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

[eatyourchildren]

There are so many people in here crying like little girls regarding Kobe's post game interview, or that he was stat-padding, or that he wasn't a factor in the game!

Yea Kobe had a horrible shooting game but he still managed to get 36 despite only making 9 shots and 1 3pointer.

And it's not like the shots were crazy fade-aways like when he played Houston, they were good shots, although he should have attacked the basket more. Maybe he felt Martin was playing off-of him too much so he tried to make him play up by trying to make shots.

And Kobe wasn't a factor? Hmm Kobe is at the 3pt line, Odom and Gasol are inside the paint while Camby is in the paint and Martin is at the 3pt line guarding Kobe, I'm guessing that didn't have anything to do with Gasol and Odom playing Hot-Potato?

You haters are PATHETIC!!!

What's next? Kobe hits most of his shots: "Denver's defense was just crap" right? Like we already didn't know that!

Doesn't matter. The game didn't necessitate him taking 26 shots. If you're saying Kobe had the most impact by taking Martin away from the paint, you're right. But he wasn't keeping Martin honest by draining shots, that's for sure. Karl was determined to keep Martin on Kobe, so the best thing he could have done was drive the lane and pitch out.

He did that maybe 3 times all game, and also decided to shoot 26 times when Odom, Walton, and Gasol were clearly having better games.

Just admit it, Kobe had a bad game.

[Sedale Threatt]

And that's all. Kobe had a poor game where he reverted back to some bad habits, and a few of us called him on it. Period. None of us are advocating that he be traded, or that he isn't a remarkable player, or that he be taken out behind the Staples Center and executed. We're just trying to be fair and call the game like we saw it.

Indeed, EatYourChildren has been one of Kobe's staunchest defenders in the MVP thread, so he's the last person I'd call a "hater."

In a lot of ways it's a positive. Kobe turned in one of his 10 worst games of the season, and we still won by 14. If I'm Denver, that can't be very encouraging. And if I'm a Lakers fan -- which I am -- I'm grateful that we've improved to the point where we no longer need Kobe to be our end all, be all. We are truly a team, and we can afford it when our best player has an off night. Thank goodness for that.

[JustOneFix]

The Great Kobe Bryant and his amazing "I can't do absolutely nothing without completly dominating frontcourt" career continues.

[AILebronMelo]

All these Lakers fans talk about is Kobe bad game. However do anyone think Martin defense had anything to do with it? Give someone else a little credit for a change.

[JordansBulls]

There is no way Denver wins this series if Anthony Carter starts at PG. If they are going to have K-mart on Kobe then they need to get some more size. Perhaps start Kleiza at SG.

[eatyourchildren]

AILeBronMelo: Well, KMart played good head games. But he did give Kobe a lot of space for the drive. I anticipate Kobe will hit a higher clip next game. Props to Martin for taking the assignment, but I think he's better served on the block.

TheGS: No non-dominant frontcourt team has won since Jordan. So if it's a sleight on Kobe, that's fine.

[Retrolock]

Yeah, I wasn't able to watch the game but I didn't know K-Mart still had lateral quickness to keep up with Kobe.

Nice win for the Lakers. Gasol was a monster.

[eatyourchildren]

There is no way Denver wins this series if Anthony Carter starts at PG. If they are going to have K-mart on Kobe then they need to get some more size. Perhaps start Kleiza at SG.

It's not about AC at PG that's the problem, don't you see? It's AI at SG that's the problem. They have to hide AI and Melo defensively, which means they have to slide their PF all the way out to guard Kobe.

[andykeikei]

The Great Kobe Bryant and his amazing "I can't do absolutely nothing without completly dominating frontcourt" career continues.

Who does except Michael Jordan? Are you saying Kobe is on MJ's level? Cause I don't......seriously this thread has so much hate it is not even funny.

[Sedale Threatt]

All these Lakers fans talk about is Kobe bad game. However do anyone think Martin defense had anything to do with it? Give someone else a little credit for a change.

I thought it was a combination. Martin did a solid job staying in front of him, and Kobe bailed him out by forcing up some bad shots. Otherwise, Denver was clearly keying on him and the Lakers still ended up with 128, so I'm not sure how much credit there is to give.

[AILebronMelo]

There is no way Denver wins this series if Anthony Carter starts at PG. If they are going to have K-mart on Kobe then they need to get some more size. Perhaps start Kleiza at SG.

I said the same thing and been saying the same thing all series. Carter is a mismatch if you going to start him along side of AI. Carter is not Eric Snow a big point guard who had size and can defend well. Karl is an idiot point blank.

[shobe_81]

.

I wasn't talking about Lakers fans like Eatourchildren as Kobe haters, I understand what they are saying as far as Kobe having a bad game!

I'm talking more about stupid statements like these:

"The Great Kobe Bryant and his amazing "I can't do absolutely nothing without completly dominating frontcourt" career continues."

[AILebronMelo]

AILeBronMelo: Well, KMart played good head games. But he did give Kobe a lot of space for the drive. I anticipate Kobe will hit a higher clip next game. Props to Martin for taking the assignment, but I think he's better served on the block.

TheGS: No non-dominant frontcourt team has won since Jordan. So if it's a sleight on Kobe, that's fine.

I agree but that is Kobe fault. If a guy wont give you space Kobe should have drove to the lane more instead of goin for jump shots. I do agree we need Martin on the block. However if Idiot Karl is going to keep Martin on Kobe in this series he needs to start Klieza because he has the size and can flat out play. I am amazed this team won 50 Games with Karl as coach and Carter as the starting point guard. After the series is over hopefully Karl will be out of town and take Anothy D-League Scrub Carter with him.

[G35]

All these Lakers fans talk about is Kobe bad game. However do anyone think Martin defense had anything to do with it? Give someone else a little credit for a change.

That's true too. Phil, who I believe Kobe will listen too, will have to convince Kobe to be even more of a setup man if KMart defends him. Kmart actually is pretty good at moving his feet and is bigger and stronger than Kobe. But it weakens the Denver defense on the interior. Kobe won't have a lot of pretty stats but he will initiate the offense and get the ball where it can either be shot or passed for an even better shot.

Denver hurt the Lakers with the zone; they have the capability to do it again. I think it is a mistake to think the Nuggets can't start playing good team defense. JR Smith and Kleiza played well, AI and Melo got 60 points. It was only one game and the Nuggets can even this game up and put real pressure on the Lakers.

I think Karl said he doesn't want to let Kobe beat them and he made the first move. If Kobe really is about winning a championship he will adjust and not force shots. I think he will see the tape and recognize where the Nuggets took him out the game.....

[JordansBulls]

-= original quote snipped =-



It's not about AC at PG that's the problem, don't you see? It's AI at SG that's the problem. They have to hide AI and Melo defensively, which means they have to slide their PF all the way out to guard Kobe.

Just have Iverson play PG and move Kleiza to the SG or start JR smith at the SG.

[Sedale Threatt]

-= original quote snipped =-
It's not about AC at PG that's the problem, don't you see? It's AI at SG that's the problem. They have to hide AI and Melo defensively, which means they have to slide their PF all the way out to guard Kobe.

Yep, Karl doesn't have a whole lot of options when it comes to guarding Kobe. Smith and Carter will get devoured. Kleiza doesn't have the footspeed. The best option appears to be Martin -- I actually thought this was pretty creative on Karl's part -- but you end up with other mismatches elsewhere so it ends up canceling out.

[shortodom]

OMG didn't realize how much people hate on our team how come Miami fans hate Kobe so much? shaq left them brain washed go tell wade to make another commercial

[YiYaoYue]

Yeah, I wasn't able to watch the game but I didn't know K-Mart still had lateral quickness to keep up with Kobe.

Nice win for the Lakers. Gasol was a monster.

one on one kobe can get passed k-mart although if k-mart predicts the right direction he can keep in front, the problem is that anytime he makes a move there is another denver player who comes out to close out on the other side. Most of Gasol's shots were dunks and layups... all around the rim... and a lot of that has to do with the interior D being seriously depleted by k-mart a forward coming out to defend a gaurd. Gasol played great, but also give credit to kobe because he is the one who is causing the mismatch and having camby gaurd both a 4 and 5. That is why the zone worked pretty well because then players started to rotate to gaurd the interior better, but once the other players started knocking down open perimeter shots the zone became ineffective.

[AILebronMelo]

I give Lakers all the credit with the win. Denver has no chance intil they get a real coach with a clue. What do Laker fans think about Jr. Smith game? I use to clash with fellow Nugget fans who wanted to trade him. However it seems like I was the only one who thought Karl was holding him back becaus he do not like Jr personally that much. The only reason Jr.Smith started getting time in the second half of the season is the fact Karl had no choice. So that is another reason Karl should not return.

[JordansBulls]

Seeing Kmart guard Kobe reminded me a lot of the Charlotte Hornets in the 1997 Playoffs putting Anthony Mason on Jordan to keep him from posting up.