Live from Staples- Lakers vs. Warriors
The Lakers are better than Golden State. Much better. But don't assume (despite all the weirdness in Oakland) Nellie's bunch won't come to play. The Warriors have won 10 of the 17 games in which Monta Ellis has played, including seven of nine. Moreover, an absurdly high scoring team is even more so with Ellis. In that aforementioned seven-of-nine stretch, only once have the Warriors failed to record more than 110 points. That they give up plenty is part of, but not the entire, equation.
The Lakers, if they're smart, can control the game in the interior, attacking the rack through post play and penetration to get looks that a) give LA points (everyone likes that), and b) make it tougher for GSW to run out. A little monastic discipline offensively would go a long way tonight.
Notes from pregame-
- Among the pregame talking points for the coaching staff to the players is to get the ball to LO and Pau early and often. (Clearly they read my scouting report.) I might add "and throughout the game."
- PJ, emphasizing he's neither a doctor, trainer, or someone who stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night, said going by the eyeball test, Andrew Bynum looks about a month away. That keeps him roughly in line with projections, and with Bynum's comments the other day.
- More from Jackson: If the guard play doesn't improve, Shannon Brown could get a little more PT. Adam Morrison, though, is still a "learner." That's PJ speak for "not gonna play right now."
- Derek Fisher, on whether or not he'd want Kobe on his jury: "No. No way. He's not merciful. All he knows is kill, kill, kill. Whatever I was on trial for, I'd be guilty." Fish was smiling, of course. Kobe had told the judge that one positive qualification for his service is that he's a good listener. Fish didn't disagree, though he did mention that listening and responding to what you're hearing aren't necessarily the same thing. "But we're all guilty of that one," he said. Again, with a laugh.
- Sun, reassigned to the D-League, won't accompany the team on the roadie.
Chat box below. See you at the tip.
BK
I vote for "we want tacos" (from the other thread)
This is my color scheme http://tinyurl.com/wewanttacos
Yeah it's photoshop, cause I ain't really painting my face for that!!! (You may have to have a facebook acct. to view, sorry)
Posted by: pslakerfan | March 19, 2009 at 07:15 PM
"About a month away" puts Drew's return at April 19th which gives him... "none more" regular season games to get re-implemented, re-acclimated, re-inserted and back into rhythm before the post-season.
I wonder if this year's first round will have a week in between games like last year's first round did. Hopefully, that will make the coaches feel better about getting Drew back in the mix.
Posted by: lakers_sth | March 19, 2009 at 07:42 PM
BE AWARE OF PORTLAND
Posted by: omega | March 19, 2009 at 07:42 PM
Hey pslakerfan - did the K-bros ever forward my email & phone number to you? Just checking...
Omega - we should have been aware on Tuesday. Kind of late now!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | March 19, 2009 at 07:49 PM
farmar and gasol, full episode of numb3rs, its actually a pretty short cameo. each has like 1-2 lines: http://tinyurl.com/dm2ey6
Posted by: laker hopeful | March 19, 2009 at 08:40 PM
omega -
the PORTLAND should be aware of the LAKERS.. lolz
Posted by: darkhangelsk | March 19, 2009 at 09:21 PM
Powell has absolutely sucked lately. And it seems like Farmar
is afraid to shoot. Several times he drove to where he would
have a good clean shot, and then turned it over trying to pass
to a teammate.
Good to see the Machine come out of his funk though.
Posted by: LongTimeLakerFan | March 19, 2009 at 10:11 PM
The Lakers were +11 with Sasha in.
Posted by: titejt | March 19, 2009 at 10:21 PM
OMFGod - I hope these freaking losers, lose int he first round to Portland!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They totally suck!!!! Can't put teams away - there is not way they win the finals....be surprised if they even make it that far.
Posted by: james | March 19, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Woo!
Good game guys. Looking forward to next year. Good luck in the playoffs.
Posted by: Joe | March 19, 2009 at 10:25 PM
Farmar brings bad chemistry.
Posted by: p ang | March 19, 2009 at 10:27 PM
Man david stern was really trying his best to make us loose this one. Kobe got to the line only once. And how many times do they foul Gasol? this game means that david has plans for the out come of the finals this year. He wants Spurs or Jazz to play Cavs in the finals man. Kobe to many turnovers but the guys put alot of effort i think. Im tierd of the regular season and want the playoffs to start but i hope i dont regret saying that.
Posted by: omega | March 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
As Phil Jackson would say:
Unimpressive win at Staples.
This one is for Laker Tom especially since he's been critical of Pau fans (he's one but I mean his opinion of Pau when it comes to the option thing):
Kobe Bryant 9-25
Pau Gasol: 9-15
Both scored 21ppg. Biggest Difference? Pau didn't force 10 extra shots.
LO surprisingly clutch in the 4th quarter.
Again critical of those of Pau's play: BE QUIET.
Bench mob stepped up. This time I'll give them credit. This was on the starters and as much as I hate to say it Kobe really had a bad night overall.
22 turnovers sucks.
7 assists by Jordan and 3 turnovers (though 2 of them were bad ones especially).
The win most of us will take.
UNIMPRESSIVE WIN.
And 60% from the field from Pau! 60% from the field overall as starting center and taking in 21.2ppg as a starting center as well.
See how even the great Kobe Bryant needs help at times? Maybe (probably not) the Pau Gasol is nothing more than a spot up shooter (inside the arc of course) BS will stop.
James,
Calm down. Better that they be in a slump now and let them recharge in April in time for the playoffs.
-KB Blitz
Posted by: Kobeblitz | March 19, 2009 at 10:34 PM
PJ played Farmar 25 minutes tonight & only played Fish 18.
Maybe he was trying to give Farmar a chance to play his way
out of his slump.
Farmar had 3 turnovers (watching the game I thought it was
more), and couldn't really stay with Monta Ellis (who can?),
but on the plus side, he did get 7 assists.
And once again, the starters contributed to the other team
getting back in the game -- 5 turnovers by Kobe and 3 by
Pau,
Ariza fouling a 3 point shooter in the 4th.
Good game off the bench for Luke
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | March 19, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Lakers win which is great. PJ lack of timeouts letting big lead dwindle again made game harder than it should have been.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | March 19, 2009 at 10:44 PM
JAMES
If u dont BELIEVE then u are not a fan of sports. I understand the team has a problem but you cant just give up on ur team, are the LAKERS your team after all??? U can be mad about alot of things they do wrong but never give up never stop BELIEVING.
Posted by: omega | March 19, 2009 at 10:45 PM
what's up with Kobe's latest shooting woes? 9-25 tonight? 5-15 against Philly?
i really wonder what's going on with the Kobester. MVP-like he's not looking.
don't get me wrong, i love the cat. he's my boy. could he have another injury that he's not disclosing?
Posted by: leonardbast | March 19, 2009 at 10:46 PM
A W is a W, let's hit the road!!
I think this road trip will be good. We seem to find our identity when we have an us against the word mentality. Things a little complacent right now. Kobe is not playing real smart and it's trickling down.
Kobe got into another one on one battle. Tonight it was with Stephen Jackson. Why does he still need to get caught up in this crap? He took to many bad shots, made to many turnovers and really kept the offense from flowing as well as it should have. 8-25 with 5 turnovers and 2 assists is not an MVP line. Kobe needs to really get his teammates back in synch on this roadie. It's up to him to set the right tone on offense. 2 assists is a joke.
Posted by: mikefloss | March 19, 2009 at 10:47 PM
James - I hear you brother. It is really tiring rooting for these guys when you know they can be so much better. Why aren't they taking these teams out by end of the first half? I know the true fans love their team no matter what - well, I must be a troll then. I don't care what you call me.
The truth is that this team has no fire and they didn't since the 2nd week. Ok, the first few games they came out with guns blazing and seemed to remember that game 6 in the finals. Now they just appear to be the same team all over again.
This team should be kicking every teams ass but they just don't have it mentally. Their record is smoke and mirrors. Everyone knows it and that is why weak teams keep playing hard until the end - they know they can make a run at this soft team.
How can they be satisfied just getting the W? Why is PJ letting teams continually get back into the game? Call a freaking time out. Get the starters back in earlier. But why oh why does he stick to the same old philosophy that doesn't work with this team? Stubborn old coot!!!!
Do you all really enjoy the game when they squeak out a win over far inferior teams? I know fans keep saying stop griping and look at their record. But honestly, do you enjoy the game when they blow huge leads? I don't...it is truly aggravating. I was soooo hoping this was going to be the year they just rolled over every team....but it's turning out to be one where they might be lucky to get to the finals.
Posted by: dan | March 19, 2009 at 10:48 PM
james, you can leave our blog now. troll.
Posted by: leonardbast | March 19, 2009 at 10:49 PM
Okay...
I don't want to go there, but I feel I have to.
http://tinyurl.com/df6pxv
I was following Sun Yue's statistics on the Defenders website, compared to other Defenders. As soon as he started putting up poor statistics, they took his statistics down.
You see that link above? He was on that link. As God is my witness! And then he was no longer there.
Dr. Buss and the crew wouldn't do that.
There must be some crazy Communist officials involved with the decision. It makes no sense.
His statistics were there and now they are gone.
Crazy.
http://tinyurl.com/cmjyzz
I mean, Sun Yue is on the site, but he's not listed as a player and none of his stats are available.
It's really weird.
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 19, 2009 at 10:51 PM
I have a long story about the lucky barstool tomorrow.
I really screwed up.
I ask for your forgiveness, Laker Nation.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 19, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Andrew Bynum a month away, missing the entire regular season and coming back for the 1st round of the playoffs. Remember when Ariza came back from injury starting the playoffs last year. He basically was so rusty, he did not contribute at all in the playoffs. I doubt if Drew can recover faster than Ariza and in fact, may recover even more slowly.
That really means the current starting five is set throughout the playoffs, and we'll just have to hope that Drew's 7 foot presence alone is enough to strengthen the bench.
Posted by: LakerinBC | March 19, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Did a Cavalier fan sit in it. OH NO!!!
Posted by: titejt | March 19, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Kobe could be run down, you know? Seems like he has to bring Lakes back from the jaws of defeat constantly. He probably needs some rest. Remember he's always double-teamed. All of you that bang on Kobe, just keep in mind that he can simply walk away and the Lakes get nothing. He can go to play a year with LJ or perhaps team up with Tim and Tony. He could go to Orlando with Dwight? I would like him to stay a Laker for life, but he's gotta do what Mitch evidently can't, get more Rings! By the way, is or was there ever a player who gets hammered if he shoots or passes or does anything? Seems he can't please anyone. So I think he should do what Rick Nelson sang about. "Can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself!"
Posted by: DJ | March 19, 2009 at 11:21 PM
"PJ played Farmar 25 minutes tonight & only played Fish 18.
Maybe he was trying to give Farmar a chance to play his way out of his slump."
LTLF,
Jackson said in that interview that he rested Fish for the 7 game road trip since Fish will play a ton of minutes on that roadie. Some shots Monta Ellis simply jumped over him but yeah Jordan did show some of his poor defense though 7 assists to his credit.
I wouldn't say Powell sucked this game but he did struggle. Just goes to show how this offense is best when there are good passers and Powell has shown his inability to be a great playmaker.
One of the things to add as to why he's NO WAY comparable to Horace Grant.
Jon K,
WTH are you talking about on the D-Fenders website?? Sun's stats are there, he's posted as a player and they show his stats.
I don't usually like use religion in here but as God as my witness Sun Yue's stats are posted over there despite your crazy conspiracy to yet again diss Sun Yue!
-KB Blitz
Posted by: Kobeblitz | March 19, 2009 at 11:21 PM
If you are panicking right now, you've never had any adverse experience in your life.
This is not the time to panic. This is the time to get excited.
We are about to have fun.
Lots of it.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 19, 2009 at 11:29 PM
Here's an interesting thing to ponder. What if we had J-Kidd now?! Remember that trade for Drew that never happend? Just a thought that Drew could not help in the playoffs last year and perhaps not this year. But J-Kidd is healthy enough! Just imagine that we had Kidd with: Kobe, LO, Pau, and Trevor. Fish coming off the bench, etc. We would have a true point guard who can not only set up teammates, but rebound as well. Maybe Kobe was thinking right after all?! What do you think?
Posted by: DJ | March 19, 2009 at 11:44 PM
Charles,
Lakers won hardly, but they won and the great Walton is dunking. That's harder feat than those acrobats at halftime. Perhaps, if Lakers will offer those acrobats $4M a year for 6 years, they will learn to play basketball. lol! This time FArmar is afraid to shoot, he looks like those Bruins playing not to lose so he moves the rock even when he is open but he was toyed by Monta Ellis. Mitck Kupcheck missed Monta Ellis 30th pick. There will be lots of PG coming in the future like Darren Collison, Jerome Randle, Jon Scheyer and of course Ricky Rubio. The torch cannot be passed to Jordan Farmar. He could hardly protect the second unit what more of a starter role. As Stu Lantz emphasized it tonight that this team is on a roller coaster mode in losing leads due too much offense without defense. LakerTom, this broadcaster is also a fair weather fan, a naysayer, not painting the full bloom Lakers w/o the beast. Stu Lantz is also chicken little for saying that and he's a hater. huh! Well, IMO they can win it all by depending again on Kobe-Pau tandem in the playoffs. They are still the best team among worst teams assembled in 2009.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | March 19, 2009 at 11:48 PM
lakers didn't get within 20 of what the SUNS put up on the lowly Warriors, but a win is a win. DAL lost, that means the SUNS are 3.5 games behind DAL now, and play washington next.
But Leandro Barbosa is gone for 2 weeks with a bone bruise. No Amare and no LB.
The mavs of 2007 remind me of the lakers in a way, with the early season effort transforming to late-season burnout. What was with the collapse late to GS?
Posted by: BUTLER | March 19, 2009 at 11:49 PM
wthell is up with these stupid fans on these blogs man
im so pissed off
get the hell out of here if you dont believe in the lakers
they get a win and people STILL complain
what the hell have you done on the bball court lately?
and im sick of the media always advertising how the lakers lose leads when the CAVALIERS cant even GET A LEAD, basically all their games hammer down to the last 2 minutes of the fourth quarter. So why don't people start talking about them for a change and how they are soft. Are the lakers THAT important to everyone that they always seem to pick something wrong that they did
they are not perfect
neither are you for that matter, remember that.
And when lakers go 7-0 on this road trip people from all over will come on this blog to brag about how good they are, then one loss and the world will be coming to an end.
IGNORANCE IS BLISS.
Posted by: jac | March 19, 2009 at 11:53 PM
james and dan
you two are too spoiled. seriously i know it was an unimpressive win but to expect blowouts every freaking time is absurd.
Boston has 4 more losses than us and they barely beat a Wade-less Miami Heat team (granted they didn't have KG or Ray Allen but Paul Pierce should have been more than enough especially at home).
Try cheering for the Clippers or even get off the bandwagon to cheer for the hated green. You two act so spoiled and say this Laker team can't win it.
Was this a game that should have been won even more? Yes but considering how Jackson rested Fish for the road trip and how Kobe couldn't hit a pea in the ocean heck it happens.
You two act so spoiled. Don't forget the economy is bad and you two act like if you want everything. Quit whinning and move on.
Good criticism is always good. the kind you two spew out is PATHETIC.
You two: FAIL!
-KB Blitz
Posted by: Kobeblitz | March 20, 2009 at 12:32 AM
Dan,
"Why is PJ letting teams continually get back into the game? Call a freaking time out. Get the starters back in earlier. But why oh why does he stick to the same old philosophy that doesn't work with this team?"
If the Lakers don't get decent play out of the bench in the playoffs, they are not going to win the title. Period.
The only possible way to achieve that is to have the bench play meaningful minutes now. Playing the bench in garbage time, and taking them out every time things get a little tough, will help a little in the regular season. But then when you need them in the playoffs, they won't be ready.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | March 20, 2009 at 07:59 AM
Kobeblitz,
"WTH are you talking about on the D-Fenders website?? Sun's stats are there, he's posted as a player and they show his stats.
I don't usually like use religion in here but as God as my witness Sun Yue's stats are posted over there despite your crazy conspiracy to yet again diss Sun Yue!"
You're right about that stats. Not the crazy part.
Upon your words, I checked again and the stats are back up. You're right.
But they also were not up for a time last night. I checked four times then to make sure I wasn't missing something.
It must have been a glitch or something and I just ran into it at the right/wrong time.
My apologies if I over-reacted. It just seemed really odd at the time.
Lakers Today.... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 20, 2009 at 08:31 AM
>>>they won and the great Walton is dunking.
How often do you hear that one???
And dunking in Ronny Turiaf's face!!
Posted by: LongTimeLakerFan | March 20, 2009 at 09:27 AM
First of all, I think everyone of us here entitles to his/her opinions, so lay off that James guy...and no i'm not him either.
Secondly, he is partially correct in his observation. This Lakers team has lost its "killer instinct" if you call it that. They had not performed to their ability. They played a depleted GS team and yet struggled, and of course le'ts not talk about the Philly game. Losing big leads is one thing, but a bonehead play by Ariza towards the end, is another. That's the coaching staff's fault for not helping Ariza...everyone knows that he shouldda fouled Igoudala, but he didn't, we lost the game.
A W is a W, true, but if we had to use our starters for 40+ mins to do that, especially when they play mediocre teams, then look what happened. Kobe's tired, Pau's tired...and you think that would help in the playoffs, where the intensity is increased tenfold?? And worst off, Bynum is probably not going help much now that he's out for the rest of the season...
We're all fans, and importantly Lakers fans, and we feel everyone's anxiety, happiness, sadness, frustration and all that...so bottom line is, don't bash a guy just because he's frustrated with the team's unimpressive play...he has every right to feel however he feels...my .02
Go Lakers!
Posted by: jamesSD | March 20, 2009 at 09:42 AM
jamesSD,
"That's the coaching staff's fault for not helping Ariza."
The coaches made it clear in the timeout that there was a foul to give; Ariza has acknowledged that, noted that he was waiting for Igoudala to start to penetrate, and that he wanted to wait on using the foul for that point, and acknowledged that it was a mistake on his part.
Not sure how you can blame the coaches for that.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | March 20, 2009 at 09:49 AM
Road Trip!
GO LAKERS!
Victory is in your grasp. Take It.
Posted by: Laker Fan 24 | March 20, 2009 at 11:47 AM