is the link.

Sessions-mania is in full effect, even before his triumphant debut as a starter Friday against the Blazers! Ramon is officially the man of the hour, and we decided to get some thoughts on new point guard from our man Darius Soriano, head honcho of Forum Blue and Gold. From there, we hit on a few more topics. The show can be heard by clicking on the module, and there's a breakdown of talking points below.

• (2:00): Soriano expresses thoughts on how Sessions fits in with the Lakers, the adjustments necessary on behalf of both Kobe Bryant and his new backcourt mate to truly flourish together, and whether his presence could fuel a deep playoff run.
• (16:00): With Soriano gone, we discuss a little further how much Sessions improve the team, and how he'll allow Kobe to play off ball more often, which will make games so much easier for The Mamba. For that matter, life should become less labored for Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol as well.
• (17:50): What, if any impact, could come during the playoffs from Derek Fisher joining the Oklahoma City Thunder? BK and I debate how often Fish will be on the floor during the fourth quarter moments where he's become a postseason killer. (For what it's worth, Scott Brooks went out of his way to play the veteran in crunch-time during a double overtime win over the Wolves, despite Fisher missing nine of eleven shots.)
• (26:30): The Clippers have hit the skids and reports are swirling about Vinny Del Negro having lost the team. Would it make sense to fire him now? On one hand, it could be very disruptive this late in the season. On the other, he's unlikely to return next season either way, so what do they have to lose?

Jim Buss appeared Friday on 710 ESPN's Mason and Ireland Show for an exceedingly rare interview, done by his own admission to help fans learn more about who he is. Listening to him, I suddenly thought about how 13 years have passed since The Blair Witch Project first hit theaters. It was a movie that unexpectedly took movie audiences by storm, with an influence that can be felt to this day. The hand-held, shaky camera cinematography, which at the time literally caused motion sickness for some viewers, has become mainstream. Low-budget, no-star films have become a bankable horror film formula. It launched the "found footage" genre, which has become a horror movie staple and recently branched into comedy with Project X.

But mostly, what The Blair Witch Project illustrated was the power of what really scares people the most: The fear of the unknown.

With all due respect to Jason, Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger, they've got nothing on the power of an imagination fueled by paranoia, then allowed to run wild. The human mind is capable of playing horrible, cruel tricks. A frightened brain will generally have no problems conjuring up visions of demise. The longer it goes without tangible reassurance, the greater an apocalypse envisioned. As terrifying as seeing a crazed lunatic with a machete would have been for those kids lost in the woods, being left in the dark about how death would take place was even scarier for them. And by extension, movie-goers.

In many respects, Jim Buss has been the flesh-and-blood embodiment for Lakers fans of being lost in that endless woods. As his power within the organization has increased, so have the bad dreams of an eroding franchise. In part, this is the result of fans being spoiled by the success experienced with his father at the helm, and their desperate fears of it slipping away. But it's also the result of Jim Buss remaining a complete mystery. He rarely grants interviews. He rarely speaks publicly. Among the few memories fans have of hearing him speak at at came while sniping over radio with his sister Jeanie. The current executive vice president of player personnel, he's worked in the organization for quite some time, but nobody has ever been quite certain about what he really does or what successes (or even failures) have come from his influence. About the only thing people agreed upon was that his birthright played huge role in being handed the keys.

His presence has existed in the shadows, and nothing pleasant ever happens there.

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I was working on something like this, but it turns out Zach Lowe of SI.com not only beat me to the punch, he picked cooler numbers to look at. The eyeball test shows how much better the Lakers have been offensively since the arrival of Ramon Sessions, so it's not all that surprising to see the math tells the same story.

The sample size is small (four games, 100 minutes) and certain numbers are unsustainable (Sessions isn't going to shoot 57 percent, as he's done in purple and gold, for the rest of the year), but early returns are very solid. Writes Lowe:

In the 100 minutes Sessions has played, the Lakers have scored 114 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would lead the league by a mile, according to NBA.com’s stats tool. The Lakers have been more efficient in just about every way possible during those 100 minutes, but two micro-trends stick out:

" They have shot many more three-pointers per minute with Sessions on the floor and made them at a very high rate. This is a great thing for a team that has been one of the two or three worst three-point-shooting teams all season, a damaging flaw that prevents the Lakers from spacing the floor and playing the kind of inside-outside game a team with such great post players should be able to play. The Lakers have attempted the equivalent of 20 threes per 48 minutes with Sessions manning the point, hitting 48 percent. In the 92 minutes Sessions has sat during those four games, the Lakers are still the Lakers, clanking away to the tune of 25 percent from deep on just 14.6 tries.

Some of this has to do with personnel. Sessions has spent half his minutes with Troy Murphy and only 12 minutes total with the Pau Gasol/Andrew Bynum duo. This helps explain not just the three-point tries, but also why the Lakers have gotten to the free-throw line much less often with Sessions playing. Sessions has also shared 91 of his 100 minutes with Matt Barnes, with whom he has immediately developed a nice chemistry, especially in transition. But part of this has to do with the simple fact that Sessions can, you know, run a pick-and-roll (usually with Gasol), get into the lane, draw defenders and make good passes....Bryant has shot more often and more accurately with Sessions on the court, per NBA.com. He has attempted 28 field goals per 48 minutes, a giant number that is nonetheless about equivalent to how often Bryant shot before the Sessions deal. But he has shot 46 percent with Sessions, compared to just 33 percent without him over four games and 43 percent for the season, and he has been deadly from three-point range with Sessions running things. Kobe has hit 6-of-10 from deep since the trade, and at least a few of those looks have been more open spot-up chances than he usually gets."

The impact of Sessions on the offense can be measured in other ways, too.

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