Playoffs 2010: Western Conf Finals, Game 5 – Suns At Lakers Game Thread

[jagu]

Lopez was being physically manhandled. Maybe fouls maybe not. But either way he didnt have much success.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I didn't watch the game 'cause if I watch it and we lose, I can't sleep and I need to work everyday.

Get yourself a DVR and record the game. Instead of watching it live, hang out here in the game thread so you can keep up with the score without living and dying with every play. If we win, fire up the DVR and watch it. If we lose, set fire to the DVR.

Steve

 

[mojorizen7]

So why did Lopez play so few minutes anyway?

Early foul trouble and it sounded like he struggled a bit when he was in there. Still with 3 sec to go,tied,you put your defensive 7 footer in there to guard against exactly what happened tonight. NBA 101.

 

[scXfreakX]

Get yourself a DVR and record the game. Instead of watching it live, hang out here in the game thread so you can keep up with the score without living and dying with every play. If we win, fire up the DVR and watch it. If we lose, set fire to the DVR.

Steve

Or better yet, set fire to the DVR and then toss it in either a Lakers forum or a Spurs forum.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Early foul trouble and it sounded like he struggled a bit when he was in there. Still with 3 sec to go,tied,you put your defensive 7 footer in there to guard against exactly what happened tonight. NBA 101.

Frye was a better rebounder tonight than usual. I had no problem with him being there and Robin on the bench. I don't see Lopez changing that last play either.

Steve

 

[jibikao]

Get yourself a DVR and record the game. Instead of watching it live, hang out here in the game thread so you can keep up with the score without living and dying with every play. If we win, fire up the DVR and watch it. If we lose, set fire to the DVR.

Steve

I don't want to change the topic but I used to record NBA games when I was in college 'cause I didn't have time to watch but I ended up not watching them 'cause I already knew the out-come.

Tonight is another game that would have kept me up all night. Right now it's almost 2am and I think I am going to bed.

PS: The more I think about it, the more I think Gentry should have put Lopez with 3s left to grab rebounds. ugh.. should have...would have... oh well, I still think Gentry is one of the best coaches I've seen. You know what's funny? When I looked at our 2010 roster, I seriously thought this team was heading to lottery. lol My old memory of Richardson was extremely streaky (and old?) and I only recognized ONE bench player (Barbosa). I didn't even recall Dragic, Dudley, Amuson and Frye... 2009 year didn't excite me much.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It wasn't really a rebound guys. It was an airball that fell well short and there's just no chance really that Lopez would have grabbed it. He would have been blocking out Gasol (instead of Frye doing it). Now, if you think Robin should be in there for a theoretical reason without regard to tonight's game, well, I can't argue that other than to point out that Frye was the better rebounder tonight.

Steve

 

[95pro]

do you guys think the artest elbow on hill was dirty?

 

[mojorizen7]

Frye was a better rebounder tonight than usual. I had no problem with him being there and Robin on the bench. I don't see Lopez changing that last play either.

Steve

Frye did have an excellent floor game TONIGHT vs Lopez.....but thats not the point. Gentry likes to go with the hot hand offensively, but to use the same thinking defensively is probably not a good idea. You have your guys that can defend and get rebounds, guys that can score and guys that can do a little of both.
In that situation Frye really has no business being in there without Lopez being in there too IMO. I can see putting Frye in on the inbounds passer maybe(with his length) but i think Gentry would rethink that in hindsight.

Alvin wasn't feeling well so....

 

[mojorizen7]

It wasn't really a rebound guys. It was an airball that fell well short and there's just no chance really that Lopez would have grabbed it. He would have been blocking out Gasol (instead of Frye doing it). Now, if you think Robin should be in there for a theoretical reason without regard to tonight's game, well, I can't argue that other than to point out that Frye was the better rebounder tonight.

Steve

Well i believe thats what i said. Theoretical reason being:see my other post.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well i believe thats what i said. Theoretical reason being:see my other post.

Gotcha. Wasn't sure if that was your point but thought it might be.

Steve

 

[Bert]

So why did Lopez play so few minutes anyway?

To me, Lopez looks like his back is acting up. He is moving and running gingerly. That would explain his very limited minutes in the past 2 games as well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

To me, Lopez looks like his back is acting up. He is moving and running gingerly. That would explain his very limited minutes in the past 2 games as well.

I'm sure that thought flashed through everyone's mind. I don't think any of us wanted to be the Jinx that brought it up.

Steve

 

[Bert]

I'm sure that thought flashed through everyone's mind. I don't think any of us wanted to be the Jinx that brought it up.

Steve

Oh no, I suck again...

 

[cly2tw]

Lakers devoted a lot of attention to paint defense against our bigs. Both Lopez and Amare got fierce resistence arond the basket, and they seemed to have really studied their tendencies as evidenced in so many blocks they got on both. Those who judge by stats sheets would say Amare had a bad game. That's not so much his effort but Lakers adjustment. We came back into the game by Dudley and Frye and LB's scoring. As to rebounds, in zone defense, Amare is often rotated out to cover the perimeter, which you can't see on the stats sheet.

Anyway, if anything, despite great shooting in the 4th, I thought Nash overdribbled a bit. We didn't have as many Hill or JRich ball handling. After the first couple of minutes, Nash botched a wide open 3pt which was the turning point with Kobe sitting. He seemed lack energy behind those long jumpers, which he got back in the 4th quarter, maybe body getting into a groove then. We wasted a lot clock time in several possessions trying to pass the ball back to Nash, which was anticipated by the Lakers and targeted spefically with their game plan, resulting in a couple of tos as well as rushing shots. And Dragic seemed to get a little carried away after the confrontation with vujajic, missing close ranges as well as not passing to Lou but challenging Kobe himself instead.

All in all, I'm still hopeful for our troops to win the series. Just we don't have any margin for errors now. We need to prepare Amare and Lopez better for their adjustment, and we really need to refine our game plan around Nash and reduce his dribbling. And I believe we have better perserverance with our great bench play. Lakers became indecive and hesitant in their defensive rotation in the 4th quarter, which Nash and Amare used to make good things happen there. Too bad with the bad luck for Artest buzzer beater. Our defense on Kobe's shot was perfect. Best thing is that Frye, LB, in addition to Dudley was really cold-blooded in enemy land. This gives me confidence that as long as we don't get outcoached the next two games, we have a good chance.

 

[elindholm]

These constant flights can't be good for Lopez's back, even if they are only an hour each. Maybe they should let him take the train for these next two trips.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Those who judge by stats sheets would say Amare had a bad game. That's not so much his effort but Lakers adjustment.

Anyway, if anything, despite great shooting in the 4th, I thought Nash overdribbled a bit.

Is it live or is it Memorex?

Steve

 

[nashman]

Of course we get the usual comments about Nash from Cly geesh! Nash was our superstar that showed up if not for him we are not even in the damn game, want to blame someone blame the NO SHOW Amare! 4 Rebounds is a joke once again we lose because Amare gets schooled by Odum!

 

[AzStevenCal]

blame the NO SHOW Amare! 4 Rebounds is a joke once again we lose because Amare gets schooled by Odum!

I worry that with all the effort Amare spent boxing out last night that he'll have nothing left for Saturday's game.

Steve

 

[cly2tw]

watch the game!
Nash establishing himself as the scorer is what I have been proposing. Yet, in this particular game... well see my earlier comments. he was the best player for us in this game. I was trying from coach's perspective to see where there is improvement. You can't just say "more effort from xyz player" and hope we could win next game. Since nobody lacked effort! Basketball is a little more complicated than that. You could lose with greatest effort on suboptimal game plan. Is that so hard to grasp?

 

[elindholm]

You can't just say "more effort from xyz player" and hope we could win next game. Since nobody lacked effort!

Do you promise to leave if Stoudemire does? You're starting to remind me of therealhardaway.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Is that so hard to grasp?

It's Steve's job to dribble. It's his job to keep that dribble alive and it's Amare's job to stand there and check out the cute girls in the stands. They both did their job, is that so hard to grasp?

You rip Nash for over-dribbling in every post. There is nothing subtle enough in your posts to warrant the "is that so hard to grasp" line. Just about everyone with a pair of eyes asked the same question; Where's Amare. But all you can offer once again is that Nash over-dribbled. It grows wearisome.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

I had seen alot more wrong with this game the Amare's lack of rebounding. There was no movement of the basketball. Nash despite scoring over dribbled on several occasions. We needed to move the ball more. Our bench didn't make an appearance until the 2nd half. Dragic made some horrible decisions. Gentry called a stupid play at the end of the 4th setting up Frye for a 3 pointer instead of JRich or Nash. Gentry then again had one of our softest interior players Frye in at the end. We had some stupid turn overs down the stretch.........AGAIN.

If Amare had 10 rebounds it wouldn't have mattered with all the other crap that went wrong in this game.

 

[AzStevenCal]

There was no movement of the basketball. Nash despite scoring over dribbled on several occasions.

Sure he occassionaly over-dribbles. There hasn't been a game since Nash moved to the point position that he hasn't over-dribbled on occasion. You don't become one of the best ever at keeping the dribble alive without occasionally over-dribbling. It's like saying we need oxygen to breathe, we get it. The problem occurs when Amare starts standing around leaving Nash with fewer options thereby creating excessive over-dribbling.

If Amare had 10 rebounds it wouldn't have mattered with all the other crap that went wrong in this game.

You don't think 6 more possessions would have mattered in a 2 point game? And it's not all stats. Once Amare stops being aggressive on offense it bleeds over into all aspects of his game.

Steve

 

[cly2tw]

Do you promise to leave if Stoudemire does? You're starting to remind me of therealhardaway.

If you threaten me with suicide, I'd consider leaving which has nothing to do with Stoudemire. Or just ban me. From your tone, you appear to have the power to.