Lakers Thread

[Andrew]

Not a good performance by stretch of the imagination. It's not often Kobe will have almost as many turnovers as points and sit out the entire fourth quarter with the Lakers trailing by 33 at the end of the third. It might not bode well for the Rockets tomorrow though, as I'm sure the Lakers will be very keen to put this one behind them.

[Lamrock]

Lakers are set having the #1 seed in the west and #2 record in the league. Doubt they are fretting this one.

[Andrew]

Probably not, but I'm sure they'd like to put it behind them all the same. I'm not suggesting they're panicking, just that they wouldn't be too pleased with how that one went down.

[Jackal]

Pee-ew. That one stunk and stunk bad.

The Lakers do have a tendency to get burned by any team with a quick point guard. Westbrook just jumped out ahead of them. I think at one point the Lakers squad had 15 points and Westbrook had 13. Enough said I guess. Kobe falling twice was kind of awkward, once you can understand, twice it's like OMGWTF KOBES FALLING?! On a more serious note though, 9 turnovers again from Kobe. He really tries to force the pass sometimes and that usually attributes to the high turnovers. Can't be too hard on him, the Lakers dont really have a creator outside of Odom and Bryant.

The only thing I'm sort of worried about is LA's bench. They aren't really deep and they're sort of coasting. Atleast that's my feeling, they dont really come off the bench and play hard like they used to.

Odom has grown so much as a player...there was a time I used to hit my head at why he just wouldnt take certain shots or be more agressive. There was a spurt where he hit like 3 of 4 (one blocked)...he realized okay no one has got it going so let me try to get a bit hot. Odom was not like that before, he used to be too passive.

Nice game for the Thunder, I still hate their name, jersies and arena though. Looks so NBA Live expansion team-ish.

[Jackal]

I know they've clinched and are set and all...but jeez, the rest of the Lakers have got to make a bloody shot. If no one but Kobe is going to score the defense will collapse on Gasol.

The bench especially is really disappointing.

[Lamrock]

Wow. Lakers really screwed the pooch against Portland, getting their first home loss after leading going into the 4th. Kobe bricked a pair of FT's with like 10 seconds left, then they fouled Webster on a 3pt shot with the game tied.

This game helps Portland avoid LA in the first round, but I wouldn't mind a Blazers-Lakers series to be honest now.

[benji]

15-11 since the break. 4-10 against playoff teams.

[Cartar]

That was amazing indeed, even without Roy for the most of the game (I started watching around halftime, so I didn't see Roy at all), but before the Lakers screwed themselves, Blazers did it as well (Bryant 3, Miller offensive foul, Bryant 2+1) and almost gave the game away. I loved the clutch layup by Miller at the end, which IIRC gave the Blazers 7 point lead.

[Andrew]

Not the form they need to be in with the Playoffs looming. Of course, all this could be forgotten once the Playoffs start should they be successful in flipping the switch and storming through the Western Conference, though that hardly seems a foregone conclusion right now.

[dare]

Now the Lakers most likely will face the hot Spurs, damn I wished OKC fall to 8th spot as LA have better chance of winning against them.

[Jackal]

Not really, I prefer they match up with the Spurs. OKC has a quick point guard in Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant is just a beast. They are much quicker in transition which just isn't what you want against the Lakers. Think of Fishers age, Artests feet problems and Bryant reporting tired legs. (His defense is pretty horrible as it is.)

Fisher matches up a bit better with George Hill/Tony Parker (even here he gets burned though) and Ron Artest does quite a good job of irritating Ginobili who doesn't like physical players leaning on him with most of their upperbodies. Duncan isn't what he used to be so Pau matches up well with him, even Bynum. The Spurs arent the youngest team anymore either.

I much prefer the Spurs matchup, especially because the Spurs truly didn't want to play the Lakers. That's an advantage right there.

[dare]

Well in the playoffs it's always about experience and the offense is much slower, but still you got a point there. I still think that OKC will choke in the playoffs

[Andrew]

Experience as a deciding factor is somewhat overrated. Superior talent, fresher legs and more favourable matchups are difficult for experience alone to overcome.

[Jackal]

Well in the playoffs it's always about experience and the offense is much slower, but still you got a point there. I still think that OKC will choke in the playoffs

You're right to a certain extent, I'm all for the Thunder not making it...I'd just rather not take that chance against LA. Their (Thunder) chemistry is just sky high at the moment and the Spurs are still trying to figure shit out. Richard Jefferson still hasnt found his place and doesnt really fit in the offense, they are pretty weak at center, Blair is a first round undersized player (although he's got heart of a beast, this guy is a treat to watch) and it could harm their chemistry if Parker returns and Hill is benched in favor of him.

In other words the Spurs really are the best bet to get the playoffs started for LA. I really don't want to see them playing a team like the Thunder.

[Jackal]

To all other Laker fans, try to "obtain" "The Association: Los Angeles Lakers" that was aired on ESPNHD if you can, it's a great behind the scene kind of thing any Laker fan would enjoy.

If you can't seem to find it, send a PM my way.

[Patr1ck]

Here is part 1, you can watch the other parts through the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X56G_datoaE

[Jackal]

[dare]

Very nice videos, I'm still in part 3. I don't know Artest is good his fans.

[benji]

Artest is a lunatic who probably has some kind of mental disorder, he's not an asshole.

[Lamrock]

His story about the guy who got killed with a table leg was fucking epic.

[shadowgrin]

Agree.

Thanks to Pdub & Jackal for sharing the info.

[Drex]

[shadowgrin]

The hell?

[Andrew]

Assassin's Creed?

[Jackal]

Black Mamba.