Accentuate the positive
PROGRAMMING NOTE (6.11): Join us today for Purple, Gold, and Blue at 11 am. Our guest will be Henry Abbott of ESPN.com's outstanding TrueHoop blog. Click on the show widget at the side of the page, or go straight to our show page to listen in.
Given the circumstances, you'll have to forgive the Lakers for not worrying about style points after their roadkill ugly 87-81 victory over the Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night at Staples. Facing a must-win against a squad that had beaten them four consecutive times over the course of the season, all that mattered was the final score. Some sort of grand message (announcing their presence with authority, if you will) would have been nice, but beggars can't be choosers. For every positive development, there's a worrisome one to go along with it. Kobe's 36 points and 18 free-throw attempts, meet 13 points and 5-18 shooting from Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. 20 points from Sasha Vujacic, who drilled seven of the 10 shots he took, meet three points, four personals from Vlad Radmanovic. Overall, L.A.'s new Big Two logged 56 of L.A.'s 87 points, while the rest of the gang was a scary 11-39, good for 31.
But while the Lakers didn't exactly flow smooth and swift like the Amazon (for the purposes of this writing, we'll all assume the Amazon flows smooth and swift - no emails, please) with the ball, they came up big where it mattered most, on the defensive side of things. The Lakers limited Boston to 35% shooting, bottled up Paul Pierce (six points on 2-14 from the floor), and held KG to a 6-21 night. Only Ray Allen, with 25 points (only three in the fourth) did any real damage.
The grimy nature of the affair, one both teams seemed reluctant to control, Doc Rivers was asked if he felt his Celtics missed an opportunity to steal one from the Lakers. "Either that, or they should have blown us out. One of the two."
Exactly. So maybe it's tough to draw a lot of lessons. The most important thing, though, is that the Lakers finally broke through against the Celtics. They finally have tangible proof they can beat the green. Tonight's performance, if repeated, won't be enough to sustain them the rest of the series, but it could be the starting point they need to move on to better things. However you slice it, the NBA Finals are officially a series again.
AK with the breakdown, below.
BK
THE GOOD
- Kobe Bryant: Thankfully, the nights where Kobe has needed to put his team's scoring squarely slack on his back have been fewer and far between this season. That preserves considerably more energy for a night like tonight: 36 points off a very economical 20 shots (12 downed) and 18 trips to the line. The Mamba's free throw fortunes weren't all that prosperous (maybe he was just trying to blend in), but he more than made up for those gaffes. The highlight reel basket may have been a gorgeous up and under slither to the rack, but what personally made me the happiest was how the overwhelming number of shots were from 19 feet or closer. Mid-range game for days, the lane driven even more and only two treys attempted. Ironically, even on a night where the situation may have been difficult, I thought Kobe did a nice job of making life (relatively speaking) easier on himself. His defense on Paul Pierce also stood out.
- Sasha Vujacic: Sasha began the night with a 22-foot air ball and a rare miss at the stripe, prompting a "This ain't good" remark under my breath. From there, he quickly sank a pair of freebies, then just about every shot he took. 7-10 from the field for a playoff career-high 20 points, the only Laker to hit double digits not named "Kobe," " Bean," or "Bryant." The three ball he canned with just under 120 seconds to go (on the heels of a very rushed brick to boot) was nothing short of ginormous. Vujacic's spark off the bench wasn't just vital. It was literally life saving for a team that couldn't get much going at all.
In addition to adding some good D to the mix, The Machine also provided the game's single funniest and weirdest moment. As the third quarter's final seconds ticked away, Sasha found himself on the wrong end of an Eddie House forearm while pressuring his way towards the ball. Vujacic hit the deck, then immediately jumped up, got in House's face for a brief second, then just as he looked like he was about to head butt Mike Bibby's brother-in-law (trivia alert!), he jetted off to guard his man. Very bizarre. I couldn't tell exactly what was happening from our nose bleed perch, but it read like, "Eddie House, you're lucky I have a defensive assignment to attend to, because otherwise, we'd have words, sir!!!" Classic Sasha. He also deserves props for recovering from a KG screen that left him absolutely leveled. For a few seconds, The Face wandered the court like he was punch drunk. - The Defense: The Lakers' offense may have been ugly, but it was Giselle-smokin'-hot compared to the 35% shooting Boston scrounged up. Credit the Lakers for not allowing their woes on one end of the court to translate into continual defensive lapses. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce combined to sink a scant 8-35 of their attempts, which obviously went a long way in securing the Laker win. Credit Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol and Ronny Turiaf for The Big Ticket often operating from mid-range and beyond, while Kobe, as mentioned earlier, played a big role in checking Pierce. Ray Allen may have been hot (8-13 for 25 points), but if future nights feature The Big Three as a solo operation, the Lakers will always be in the ball game.
- The Bench: Tonight, "the mob" finally represented like they were part of the five families (a "Godfather" reference, for those unschooled in their "Barzini"). Outside of Sasha, they didn't paint the scoring column much, but everyone brought something to the table while on the court. Jordan Farmar had four boards, five dimes, a high wire block, a handful of nice defensive moments and fired up the crowd by going nose to neck with P.J. Brown (since that's as high as he reaches on the guy) after a loose ball scrum. A couple of the Taft alum's boards came courtesy of taps from Ronny Turiaf, who added a couple of swats and forced KG into some difficult (and missed) shots. Trevor Ariza got more minutes, drilled his first jumper, and looked a little more in the swing of things (although the rust is hardly gone). And while Luke Walton still isn't coming through offensively (dude needs to start making those layups pronto), he set up Farmar beautifully on a very patient pick and roll and held his own defensively, forcing traveling called on Brown and Leon Powe. Most importantly, they played like a unit, which we haven't seen this series.
THE BAD
- The starting front court: When your Lawrence Tanter-introduced small and power forwards combine for more fouls (9) than points (7), that generally ain't a good thing. Any hopes that home cooking would immediately 180 the struggles experienced by Vlad Radmanovic and Lamar Odom since the series inception were anything but realized. Vlad one upped Game 2's quick pair of fouls by racking a trio before taking a first-quarter seat. Three minutes into the second half, he picked up a fourth foul after basically leaning on Kendrick Perkins, providing absolutely no resistance against a converted layup. From there, he grabbed some wood and didn't reenter the game. LO made an even quicker first-quarter exit, with two whistles coming in less than five minutes of play. His second quarter became a cameo after a third foul came in a mind boggling 23 seconds. After kicking off the second half with precisely zero points, Lamar proceeded to miss six of his eight attempts and turn the ball over a startling four times. Yes, there were nine rebounds and four dimes to ease his pain, but similar to treating a broken foot with Aspirin, it's only going to feel so good.
- Free throws: 21-34 for an inspiring 62% (rounded up). Kobe Bryant was uncharacteristically off, hitting only 11 of his 18 tries. If this was how the Lakers would have shot the ball had Game 2's reffing crew been a little more kind to them, we can all stop complaining. Farmar noted after the game how, despite their muddy production, had they been better at the stripe, Boston would have been blown out. I can't decide if that makes me feel more relieved or disappointed.
THE MIXED BAG
- Pau Gasol: On one hand, he grabbed a dozen boards and converted a couple of huge putbacks as the game wound down. On the other, he was 3-8 from the line, 3-9 from the field, missed some undeniable bunnies around the rim and didn't block a shot. Gasol did enough to make his presence matter, but not nearly enough to make it truly felt.
AUDIO
- Trevor Ariza: Download trevor_ariza_postgame_boston_3.mp3
- Lamar Odom: Download lamar_odom_postgame_boson_3.mp3
- Jordan Farmar (who perhaps reads the blog, since he busts the "GHE/GHF" lingo): Download jordan_farmar_postgame_boston_3.mp3
- Ronny Turiaf (with some good stuff about the bench's improved cohesiveness at home and the defensive chatter between him and Walton): Download ronny_turiaf_postgame_3.mp3
AK
CBuck,
You're not going to start stalking Luke Walton now, are you?
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 11, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Grim reality Laker fans...
I dont believe the Lakers are a better team at this point.
We have the best player on the court. they have the next best 3.
Kobe - #1
PP - #2
Kg - #3
RA - #4
Gasol - #5
Odom - #6
1,5,6 = 12 / 3 = 4 = L.A.
2,3,4 = 9 / 3 = 3 = Boston.
Unless Kobe goes gonzo the rest of the series we are done, becuz CLEARLY Gasol/Odom can not be depended on.
Thus, Odom must be a 6th man next year and Gasol must move down to PF. Odom must take a paycut or get traded. I hate to say it, but his true colors are showing vs. the top competition.
I dont want you to dominate K.G. but at least show up. Odom is shriveling before our eyes.
Give Sasha the full $5 mill mid-level, he deserves it.
Trade Radman for a 2015 2nd round pick. He's worthless.
Posted by: Korey | June 11, 2008 at 08:22 AM
Hobittmage:"1 down. 3 to go. Go Lakers!"
HOBBITMAGE IN THE HOUSE!! Where you been brother?
Long time.
Posted by: mamba24 | June 11, 2008 at 08:23 AM
*_________________________*
GET OFF LO'S BACK. GET OFF
PAU'S BACK. BANDWAGON
*________________________*
(01) JustAnotherMambaFan - Owner
(02) Mamba24 - Driver
Posted by: | June 11, 2008 at 08:25 AM
Jack Nickolson:"I am sick of David Stern fixing the game."
Hey jack I was worried about you last night. That one time
it looked like you were having a stroke. Jack Nickolson
the King of Cool. I couldn't believe it.
Posted by: Mamba24 | June 11, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Bill Plaschke,
Yes, we won. And we're winning on Thursday.
The beautiful Lakers have learned how to win ugly, and as a result of that knowledge, we are going to win this series.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 11, 2008 at 08:31 AM
FROM PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
BONJOUR GUYS,
NO TIME TO WASTE! NO TIME TO WASTE! NO TIME TO WASTE!= PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE=WIN #2
WHEN I WOKE UP THIS MORNING, I SAID TO MYSELF THAT I NEED TO MAKE A KEEN EYE ON SOME PLAYERS OF OUR TEAM AT THE GAME LAST NIGHT CUZ NOW EVERY GAME IS A FINAL FOR US= FOCUS,DETERMINATION AND STRENGHT:
ODOM, ODOM, ODOM: BABY, IT'S TIME TO BE CONSISTENT, YOU HAVE TO SHOW THE VERSATILE YOU ARE IN EVERY GAME. FOR GAME #4, YOU HAVE TO SHOW US THE REASON WHY YOU WANT TO BE A LAKER FOR LIFE. WE EXPECT A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT FROM YOU FOR THAT FINAL CRUCIAL GAME. LOVE TO YOU!!
GAZOL, GAZOL, GAZOL, CORAZON, TIENES QUE TOMAR EL BALON CON MAS FUERZAS Y DEFENDERTE COMO UN LEO CONTRA LOS CELTICS. TU QUIERES GANAR, CIERTO, GAME#4 ES LA OPPORTUNIDAD DE TU VIDA. SHOW US THE LUCK YOU BRING US DESDE FEBRERO. MUCHO AMOR!!
SACHA, YOU ARE THE RAT AS THE LAKERS AND I= OUR YEAR, OUR TIME= KEEP THE MOMENTUM, SWEETY. BIG KISSES!!
PHIL, PHIL, PHIL, THE MASTER, WHY DON'T YOU USE ALL THE BIG GUYS TO BLIND THOSE CELTICS? WE CAN BEAT THEM IN OUR GLAMOUR WAY. BIG KISSES!!!
KOBE, MY MAN, WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT YOU CUZ YOU ARE A VIRGO LIKE ME WHO KNOWS HOW TO REALIZE A DREAM BUT MI VIDA, AFTER TWO LOSSES BALL FROM YOUR TEAMMATES, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE NEXT ONE QUICKLY= NO TIME TO WASTE, YOU KNOW THAT TOO.BISOUS GRANDE
PRATICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE= WIN#2
LOVE TO OUR TEAM AND TO ALL
SHEKOBE FOREVER
Posted by: SHEKOBE | June 11, 2008 at 08:33 AM
Jon K,
Just to clarify, your comments should have been directed to "Chuck," not "CBuck," who is a different reader.
I agree that Walton's inability to convert around the rim needs to improved upon (as I noted in the breakdown), but like you say, he played well, all in all. In particular, his work defensively was a plus.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | June 11, 2008 at 08:34 AM
Good Morning Fam,
Ok, Pau this, Lamar that. We got the W. Off to the next game and it's time to tie the series.
Love it or Leave it Alone. 4 the Hard Way!
Posted by: Charles | June 11, 2008 at 08:40 AM
Just a note to Mr. Jordan Farmar:
Kudos to the heart and grit you showed by not backing down from PJ Brown. I can only hope that your other team mates took note of the incident.
Posted by: sixonezero | June 11, 2008 at 08:54 AM
Phil Jackson accomplished something finally last night - he figured out how to compete without help from either his starting center or power forward!
Odum and Ga-Shawl took how long to score a FG? AHAHAHA!!!
Nice FT shooting kobee! Time to get ahold of a Steve GNASH DVD and learn the art of FT shooting - it's a basic skill that every MVP should have in their repertoire!
You can bet Pierce and KG will not be having such bad games come Thursday, so last night represented the best chance for a laker win. It was to be expected what with the favorable officiating and home crowd.
Eddie House had the game won last night, and Ray Allen just didn't see him wide open - a very lucky sequence for the confused laker D. You don't leave Eddie House wide open!
Try to represent the West Conf with more pride next time, and for goodness sakes, get that center and PF some decent coaching and maybe a brain wave test!
The SUNS would be up 2-1 in this series right now..
Posted by: BUTLER | June 11, 2008 at 08:57 AM
Charles,
We won DESPITE Gasol and Odom's complete lack of offensive production.
And terrible foul shooting.
Why? The Machine (aka "The Terminator--Slovenian Edition").
Thank you, Sasha!
Gasol and Odom won't stay down. Last night was ugly, but it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL to me. That was the game we needed to play. If we could have played THAT ugly in 2004, we would have won the Championship.
Thank you God for letting us win that ugly! Thank you!
This is going to be the ugliest Championship the Lakers EVER win! I can't wait!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 11, 2008 at 09:01 AM
Garnett should have fouled out in the 3rd quarter. He committed a moving screen on every pick and roll they ran. I know it's the finals, but those were some obvious fouls.
Posted by: Paul S | June 11, 2008 at 09:03 AM
My goodness was this game funny. Flabby Liar (Pierce) was pwned by KOBE. Four pts? HA HA. Rondo was getting schooled by FISH, so he faked an injury, ala "You can't handle the Truth." Vujacic OWNED you man; call him Euro trash now! What a performance! He's clearly one of the game's greatest shooters. Phil has figured out the Pathetics and now nothing can stop LA. Four straight easy victories and the first of 3-4 straight titles are INEVITABLE. Get ready to feel worse than when the ball went through Buckner's legs, Boston fans.
Boston=losers!
And the Lakers proved that it is THEY, not the Pathetics, that can play outstanding Defense.
The Pathetics justified the name. KG is a SISSY. I get to attend game 4 with my buddies and we have a "KG = SISSY" banner. I hope it makes it onto TV. And we're going to chant "SIS-SY, SIS-SY" evey time KG touches the ball.
We're going to harass the Keltic fans that dare to show their faces. It's going to be so much fun.
Another Laker Dynasty....as I call it, Dynasty V!
I=Minneapolis
II=Lakers of West, Baylor, etc.
III-Magic's
IV=Shaq/Kobe
V=Kobe/Pau
We'll four-peat!
Posted by: Lakers_Unstoppable | June 11, 2008 at 09:04 AM
GOOD MORNING LAKER NATION....
DOES ANY ONE WANT TO COMMENT ON HOW THE MACHINE DEFENDED PAUL PEIRCE... I THOUGHT... WE HAVE SOMETHING THERE... IT WAS A FEW POSITIONS BUT... I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING... WHAT U GUYS THINK????
Posted by: sisco | June 11, 2008 at 09:05 AM
2-14 shooting. 6 points. 5 fouls. Turns out that age old saying is accurate:
THE TRUTH HURTS!
Regarding LO - it's kinda difficult for anybody to get their rhythm in a game when they're getting fouls called on them within the FIRST 2 MINUTES OF EVERY FRIGGIN QUARTER! Darn right LO's scared! Man's just trying to do his job on defense and everytime he jumps within the vicinity of a Boston defender, he gets whistled up. No way that's not affecting his game...
...but, on the other hand, remember my post game comments: the (Laker) kingdom suffereth violence. The violent must TAKE IT BY FORCE!
Lord, we submit a special prayer for Lamar Odom today. Just as Pau Gasol had to accept the truth that Tim Duncan and the Spurs weren't gonna give him anything, LO must realize that neither Boston nor David Stern's Zebra Mob isn't gonna give him anything either. He must TAKE HIS GAME! More important, he must conquer the fear that exists within him - and it DOES EXIST!
But You, Lord, have not given us a spirit of fear. Fear comes from the evil one. The way that You have taught us to overcome our fears is by facing them head on. For a child to rmaster riding a bike, he must overcome his fear of falling off of it. For a man to learn to swim, he must overcome his fear of drowning. For LO to play with the GREATNESS that enabled him to help us get to this point, he must overcome his fear of getting fouls called on him.
You did not bring LO this far to leave him, Lord. You did not bring him through the losses of his mother, grandmother and infant son to let him cower, choke and disappear in our time of need. YOUR GREATNESS IS WITHIN HIM, LORD! Starting now - from practice, to the review of game film right on down to Thursday's game and the rest of the series, grant LO the strength to GET OUT OF HIS OWN WAY and to FULLY EMBRACE THE GREATNESS that You have placed within him.
We, the true Laker fans of LA Times Lakers Blog, offer our repentance for losing faith in LO and our team as a whole and we ask You to forgive us. We are afraid, for we desperately want to win this championship. But we have allowed our fears to overcome us in the heat of battle and we berate and belittle our beloved players. Yes, our guys must play like they've never played before to overcome ALL OF THE OBSTACLES set before us, but help each and every one of us realize that they need our support and our POSITIVE energy.
May Thursday's game crowd cheer our guys on like never before. May our cheers and support tear the roof off of Staples Center. May our support and unity carry our Lakers through to wins in Games 4 and 5...and when we return to the belly of the beast in Boston, may our spirits ring true in our players' hearts as we SHUT DOWN and CLOSE OUT BOSTON ON THEIR HOME FLOOR. May we not be put to shame. May You lead us to cheer for our guys and may You lead us on to victory. It is ALREADY DONE and we PRAISE YOU NOW FOR ANSWERED PRAYER!
AMEN!
Posted by: utzworld - THE BANNER HOLDER | June 11, 2008 at 09:09 AM
I have to give Kobe credit for improving in every game this series.It seems he has finally figured the Celtics out.The bad thing is I can't say the same for the rest of his team.I have loved his supporting cast all year but it seems in the postseason as defenses get tougher they seem to struggle more and more.I guess SA and Boston deserve alot of credit for playing outstanding defense against the Lakers.
I always thought Sasha was gonna be an X factor in this postseason.Last night he was by far the second most important Laker after Kobe.
Posted by: jf | June 11, 2008 at 09:10 AM
When I picked my gf's kid up from school I was horrified to see that he was wearing a green t-shirt. I had brought his Kobe jersey for him to wear but that green t-shirt under it definitely drew some stares at the arena. I got him a sheet of NBA team logo stickers and he promptly put the Celtics sticker on the bottom of his shoe so he could stomp on them and show his allegiance.
There were lots of Celtic fans at Staples and especially in my section. There wasn't really much of a buzz in the arena - more like a wait-and-see attitude.
The ownership generally conducts itself with a lot of class in how the game is presented. Evidence of that was on display last night when they opted to make the giant pre-starting-line-up video about the many battles that the Lakers and Celtics have had rather than just putting highlights over lots of screaming and fireworks. It gave you the sense that this is a story that didn't begin this year, nor will it end this year. It's just another chapter.
Last night's chants of choice:
"M-V-P" for Kobe
"Bulls**t" for the refs
"Boston sucks"
"Wheelchair" for Pierce and Rondo
Even though Boston was public enemy no 1, Pau was clearly public enemy no 2 last night. His indecision on the low block and missed free throws really frustrated the crowd. He redeemed himself with cleaning up LO's misses late but his inability to match-up against KG or Perkins highlights how much the team needs Bynum to come back healthy and provide what Pau cannot - interior intimidation on both ends.
Because of my disdain for the soft-double that leads to wide open looks, I yelled "STOP DOUBLING!" early on. My gf's kid yelled it as well but unfortunately it was when Fish was shooting free throws.
NBA TV had a crew of guys walking around wearing screens on their chests showing NBA action. The NBA had merch stands set up outside the arena and across the street to sell Finals stuff. There was also a nice bar/lounge set up outside in the LA Live courtyard.
About 6 sections in the upper decks were set aside for media. Each table had a little desk light giving it a night club/dinner theater vibe when combined with the lighting system that leaves the seats dark but the floor lit up
David Cook sang the National Anthem and was horrible. Quick Change did the halftime show and was great.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 11, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Still waitning on Pau and LO. KB24 needs a little help to finish off the celts. The Lakers played some eastern conference ball last night and won. They beat the celts at their game. Aggressive teams don't play well when the aggression comes back at them. Now the Lakers need to take it up a notch. LO needs to stop flipping up lay ups and try to pull the rim down. He needs to get his fire back. Don't be suprised when the Lakers win in 6
Posted by: Oldschool | June 11, 2008 at 09:22 AM
IS IT ONLY ME OR You GUYS NOTICED AS WELL:
It seems espn analysts, Mike Wilbon, Scott and forget that kids name whose brother plays for the Spurs, all seem to be pro Celtics... even the loud mouth Stephen Smith is on Celtics bandwagon.
Is it me or the Celtics are really that good that Lakers were hyped up to only be led to slaughter at the hands of Celtics..so that the Celtics would look great at the expense of the Lakers..
Is it me or I noticed that there were many instances through out the game that I saw how Bynum would have made the difference.. BUT we must win the title this year..
Is it me of espn analyst Timn Leg.... is a huge Celtic fans and does not think laker will win..
Props to Shasha and the rest of the bench mob..
is it me or eveyone agrees that Lakes still have not played their best ball in the finals series yet like they did against the Utah anb Spurs..
So looking ahead and one huge consolation is that Lakers STILL HAVE NOT PLAYED THEIR BEST GAME YET.. so watch out..
is it me or
Posted by: is it me or | June 11, 2008 at 09:23 AM
utzworld - THE BANNER HOLDER,
Amen.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 11, 2008 at 09:24 AM
We should cut some slack for Odom and Pau. Their lack of offensive productivity is a direct result of much energy spent at the defensive end. This also explains why Pau and Kobe were missing their shots at the stripe. They all played hard and came up on top, that's what really counts. Besides. I am sure their chest hair has grown quite a bit after last night's game.
By the way, when Rodo went down, I thought Doc River was trying to pull off another Paul Pierce acting job, except this time it wouldn't work without their home crowd behind them.
Posted by: Robyn | June 11, 2008 at 09:24 AM
BAD CALL
Stern asked the court for 1mil in restitution from Donaghy.
Stern would have payed double that to keep him out of the press last night.
Posted by: Vman | June 11, 2008 at 09:29 AM
Banner Holder,
That PRAYER was once again great, last night I had to shut down the blog on my computer before all that negativity overrided my confidence in us winning...I actually started to type how powerful words are then decided against doing so...and channel my positive energy to my team...we are winning this series despite what others feel, HE never said it would be easy but I certainly know that HIS words are SURE AND TRUE...
IT'S ALREADY DONE!
Posted by: BocaLakerGurl | June 11, 2008 at 09:31 AM
sisco,
In compliment to your post, callers and the host Matt Money Smith were talking about the smaller lineup on AM570's Lakers line last night.
Jon K,
Thanks for the reply brother! Dit Da Jon!
lakers_sth,
Thank you for the update! Love that insider info!
Posted by: Charles | June 11, 2008 at 09:32 AM
Butler,
The Suns would be up 2-1?
The Suns who lost to the Spurs in 5? To the Spurs who lost to the Lakers in 5?
The Suns would have been the first team ever to lose the Finals in three games.
Posted by: FatSam | June 11, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Good morning everybody...all together now...EXHALE!!!
Tough game on all fronts last night but I'm glad we pulled it out. Boston fans are reeling at the fact that Pierce and KG were off and they still had a chance to win but I noticed how conveneiently they ommitted the fact that 4 of our starters struggled.
Expect Thursday to be a much better and close game. Lakers have to stay aggresive.
Lamar needs to play through his fouls...we need his to be agressive and stay on the floor.Pau really needs to be much more agressive on rebounding...a few points would help but I'd rather see him play tough defense inside and grab more rebounds. Fisher...love the guy but he hasn't been on point in 3 games. Sasha...welcome back...don't go anywhere. Jordan...good game. Vlad...I just don't know what to say. Ariza...we need him on the floor more. Ronny...need just little more ooomph. Kobe...nothing needs to be said except MVP!!!
Looking forward to Thursday...another must win for us.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: EastCoastJessie | June 11, 2008 at 09:35 AM
Good Morning All,
Here's what I'm still frustrated over and just dont get... Lamar is taking HIMSELF out of the games by committing silly "reach in" fouls and shooting jumpers.. that ISNT his game. Although the jumpers are needed to keep the defense honest, the reach in fouls make little to no sense when watching the replay telecast. It isnt like LO is chopped liver on the defensive side of the ball, dude CAN play Defense and Block Shots!!! just seems THIS series, he and Vlad have gotten ahold of some killer bud and celebrate BEFORE Tip Off.. They Both appear lost and erractic at best.
Pau? Look, I know you cant make a Jetta, a Porsche but when you have EVERY Celtic big pretty much, pushing Pau out of the way, muscling him up underneath, tossing him around like a rag doll. At what point does your own intestinal fortitude kick in and fight back? Marc Jackson NAILED It last night.. Pau DOESNT set himself when he's at the rim, he relies too much on his height and length and rarely this series, has he played with a sense of urgency. Theres NO WAY KG "should've" blocked his shot at the rim without drawing a foul, but HE DID !! Why? because it was WEAK !!! Plain and Simple. Even the last 4th qtr tip in was more Luck, than Pau actually showing grit and being determined.
I'm thankful for the W and the rebounds Lamar and Pau grabbed in game 3, having said that, you're kidding yourself if you think we can win a title this year without Pau, Lamar and Vlad playing Laker Basketball!!! Those 3 will be KEY for game 4. I dont expect PP and KG to have back to back sucky games although from what I saw last night, it was a combo of Good D and bad shot selection from those 2. I guess I'm still pissed that Farmar had to show OUR Bigs, how to match the intensity level of the Celts by not backing down, regardless of the opponents size ( PJ Brown would've Crushed Jordan in a fight, but Jordan stuck up for himself and I doubt if PJ bothers him again this series ) So far, I've only seen that type of intense play from ONE Laker Big when being pushed around. Unfortunately, we wont have Andrew Bynum back until next season.
I Bleed Purple and Gold and I WONT be a part of any "trade' L.O and Pau bandwagons after the season. Win or Lose.. PERIOD.. but I'm not gonna pretend all is well with their individual play either. I EXPECT This from Vlad, he's more of a gamble but LO. and Pau? No.. It isnt acceptable in the Finals.
Posted by: complex brotha | June 11, 2008 at 09:36 AM
That was an awful game by both teams last night. Someone said that neither team could run their offense's consistently and it reallywas true. No offense to either team, but they really aren't looking very championship level.KG was a joke with his "trying to play PG" act. Gasol is , without a doubt, the softest 7 footer I have ever seen. How a guy can get the ball directly below the basket and want to float the ball into the net is beyond me. No aggressive nature whatsoever and even though he is considered an ideal fit for the triangle I would much rather have a bruiser in his slot next year at power forward. I don't see the shooting accuracy from the top of the key he is supposed to have. He's plays scared alot and is slow to put his shot up. LO ..he thinks he's better than he really is. He's out of control out there a lot..and also out of rhythm with his decisions. Doesn't a guy named Fisher play for the Lakers? He shoudl be having a field day out there and he's barely noticealble..
Anyway, I expect teh Celts to win this in 6. The Lakers look like a team that is finding out that youth only carries you so far. An excellent season for them nonetheless but I am immensely disppointed in Gaso, LO, Fisher, Walton, Vlad Rad (pathetic and geekily awkward), ..With their key guys not stepping up the road to future championships looks a lot cloudier than when they knocked off some very good WC teams leading up to the finals.
Posted by: Rob D | June 11, 2008 at 09:37 AM
Great win last night.
The small lineup we always use in the 4th, with Farmar and Sasha Kobe Pau and Lamar in, seems to be our best lineup so far against the Celtics.
What about starting Farmar and Sasha instead of Rad and Fish, and bring them in off the bench?
Posted by: john_in_houston | June 11, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Paul S,
In compliment to your post...
I was with Laker Legacy and JSNV at McCormick & Schmick's in downtown LA and thats what we were talking about: the moving screens KG was setting. Over and over. Did you see Paul Pierces two pivot feet?
Posted by: Charles | June 11, 2008 at 09:38 AM
The tone for this game was set early for it to be an ugly game even before it started. Why did the Lakers allow this Cook guy from American Idol who admitted in the pre-game interview that he was a Celtics fan perform the National Anthem. Then why did the Lakers put so much Boston Celtics crap in there pregame montage that really bothered me.
Posted by: Ken | June 11, 2008 at 09:44 AM
We won last night's game, but there is still a tough road ahead. We're playing the best defensive team we've face the entire postseason and we need to figure out a way to be more effective on offense. We need to find ways to get LO the ball on cuts to the basket rather than off the dribble.
LO and Pau need to go to the Andrew Bynum school of Throwing the Damn Ball Down and top with these sissy layups. Most importantly, we need to maintain our defensive effort, knowing that we won't be able to score our usual 110 points against these guys. They're bigger and tougher, but with effort and skill we can make up that difference enough for Kobe to win the game in the end like he did last night.
Posted by: Xodus | June 11, 2008 at 09:47 AM
CHARLES...
THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE... YEA I WAS HEARING THAT FOR A BIT... AND IT DID WORK OUT WELL... HOPEFULLY WE SEE MORE OF THAT!!!
THANKS PAL....
Posted by: sisco | June 11, 2008 at 09:49 AM
And they called him the MACHINE! I told you guys he was good!
Posted by: Elle | June 11, 2008 at 09:50 AM
If this were a script, game 3 was simply been about the Lakers proving to themselves that they could beat the Celtics. Game 4 will be about proving the Celtics are vulnerable. Game 5 will be a dogfight for control of the series.
They didn't practice, they just watched lots of film, probably went over some things Tuesday morning on the court and came out last night with a few simple instructions to follow - the main one defensively being to eliminate Boston's "daggers" those 3-pointers in transition and the main one offensively to be more aggressive and try to draw fouls.
My prediction is that practice today will be about adjusting the offense to solve some of the things that Boston does defensively - much like what they did against San Antonio. I think in game 4, we'll start to see the Lakers chip away against Boston's defense and find a lot more success. If they can win game 4 and even up the series then Boston will look more vulnerable and game 5 will either be a dogfight or the Celtics will put up a good fight but might concede early with the knowledge that, even though they'll be facing elimination, they play a lot better at home.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 11, 2008 at 09:51 AM
Ken,
"Why did the Lakers allow this Cook guy from American Idol who admitted in the pre-game interview that he was a Celtics fan perform the National Anthem."
Tar and Feathers. Ok maybe that's too much. Duct tape, rope and another singer while he watches on the ground?
Posted by: Charles | June 11, 2008 at 09:53 AM
Is the series being turned in our favor?
Lakers defense would indicate part of that is true.
First, Pau Gasol's 'long arms of the law' defense of Kevin Garnett.
KG field goal percentage:
Reg. Season... 50%
Playoffs.......... 50%
Laker series.....35%
Since the 1st half of game one:
KG is 15-52 for 28%
Its more of a trend and not a shooting slump.
1. Gasol is forcing KG to arc his shots more
2. KG is spending a lot of energy on D and D reb. Tiring him out on offense, especially as the game progresses. He's settling for more outside shots
[Pau is shooting 53% for Celts series.]
Duncan shot 42% for Lakers series and 50% for reg season. So this is a 'Pau Pattern'
Lakers continue trend of holding teams to shooting a -5% off of reg season percentage.
Denver -5%
Utah -6%
SAS -5%
Bos -5%
Lakers D is forcing C's to miss shots, but has been leading to more off. reb. opportunities for C's. but are now doing a better job on boards.
Celtics missed 54 shots to the Lakers 29, plus Lakers a missed a lot of FT's. creating even more reb ops for C's
Off. Rebs.
Celts 14; 5 of those were off of missed FT attempts
Lakers 9
So , if Celts continue to shoot at 42% and Lakers at 46%, TO's are equal, offensive put backs are now equal, Lakers will continue to control series.
Fatty's infallible predictions:
C's continuing to falter in 4th
Game four: Lakers win
Game five: Lakers give Father's Day gift of a blowout to Lakers Dads (Celts will be crying for their mommies to save them in boston)
I will be traveling to Socal (Santa Barbara) for the next 5 days. If you happen to see a Buick Lucerne decorated with Lakers stuff and pieces of Celtics fans stuck in my grill, that's me.
Don't forget to wave or honk your horn.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | June 11, 2008 at 09:53 AM
Good morning Laker family around the Globe,
Three more wins to go.
I see that I am Public Enemy #1 to some of you for calling out Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol. Well, their contributions were lacking in the context of their roles on the team. And you can't blame their performance in Game 3 on the refs.
The Lakers had five or six guys in double figures in most of the team's wins, this season. In Game 3, only Kobe and Sasha provided the bulk of the offense.
Yes, Gasol had 12 rebounds, but that was on an off-night for KG. The Celtics gave a lot of credit to the Lakers' Defense, and that certainly can't be overlooked.
But at the start of Game 4, you're not likely to see Lamar or Pau in the ABC/ESPN highlights reel. Truthfully, the highlights reel is the definitive record of what happened.
I've already uttered Utz's prayer for LO several times. I will continue to repeat it. We should all offer one up for Pau, as well. The trophy won't return to LA without the efforts of which both are capable. Kobe's got too many miles on his legs at this point to take us to the promised land without them.
Sasha was the needed "X-Factor" in Game 3. Who will be the "X-Factor" in games 4. 5. 6. and maybe 7? Pau and LO still have time. This is our team. This is our year. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 11, 2008 at 09:55 AM
So, the Celtics feel great about having had a chance to win Game 3, even after Pierce and Garnett played like you-know-what. But Pau and Odom had worse games than those two, and the Lakers shot free throws like grade-schoolers. So I'm not sure where the Celtics' sense of contentment is coming from. According to a Yahoo! article by Johnny Ludden, here's the post-Game 3 mindset of the Celtics: Is this the best the Lakers can do? Actually, Johnny, it's not. But I'm starting to wonder if we've seen the best from the Celtics, who have looked a bit worn down since the 4th quarter of Game 2.
Pierce said, "Our mind set is still to take two games in Los Angeles." Right. But seriously, how much hope can he possibly have that a team with a 2-8 road record in the playoffs will beat a team with an undefeated home record (and who hasn't lost at Staples since March 28) even once in the next two games? Add to that the fact that Pierce looks injured (and has shot abysmally on the road throughout the playoffs) and Garnett suddenly looks tired.
A fatigued Boston can't afford to let this get to a Game 7, particularly since they would have to play Games 5, 6 and 7 in a span of five days. Also, nobody yet knows who David Stern has hand-picked to win the championship (haha). Actually, the main reason the Celtics can't afford to let this get to a Game 7 is because of the existence of one Kobe Bryant, the only player (maybe besides Lebron) who can alter the outcome of a game by himself.
Posted by: greenpaz | June 11, 2008 at 09:56 AM
I loved how PJ Brown scared farmar! Little jordan scurried off with his tail between his legs!
Posted by: BUTLER | June 11, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Not only does Donaghy reveal that the NBA is rigged, but he tells specifically that the lakers were engineered to get past the Kings in 2002!
Nice legacy, lakers!
Of course,without SHACK on that team, the lakers aren't even in the playoffs.
Posted by: BUTLER | June 11, 2008 at 10:05 AM
I think that the players intro sucked and was a real downer.
Staples NEEDS to learn how to pump up the crowd al la Detroit Style or ANY OTHER ARENA style.
janaya
Posted by: janaya | June 11, 2008 at 10:06 AM
In the spirit of "analyze what they want to do and take it away from them" here are some thoughts:
Ray Allen - He does two things. He comes off screens to shoot 3s. If that's not there for him, he continues along the same path and penetrates towards the basket looking for whoever is open as the defense scrambles to recover. A harder "show" by the big on those picks would probably solve both. Even if Ray gives the ball back to the big who set the screen (probably KG) it'll be on the perimeter and I'll take my chances with KG shooting those long jumpers all night long.
KG - His jumpers fall with a lot more consistency at home. As long as LO, Pau or Ronny can keep a body on him as he works in the post, he'll probably opt for the jumper 7 times out of 10. Something the Lakers haven't done yet is to have one of the guards, not double per se, but step over and see if they can get a hand in there and disrupt the dribble. Fish is very good at this and he had a lot of success doing that against Utah. Basically do whatever's necessary to keep KG away from the basket when he has the ball which, in turn, will keep him from getting offensive boards.
Paul Pierce - You can't count on Pierce getting in foul trouble every night so the best thing to do on him is what they're already doing - give him a lot of different looks (Vlad, Luke, Ariza, Kobe) and keep him from draining those "dagger" 3s.
On the post-game, Money was talking about how Kobe guarded Rondo and let Fish chase Ray - which allowed Kobe to play more free safety considering Rajon's jumpshot isn't that great and he's not likely to burn you. If Rondo can't go on Thursday, you can't really use that same philosophy against House. Even though Eddie takes ill-advised shots, he's a shooter and can get really hot.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 11, 2008 at 10:09 AM
New formula for success in the finals:
Kobe outscores 1 of the big 3...
and the MACHINE outscores the other two.
sweeeeeet.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | June 11, 2008 at 10:10 AM
I was interested to know what AK and BK think about Game 6 against the Kings in the 2002 playoffs being fixed. Has anyone here watched the game with new eyes in light of the revelations?
Posted by: J-dawg | June 11, 2008 at 10:13 AM
More about the lakers' false title in 2006:
The Lakers attempted 40 free throws to the Kings' 25 in that game, and Los Angeles made 21-of-27 from the line while Sacramento converted 7-of-9 in the fourth quarter alone.
In addition, a foul was called against Mike Bibby of the Kings after he was shoved and elbowed by Kobe Bryant, denying the Kings an opportunity to try for a tying basket. Also in that game, Kings centers Vlade Divac and Scot Pollard fouled out, and Kings coach Rick Adelman was highly critical of the officiating afterward.
"My first thought [upon hearing Donaghy's allegation] was: I knew it," Pollard said Tuesday night. "I'm not going to say there was a conspiracy. I just think something wasn't right. It was unfair. We didn't have a chance to win that game."
Posted by: BUTLER | June 11, 2008 at 10:15 AM
In game 1, Boston Big 3 all played well, none of LA's Big 3 played well, Celtics win by 10.
In game 2, One of Boston Big 3 played well plus a bench player - Powe, only Kobe of LA's Big 3 played well, Celtics win by 6.
In game 3, One of Boston's Big 3 played well, only Kobe of LA's Big 3 played well plus Sasha off the bench and Lakers win by 6.
As much as I would like the Lakers to blow out the Celtics or win the series 4-1, 4-2, etc., what the first 3 games have shown is that we have two very closely matched teams this year. And conspiracy or not, the series is likely to go to 7 Games.
If someone is not a fan of either team, this would be a great Finals series. Two even teams fighting it out in close games every game, with the team who is tougher mentally and able to be more consistent over a long 7 game series winning the whole thing. Sure, it's been ugly basketball, but the NBA Finals has always been ugly basketball even during the showtime era. This is going to be a test of endurance, a marathon, since neither team has clearly a better set of players. Even Rivers has been holding his own vs. PJ, something I didn't expect.
At some point, Odom and Gasol are going to get it together. Obviously, neither is yet completely at home in the glare of the Finals spotlight. It may still happen this year but if not, wait until next year. Remember even Worthy and Magic had big turnovers and bad games in the 1984 Finals versus Boston yet Laker management didn't trade either one and the Lakers finally beat Boston in the 85 and 87 Finals. Odom and Gasol were instrumental in getting us the Western Conference crown and they're meeting the best team they've faced all year in Boston. We're not going to win the series unless Lamar and Pau get back their better games so we can only hope that they do. Despite their lack of point production yesterday, Odom had 9 rebounds and 4 asissts in only 28 minutes and Gasol had 12 rebounds, and both had a hand in taking Garnett and Pierce out of sync.
Lakers can put pressure on the Celtics by making a huge complaint about constant illegal screens set by Boston. It has always been a part of Finals tradition for a team to use the media to put pressure on the league office and the refs to make calls a certain way. Now, we can even use new media like Youtube to help put the pressure. Just the thought that the refs may become more strict on illegal screens will change Boston's rhythm enough to give Lakers an advantage in this very closely matched series. Also, a player like Allen relies a lot on screens so this would make him less of a factor.
I wonder why PJ has not even tried using Mihm yet. Is he in that bad a shape? Mihm was a former Celtic and probably feels comfortable playing in Boston plus he's got the experience. He might be useful against PJBrown who has been using his veteran savvy against the Lakers. I think a frontline of Mihm, Gasol and Odom might also be worth exploring and would match up well versus a frontline of Perkins/Brown, Garnett and Pierce. Also, PJ can try a tall backcourt of Kobe and Sasha which has been used before in other series.
Posted by: LakerinBC | June 11, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I said this before the finals started but it bears repeating.
During the regular season, the Lakers lost twice to the Celtics
because they don't play them very often, so there's no time to
adjust. They roll into down hacking and slashing and the refs
let it go because of their reputation as a great defensive team,
and they roll out of town with a win.
In a 7 game series, it ain't like that. It gives Phil time to make
adjustements. Adjustments like these:
In most of the playoffs, Kobe has spent the first half passing
to his teammates more than shooting, and taking an occational
outside jumper. Boston's aggressive defense has flustered
most of the rest of the Lakers, so they ended up in a hole. In game 3, Kobe came out attacking. So while Lamar
Odom and Rad got in early foul trouble, so did Paul Pierce
and Ray Allen. That opened things up a bit. I'm sure you'll
see more of Kobe being aggressive at the start of games
for the rest of the series.
The first four times the Lakers played the Celtics this season,
Fisher guarded Rondo and Kobe guarded Ray Allen. But
Fish is about as good as Kobe at chasing guys around screens,
and Kobe is MUCH better at harassing a point guard. Kobe's
defense clearly gave Rondo trouble. And the Celts weren't
cross-guarding, so Kobe totally schooled Rondo at the offensive
end.
Playing Kobe on Paul Pierce in critical parts of the game
was also an important change. Rad didn't play very good
defense against him, but Walton and Ariza and Kobe gave
Pierce just enough trouble that he had a bad game (and he
usually plays very well in L.A.)
And one last thing - make Rondo a shooter. If the Lakers
double team Rondo and he dishes to Leon Powe for a
dunk, that's an almost guaranteed two. If they stay single
coverage on Rondo, then Powe (not to mention Garnett,
Allen, and Pierce) doesn't get as many easy touches. Sure,
Rondo shot 4 of 8 with Kobe backing off of him, but I'd take
that over the Celtics getting 6 dunks and two wide open
3-pointers by Ray Allen on those 8 possessions.
Lakers in 6
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | June 11, 2008 at 10:26 AM
greenpaz
I liked what you said.
I've noticed PP is not elavating as well since that HORRORIFIC knee injury. His lateral D has weakened.
Perkins is not moving as well and his game is suffering since his ankle sprain. It shows on his D as well.
Kobe has a little more room to the basket and C's are not as quick on rotating out.
KG is not sustaining his high energy the entire game and it's showing on his continued poor shooting.
And now Rhondo man has a real sprain that may keep him out of the series or at least limit his driving to the hole and dish assists he usually gets.
C's are weakening, and the Lakers are starting to pound on them defensively.
The green wave is losing some of its power, and the Purple and Gold are starting to become a Tsunami driving them back to Boston.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | June 11, 2008 at 10:29 AM