Tuesday, June 12 Lakers make themselves at home on the road By Wayne Drehs ESPN.com PHILADELPHIA -- Hostile. Raucous. Rowdy. Intimidating. All words used to describe the frenzied fans at Philadelphia's First Union Center. But don't think for one minute that the Los Angeles Lakers are intimidated. For them, this racket on the road is old hat. They've become masters of the road, often sending fans home well before the final buzzer sounds. Road warriors With their sixth straight road win of the playoffs Sunday night, the Lakers are now one of just four teams to string together as many as six road wins during a single postseason. The record is held by the 1995 Rockets, who won their last seven road games on the way to the NBA championship. In fact, all three of the other teams on this list went on to win the NBA title. Team Road Streak 1995 Rockets 7 2001 Lakers 6 1999 Spurs 6 1991 Bulls 6 *All won NBA title And with a win Wednesday in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Sixers, the Lakers will not only take command of this best-of-seven series, but will tie the 1995 Houston Rockets for consecutive road wins during a single postseason. Los Angeles won once at Portland, twice at Sacramento, twice in San Antonio and now once in Philadelphia. And depending on who you ask, there are different explanations as to why. Robert Horry says it's luck. Horace Grant says it's added focus. Derek Fisher believes it's the ability to jump on teams early. But coach Phil Jackson, who was 13-5 (.722) in NBA Finals road games during his six championships with the Chicago Bulls, credits his team's ability to relax in pressure situations. "Our players adjust to the fact that the intense amount of pressure that comes on the road in the playoffs is something that is livable," Jackson said. "For example, if I see a player chewing gum too hard and his jaw is tight in a tense situation, I'll ask him to take the gum out and stop chewing for a while so he doesn't create unnecessary tension." The success of Jackson's quirky techniques have been evident in each of the last two games, as the Lakers held off frantic, late-game rallies by the resilient 76ers to take a 2-1 lead and regain home-court advantage. In Game 2 on Friday, Fisher hit a clutch 3-pointer in the game's final minutes to seal a victory. And in Sunday's Game 3, it was Horry who stepped up, knocking down a wide-open three of his own to put Los Angeles up four with less than a minute to play. Both of those plays, Jackson said, resonate from the flexibility he gives his players to read defenses and find the open man. The lack of a rigid set offense is another facet that helps players relax. "We give guys the feeling that they can succeed and read defenses and play by the seat of their pants, which good teams are capable of doing," Jackson said. "We don't run set offensive plays for an individual player, so that gives everyone the opportunity to play under pressure with much more freedom and inhibition." In addition, road games offer less distractions away from basketball (tickets, family obligations, peaceful rest) and a greater chance for camaraderie between players in team hotels. Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons, who coached under Jackson in Chicago, believes the bond between players is what carries the team away from the Staples Center. “ I think we're a lot more focused on the road. I think this team really gets up for the big crowds. It's that attitude of us against the world, so to speak, in a very hostile environment. ” — Horace Grant, Lakers forward "On top of everything, they like each other," Cleamons said. "They genuinely have a good feel and they pull for each other. They want the success that's awaiting them at the end of the day." Horry was on the '95 Rockets team that won its last seven road games on the way to the NBA championship. He agrees with Cleamons, but adds that a big portion of the success is a unique intangible that can't be quantified. "Luck. Just plain lucky. We've been in good situations," he said. "We become a better team on the road because we're together, we're talking to each other. On the road, you can be on the bus and talk about the game. At home, you're driving your car and you're by yourself." Jackson and his coaching staff do not enforce a curfew on the road, instead trusting that players will make the right decision. Grant, who played under Jackson in Chicago, said the situation was the same with the Bulls. And that trust, he said, builds a sense of purpose. "I think we're a lot more focused on the road. I think this team really gets up for the big crowds," said Grant. "It's that attitude of us against the world, so to speak, in a very hostile environment." One in which the Lakers have had little trouble dominating. Wayne Drehs is a staff writer for ESPN.com. ESPN.com's Joe Lago also contributed to this report. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories

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