Credits 5/11/09

by wondahbap on May 11, 2009 9:12 AM PDT in Credits

Ugh. What a waste of my Sunday afternoon.

Losing is one thing. Losing like this is unacceptable. So much for my belief that Game 1 was the Lakers final wake up call (I guess P.Ami was right. I was wrong.)

As I expected, the Rockets seem like a better team without Yao Ming. Yao's presence on the floor was an advantage for us. Now that advantage is gone. But none of that mattered. We didn't show up, and that is the frustrating thing. It's not the loss. It's the way they lost. Without a fight.

"The final margin told nothing of how badly this depleted Houston squad beat on the Lakers; it would've taken one of the biggest comebacks in postseason history for L.A. to swing the game," says Bethlehem Shoals.

It feels like Groundhog Day. When are these Lakers going to get the final wake up call? When are the Lakers going to stop trying to just break the clock every day, and wake up for good?

And to top it off, Lamar is hurt. Another reason to worry.

Here are more Lakers Links:

Recaps:

Our own Sideout 11's "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

Our own Dexterfishmore's Tempo Free Breakdown

ESPN

The Los Angeles Times

LA Daily News

The Orange County Register

20 Second Timeout

dEDGE

SlamOnline

TalkHoops

Click on through for the rest of the links...

Forum Blue & Gold: It's Not The End Of The World, But It's Not Good

"Also, Kwame a. made a great point in the comments:

Why do people keep acting like Houston minus Yao is trash. This seems to be a case of not having enough knowledge of the players who are contributing to Houston. Hell, all year Wondahbap was noting that Yao slowed them down against us and were better with him off the floor….Yea the way it happened sucked, but it was not like they lost to the Grizz.

What kind of offenses gave the Lakers fits this year? Ones with quick point guards that could break our slower PGs down off the dribble, teams that ran their offense from the top of the key area and teams that had bigs that could step out and hit 15-18 footers that pulled our bigs out from protecting the paint. With Yao out, what does Houston do for offense? Run the pick and pop at the top of the key with a big who can hit the shot. The Lakers responded by going back to old habits — everyone sagging off their guy to provide unnecessary help in the key, in doing so leaving good three point shooters too open. The defensive rotations were pathetic."

Considering our lethargy in Game 4, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get this excited:

The Los Angeles Times' Bill Plaschke: Lakers get what they give when it comes to Game 4

"I know you're expecting a full column effort, but the Lakers' opponent was only the devastated Houston Rockets, so why should I have to work hard to write about them?

Why should I put passion into describing a game that the Lakers didn't show passion in playing?"

The Orange County Register's Jim Miller: Lakers outrebounded, outhustled, outclassed

"Their opponents were trailing, reeling and suddenly hurting more than ever.

So the Lakers came out Sunday…and displayed the heart of a sixth-seed."

ESPN's J.A. Adande: No Yao, no problem as Rockets roll

"For now it's time to stop wondering how their inconsistent efforts translate into potential matchups down the road and get back to this series, which just became a best-of-three."

LA Daily News' Elliot Teaford: Lakers' Fish is no factor in return

"Derek Fisher's return to the active roster was a forgettable one."

Hardwood Paroxysm: That Was A Jolly Good Time: Lakers at Rockets, Game 4

"The Lakers will win this series, and everyone outside of the Rockets locker room believes that. But if the Lakers don’t wake up and accept that they are going to have to earn this one, it’s going to get dicey."

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix: Rockets show resilience, more playoff observations

"Credit Adelman, too, for creating a Yao-less game plan in less than 48 hours that was effective enough for Houston to build a 29-point fourth quarter lead. No coach would want to be without the services of a 7-foot-6, All-NBA center. But Adelman may be the most equipped to do it. In the past, Adelman's offenses have been very perimeter oriented (see Sacramento, Portland) with the center often playing the role of facilitator at the elbow. The Rockets will undoubtedly miss Yao soon enough (probably in Game 5) but on this night, Houston proved that there is life without their star."

The Los Angeles Times' T.J. Simers: The Lakers should be red-face; instead they're seeing red

"Maybe they will still claim the title when all this is over, but shocking as it might sound, an NBA team failed to show up Sunday for a playoff game -- as embarrassing an indictment as one can levy against a group of so-called professional athletes.

The Lakers are the superior team, the Rockets are down and without Yao Ming, and it was time for the Lakers to put them away."

Our own Timbo's The View From Houston

"The game? Agonizing and unbearable. Intolerable. Nasty and Foul. Stinky and Sewage-drenched. Brutal. Poisonous....

Beyond that, it was all very perplexing.

It was also Grisly. Vile. Unspeakable. Nightmarish...

But ultimately it was only one game and the Lakers still lead the series, heading home to Staples for what is now a best-of-3. Time for the Lakers to "take their lumps and move along," as PJ told them during a brief pause in the action during the third quarter blowout today.

Now, let's pay a visit to our friends from Texas and see if they agree with all this, shall we?"

The Salt Lake Tribune's Steve Luhm: The Lakers still the best bet in the West
"A month ago, I thought only an act of David Stern could prevent Kobe Bryant & Co. from winning the West and breezing past LeBron James & Friends in a star-driven Finals that's had ratings-hungry TV executives smiling in their sleep.
One probem.

The mid-May Lakers are not the mid-April Lakers....
....The Lakers, not Denver, are the best team in the West.
They just have to start playing like it."

Audio/Video:

Post Game Interviews

Magic Johnson on ESPN/ABC

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Comments

From the 20 Second Timeout link above

One sequence from late in the first half epitomized how the Lakers were playing: Bryant drove into the lane and drew three defenders—with a fourth defender poised to come over if necessary—and he dished the ball perfectly to a wide open Gasol on the baseline. Gasol could have taken the midrange jumper but instead he drove tentatively and got fouled; I say that his move was tentative because he hesitated after he caught the pass—instead of shooting with confidence—and then when he got in the lane he went up with one hand instead of trying a power move with two hands.

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gils_Keloids on May 11, 2009 9:43 AM PDT reply actions

Don't Tell Me This Team Can't Win a Title Because of How They Played Yesterday

Thanks to Forum Blue and Gold for compiling this list.

1) In the first game of the 1985 NBA Finals (the first time it was called that, by the way), the Lakers got absolutely routed by Boston Celtics. Devastatingly crushed. Dominated in every aspect of the game. They lost 148-114, and the media dubbed it the Memorial Day Massacre. The Lakers won the series in six games.

2) 1972 NBA Finals, Lakers vs. Knicks game one. From The Show: "Lucas scored 26 pts. an, Bradley hit 11-12 shots from the field as New York shot 53% from the floor. They used a nearly perfect first half to jump to a good lead and won much too easily, 114-92…. At he beginning of the first half the Forum crowd began filing out dejectedly. It looked like another LA fold in the Finals." The Lakers beat the Knicks in five.

3) Game two of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, the Trailblazer ripped the Lakers, 106-77. The Lakers came back to win that series in a dramatic seventh game and go on the three-peat.

4) Last season the Boston Celtics were taken seven games by a more athletic but far less talented Atlanta Hawks team, then were taken seven games again by LeBron James and what there was of a surrounding cast last season. We all remember how that turned out. But after four games against the Cavs last year, Celtics message boards and fan reactions looked a lot like the Lakers this year.

There are simple lessons here. Don’t say this Lakers team cannot turn it around and win the NBA title. Don’t tell me Magic and the great Showtime teams never had letdowns, because they had them (regular season and playoffs). Don’t tell me game four against the Rockets is proof of ultimate doom. It is not. (Thanks to Gatinho for helping me compile this list.)

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gils_Keloids on May 11, 2009 10:29 AM PDT reply actions

The difference is...

none of those teams are THIS team. Granted 3 of those are the same franchise but are far different teams from the one that exists today.

"I am from one of the top 15 cities in the world. Buffalo, New York." - TrentEdwardsHoF2018

by Artest4Prez on May 11, 2009 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions

If it helps,

We have guys from those teams that are running this team. So it’s not like it’s THAT different?

by hertagnism on May 11, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

No, they're not the same team

They’re just examples to show that many of the same Lakers fans shooting down this team today would probably be doing the same after the blowouts referenced above.

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gils_Keloids on May 11, 2009 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions