And Sometimes You Lose: Game 2 Recap
by Josh Tucker on May 22, 2009 2:36 AM PDT
in Game Recaps
Email
PrintThis felt like a bad loss. It left a bad taste in my mouth, felt like the Lakers gave away the game. The Lakers should have won. Don't you agree?
Then I took another look at the box score. It wasn't what I had expected. The numbers said the Lakers and Nuggets played a fairly even game. Nearly identical, in fact. It shouldn't have been that big a surprise, considering how close the final score was. Have a look for yourself:
| FGM | FGA | 3PM | FTM | FTA | OREB | DREB | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | PF | PTS | |
| Lakers | 35 | 77 | 6 | 27 | 37 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 21 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 27 | 103 |
| Nuggets | 35 | 79 | 7 | 29 | 35 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 29 | 106 |
Uncanny, isn't it? I don't know that I've ever seen two teams play so evenly across the board, in virtually every statistical category.
Still, any sensible person knows that numbers don't tell the whole story. So when I saw this, I began to replay the game in my mind, asking myself if I had simply seen it through the wrong lens. Did I need to change my perspective? My eyes and the numbers were telling two different stories; which one was lying to me?
Typically, I trust my eyes, but in this case, I found myself seriously questioning my perspective. Had I applied an unreasonable standard in my evaluation of this game? I believe I had. Had I seen it through purple- and gold-colored glasses? Again, I believe I had. Reviewing it in my mind, replaying each part of the game, I found my subjective perception of the game moving to come into line with the numbers, rather than the other way around.
Sometimes, you just get beaten.
Is it a form of arrogance on the part of Lakers fans to think that only the Lakers can beat the Lakers, and that any loss must be due to our failures, rather than our opponents' successes? I believe that it is. This thought has been lurking in the back of my mind recently, nagging at my subconscious, poking at my sense of objectivity and sensibility.
It was brought sharply to the forefront the other day, when a reporter asked LeBron James if only LeBron can beat LeBron. He hesitated, and I was immediately put off. The conflict between what he actually thought, and what he knew he should say, was plainly obvious, and though he tried at first to portray humility, the PR move was one he'll need to work on. The lengthy hesitation made his thought process easy enough to read. Finally, he said, "No, I don't want to say that," and paused again. Did anyone actually buy it?
Honestly, I think I was primarliy put off by the attempt to play the PR game and project false humility, moreso than fact that he clearly thinks himself to be unbeatable. It didn't last, however, and after a pause, he changed his mind. "...Yes I will." As in, yes he will say that only LeBron can beat LeBron. I was thoroughly irritated.
Only one problem: I was a hypocrite, and no sooner did I react against LeBron's response than I understood my own similar trespasses. As Lakers fans, we really do act as though only the Lakers can beat the Lakers. Take a moment to let that sink in, to grasp the arrogance of it.
I am not saying that such an attitude is entirely baseless, or even that it is not often right. Such is often the case with teams as good as the Lakers are; when they play up to their potential, they are exceedingly difficult to vanquish. When they lose, it seems more often to be that the Lakers didn't do just that, playing down to their opponents' level instead.
But not always. As Lakers fans, we've made this a rule. Perhaps we took this from Phil Jackson and Shaq, back in the Kobe-Shaq threepeat days – we virtually never give credit to the Lakers' opponents. It seems unfathomable to us, at least when the Lakers are any good, that the other team could be better, even just for a night. If we lost, it was because we sucked – it is the only possible explanation, to the mind that doesn't respect the other team.
That bothers me. Respect is vitally important to me, and only a person willing to give respect is worthy of receiving it in return. Kobe Bryant is the ultimate example of this: the greater his opponent, the greater his respect for them. How different that is from the attitude of a fan! On an individual level, if you have the ability and you put in the work, Kobe isn't threatened, he is impressed. He gives respect. It is an example that we would do well to follow.
Last night, the Nuggets beat the Lakers. Get that straight – the Lakers did not "give it away." The loss was not because the Lakers simply didn't play as well as they should have. They fought hard; they did their best. Were they perfect? No, but I dare you to show me even one perfect game in the history of the NBA. That they made mistakes is not proof that they weren't as good as they should have been; it is proof that basketball is still a game played by human beings.
Things did not go the Lakers' way, but do not confuse the results with the process or the intent. On this night, the Lakers did what they could. The Nuggets were simply the better team, and they beat the Lakers. Is that such a difficult admission?
Yes, mistakes were made. Phil Jackson inexplicably played Andrew Bynum only 18 minutes, and not at all in the final 19:14 of the game – despite the fact that he shot 4-8 from the field, had nine points and only one foul in 18 minutes, and we really could have used some extra rebounding at the end of the gaem. Same deal for Jordan Farmar, who hit his only shot, had three assists and no turnovers, and still played only six minutes. Derek Fisher made only one of nine shots from the field, and took several ill advised forrays into the paint, where he is probably the worst finisher in the league, resulting in near-automatic turnovers. Pau Gasol had four turnovers and missed three crucial free throws. Sasha Vujacic continued to be absolutely worthless – and not only that, but completely selfish, as well. The Lakers missed eight free throws as a team, including five in the fourth quarter that the talking heads will refer to as "the difference in the game." The officiating was terrible.
But folks, these things happen every game. Even in Laker wins, these things happen on a regular basis. So how can they be the cause for this loss? The answer is that they were not. The Lakers lost because the Nuggets beat them. That is all.
Hats off to the Nuggets. This has been rattling around in my brain for several weeks now, and was emphatically confirmed tonight: George Karl deserved greater consideration in the Coach of the Year discussion, and Chauncey Billups deserved greater consideration as an MVP candidate. Do you remember last year's Nuggets? What a joke! Blow on them and they fell apart at the seams! In less than a year, they have gone from the first little pig's straw house, to the third little pig's brick house. The transformation is astounding.
The mettle of this group is something to behold. Their resolve, determination, and confidence is remarkable. They are unflappable, undaunted by the task that most write off as virtually impossible for them. Remembering where they came from, such a short time ago, I am floored.
Chauncey Billups was sublime. Even with Kobe guarding him, Billups had his way. Oh, don't be fooled by his poor shooting night or his low assist totals. In the second half, he got into the paint almost at will, creating countless opportunities for his teammates.
Carmelo Anthony was also fantastic. Again, his 12-29 shooting could have been better, and missing all six three-point attempts didn't help. But when the Nuggets were struggling, Melo put them on his back, and if he didn't win it for them, he kept them in the game until they could get going as a team. Late in the game, with the game hanging in the balance, he did everything that was asked of him, and made the big plays wherever he needed to.
And his defense? His defense! This is Carmelo Anthony we're talking about, right? Now he, too, is playing defense? Shame on Kobe for helping Team USA win the Gold Medal – it seems he may have rubbed off a bit too much on some of the Lakers' more lethal opponents. To see Carmelo Anthony play defense the way he has in this series can only be pure joy, even to the of us who at the same time hope he fails. His ball denial on Kobe in this game was superb; his ability to keep Kobe on the perimeter in the fourth quarter just may have won them the game. The newest Kobe stopper? Hardly. But I'm not afraid to admit that tonight, he won that matchup – and that while no single player can stop Kobe, the Nuggets just might have found the one that can make 48 minutes of his life difficult.
And the rest of the Nuggets? You know, the tattoed rejects, the castaways in need of redemption. The ones we were certain couldn't handle the pressure, but would instead lose their composure? They were cool, calm, composed, and they made all the right plays down the stretch. The discouragement and frustration that would have led to their demise in such a tough game not long ago was nowhere to be seen.
They beat the Lakers, plain and simple. That's the bad news – that they are capable of it, even when L.A. doesn't "give the game away." The good news is that this is no time for wailing, gnashing of teeth, and tearing of garments. It is not time to decry these Lakers as incapable of winning a championship, or even beating the Nuggets. That is not what this game meant; it simply meant that the Lakers have competition. Very good competition.
Hats off to these Nuggets. Lakers fans, show some respect to your opponents, and recognize that they are not simply the beneficiaries of the Lakers' generous failures, but the victors – not given a win, but taking it, wresting it with force from the Lakers firm grip. For a night at least, they were the better team, no ifs, ands, or buts. They came into Staples Center and they beat the Lakers, straight up.
Now the Lakers will have to go to Pepsi Center and beat them back.
78 comments
|
4 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
You can’t possibly be a Laker fan and writing like this, even if you had an epiphany.
Then again, this is silverscreenandroll and it must be a new coven of laker fans. :P
long but good article
- great point about the box score. too often I look at the individual stat-line, but this was one game where it’s a great game both on the court and on paper…
- we gotta do something about the Fisher vs Farmar/Brown situation. I feel like Fisher is killing us, and Farmar is the guy who has earned his spot to be on the floor more often. and agreed on no more Vujacic. I feel like he’s dead to me right now…
- thoughts on Powell? I know he’s not an All-Star, but I feel like he could give us some solid minutes off the bench to add some needed muscle in there. don’t wanna take too much from Gasol and Odom and even Bynum. but Pow’s a consistent role player, and I’ve been impressed when he’s played this year…
- Melo’s D is a huge part of this. I’m glad you put a section on that, becuz I think Kobe definitely showed Melo and LeBron and the others on the Olympic team how important it is to be a well-rounded player, at both ends of the court…
- props to the Nuggets for the win. it was an exciting game, and they made the plays when it counted the most. on to Game 3!
Farmar can't guard any of the Nuggets' guards
except Carter, and he doesn’t play much because, well, he’s Anthony Carter. He’s not playing because he’s just not very good defensively and he can’t play against bigger guards like Smith, Jones, or Billups.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Nothing to worry about...
Take a look at the stats of both games 1 and 2…they’re ridiculously even right down the line in all categories. I’ve said it before but these teams are very evenly matched and this series is going to be determined by single digit wins and losses and they’ll come down to the last few minutes of the game and of course, the refs making and missing calls down the stretch.
No one should be worried about the Lakers capability to win in Denver. They are the best road team in the league for a reason and this will be a long and tight series as expected.
I will say this though…this postseason has been to worst refereed playoffs in my memory. From the whole ordeal with flagrants 1’s and 2’s to missing calls that have change dthe outcome of the game, it’s been seriously embarrassing for the league. Last night’s missed violation call on J.R. Smith during the jump ball cost the Lakers the last posession and possibly the game. That should not happen.
Either way, looking forward to a great series. GO LAKERS!
Officiating was terrible.
So calling out one of a myriad of bad calls is pointless. Games 1 and 2 were near mirror images of the other. In game 1, the Nuggets received the early calls and the Lakers got them late. In game 2, the Lakers got them early and the Nuggets got them late. Even the scores at the end of the quarters were nearly identical (though opposite). To say that JR crossed the lane (and had zero effect on the play) is to overlook the fact that Odom stole the tip in game 1. To say that a foul should have or should have not been called this way or that for the Lakers is to ignore the fact that the Nuggets have just as many in their minds as well.
I thought that the Nuggs played well enough to win in game 1. I thought that the Lakers played well enough to win in game 2. Just goes to show that both of these teams are talented, deep, and full of heart. This series is taking years off my life and we’re only 2 games in. But I’m loving it.
+1
As a basketball fan, it was disgusting watching the refs pretty much tell the Nuggets to not touch Kobe, but I knew it would even out (like any Utah home game),and I can accept that (sort of), but it was blatant. It was bad.
But that’s why it’s “professional” sports. The real pros have to dig deep and work through it. It’s designed to be this way. The Lakes squandered a great chance.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
I agree with you completely that it was one bad call in a myriad of bad calls
The only difference is how cut and dry that one is. There were tons of fouls (and non-fouls) that we can all look to and say it’s wrong on both sides. But in the end, those are judgement calls. JR flying through the lane during the tip is as clear as someone stepping on the baseline, and its not like it was difficult to see.
by C.A. Clark on May 22, 2009 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I think i will be able to sleep tonight
because of your comment i think i will be able to sleep tonight. i however will not be able to watch game 3. its part of my plan they win game 3 and i look like a hero lol. thats how crazy i am
YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD YES!
www.reverbnation.com/czheckproductions
Dick Bavetta
what in the world was up with Bavetta?! did you guys notice that every time he made a call, he would wait like 5 seconds until he would blow his whistle. how annoying is that! I realize I am not an official ref nor do I claim to be. and that it is good to hesitate a mili-sec to make sure you get it right. but you can’t wait until the play is turning the other direction to make a call. maybe he’s getting too old… he is 70! props to the guy for still doing it, but geez-lou-eeze, call it right!
PAU GASOL!!!!
Get the F%CKING BALL to PAU GASOL!!!!
I repeat, get the F%CKING BALL to PAU GASOL!!!!
Look, it even rhymes… Get the F%CKING BALL to PAU GASOL!!!!
There were numerous times, especially early in the game, when Pau established outstanding position down low and absolutely no one passed the ball into him. Instead we see Derek Fisher driving the lane trying to create his own shot amongst the bigs. I NEVER want to see Derek Fisher EVER try and create his own shot EVER again! His job is to catch and shoot an "in rhythm" type of jumper; NOT to try and take someone of the dribble.
The biggest mismatches the Lakers have in this series, is Gasol in the low post but they’re doing next to nothing to take advantage of that. If they ever decide to exploit the mismatches he creates it will open the ENTRE FLOOR for everyone else.
Denver may have just won that series last night. I thought coming in that the Lakers needed to win both games 1 and 2 because I thought they would likely lose games 3 and 4. We saw how poorly they played in games 4 & 6 in Houston; meanwhile Denver has been beating the crap out of people at home. We could be in for a couple of ass kickings if Lakers don’t make some series adjustments. I have one idea of something they could do differently…
Get the F%CKING BALL to PAU GASOL!!!!
0 = The number of Super Bowls the Eagles have won.
This wreaks of emotional snap judgment.
There were numerous times, especially early in the game, when Pau established outstanding position down low and absolutely no one passed the ball into him.
And the entire second half he traipsed around the high key area and let Nene and Chris Anderson push him farther and farther out on the floor. Hell, he couldn’t even post up Carmelo last night to get position to get the ball in a mismatch situation!
Everyone always blames the rest of the team for not getting him the ball, but there’s a lot of times where they get him the rock in a position to score and he passes it back out. Then they pass it back in and he passes it back out. He simply struggles against more physical defenders. He’s soft. He doesn’t chin the ball on offensive rebounds or secure it on defensive rebounds. He was invaluable on the boards last night, until the final couple of minutes when he needs to dominate.
He’s also not comfortable with his 15 foot jump shot right now, because he passed up at least 5 or 6 of those last night on open looks created by Kobe or Lamar.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
It’s not really a snap judgment…
From what I could see Gasol had great position early in the game and the ball was not coming in. In the second half, I completely agree that he traipsed around the high key area and let Nene and Chris Anderson push him farther and farther out on the floor; but this exactly why I think he needs to be established earlier in the contest; even if his shots aren’t falling it will still collapse Denver’s D a bit opening up the floor for everyone else (as long as he’s getting good looks). In games where Gasol starts strong he usually has a solid game throughout. When he starts slow or doesn’t get touches after working to get position, he tends to fade…
Either way Kobe cannot do it all by himself; Gasol needs to become a solid contributor if the Lakers are going to win the championship this year. I can’t think of a better than to feed him the rock early.
0 = The number of Super Bowls the Eagles have won.
I think that Pau would do better with more rest.
And it’s not just that I don’t want him on the floor. He’s so strong at the start of the games, but then seems to flounder near the end.
by NuggBuckets on May 22, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
To be fair
Gasol was absolutely using the Bird. I thought Nene and K-Mart did OK against him. But he was using the Bird.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
by Bob in Boulder on May 22, 2009 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions
As long as he doesn't hesitate.
When he is decisive, he can’t be stopped. When he hesitates, everything goes to shit.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
Playing Pau is actually pretty easy
You simply push him out on the floor as far as you can and dive down with perimeter defenders to keep him from dribbling his way into the post. The Nuggets have three guys who have frustrated him so much the first 2 games of this series that he’s completely out of his game offensively.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
That's the problem.
He lets teams do that. When he hesitates, they swarm him, and strip the ball.
He has to be quick with his decision. Hesitation kills us.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
So he should be decisive...
and immediately jack up a 16 footer? I don’t like that offense either.
- He needs to get the ball at the high post more
- He needs to face up Nene because he’s quicker and he also can see the defense better when he’s faced up.
- If he continues to turn down the jump shot, Nene and Anderson are going to continue to sag into the lane and make things more difficult for Odom and Bryant.
It’s hard to run the triangle when your post entry is 14 feet from the basket.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
I'm not sure Pau is quicker than Nene.
Nene has great footwork for a big man, as he proved in the New Orleans series against CP3. He also has great hands, and is known to strip the ball when the opponent is facing up. I’m not saying that Pau would never be able to take Nene (because he can and he has,) but it’s not as easy as you’re making it out to seem.
Decisive doesn't mean shoot.
I would’ve said shoot.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
WHo do you want in Finals
Cavs or Magic
Some people swear they down as can be
Turns out those same Homies Sit down to pee
by I blocked Patrick Chewing on May 22, 2009 6:53 AM PDT reply actions
I think the Cavs
Better matchups for us without the 3pt and Superman threat in Orlando.
Ahh I would want the lakers
As I am afraid of anything related to the Pistons or Chauncey Billups.
Some people swear they down as can be
Turns out those same Homies Sit down to pee
by I blocked Patrick Chewing on May 22, 2009 6:57 AM PDT reply actions
That said, I am much more afraid of Kobe than Simba in our current Match up.
Some people swear they down as can be
Turns out those same Homies Sit down to pee
by I blocked Patrick Chewing on May 22, 2009 6:57 AM PDT up reply actions
There's not need for gnashing of teeth.
I agree. Sometimes our team just gets beat by a good team. The Lakers have been an excellent road team, too. So I’m going to try and sit back, enjoy real good basketball and hope like crazy that my team wins.
Nice Josh
Now I know of two places (FB&G and here) to get impassioned and (mostly) reasoned analysis from the Laker side. Takes a big person to give credit where credit is due. Excellent piece.
Refs...PLEASE!
I really, really, really hate to complain about the refs. HOWEVER, these games are becoming a really ridiculous example of a bad call, followed by a questionable call, followed by a no call. PJ pointed out something important about that jump ball, Ariza did not decide to just take a nap and lay down on the floor, he went for the ball and got shoved to the ground by Anthony, his left arm fully extended so it’s not like it’s questionable. The second was the violation by J.R. Smith on the SAME play. How do you miss TWO calls on the same play? Yes, the Nuggets won this game, the Lakers relaxed on defense, blah, blah, blah. Come on refs, call the damn game…If Kobe is holding Anthony’s shorts CALL IT, but when something like a game changing jump ball possession is being manipulated by a foul and violation, CALL IT!
The officiating in this series has been terrible so far...
- Nearly 1/3 of the total fouls last night came in the 4th quarter, and half of those were of the ticky tack variety in the last 7 minutes. How about we let the players decide the game on the floor? Instead of getting both teams in the bonus where every horribly missed call results in free throws? Stupid, stupid, stupid.
- When you miss obvious calls in a game with two teams that are evenly matched, it makes a huge difference. I counted 5 such calls in the 4th quarter alone, and I’m watching on TV.
- The kicked balled that was called on Gasol should have been a turnover.
- The offensive foul called on Nene.
- No tech or flagrant called on K-Mart when he literally hip-checked a Laker into the camera row. He gets T’d up there, he gets tossed, and he should have been.
- Missed foul on Ariza’s turnover after the jump ball.
- The EGREGIOUS missed call on Smith crossing the circle during the jump ball. This could have swayed the entire game in Denver’s favor.
When two good teams play a knock-out/drag-out fight with each other, is it too much to ask they they decide the outcome? Stu Jackson, David Stern, CLEAN IT UP! IT’S SINGLE HANDEDLY UNDERMINING YOUR ENTIRE SPORT! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
I don't think you really want to list all the missed or bad calls.
Because Denver fans have them in spades.
No doubt about it
My personal favorite was when Bynum was trying to get the foul to prevent the dunk on Nene and didn’t get called.
I don’t think his point is that the refs are favoring the Nuggets, just that the officiating has been terrible, which is something both sides can agree on. And that jump ball sequence was a pretty pivotal moment.
It bugs me only because the Smith violation was so clear that its easy to see the refs either didn’t know the rule, forgot about the rule because of the scope of the contest, or flat out decided to throw the rulebook out. For all three refs to do that, is really unbelieveable to me.
J.R. Smith should be punished for being a bone head
Now he will get to learn his lesson without paying any price for it.
"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson
by Gils_Keloids on May 22, 2009 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Good stuff, Josh. A couple subtle amendments...
Last night, the Nuggets beat the Lakers. Get that straight – the Lakers did not “give it away.” The loss was not because the Lakers simply didn’t play as well as they should have. They fought hard; they did their best. Were they perfect? No, but I dare you to show me even one perfect game in the history of the NBA. That they made mistakes is not proof that they weren’t as good as they should have been; it is proof that basketball is still a game played by human beings.
1. In Game 2, the first 18 minutes, the Lakers played at World Championship caliber. NOBODY can beat them when they play like that. Now bear in mind that many teams are capable of playing like that — not just LA… But that was The Real Deal.
2. In the last 6 minutes of the 2nd Quarter, they did, indeed, give it away. A little bit of it was reverting to the mean in terms of shot percentages, a little bit of it was poor shot choices (settling for jumpers when games are won and lost at the rack). No doubt there were components of poor defense and turnovers and Denver themselves getting hot and playing at a very high level there, too.
3. In the second half, the teams were evenly matched and it — for the second time in a row — came down to a coin flip. This time it was tails.
Denver did beat the Lakers and are a terrific, World Championship caliber team, let there be no mistake. The key to analysis of this game — and the key to the Lakers fixing what went wrong, is figuring out what went wrong in the last 6 minutes of the 2nd Quarter…
But, like I say, good post. You’ll recall just before the season ended that I made a comment that mathematically speaking the Lakers could be handy favorites in all 3 rounds and still be a coin toss to advance to the NBA Finals. It’s all probabilities: a 95% chance of winning here, a 80% chance of winning there, a 65% chance of winning the other place — and you do the math and it’s .95 * .8 * .65 = 49.4% chance of winning all three series… So Laker fans shouldn’t be jumping off buildings if they don’t make it, assuming some sort of “right” to the finals…
Sometimes the coin comes up tails.
"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
read: ....just before the playoffs started...
"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
Two words
Linas Kleiza
That’s what happened in the second quarter. He torched the L.A. bench last night. 16 points in 21 minutes and 4-7 from 3. If he or Smith plays like that in any games, and the Laker bench continues to be the non-factor it’s been in the first two games, Denver will win the series.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Linus Kleiza made his 3s. The Lakers did not make their 3s. The Lakers took 2 more FTs and the Nuggets made 2 more FTs.
There ya go.
"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
Agreed to an extent
But at the same time, you can say that the 2nd quarter collapse was just basketball. Sometimes, you miss some shots. Sometimes, you get beat on the other end. That Billups step-aside three? It was a good contest by Fisher, it was just an incredibly heady play by Billups.
Every team has ebbs and flows, and that’s just basketball. But the Nuggets kept the deficit reasonable when the Lakers were rolling, capitalized when they stalled momentarily, and fought them equally in the second half. That’s not giving it away. That’s basketball happening, and Denver being better at it for a night.
16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...
Strength & Honor
by Josh Tucker on May 22, 2009 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Hmmmmm
Phil Jackson inexplicably played Abdrew Bynum only 18 minutes, and not at all in the final 19:14 of the game – despite the fact that he shot 4-8 from the field, had nine points and only one foul in 18 minutes, and we really could have used some extra rebounding at the end of the gaem. Same deal for Jordan Farmar, who hit his only shot, had three assists and no turnovers, and still played only six minutes. Derek Fisher made only one of nine shots from the field, and took several ill advised forrays into the paint, where he is probably the worst finisher in the league, resulting in near-automatic turnovers. Pau Gasol had four turnovers and missed three crucial free throws.
- Look at the Nuggets lineups for the last 19 minutes. They went small — this is why Luke Walton played 18 minutes last night. You can’t play Bynum against a lineup like the one that finished the game, because he can’t rotate out to shooters. He doesn’t dominate the post when they guard him with smaller defenders, so he can’t play against smaller lineups — he’s a liability. When Vujacic doesn’t play well, and he hasn’t for going on two months now, the Lakers really struggle against teams that go small. As far as rebounding goes, if Ariza would hold his ground and not let Anthony push him under the basket our rebounding would be fine. Kobe should take some blame here as well…
- Farmar can’t guard anyone on the Nuggets except Carter — Carter played 6 minutes, Farmar played 6 minutes. Coincidence? No. I said in my preview the Brown and Fish would get most of the minutes and that Kobe or Ariza should guard Billups, and that’s pretty much what’s happened.
- Fisher is going to keep playing until someone else catches fire and can defend bigger guards. If Shannon Brown starts hitting threes and making his free throws than Fish will sit more — until then, he’s going to keep playing. Most of the occurrences you’re talking about last night were forced shots at the end of the clock or shots taken when someone cut away the passing lane.
- Gasol has been a non-factor offensively. He’s turned into Dwight Howard so far this series. Why is he so gun shy on his jumper?
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Bynum should've been out there.
Why are we reacting to the Nuggets? Phil should make them react to Bynum.
The Lakers are 11-1 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
Why would teams do that?
They could guard Bynum with Linus Kleiza or Kenyon Martin and he’ll be a non-factor at the offensive end, while they will KILL US on the other end of the floor by forcing Bynum to guard players away from the basket.
If he could dominate a smaller defender, the way good NBA centers do, then you can deal with the defensive liability because the other team will be getting into foul trouble, getting in the penalty, and giving up too many easy shots. They’ll have to change. Bynum doesn’t make other teams react to his offensive presence and you can exploit that by matching him up against perimeter players and forcing him to guard away from the paint. Look at what happened to Bynum’s minutes last series after Yao went down. They guarded him with guys like Luis Scola, and then put him in the pick and roll on the offensive end. He simply can’t guard guys out on the floor and is a terrible pick and roll defender. He’s a huge liability, that’s why Phil can’t “make them react to Bynum”.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Like Lamar plays it well.
Sorry, but when Birdman is on the floor, that is not a situation to worry about.
As you can see, Lamar doesn’t get that. He let Andersen score twice on plays he had no business getting caught out of position by cheating over. If he had any anticipation. Andersen never gets the ball.
What is the difference? Especially if Lamar is bringing nothing on offense?
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
There's a big difference
- Odom is a better rebounder than Bynum. Look at the numbers — this is a fact.
- Birdman scored because Odom was playing passing lanes, and he’ll get a couple of those when he’s in the game, but I’d rather be playing passing lanes (like Ariza does) and forcing turnovers than worrying about what Chris Anderson is doing.
- Lamar is much better at closing out shooters and hedging the pick and roll plays than Bynum is.
- BTW — Anderson played 18 minutes. Bynum played 18 minutes. When Anderson is one the floor, Bynum should be on the floor. When only one of Nene and Martin are on the floor then Bynum has to sit, and he has to sit in the 4th quarter when the Nuggets run pick and roll all the time like they did last night.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
My comment wasn't intended to sound like
I want LO sitting. I want LO out there. Focused.
I just feel Bynum should’ve played more than 18 minutes. That’s all.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
I don't think LO was that good last night to warrant only 18 minutes for Bynum.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
Selfish.
That sums up the Lakers last night.
Selfish offense. There was no movement, no cutting, no passing. Selfish.
The officiating was terrible. I’m not saying that as a complaint, because if I was a Nuggets fan, I’d be pretty pissed on how they called it in the 1st half. But as a Laker fan, you had to know it would “even” out for the Nuggets. When it did, we were stuck in selfish mode, and couldn’t get over the hump.
We did not play smart basketball lat night, yet still had a chance.
I disagree Josh. We gave that game away by not taking advantage of opportunities we had.
And how many junk line-ups is Phil going to experiment with? Pau, Luke, Sasha, Farmar, and LO?
The Lakers are 11-1 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
Huh?
George Karl deserved greater consideration in the Coach of the Year discussion
I agree with most of what you said, but that’s just un-true. Billups deserves most of the credit for turning this team around — that and Anthony starting to come into his own as a player. Karl cost his team game 1 by not having and out of bounds play for the final minute and by not playing his best lineup down the stretch.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Actually, that's only partially true.
George had set the stones in motion months before Chauncey came to town. Part of the reason why the Nuggets went after Chauncey was because A.I. didn’t fit into the defense-first scheme that Denver had decided to switch to. They spent the entire offseason running defensive drills almost exclusively. I am in no way taking away from Chauncey’s leadership on the floor and in the locker room because that has been immense, but to say that George Karl is nothing but the recipient of a good trade is to say that Phil Jackson is only a championship caliber coach because he’s happened to have the best players. Neither one is mutually exclusive.
Completely agree
You can have a great leader and a great defender on the floor, but unless you’re coaching defense, defense doesn’t happen. And this Nuggets squad has gone from defensive suckitude to defensive greatness. That’s not just because they got better at the point.
Look at George Karl pre-Denver. He was a defensive minded coach. He got away from that partly in Denver, and let’s be honest, a defense-first mentality with AI? Agree with NuggBuckets about that.
Having a respected guy like Chauncey Billups to agree with what the coach is saying helps tremendously. Thus, my thought that Chauncey should have gotten more MVP consideration. But it was Chauncey agreeing with the coach, not the coach agreeing with Chauncey. You don’t get this good without having a good coach.
16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...
Strength & Honor
by Josh Tucker on May 22, 2009 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
That being said...
I’m not worried, but this s now 2 straight games where we lacked execution on offense.
I’ll credit the Nuggets, but we aren’t showing the discipline to stick to what we know. We need to be proactive, not reactive.
The Lakers are 11-1 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
The Nuggets' defense has been superb
Way better than we expected it to be.
16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...
Strength & Honor
by Josh Tucker on May 22, 2009 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Yes. You are right about that.
And selfish offensive play only helps them.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
+1
Except for the first 20 minutes of the game yesterday, they have been very good.
Nick Adenhart - 1986 - 2009 R.I.P.
by swiss mcgee on May 22, 2009 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions
Well to me I believe there Defense is superb because the Lakers are allowing it to be
because when you play the game of basketball, you see what the team is doing, all you have to do is make the extra pass, drive the ball to the hoop and with that Triangle system the Lakers run(and the system I hate) it just takes forever for a play to develop especially when the clock is going down. I like the Lakers to attack Denver, When Lakers have done that and stopped that Triangle crap, they gotten fouled or second chance points. I’m just not a fan of who Phil plays in certain areas and how they run the offense, to me they make it difficult and basketball is too simple for the talented Laker Team to struggle offensively.
Here's how I see it...
Lamar Odom should be averaging 20 points a game in this series. They’re playing off him and giving him his jump shot — he should be shooting it more. He should be getting more opportunities to go one-on-one from the top of the key, especially if Martin is going to continue to guard him.
But he’s not, and that’s part of the reason why the offense is struggling: The Nuggets have no respect for Odom’s offensive game, and they know he’s not aggressive enough to make them pay for it. If a team was playing Kobe like this he’d thrash them for 60 points…
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Absolutely outstanding article, Josh!
I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments that there was nothing “given” away in tonight’s game. Denver just stepped up and earned this victory. This is going to be an epic series and I cannot wait to see this weekend’s games in Denver!
2009 LA Kings Hockey: thanks to Joe Sakic's snowblower, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE AV'S!!!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on May 22, 2009 8:47 AM PDT reply actions
Line-ups
Is PJ arrogant? Did he not learn anything from the last series? He should play a smaller line-up in order to push the pace of the game. The Lakers play better and the offense runs smoother and yet you add defenders too.
Starters: Farmar/Bryant/Ariza/Odom/Pau
Why I like this line-up, it presents some good match-ups: Farmar on Jones/Smith and Kobe on Chauncey. It also forces Billups to chase Farmar on D and presents a mismatch with K-Mart on Odom. Farmar has proven himself, give him some minutes PJ!
2nd string: Brown/Fisher/Walton/Powell/Bynum
This line-up still threatens Denver with outside shooting, post-ups, and dribble penetration.
Are you running pick and rolls with Farmar?
Otherwise, why would Billups have to “chase” him on defense. He’s a spot up shooter, not a slash and kick guy.
You want to really mess with the Nuggets? Throw this lineup out there: Kobe/Ariza/Walton/Odom/Pau. Kobe guards Chauncey, Ariza guards ‘Melo. The rest just match up. Now, who do the Nuggets put on the floor to deal with the post ups of Walton, Odom, and Pau? Kobe or Lamar can bring the ball up so you really don’t need a point guard. That lineup is also the best passing lineup the Lakers have — the ball won’t stick with that lineup on the floor. The best way to wear out this Nuggets defense is to move the ball side to side and wear out them out by making them rotate. You have 4 different post options, all of whom are excellent passers who can find cutters, so you really can’t double any of them.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Did you watch the game last night?
Billups would need to deny the ball to Farmar. During the playoffs, Farmar has been racking off assists and has had excellent interior passing. Karl would use Billups’ size and physicality to deny the ball. This would force PJ to force the offense to run and not let Billups get set to faceguard Farmar.
Walton and Ariza are liabilities on the boards. Walton will not be able to post up with Nene clogging the middle and K-Mart cheating off of Odom. If you look at the rebounding by halfs, we dominated in the first half and got dominated in the second half.
I disagree our best line-up was Farmar/Brown/Bryant/Odom/Pau against the Rocks. Adelman wasn’t expecting the Lakers to put in an athletic line-up against his team.
I think we both agree that Sasha needs to be relegated to the bench. He doesn’t fit the game plan in this series. The other point I am trying to make is to force Karl to match up with PJ’s smaller line-up.
Actually
against the Rockets, the best lineup was actually a big lineup, with Pau and Bynum on the floor. I don’t think that’s the case in this series though.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
I was about to write something just the same
Phil Line-ups suck, he should want players on the floor at this point who can help and force Denver to change Defense. Billups ain’t quick enoug to guard Farmer that would be like Fisher guarding Brooks. Phil has to create more mismatches and put the best line-up on the court all the time to give your team a chance to win. But Phil doesn’t so we lose.
I don't understand why not?
With Houston you had Scola, Hayes, and Landry.
Hayes couldn’t score, but Scola and Landry are guys you have to defend. They finished and had a midrange shot.
Birdman and Kenyon do not. They really only score on put back, or great passes from penetration or PNR. Kenyon’s only other option is that weird one handed FT line runner.
I’ll give Nene credit, he can score on his own, but other than him, I don’t see why Bynum shouldn’t be effective in this series. There is no one to play him if he’s playing well.
I don’t think Phil trusts his IQ on defense. That saying a lot when you consider LO and Pau.
The Lakers are 11-2 against the Nuggets in the past 2 years.
Pau needs to stop with his cutesy play and D-up. Flopping and flailing leaves him out of position and the “palms up-mouth open” defense only allows Denver to get easy put backs because no one’s minding the shop.
I still think this is fatigue taking its toll. Whenever Pau is active, he is out on the mid-wing exploiting defenses with his jump shot or the quick dribble drive. Nene is pretty active for a big and a tired Gasol cannot dribble around him quickly enough. Denver’s help defense is also laying the wood on Pau and he is simply unaccustomed to this type of beating.
Boston proved it last year, and now everyone is teeing off on Pau. Push him around, bang him all night and sooner or later, he’ll break. This is were Bynum’s presence in the game makes a big difference. With Andrew on the floor, Denver cannot focus solely on Pau in the middle. Denver is willing to give Kobe his points, but they have definitely succeeded in stopping the #2 option from being really effective.
Fatigue
Why is Pau playing almost 44 minutes a game? That sounds like a killer for a big man who is getting bodied the whole game and has to fight for position. It’s one thing for a guard to play 44, they aren’t constantly fighting for position.
by NuggBuckets on May 22, 2009 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Kudos to you Josh
I was about to yell and tell you all about how the Lakers should of won and how a few better moves by Phil Jackson the Lakers would of won the game but You make interesting Points that I can’t deny. Nuggets won the game we can’t take that away from them and make it about the Lakers. As much as I want the Lakers to win and as much as I feel they have advantages the Lakers must get the job done. Denver is here to play and they took game 2. Now Lakers must show they can beat Denver at their home.
I’m not trying to deny they made mistakes. I’m just saying that mistakes always happen. Mistakes by the coaching staff, mistakes by the players. They happen in every game. It’s a chess match, and it’s a battle, at the same time. Sometimes, you make your best play, and it turns out to be the wrong one. And your opponent makes theirs, and theirs is better. You got beat.
16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...
Strength & Honor
by Josh Tucker on May 22, 2009 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions
Exactly like a 1 on 1 game make mistakes and you get beat
Hopefully we see a more determined Laker team, who brings there A game from start to finish, it would be tough but I’m sticking with the Lakers until Denver wins the series.
Nice piece Josh. I don’t think that the idea that only the Lakers can beat the Lakers is unique to the Lakers. I know that Denver fans attributed the loss in game one more to the Nugs errors (FTs, errant inbound pass, etc) than to the success of the Lakers. I think most fans probably feel that way. Maybe it’s a control issue. If your team beats itself then there are things that team can do to fix. However, if you just get outplayed there may not be any quick fixes.
"C" is for Championship...that's good enough for meeeee!!!
I agree, to an extent
All fanbases are guilty o this to a degree. But I think the fans of the historically greatest teams, like the Lakers and Celtics, are by far the worst at it.
16...15...14...13...12...11...10...9...8...7...
Strength & Honor
My gut feel
Was that the Nugs played better in game 1 and lost, so I can see your whole angle here. I thought the Nugs played awful for most of the first half and were extremely lucky to still be in the game when they made the run at the end.
Nice piece. Two evenly matched teams, at least in LA. Now, does this mean the Nugs will have a slightly bigger edge in Denver? I’m not sure. We’ll know the answer to this by sometime Monday night.
MHH: Shagging Dater one contributor at a time.
This game was virtually identical to game 1
except it was in reverse. From the first quarter score to the halftime score to Kobe vs Melo to the final score, to bad officiating it was de ja vu, so it’s not surprising to see the Lakers lose.
These two teams are evenly matched, and this is going to be an incredibly tight series. Sometimes the ball will bounce our way Ariza’s game 1 steal) and sometimes they won’t (Ariza losing the jump ball in game 2), but we must take the good with the bad. IMO these first two games have been won, not lost, and so long as it stays that way, I won’t be distraught (sad yes, but not distraught) if the Lakers end up losing.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Silver Screen and Roll
Related FanShots on Silver Screen and Roll
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- James Harden elbows Metta World Peace in the face on the sneak tip (VIDEO)
- Behind the Box Score, where the Lakers absolutely melted down the stretch
- Shaving a picture of Matt Bonner in his head could net a young Spurs fan an in-school suspension
- Greg Oden wants to play for the Miami Heat
- LeBron James and Kobe Bryant on Forbes World’s Most Powerful Celebrities list
