Western Semi-finals Game #2: Houston @ LA Lakers Game Thread

[KObe Bryant]

Western Conference Semi Finals Game # 2

Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Time: 10:30 PM (Eastern Time) , 7:30 PM (Pacific Time)
Television:

Radio:

Arena:


Here comes the hungry Los Angeles Lakers



Starting Lineups brought you by

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Point Guard - Derek Fisher
Playoff Averages: 9.2 PPG 2.3 RPG 3.0 APG


Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant
Playoff Averages: 28.2 PPG 5.5 RPG 5.3 APG


Small Forward - Trevor Ariza
Playoff Averages: 11.7 PPG 4.0 RPG 3.7 APG


Power Forward - Pau Gasol
Playoff Averages: 17.7 PPG 9.7 RPG 2.0 APG


Center - Andrew Bynum
Playoff Averages: 5.8 PPG 3.0 RPG 0.8 BPG

Key Bench Players







Here comes the lucky Houston Rockets



Starting Lineups brought you by

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Point Guard - Aaron Brooks
Playoff Averages: 16.0 PPG 2.7 RPG 4.0 APG


Shooting Guard- Shane Battier
Playoff Averages: 8.1 PPG 5.6 RPG 2.2 APG


Small Forward - Ron Artest
Playoff Averages: 16.4 PPG 3.1 RPG 4.7 APG


Power Forward - Luis Scola
Playoff Averages: 15.3 PPG 6.9 RPG 2.0 APG


Center - Yao Ming
Playoff Averages: 17.6 PPG 10.6 RPG 1.3 BPG

Key Bench Players






My keys to win this game.

1. Bryant and Gasol's pick and roll - During Game 1, I think I've only seen Kobe and Pau did that two or three times. Correct me if I'm wrong, guys. It just made Kobe very difficult to score because most of the time in Game 1, he always go one on one with Battier. I'm sure Kobe needs a screen there. Switching Battier to Scola or Yao could really help because the speed of Kobe will just own them. It also helps Gasol score when he screens Kobe, Kobe has an option to give it up to Gasol when he has an open look.

2. Inside Basketball/Post Play/Drawing fouls- I know it's difficult to get inside sometimes but I know Gasol has the ability to draw fouls inside. Most of Bynum's jumper goes in last night but He needs to pound it more inside and also draw fouls. If you pound the basketball in the paint, the more chances of you getting the offensive rebound and having chances to score 2nd chance points. Kobe also didn't spend as usual in the foul line last night, He should go inside more and draw fouls. When he's guarded by Artest, it's better for Kobe to get it inside because if he'll take jumpers , it will be more tough because Artest always keeps a body on him.

3.Get Yao into foul trouble- I think this will be a key for the game.

4. Contain Yao Ming- I think most of the time we should double team him, I know that would give Artest or Battier wide open looks but If we could trap him and force him to take the shot and force him not to be able to pass the ball. I think that's a great stuff.

5.Have that early lead- For me, I think we should take that early lead and have the confidence the whole game.




LET'S GO AND WIN FOUR IN A ROW LAKERS.

[Dr Aki]

nice GT

hopefully we'll be going to houston with a head of steam after a blowout game

[lakersfanatic]

ok, now that the sleeper has awaken (quote from the movei Dune). Lets see some action!!

[hermes]

nice thread

i want them to come out fast, get the game into our tempo, more points (so make your dang shots)

keep brooks in check


GO LAKERS

[Desiderium]

i say we move odom back into the starting lineup and go back to that farmar + bynum duo that worked a year ago off the bench

[magic1fan]

we need this one. we need to come out quick and put points up.

[shobe_81]

Lakers need to really dominated if they plan on winning in Houston.

You don't want Houston going into game 3 thinking they could have stolen game 2 as well.

Put Odom back into the starting line-up.

Run the f**king ball up the court after a rebound, if Aron Brooks can have his way with Fisher, why cant Phil have the Lakers Run the ball to get Yao tired.

YAO is their system, everything is run through him. And we know if you have Pau run the court, Yao is going to wear out. They don't have depth in front-court.

And you defend Yao but bringing hard doubles as soon as he dribbles the ball. It screws up the rhythm completely. He won't be going 1 on 1 with those soft baby hooks.

Andrew is clearly not the answer, he clogs the paint, that only helps Rockets defense, and he doesn't want to rebound or play defense.

And when Scola is guarding Ariza, Why cant Ariza use his quickness? He's clearly faster, he should move off the ball for easy buckets.

So send a memo to Phil Jackson:

- Start Odom over Bynum
- RUN the ball (wear out Yao PLEASE)
- Bring hard doubles at Yao as soon as he puts the ball on the floor
- Start Kobe from the post and work from there, most of his misses were long jumpers
- And someone please go hard at the rim for a f***ing dunk, soft ass play isn't gonna win at all, I thought they learned that from the Finals.

[Rendezvous]

Looking forward to a great game between the Lakers and Rockets.

Good Luck and hope no one on either team gets injured.

Go Rockets

Pull Out A W

[DEEP3CL]

Still pissed...............counting hours til game time.

We better come out throwing the sledge hammer at them, I want to see some intense defense, feirce rebounding and working the offense.

Not really feeling these Rocket fans right now.

[SALMIEN]

i allready have a stroke last month , idon't need an other one, lakers are my life iwant a win bad , do it for mama this time, love you al

[Flipdog69xxx]

Go Lakers!

[kobe808lak]

We need to dominate game 2 but for some reason im expecting a close game... i hope im wrong

[magic1fan]

call me cocky or whatever but i can't see us losing four out of seven to the rockets. i look for the lakers to take this one from the start,on our way to a back door sweep...

[Young_Star11]

call me cocky or whatever but i can't see us losing four out of seven to the rockets. i look for the lakers to take this one from the start,on our way to a back door sweep...

We might as well not turn up then.

Good luck anyway

[jsim]

interesting.

how amongst the lakers fans, predictions and expectations for game 2 range from
1. Lakers win in a landslide
2. Lakers win in a close game

And from what I read in the newspapers, Phil Jackson, Kobe and basically everyone else in the Lakers team feels the same way.

What will happen if Lakers get sucker-punched again in Game 2. How will they react to 0-2 down?

One wonders

[DEEP3CL]

call me cocky or whatever but i can't see us losing four out of seven to the rockets. i look for the lakers to take this one from the start,on our way to a back door sweep...

We might as well not turn up then.

Good luck anyway

No you're going to show up and get what's coming to you.

[magic1fan]

call me cocky or whatever but i can't see us losing four out of seven to the rockets. i look for the lakers to take this one from the start,on our way to a back door sweep...

We might as well not turn up then.

Good luck anyway

not like that i just have alot of faith in my tean like you have in yours.

good luck to you guys too...

[DEEP3CL]

interesting.

how amongst the lakers fans, predictions and expectations for game 2 range from
1. Lakers win in a landslide
2. Lakers win in a close game

And from what I read in the newspapers, Phil Jackson, Kobe and basically everyone else in the Lakers team feels the same way.

What will happen if Lakers get sucker-punched again in Game 2. How will they react to 0-2 down?

One wonders

Once again ill informed wanna be hater spewing junk out your mouth that's not posted any where on this thread. Nobody on this board or thread said anything about a blowout. Keep your lies to the GB cause that's where the bandwagons hang at. When you come here you will respect the real fans.

[magic1fan]

interesting.

how amongst the lakers fans, predictions and expectations for game 2 range from
1. Lakers win in a landslide
2. Lakers win in a close game

And from what I read in the newspapers, Phil Jackson, Kobe and basically everyone else in the Lakers team feels the same way.

What will happen if Lakers get sucker-punched again in Game 2. How will they react to 0-2 down?

One wonders

what would you have them say? they have faith in their gameplan,and themselves. i take nothing away from the rockets they won game1,but i as well as others know the lakers can play alot better. it's not like they were missing because of suffocating defense. alot of those shots were wide open. gasol missed alot of chippies,and guys weren't hitting freethrows. we all know the rockets are a good team,but i believe the lakers better,sorry if that offends you.

[TylersLakers]

I'd like to think we're going to bounce back and show some aggressiveness and finally learn our lesson, but I'm really questionable about that. By no means is this "win" guaranteed. We have to take it and we have to earn it or else we'll be down 0-2 going back to Houston.. and has a team ever bounced back to win from that? Regardless, must win.