Game #2 NBA PLAYOFFS: Lakers vs Thunder 4/20/10 7:30 Pacific

[iamworthy]

1 VS0













Oklahoma City at L.A. Lakers
When: 10:30 PM ET, Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California


Overall Team Offense

* The Los Angeles Lakers are ranked 13 on offense, averaging 101.5 points per game. The Lakers shooting percentages include 45.7 FG%, 76.4 FT%, and 34.1 three point % so far this season.
* The Oklahoma City Thunder are ranked 15 on offense, averaging 101.2 points per game. The Thunder shooting percentages include 46.1 FG%, 80.4 FT%, and 33.7 three point % so far this season.

Home and Away

* The Los Angeles Lakers are 35-7 at home this season, and 36-17 against Western opponents.
* At home the Lakers are averaging 103.5 scoring, and holding teams to 95.0 points scored on defense.
* The Oklahoma City Thunder are 23-19 while on the road this season, and 28-25 against Western opponents.
* On the road, the Thunder are averaging 100.8 scoring, and holding teams to 99.7 points scored on defense.
http://prosportsdaily.sportsdirectinc.com/basketball/nba-matchups.aspx?page=/data/nba/matchups/g5_preview_6.html

Bynum reports no setbacks after Game 1
April 19th, 2010, 3:37 pm by JANIS CARR, OCREGISTER.COM

EL SEGUNDO
There was a twinge here and something there, but overall Andrew Bynum said he felt great a day after playing his first game in nearly a month.

“My Achilles’ feels fine,” Bynum said after Monday’s practice. “Every now and then, on a couple of movements I feel something, but it’s nothing too serious.”

Bynum missed the final 13 regular-season games because of a left Achilles tendon strain, but looked strong and energetic in his first game back. He scored 13 points and hauled down 12 rebounds in nearly 31 minutes of Game 1 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff series against Oklahoma City.

“He has such a big impact on the game with the energy he can put into the game,” Phil Jackson said. “That’s where we were surprised. Not that the fact he had some dramatic moments out there, but that he could sustain the effort for as long as he did.”
http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2010/04/19/bynum-reports-no-setbacks-after-game-1/33907/

[chefy]

go lakers!

[The Skyhook]

Got to love Bynum's attitude. Drew is going to let guys know that he isn't going to let guys have their way with him. This is the attitude that so many of us have wanted to see. A guy that is willing to take the physical challenge and not back down. We might not need it against OKC but its good to know that we will have a big that is willing to play physical when the time for him to be physical comes along.

"The more I keep playing with this aggressive nature, I think I'm going to get better at it and I think my teammates will trust me even more with the basketball and we'll just keep building," Bynum said.

The aggressive nature led to great plays like the Thabo Sefolosha first-quarter shot attempt that Bynum's arms swallowed whole, not giving the ball even a glimmer of a chance of going in. It led to the Thunder's settling for jump shots when Bynum was roaming the lane and ending up just 2-for-16 from 3-point range. But it also led to a shoulder shove to Jeff Green after Bynum thought he got pushed to the floor by him. Jackson might not have a problem with it, ("He wanted to make an issue out of it, that's alright, he's saying, 'I'm not going to stand around and get picked on,'" said Jackson) but the NBA league office might after hearing Bynum's quotes about the incident.

"That was a response because I kind of got taken out on that same play," Bynum said. "I didn't know if [Green] fell into me or he pushed me or what, but I wasn't going to let that happen without retaliating. That's just part of being aggressive, part of letting people know, part of having a presence out there."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5111116

[Optms]

Worthy, my good man. You have made my night.

2-0 series lead? Yes, I think so.

[DEEP3CL]

Nice GT Big Game !.........we gotta get this one, I really want this thing over on Saturday night.

[dockingsched]

durant has all the talent in the world, but i'll say this, he doesn't have "IT". he's mentally soft, or at least not a cold blooded assassin that wants to rip your heart out like kobe.

[Slava]

I won't go that far but he does have that "deer in the headlights" look that the Magic had last season and we did the season before. Bron had it when he got swept by the Spurs and even Melo had it when we swept them.

He'll be very different next season.

[dockingsched]

i was going off some of his comments as well. first it was getting phased by phil by some innocent comments, then after the game talking about how it felt like any regular season game.

[Kobe System]

durant is not on the same league with kobe when it comes to mental toughness.

[chefy]

durant has all the talent in the world, but i'll say this, he doesn't have "IT". he's mentally soft, or at least not a cold blooded assassin that wants to rip your heart out like kobe.

X9000

[Optms]

I won't go that far but he does have that "deer in the headlights" look that the Magic had last season and we did the season before. Bron had it when he got swept by the Spurs and even Melo had it when we swept them.

He'll be very different next season.

His comments regarding post season game play and regular season game play say a lot about his mentality already as a player.

I mean the fact that he could possibly go into each game the rest of the way here as if it were a regular season series leads me to believe the Lakers could sweep. Now moving forward, someone has to get through to him that these aren't regular season series' he's dealing with. He'll have to adjust to the defenses and step up his game further if he's going to be put in the same company as the elite in this game. He better learn from this experience, because if he's not. He's not growing.

[The Skyhook]

Sometimes it just takes being beat to get to that next level of your game. I think that is what Durant is going through now. However he will learn and he will be a great player in this league. There is no doubt about that in my mind.

[laduane1]

OKC will be a team to fear in the future. As the Lakers get older and some players are in there last few years. I see OKC being a western semi-power. It just depends on if they really want it and if they get the right players to balance out there team.

Game 2 is a must for the Lakers. Do not give them a little hope. The faster we can win this the longer we can rest Kobe.

[DEEP3CL]

i was going off some of his comments as well. first it was getting phased by phil by some innocent comments, then after the game talking about how it felt like any regular season game.

I agree dcash, his mindset is all screwed up. Westbrook also said the same thing, on how it felt like a regular game. If they keep that mindset they'll never win a playoff game, they'll never be able to muster the energy you need to push their game to a higher level.

[TruSkool]

like i said before...blow the game open in the first half

[BIG EDDIE]

like i said before...blow the game open in the first half

The Thunder just might have something in their hats for you guys tonight. Better be prepared, better watch out, cuz this is going to be a whole different story than Game 1.

[supaflash]

like i said before...blow the game open in the first half

The Thunder just might have something in their hats for you guys tonight. Better be prepared, better watch out, cuz this is going to be a whole different story than Game 1.

Sure sure...

Thats the point though, the Thunder don't have any other options... its Durrant and Westbrook, period.. You have one good shooter to spread the floor in Harden and the minute he comes in the game Kobe is going straight to the post to abuse his ass. This is the playoffs son, there ain't no surprises here. Only way you can stand a chance is for Durrant to hit despite Ron's D and for the other guys Green,Thabo, Kristic to make the most of the open looks they will get off our collapsing D.

So unless Scotty Brooks is the NBA McGuyver and makes a bomb out of some scraps and duct tape, it ain't happening.

[hunnicam]

Tonights game will be alot closer, the Lakers might even have to come from behind.

[supaflash]

I don't think so, their demeanor in practice is with the media is focused and almost angry. I think they remember the Houston series from last year and they understand the need to get rest this time around. Thunder might have a small spurt at the beginning, but I'm not seeing it. Like Deep said, they were talking like game 1 felt like a regular game, that won't get it done. All the Laker players are playing for one purpose only, they all have their contracts, its about the chip now...

[Optms]

Game night, babeh.