LA Lakers vs. Denver - Series LAL leads (1-0)

[AILebronMelo]

This will be a great series. I think Denver can win 2 games in this series. Overall, I like the Lakers in 6.

Dont tell that to Laker homers they think the series is over already.

[Texas Longhorns]

This will be a great series. I think Denver can win 2 games in this series. Overall, I like the Lakers in 6.

[eatyourchildren]

I wish the Nuggets could have Atkins back and the Lakers could have Ariza back.

[EiRON]

Trevor Ariza > Chucky Atkins

Yes, Trevor Ariza would have made a difference. He's the second best defender in the Lakers next to Kobe Bryant.

[AILebronMelo]

So Ariza is a top 3 defender in the NBA now?

[Sting3r]

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Keep trying.. I love how Miami is so much on your mind thou.

I would say the same about you and the Lakers but realize theirs not much to think when you team's season is over.

[Duiz]

yawn

[eatyourchildren]

That's exactly what we said!

[iamworthy]

So Ariza is a top 3 defender in the NBA now?

When did anyone say he was top 3?

[Sting3r]

So Ariza is a top 3 defender in the NBA now?

so Denver fans lack reading comprehension now?

[Sedale Threatt]

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Dont tell that to Laker homers they think the series is over already.

Not me. I can easily see Denver winning a couple of games, especially once the series shifts to Colorado.

With that said, I saw nothing today that would indicate to me that the Nuggets are going to be able to slow the Lakers down over the long haul.

L.A. is a mediocre defensive team. Denver, on the other hand, is flat-out awful. They were forced to try a strategic gimmick that, while it did slow Kobe down, allowed the rest of his teammates to run roughshod. Other than the one stretch where they went to a zone, L.A. absolutely shredded the Nuggets.

How many more adjustments can Karl make, if any, to disguise the fact that the Nuggets have been an awful defensive team all season? Short answer: Zero.

EDIT -- I'm not sure how or why L.A.'s injuries were brought up, but it's an absolutely pointless subject at this point. This is the team we've got for the foreseeable future, so there's not much sense in talking about guys who have been out for months.

[andykeikei]

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Ariza would make a difference too? What has Ariza dont in this league? The only important player Lakers are missing is Bynum because he makes an impact and Nene for the Nuggets. Fair enough for you?

Ariza played pretty good defense on AI in one of the meetings. But I do think Nene play important roles on the Nuggets. Atkins is another story....

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/chucky_atkins/index.html
He averages 4.7 points and 2 Assists with 34.4 FG%, 31.6 3-pt FG%......and some of the Nuggets fans think he is the savior of their outside shooting, not to mention the bad defense he plays. I admit I have an agenda against him just like Smush Parker, but IMO he should not be your key bench player if you want to be a contender.

[yunggunz]

Trevor Ariza > Chucky Atkins

Yes, Trevor Ariza would have made a difference. He's the second best defender in the Lakers next to Kobe Bryant.

Ariza at BEST would have played 15 minutes. And he would have played in place of Walton, who played fantastic.


In all likelihood Ariza would have seen 5 minutes or less.

[eatyourchildren]

Back to the series, which is what this thread should be about.

Melo put up what I thought were relatively empty stats today. His boards weren't the well-fought kind (they were the oh they ended up in my hands kind), and he had absolutely zero defensive intensity. He seemed content to shoot mid range shots and do little else.

I thought Kleiza and JR Smith were the real catalysts for the Nuggets today and that was apparent in the 2nd quarter. I dont know why Karl moved away from that.


I was really dissapointed with Kobe today not because of his bad shooting but the kind of shots he was generating.

[eatyourchildren]

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Ariza at BEST would have played 15 minutes. And he would have played in place of Walton, who played fantastic.


In all likelihood Ariza would have seen 5 minutes or less.

In all likelihood, a healthy Ariza would have seen 10-20 minutes, because Kobe was on the bench. Sasha + Ariza would have made an effective defensive back-court to stem the tide created by JR Smith and Kleiza.

[andykeikei]

Back to the series, which is what this thread should be about.

Melo put up what I thought were relatively empty stats today. His boards weren't the well-fought kind (they were the oh they ended up in my hands kind), and he had absolutely zero defensive intensity. He seemed content to shoot mid range shots and do little else.

I thought Kleiza and JR Smith were the real catalysts for the Nuggets today and that was apparent in the 2nd quarter. I dont know why Karl moved away from that.


I was really dissapointed with Kobe today not because of his bad shooting but the kind of shots he was generating.

No doubt about Kobe playing bad today. He had something going on the Martin, hopefully he can adjust better next game.

[yunggunz]

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http://www.nba.com/playerfile/chucky_atkins/index.html
He averages 4.7 points and 2 Assists with 34.4 FG%, 31.6 3-pt FG%......and some of the Nuggets fans think he is the savior of their outside shooting, not to mention the bad defense he plays. I admit I have an agenda against him just like Smush Parker, but IMO he should not be your key bench player if you want to be a contender.

Atkins has not played a single game healthy all season though. He would be the PERFECT guy to play backup PG for 10-15 per game (while reducing Carter's minutes) next to JR Smith. He was signed to start at the PG. I think its safe to say his role was going to be a lot bigger than Ariza's if he was healthy.

[Sedale Threatt]

Back to the series, which is what this thread should be about.

Melo put up what I thought were relatively empty stats today. His boards weren't the well-fought kind (they were the oh they ended up in my hands kind), and he had absolutely zero defensive intensity. He seemed content to shoot mid range shots and do little else.

I thought Kleiza and JR Smith were the real catalysts for the Nuggets today and that was apparent in the 2nd quarter. I dont know why Karl moved away from that.

I was really dissapointed with Kobe today not because of his bad shooting but the kind of shots he was generating.

I agree; I thought we did a decent job containing Anthony. The key to me has always been Kleiza and Smith. Melo and Iverson can probably be penciled in for about 60 points. So that leaves about 50 or so that are going to have to come from somewhere. And if it's not coming from Kleiza and Smith, it's not coming from anywhere.

Kobe's shot selection just flat-out sucked. Oh well -- we turn the page and move on to Game 2. Denver's still going to have to figure out a way to stop a team that, despite the poor performance of their star player, still bombed them for 128. That has to be demoralizing.

[yunggunz]

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In all likelihood, a healthy Ariza would have seen 10-20 minutes, because Kobe was on the bench. Sasha + Ariza would have made an effective defensive back-court to stem the tide created by JR Smith and Kleiza.

Thats all conjecture. If Turiaf was out everyone would be saying "well turiaf is our best interior defender and would have played 25 mpg". I dont buy it.

[eatyourchildren]

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Thats all conjecture. If Turiaf was out everyone would be saying "well turiaf is our best interior defender and would have played 25 mpg". I dont buy it.

Ariza has been used specifically on AI before. So its not some generality that I'm assuming.


SedaleT: I didn't like Kobe's attitude; he was combative and not looking to create good offense. He has nothing to prove to K-Mart, and yet he regressed to his 99-03 days when he subjugated the offense to make a point. As always, Kobe is his own worst enemy. You bet the Nuggets' coaching staff instructed their players to taunt Kobe. He has to drive the lane and pitch out, period.