Considering the price of tickets and parking, they should play free basketball more often
Arguably more than any franchise in sports, the Lakers have a gift and flair for drama. And this 108-104 OT win over the Mavs featured more drama than those chicks on "The Hills" after one too many appletinis. Seven lead changes. Fifteen times knotted up. A three ball from Dirk Nowitzki with two seconds left in regulation, meaning five minutes of NBA action on the house. A missed freebie from Jason Kidd after a brain cramp foul from Pau Gasol when a conceded bucket was in order. Laker D on display from start to finish (save the first quarter, Dallas' FG% remained below 40). And finally, a monster effort from Kobe Bryant, who helped his squad overcome some poor shooting of their own by offering them eleven seats on his back. 52 points to complement eleven boards, four dimes and two blocks. 22 points in the fourth. 8 in overtime.
Perhaps the stat that demonstrates Kobe's much ballyhooed ability to turn it on when it counts the most: 15 attempts from the stripe during the fourth quarter and overtime. 15 makes. Pretty clutch under any circumstances, but when you take into account the rare struggle he was encountering during the opening three frames (5-12), the impressiveness of that perfect clip down the stretch becomes further magnified.
There were others helping Kobe in his quest. Luke Walton fouled out, but racked his third consecutive solid game (11/6, with a pair of steals and some active D), slowly providing Laker fans with some hope that his season-long cobwebs might be fading. Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic both struggled with their shots, but provided solid D on (respectively) Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd for long stretches. LO was also good for ten boards. And while Pau Gasol's lockdown deficiencies were exposed on several occasions during the contest, his 17/14/5/3 steal/2 blocks hardly brought nothing to the table).
Similar to how Tuesday's win against Portland struck me as beneficial and revealing of this team's makeup (the first in eons where these Lakers needed to come back from far down), this afternoon was also pretty key. Big game. Legit team. National TV. OT. Lot of breakdowns and gaffes that could have left a team too deflated to continue battling. Not the case with these Lakers. Not that I expected oodles of quit on the hardwood, since this team's been pretty consistent when it comes to keeping their heads up and blood icy. But it never hurts to see one more reminder, especially against a team they could find themselves doing battle with sometime in April or May.
The breakdown is below, courtesy of BK.
AK
The Good:
- Kobe Bryant: 52 points, 11 rebounds (including some massive, massive grabs on both ends down the stretch), four dimes, two blocks. He scored 38 of LA's 58 second half points, including 22 of 28 in the fourth, and eight of 15 in OT. After missing seven free throws early, Kobe was lights out down the stretch, hitting all 15 he took in the fourth quarter and extra period. As we've written a lot on this site, Kobe has, going back to last season, altered his game, and I think has allowed it to mature, exerting his influence on games more profoundly in ways that don't involve shooting and scoring. Today, he had one of those signature Kobe Bryant games, where down the stretch he simply refused to let his team end up on the wrong end of the final score.
- Lakers D: There were some holes- the Dirk Nowitzki shot to put the game into OT for example, and the Pau Gasol foul, perhaps one of the ten worst fouls in the history of the game, that gave the Mavs a shot to send it to a second extra frame- but overall the Lakers played some pretty good defense against a very solid team. Dallas came into the game averaging 99 points a night, and scored 93 in regulation. As a team, they shoot over 46% from the floor. Today, Dallas was stuck at 37%. Among those who were particularly good:
Sasha Vujacic, who couldn't shoot to save his life (more on that in a sec), but made Jason Kidd work hard down the stretch to get some space. Nobody shuts Kidd down completely and there were times Kidd got the best of him, but at the every least, Sasha worked his ass off to make Kidd's life as tough as possible. He was as effective on him as anyone Phil Jackson put on the future HOFer all night.
Lamar Odom. Yes, Dirk hit the three to send the game into OT, a play in which a) Odom didn't stick closely enough to Nowitzki off the inbound (as many bloggers pointed out), then got lost in a double screen while b) Gasol was craptastic in his effort to close as the help defender. But overall, Odom made Dirk work offensively. He'd finish 10-26, which is a lot of shots to end up with 30 points, and at one point was 7-21 (with a couple makes coming against Gasol). Most of the shots Dirk made were basically unguardable. Remember, the dude has won some MVPs, so there's not a defender on the planet who can shut him down totally. Overall, LO did about as good a job throughout the game as anyone could expect.
- Turnovers. The lack thereof, specifically. Eleven all night (including five from Kobe, about the only possible blemish in what was a stellar game), which is solid for a game that extends into OT. The Lakers seem to be over their butterfingery ways of the early season, which helps explain why they've been so successful of late. Hold onto the ball, and you minimize easy points for the opposition.
The Bad:
- Offensive flow. Early in the game, the Lakers aggressively cut and were very effective without the ball. As the game went on, that went away, which helps explain why the Lakers scored 36 points in the second and third quarters combined. Players spent too much time standing around. Part of the trouble was...
- Outside shooting. 5-23 from downtown, including a wretched 1-10 for Sasha, who was a little trigger happy today. I love that he has confidence in his shot these days- he's certainly earned it- but Sunday he was a little bit of a black hole. The ball came in, and very rarely went back out. He wasn't the only culprit. Fish was 1-4, and continues to struggle from the floor (3-11 overall). Jordan Farmar was 1-6 from the field, 1-3 from three. Anyone who reads this site regularly knows I'm a big advocate of inside-out play, but it becomes difficult to keep teams honest and open lanes for penetration and cuts when nothing falls from the outside. Open jumpers need to go down with more frequency than they did today, or Friday night in Portland.
- Decision making. There were multiple breakdowns late. Beyond the aforementioned defensive breakdowns on the Dirk three at the end of the fourth, Phil Jackson's decision not to foul and send Dallas to the line isn't one I agree with. He was asked about it after the game (the audio is below), and said "In a situation like that, with all three point shooters (on the floor), you risk a chance of a four point play, or three free throws. I did tell Lamar that if Nowitzki put the floor to foul him, but the rest of the team I didn't tell them." Coaches seem divided on this point, whether to foul with a team needing a three with little time on the clock. Especially with that little time remaining- 6.1 ticks when Dallas inbounded the ball- I'm a believer in the foul. Overall, I thought the Lakers played a pretty smart game, and it's not fair to throw the entire thing away on a couple plays, but in this case, I think Phil chose wrong.
UPDATE: I spoke to Mitch about the play after the game, and he said the mistake Odom made, as some of you wrote in the game thread, was dropping off Nowitzki after the inbound, following the natural instinct for a defender to "drop to the level of the ball." Mitch then said he quickly realized the mistake, but by then it was too late because he'd been hung up in the pick. And, as we talked about in the game thread as well, Gasol didn't do well in an effort to rotate up to contest the shot. The collective wisdom of the blog, confirmed!
It's worth noting, though, that Gasol made up for it in the OT, when he did a great job of fighting through a Terry screen to force Dirk into a tough three attempt, fading away from the basket. Interesting/effective adjustment, too, from PJ to put Gasol on Nowitzki for that play, and switch Odom to Howard.
Overall, though, this was a very good win against a very good team. I love how the Mavs looked with Kidd on the floor. Clearly they're not a pushover. Would it have been nice to win running away? Sure. But the W is the important thing, and they got it. It's nice, too, to see them pushed and respond when heading into OT the Lakers could have lost their composure. Obviously, Kobe helps there.
AUDIO: Technical difficulties today, so all we have is PJ.
BK
Mavs G Jason Terry
On the game itself
"It was amazing, man. That's what playoff basketball is all about. That's the intensity level that was in the building. It's nip and tuck, all up and down the standings. Each game is critical. You lose one or two, you could be in 8th place. There's lots of basketball left and it's going to be tough all the way through."
On it already feeling like the playoffs for about ten teams in the west
"That's the type of intensity it's been for us, probably for the last week and a half. I can only imagine it's going to keep turning up as we get closer and closer."
Mavs Coach Avery Johnson
On trying to stop Kobe
"The funny thing is we gave him a single look, then we double teamed him, then we triple teamed him and he split the triple team and scored. Obviously, he milked the free throw line on us and he just had it all going. We tried to zone him. We tried to funnel him in the trap for a zone and he went the other way. He didn't cooperate on any of our defenses. He's a great player. You can't anything away from him. He has these nights. Lots of those."
On the game itself
"These games are a game of waves and when you have two really good teams out there playing, it's a game of inches."
Maybe it's just me, but I think that's a great line.
AK
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Curious George's quote on trying to stop Kobe, and Kobe saying during the postgame interview that he just takes what the defense give him, I think we are looking at a player who has one of the highest basketball IQs ever.
Wonder if Kobe will ever make a good coach.
Posted by: LakerinBC | March 02, 2008 at 05:26 PM
I really admire AJ as a coach.
he doesnt take chances. he's very strict in his O and D.
this game had the writing on the wall, but it was just kobe willed the lakers to win...
awesome game.
Posted by: jaworski | March 02, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Kobe was fantastic tonight. On both ends. He won the MVP award tonight. Having said that, the Lakers need Bynum to compete for the championship. Easy buckets, defense and rebounding. That is where Bynum will make the difference, if he comes back. If not, we'll have to wait for one more year.
Posted by: d | March 02, 2008 at 05:30 PM
Do we win if Walton doesn't foul out? I wonder.
Posted by: Benjamin | March 02, 2008 at 05:30 PM
Say it with me one time Laker Nation ...
MVP MVP MVP
Posted by: HmrHed | March 02, 2008 at 05:32 PM
I only caught the last 3 minutes and overtime due to another event, but I think there's huge room for improvement. There's no reason to allow Dirk to shoot a 3 ever. Foul him. Make life easier on yourselves. What the hell? Odom was very off balance and stumbly at the end (partly due to contact), but I'm not sure he's the right guy to have on Nowitzski down the stretch due to Dallas's strong ability to rotate the ball and have it end up with Dirk.
Kobe was pretty sweet.
Sasha should never, ever, ever have passed that ball to Odom at the end of regulation. Sasha is a way better foul shooter. He should have just gone hard to the rack hoping to be fouled. Odom was right there so, hey, good rebound odds, right? Odom smiled after missing his 3rd free throw in a row. That pissed me off. He needs to get it together. His head isn't straight yet.
Still, overall it was a nice win. Competitive game against a good team and we played tough, even in overtime that it didn't look like we wanted to have.
Posted by: Benjamin | March 02, 2008 at 05:35 PM
I read a few comments lately that the Lakers appear soft in the middle with Pau. I have thought it myself.
I think it may be the result of the fact that we don't have any backup center right now and he must stay out of foul trouble. Once Bynum is back and we have another quality big man and 6 more fouls I think (Hope) that both Pau and Bynum can be more aggresive and do a better job shutting down the middle.
WHAT A GAME!
Posted by: Eric M | March 02, 2008 at 05:39 PM
AK,
I've gotta agree, that is a great quote. Though I think you meant to write, "when you have two really good teams," not to.
Posted by: Xodus | March 02, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Great win for the Lakers. I read Kobe's mouth when he said, "we are not losing this game" and he meant it.
Posted by: lakergirl1980 | March 02, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Sasha almost blew the game when, at the end of fourth quarter, after getting the defensive stop, he didn't run out the clock when he got the ball after quick passes from Kobe and Pau who knew better that they didn't want to get fouled and stop the clock and made those quick passes up the court. Instead, he drove to the basket and passed off to Lamar, who got fouled, missed both free throws then Dirk hit the 3 after bad defense by Lamar to tie it up. Dumb and Dumber. They didn't handle those situations well and need to use some smarts, especially after Kobe bailed them out with hsi brilliant duel with Nowitski. Run out the clock. . it's your friend. NO 3s.
Notwithstanding, give them time. . and with Andrew back, Gasol slides to power forward, Andrew gives defense and boards in the middle. . should b tough to beat over any 7 game series.
Posted by: Bob | March 02, 2008 at 05:44 PM
Overall I was pleased witht the game because it was a big W. We fought hard and never gave up, even after that horrible 7-0 start.
I thought Luke showed why he is valuable today. He had a great first quarter. He was scrappy, made a few shots, made a few steals and made a few passes (that one crazy one to kobe shouldnt have been a foul). He may not be consistent or have a high field goal percentage, but he does do the little things.
Im not going to get on Lamar because he has been playing great lately but hes gotta hit his free throws. He shot horribly in crunch time and that scares me when the playoffs roll around. We need clutch free throw shooters outside of kobe.
One more thing thats been bothering me is Fish. Farmar has been playing great and deserves all the playing time he has been getting but I still think PJ should be playing fish more. He is clearly in a slump and needs to play to get out of it. I think as soon as next year Farmar will be the starting point but I want to see fish shoot out of his slump. He also looked kind of angry on the bench in the 4th.
Kobe=MVP. End of discussion. The man is amazing. He does it all and leads his team to victory.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | March 02, 2008 at 05:44 PM
I hope Odom doesn't feel bad. I thought he did his best trying to play Dirk. However, his offensive game still lacks...
What's the word with Andrew? He was talkign as if he might be out for the rest of the season?
Posted by: never | March 02, 2008 at 05:46 PM
Just when I start to get weak and begin to think that LBJ is a better player than Kobe......
Kobe smacks me upside my head with performances like this. Just unbelievable.
Lebron is a brute, opposing players shy away from him when he comes storming into the lane.
Kobe gets hacked time and time again.
If LBJ got abused like Kobe today, do you think any flagrant calls would have been called?
Has anyone else noticed that since Kobe was thrown out of the Seattle game and Phil made his neopotism remark, that the Lakers aren't getting the calls they are accustomed to. This, besides the fact they shot 25 more free throws than Dallas today.
Posted by: YOU EVER NOTICE | March 02, 2008 at 05:47 PM
That Bynum interview is a body blow to LakerNation.
That was not good news, swelling this long after incident
means he might be gone for the year. Heartbreaking, Lakers can't win it all without his him dominating the paint. Laker win today is great but in big picture we took a major hit today.
Kobe thanks for the MVP performance today..
BD
Posted by: BD | March 02, 2008 at 05:51 PM
KOBE BRYANT ZEROS IN ON HIS FIRST MVP AWARD…
Today’s performance and victory should convince even more media voters that Kobe Bryant truly deserves to win the NBA’s MVP award this season. Kobe point blank refused to let the Lakers lose this game. Over and over, he sank clutch baskets, grabbed critical rebounds, or made key steals or blocks to keep the Lakers alive in the game. In the end, Kobe literally and physically stole the show from LeBron James, who had led the Cavs to a thrilling victory against the Bulls in the warm-up game from the Least Coast.
Besides Kobe (52/11/4/1/2), game balls also go to Pau Gasol (17/14/5/3/2), Lamar Odom (11/6/2/2/1 and 0 turnovers and tough defense), and Luke Walton (11/6/2/2/1). Luke’s excellent play, including some fine defensive work on Howard, was an extremely promising sign. Fish’s continued shooting slump and Sasha’s and Jordan’s poor shooting today will hopefully soon turn around. Ronny played few minutes with little impact. Bottom line, the Lakers played a spirited game and gritted out an important win and gave Dallas a big douse of doubt to carry on their shoulders as the playoffs approach.
Other than the obvious poor play on the pick and roll, our defensive effort was pretty good in my opinion. I thought Lamar did a good job on Dirk, although he did heat up later, and I thought Luke surprisingly did an excellent job on Howard. I liked that we aggressively challenged and blocked a lot of shots. Pau obviously had his hands full trying to handle Dampier, who probably had his best game of the year. The Lakers made a tactical mistake by not going under the screen and make Kidd hit the midrange jumper instead of allowing Dampier to roll unimpeded straight to the hoop.
That the Lakers were able to win the game without Bynum shows that we are an elite team even without him. That the game was close and we got killed by Eric Dampier inside shows that we need Andrew back to be a dominant team. For the first time, I am finally getting a little antsy about when Andrew will return. He did not sound really very encouraging in his interview today. Obviously, Andrew’s long term health is more important than a championship this year. The Lakers may get to the West Finals without Andrew, but I doubt they can get past the Spurs and make it the Finals without him.
Anyway, maybe I am worrying about nothing and Drew et al will come back and we will win that tenth championship for Jerry this year and we will all celebrate with a parade. That’s still my prediction and I’m sticking with it.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | March 02, 2008 at 05:53 PM
Despite the win I have a funny feeling that Lakers is in funk.The offensive flow is not there whenever Kobe is double or tripled team. They have a difficulty in offense execution which lead to either Kobe or someone taking hurried or unneccessary shots. Its not as smooth as when Gasol initially played its first 10 games. Just my 2 cents worth.
Posted by: Lakersfan_iNZ | March 02, 2008 at 06:02 PM
To all the Kobe haters that I see frequent this blog. Respect the MAMBA. Every Laker not named Luke Walton or Kobe shot well under 50% from the field. If Kobe doesn't win the MVP this year after being robbed in 2003, 2006, and 2007 I will declare a conspiracy. This year not only is he the best player in the NBA once again. But his team is one of the best in the NBA. No excuses this year. Why does the media get to vote on this award anyways. It should go to the best player.
We need more of these games to test our guys. Farmar and Vujicic couldn't buy a basket. Pau got dominated by Dampier, and both Pau and Lamar made some bone head plays at the end of regulation and in over time. But through all that adversity we pulled this game out. Thats the stuff that champions are made out of. Hopefully by this time next year we will be talking about repeating as NBA champions.
Posted by: Tony G. | March 02, 2008 at 06:06 PM
One thing we have to remember, our Lakers team is currently playing undermanned, which we sometimes forget in putting our verdict on this game. Bynum, Ariza and Radman, are key pieces which if there can certainly impact the games, bigtime. Still a good win for our Lakers.
I have to be proud of this win.
Posted by: Lakerfan_NZ | March 02, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Holy Crap! They said (until the south bound water faucet was shut off) nothing that mattered ever happened in Sacramento? And now, right out of Sactown, such high praise for the Flakers?
http://sacbee.com/100/story/753413.html
http://sacbee.com/100/story/753826.html
In their new trainers, Ricky and Realz must be spinning like fairies. Just don't get too high on your horses folks. We've got the Spence.
Sonnybelfast
Posted by: sonnybelfast | March 02, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Hello Lakers Fans
Something weird has been going on for at least a month.
As I stroll out each day to fetch my morning paper, neighbors doing the same turn their backs on me.. I thought these people were my friends.
However, yesterday morning when I went outside, the same folks who have publicly scorned me embraced me back as their long time friend. Their scowls suddenly turned to smiles. I was even invited to a dinner party (I still don’t trust them. I’ll eat my own chips and dip).
I knew that my job “opportunity”, as my company put it, and being transferred to this God awful little hick town would have its drawbacks. I just thought it would be things like the oppressive heat, the thick fog, the asthma inducing air and the high crime that would be my challenges. Not chastised because of my favorite team.
As I retired to bed last night (or passed out drunk as my wife would put it. I told you it is a small town and there is nothing to do) I had an epiphany. My basketball team finally lost. They hadn’t done that in quite awhile.
That’s it!! I realized that people despise winners. This explains why they keep asking me if I like roses.
I live in enemy (Sac Queens) territory. Yeah, they understand where I came from. They know that I grew up 5 miles from the Forum. That I still scream in the night waking myself up from the nightmare of going to Lakers / Clippers games at the Sports Arena (I parked a mile away and walked…., if you ever did that, and late at night, you know what I am talking about). They remember the stories of having a single season seat in 1993, living in Ventura and making every home game. That I saw Cedric Ceballos dominate JC, purposefully went to his Fullerton games, and rejoiced when he signed with the Lakers (I’m glad he made something of himself…have you seen where he is at lately?).
I guess they know that I AM A LIFELONG LAKER FANATIC!
It also became clear to me that there are going to be rough times for me ahead. No help moving furniture. Nobody to help me back the boat in. Well, not at least until summer.
I have developed a game plan, and thinking that there must be others stuck in Hater cities. I would like to share it. It is my top ten survival pack. Hopefully, this will help folks like me.
I have successfully done most of these things already. Depending on where you live, use each item wisely and with caution;
1. Paint your house Purple. Window frames in Gold.
2. Get a cardboard cutout of Jack; Place him on the porch bench. Keeps most solicitors away. Throw him in the passenger seat when needing to drive in the carpool lanes.
3. Placard all of your vehicles with personalized plates. I have already used 1KOBE24 and Layker (heart). Get Clear Coat paint protection (I am still trying to get the eggs off)
4. Dress your kids in Lakers garb. Little misses in Laker Girl uniforms (not too short), boy’s in Kwame Brown jerseys (they are cheaper now). They will become the envy of their classmates. Or good brawlers. A Win Win.
5. Drive around relentlessly every day until you find a crisp L.A. Times. Open it up; chuck everything except the Sports page (I buy mine at a Liquor store. Here, I ask the guy behind the counter to bag it up as if it was porn.)
6. DVR Lakers Live post game. Record that dude that salutes behind the glass over and over and over and over. Burn it to DVD. Give copies to you neighbors at Xmas (I don’t know if I like or hate that guy. I now just try to make eye contact with Norm). Tell them it is a video on Dairy Farming.
7. Spend $200 bucks a year like I do on League Pass. Open the sliding glass door during games, crank up the sound for all to hear and scream in delight when the Lakers turn it over (This throws them off).
8. Listen to the Portland announcers. It will make next door Snooty Jane, back fence Binocular Bob and Cul de Sac Stat man Stan seem like angels.
9. Go on a ski vacation to Tahoe for a week. Come back home and call in sick the following Monday to watch the TIVO’d games all day in your shorts. (You’ll feel better)
10. Visit this site to make you more educated on Blazer fans. http://imoregon.com/living_in_oregon.html
You see, I really like my neighbors. I am now just secretly hoping that they do not talk to me very much in the foreseeable future.
After today’s game, tomorrow looks like it’s going to be a good day.
You see, I really like my neighbors. I am now just secretly hoping that they do not talk to me very much in the foreseeable future. Peace out.
Posted by: Lakers 24 365 | March 02, 2008 at 06:18 PM
"These games are a game of waves and when you have to really good teams out there playing, it's a game of inches."
It would be a better line if you used the proper form of two not to to quote Avery. Come on guys I learned that in like the 1st grade. However we all make mistakes so it's all good.
Posted by: | March 02, 2008 at 06:24 PM
Xodus (and nameless poster),
Thanks for the pick up. It's tough when you're the writer and copy editor. haha
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | March 02, 2008 at 06:26 PM
Do we win if Walton doesn't foul out? I wonder.
: Benjamin
Or if phil doesn't sit fisher for most of the or ot.
That boy is going to hurt you guys.
Posted by: Fire32 | March 02, 2008 at 06:30 PM
1:45 left in the 1st. Kobe shooting over Novitsky before
the commercial break. Check out Dirk's face. My
wife asked if he was sticking his tongue out at Kobe.
:)
Posted by: hobbitmage | March 02, 2008 at 06:33 PM
This was a big win for us. I actually thought the Lakers had a chance to put the game away at a much earlier time, but they committed some turnovers, which have been the most glaring weak spot for the team. I agree with BK especially on the decision-making end, as there seems at times that the team tries to figure out whether to follow through with the triangle offense on the fly versus just isolating Bryant and in the process, they are likely to commit those turnovers.
Hopefully Bynum gets back before March ends so he can get some playing time before the post season. Gasol has been playing impressively, with Andrew back, he would probably be guarded by a power forward, which is to his advantage.
Undoubtedly, the MVP is Bryant, and Coach of the Year for Phil. Many of us still remember at the beginning of the season, many pundits already counted the Lakers out of playoff contention, let alone a championship contender. Now, what a change. I guess it is the year of the upstart, which seems to be the case in politics as well.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: King | March 02, 2008 at 06:33 PM
HmrHed, laker hopeful
whoa whoa boys
ease up, I was on your side today. The dallas team annoys me I don't like teams that have 7 footers that don't wanna play center. utah is another, 7 footers who choose to shoot 3's, but don't really have a back to the basket game is just LAME.
Posted by: Fire32 | March 02, 2008 at 06:37 PM
AK/BK,
What do you guys think the deal with Bynum is? We all heard the interview today. Do you really think he may be out the whole season? I personally think he will return with about two weeks left in the regular season.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | March 02, 2008 at 06:42 PM
What, no free tacos?
Nice to know the Lakers can win even when Pau goes 5-14 from the field. When Pau is on, the Lakers look invincible. When he's off, they still look good.
That right hand running hook by Kobe in OT was just sick. You just don't expect that to go in, I don't care who you are, unless your last name was originally Alcindor.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | March 02, 2008 at 06:43 PM
The Lake Show,
Not sure if you're reading the blog or not but if you are I've got a question. I heard today that Bynum still had some swelling in his knee, how far back do you think that takes him in his path from recovery? I'm assuming that we're looking at late-March as the best case scenario.
Posted by: Xodus | March 02, 2008 at 06:52 PM
Lakers were tested this afternoon and they grew in playoff maturity with that close game with Dallas. The most important thing there, we won. Kobe sealed the victory with timely rebound and finding his range on the F/T line. Sasha & Farmar held the fort whiel Fisher was still on slump. Luke played good today and for that matter two consecutive games, I like his close range shot by backing close to the basket when Kidd was guarding him. Hou about putting the body of Ron Turiaf in LO, he could jump higher and get more blocks too. Overall, on a day when they were all in slumpt, they dig deeper to get a win.All Championship teams undergo this kind of trial.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | March 02, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Good read on why Kobe is the MVP.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/jackson/821307,CST-SPT-jax02.article
Posted by: Fan of the Mamba | March 02, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Good read on why Kobe is the MVP.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/jackson/821307,CST-SPT-jax02.article
Posted by: Fan of the Mamba | March 02, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Should be "complement" - you don't need to post this.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | March 02, 2008 at 07:01 PM
Worst foul in the history of the game:
Manu Ginboli fouling Dirk in GAME 7 when they are up 3....
dumb!
Posted by: Korey | March 02, 2008 at 07:03 PM
Get Well soon wishes to John Wooden
I was thinking of Chick's death when i heard what happened. But JW is expected to make a full recovery. Hard to believe he's 97 years old.
His book "They Call Me Coach" was the first real book I ever as a kid.
I sometimes go back to those Dick Enberg announcing days.
Anyone remember the song he sang?
Those were the days until Bill Walton blew it. LOL
Posted by: YOU EVER NOTICE | March 02, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Kobe was fantastic tonight. On both ends. He won the MVP award tonight. Having said that, the Lakers need Bynum to compete for the championship. Easy buckets, defense and rebounding. That is where Bynum will make the difference, if he comes back. If not, we'll have to wait for one more year.
Posted by: d | March 02, 2008 at 05:30 PM
d,
I'll echo that sentiment over and over and over again. Bynum is not a savior by any means, but he'll help shore up a lot of our problems and weaknesses you mentioned in your post. I really hope he returns late March at the the latest because we need him. Go Lakers!!!
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | March 02, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Kobe Bryant shows great team leadership skills. He deserves MVP for many reasons. I would like to mention to Kobe to pay close attention to reactions to the refs.; give extra thought to response to them.
Be as aware to your response to the ref. as you are to the shot clock. Continue to perform as the great proactive person that you are.
Posted by: | March 02, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Lakers 24 365,
This season, that should be "Lakers 24 366"
Posted by: exhelodrvr | March 02, 2008 at 07:13 PM
Although I love Pau, I have observed that the Lakers are soft in the middle with him. It could be that he avoids getting into foul trouble since Bynum is out. But he gets outmuscled when it comes to fighting for rebounds and offensive putbacks. He gets good position but is continually shoved out of the way. I hate to admit it but I saw how Dirk is so much stronger than Gasol. Pau needs to hit the weights this off season.
Posted by: SamII | March 02, 2008 at 07:16 PM
As thrilling as it was to see Kobe put the team on his back as only an MVP can, the game against Dallas was a reminder how much the team needs Vlad, Andrew, and Trevor. The Lakers need Bynum big time, but the swelling indicates he may not return until the Playoffs, at best.
It was also pointed out the Lakers have now played six games in nine days. The fatigue factor could be seen front and center both Sunday and on Friday against Portland.
The fatigue factor always impacts the role players the most. That's why fans should not be too hard on Sasha, Jordan and Ronny for their play in these last two games. They will more easily overcome this as they mature. It also seems to have affected Gasol, which is surprising.
Apart from Kobe's phenomenal performances, the best part of the past few games has been the sudden and welcome ascension of Luke Walton. His ability to rise to the occasion couldn't come at a better time. Hopefully, he can sustain this through June.
If there's something external to his play going on with D-Fish, personally, the Lakers should disclose it. Fish has been a non-factor for about two weeks, which is now great cause for concern. The team is at its best when he is a solid contributor.
Tuesday, the Lakers play at ARCO, which is nearly as hostile as the Rose Garden. Fortunately, the Kings are not having a banner year -- although they can be very pesky. But this is a game where the Lakers can get their groove back. In fact, the next 4 games should all end in the Win column if a Championship is truly in sight.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | March 02, 2008 at 07:21 PM
One thing we have to remember, our Lakers team is currently playing undermanned, which we sometimes forget in putting our verdict on this game. Bynum, Ariza and Radman, are key pieces which if there can certainly impact the games, bigtime. Still a good win for our Lakers.
I have to be proud of this win.
Posted by: Lakerfan_NZ | March 02, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Very good post mate. Hopefully Rad will return soon(man he takes forever coming back from injuries), Bynum by the end of the month and Ariza sometime in the playoffs. We need to be at full strength to make it through what is going to be a very tough postseason.
I'm still not happy about Sasha and Farmar settling for the three point shot all the time. They need to attack the basket more to keep defenses honest and on their heels. 1 for 10 from beyond the arc is inexcusable no matter who you are. The easiest way to get it going again is to get some easy shots. The young guys still have a lot to learn and there's room for improvement for the entire team. Go Lakers!!!
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | March 02, 2008 at 07:23 PM
mrbarneydangles-
I'll say what I've said all along- I have no idea, and honestly I don't think anyone else does, either. The initial diagnosis was a MINIMUM of eight weeks. Most people spend too much time focusing on the number, and miss the minimum part. I thought when he hurt it the knee would be maybe a ten week sort of deal, but even then it was pure guesswork. When people have asked if it was possible he wouldn't play again until the playoffs, I've said yes. If it's possible he won't play until next season, I've said yes.
There's really no way to predict. I think the chances of him doing much before the start of April aren't high, which doesn't really surprise me.
Sorry. I know it's frustrating for fans, but it's often not possible to put timetables on injuries. Same with Ariza, who is in limbo until another examination on the foot.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | March 02, 2008 at 07:26 PM
Exhelodrvr,
I have been a fan for 44 years. it should average out to 365.25. However, if I change my name now it will be as long as my last post.........
Lakers 24 365.25
Posted by: Lakers 24 365 | March 02, 2008 at 07:28 PM
Hmmm....well, we're certainly not playing as well as we have been. The difference between domination and eking one out is all about three point shooting, I think. I love it that opposing announcers go on (and on) about how great their teams defense is when our shots aren't falling and their's are.
There is a lot of...well, not luck, but streakieness involved in NBA success. I suppose if announcers acknowledged this there would be nothing for them to talk about...but I dare to hope for a little more creativity.
I'm very glad the Lakers could pull out a win here despite the obvious problems.
Kobe as MVP is a no brainer. Having watched LeBron just before, however, I must comment on how much easier LeBron's size and athleticism makes the game for him. It just seems so much more...relaxed and easy for him.
The question with 'Bron was always if he could develop the killer mental side of the game, blah blah.
I don't know if he'll ever get his mind into the insane place where Kobe is now, but the thing is - he may never have to. With a similar supporting cast, LeBron could contribute in a similar manner just by playing loose.
Forget the mental preparation, the seeming intellectual domination of any defense thrown at him, the way Kobe elevates his game (he looked 8 feet tall going up for those clutch rebounds tonight) that moment of extra concentration as he releases those fade away jump shots that let you know they're money.
As long as LeBron can jump over people and physically dominate, stay reasonably active on defense and continue to improve his jump shot...The ways in which Kobe is much better than him just won't matter.
Kind of depressing really, but Kobe's MVP window may be awfully short.
Bynum's interview was depressing, but it really didn't tell us much we haven't been told before. He's got to run in the pool for a week without swelling. Then run on a treadmill for at least a week. Then practice (at least another week). So it's a miracle if he's back this month, and if the swelling goes on, he's out indefinitely. Makes me wish I believed in Sea Minerals (or something) that could magically turn this around.
I agree that Dampier showed us we need a serious infusion of interior toughness.
Anyway - as of right now, we're legit contenders this year. I wouldn't pick us in a series against San Antonio or Boston without a healthy Bynum, but it's way to early to get depressed about our prospects...a lot of time left.
Go Lakers!
P.S. Lakers 24 365 - Thank you. I plan on implementing your suggestions immediately here in Spurs country. I can only hope that the judge will find you liable for my funeral costs.
Posted by: Cameron | March 02, 2008 at 07:28 PM
ex,
"This season, that should be "Lakers 24 366"
You can fly my helicopter anytime, ex. Nobody gets one by you. Nice catch.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | March 02, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Although the observations that Gasol allows his guy to shove him out of position is true, I think some of the Lakers rebounding trouble in the first half stemmed from the guards, particularly Farmar and Vujacic when they were in the game. Farmar and Vujacic both failed to box out their man during a couple of possessions which lead to a couple of offensive rebounds. Both of them can't just stand and watch and wait to jump for the ball. They aren't athletic and long enough to do that.
The monster put back Aldridge had in the Portland game at the Rose garden. Odom didn't box out. Watch the highlight. The ball got shot by Outlaw and Odom watched the ball.
BOX OUT.
Posted by: Tom | March 02, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Lakers 24 365 that was hilarious. Thanks, good writing.
Its not as smooth as when Gasol initially played its first 10 games. Just my 2 cents worth.
Posted by: Lakersfan_iNZ | March 02, 2008 at 06:02 PM
Lakersfan, I think its bec. the other teams have been studying film of the Lakers and now, they have a better feel of our plays such as Kobe-Pau's pick'n'roll.
That's why we're still keeping our secret weapon under wraps until the playoffs. The Odom-Gasol-Bynum triple towers.
just kidding.
On another interview, I heard AB said he'll be out a total of 11 weeks-another week for poolwork, another week for strengthening, and another week to get in basketball shape. That puts his ETA exactly at end of March. That gives him 10 games left in the regular season in April to get into the game flow. That's not a lot of games for total Team D to gel.
Hopefully, we can finish 1st or 2nd in WC and get somebody relatively weak in 7th or 8th. I think the Rockets less Yao will be our preferred 1st round opponent to get us a chance to tune up the triple towers.
Denver or GS will be tougher since they've played together a long time. We can still take them out, but they might extend us to 4-3. With Rockets sans Yao, I think we go 4-0 in the 1st round even if TA only gets in by then.
Posted by: LakerinBC | March 02, 2008 at 07:34 PM
YOU EVER NOTICE,
Raindrops keep falling on my head...as Bruin shots rained down on opponents and the win streaks mounted...
11 pm replays of Bruin games with the great Dick Enberg! Those were a fun 11 years starting with Gail and Walt. Enjoyed a lot of games in person in Pauley but never missed the 11 pm replay whether I saw the game in person or not.
Sent my son to John Wooden's camp three years and Wooden was the most gracious basketball coach I ever met. Get well, JW. We love you. And we need you to see the Bruins go all the way this year.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | March 02, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Thanks for your take BK, I just hope he comes back healthy.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | March 02, 2008 at 07:42 PM
Decided to replay the AB interview on my DVR.
I didn't hear a time table from Bynum. Just that there is a lot of internal swelling still.
On the other hand, he mentioned he looked forward this year to playing with Pau. Becoming the twin tower combo like SAS had. Plus he felt the Lakers were the favorites to win the title with all of them playing.
He's walking with no problem and without pain. That's good.
He seems confident of playing, but it obviously, it won't happen soon.
So AK/BK, let's get Drew on a live chat. How about Wednesday?
Cmon AK/BK, You can do it. I'd love to hear AB's thoughts on Liquid Sea Crystals when Jon K calls in. lol
Posted by: AN 1 | March 02, 2008 at 07:42 PM