(1) LA Lakers vs (3) San Antonio - Western Conference Finals

[semi-sentient]

for once, a humble Lakers fan

Coming from a poster that whined non-stop about damn near every call, that means next to nothing.

Anyway, work on your reading skills for the next game thread.

Well, this has turned out to be quite a game. Common sense would say this would be a heart-breaking loss for the Spurs (if they do lose it), but they are so well prepared that it just doesn't matter.

Execution is going to be key down the stretch. I personally don't think the Lakers will recover if they lose this game, but they've surprised me before.

What a game, I can't believe I almost went to bed when we were down by 20. Unbelievable comeback.

The Spurs still scare the **** out of me though, they're a great team and I'm sure they'll come back with a sense of revenge on Friday.

Wohoo!

no one is saying this is an end of the world loss for the spurs. at least i hope not. there isn't going to be an end of the world loss until one team wins their fourth.

Man, I'm still shaking from that game. I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. Thank GOD we won this game. Hopefully we got all the cob webs out and come out sharp next game, because it's a whole new series if we drop a game to the spurs and lose home court advantage.

Thoughts on next game - Lakers can't feel too comfortable with this win.

... and that's only going back a few pages. Stop trying to paint this perception that most Lakers fans are whiney, arrogant homers such as yourself.

[mbucks22]

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Not to mention the shoulder lead charge when Kobe took baseline, he lowers that shoulder since bowen cut off the baseline and if there was contact it was not only minimal but lead by Kobe shoulder and it was a foul on Bowen? It was disgusting how the officials had purple and yellow whistles. I am no spurs fan either but this game was gift wrapped down the stretch. While it's true the Spurs choked away the lead, that doesn't justify the blatantly poor and lopsided officiating in the last 2 minutes

That's all that needs to be said. Don't blame this loss on the refs.

[mbucks22]

Game winner by Kobe off a clear push off that wasn't called. Duncan hacked across the arm, ball out of bounds and given to the Lakers--say what? Foul by Gasol on Ginobli on a loose ball-no call. Odom barrels over Ginobli as Ginobli was about to get a loose ball--no call. Spare me the great win by the Lakers. And, no I am not a Spurs fan.

How convenient that you forget to mention the reason Odom fell into Manu. Horry pulled him down to the ground causing him to fall into Manu. You aren't a Spurs fan...nice try.

[Andrew Bynasty]

Have the Lakers every won legitimately?

All 9 wins in the playoffs so far have been just given to them by the refs...

[LAKESHOW]

i say we should go with the same gameplan.

the hornets doubled and doubled and doubled tim duncan, limiting his numbers.

i say we let duncan get his. but clamp down on the rest. and if you must leave someone open, i can live with bowen taking outside shots all day.

[Kobay]

If Lakers limit spurs from making threes then it makes the game easier for lakers.

[at87on]

i say we should go with the same gameplan.

the hornets doubled and doubled and doubled tim duncan, limiting his numbers.

i say we let duncan get his. but clamp down on the rest. and if you must leave someone open, i can live with bowen taking outside shots all day.

If you noticed, the Spurs were up when Duncan was dominating the ball. That's the difference between a Tim Duncan and a player like Amare Stoudamire. Duncan scoring and dominating the ball actually helps the Spurs win.

The Lakers started to make their run when Lakers double teamed him and he passed out of the double teams and the perimeter shooters missed their shots late in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

Like the Hornet series, it's the perimeter shooters that need to hit their wide open shots when Duncan passes out of the double team. In the wins, they do, in the losses they don't.

[doctaJ_92]

If the Lakers do double they should be giving the Spurs the elbow 3 instead of the corner one, meaning on the 3rd rotation on the kickout by Duncan instead of rotating to the man on the right elbow behind the 3 pt line they should rotate to the corner man. Usually Parker is the guy in that case catching it, but when hes out of the game I'd take my chances and run out at Finley after he fakes the pass and goes up for the shot from 24 feet out rather coming at him hard and forcing another pass to the corner to Udoka or Bowen for the easier shot. Thats what NOH failed to do for most of the series, too many corner 3s when the angle 3's are that much tougher.

[JellosJigglin]

Have the Lakers every won legitimately?

All 9 wins in the playoffs so far have been just given to them by the refs...

It's really pathetic. You can tell who the younger posters are by how many times they type the word "refs" in their posts. Rather than watching the game, they keep a mental log of all the calls/non-calls that favor the team they don't like. "Oh! Look that was a push off that's #518 on my list omg he just hacked that guy and didn't called for it that's #519 omg omg omg!"

They have all these excuses ready just in case their team loses. And then at the end of the game they run down this list as if anyone cares, all the while neglecting the calls that went the other way.

It's a 7 game series for a reason people. The better team will win.

[LAKESHOW]

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If you noticed, the Spurs were up when Duncan was dominating the ball. That's the difference between a Tim Duncan and a player like Amare Stoudamire. Duncan scoring and dominating the ball actually helps the Spurs win.

The Lakers started to make their run when Lakers double teamed him and he passed out of the double teams and the perimeter shooters missed their shots late in the 3rd and 4th quarter.

well, thats a planned thing. as ive noticed when phil coaches against pop. constantly double early, and the shooters get into rhythm. but let duncan get his, the balls goes in and often. what happens is the shooters dont shoot, but just dump and dump and dump the ball inside. they get cold and out of sync, and when duncan gets doubled late and he kicks it out, clank.

[djericho]

in the closing minutes of a game, duncan is a liability. I don't know why they weren't running ginobli or parker off his picks. Instead they were dumping the ball down low into duncan to go to work on gasol. Even when he is fouled there is the chance of him missing free throws.

Duncan has no killer instinct, under pressure he will shrink. I will give him props for the last second 3 to force into overtime, but that was way out of his norm. I knew Lakers were going to win when the ball was in duncans hand instead of parker or ginobli. The plays at end of games should be for parker or ginobli to create their shot or a shot for duncan off a pick and roll or pick and pop. not for Duncan to create for them. they became stagnant sitting @ the 3 pt line and couldn't hit with a defender running at them.

Ginobli's last attempt @ a 3 was way too open and I would applaud and congratulate the spurs on a win. It just didn't go down. Better team won that game.

[Basileus777]

I wouldn't call Duncan a liability in the clutch. He's not a cold-blooded killer or a closer of any kind, but what big man outside of Dirk can close a game? At least Duncan doesn't play hot potato with the ball and isn't afraid to take a shot. He's come through in the clutch plenty of times for the Spurs.

[ChargerMan]

Duncan was killing the Lakers the whole game. How you gonna say no killer instinct, remember before the fabled fisher .4 second shot Duncan hit the 2nd biggest shot of that game the play before, Duncan has always been clutch. Kobe had an amazing performance last night, I stated when Spurs were up 20 that its not over cus Kobe hasn't gotten into his groove yet and he would have atleast one streak before the game ended and he took over that game last night.

[kno]

While I'm not a LA fan, I'm cheering for them, and I had to leave the sports bar early tonight due to the lack of performance.

Ouch.

[djericho]

I wouldn't call Duncan a liability in the clutch. He's not a cold-blooded killer or a closer of any kind, but what big man outside of Dirk can close a game? At least Duncan doesn't play hot potato with the ball and isn't afraid to take a shot. He's come through in the clutch plenty of times for the Spurs.

Exactly, so why the last two trips was the ball in duncan's hands and not Parker or Ginobli's? Kobe tipped in that Duncan shot. Duncan didn't get to the rebound and tip it back, it was mishandled and Kobe tipped it in. Duncan in that position would turn an shoot. Pops was hoping for a double team where duncan could pass the ball out. Phil knows this too well.

Parker or Ginobli with the ball would have the option of shooting, driving for a layup/pull up jumper or passing if a double team came. Much more options than what giving the ball to duncan in the low post would do.

Pop misshandled those last possessions and diagramming a play. They would have gotten better looks with Parker, maybe Ginobli even if he had a bad shooting night. But heck why am I complaining... Go Lakers!

[Sportfan]

Manu's Stats vs. LA this year

First game: 17 pts, 6-12 shooting
Second game: 14 pts, 5-17 shooting
Third game: 12 pts, 3-16 shooting
Fourth game: DNP
Fifth game (game 1 of WCF): 10 pts, 3-13 shooting.

I hope the point trend continues! Obviously the Lakers have figured out a way to trouble Ginobili.

[Basileus777]

Manu's Stats vs. LA this year

First game: 17 pts, 6-12 shooting
Second game: 14 pts, 5-17 shooting
Third game: 12 pts, 3-16 shooting
Fourth game: DNP
Fifth game (game 1 of WCF): 10 pts, 3-13 shooting.

I hope the point trend continues! Obviously the Lakers have figured out a way to trouble Ginobili.

Sasha is just too much for Ginobili.

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

Nah i think Manu's broken nail is giving him problems. Probably a cobination of both that and lakers d on him.

[Chubby Chaser]

Manu's Stats vs. LA this year

First game: 17 pts, 6-12 shooting
Second game: 14 pts, 5-17 shooting
Third game: 12 pts, 3-16 shooting
Fourth game: DNP
Fifth game (game 1 of WCF): 10 pts, 3-13 shooting.

I hope the point trend continues! Obviously the Lakers have figured out a way to trouble Ginobili.

Manu's out put = Kobe's output

[tracey_nice]

^^ lol