Mother's Day Massacre Part Deux? Hardly.
by C.A. Clark on May 15, 2009 8:00 PM PDT
in Editorial
40 comments
Game 6 deserves a reaction.
Game 4 had me spitting venom at my own team, blasting them for their effort, questioning not only whether they would win a championship, but whether I would even feel good about it if they did. What did that team do for an encore? A win at home by 40, followed by a road loss by 15 that started out worse than the previously mentioned debacle.
If Game 4 deserved a reaction, this game definitely deserves one. So here it is.
The better team won.
This game was not about what the Lakers didn’t bring to the table. It was about what Houston did bring. Game 6 was much more similar to Game 1 than Game 4. Outside of a choice few (I’m shaking my fist at you, Pau Gasol’s first half), the Lakers played hard. The defense was not good, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. Houston simply executed their offensive game plan well and made adjustments to what the Lakers did to stop it in Game 5, and when good ball movement resulted in an open outside shot, that shot went in. The offense was terrible, but it wasn’t because of poor energy. You don’t get 15 offensive rebounds by not trying. The Lakers execution on offense was horrific, but Houston played great defense and didn’t let the Lakers do the things on offense that they wanted to do. And, when the Lakers put up open outside shots, they didn’t fall. This wasn’t about one team showing up and another team not showing up. This was about a team getting beat.
If you want to blast the Lakers for playing as stupid a game as I’ve seen, from the top down, go ahead. Phil Jackson coached the game stupid, with absolutely ridiculous rotations and lineups. The players played the game stupid (I think Fisher just missed another 22 footer with 17 seconds on the shot clock). But I gave at the altar. This time, I choose to give Houston some fucking credit. The credit they deserved for game 4, but couldn’t get because the Lakers might as well have forfeited that game.
The Rockets are not a better team than the Lakers, night in and night out, especially with two max contract players riding the pine. They shouldn’t be better than the Lakers in 3 out of 6 games. I pray they won’t be better in 4-7 games. But tonight, the Lakers genuinely tried to win the game, and they failed. They went about it all wrong, they made all the wrong decisions, but they tried. So this wasn’t a Lakers loss as much as it was a Houston win. Houston won by executing down the stretch. They won because the best two big men on the floor were named Scola and Landry. They won because the Lakers have no answer for Aaron Brooks, and he was hitting some tough, tough shots down the stretch. They won because the Lakers couldn’t buy a shot, but they couldn’t buy a shot because Houston’s defense forced them into mostly bad ones. On this night, the Lakers showed up, and they just got beat
It happens. Any team will have good nights and bad nights. And when a good night for one team corresponds with a bad night for the other team, the result is pretty easy to figure. Which is what makes game 4 all that much harder to stomach. Because the Lakers have left this series and this season up to fate. They have left themselves vulnerable to the mystical power of Game 7. In case you’ve forgotten, this Lakers team hasn’t had a whole lot of success with Game 7s in the past few years.
But who knows? The Lakers should win game 7, and I personally think it will be a Game 5 repeat (not quite as pronounced, but a comfortable win.) These Lakers have been positively consistent in one aspect in the playoffs. They’ve yet to play two bad games in a row, and they’ve responded very strongly after each loss. And their title chances are no worse for the wear than before Game 6. The comparisons to last year’s Boston team, which struggled in both of the first 2 rounds of the playoffs, didn’t hold true after Game 4. That team never quit on a game. They just struggled to find themselves, and went up against some dynamic players who were unstoppable at the end of games on the road.(Don’t ask me how Joe Johnson was dynamic, but he was. I have no idea where it came from, or where it went, but he was.) But game 6 was exactly the type of game that filled Boston’s playoff run last year, and we’ve seen how little bearing that can have on how things end in the final game of the season.
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Good recap..
I am a Houston Rockets fan, and I, like many others, am surprised at how well the Rockets have adapted to the changing line up.
One thing that the Rockets have already accomplished in the series is to take some shine off this group of Lakers. May be it will do the Lakers some good, should they win game 7.
Kari
Nice piece.
Mother’s Day was a disaster.
Game 6 was a badly screwed up first quarter followed by a pretty good game.
I also want to go on record for this: for those of you to whom I declared Pau Gasol a superstar — I was wrong and I apologize for my ignorance.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
I agree with everything, but don't think it will be a game five repeat.
The Rockets will come to play. Its the Lakers I’m worried about.
I think the Rockets will play the best they’ve played in the series, and the Lakers better be prepared for that.
The bad start where we were down 3-21 or something awful like that really killed us. Afterwards we upped the intensity but then we were just down by too much to come back.
Why is Derek Fisher still in the rotation?
For all the great playoff moments he’s delivered in his career, Fisher has been such a massive liability against Houston that Rockets fans claim they’d have already won the series if he hadn’t been suspended for Game 3.
He’s shooting 29.4 percent against Houston and contributed several of the forced early shots that put the Lakers in huge holes in Games 4 and 6. Additionally, he’s been little more than a traffic cone on defense against speedy Aaron Brooks. The two men behind him, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown, have played reasonably well, so there are alternatives.
For further proof, check out their plus/minus numbers on the series. Fisher is minus-14, Brown is plus-5 and Farmar is plus-48. Even in Game 5, which the Lakers won by 40 points, Fisher was a modest plus-9.
Yet the Lakers continue to trot Fisher out with the starters. At the very least, they should have him matching up against Kyle Lowry, whose inability to shoot makes it easy to back off him. But a better option might be to use Farmar and Brown the whole game. At this point, Jackson’s loyalty to the veteran Fisher looks like a victory of sentimentality over wisdom.
Yeah, Jackson has always been reluctant to change linups and rotations.
I remember in 2004 against the Pistons when he continued to start Gary Payton over(ironically) Fisher, who was better at the time. We all know how that turned out.
And what was with Kobe sitting for like FIVE MINUTES at the start of the fourth? Whenever they cut back to him, you could see him with that intense look on his face, sitting on the bench antsy with energy, yet there he sat and when they finally put him in the game they were down so much he had to rush shots, trying to score quickly so they would even have a chance of winning.
Those few minutes that Kobe sits the fourth every game is usually the time when the Lakers blow leads the past few seasons. There has got to be a better time to handle that, like maybe the end of the third. Rest him in the fourth after they’re up by fifteen or something.
by Turbo Jackson on May 15, 2009 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions
It pains me to criticize Phil
9 friggin rings. I’ve defended him as hard as anyone. But (to quote myself from FBaG):
I think Phil is as enamored with his legacy as we are.
I don’t mean he sleeps with his 9 rings. What I mean is that Phil has done things a certain way for a long time, and he believes they work (the rings don’t lie). As such, he seems less willing to be as flexible as perhaps other coaches would. The SST is an example of flexibility, but it took a humiliating flameout for Phil to listen to Rambis. I’m not saying he’s inflexible, but less flexible than perhaps he should be.
Did the Machine come with a warranty?
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on May 15, 2009 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Excellent post
I cringed at the comparisons to Game 4. Did these people watch the game? Game 6 was nothing like Game 4. We came out a little flat, but otherwise our effort (esp defensively) was fine. The Rockets just out-balled us.
Where we were fell flat was our offensive execution, primarily in the beginning. That really exposed us as relying on Kobe’s midrange game. When Kobe can’t hit difficult shots, the rest of our offense stagnated.
Kobe hasn’t "figured out" Battier. People who look at the results and say "Well look here, Kobe scored a ton of points efficiently" are off. Kobe hasn’t gotten to the rim consistently all series long. In some games (e.g. Game 2), because of Kobe’s sheer skill, those contested mid-range jumpers go down. But those shots don’t get other players involved, and even with Kobe, have the least chance of going in.
I do think Kobe’s shot will come back for Game 7, but it’s a poor way to play – living and dying by Kobe’s midrange game.
Also, is it fair to say this team is less talented than last year's?
By that, I mean the current state of the team. We keep talking like we’re more talented than last year, but right now we’re not:
-Sasha last year was a huge part of our team’s success, and often blew games open single-handedly. Now, Sasha is nothing short of a detriment offensively.
-Fisher has gotten a year older and slower, but last year he could hit 3’s and now he’s in a horrible slump. He also seems to make more questionable decisions than last year, sometimes forcing the action and taking bad shots.
-Bynum is giving us very little than a big body and length at this point.
-Lamar is hurt and stiff, and isn’t able to box out at his best or attack off the dribble
-No Turiaf. Ronny last year as our 3rd big man actually trumps the lost version of Bynum as our 3rd big man (before LO’s injury).
-The additions are Ariza and Brown. Ariza isn’t giving us much offensively, but I have nothing but praise for Brown. I think at best you can say we’re as talented as last year, but I think that’s a stretch.
Don't mistake talent with results and execution
Talent doesn’t ebb and flow. Talent is talent. The only things that can really reduce it are injury and age, and one of those is usually temporary. And the Lakers talent is as good as or better than anybody’s in this league.
What the team (i.e. the bench) has lost this year, is effectiveness. Farmar got hurt, and when he came back, either his mind or his body, or both, weren’t right. He’s only now starting to right the ship and look like the guy we all cheered on. Vujacic, he’s reverted back to a practice player. Maybe he’ll get back to being the Machine, maybe not. And Bynum, he’s got a whole host of problems, some of which don’t bother me at all long term (the refs calling him for everything under the sun) and some which bother me a lot (his attitude when things aren’t going his way). But none of them have lost the talent that made them great players in the past.
The Lakers' talent...
Isn’t as good as Kupchak makes it out to be.
Let’s be honest: Jackson makes the most out of this squad, because one on one, outside of Kobe, they aren’t even marginal enough to be a star on the Warriors.
Like say, Fisher and Turiaf.
Well, we're waiting....
we need some veteran help. right now someone like ron harper would’ve helped this team. someone like horry.
And Horace Grant
And Scottie Pippen, heck even Luc Longley would do
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on May 15, 2009 11:29 PM PDT up reply actions
True, but...
Remember, veteran also = old.
Everyone here has been screaming to bench the one veteran we have: Fish. He brings that “savvy” that we need, but older, slower players aren’t always a good thing.
I get what you’re saying though, I think Phil’s coaching style is best suited to veterans who can handle the responsibility he gives them. I’ve been wishing for a more veteran approach all season long.
Going out on a limb, I see
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on May 15, 2009 11:31 PM PDT up reply actions
PJ – "We’re going to have to play guys on Sunday that earn the minutes rather than just our regular rotation, so there may be a change."
+100
FINALLY good to see Phil’s come around and realized “Hey, maybe I should play the players that are playing well rather than the dudes that played well 10 years ago.”
I was afraid Phil would adamantly stick to his guns even while the ship was sinking.
Yep
Houston won by executing down the stretch. They won because the best two big men on the floor were named Scola and Landry.
And they’ve done that all season. Luis-Landry. I’m sure Jackson has already drafted up a game plan to counter those two for Sunday.
As long as the Lakers can drive into the middle and score, the Lakers will win the game. However, if Scola starts C, all bets are off.
And… ugh… if Joey Dorsey actually sees minutes, well, again, all bets are off. At this point in this bizarro series, I wouldn’t be surprised at anything the Rockets do.
GO ROCKETS!!!!
Oh, and one more thing
Adleman should have taken Coach of the Year. If his playoff adaptation to countering the best team in the West without his big superstars isn’t enough, I seriously don’t know what is.
However game 7 goes, it will be close. It will be tough. It will be hard-fought. And if the Rockets manage to squeak out a W, then Adleman needs to be put up as the #1 coach of the year.
And if they don't?
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on May 15, 2009 11:30 PM PDT up reply actions
as the leaders, kobe and fisher needs to go to privately talk to andrew bynum, and implore that the team needs him. more importantly, they need to remind him that he is good. they need to remind him that he is a big part of this team. right now he is playing as though he is a forgotten man. he’s tentative. doesn’t seem like he’s even on the team. kobe bryant, more than anyone else, needs to inspire him. phil jackson, then, needs to call plays that feed bynum the ball in the post. get it going kid. you can do it. the team needs you. without you, they are struggling. with you playing good to great ball, we are dominant.
Rockets Ball Screens Create Havoc for Lakers
Nice technical analysis here
- While Aaron Brooks is a decent shooter, he’s a slasher. So why go over top of the screen every single time?
I am really surprised the Lakers didn’t decide to either trap the ball-screen, go underneath all ball-screens with Brooks, or switch defenders. The Lakers had some real momentum going into the 4th quarter but their inability to stop Brooks from getting into the lane really cost them late in the game.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
Ihave to say about Fish right now is...
The Rockets have decided it’s better for them to send Aaron Brooks from across the floor to double on Pau, rather than him cover Fish. They want the ball to swing around to him.
That’s how bad he’s been.
Lakers are 7-3 against the Rockets this year.
perhaps fisher was affected by the dirty play he committed against scola, given he’s never done something like that before. when you think about it, it now seems that it was in vain. for one, he has played like shit since then. secondly, it didn’t pump up his team like i thought it would, otherwise we wouldn’t have had games where we didn’t show up to play.
Comparing Wade Version 2009 to Bryant Version 2006
from 20 Second Timeout Blog’s David Friedman, writing for Pro Basketball News.
“We’ve been together for six years, years filled with hard times and wonderful times. Along the way, we have developed a mutual sense of what each other’s desires are. It’s almost beyond words. Kobe knows when the other guys have to get involved. At the same time, when they appear insecure and are not playing at a level we need to beat a team, he simply steps up and fills the vacuum. I’ve taken to warning his teammates, ‘Now, listen, guys-if you don’t fill the vacuum, he will.’ So they are challenged to put out.”
Jackson concluded, “Kobe’s playing some of the best basketball I’ve ever seen anybody play and it’s great for the game. I don’t know if anybody will ever score 100 points in a game again. But if anybody can do it, it would be Kobe Bryant because he goes on such big tears. I’m impressed with other young guns like Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. But Kobe is the one guy that doesn’t give any quarter to anybody. Whatever he has to do for his team to win, he’ll chase it, no matter how high the bar.”
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
From Truehoop
The 90-minute film session Friday was finished, and Lakers coach Phil Jackson announced to his team that shooting drills or any extra minutes on the Stairmaster were completely optional. While some players headed for the treatment room and others walked out onto the court, Kobe Bryant took a sharp turn to the parking lot and bolted, barely making eye contact as he walked to the giant mini-van in which he is driven to and from practice.
He was clearly in no mood. For anything. Most of all small-talk or further verbiage about the Lakers’ Game 6 performance that had Bryant raging at halftime, as angry and upset as Jackson says he has ever seen him in their entire tenure together, something Jordan Farmar confirmed.
“Kobe was vocal,” Farmar said about Bryant’s fiery halftime speech. “He was the one speaking, but we all got the message.”
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
It might just be me, but Kobe’s teammates tend to look pissed off when he starts screaming at them…
And this is completely pointless, but does anyone else find the phrase “giant mini-van” hilarious?
by Dr. Jan Itor on May 16, 2009 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions
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