WCF Game 5. Lakers win! 103-94 (3-2 LAL)

[TylersLakers]

Starting Bynum and bringing Odom off the bench is for the best. Let's not have yet another switch. I thought Bynum's D was pretty good. Blaming him for some of the rebounds they got is unfair.. a lot of them were boards that went flying out to the perimeter. Realistically, he could have got only.. 2 more rebounds when it comes to them getting the offensive boards.

But he got our inside game started off.. we definitely need him to focus 100% on defense and rebounding though, I agree with you. However, it's not time to make the switch right now. In a closing game..

[Sedale Threatt]

At the prompting of the announcing crew I noticed a lot of the offensive boards they got resulted from all the shading and overloading we do.

Case in point was the early tip in Nene got. At first glance it looked like Andrew blew an assignment. A second look revealed that, because Gasol had stepped out in a soft zone, Andrew was forced to leave his man in order to fill the gap. That let Nene sneak in behind him and get position for the putback.

On the flip side, though, there's no question Odom is quicker and more active than Andrew, who simply doesn't have a very live body. The problem is that neither does Pau, so you're not going to get a whole lot of hustle when they're out there together.

The nice thing is that we got solid-to-good contributions from all three tonight. If we get that over the next two games, we're advancing.

[semi-sentient]

I know that Bynum played better and that our zone is somewhat responsible, but a big part of that is also on him being so slow and lethargic. If he used the same amount of energy on defense instead of committing silly fouls then I would cut him more slack.

I don't see any reason why we couldn't establish a solid post game with Odom and Gasol though. Gasol plays well near the basket and Odom can move around/cut so that will benefit our overall floor spacing and ball movement. I know it's a bit late to switch but we are playing with fire here. 2nd chance points are killing this team and I would rather get this thing over in 6.

[DEEP3CL]

We seriously need to go back to having Odom in the starting lineup. Once again Bynum gave us nothing in terms of rebounding and his defense wasn't all that good either. I think Pau will do better (and has) playing the C spot with Odom giving us better spacing for Gasol and Kobe to operate, not to mention we at least know we'll get some good rebounds out of the deal.

It's only one issue to why he's not rebounding.......no confidence in his knee yet, you have to understand rebounding means getting in the "mix" in the middle of the paint. He's just not at that stage yet. Plus Pau will get abused banging with Nene for 30-40 minutes....sounds like a good idea but it ain't happen'in.

During Bynum's 19 minutes of floor time, 9 of Denver's 20 rebounds were on the offensive end. The rest of the game (29 minutes) they grabbed only 5 offensive rebounds with Odom out there. It's pretty clear that we are giving them way too many 2nd chance points, so this needs to be addressed right now. Come on Phil. Do the right thing.

This is a fundamental problem rather than it being the fault of one guy, the Lakers rarely put bodies on guys they depend on their length to retain a rebound. Fundamentally this is wrong.

Our coach is going to screw around and lose us this series with these inconsistent lineups in addition to playing guys that just flat out aren't getting it done. This is stupid.

Been on Phil for the longest about this, he NEVER rides the momentum of a group doing well.

Having said that, great win. I was convinced at half time that we would lose, but they turned things around late in the 3rd. This Nuggets team is going to be pretty good for years to come. I'm thinking we're seeing the start of a great rivalry. They are no fluke.

You gotta have the heart of a bull, and instead of blood mines pumps nitro ! The Nuggets are a mental basket case, too many eccentric personalities and they can blow their fuses quick.

Karl is also a mentally tight minded guy, he can't function in tense situations never have and never will. Before I say this team will be around a long time they'll have to change their mentality, meaning they can't become great until they unload the eccentric guys.

[Sedale Threatt]

I know that Bynum played better and that our zone is somewhat responsible, but a big part of that is also on him being so slow and lethargic. If he used the same amount of energy on defense instead of committing silly fouls then I would cut him more slack.

I don't see any reason why we couldn't establish a solid post game with Odom and Gasol though. Gasol plays well near the basket and Odom can move around/cut so that will benefit our overall floor spacing and ball movement. I know it's a bit late to switch but we are playing with fire here. 2nd chance points are killing this team and I would rather get this thing over in 6.

Yeah, like I said he just doesn't have a very live body. Is it laziness or a lack of athletic ability? Don't know, but when you have him and Pau out there together we're not going to get our hands on many 50/50 balls unless it bounces right to them.

It's strange, because before he got hurt I thought Andrew's best attribute was his defensive rebounding. This year, it's one of his worst. There's no excuse for a guy with his size and length not to make more of an impact on the glass. None. Even with the gaps our strategy is yielding, two rebounds in 19 minutes is straight-up sorry.

But starting to me isn't really much of a big deal; never has been. It's who finishes that matters, and I don't think there's any doubt that Phil is going to go with Pau and Lamar down the stretch no matter how they're playing. Tonight was a good example why.

[TylersLakers]

I say it's got to be the knee, because he was pretty good at it before his injury this season. He had that one stretch of about 3 weeks where he wasn't great.. but that's about it. Combine that with short stints, lack of rhythm.. and it's tough. However, no excuse for him to get two. He needs to stop letting rebounds go to other teammates.. it's one of the most annoying things ever. He let Kobe grab a rebound over his head and Ariza step inside him on a missed free throw. I mean, I like the hustle by others and the willingness by him... but he just gives other people the board. He should have had.. about 5-6 rebounds tonight. He also needs to do a better job getting in front of his man, instead of staying on their back.

It's definitely got something to do with effort though. I mean, that offensive rebound he got, I thought there was no way he was grabbing that board, but he jumped high, reached and got it. So, I definitely think some of it has to do with effort.

One thing with Andrew I've always said.. the rest of his game really feeds off his offense.

Once he can strengthen the knee in the off-season, I think he'll bounce back in the rebounding department. If it's December 2009 and he's only averaging 4.5 rebounds, then I'll definitely be concerned.

Another thing to debate.. do you think, that when he's starting with Pau that one of his missions is to get up the floor so he can get the post position, instead of Pau? It seems like he lets teammates get boards so he can get down the court quicker.. especially since this year's injury. I think this is the main problem with the knee..

Either way, with the confidence he was playing with, he definitely should have gotten more then 19 minutes. But, I definitely understand Phil's reasoning in this particular game.

[aroba]

Trade Bynum for value players now!! while he's still marketeable. Andrews a loser, a true winner would be spending the night on the gym in order to get in shape.

Pau played nice defense today with 5 blocked shots and 2 steals. Bynum is so slow on helping Pau, when Pau helps on defense.

[Slava]

I know that Bynum played better and that our zone is somewhat responsible, but a big part of that is also on him being so slow and lethargic. If he used the same amount of energy on defense instead of committing silly fouls then I would cut him more slack.

I don't see any reason why we couldn't establish a solid post game with Odom and Gasol though. Gasol plays well near the basket and Odom can move around/cut so that will benefit our overall floor spacing and ball movement. I know it's a bit late to switch but we are playing with fire here. 2nd chance points are killing this team and I would rather get this thing over in 6.

Yeah, like I said he just doesn't have a very live body. Is it laziness or a lack of athletic ability? Don't know, but when you have him and Pau out there together we're not going to get our hands on many 50/50 balls unless it bounces right to them.

It's strange, because before he got hurt I thought Andrew's best attribute was his defensive rebounding. This year, it's one of his worst. There's no excuse for a guy with his size and length not to make more of an impact on the glass. None. Even with the gaps our strategy is yielding, two rebounds in 19 minutes is straight-up sorry.

But starting to me isn't really much of a big deal; never has been. It's who finishes that matters, and I don't think there's any doubt that Phil is going to go with Pau and Lamar down the stretch no matter how they're playing. Tonight was a good example why.

Pau is actually pretty good hustling and getting putbacks off offensive rebounds but like Radmanovic he has a tendency to shut his mind down on the defensive end from time to time. Thats when you see guys blowing by him and grabbing boards and stuff but overall he's improved his rebounding since got traded here. I'd love to see a good physical center like Pryzbilla playing alongside Gasol so that Pau can be effective the way he is.

[tlifeset]

You guys are way too harsh on Bynum. He's just a kid. And you're really overlooking how much he affects the game when he's on the floor. Check out how his stats add up if he were playing 40 minutes like a normal starting center. It's pretty impressive. Plus, the triangle and subsequently any phil jackson offense starts with spacing and Bynum creates space because defenses have to collapse to double team, creating more space for the guards and cutters to get free. Also, Bynum is great for this team because he has soft hands and literally catches every pass they throw to him ... it's like the anti-Kwame Brown.

In this series Bynum and Gasol have set the tone. If they play well, the Lakers win. It's as simple as that. Yeah, Odom had a good game ... but he's doing what he should do ... benefiting from what the big men are leaving him, which is a tried nuggets front line that is in foul trouble and has their subs on the floor.

Forget about looking for another center. Bynum is the best center for the Lakers and he is proving it before your eyes. Many of you are just too jaded by the Shaq years to see it.

Good win tonight. And for you nuggets trolls that want to complain about Nene's 6th ... it probably would have been a no call if Nene didn't drag Gasol down to the ground with him. Remember, it's called "basketball" not "first-one-to-get-to-a-spot ball".

Let's close this out in 6.

[KObe Bryant]

This is our the best game so far in the playoffs. Everybody really contributed. If Odom plays like that all night and our team will be unbeatable.

[hermes]

wiretap

Phil Jackson and the Lakers were fined $25k apiece as a punishment for his comments regarding the officiating in Game 4.

At least one member of the Nuggets believed those comments factored into how Game 5 was called.

"The Lakers paid $50,000 to win that game. They got their money's worth," said a Denver player, not wanting to be identified for fear of retribution from the league.

bold move, would have been bolder if he would have allowed his name to be mentioned

[The Prodigy]

Leave Bynum alone. He has not played like before the injury but the talent is still there. He came back from a serious injury at a very difficult time, when every possession counts and you cannot afford to give a player the time to work himself back. Phil has him on a short leash so how can we expect him to get in a groove? He's definitely a step slow out there. Is it lack of effort? Lack of concentration? Lack of confidence in his knee? Who knows? I believe however, that we'd be a much better team if Phil loosens the leash a little bit to try to get him into a better rhythm. On the other hand, Bynum can force Phil's hand by imposing himself out there, especially on the defensive boards and contesting shots, which seem to be the two areas of his game that have regressed the most.

[semi-sentient]

You guys are way too harsh on Bynum. He's just a kid.

He's a kid that is getting paid a ton of money to fulfill a simple role.

And you're really overlooking how much he affects the game when he's on the floor. Check out how his stats add up if he were playing 40 minutes like a normal starting center. It's pretty impressive.

His PER 40 stats, which are mediocre:

15.8 PTS
9.1 REB
1.0 AST
1.9 BLK

No doubt they are decent, but do you seriously think Bynum could last 40 minutes? Part of the problem is that he can't stay in the game long enough to make an impact due to foul trouble, and quite frankly, those rebounding/scoring rates are still considerably worse than what Odom and Pau put up in the same amount of time.

Plus, the triangle and subsequently any phil jackson offense starts with spacing and Bynum creates space because defenses have to collapse to double team, creating more space for the guards and cutters to get free. Also, Bynum is great for this team because he has soft hands and literally catches every pass they throw to him ... it's like the anti-Kwame Brown.

Come on. No one doubles Bynum. And you're right, he is the anti-Kwame. On both ends of the floor. Kwame at least played consistently good defense and regardless of the hate towards him around here he was still largely considered our best post defender.

In this series Bynum and Gasol have set the tone. If they play well, the Lakers win. It's as simple as that. Yeah, Odom had a good game ... but he's doing what he should do ... benefiting from what the big men are leaving him, which is a tried nuggets front line that is in foul trouble and has their subs on the floor.

In game 1, the Lakers were -8 in the 1st quarter with Bynum on the floor, and -5 overall. We won that game.

In game 2, the Lakers were +4 in the 1st quarter with Bynum on the floor, and overall +7. We lost.

In short, Bynum is not setting the tone for how this team does. Kobe and Gasol are far more significant, and I would say the play of Ariza and Brown have also helped set the tone. Bynum? Not so much. His impact has been minimal at best.

Forget about looking for another center. Bynum is the best center for the Lakers and he is proving it before your eyes. Many of you are just too jaded by the Shaq years to see it.

Not everyone lives in the past. I was glad to see Shaq leave because I'd grown tired of his crap and piss poor work ethic. If Bynum works out for us, then great. Right now he is not working out though, and that's Phil's fault for thinking he could just throw him back into the starting lineup without any chemistry issues -- which we've clearly had as evidenced by how inconsistent we've been on offense and defense. I've said since day 1 that Bynum should have come off the bench for us since he returned from injury so that we didn't have to screw around with lineup changes, but here we are.

Also, while I realize that Odom is going to get the bulk of the minutes, I'm concerned with how slow we tend to start games. All of these games have been very close through 3 quarters and part of the reason is because we either allow Denver to hang around or are getting outplayed early. Maybe if we shatter their confidence a little sooner in addition to watching them meltdown in the 4th this series wouldn't be so close.

[TylersLakers]

If he played 30-35 minutes, I'd guarantee he'd get at least 8 rebounds. We won't see that type of minutes until next season though - Phil is pretty content with the lineup and rotation we have down low.

[Anklebreaker702]

You guys are way too harsh on Bynum. He's just a kid. And you're really overlooking how much he affects the game when he's on the floor. Check out how his stats add up if he were playing 40 minutes like a normal starting center. It's pretty impressive. Plus, the triangle and subsequently any phil jackson offense starts with spacing and Bynum creates space because defenses have to collapse to double team, creating more space for the guards and cutters to get free. Also, Bynum is great for this team because he has soft hands and literally catches every pass they throw to him ... it's like the anti-Kwame Brown.

In this series Bynum and Gasol have set the tone. If they play well, the Lakers win. It's as simple as that. Yeah, Odom had a good game ... but he's doing what he should do ... benefiting from what the big men are leaving him, which is a tried nuggets front line that is in foul trouble and has their subs on the floor.

Forget about looking for another center. Bynum is the best center for the Lakers and he is proving it before your eyes. Many of you are just too jaded by the Shaq years to see it.

Good win tonight. And for you nuggets trolls that want to complain about Nene's 6th ... it probably would have been a no call if Nene didn't drag Gasol down to the ground with him. Remember, it's called "basketball" not "first-one-to-get-to-a-spot ball".

Let's close this out in 6.

I've come to learn there are a lot of Bynum haters on our board. I used 2 think we had the most ept posters around but now I see a lot of inept posts. Most are actually haters on this subject & wont have a thing positive 2 say about him even when he gets 100% healthy & starts dominating the league again. It's that what have you done 4 me lately attitude. Forget the fact that he's coming off of injury. Don't even trip all you have 2 do is look at the GT's when he's had an awesome or even a very good game, they dont post. But when he has a bad to mediocre game they're all over him. So dont even trip.