One down, three (or, if you prefer to think big, 15) to go
UPDATE, 9:40 pm): Woohoo! After some technical struggles, we finally have video. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the new sights and sounds.
One thing we all knew when the draw was finally set? However many games the top seeded Lakers would have to play against #8 Denver, none of them would be boring. Sunday afternoon's 128-114 win for the purple and gold was certainly no exception. Nearly 200 shots from the floor, five technical fouls, a flagrant, and an ejection (the bulk tagged to Denver, not exactly a surprise since they're hardly the Lords of (Self) Discipline). Still, when the final horn sounded, the Lakers were well in control, thanks to a punishing inside game led by Pau Gasol (36 points) and Lamar Odom (17).
LA established control early, building up as much as a 10 point lead in the first before giving six of those points back in the final 40 seconds of the quarter. In the second, Denver made a push against an overmatched second unit, erasing the Laker lead and putting them down by as much as eight. But over the final six minutes before the break, LA methodically chipped away at the Denver lead behind strong work from Gasol and (gasp!) some stops and forced turnovers on the other end. In the third, LA blew the doors off the game, going up by 19 and allowing them to glide to a 1-0 series lead.
Was it art? Not really. Was it pretty good? Yep. A 14 point victory against a 50 win team isn't the worst thing in the world.
Click below for the breakdown.
The Good:
- Pau Gasol: The best player on the floor for LA throughout the game, without question. After dominating the low block in the first half with an 18/7/5 showing on 8-11 from the floor, Gasol came out in third and nearly equaled his point total over the first 24. 16 points on 5-6 from the field and 6-6 from the line. Plus another four boards, just for giggles. He finished the game with 36/16/8, with three blocks. Heck of a way to get his first NBA playoff win.
- Lamar Odom: Another of the sort of complete, stat sheet fillers for which Odom has become well known these days. He was involved early, as the Lakers established dominance in the low post and beat up the Nuggets hard. By the end of the first half, he had a very solid 9/9/3. He did some good work defensively, and always seemed to pop up when the Lakers needed a lift. Final line: 17/14/6, with two steals.
- Offensive Discipline (more or less): For the game, the Lakers shot the ball at a 50% clip, and managed to make it to the line 32 times. Gasol went off, Odom was successful at the basket, and both Luke Walton and Vlad Radmanovic (see below) were effective in the post, either shooting or passing. When the Lakers remembered to stick the ball inside, even before eventually shooting a jumper, they were pretty good. When they had the patience to work the ball around when Denver went zone, getting the ball into the high post and working from there, they were pretty good. Obviously there were stretches where they got away from it (often from Kobe, see below), but overall I think if they continue to stay as committed to getting the ball inside as they did on Sunday, they'll be find. After all, Kobe isn't generally going to stick with the perimeter game to the extent he did tonight.
- Small Forwards- Walton in the first half, Radmanovic in the second: Walton was actually effective throughout the game, but particularly in the first half when Radmanovic was saddled with foul trouble. In 18:32 of run before the break, Walton had 12 points on 5-7 from the floor, including a triple. Four dimes and two boards helped round out the effort. Walton was very effective getting the ball inside, in part because for a few possessions the Lakers were able to exploit his mismatch against Allen Iverson. But no matter who was on him, Walton made good decisions with the ball and helped the Lakers offense work with excellent efficiency. He'd finish with 16/4/5. In the third quarter, Radmanovic returned with a strong effort, making two big threes, but more importantly distributing the ball extremely well, racking up four assists, many from close proximity to the basket, as Rad found himself as part of a post up game that isn't necessarily his strength. Both, too, did a decent job on Melo when presented the challenge. When the Lakers get the sort of combined effort from those two that they got today, they'll be tough to beat.
- The Third Quarter: 39-22 LAL, turning a two point lead into a 19 point margin. 59.1%- 33.3% LAL. 7-3 in assists, LAL. 16-12 points in the paint, LAL. Three triples- one triple, LAL. 16 for Pau, 10 for Kobe, six for Vlad. Three for Melo, five for AI. You get the point.
The Bad:
- Kobe Bryant: He almost pulled himself out of this category with a decent-ish second half, but don't let the 32 points fool you. Overall, it was not a stellar effort from 24, who seemed to struggle with Kenyon Martin's length on the perimeter, and wasn't able to get the ball to the hole until late, either. No free throws in the first half. When Kobe gets jumper happy, it limits his game in a big way, and hurts LA on the other end, too. First half, 2-10, with two boards and a dime. Second half, 7-16, without any assists. Add it all up, that's a one dime night and a 9-26 shooting performance. The ball movement often stopped when it got to Bryant along the perimeter, as Kobe seemed to be trying to shoot himself back into the game. Later, when he had a few mismatches against Anthony Carter, Kobe took advantage and moved his game to the post. In the fourth, he had 18 points, 12 of which came in the final 4:30, much of the damage coming from the stripe. But it wasn't simply a matter of poor shooting. Bryant seemed out of sorts for most of the afternoon, suffering some defensive lapses (perhaps brought on by foul trouble), and generally not looking like the MVP he's been all year. The good news? Kobe is highly unlikely to play any worse than he did today for the rest of the series- arguably for the rest of the playoffs- and the Lakers still won by 14.
It's worth noting, though, that George Karl paid a price by sticking Martin on Kobe, which was shown by incredible space the Lakers had to roam around the Denver paint, and by the mismatches that had to happen whenever Carter and AI were on the floor together. Somebody was always left for an easy post up, whether Vlad, Walton, Kobe, or _______.
- Defensive Discipline: I think by now it's pretty clear that, especially against a team like the Nuggets, shot selection and ball control on the other end makes a big difference in th sort of defensive numbers a team will post. Tonight, the Lakers held the Nuggets to 44.8% from the floor, juiced in part by the superlative third quarter in which LA limited Denver to 8-24 and forced four turnovers. Generally speaking, when the Lakers did what they needed to do offensively, namely force the ball down low, get easy looks and demand Denver not cheat with early releases upcourt, the Lakers were very effective. When they didn't they weren't. Still, there were aspects of the defense that weren't very good, independent of what they were doing offensively. A lot of bad fouls, leading to easy and-ones for the Nuggets. Confusion on rotations, especially on the high screen, that allowed Denver unfettered access to the hoop.
- Derek Fisher: Defensively, he was more effective in containing the Denver backcourt than Jordan Farmar (not necessarily a major accomplishment, since JF had a rough night on that end), but overall, it wasn't the strongest game you'll see from D-Fish. 1-5 from the floor, three points, four dimes in 29:15 of PT.
FYI, Ronny Turiaf, who struggled in his three+ minutes of burn, was a little under the weather. That probably helps explain his poor performance (and, at least in part, its very short length).
BK
POSTGAME AUDIO
- Lamar Odom: Download lamar_odom_postgame_denver_1.mp3
- Luke Walton: Download luke_walton_postgame_denver_1.mp3
- Sasha Vujacic: Download sasha_vujacic_postgame_denver_1.mp3
- Derek Fisher: Download derek_fisher_postgame_denver_1.mp3
- Kenyon Martin (for those hoping to hear more K-Mart, blame me. After a couple questions from the other writers, I asked about the double T's with Kobe. He responded in short fashion, then concluded the session. Guess he didn't like the question): Download kenyon_martin_postgame_denver_1.mp3
AK
TOD for Denver - Post Game
Series is over and I’m not being cocky.
Denver’s body language, post game talk and attitude
Players complaining and giving up
Smith and AI leaving the game
Smith frustrated trying to guard Kobe
AI just gives ups, loses self control and gets ejected
Martin’s complaining talk after game
Karl’s remark we couldn’t stop them, No D
They have no adjustments they can make
Lakers shot poorly from outside and still we scored 128
Easy baskets inside - demoralizing to them. Camby (DPOY( is supposed to be the guy to stop it and was helpless, gave up 36 pts to Pau
Denver is Demoralized!
Yeah, we got three games to go but……I’m calling it, its over
Fatty is confident and I’m not drinking, .......too much
Marching to the title one game at a time
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | April 20, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Mamba needs to slow down on the technical fouls. Lakers need to effectively attack Nuggets zone defense. Mamba needs to watch his shot selection. Lakers need to NOT settle for jumpers and 3's. Follow LO to the hole!
Posted by: Todd | April 20, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Uh oh, BK. You placed Kobe in the bad column. Expect lots of grief. lol
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Great win! 15 more to go!
Just need to make some adjustments and we can sweep this team.
What an action packed weekend in the NBA!
Posted by: Lakers Legacy | April 20, 2008 at 05:20 PM
"Don't be fooled by Kobe's 32"
Kobe played a good game, he just didn't shoot well.
13-14 from the line sealed the game when the Lakers were sliding.
It was an off game for Kobe, but still he controlled the game and forced Denver constantly to adjust which lead to EASY Lakers baskets.
Gasol was a major beneficiary of the Kobe attention.
I was looking for more from Kobe this game. If your Denver, you are in trouble, because Kobe will do better.
Its a game of adjustments. Denver has few they can make to stop the Lakers.
Lakers will win more easily than I originally thought.
Whoever said Pau was soft? He just schooled the DPOY.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | April 20, 2008 at 05:29 PM
It's time to give LO lots more coverage. Gasol wouldn't have gotten all of his 38 (?) without the awesome play of LO; and we're seeing it consistently. I think they should change the billing to: Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Paul Gasol. What do others think?
Posted by: Brenda Jones | April 20, 2008 at 05:32 PM
4-0 ALL THE WAY!!!
PURPLE & GOLD BABY!!!
Posted by: juanman888 | April 20, 2008 at 05:32 PM
2nd Quarter was hard to watch, but I'm just glad the Lakers pulled out with a 14pt win thanks to amazing plays by Gasol and Odom. Not the best game Kobe's had, but the Lakers won and that's all that matters. Good game.
Posted by: Peanut Butter Spread | April 20, 2008 at 05:33 PM
hey what do you know, BK puts Kobe in the bad category again...I know BK had this argument with other bloggers before and he's defended yourself, but as a regular visitor (who rarely posts) I too think (just like some of those other bloggers) he has something against Kobe.
The way he chooses words that describe Kobe's actions or how he chooses to categorize his performance a lot of time jumps out as a criticism. Like I said, I read the blog regularly, and I don't have anything against BK (I don't know him, never got into argument with him, etc), so I am confident my observations on his treatment of Kobe are completely objective.
Posted by: tim | April 20, 2008 at 05:33 PM
sorry to break up the Laker talk..but I'm smeeling an upset between Phi/Det! That wud be sweet!
Posted by: lakeraholic | April 20, 2008 at 05:40 PM
The tempo of this game was less than inspiring. I'm happy about the win, but it was disappointing that the refs felt the need to insert themselves into the game to such an extent. This is the playoffs! The defensive intensity was stifled by too many whistles. Thank goodness the Nuggets blew it at the line.
Kobe won't have another game like that against the Nuggets. Shoot, he had a terrible game and still ended up with 32 points. We are truly spoiled.
1 down, 15 to go.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | April 20, 2008 at 05:47 PM
Hey Tim, teach us more about this objective introspection you've mastered. And after that I'll show how telepathy works.
Posted by: Miss Daisy | April 20, 2008 at 05:48 PM
1 DOWN – 15 MORE TO GO…
The Lakers turned in a workmanlike performance today in easily dispatching the Denver Nuggets 128-114 despite an off-game from Kobe Bryant. Taking advantage of terrible defense by the Nuggets, the Lakers ran their famed Triangle Offense with ruthless efficiency, posting an extraordinary 33 assists on 46 baskets and shooting 50% from the field and 45% from behind the 3-point line. They attacked the rim relentlessly, scoring easy points in the paint time and again and drawing 23 fouls that turned into 28 points from the line.
Led by double-doubles from their big men Paul Gasol (36/16/8) and Lamar Odom (17/14/6), the Lakers fought the Nuggets to a standstill on the boards and played enough defense to hold the Nuggets to 114 points on 44.8% shooting from the field and 41.7% behind the 3-point line, While there were far too many uncontested drives for easy lay-ups by Nugget players, that problem in the Lakers defense will be solved once Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza return. The Nuggets also only hit 23 of 37 free throw attempts while the Lakers buried 27 of 32.
The key to this game was the team playing Lakers basketball and dissecting the weak Denver defense for easy baskets and dunks throughout the game. The Lakers passing, especially between the big men, was superb as they smartly found the mismatches and isolated bigger players in the post over and over against the Nuggets, who were helpless defensively. Once Bynum is back, the Lakers front court is going to take on Bird-McHale-Parrish dimensions. And those many post-ups that Vlade and Luke struggled to finish will be gravy for Lamar.
While Kobe had a rare off-game from the field (32/3/1), he killed the Nuggets from the line, hitting 13 of 14 free throws. I am sure Kobe will adjust in the next game and get back to his normal MVP game. The good news is that the Lakers other players picked up the slack for Kobe and played great. Pau Gasol shook that no-playoff-games-won monkey off his back in superb fashion, just like Obama doing his best Jay-Z. Lamar Odom continued to play inspired basketball. I couldn’t count the number of great rebounds that I saw Lamar grab in this game. Points, assists, rebounds, blocks, defense – whatever the Lakers need, Lamar provides.
Bravo also for Luke Walton, who also played an outstanding game (16/4/5 in 27 minutes off the bench). I truly could not remember a single “puke” moment during the game. Way to go, Luke. Keep it up. While Fish had a slow game, our bench backcourt of Jordan and Sasha played well, scoring a combined 14 points on 5 of 9 shooting from 3-point land. Overall, the game played out much like the Lakers versus Nuggets games have all year long. The Lakers win by playing smarter and harder than the nuggets with the Lakers winning by about 16.
Watching the Lakers take care of the Nuggets today and listening to the game’s announcers rave about the Lakers play was a pleasure. We didn’t play that well defensively and couldn’t carve out an edge on the boards, but we played hard and matched the Nuggets in blocks and steals and out-assisted and out-shot them from the field, long range, and the free throw line. Most importantly, we showed that we can beat the Nuggets without Drew. That is the key.
Lakers will sweep defenseless Nuggets. Drew will come off the bench against the Jazz and then start in the conference and NBA finals. The Suns, Spurs, and Mavs all look old and slow. Lakers look like the best in the west without Drew. With Drew, they’re the best in the NBA.
1 DOWN – 15 MORE TO GO!
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | April 20, 2008 at 05:48 PM
lakers win!
fyi.....philadelphia steals a game at the Pistons....
Posted by: Lakers4Realz | April 20, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Pistons blew their first game.
GS-DAL Part Deux?
I doubt it, but it continues the disgusting arrogance that costs Detroit time and time again.
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Kobe shot poorly and still got 32 against a pretty poor defensive team. Pau was outstanding and LO was right behind him. This should be an EZ series for the Lakers, but they need to come out with a lot of fire in game 2. If the Nuggets steal this one, they have the home court advantage. Luke sort of came into his own tonight and looked like I expected him to look all season. Maybe he's just getting healthy again???
Killer instinct is key here...don't let them get any mo. Word is AB won't play this series. I'm taking that to mean he will be ready for round 2. Ding, Ding...
Posted by: bruzer | April 20, 2008 at 05:55 PM
Poor Hawks are so far over their heads. I just hope my boy Horford has a decent showing.
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 05:58 PM
Bloggers I'm guna half take up for AK somewhat on his decision to put KB24 in the bad column. While most here slobber over just about every word that written by the K-Bros...i will agree that Kobes 32 is very deceptive if you don't veiw the box score thoroughly. Yes he took waaaayyy to many jumpers..and he shot well below his average. So to a point he does merit the Bad column. There was a series were he took like 5 jumpers in a row when we were already up 19 and KB created more fast break point for Denver than anything. Compared to what were use to..i suppose we hold Kobe to a higher standard..i mean cmon..if Luke scored 32..does anyone think he wud be in the Bad column?
Posted by: lakeraholic | April 20, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Xodus,
"Uh oh, BK. You placed Kobe in the bad column."
It took all of 6 posts for the complaints to come out!!
Now, wait till we hear about all the adjustments Phil (who cost the Lakers 8-10 games this season, meaning that without him they would have won 65+ games, despite the injuries, mid-season trades, and off-season turmoil) should have made.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | April 20, 2008 at 06:04 PM
Great win, I liked how we quickly regained the lead back once we went down in the second quarter. Man, they don't play defense. I thought Denver would play a little better defense but I was wrong. Anyways, hope the Lakers keep working hard the next couple of days and then make the series 2-0 on Wed.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | April 20, 2008 at 06:04 PM
One down - 15 to go - for # 15!!!!!!!!
Couple of things in no particular order:
1. BK saying Kobe was "the bad"?? Whatever....Was his game off? Sure. At times did he try to shoot himself back in & take some ill-advised shots? Sure. Did he have a bad game? Hell to the no! It really doesn't matter what he does, someone will always say he's selfish, or he's not trusting his teammates or whatever. He can't win either way - oh yah - except on the scoreboard. Lakers up 1-0.......'nuff said.
2. Lukomir Waltmanovich had a great game! Hope to see more of the same - except for maybe with some quicker feet on D - lol!
3. PAU - EL CAPITAN - WOW!!!!! What a debut for his first playoff game as a Laker! You HAVE to love this guy! Welcome to winning, Pau - it only gets more exciting from here on out and trust me, you WILL develop a taste for it - if you haven't already!!!!!!!!!!
4. Fish & the Bench Mob will also play better in the next game - the kids might have been a little nervous....not sure what was up with Fish, but the guy's a veteran & I have no doubt he will pick it up as well. Plus Ronny will be feeling better & get his dance on.
5. I think everyone who ever wanted to trade LO - and you know who you are - should 'fess up & apologize. This guy is unbelievable. He is the glue - the X factor - the guy who provides all the intangibles that allow the Lakers to be the great team that they are. Come on now - you know you want to - confession is good for the soul and it's the first step in the recovery process!
Lot's more to talk about, but need to have something left to say while we wait until Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO LAKERS!!
The BEAN for MVP and FINALS MVP or NO PEACE!!!!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | April 20, 2008 at 06:08 PM
One of the keys to the game was the Lakers' excellent "defense" of Denver's foul shots. If Denver had shot free throws at their average percentage it would have been a closer game down the stretch.
Next game the Lakers will also have to do a better job on the offensive boards. And I don't know what got into Kobe; he played like he read a different game plan than everybody else.
But overall this was a good win, a solid performance. Look for a closer game next time, though.
Posted by: ed | April 20, 2008 at 06:09 PM
kobe was in foul trouble for almost the entire game. he couldn't be aggressive and get to the line and had to settle for jumpers. unfortunately his jumpers were not falling. he had a good second half though and put in 18 in the 4th. he got his bad game out of the way and we still won by 14. great game by everyone.
Posted by: eltongeoff | April 20, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Today's not the day to complain about Kobe being in the "Bad" column. He was bad today, not just because of a bad shooting day. There were defensive lapses (more in the First Half than the Second Half) and some really bad shot selection that led to Denver points on the break. With Gasol shooting 14-20, I would have liked even more touches and shots for him.
The real problem I had today with Kobe's game was the total overreliance on the jump shot. I counted two drives to the basket all day and he was matched up with Kenyon Martin, who he should have been breaking down all day. He hardly shot any FTs in the first three quarters.
Makes me glad I'm not a Denver fan, because that's as bad as Kobe can play, and they still weren't close.
Posted by: Jman449 | April 20, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Denver has two main ways to hurt you; 1) AI or Carmelo going one on one and either scoring or drawing fouls and 2) running off turnovers or missed shots for easy transition baskets. You can't do much about the first but the second can be controlled by taking better care of the basketball offensively and better shot selection. The Lakers half-court defense is enough to minimize contributions from the rest of the group. It was interesting that, in the first half, Kobe basically switched to guarding whoever was hot for Denver (AI, Melo, Kleiza).
What worries me is that this team doesn't have a killer instinct yet. As soon as they built up the initial lead, the relaxed and let Denver back in the game. There's no ferocity to this team yet.
Vlad is contributing almost nothing at the 3 except in occasional flashes. There's a reason why they sell a shirt at Staples that says Pau, Andrew, Lamar, Fish and Kobe.
Some notes from inside the building:
Later in the game, after a Gasol shot in transition that caused a Denver timeout, Jordan went up to Gasol to talk to him about something. It was clear something was bothering him. Pau walked away and Kobe kept the conversation going with Jordan. Then Kobe grabbed a clipboard to illustrate what they were discussing. After that, Kobe continued down the bench getting his teammates hyped up and ended up by bumping Ronny who was sitting with his head down and covered by a towel. I don't know if they showed this whole sequence on television but it seemed like a good example of Kobe showing some leadership and keeping everyone in the proper mindest. Later on, Lamar came up gimpy going into a timeout and Kobe was messing with him when he came back to the bench, throwing a towel on his head and bumping him like "Come on, rub some dirt on it and get back in the game."
The crowd was into the game but this was nothing like the past couple seasons against PHX. The Texas Dog from Big Dawgs is unbelievable. After the game, Chick Hearn Court (in between Staples and Nokia) was closed off so people didn't have to just use the crosswalks. I imagine it's going to be a wild scene there once we fans come out of a game with a real reason to celebrate.
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 20, 2008 at 06:12 PM
Impressions on a laker win...
Keeping in mind we won anyways, the defensive effort was simply atrocious. It was better with Pau and LO and Fish in there...but outside of that simply atrocious.
Are we even aware that JR Smith is driving in the paint? Are we aware that AI is getting us in foul trouble time and again by reaching? Are we aware that Kleiza, freakin Kleiza is shooting OPEN shots! Not to mention driving to the paint like he's Kobe Bean Bryant? He's freakin Kleiza. Contain him! He's a shooter, stick to him like glue. I don't care if you have to buy super glue...stick to him. He WILL kill us.
That said...things that I liked...when we were on our game (first quarter, and third)...we had some crisp rotations. We have as a team a tendency to anticipate but not react...and as such they go one way, we go another. We need to just play solid D...do not cheat (much), or try to steal as much. And with this team, most importantly, early shots and unwise shots is like paper to a fire...it leads to transition baskets. GET BACK! I say fine them that aren't getting back. No one should be getting an open layup with 3 trailing back. That bespoke of crappy effort. And that is unacceptable.
Posted by: Faith | April 20, 2008 at 06:14 PM
Wow, just got home from the game. What a game. Staples was rocking. I don't know if you could hear the DUI chants on TV, but they were louder than the MVP chants for Kobe. I kinda felt bad until I remembered how the Denver fans treat Kobe so screw 'em.
Can't wait to watch game over tonight and also FSN post game as well.
PS. Charles, keep your schedule open for Wed. I may still be going. Probably 50/50 right now....
Posted by: pslakerfan | April 20, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Kobe didnt shoot well, that's a Fact.
But he did show some good ball movement in making the pass out of the double team that didnt always result in a assist. It was the pass before the assist.
Kobe played OK, but he could do much much better.
Posted by: Korey | April 20, 2008 at 06:27 PM
I lOve the Lakers and lOve Kobe, but does he really need to do all that trash talking with Martin??? Let your game do the talking Kobe, your to good for that!
Posted by: Jimi Joe Bob | April 20, 2008 at 06:29 PM
Kobe is great and the laker nation love him. But he didn't need to take 26 shots when he was as cold as ice from arctic. He forced it so many times even though others had open looks. He can't even make a case of not trusting his teammates cuz paul and lamar were great in the game. It appears that he will play well if things are going his way otherwise he will go crazy and take as many shots just to prove a point or just to make sure that he has got most points.
I think he took those many shots just cuz paul gasol was so efficient and he doesn't want to be no.2 but he needs to understand that he will always be no.1. Also, he doesn't need to force himself in 4th quarter just for the sake of taking over the 4th quarter. Today, He didn't need to force himself in 4th quarter, the whole team was playing good. When everyone is playing great he should not disrupt the rhythm and trying to take over. Sometime, he is a stubborn kid.
I hope he reads this blog and improves himself to be a better team player.
KOBE FOR MVP, KOBE FOR FINALS MVP...go LAKERS
Posted by: chicadel | April 20, 2008 at 06:34 PM
OH BK you forgot other bad stats!!!!
Kobe was 13/14 FT, 2 BS 1TO
Just trying to help you hate on Kobe, as always we never get a balanced unbiased report from yourself about Kobe. Keep up the hating.
Please tell me how many assists he would have if his teamates made their shots.
If you watch ice hockey how many assists would kobe be credited for initiating the pass to the assist player!!!
Peace!!!
Angry_Laker
Posted by: Angry_Laker | April 20, 2008 at 06:43 PM
I forgot to mention the DUI chants. It was pretty hilarious.
btw - the best deal I found on parking was at LA Live off Olympic. $20 and all you have to do is go up some escalators and cross the street. Convention Center was $25 and the Staples driveway off Figueroa (where you basically get out of your car and your at the entrance) was $30.
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 20, 2008 at 06:52 PM
lakers_sth,
I'm worried about that, too. I see some of that Detroit Piston arrogance where they relax and start coasting because they know they're better than their opposition. We need to develop the old Lakers, Bulls, Celtics killer instinct.
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Im glad he put Kobe in the Bad category. If anything, it was the lack of intensity and the uncharacteristic lack of focus from Kobe. Lots of bad jump shots, letting guys blow by him on D (Anthony Carter just ran by Kobe at some point) and then the technical foul arguing with such a loser like Kenyon Martin puts Kobe in the bad category.
As far as this series being over, I wont call it over just yet because of Denver's solid home court, but if the Lakers can just win the next game it's pretty much over. A.I. essentially walked off the court, J.R. Smith is eventually going to explode, Carmelo just cant lead his team, and Camby got destroyed by Pau. The Nuggets just have issues which wont be fixed, unless the Lakers melt down. I want to see the Lakers just show up workman-like in the next game, get their victory and basically cut any hope away from Denver.
If the Lakers do this right, and win in 4 or 5 games, they can basically coast into the second round and prepare physically for Utah.
Posted by: The Lake Show | April 20, 2008 at 06:53 PM
lakers_sth.
“There's a reason why they sell a shirt at Staples that says Pau, Andrew, Lamar, Fish and Kobe.”
Gotta get me one of those. LOL. Nice post and excellent way to make your point.
Once Drew returns, there is only one guy who is going to start and play the key minutes at small forward and that is Lamar Odom, our X-factor for sure. I did like Luke’s game in the first half and Vlade’s in the second half but any suggested starting lineup that does not include Lamar is a dumb mistake. The guy is the glue to that lineup.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | April 20, 2008 at 06:53 PM
Man, you guys do know that Kobe does have an injured hand. Its so easy to forget that his shooting hand is taped up. Kobe did not play exception, but he closed out in the fourth quarter like he was suppose to do.
The trash talk did not start with Kobe, and I wished he could have just stopped, but its the playoffs, there is trash talk everywhere.
And this thing that his trash talk will wake Denver up is a bunch of bull. The best team always wins in a sever game series. if Denver wins the best out of seven, they will deserve it because they are the best team. In this case, the lakers are the best team and should win this series.
Posted by: wow | April 20, 2008 at 06:54 PM
Please tell me how many assists he would have if his teamates made their shots.
If you watch ice hockey how many assists would kobe be credited for initiating the pass to the assist player!!!
Peace!!!
Angry_Laker
Posted by: Angry_Laker | April 20, 2008 at 06:43 PM
The Lakers shot 50%. That's not missing their shots, my friend. I love the passion for Kobe, but please lets not be blinded by his usual brilliance. If you ask him I'm sure he'd tell you he had a bad game for his standards.
Posted by: The Lake Show | April 20, 2008 at 06:55 PM
tim, I objectively assess that your declaration that BK has something against Kobe is completely wrong.
E
Posted by: Emma | April 20, 2008 at 06:56 PM
Miss Daisy,
Nah, telepathy is overrated. Gotta bring something better to the table before I share my secrets with you ;)
Posted by: tim | April 20, 2008 at 06:58 PM
AK
You will never be called AKisser when it comes to Kobe Bean Bryant! No doubt about it you are a media geek!
Posted by: chuck23 | April 20, 2008 at 07:00 PM
Calm down guys. Kobe is allowed to have a bad game every once in a while and it's OK to say that it happened.
Dude, probably played his worst game of the year and we still won by 14. This is something to be happy about.
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 07:03 PM
Aloha
Pau, Lamar and Kobe will get all the press but our SF combo of Vlade and Luke were huge today. 24 points and 11 assists really helped do in the nuggets. And they both played tough D on Melo. He had 30 but he struggled for those points and 8 of them came after the game was already decided. If we hold him to 11 for 26 every game, we will sweep.
One more thing, is it just me or does Jordon average a Buzzer beater a game now? It just seems like he has been hitting a lot of those last 2nd shots lately. Great way to start the playoffs
Go Lakers
MH
Posted by: michael h | April 20, 2008 at 07:05 PM
I'm a huge Kobe fan, but the truth is that this is the worst game I can remember him having in a long, long time. It wasn't just the bad outside shooting (man there were several where he didn't even hit the rim), it was terrible shot selection, dumb fouls, really slow/no defense, yapping at the refs, yapping at his teammates after HIS blown coverage, etc.
And perhaps worst of all, he slowed down the entire team when he was in. He gets the ball at the top of the key and he dribbles for 5-6 seconds trying to decide whether to shoot or drive, he probes for an opening for another 5-8 seconds, then comes back out again. In the meantime, his teammates are frozen, not knowing what the heck he's going to do.
yes, he came through in the fourth quarter with some clutch drives (finally) and his usual great free throw shooting...but dude...that was a mess of a game for him.
As others have said, if the Nuggets can't take the Lakers with Kobe this stoned, it's over.
Oh, and the Pau-Lamar connection was awesome. These guys are muy simpatico. Unreal touch passes to one another. What a great combo!
Kobe...come back...we miss you!
Posted by: CornerJ | April 20, 2008 at 07:05 PM
Angry_Laker,
How can you talk about his teammates missing shots when we played beautifully on offense? That's a lame excuse nowadays. I love Kobe as much as anyone, but have some perspective.
Maybe watching this video will give you some perspective.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=h0Q-LMKBsvA&feature=related
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 07:06 PM
Chicadel wrote:
"I think he took those many shots just cuz paul gasol was so efficient and he doesn't want to be no.2 but he needs to understand that he will always be no.1. Also, he doesn't need to force himself in 4th quarter just for the sake of taking over the 4th quarter. Today, He didn't need to force himself in 4th quarter, the whole team was playing good. When everyone is playing great he should not disrupt the rhythm and trying to take over. Sometime, he is a stubborn kid."
I agree with your first point. If they weren't 1-2 in the MVP race and CP3 had not had such a great game yesterday, I don't think KB would have taken as many shots.
As for the second point, I think he was forcing up shots the entire game except for the first six minutes when he had some brilliant assists, and the Lakers grabbed a 10-point lead. Then he and Jordan started shooting and missing from the perimeter and the Nuggets got back in it. The fourth quarter was just Kobe being Kobe.
As for my feelings overall, I would have to defer to PJ when the coach said after the game, "I told (the players) I was happy we won, but I wasn't pleased with how we played."
He then referred to too many forced shots and taking threes instead of working the ball in the paint.
Of course, the coach said he was really upset with the defense. What does he expect them to do? "Close the lanes. Make them take (perimeter) shots."
There was no way Denver should have scored 114 points.
So, can the Lakers take the West? Game 1: Inconclusive
Posted by: lotecq | April 20, 2008 at 07:27 PM
The lack of killer instinct has been an issue all season. Part of it is because there are several players who have a tendency to think shot before they think triangle. Lack of focus on defense is probably the biggest factor, though.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | April 20, 2008 at 07:29 PM
btw, I'm a little tired of the "no defense" characterization of this series by the media experts. I'm glad the Lakers aren't dismissing Denver as a non-defensive squad like everyone else and instead choosing to focus on what they do well defensively. They cause turnovers and force bad shots - that's what fuels all their fast breaks. However, going for steals cuts two ways. And they do a poor job of helping the helper in the paint (as exemplified by all of Gasol's easy buckets).
The Lakers' guards do a poor job of controlling dribble penetration but their defensive communication and defensive rotations are light years ahead of where it's been in recent years. As is their pick-n-roll defense. I also hate it when Kobe sags off players and dares them to shoot.
I've said it a million times, anyone who disregards pace of play and tries to make statements about offensive and defensive efficiency based on overall points is dealing opinion based on partial information. For example, Denver averages 100 possessions per game. In contrast, San Antonio averages 88. That's an extra 12 possessions per game - how many points do you think could be scored in 12 possessions and what does that do to the stats?
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 20, 2008 at 07:32 PM
I have a new found respect for Lamar's game. There were times earlier in the year where I was not a fan at all however he has turned his game around tremendously. I would now say he is one of the most entertaining and fun to watch Lakers. When he is on his game he passes like no other big men his size. The drives are good too. I loved the passing between Lamar, Pau, Kobe, and Walton. I hope Lamar can keep his play at a very high level. He has been playing pretty smart lately too. Lamar will no doubt be a very crucial part for our title run.
Also, when does Lamar's contract expire? Is it at the end of this season or the next? I have a feeling he will take a pay cut and stay. I hope he does.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | April 20, 2008 at 07:35 PM
Ex,
Agreed offense comes more naturally to most of the guys on the team. You see it when they get on a roll offensively and don't think what they do on the other side of the court matters because they're scoring every time down.
Posted by: Xodus | April 20, 2008 at 07:35 PM
Laker Analysis
The Good and the Bad
The Good
KOBE BRYANT: Just this guys presence makes everything so easy for everyone else. This game at times was similar to the last Dallas game at Staples when there was so much attention being thrown at Kobe that it opened up everything for other players........the true meaning of making your teammates better. In the Dallas game L.O. was the beneficiary of the skewed defense to the tune of 31 points..........today it was Pau Gasol (more later) who reaped the benefits of Kobe being on the floor for 36 relatively easy points.
Don't let the lack of assists for Kobe fool you because he made excellent passes in the first half for wide open shots for Farmar on two occasions and a couple for L.O. and Luke Walton........they just couldn't knock the shots down. Assists should really be a team stat instead of an individual stat for this purpose.
To really appreciate what Kobe brings to a game nightly you really would have had to play the game yourself. It is so easy to grab a stat sheet and say Kobe was 9/16 in the second half with no assist and believe that tells the story. What is missing in the stat sheet is the psychological warfare that is part of the "basketball culture" or "nomenclature". Kobe wants to dominate his opponent and set the tone for the rest of this series..........What's the message? No matter what you do I can't be stopped........if I have a poor shooting first half don't let the smooth taste fool ya because I can contribute to my team in other ways and still dominate down the stretch. This should really scare Denver because Kobe scored 32 on an "OFF" night
PAU GASOL: This is all Kobe needs a person that can catch and finish........sounds so simple but until this year we had nobody who could do it. Gasol was beautiful moving to the open spots in the lane left by Denver's focus on Bryant. Believe me it is no coincidence that Gasol has failed to have this kind of performance in past playoffs..........and this is game 1
LAMAR ODOM: Solid game with 17 points and 14 rebounds. I like the way L.O. is playing "within" self.
VLADIMIR RADMANOVICH: Although he had early foul trouble he registered a +20 while he was on the floor. Vladdy hit two big threes down the stretch and made beautiful interior passes thus the 6 assist
THE NEUTRAL (OR POTENTIAL BAD)
LUKE WALTON: Luke had what appeared to be a good game on the surface but a closer look portends danger if he continues to get this many minutes. The problem with Luke is for every good thing he does he gives up two bad things somewhere else. Denver's Kleiza had another career night mostly against Walton with 23 points on 9/13 shooting. Call Luke "Vanilla" because he registered 0 on the +/- scale.......not good or bad.......just Vanilla. We need some flavor coming from that position as this series moves on.
THE BAD
PHIL JACKSON: Has this guy ever heard of a zone defense? The lineup he had in the game in the second quarter was scary and nearly destroyed any momentum that was built earlier. This is very important against a team like Denver who thrives on momentum and flow in games.
Phil's lack of preparation against the Zone was apparent today because we looked clueless........and that lineup didn't help.
Phil this is the playoffs if you haven't noticed........time to tighten the rotation.
Posted by: pfunk36 | April 20, 2008 at 07:40 PM