Lakers no longer clutch???

[UThinkUrSoGood]

Well, as with the game on the line, taking the last shot, I seriously don't remember the last time Lakers have won in this kind of situation. In all seriousness, the last time I remembered a game that was won at the Buzzer was the Lakers vs. Suns in the 2005 playoffs game 4. Outside of this game when was the last time we have made a buzzer beater shot?

The only close games we've had all season that we've won were against Denver, Seatle, and Memphis. Excluding the shot by Kobe against the Sonics which wasn't exactly a buzzer beater, when was the last time we won in this kind of situation?

[Triangle Theory]

Ye, were not clutch anymore.

[Chubby Chaser]

Well, before andrew got hurt we were killing teams early and putting them away. We actually lead the league in highest point differentials in wins. Everything will be ok when our defensive post presence comes back.

[milesfides]

Well, what we've seen in the past few games, Kobe didn't even get a shot at it. Walton choked during the Cavs game and Odom made a bad play after that. Teams are overplaying Kobe and forcing other people to make plays/shots. To Kobe's credit, he's giving it up and not trying to take every single last shot.

Tonight, despite Kobe's turnover, we had a good opportunity to close the game, but the machine went for a layup.

Then again, machines aren't made to think, they just execute. The machine may need to be reprogrammed.

Like the previous post implied, you don't want to be in too many clutch situations, that's generally an indication that you're not consistently outplaying the opposition.

But Kobe's newfound trust of his teammates are allowing his teammates to be involved in those crunch-time situations, so while these mistakes are tough to watch, it's part of the growing pains that hopefully will pay off down the road.

[slifersd]

I wouldn't read too much into tonight's game. Kobe's still hurting and it is clearly affecting his game. The whole team is rather tired playing the back end to the back to back after a close game in NJ (close till the last few minutes). But yeah, Kobe hasn't exactly been as clutch as his reputation suggested. He gets so much attention on that last shot that he has trouble even catching the ball because other teams know the other guys can't do anything. I think we should put Farmar into the lineup for the last shot, he is one of the clutchest player we have and he plays with so much poise to his game.

[Triangle Theory]

I'm assuming i didn't need the green font.

[UThinkUrSoGood]

Well, before andrew got hurt we were killing teams early and putting them away. We actually lead the league in highest point differentials in wins. Everything will be ok when our defensive post presence comes back.

Thats true, however come playoff time these games are gonna go down to the wire against the elite teams, and it's somewhat discouraging that we are unable to hit these game on the line shots, yet alone get a shot off.

[That Nicka]

Chill... Kobe dislocated his finger just yesterday...


Remember the Rockets game? The first game of the season?? We were Down by like 7 with and minute left and ended up taking the lead... We eventually lost, but it was off a lucky shot to Battier... Im sure there are more, but when Bynum was out there we were blowing teams out.... We will start to gel soon and the rest of the league will bend over

[Rox_Nix_Nox]

Chill... Kobe dislocated his finger just yesterday...


Remember the Rockets game? The first game of the season?? We were Down by like 7 with and minute left and ended up taking the lead... We eventually lost, but it was off a lucky shot to Battier... Im sure there are more, but when Bynum was out there we were blowing teams out.... We will start to gel soon and the rest of the league will bend over

Apperantly Joe Johnson held kobe in check: (I can't post the damn link but it's on the hawks website)What is it with these reporters? Joe Johnson poked the ball away? REallY?

[UThinkUrSoGood]

Chill... Kobe dislocated his finger just yesterday...


Remember the Rockets game? The first game of the season?? We were Down by like 7 with and minute left and ended up taking the lead... We eventually lost, but it was off a lucky shot to Battier... Im sure there are more, but when Bynum was out there we were blowing teams out.... We will start to gel soon and the rest of the league will bend over

Yes, again I understand with Bynum we were blowing out teams, but do you think we will still be able to "blow-out" teams come post season? Again, we will be playing against the elite teams, these games are going to come down to the wire, and with the recent pattern, when that happens it doesn't look good. Also FYI, we lost to New Jersey in a close game where we failed to make the shot at the buzzer (with Bynum).

[That Nicka]

-= original quote snipped =-



Yes, again I understand with Bynum we were blowing out teams, but do you think we will still be able to "blow-out" teams come post season? Again, we will be playing against the elite teams, these games are going to come down to the wire, and with the recent pattern, when that happens it doesn't look good. Also FYI, we lost to New Jersey in a close game where we failed to make the shot at the buzzer (with Bynum).

We were blowing good teams out as well.... PHX, DEN, UTH, NOH.... we will be fine come playoff time... and yes that NJN game earlier this season was horrible as was the Milwaukee game, but it happens every once in a while, we will be fine once we get healthy

[Minhee]

what about that Sonics game a few weeks ago? But yeah we are not clutch anymore. With less than a minute left if the game is tied or if we are losing, Phil just tells the guys during a timeout to pack it in because we won't win it.

[dockingsched]

sasha took it to the hole for the basket with the game on the line. i don't care if the lakers needed a 3, thats a championship winning move in the right situation. sasha....the machine....championship....yeah, all kobe.

[Minhee]

Yup we may have loss the game tonight but Sasha has every right to feel like a champion. Down by 3 with no timeouts left and only 7 seconds left, he fearlessly took it to the rack for a 2 point layup. Very Brave decision indeed. I believe that championship drive layup will be his negotiating point for a maxium dollar extension this summer. Buss better be prepare to open his wallet to such champion.

[milesfides]

Then again, machines aren't made to think, they just execute. The machine may need to be reprogrammed.

Haha, I'm here all year.

[semi-sentient]

I don't know that we are more or less clutch than any other team, but I'll tell you this -- if it's a tie ball game with a minute left in the game (regardless of where we are playing), then I have little to no confidence that we'll actually pull out the victory.

The only players on the team that have come up big in clutch time situtations are Kobe (although he has a piss poor conversion rate, unless we're talking playoffs, in which case he's the shiznit), Fisher, and Radman. Outside of that, I can't think of anyone on the team that has ever come up huge down the stretch. If I'm wrong, then please list instances where anyone outside of those 3 has won us a game under a pressure situation.

We already know that Odom and Walton are major chokers, so it's pointless to even have them in in clutch situations. Farmar, I suspect, can be clutch, but it doesn't really matter since Fisher will be in there when it matters.

That said, it takes a good amount of luck to even be in a position where a player can be clutch. Kobe catches a lot of flack for his piss poor clutch shooting (and it is piss poor), but the fact is that he's generally forced to shoot a very difficult shot with almost no time left. Still, he is the guy that I'd want taking that shot based on how many ridiculoushly (Please Use More Appropriate Word) difficult game-winning shots that he's hit in the past. It's hard, if not impossible, to name a single player in the game today that has hit more difficult shots to win a game.

One thing I will say, however, is that this season in particular Kobe has not been the same in the clutch. There have been several games where he has either missed the shot, missed key free throws, or had a turnover that ultimately decided the game... but not in our favor. I really don't know what the deal is because I see this as being uncharacteristic, but if he continues performing poorly when it matters, then there won't be anything uncharacteristic about it.

We'll see what happens from here on out. I hate to peg a player as unclutch for what he does in the regular season, so hopefully Kobe will continue to step up and deliver when it matters most -- in the playoffs.

[Joe Kleazy]

As frustrating as that ending was, had we been fully healthy the game would have been over alot earlier. This will be a lesson of clock managment for the team and it was a back to back against a team that is better than their record.

Still we should take this for what it is even though these type of games we should be winning.

Phoenix lost last night also so no worries. They will be in a adjustment phase as we will be, so we still can catch them. The game after all-star break will be BIG. We need to send the message early to the suns that their move wont mean S***.

[snaquille oatmeal]

-= original quote snipped =-



Apperantly Joe Johnson held kobe in check: (I can't post the damn link but it's on the hawks website)What is it with these reporters? Joe Johnson poked the ball away? REallY?

haha if he poked the ball, no back court violation = different outcome.

[Dexmor]

Kobe is playing with a dislocated finger. Doesn't that mean anything to you guys? Still clutch.

[UThinkUrSoGood]

Kobe is playing with a dislocated finger. Doesn't that mean anything to you guys? Still clutch.

His finger hasn't been dislocated for the past 2 years