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

[Bgil]

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You're seriously underrating Odom. Gasol/Odom were doing their best stuff when Kobe was on the bench.

In one game. Are you seriously supporting the "best frontline" idea because of one game? So far this season, neither player has done great things with Kobe on the bench.

[EHL]

The self-reinforcing nature of Gasol's triple-threat ability in the high post combined with Kobe being a decoy and Odom making good hard dives against slower PFs is absolutely lethal. If only Bynum were healthy.

[Bgil]

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Nuggets are a little more one on one oriented than you average NBA team, but I think the difference in ball movement is more due to the fact that the current Lakers team is one of the most spectacular passing teams in NBA history.

I think it's more of a team culture thing. Even when we were starting Kwame and Smush we were a great passing team (Kwame's actually a good passer at times). Even Turiaf and Vlad have looked like very good passers this year. Turiaf was even passing to a fault a few weeks ago until he was called out.

Fisher's passing has looked great too especially when Bynum was around.

[Bgil]

The self-reinforcing nature of Gasol's triple-threat ability in the high post combined with Kobe being a decoy and Odom making good hard dives against slower PFs is absolutely lethal. If only Bynum were healthy.

If Bynum we're healthy then Lamar wouldn't be able to drive as well because he's be playing SF. I kinda like the idea of Bynum coming off the bench.

[JellosJigglin]

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You're seriously underrating Odom. Gasol/Odom were doing their best stuff when Kobe was on the bench.

I agree for this one game. They went on a nice little run with Bryant on the bench. But man, if you could've been there throughout the season when Odom seemed to go a couple months without making a shot. I even remember Phil saying something like "I can't remember the last time any of our forwards made a shot" (referring to Odom and Walton, who was starting at that time).

Believe me, despite coming out with the top record in the conference, it's been an up and down season. Kobe carried this team on his back for long stretches before Odom came into his own around the All-Star break.

This game is just proof of how much emphasis people place on shooting percentage. Kobe was still keeping his teammates involved and getting them open dunks all game long because of the ridiculous amount of attention Denver gave him. Just his presence on the floor made such a huge impact, even though his FG% wasn't that great. He started the game 1-9 but finished 8-17, so at least he finished strong in the 2nd half.

To just look at his shooting is very short-sighted. People who are doing that are completely missing why he's an MVP candidate this season. No other player gets the kind of defensive looks he gets. Defenders just gravitate towards him as soon as he touches the ball and it creates so much space for his teammates. This is why so many big men shoot career high percentages when they play with Kobe.

[big123]

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I agree for this one game. They went on a nice little run with Bryant on the bench. But man, if you could've been there throughout the season when Odom seemed to go a couple months without making a shot. I even remember Phil saying something like "I can't remember the last time any of our forwards made a shot" (referring to Odom and Walton, who was starting at that time).

Believe me, despite coming out with the top record in the conference, it's been an up and down season. Kobe carried this team on his back for long stretches before Odom came into his own around the All-Star break.

This game is just proof of how much emphasis people place on shooting percentage. Kobe was still keeping his teammates involved and getting them open dunks all game long because of the ridiculous amount of attention Denver gave him. Just his presence on the floor made such a huge impact, even though his FG% wasn't that great. He started the game 1-9 but finished 8-17, so at least he finished strong in the 2nd half.

To just look at his shooting is very short-sighted. People who are doing that are completely missing why he's an MVP candidate this season. No other player gets the kind of defensive looks he gets. Defenders just gravitate towards him as soon as he touches the ball and it creates so much space for his teammates. This is why so many big men shoot career high percentages when they play with Kobe.

You must of been watching another game than me today. The only thing Kobe did today was force Karl to make a dumb decision and put Kenyon on him, so useless Carter could start, to create awful mismatches in the interior. No, Kobe went 9-26, not 8-17 while taking some bad shots and only had 1 dime, while getting a slew of undeserved FT's towards the end of the game to pad his point total.

I mean Kobe has been great all year, but IMO, this game showed me why he doesn't deserved MVP if anything. The Lakers were just fine today despite him.

[incontrol__]

Sometimes i wish places like this would make it mandatory that you have to go to the school of 'How to Understand Basketball' before you can post..

Some people get it, and some people either don't get it at all, or let their bias get in the way of even semi-understanding a/the game.

[magicfan4life05]

lol did anyone hear what coach karl said in the post game press conference?

he was like "coby karl couldve scored on us the way we were playing"

[sixers_610]

Kobe is so arrogant.. "We have a great 1-2 punch."

Could you love yourself any more?

[Curmudgeon]

Denver routinely gives up 125-130 points. The Nuggets have no chance.

Golden State would have made this series more interesting.

[Bgil]

lol did anyone hear what coach karl said in the post game press conference?

he was like "coby karl couldve scored on us the way we were playing"

how cool would it be to see Coby Karl have one of those "Kareem Rush games" where he drops like 6 threes.

[Magz50]

Man Denver's D is so bad it's embarrassing. They made Gasol look like a prime Shaq yesterday.

[eatyourchildren]

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You must of been watching another game than me today. The only thing Kobe did today was force Karl to make a dumb decision and put Kenyon on him, so useless Carter could start, to create awful mismatches in the interior. No, Kobe went 9-26, not 8-17 while taking some bad shots and only had 1 dime, while getting a slew of undeserved FT's towards the end of the game to pad his point total.

I mean Kobe has been great all year, but IMO, this game showed me why he doesn't deserved MVP if anything. The Lakers were just fine today despite him.

I saw it a different way. He took maybe 3-4 what I consider bad shots. But I thought his shot total was way too high because he obviously was shooting terrible so he should have just moved the ball around or drove in the lane. When you're shooting 25%, even an open shot is a bad shot at that point so you drive the lane and get ft's.

However, to use this one game to show that he isn't MVP is ridiculous. Just like using one fabulous game to show why he should be MVP is ridiculous. The Lakers were not always this good this season, but Bryant's been there to steady the ship all season. The MVP isn't a "without him the ship would sink" award. Otherwise lets give it to Andre Miller.

[eatyourchildren]

Man Denver's D is so bad it's embarrassing. They made Gasol look like a prime Shaq yesterday.

For Game 1, the Nuggets preferred to give up the interior (Pau, Odom) than give up the perimeter (Kobe, Shooters).

I hardly ever see that happen actually. They were REALLY intent on stopping Bryant.

[JellosJigglin]

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You must of been watching another game than me today. The only thing Kobe did today was force Karl to make a dumb decision and put Kenyon on him, so useless Carter could start, to create awful mismatches in the interior. No, Kobe went 9-26, not 8-17 while taking some bad shots and only had 1 dime, while getting a slew of undeserved FT's towards the end of the game to pad his point total.

I mean Kobe has been great all year, but IMO, this game showed me why he doesn't deserved MVP if anything. The Lakers were just fine today despite him.

And why do you think he put Martin on Kobe? Obviously they're showing him respect as one of the best players in the league. That's why Kobe guarded AI at times.

And I don't know why an Iverson fan would have anything to say about "undeserved FT's". AI has become one of the great floppers of our league. He is still living off his reputation of a guy who used to attack the paint with wreckless abandon. And I mean no disrespect to AI, who I actually like. But you are obviously only seeing one side of the game as all fans do. He got his share of undeserved FT's if you want to call it that.

I know Kobe finished 9-26. What I meant was he started the game 1-9, but made 8 out of his next 17 shots. It was an odd start to the game because he missed so many chippies in the paint and around the elbow that he normally makes. He got his share of open looks.

I'm just curious, when Kobe blows up and has a big game, are his critics still going to show up with such confidence? Because I have the crow cooking in the oven and it seems like you guys are hungry.

[shobe_81]

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You must of been watching another game than me today. The only thing Kobe did today was force Karl to make a dumb decision and put Kenyon on him, so useless Carter could start, to create awful mismatches in the interior. No, Kobe went 9-26, not 8-17 while taking some bad shots and only had 1 dime, while getting a slew of undeserved FT's towards the end of the game to pad his point total.

I mean Kobe has been great all year, but IMO, this game showed me why he doesn't deserved MVP if anything. The Lakers were just fine today despite him.

Do I need to explain even more why your post looks (Please Use More Appropriate Word)?

[zen_4_10]

All this MVP talk still cracks me up. Who the F cares what the sports writers think? Until they have basketball people choosing who wins that award it will continue to be worthless.

[The Rebel]

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For Game 1, the Nuggets preferred to give up the interior (Pau, Odom) than give up the perimeter (Kobe, Shooters).

I hardly ever see that happen actually. They were REALLY intent on stopping Bryant.

You don't watch the Nuggets much then. Every time the Nuggets face a dominant ball handling guard they give up the interior as camby is constantly forced to help the guards, and KMart is not big or strong enough to stop some of the centers in the league or even worse is called on to stop the guard. Take a look at what guys like Beidrens, Amare, Boozer, and many of the other guys who hang around the basket have done over the last few years against the Nuggets. Without Nene the Nuggets do not have much chance at even stealing one from the Lakers, as this has been a long term problem.

[Sportfan]

Kobe is so arrogant.. "We have a great 1-2 punch."

Could you love yourself any more?

And how would you categorize Kobe and Gasol? I'd say great is a pretty good adjective for that 1-2 punch.

[HarlemHeat37]

Odom-Gasol is a good 1-2 punch..Kobe is a great 3rd option though, I have to show him some love for that..