Observations from Last 2 ORL-LAL Games
Posted: Tue Jun 2, 2009 4:01 am
I watched both regular season games from my recording and here is what I observed. Take it for what its worth.
* Pau Gasol was guarded by Dwight Howard AND double teamed. It was obvious that their game plan was to shut down Pau moreso than Kobe. They doubled hard, sending a Magic player from the wing. Gasol will naturally pass the ball for hockey assists. Lakers found open shooters like Vlad and Sasha. Bynum and Odom have very makeable shots that did not go in.
* They played Kobe straight up. It seems like they are more concerned with the inside-outside game than Kobe getting his.
* The reason why Lakers lost both games was because of Jameer Nelson's penetration. That's it. This is one flaw that killed them big time. Hedo, Shard and their three pointers were getting great looks from Nelson and most of the points they got were from clutch plays by Jameer. Jameer was the best player for the Magic in those games.
*The Lakers are content in giving Dwight single coverage and the Lakers have more control of the game when the Magic decide to take it to Dwight. It is important to note that when DH gets the ball he does not manufacture open threes against the Lakers. It was always Nelson's play that got the best of the Lakers.
*Even if DH gets doubled, the Lakers rarely double from the wing. They always send the other big man to guard Dwight to keep the perimeter in check. Dwight will have to make lots of interior passes, something that he is not comfortable doing. That is why Stan resorted to Jameer's dribble penetration.
*The Turk pick and roll, did not and will not work in the Finals. In the last two games, the Lakers just switch it up and that was the last of it. There is no such thing as Rashard ISO, or Turk ISO. Those matchups do not work well for the Magic.
* Kobe played from the top and got his shots in rhythm. There is nothing in the tape that showed me Pietrus can shut down Kobe. But Kobe relented and took poor shots that he should not be taking.
* Lakers also got killed with poor transition defense. Magic got those home run threes easily.
* Lakers got outrebounded big time.... again because of Jameer's penetration. That was really the superstar element.
From my observations, I believe Jameer is the missing piece. He brought something to the Magic offense that Alston and Johnson will never bring in the Finals.
This will be an OFFENSIVE series. These two teams cannot guard each other. Lakers will have to depend on inside play and the Magic should make the effort to get in transition. I want to see how Lakers do without Nelson. The Lakers shied away from Pau even though that was the formula that was working for them. I think Lakers are not dumb enough to make those same mistakes. Less Kobe, more Gasol.
* Pau Gasol was guarded by Dwight Howard AND double teamed. It was obvious that their game plan was to shut down Pau moreso than Kobe. They doubled hard, sending a Magic player from the wing. Gasol will naturally pass the ball for hockey assists. Lakers found open shooters like Vlad and Sasha. Bynum and Odom have very makeable shots that did not go in.
* They played Kobe straight up. It seems like they are more concerned with the inside-outside game than Kobe getting his.
* The reason why Lakers lost both games was because of Jameer Nelson's penetration. That's it. This is one flaw that killed them big time. Hedo, Shard and their three pointers were getting great looks from Nelson and most of the points they got were from clutch plays by Jameer. Jameer was the best player for the Magic in those games.
*The Lakers are content in giving Dwight single coverage and the Lakers have more control of the game when the Magic decide to take it to Dwight. It is important to note that when DH gets the ball he does not manufacture open threes against the Lakers. It was always Nelson's play that got the best of the Lakers.
*Even if DH gets doubled, the Lakers rarely double from the wing. They always send the other big man to guard Dwight to keep the perimeter in check. Dwight will have to make lots of interior passes, something that he is not comfortable doing. That is why Stan resorted to Jameer's dribble penetration.
*The Turk pick and roll, did not and will not work in the Finals. In the last two games, the Lakers just switch it up and that was the last of it. There is no such thing as Rashard ISO, or Turk ISO. Those matchups do not work well for the Magic.
* Kobe played from the top and got his shots in rhythm. There is nothing in the tape that showed me Pietrus can shut down Kobe. But Kobe relented and took poor shots that he should not be taking.
* Lakers also got killed with poor transition defense. Magic got those home run threes easily.
* Lakers got outrebounded big time.... again because of Jameer's penetration. That was really the superstar element.
From my observations, I believe Jameer is the missing piece. He brought something to the Magic offense that Alston and Johnson will never bring in the Finals.
This will be an OFFENSIVE series. These two teams cannot guard each other. Lakers will have to depend on inside play and the Magic should make the effort to get in transition. I want to see how Lakers do without Nelson. The Lakers shied away from Pau even though that was the formula that was working for them. I think Lakers are not dumb enough to make those same mistakes. Less Kobe, more Gasol.
