Game 1: Battle of Los Angeles Part 1 on ESPN

[cinnamon]

I taped the game while I slept because it started so late out here, but after reading this thread I don't think I can bear to watch it.
There is certainly a combination of factors that were working strongly against the Clippers in this game, and it was a tough way to start the season, but in the long run I don't think it means much.
When everyone is healthy and the schedule is kinder, and they've had more time to get the sense of each other and make best use of that fabulous practice facility, things can only get better.
We just need to hang in there with support for the team, and we're good at that.

[GuyverX]

Cinnamon, I would tell you to watch the first quarter and then stop. You'll love what you see from Baron and Thornton and then will be spared the massacre and embarrassment on national TV that was the last 3 quarters starting from when Baron went out and Jason Hart went in.

[jflipclip]

My impressions:
-Good first quarter, somewhat. Tim Thomas was getting good looks and so was Kaman. Baron Davis led the team on fast break and giving oppurtunities to score for everyone on the floor.

-Horrible collapse. Bench was ineffective and I think TT looked for the ball a bit too much. Either way, it looked we couldn't penetrate the inside with anyone so outside shooting didn't looks so great.

-Defense. What happened to it? Farmar and Ariza were finding easy lanes to the basket. Hart could not keep up with Farmar, why didn't Dunleavy go with Mike Taylor early? Also, some of our players looked lost on who to guard. I think Vujacic, Fisher, and Ariza all found some easy shots because our players didn't rotate properly.

-Defense on Kobe. We acutally contained him pretty well. Baron did a good job annoying him. I think some Laker fans were getting angry because he wasn't allowing Kobe to do that much offensively, that is, until the 2nd half where we couldn't get anything happening.

We can play better than this. Thornton wasn't finding his shot, but he was getting to the rim at times. Tim Thomas is getting the ball too much and it felt like he was the focal point of the offense last night. I didn't mind when he was making them and getting to the FT line, but when that happens, the defense concentrates on you and the ball needs to be spread. FTs were a problem on both sides, but it seems to be magnified to the Clippers since they ended up with the loss. Mobley seemed to be very ineffective. I think I saw him score only once with his go-to post up move. He also airballed a 3 with no one guarding him. Then Kaman is a whole different story.

It's just one game, but it looks like we need to build up our defense to what it used to be (hopefully Camby can set an example) and get some inside buckets since the Lakers pretty much challenged us to make outside jumpers.

[cinnamon]

Thanks GuyverX, for the good advice.
I could use the positive reinforcement you say I'll find in that first quarter.
And then, I'll hit the erase button.
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Later: I was so glad to be reminded of how very special a player Al Thornton is. It looks as if he and Baron can build a wonderfully productive bond.
It was helpful to see that interview with Baron, and remember that most of these guys had never even met each other as of a few weeks ago. That explains a lot, and leaves room for hopes that they will know each other better, and thus be able to play more effectively together, before long.
I've always liked Chris Kaman, and was so happy last year when those neurological exercises seemed to give him a wonderful new ability to focus on the court. I didn't see that here. I wonder if he still does the exercises, or if he might think of doing another round of them.

[mkwest]

Cinnamon, that was wise advice from Guyver. I re-watched the first quarter on ESPN just to see what their opinion was on the assembly of the team. I don't want to know what they said after the 2nd quarter collapse.

Baron Davis left some comments about the team on his blog earlier today.

Like I said yesterday, the Lakers are the Western Champs and they proved it. We got smacked in the mouth; period, point blank. It got to the point where I was admiring the way their team looked top to bottom.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and there was a lot to learn from that game. We are still a work in progress. But, that's the kind of defense we have to play to be successful. That's the play we have to aspire to.

Off to practice

Yardbarker

[JJ LoDuca]

They better have practiced hard.

[mj_shoefanatic]

I'm still heated that this game was nationally televised.

We'll get'm next Wednesday(hopefully) when MC returns.