RealGM

i knew you'd come through.

Well, we get to see what these men are made of.

We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Dallas doesn't play defense. You saw the LAL send over KB24 and Ariza to guard Billips when he was going. The biggest mismatch you have is at PG. Melo played his best game I've ever seen him play, just fantastic, I wouldn't expect him to shoot that well deep. Ariza is a good defender he has little exp guarding Melo, he got a tough lesson game 1 he'll def play better, he said himself "he got served." Ariza/Melo is still the right matchup. KB24 won't be guarding Melo as much. Kobe played one of his best games ever he was jack of all trades like i've ever seen...guarding Melo & Billips, willing the LAL to a win, making every tough shot matching Melo's shooting exhibition. Again Melo/Ariza is a good matchup as far as defensively, he'll make Melo work more the rest of the series. Billips is still your biggest advantage.

The LAL will make the adjustment to DEN frontline their diminutive size is just a tweek, that won't happen again, they got behind the wall of 7 footers. Game two LAL win by 8. Lakers in 5, they'll lose game 3 in DEN and close it out.

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Well that is 4 games in a row, and 5 out of 7, so I am not sure why "there is no way Melo goes for 30+ again."

edit: In fact, if you take out Game 1 vs New Orleans on 4/19 (which was a month ago), Melo is AVERAGING 29.6 a game. Again, not sure how there is "No Way"

If we do what we did in game 1 except hit FTs this time, and maybe have JR actually do something, then it will be 1-1.

DubaLakers wrote:

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Dallas doesn't play defense. You saw the LAL send over KB24 and Ariza to guard Billips when he was going. The biggest mismatch you have is at PG. Melo played his best game I've ever seen him play, just fantastic, I wouldn't expect him to shoot that well deep. Ariza is a good defender he has little exp guarding Melo, he got a tough lesson game 1 he'll def play better, he said himself "he got served." Ariza/Melo is still the right matchup. KB24 won't be guarding Melo as much. Kobe played one of his best games ever he was jack of all trades like i've ever seen...guarding Melo & Billips, willing the LAL to a win, making every tough shot matching Melo's shooting exhibition. Again Melo/Ariza is a good matchup as far as defensively, he'll make Melo work more the rest of the series. Billips is still your biggest advantage.

The LAL will make the adjustment to DEN frontline their diminutive size is just a tweek, that won't happen again, they got behind the wall of 7 footers. Game two LAL win by 8. Lakers in 5, they'll lose game 3 in DEN and close it out.

You are kidding right? Chauncey missed 3 free throws and missed some open looks at 3. If he gets some of the same looks... I am sure he will knock them down. Personally, I think Melo can get 30 per game (not quite as efficiently) but if he takes Ariza in the post and they double (which they will) someone will get dunks or open looks. Just like we don't have anyone to guard 24... y'all don't have squat to guard Melo. Your team hasn't come close to playing 4 quarters in any playoff game this year, so when are they actually going to start??? this series is going 6 or 7, and yes, your lethargic team (your coach called them that) are favorites to win the series...so don't go out on a limb and pat yourself on the back...you lost in the finals last year by 39 points in a close out game...your team has some dog in them too.

MelosMileHigh wrote:

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Well that is 4 games in a row, and 5 out of 7, so I am not sure why "there is no way Melo goes for 30+ again."

edit: In fact, if you take out Game 1 vs New Orleans on 4/19 (which was a month ago), Melo is AVERAGING 29.6 a game. Again, not sure how there is "No Way"

Knowing how competitive Kobe Bryant is, I'd be absolutely shocked if he didn't single handedly stop 'Melo from scoring 30. I hope to god I'm wrong, and I will gladly eat crow if he can continue to do it, but if JR and Billups play the same as game 1, the Lakers are talented enough defensively to stop 'Melo.

Melo will score a nice number it looks like, but I don't see him hitting those DEEP shots that consistantly again in this series. All Melo needs is to continue his new found fitness & work ethic and the sky is the limit. That KB24/Melo 4th quarter matchup was incredible.

We don't have squat to guard Melo? I think the Lakers do, Ariza and a boatload of bigs to back him up. Melo is a great player he's going to get his.

Kobe will likely be guarded by Kenyon & Melo late much better matchup than Jones and Carter.

The LAL will be much more on tonight, 8 point win for the Lakes IMO.

How about you go to your own board and spew your nonsense? Your pointless fanboy opinions can easily be refuted by my pointless fanboy opinions.

Ariza is an overrated defender. He can NOT guard Melo. Surely you see that by now.

sportsmikegm23 wrote:

DubaLakers wrote:

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Dallas doesn't play defense. You saw the LAL send over KB24 and Ariza to guard Billips when he was going. The biggest mismatch you have is at PG. Melo played his best game I've ever seen him play, just fantastic, I wouldn't expect him to shoot that well deep. Ariza is a good defender he has little exp guarding Melo, he got a tough lesson game 1 he'll def play better, he said himself "he got served." Ariza/Melo is still the right matchup. KB24 won't be guarding Melo as much. Kobe played one of his best games ever he was jack of all trades like i've ever seen...guarding Melo & Billips, willing the LAL to a win, making every tough shot matching Melo's shooting exhibition. Again Melo/Ariza is a good matchup as far as defensively, he'll make Melo work more the rest of the series. Billips is still your biggest advantage.

The LAL will make the adjustment to DEN frontline their diminutive size is just a tweek, that won't happen again, they got behind the wall of 7 footers. Game two LAL win by 8. Lakers in 5, they'll lose game 3 in DEN and close it out.

You are kidding right? Chauncey missed 3 free throws and missed some open looks at 3. If he gets some of the same looks... I am sure he will knock them down. Personally, I think Melo can get 30 per game (not quite as efficiently) but if he takes Ariza in the post and they double (which they will) someone will get dunks or open looks. Just like we don't have anyone to guard 24... y'all don't have squat to guard Melo. Your team hasn't come close to playing 4 quarters in any playoff game this year, so when are they actually going to start??? this series is going 6 or 7, and yes, your lethargic team (your coach called them that) are favorites to win the series...so don't go out on a limb and pat yourself on the back...you lost in the finals last year by 39 points in a close out game...your team has some dog in them too.

Once again we actually agree on something Sportsmike, if anything this game showed that the nuggets have the pieces right now to beat the Lakers. While it is true that Melo had possibly his best game as a pro, there were so many mistakes and off games from the Nuggets players that it was sad. If anything the 1st game showed that the Lakers have only one guy who can even come close to guarding Melo or Billups, their bigs are as soft as we thought, their defense is overrated, and when adversity hits Kobe has to carry them or they are toast. While Kobe put up a great 4th quarter I do not see him being able to do that 3 of the next 6 games. Even if he does, I don't see the Nuggets (outside of Melo of course) all having another off night like they did Tuesday, and kobe alone is not going to be enough to win the series. If anything the 1st game showed the Nuggets they could win in staples, if they play together and get their heads on right.

legendarywalton wrote:

MelosMileHigh wrote:

legendarywalton wrote:We need JR to have an out of nowhere performance, because there is no way that 'Melo goes for 30+ again. If this layoff has ruined BIllups touch, this team is toast. You can only shoot 50% from 3 point range for so long...

Well that is 4 games in a row, and 5 out of 7, so I am not sure why "there is no way Melo goes for 30+ again."

edit: In fact, if you take out Game 1 vs New Orleans on 4/19 (which was a month ago), Melo is AVERAGING 29.6 a game. Again, not sure how there is "No Way"

Knowing how competitive Kobe Bryant is, I'd be absolutely shocked if he didn't single handedly stop 'Melo from scoring 30. I hope to god I'm wrong, and I will gladly eat crow if he can continue to do it, but if JR and Billups play the same as game 1, the Lakers are talented enough defensively to stop 'Melo.

The odds are that Billups and JR do not have another game like that this series. The great thing about this Nuggets team is that we know Melo does not have to go for 30+ points for them to score, and even win the game. If their whole goal is to focus on Melo and have the rest of the team beat them, then I don't see the series lasting more then 6 games with the Nuggets moving on.

I completely agree Rebel, I'm just itching for a 7+ three pointer performance from JR. The way he played at the end of March/April made him look like a budding superstar. If 'Melo comes out looking to distribute (as he has all year long) and JR can have a special night, I don't see how we lose this game. We've got to take care of the defensive glass though, second chance points will kill us in this series.

legendarywalton wrote:I completely agree Rebel, I'm just itching for a 7+ three pointer performance from JR. The way he played at the end of March/April made him look like a budding superstar. If 'Melo comes out looking to distribute (as he has all year long) and JR can have a special night, I don't see how we lose this game. We've got to take care of the defensive glass though, second chance points will kill us in this series.

Thats what worries more than anything. We have to box out and keep Gasol/Bynum off the glass. Keeping them off the glass limits alot of what those two do offensivly with their put backs.

good luck to you guys!

if the series goes 2-0, it is over.

Beat LA!!

so excited for this game...will be listening while i'm at work. we need huge games from everyone to make it 1-1 back home...let's go Nugs!

Steve Javie will kill us first.

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html

Have fun getting completely hosed