Four things to take from Lakers' 109-87 victory over the New York Knicks
1. The Lakers showcased their best defensive effort of the season in their 109-87 victory Sunday over the New York Knicks
The Knicks tried to pick up the pace and play in the open court, but the Lakers cut off them off. The Knicks tried to pound the Lakers inside, but they just fought right back. The Knicks featured four players in double figures, but the Lakers made them all work for their points.
It's not everyday the Lakers put together this type of effort. In fact, the Lakers usually provide the same reel in each game that becomes easy to dissect but difficult to correct: poor shot selection and turnovers lead to transition buckets, failing to close out while defending three-point shots, little communication on pick-and-roll plays that lead to drives to the basket, late or no help defense allowing for easy penetration. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson expressed plenty of concern for the Lakers in matching up against the Knicks, even if the team recently installed new wrinkles in their defense that emphasized stronger communication to ensure consistent defensive rotations, more emphasis on defending the perimeter and cutting off baseline drives. But maintaining that discipline can prove tough against a team that leads the league in scoring, can punish teams in the open floor and on drives to the rack.
But the Lakers didn't allow that to happen against New York.
In a game that Jackson believed would be dictated by pace, the Lakers played energetic but maintained defensive toughness. Ron Artest's clothesline of Amare Stoudemire in the third quarter earned him a flagrant foul 1, a move perhaps as unjustified as when he put his hand on Shawne Williams' throat in the first quarter that led to a technical foul. But that kind of grittiness defined the Lakers' mind-set for nearly the entire game.
"Ron is tough. It's just a fine line with him because you don't know where he stands with the officiating," Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. "It's tough for him to be physical. A play that Steve Blake makes, a physical play that Ron Artest makes might get him ejected or suspended. He walks a very fine line in this league."
Stoudemire, who entered the game averaging 26.3 points and 9.3 rebounds a game, nearly matched that point total with 23, but it came on seven-of-24 shooting. Artest and Bynum swarmed Stoudemire on a double team in one possession. Odom and Gasol double teamed him on another. And Odom and Bynum then teamed up on him. Among the Knicks' players to score in double figures -- Stoudemire (23), Wilson Chandler (19), Landry Fields (12) and Raymond Felton (12) -- only Fields shot 50%. The Lakers limited the Knicks to 36% shooting and a scoreless drought of four minutes in the third quarter.
"I think we can definitely win a championship with this type of defense," Jackson said. "The idea of facing a team that is a high scoring team that has smalls on the floor and their biggest guy Stoudemire is at 6'10" and most of them is under 6'8" from there on out is a challenge for our big guys to stay in the game and guard them. They're athletic. For us to handle the ball, so they don't get run outs and take care of the three-point line so they don't shoot the three-pointers, that was really the purpose we had defensively. We got some of that accomplished. There's still a little ways to go before I think we perfect that if there is such a thing as perfecting a defense."
2. Bynum's block on Stoudemire was clean and he shouldn't have gotten ejected, but he should've backed away
Setting up on the right block, Stoudemire pulled up for a jumper only to have Bynum swipe it clean. Not according to referee Leon Wood, however, who gave Bynum his fourth foul with the Lakers leading 81-70 andh 11:26 remaining in the game.
Bynum stared in total amazement, yelled, "Are you serious" to Wood, and then received a technical foul. The call created plenty of boos from the 18,997 at Staples Center, with the fans yelling "Bull..." Bynum's arguing and near bump ofo Wood warranted a technical because it clearly was a demonstrative reaction to a bad call. But he shouldn't have gotten ejected. Instead of walking away from Wood, Bynum stood near his vicinity and continued to voice his displeasured, receiving another T and an automatic ejection.
"I said, 'Are you serious.' I don't know if that really warrants a technical or a double technical like that. I was pretty surprised. You could watch the telecast and read my lips, 'Are you serious,'" said Bynum, who hadn't been ejected since Dec. 2007 in a game against San Antonio. "He's a grown man. I don't know if I showed him up or not."
"He wouldn't acknowledge me. I asked him a question and he put his head down like a bad lab."
Team reaction varied. Bryant called the ejection "silly." Jackson said Bynum got "fouled two or three times at the other end of the floor when he was going up. Some consequential stuff that wasn't called and then a simple thing that was called against him I suppose made him irritable. Unfortunately, he got ejected from the game." Odom noticed "Stoudemire is talking and they call a foul he doesn't think it's a foul. Sometimes we all have to let it go." And Lakers forward Pau Gasol argued "once they call the first tech, you have to back off. No matter what you say, the gestures itself will put a referee in a spot to throw you out. You just got to contain yourself and talk to him in a timeout or free throw and say 'You missed that call.'"
No doubt, Bynum should've walked away as soon as he received the first technical. He probably should've taken a breath before immediately running to Wood after the initial foul. But Wood's reaction didn't help. He made a bad call and he then took over the game instead of trying to bring control to it. 
3. The Knicks had no answer for the Lakers' front line
Before Bynum's ejection, there was very little the Knicks could do to stop him. His 18 points on eight-of-15 shooting and seven rebounds came off putbacks, fighting through double teams and using quick drop steps against the Knicks. Odom's 13 points and 18 rebounds came because no one had the size to counter his length and no one had the versatility to mark him from both the paint and the perimeter. And even though Gasol's 20 points came on five-of-13 shooting, he appeared much more aggressive as indicated by his 10-of-11 effort from the free-throw line.
"It took us a feel for how the game was going to go, but once we figured out [New York's smaller lineup], we did a good job in attacking them," Gasol said. "For the most part, we have an advantage in our inside game in every game. We have to utilize that a lot. We've been effective and we win when we do it."
4. The Lakers provided tons of energy
Their offense didn't just rest with the front line, which combined for 50 points in the paint. It also came off energy-induced plays. Some examples: Bryant, who scored 28 points off 10-of-28 shooting, opened up the third quarter with two consecutive three-pointers to give the Lakers a 58-49 lead with 11:04 remaining; Lakers guard Shannon Brown, who scored 16 points on five-of-eight shooting partly on some thunder pleasing dunks, nailed a corner three-pointer to end the third quarter, prompting Artest to give him a high-five as the Lakers took an 81-70 advantage; and after Derek Fisher hit a three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 98-81 lead with 5:14 left, Bryant pumped his fist in delight, a play that seemed to make the result all but official.
"We ran away with it in the fourth," Brown said.
Quote of the night: -- Andrew Bynum on his argument with referee Leon Wood that led to his ejection: "He wouldn't acknowledge me. I asked him a question and he put his head down like a bad lab."
Stat(s) of the night: 18 -- Odom's season-high in rebounds; 36% -- New York's field-goal percentage, a sharp drop from the 46.9% mark it averages, seventh-best in the NBA; 87 -- points the Knicks scored, a sharp drop from the league-leading 108 points they normally average; 3 -- Number of Lakers players who have been tossed this season, including Bryant (98-79 loss Dec. 21 against Milwaukee), Barnes (Lakers' 103-88 victory Dec. 29 against New Orleans) and now Bynum (Lakers' 109-87 victory over the New York Knicks). 16 -- The number of technical fouls the Lakers have accumulated in the past 10 games.
--Mark Medina
E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
Photos: (Top) Lakers guard Shannon Brown and forward Lamar Odom restrain center Andrew Bynum after he received two techincals and was ejected for arguing a call early in the fourth quarter Sunday. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images. (Bottom) Lakers center Andrew Bynum puts down a dunk over Knicks center Amare Stoudemire in the second half Sunday at Staples Center. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Associated Press
Dude...Nice win. Does anyone know how many games Miami has won on the ROAD? The Heat players ACTUALLY think they win a CHAMPIONSHIP this year.
But it's good the Lakers are starting to show some interest in the season AGAIN. But let's not count victories until you actually win them, just a little word of WISDOM. Just Sayin...
GO HEAT....GREAT COMEBACK WIN
Posted by: G.Money | January 10, 2011 at 03:20 AM
Why Pau Gasol is playing a lot of minutes, yet (41. min. today)????? We have now A. bynum in the middle. For example, Kobe today play 35 min. I think Phil is overworking Pau the whole season. With Bynum in the starting five, Pau should rest for PO. 40 min. pg?????? no wayyyy. Pau is the most important player in the current Lakers team. He should rest enoug for the next battles (KG, Howard, Duncan, Amar´e, Dirk, and others)
Pau is THE RING, the rest become irrelevant without Pau.
Posted by: Ricky | January 10, 2011 at 03:33 AM
Pau Gasol = LAKERS
Posted by: Ricky | January 10, 2011 at 03:34 AM
Ricky- Dude put down the PIPE.....NOW.
Posted by: G.Money | January 10, 2011 at 03:48 AM
I don´t speak with people I don´t know.
Posted by: Ricky | January 10, 2011 at 04:24 AM
G Money, you did show up after all. Any comment on your prediction that the Knicks were going to give us a beatdown? And that the Lakers are now too old and too slow to stay with the up tempo younger teams?
Nah, no need to grovel. Just a simple '"I was wrong and you were right" will be fine. Seriously, your boys are playing at a very high level finally, so I give them a decent chance of getting past the Celts to meet us in the finals. But if they do, who do you have to match up with Bynum? Did you see the game? Bynum made Amare look like a punk scrub. Totally shut him down on defense and positively posterized him on dunk after dunk. Amare didn't know what hit him.
I ho
Posted by: CornerJ | January 10, 2011 at 04:57 AM
Dang iPhone postus interruptus!
(continued...)
I hope you enjoyed Christmas...but I hope you also remember it only comes once a year, and never during playoff season, G Money.
Posted by: CornerJ | January 10, 2011 at 05:01 AM
Good Morning Laker Nation,
We got a glimpse of playoff type intensity yesterday and the Lakers passed with flying colors. The Lakers played very good team team defense, Drew was the man and just like in the playoffs and …..the toughest team won.
The refs let the game get out of hand in the first quarter with all the no calls. My question to Leon Wood is the same as Drew, “Are You Serious”?
Duran Duran - Serious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ihtEg_hWIM
Posted by: LRob | January 10, 2011 at 06:30 AM
The S Perkins....
Every time I read one of your posts, it has some variation of a bash Fisher theme. It's tiresome. I get it. You don't like Derek Fisher. However, tonight Fisher helped to limit Felton, who has been on a roll, to 4-14 shooting along with 3 turnovers. Fish played good position and team defense tonight.
I thought that Fish played a good game tonight, and I don't give a hoot or a holler what you thought.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan
That's wonderful bronx. Did you even watch the game ? I don't care what the stats say Fisher wasn't even close to Felton when he missed most of his shots and went 4 of 14. So looking at the box score tells me nothing. I watch the game on Tivo so can pause and see that most of the time Fisher is not playing good man to man defense or team defense. I know you guys love Fisher and have a very low expectation of him so if he does anything right you think he had a good night. He has never been measured against other guards as his reponsibilities on the court for the Lakers is minimal.
Posted by: S Perkins | January 10, 2011 at 06:31 AM
Wouldn't get too excited by last nights game. Basically the Knicks sucked. And have not done anything spectacular on the road this year anyway. The Lakers basically won becuase of of their size advantage and killed the Knicks on the boards with second chance points. Knicks have improved but are not an elite team on the road.
Posted by: S Perkins | January 10, 2011 at 06:34 AM
Two things...
1) That had to be the worse officiated game I've ever seen, and I'm even referring to the Benette Salvatore years.
2) Lebron James is the best player in the NBA. Not Kobe, Lebron. And by far. I hate to say it, but it's true.
Posted by: troy | January 10, 2011 at 06:36 AM
Looks like Billups wants to be bought-out his contract if he gets traded to the Nets (which looks like is going to happen). Anyone like to see him in a Lakers uniform??
I am sure he can give a LOTTTT more than what Fish can give us!!
Posted by: Dont blame us trolls | January 10, 2011 at 06:47 AM
Good morning crew!
Nice Laker statement game. Knicks are back in the news again and winning with regularity so I thought this was a really good W. I am impressed with the defensive tinkering PJ has implemented and as long as the team continues it, we should develop some more winning consistency.
I am especially impressed with the team's rebounding. That is where we stop opposing fast breaks and where we can use every inch of length we have to deflate other teams mentally. If our rebounding keeps up, I think this will prove to be a key ingredient to our championship run.
Cheers all - PLG
Posted by: PsychedLakerGirl | January 10, 2011 at 06:54 AM
Bynum was frustrated. He got a couple of blatant no calls on the other end, Amare getting all arm on Bynum shots, and then Drew got called for a foul on a clean block. I get the frustration and emotion. But he has to understand the new rules, and he has to walk away after he gets one T.
Leon Wood? He blew the call. He gave a quick T. And then he failed to do his job and WALK AWAY. And he gave a second T for saying "are you serious?" Hardly profanity or a challenge to Wood's manhood. That was bad officiating and had too much impact on the game.
Great game from Drew otherwise, Amare was frustrated by Drew at both ends and only really came to life when Drew was out. Amazing job on the boards by Lamar, he wanted every rebound, he went after them, he jumped for them, and he secured them (no tipping to himself). Another great night for LO. And in incredibly efficient night off the bench for Shannon. Good team D. Nice win.
Posted by: Tom Daniels | January 10, 2011 at 06:54 AM
Big Shot would do well on the Lakers. It would obviously create problems - Fish would have to come off the bench. I would rather see Blake play better and stand pat.
It is great to see the D. When the Lakers play the way they did last night, there are only a couple of teams who have a chance against us. If a few more of Kobe's shots had dropped, we would have beat NY by 30.
I don't hear anyone calling the Lakers soft these days. Ron was awesome and Drew impressed me against Amare. If Drew, Pau, Ron, and Lamar bring that kind of intensity every night, we got this!
It was good to see them stick with the plan and get it into the big guys. NY didn't have the height to match up. Plus, nobody matches up with Lamar!
Kobe took too many shots, but they were mostly at the end when the game was decided. The two threes in the third were awesome.
I liked PJ's quote - "I think we can definitely win a championship with this type of defense..." F'n A right!
Everyone realized that with Barnes out their defense could drop a little. They took it on their selves to ratchet it up bit and it sure paid off.
Pau had a great game, but too many minutes (41). I don't know why we couldn't see a little Joe at the end when we were up by 20.
I think LL at courtside pushed everyone's testosterone level up a bit... ;-)
Ok, they can keep the white uniforms for now... ;-)
I am a Lakerholic.
Posted by: Lakerholic | January 10, 2011 at 07:19 AM
We looked good tonight, though I'm a bit concerned about Bynum's maturity.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 09, 2011 at 11:04 PM
======
Bynum's maturity? This kid's been in the league for 6 years now and if he breathes on someone when he's playing defense, they call a foul on him. Yet at the other end, all of sudden he's Shaq. Enough is enough already and frankly I do not blame him one iota for finally standing up for himself. He was hacked all night by Stoudemire and it was evident to the naked eye. The fans were outraged, we were booing, and now this. Leon Wood was the ref who was in the middle of all the non-calls at the rim and the fouls on Bynum, which is nothing new because he notoriously picks on the Lakers. He should not be allowed to officiate another Lakers game and the second technical should be rescinded.
Bully for Andrew! Maturity? HE'S GROWING UP!!
Posted by: KobeMVP888 | January 10, 2011 at 07:23 AM
Watch the replay of the game! Woods clearly walked into Bynum, as the announcers reiterated after the game. One tech maybe, but Woods is yet another Laker ref who is always looking to show up the Lakers whenever he can get away with it.
I wish the league would go after these types who have vendettas against certain teams and players. It was a miracle for Kobe to have stayed in the game after seeing his teammates and himself get clobbered in the lane every time. It seems to be a theme this year with the refs. Must be some sort of decision from on high to give the Lakers extra harsh obstacles to get to another finals. There are most games where the refs are obviously missing an extraordinary amount of fouls by the Laker opponents or ignoring them. This is why the Lakers have been upset and rightfully asking the questions about calling it equally both ways, which has been missing a large percentage of the Lakers games. The Spurs always are getting the advantage of whacking the ___ out of their opponents and being able to close point gaps late and win in a hurry this year. Maybe the Angel of Stearn has spoken from on high or not, but it has become frustrating for Laker fans who know the game to watch these obviously slanted refs taking us out of our game unequally to the opponenets!
Posted by: NuggetsCountry | January 10, 2011 at 07:51 AM
fisher is one of the wosre playing guard in the nba.he need
to be on the backup team.i still have a lots of love for him
for his past games,but it time for him and pj to recognize
that fish best days are behind him,he should be given a coach
or management position.
great to see the lakers play with some emotion and toughness.
bad call on drew the official made a bad call and the league
should corect it.people come and pay to see the players play
and not to see the official dictate who wins game the rule
should be change once a players get five fouls rather than
eject him the other team should get 3 foul shots and the ball
the fans come to see certain players and pay to see these
players not to have them ejected from the game,because some
calls are questionable.sure if a players hit another player
he should be ejected from the game.yesterday foul rule should
be reviewed as to how many foul should occurs before you are
ejected especially your centers. go lakers,go lakers.keep
shooting kobe,you are doing just great.
Posted by: Bob T | January 10, 2011 at 08:45 AM
Nice home win. I don't know if anyone has noticed, but the Lakers have been playing better on the road than at home recently. Maybe PJ's crack about distractions has seeped in a little. I thought he might be on to something when he said it because on the road, where they had actually been playing pretty well, there are far fewer distractions.
Just a thought.
--FEARless
Posted by: FEARless | January 10, 2011 at 08:48 AM
Pau was playing a lot of minutes because of 2 reasons: Drew was tossed out and our best O against NY was comming from the low post. Amare never been even an average defender at his position, this is a main reason Suns let him go. Last reason, aparently Jo Smith not ready for serious minutes in triangle yet. Referying of this game was probably a worst one in whole season, with Kobe, Bynum being constantly whacked in the post without anything being called. At least Pau got some calls and able to maintain high % of FT made. Good win against team on the rise, but a I'm not going to put much into it, after all it's not an Eastern powerhouse, like Boston/Miami/Orlando, I still have trouble to understand how Spurs manage to loose.
Posted by: LAL_Fan | January 10, 2011 at 08:53 AM
Kobe is the man. But, when looking at the season so far as a whole, LO is clearly the MVP of the Lakers. I think he's playing even better now that he's on the bench then when he was starting? Is that an illusion or am I right about that?
Could this be the year he finally makes it to the All Star Team? Well, probably not. But, this season he deserves it.
Bynum is coming around nicely. Just take it slow and easy big fella, you will look NICE come playoff time.
Just two more cents...
--FEARless
Posted by: FEARless | January 10, 2011 at 08:54 AM
It seems as though some laker fans do not understand the triangle offense,the philosophy and the tactics of the Zen master of keeping Fisher in the game.And even though Phil has 13 rings and has been with the Lakers for years,has coach the bulls to 6 Nba championships and is the greatest coach in the game they wouldnt understand.Furthermore when Phil leave after this season(i hope he does not) the lakers will struggle(i hope not) but it seems thats the case.My point is Phil has every reason to keep fisher as a starter.Fisher is an efficient player even though he is getting a bit older,but he can be very much reliable.He hits big shots when he needs to and in important time of the game when lakers needs those 3s.He is a veteran on the team,a team leader,and remember he has 5 rings looking to get his 6th,leaving him on equal par with the greatest player to ever play the game of basketbal and that is MJ in terms of rings collected,he has even surpass my great Magic Johnson,Michael Cooper and Ac green in that area.What an achievement for Derick Fisher.I admired him since day one when he started on that great Laker team of 1999-2002,winning his his first 3 rings.Fisher he is the player to inniate the offence,he knows the triangle better as much as or even better than some of the player.As Tex Winter said in the triangle its very important to inniate it,and fisher is the player that normaly iniate this offence.He works hard,he is determine and finally he makes big shots just like big shot Horry.
Posted by: ninja | January 10, 2011 at 10:57 AM
@G. Money "The Heat players ACTUALLY think they win a CHAMPIONSHIP this year."
-
That's wishful thinking. They have to get past the Celtics first! That will be a LONG, tough road. Don't think it will happen...
Posted by: Laker Fan | January 10, 2011 at 03:11 PM
LEON WOOD NEEDS TO BE REPORTED!
Posted by: Laker Fan | January 10, 2011 at 03:21 PM
"I know you guys love Fisher and have a very low expectation of him so if he does anything right you think he had a good night. He has never been measured against other guards as his reponsibilities on the court for the Lakers is minimal.
Posted by: S Perkins | January 10, 2011 at 06:31 AM"
This will probably be written off as Fisher hate, but this really is the truth. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench, he is a role player. Some people have him ranked like he's a star.
Posted by: Bay to LA | January 10, 2011 at 03:30 PM
@Troy " Lebron James is the best player in the NBA. Not Kobe, Lebron. And by far. I hate to say it, but it's true."
-
But Kobe is a legend and has multiple rings to prove it!
Posted by: Laker Fan | January 10, 2011 at 05:09 PM
S Perkins....
I watch every Laker game. And record them. Some games I watch multiple times to look at certain things and players. Derek Fisher played a good game last night. Is he the best point guard in the NBA? No. But he brings something to the table that PJ, Kobe and the rest of the team appreciate. Your constant bashing of Fish is tiresome. Don't you ever have some other observations about other aspects of the Lakers' team? Why the fixation on Fisher?
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 10, 2011 at 06:09 PM