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SPQR
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Post subject: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
 Posted: May 11, 2008 - 07:44 PM PST
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Serious Laker Fan
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 284
Location: Pennsylvania
  
votes: 22
Status: Offline
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Thanks to high winds and a power outage, I missed most of the second and third quarters of the fourth game..while the Lakers had their own overtime power outage. Suffice to say there was some cussing going on at my house when my tv went to black. I was fortunate enough to see a very entertaining finish. My comments are predicated on what I did see, if I sound off base on some remarks keep this in mind.
The Jazz, like in the last game, showed a stronger Will To Power and attacked the basket with more brio and energy than we did. There's a reason why the Jazz have lost only five games at home and the Lakers are getting a abject lesson on this subject. We did hold them even on rebounds which was a very good accomplishment. The Lakers also showed heart and fighting spirit in taking this game to overtime. Like the second game, a few plays meant defeat over victory. Nothing to be ashamed of.
Some heros of the game: Sasha for his great shooting(so I heard in the recap), Derek Fisher for comming up clutch with his threes again in the fourth and Lamar too. Those two really led the drive that stretched this game out to OT. Lamar is a warrior. Kobe for playing at all with his bad back and being pretty effective for a half. Anyone who has watched the toughest player in the league over his career knows the pain must have been unbearable for him to show it so obviously on his face. The other sign was of course watching him play at half speed without that inhuman speed and explosion. I have a feeling many many stars in the NBA simply would not have been able to go on.
If one is looking for goats, the one who stands out is Jordan. It is now obvious that for whatever reason, his confidence is shot. Wether its the intensity of what the Jazz are bringing, or just one of those valleys players-especially young ones-go through, his production, so important in the regular season is now completely missing. It's hurting us alot. The other goat: Kobe Bryant. After his hard fall in the second half, it became obvious to everyone watching that he was not effective or any semblance of the real Kobe Bryant. In the overtime period his attempts to take the game over were ill thought out considering what he must have surely known. It's hard to critisize a great player who has won so many games single handly and closed out even more of them, but this was one time when he should have used himself as a decoy, put his ego in check and to use his phrase, trust, "the teamates who made this possible." Kobe is so used to being great and finishing in the clutch that I understand his belief that he could rise to the occasion despite the injury. Unfortunatly for us and him, it didn't happen this time. Of course Phil said after the game that his teamates "bailed out" on Kobe by comming to him too late and then just standing here. It's possible this was the case. I'm not privy to what they should be doing or what Kobe really had in mind.. I'm only commenting on what I see as a fan from home. It looked to me like Kobe was determined to take those shots and bring us home in the fourth quarter and OT. It was not smart basketball for the reigning MVP.
(Here is a link to an article that came out a few hours after I posted this pretty much echoing the observations I had. I have retroactively added it for anyone who is interested.) http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8127706
For more about how I view Kobe and why he did this, you can check out my comment on J-cools interesting post on Kobes overtime performance.
Heard a NBA TV guy on the radio after the game. He said Utahs big men are exposing how soft ours are. He said Pau is as "hard as toilet paper", lol. Not sure exactly how true that is but it was a very strong comment to be sure. He also was asked if Drew were still playing how he saw this series going. He said if Drew was playing that this series "would now be over with a sweep." Watching how close these two games were and how they are exploiting all the weaknessess Drews absence has exposed on this team, I tend to agree. I have always said if we win the title this year without Drew, it's just gravy.
At the time of his injury, Drew was by far the second best player with the most impact after King Kobe. No knock on Pau, but he is no Drew in any way, shape or form. I have always felt if we win the title without Drew its just going to be gravy.
I'm still not overly concerned dispite the consecutive losses. We didn't think we would go 16-0 did we? Kobe is a notorous tough guy and fast healer. I think by wednesday he will be the superman of old. Also, as good as the Jazz are at home, they tend to find ways to lose on the road. Lakers in six? Home court is a notorous advantage in the NBA and we still have it. Could be. Lakers in seven? More probable. |
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The Lakers don't win championships...They have dynasties!!
Last edited by SPQR on May 12, 2008 - 01:08 AM PST; edited 4 times in total
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kundipile
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 11, 2008 - 07:50 PM PST
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Big-Time Laker Fan
Joined: Feb 27, 2008
Posts: 875
votes: 4
Status: Offline
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| Good writing. Drew's return (if he ever returns), sures up our biggest problem: interior defense. |
_________________
"I'm playing against great players, playing against the best in the world. The competition - that's what I've always wanted." - Kobe Bryant
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trublulaker
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 11, 2008 - 09:39 PM PST
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Big-Time Laker Fan
Joined: Jul 17, 2007
Posts: 520
votes: 5
Status: Offline
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| Good analysis as always SPQR. I'd like to add that Fisher's early foul trouble is also one reason why we lost both games 3 & 4. Fish had been effectively holding Deron Williams in check whenever he is in the game. If only DFish can refrain from fouling too early he can stay in the game more and the struggling Jordan Farmar wont be eating up on his early minutes. |
_________________
My role is to keep the ship rolling; it's not to score 35 points a night anymore or score 50 or 60 points. My job is to basically keep everyone moving in one direction and having one focus, which is winning the title." - - KB24
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SPQR
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 11, 2008 - 11:29 PM PST
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Serious Laker Fan
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 284
Location: Pennsylvania
votes: 22
Status: Offline
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Trublulmaker,
A very good point on D Fish. Not only can he score consistantly which Farmar can no longer do, but like you said, he can at least put a semblence of defence on the very good point gaurd Deron Williams. D Fish is a warrior. It's hard to imagine the early foul trouble happening for him in three straight games. For our sake it better not.
Here is link about Kobes not too MVP like decisions during the end game periods of this game that just came out. It pretty much echos my own observations. http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8127706 |
_________________
The Lakers don't win championships...They have dynasties!!
Last edited by SPQR on May 12, 2008 - 12:13 AM PST; edited 1 time in total
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SPQR
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 12, 2008 - 12:10 AM PST
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Serious Laker Fan
Joined: Mar 06, 2008
Posts: 284
Location: Pennsylvania
votes: 22
Status: Offline
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Kundipile,
You are right on the nose with that observation.
Our defense left us the day Drew went down. Pau replaced some scoring put can't approximate Drew's defense, rebounding, toughness or intimidation factor. This won't be back this year. |
_________________
The Lakers don't win championships...They have dynasties!!
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Apogeal1
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 12, 2008 - 12:28 AM PST
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Serious Laker Fan
Joined: Mar 05, 2006
Posts: 371
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
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Great post.
WE are where we are, and I'm still not overly worried about the outcome of the series, despite it all falling apart in the overtime period.
The Jazz came out like a house afire and the Lakers came back and played tough all the way. They are getting tougher. The competition is making them tougher, and they'll be better prepared in the games to come. Things are going sideways, not downhill. |
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trublulaker
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Post subject: RE: Lakers-Jazz game four power outage..in a lot of ways.
Posted: May 12, 2008 - 12:37 AM PST
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Big-Time Laker Fan
Joined: Jul 17, 2007
Posts: 520
votes: 5
Status: Offline
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| I guess its a whole new series for us. Another thing, our bench has been outplayed by the jazz's so they better step it up or else we are in for a big disappointment. I dont know what's been ailing or wrong with VladRad but he has been a nonfactor in this series. |
_________________
My role is to keep the ship rolling; it's not to score 35 points a night anymore or score 50 or 60 points. My job is to basically keep everyone moving in one direction and having one focus, which is winning the title." - - KB24
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