Lakers/Pistons game 4

[thegrahamcrackr]

How much do you wanna bet that Phil Jackson is going to blame this loss on the refs AGAIN?

I am listening to the press conference right now, no mention of it yet.....

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I am listening to the press conference right now, no mention of it yet.....

Well, here it comes. The lack of FTs is one of the 4 problems. Then he just goes on about a fair shake, and fighting up hill.

 

[Evil Ash]

Well, here it comes. The lack of FTs is one of the 4 problems. Then he just goes on about a fair shake, and fighting up hill.

The only reason I mentioned it was because that is what Jackson talks about after every single playoff loss he has ever had. He could just put out a tape-recorded message to the media

 

[playstation]

heres an interesting question:

what are the suns brass doing right now seeing whats happening to the lakers? are they ecstatic? ambivalent? I for one would love to watch gm 5 w/ Brian Colangelo, cause it would probably give some damn good insight.

 

[George O'Brien]

heres an interesting question:

what are the suns brass doing right now seeing whats happening to the lakers? are they ecstatic? ambivalent? I for one would love to watch gm 5 w/ Brian Colangelo, cause it would probably give some damn good insight.

It is an interesting question. Does loyalty to the Western Conference or hatred of Lakers prevail?

I suspect that he is as much in shock as the rest of the GM's. The Lakers have not looked as bad in quite a while.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

It is an interesting question. Does loyalty to the Western Conference or hatred of Lakers prevail?

I suspect that he is as much in shock as the rest of the GM's. The Lakers have not looked as bad in quite a while.

I dont think there is a loyalty to the Western Conference. However, we know there is a hatred for the Lakers


BTW, I think that BC is just counting the days to July 1st with a BIG smile on his face.

Adds another question: If the Suns land Kobe, does BC become an immediate favorite for EOY??

 

[scotsman13]

hate the laker. if we make trades we dont trade our players to other western conf. team (or try not to) we want to sent them out east.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

For whats its worth:

Stephen A Smith:

It is clear to me that Kobe is probably leaving, Jackson might not be back. This team needs to dismantled and ripped apart because they aren't going to win any more championships.

 

[George O'Brien]

For whats its worth:

Should I know who Stephen Smith is?

BTW, the Lakers really looked old and slow tonight. If they lose Kobe, they will be even older and slower.



(I've never used the raccoon before. I hope it isn't copyrighted).

 

[Joe Mama]

I'm not sure that losing the finals makes Kobe Bryant want to leave the Lakers more or less. I think the key is that the Lakers would have to show that it is his team. He might even want them to get rid of Shaquille O'Neal. Who knows what is really going on in his head? I know I don't put much stock into what Steve A. Smith says.

If the Phoenix Suns are going to get him they still need to make some moves to give him a maximum contract. Also, if they sign him to a maximum contract what money are they going to use to get a center?

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

Also, if they sign him to a maximum contract what money are they going to use to get a center?

I can think of three strategies, none of them terribly appetizing:

1. Hope that they can keep their lottery pick and get extremely lucky in the draft.

2. Work out a trade for one, probably involving Marion.

3. Wait till next year.

That's pretty slim pickings, but if Bryant is really interested in signing and that's the choice they have, it's probably the right decision.

 

[Chaz]

Lakers just looked old. They were like the walking dead for much of the game. Walking the ball up the court.

There was no fun and no fire.

They better find some quick or they will not have a game at Staples to go back to.

 

[George O'Brien]

Also, if they sign him to a maximum contract what money are they going to use to get a center?

I can think of three strategies, none of them terribly appetizing:

1. Hope that they can keep their lottery pick and get extremely lucky in the draft.

2. Work out a trade for one, probably involving Marion.

3. Wait till next year.

That's pretty slim pickings, but if Bryant is really interested in signing and that's the choice they have, it's probably the right decision.

I suspect that Dice would accept the veteran minimum for a chance to play on that team.

 

[cly2tw]

If Kobe chooses to sign here, it doesn't really matter who the center is. For one, it's not difficult to get average centers good for 6 fouls like the Bulls used to get away with. Secondly, only Shaq is of real concern with those low-salary centers, but without Kobe the Lakers aint gonna be a threat to anybody for a while. The more important thing is however to get rid of the defensive liability of Marion with someone like Prince, Marshall, Pierce etc.

 

[F-Dog]

Well, I can only think of one Laker that I wouldn't blame for their loss tonight.


Kobe was horrible. He was triple-teamed every time he touched it, yet he wound up with 25 shot attempts (shooting what? 30%?) and two assists.

The Kings first used this 'Kobe zone' more than a month ago, and Kobe and the Lakers still haven't come close to solving it. The role players didn't shoot well when Kobe passed them the ball, but Kobe wasn't getting them wide open in most cases, which he should be able to do with that much defensive attention.

The Lakers went away from Shaq down the stretch again, even though their only success all game was when they went through him.


On the other side, the Pistons let the Lakers stay in the game with their poor shooting. Rasheed Wallace showed up, surprisingly (Medvedenko had something to do with that ), and Billups had another good game, but the other Pistons were laying bricks most of the game. Rip Hamilton finally woke up in the fourth quarter, and that was enough to put the Shaq-less Lakers away.


The officiating was typical Dick Bavetta--by the end, guys were flopping all over the court, because they were getting rewarded almost every time.


I'll be surprised if the Lakers win in two days; the only thing I can see that might let it happen is a Detroit letdown. The Lakers don't seem to have any resiliency, and they haven't shown any answers for what Detroit is doing to them.

 

[George O'Brien]

If Kobe chooses to sign here, it doesn't really matter who the center is. For one, it's not difficult to get average centers good for 6 fouls like the Bulls used to get away with. Secondly, only Shaq is of real concern with those low-salary centers, but without Kobe the Lakers aint gonna be a threat to anybody for a while.

The problem is not people who are listed as centers, but guys listed as 7'0" PF's such as Duncan and Garnett. It would be nice to have someone who can match up with them.

This is why I'm hopeful Lampe can develop on the defensive end. He has the size to match up with the power guys and the athleticism to match the athlete types. But if he does not develop as expected, the Suns are weak on defense.

The more important thing is however to get rid of the defensive liability of Marion with someone like Prince, Marshall, Pierce etc.

I'm not sure Pierce is that great on defense any more, but in any case I think Marion is capable of being a solid defender in a better scheme.

One of the reasons I like the idea of getting someone like Iggy is that he is considered the best perimeter defender in the draft.

 

[F-Dog]

If Kobe chooses to sign here, it doesn't really matter who the center is...

I agree. It's going to take Kobe years to learn how to be a leader (if he ever does so), and in the meantime the Suns wouldn't be going anywhere, with or without a decent center.

Dude, Kobe ain't Jordan. What does he have to do to prove that to you, score in single digits?

 

[SirStefan32]

Very few things are as satisfying as watching the Lakers get beat.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The problem is not people who are listed as centers, but guys listed as 7'0" PF's such as Duncan and Garnett. It would be nice to have someone who can match up with them.

Hate to bring up everybody's favorite whipping boy, but if I remember correctly, Jake Voskhul did quite nicely against both Garnett and Duncan. He certainly didn't shut them down, but also made it difficult for them, which is all you can really ask.

 

[Evil Ash]

Dude, Kobe ain't Jordan. What does he have to do to prove that to you, score in single digits?

No, he's not Jordan but he is the best player in the league

 

[Freddie]

Party time tonight baby. Gotta get warmed up for when the Lakers actually loose the series

ugh. lakers suck

 

[cly2tw]

Hate to bring up everybody's favorite whipping boy, but if I remember correctly, Jake Voskhul did quite nicely against both Garnett and Duncan. He certainly didn't shut them down, but also made it difficult for them, which is all you can really ask.

Exactly! Shaq got 36 pts and 20 rebounds but Ben Wallace was still considered to have done a hell of a job, since he single-covered him. It's a team sport. Lakers' demise is partly due to the lack of an effective Kobe-Malone pick-n-roll due to Malone's injury. Shaq is too slow and too bad a jump shooter to be a good pick-n-roll player. With one year or two, Amare-Kobe combo will be unstoppable.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

The more important thing is however to get rid of the defensive liability of Marion with someone like Prince, Marshall, Pierce etc.

Marion is now considered a defensive liability?!?! Even if he is overrated on defense, he still is FAR from a liability. Before JJ picked it up this year, he was given the best player on matchups.

 

[KingofCards]

The funny thing in my mind was the supposed dominance of the Western Conference.

The thinking that whatever Western team maid to the Finals would win.

Thats why they play the games.

I am glad the Lakers are down 3-1 and hope for series end in game 5.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Btw, Kobe won't re-sign.

Good riddance. You can have the wannabe-Jordan/alleged-rapist.

Game 5 comes down to the Pistons trying to make history...no team has EVER won all 3 home games in the 2-3-2 format.

The rest of the series, the Lakers will be trying to make history...no team has ever come back from a 3-1 Finals deficit.

Right now, the Lakers are a mess...without Malone and with Kobe sucking (call it defense all you want, but he couldn't even buy easy shots right now).

Their only hope is to somehow, someway beat Detroit on Tuesday...then gear up for two home games.

I think it's ironic that so many people wanted to crown the Lakers as champs when Karl and Gary signed there...but sensible fans, including myself, said it was a long season and nothing was guaranteed.

All you haters can relish the thought of the Lakers losing, but in the end must face the reality that, win or lose, they were (as usual) better than your team.

I'm a diehard, so obviously I'm gonna stand by my team. Go Lakers!!!