Lakers @ Suns Playoff thread - Sunday April 22, 2007 -12:00 pm

[slinslin]

Actually the game looked a lot like last year . I don't see much of a difference. Lakers had a 12 point lead Mid 3 quarter and stopped going inside. Luke and Lamar can get easy buckets with ease if we keep going back to it.You make it seem like you won by 30 and dominated. The Lakers gameplan worked just like last year.

Kobe did not stick to the gameplan and that was the difference.I don't mind Kobe taking shots when he is on fire,but once he cooled off,go back to Lamar and Luke down low.

Barbosa was guarding Luke Walton.

It's hilarious. You stopped going inside? You were only up because of a barrage of unbelievable (and lucky) 3pt shots which Lakers fans would have hung Kobe for if he missed them combined with cold shooting by the Suns.

It must hurt but just going inside isn't working against us this year.

 

[kb24]

Lamar had 17 points 16 rebounds on 8-16 shooting. A lot of his baskets came in the post.Luke Walton was 5-8 for 10 points and scored with ease in the paint. Andrew Bynum got easy buckets in the paint when he was in the game. When Kobe cooled off,those guys had it going and it shows with there shooting percentages. Lamar did not get his points off 20 footers.He posted up Marion with ease. Luke was getting 5 footers with ease.

The Suns were cold because you can't rely on 3 pointers for 82 games and the entire playoffs.

Lamar would have had a 30 point 16 rebounds game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Actually the game looked a lot like last year . I don't see much of a difference. Lakers had a 12 point lead Mid 3 quarter and stopped going inside. Luke and Lamar can get easy buckets with ease if we keep going back to it.You make it seem like you won by 30 and dominated. The Lakers gameplan worked just like last year.

dude, did you even watch the game? You had a 12 point lead mid 3rd quarter and then Kobe stopped making everything he threw up - that's when we ran you off the court, outscoring you by 20 over that stretch.

Seriously, you were up by 48-39 at half because of easy buckets? Wrong, you were up 48-39 because Kobe was en fuego - when he cooled off, you were dead, just like the last month of the season.

if the Laker gameplan WORKED, you would have won, like you did 3 times last year - but the gameplan today was ride Kobe until you can ride him no more - to think otherwise is quite frankly, flat out STUPID. How many games did Kobe shoot 33 times last year in the first 4 games? Oh yeah, NONE.

get a clue.

 

[Lorenzo]

It's hilarious. You stopped going inside? You were only up because of a barrage of unbelievable (and lucky) 3pt shots which Lakers fans would have hung Kobe for if he missed them combined with cold shooting by the Suns.

It must hurt but just going inside isn't working against us this year.

I think he has a point. I thought that odom and walton showed some life by going inside to get easy baskets. with the emphasis on stopping kobe, those two need to get easy hoops. but they can't if kobe continues to take tough outside jumpers while doubled. I wouldn't call those shots by kobe lucky because we all know he can make those. but late in games you would rather see kobe give the ball to on open teammate for a shot down low or an open look.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Lamar had 17 points 16 rebounds on 8-16 shooting. A lot of his baskets came in the post.Luke Walton was 5-8 for 10 points and scored with ease in the paint. Andrew Bynum got easy buckets in the paint when he was in the game. When Kobe cooled off,those guys had it going and it shows with there shooting perentages. Lamar did not get his points off 20 footers.

The Suns were cold because you can't rely on 3 pointers for 82 games and the entire playoffs.

you're right, that's why it's good that Leo and Amare can get to the rack at will against you as well.

man, you're really maing Laker fans look like complete idiots right now. D-Dogg, you gotta check this fooboo headwange FAST!

 

[Cheesebeef]

and honestly, if the Lakers can't win when their game-plan works (as you claim it did) AND we shoot as poorly as we did, this is gonna be MUCH EASIER than I thought.

 

[kb24]

The Suns inside D improves with Kurt Thomas but you can't play him for long stretches because that hurts you on offense so you can't keep him in very long.The last thing you want is for the Lakers to get multiple defensive stops. So were basically back to last year. Boris Diaw and Marion trying to guard Lamar in the post. Diaw guarding Luke Walton.

 

[Lorenzo]

and honestly, if the Lakers can't win when their game-plan works (as you claim it did) AND we shoot as poorly as we did, this is gonna be MUCH EASIER than I thought.

I thought the game was competitve. I think there are some things that the lakers can do that will give them some type of shot. but they have to play much better to have any realistic chance of winning the series.

 

[Cheesebeef]

seriously to feel good about this game and come on here saying "everything I said will happen did" after the Lakers beat us by 6 on the boards, had Kobe go off for 39 and have us shoot 43 percent and held us wayy below our average is a head scratcher. you tell me the above, and I definitely say that's a Laker win. The fact that's it's not speaks volumes. It basically says, even when we play like crap, we're still better than you. But yeah, everything you said came true today! I can only you continue to be "proven right".

 

[Cheesebeef]

I thought the game was competitve. I think there are some things that the lakers can do that will give them some type of shot. but they have to play much better to have any realistic chance of winning the series.

it was competitive and I'm not saying it wasn't - but the Suns were more to blame for that than anything IMO. Missing 7 FTs,layups, wide-open threes, shooting 42 percent - even with all that, we still won. That makes me pretty happy. It's not like the Lakers played poorly - they played the way they have the entire second half of the season - not sure why that's going to magically change.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

It's hilarious. You stopped going inside? You were only up because of a barrage of unbelievable (and lucky) 3pt shots which Lakers fans would have hung Kobe for if he missed them combined with cold shooting by the Suns.

It must hurt but just going inside isn't working against us this year.

I think the Laker fan is somewhat right in a way.

Kobe started taking it upon himself to shoot the lights out. Before that, we were just exchanging baskets...they were getting free stuff underneath over and over.

But Kobe in the 4th started ignoring wide open teammates and instead took bad shots which hurt his team.

He isn't far off.

 

[Lorenzo]

it was competitive and I'm not saying it wasn't - but the Suns were more to blame for that than anything IMO. Missing 7 FTs,layups, wide-open threes, shooting 42 percent - even with all that, we still won. That makes me pretty happy. It's not like the Lakers played poorly - they played the way they have the entire second half of the season - not sure why that's going to magically change.

that's a good point as well. although i don't think the suns played like crap.

 

[Cheesebeef]

that's a good point as well. although i don't think the suns played like crap.

they played one half of good basketball. When a Suns team shoots 39 percent and puts up 39 points in a half, that's playing like crap.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think the Laker fan is somewhat right in a way.

Kobe started taking it upon himself to shoot the lights out. Before that, we were just exchanging baskets...they were getting free stuff underneath over and over.

But Kobe in the 4th started ignoring wide open teammates and instead took bad shots which hurt his team.

He isn't far off.

I agree with that. Kobe was ignoring his other players. I saw a couple of guys that were wide open under the basket as he settled for a shot over a double team.

 

[Lorenzo]

they played one half of good basketball. When a Suns team shoots 39 percent and puts up 39 points in a half, that's playing like crap.

you are right about that. for the suns that is poor. the lakers shot the ball like crap in the 4th qtr as well. and from what i saw you have to put that on kobe. He ignored his teammates and took tough shots that weren't falling. It's a game of runs and so often....almost always.... in the playoffs it's about how you play down the stretch. the lakers have to get everyone involved late in games if they want to win.

 

[kb24]

Im not saying we win the series,but we will give you a tougher series then you think.

Kobe bad shot selection is what led to Barbosa in the open court. He has to play smarter then that and stop playing so impatient. I was yelling at the TV go back to Lamar in the post. Even if we miss,it's a quality shot and we have a chance to draw fouls in the paint and get in the penalty.

 

[Cheesebeef]

you are right about that. for the suns that is poor. the lakers shot the ball like crap in the 4th qtr as well. and from what i saw you have to put that on kobe. He ignored his teammates and took tough shots that weren't falling. It's a game of runs and so often in the playoffs it's about how you play down the stretch. the lakers have to get everyone involved late in games if they want to win.

here's the thing - I watch every Laker game - I live in LA - today's game was what has happened in EVERY GAME against anyone with a pulse for the last two months. The Lakers fade at the end because Kobe's exhausted and he doesn't trust anyone... and I don't blame him. That being said, Kobe's great, but a one man team ain't gonna beat this Suns team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Im not saying we win the series,but we will give you a tougher series then you think.

actually, you are saying that and have said that and posted an entire thread about. And I've never said it won't be a tough series - the Suns, as of yet, haven't shown a killer instinct and Jax and Kobe is a tough duo for any team with no killer instinct.

I just think it's funny that you have so much confidence when your team has been so pathetic the entire second half of the season.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I thought Farmar played pretty well out there, not sure why PJ waited until Game 80 to start him over Smush Parker.

 

[Ciani]

Im not saying we win the series,but we will give you a tougher series then you think.

Kobe bad shot selection is what led to Barbosa in the open court. He has to play smarter then that and stop playing so impatient. I was yelling at the TV go back to Lamar in the post. Even if we miss,it's a quality shot and we have a chance to draw fouls in the paint and get in the penalty.

Most of us picked the Suns in 5 or 6, but we knew that the games will be tough. The Lakers' D was as good as they can play, the Suns shot 43%, way below our average. Kobe missed everything in the 2nd half but made everything in the 1st, its not going to be different, he cant shoot well for 48 minutes.

You are right that we have serious problems with Odom, but the Suns have more players who are matchup nightmares for the Lakers. We wont blow you out, but its hard to imagine how the Lakers can win more than one game after tonight, the Suns will only play better than this.

 

[Lorenzo]

here's the thing - I watch every Laker game - I live in LA - today's game was what has happened in EVERY GAME against anyone with a pulse for the last two months. The Lakers fade at the end because Kobe's exhausted and he doesn't trust anyone... and I don't blame him. That being said, Kobe's great, but a one man team ain't gonna beat this Suns team.

I agree. In the last several lakers games ive watched the entire lakers team play like crap for most of the game. this game they were better, but were quiet in the 4th qtr. Kobe has to balance things out when he is doubled. It's their only chance to win. unless he is still making those tough shots. they have to trust odom and some of those other guys now. Forget about the past.

 

[TJ]

one key stat that pops out at me is that KT only played 3 minutes. I figured this would be an ideal series for him to get some minutes. We let the Lakers get ahead too quick and let them sustain the lead for way too long. If we can get control of future games, Id like to see him in there more

 

[D-Dogg]

The Lakers fade at the end because Kobe's exhausted and he doesn't trust anyone... and I don't blame him. That being said, Kobe's great, but a one man team ain't gonna beat this Suns team.

Yep, that's a good assessment. He tried to get the team involved in the third but they didn't answer the bell, and he had no more gas and was cold. Honestly, I'd rather he either went off all game or distributed all game...it's asking a lot of him to adjust from quarter to quarter.

Brian Cook being in the game at all in this series is stupid.

I'd like to see both Kwame's and Farmar's +/- for this game. Several times I was asking Phil just to put them in. We really don't have a shot without Kwame in...he disrupts no matter what people say. His presence alone changes the way the Lakers play. He was out, the Suns went on runs. He comes in, we go on runs. It happened every time.

The Lakers need the split, but this game really reminded me of last year's playoffs.

I still hate that the Lakers didn't draft Barbosa...abomb has to tell me to shut up every time we play the Suns because I keep mentioning it...I was all over it that draft and he just keeps proving me right. I also think he'd be incredible as a triangle point guard.

 

[D-Dogg]

I thought Farmar played pretty well out there, not sure why PJ waited until Game 80 to start him over Smush Parker.

THANK YOU!!!!! Good lord, I've been calling for this all year. Dude was a steal at the 26th pick. He's got a leader personality.

 

[Cheesebeef]

one key stat that pops out at me is that KT only played 3 minutes. I figured this would be an ideal series for him to get some minutes. We let the Lakers get ahead too quick and let them sustain the lead for way too long. If we can get control of future games, Id like to see him in there more

KT was brought here for one series and one series only - SAN ANTONIO... and then if we got to the Finals, some minutes against Miami or Detroit.

besides that, he's riding pine IMO.