LAKERS -at- SUNS - 5/29 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

[TooMuchMajicBuss]

DB - Thanks for another great recap! On to boston... we took OKC in 6, then Utah in 4, and then the Suns in 6. Time to beat boston in 4?

Tragic Dragic...

After watching and rewinding and watching again on DVR I've got to agree with DB's assessment, and that of many others, on the face-covering, EuroSoccer acting job Dragic threw. What a periwinkle. I know it was effective and the Suns rallied; but covering the face and pretending to be crying? Wow. Just wow. Paul Pierce comes to mind. That should be a flagrant 3.

Ron Ron and Kobe were both beyond human tonight. Also, I'm perplexed how Fish can stink so bad in the regular season, then suddenly play so good in money games. It's almost like he's doing this on purpose.

In the end talent won out this series. Plenty of motivation and ability to take this next series too. Good job Lakers!!

[Qsmiff]

it wasn't even Sasha's elbow that hit Goran.........for the love of Floppy Divac.................I also thought there were some times in the fourth quarter that the team could have used Drew's defense

[briancbati]

K honestly I know that Sasha and Dragic are from the same country but that doesnt give you the right to go and do something like that... taken that dragic is a snatch and hollywood flopped when sasha put his hands up we still need to keep our cool and poise when the game is like that this... this is exactly what the suns and the suns crowd needed to get back in the game.... thank god for kobe for willing the lakers back into the game... but honestly sasha leave the rough act to the players who actually make a difference in the game... you honestly need to show more than that to pull a stunt like that... Im glad that no one is from slovenia from boston or we would be in big trouble...


BrianCBati

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[LakerEric]

THANKS DB!!!! Back in the Finals for a 3rd straight year!!! Unbelievable!!!
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[ABynum17]

It's amazing how mental this game has become. And this makes guys like Kobe and Nash that much more dangerous. It's gotten to the point where circus shots and "38-footers" can be attempted and made, without flinching. And 3-point attempts seem preferable to attempting layups(as they can be physically contested, whereas attempting and making 3s is just a matter of overcoming the mental blocks, which coaches seem to have mostly removed).

I guess I'll do my part by pointing a mental trick, that I don't think any coach has, to this point. Now I was going to wait till game 2 to post this. But right now, it's tough to tell who'd win game 1. And I'm pretty sure that Doc won't be able to copy this, even if we "showed" it in game 1.

First, let me tell you at how I learned about this trick. If you had watched game 4 and game 6 of the Magic/Celtics series, you'll notice that even though the Magic came out playing extremely hard in both games, there was a subtle difference. There was a sense of urgency(on the offensive end) that they showed in game 4, yet ironically, did not show in game 6, even though game 6 was also an elimination game. In game 4, they played every possession literally like they were playing for their lives, and that split-second reaction allowed them to "outrun" the Celtics' D. This made me realize that there is a level beyond "game 7 effort" or "playing as hard as possible" that will allow you to move (a little bit) faster. What is that level?

Well, it is a physiological fact that when the body is in the flight-or-flight response, it releases all kinds of hormones that heighten/sharpen your senses. I've read stories(and that's plural) about how a father, in trying to save his son, is able to lift a car up. I've also read a story about a guy who jumped a 2-story building, but did not feel anything(initially). This tells me that you can go beyond your "natural" physical limit. Like Kobe said, it's mind-over-matter.

Now what if someone, say like Bynum, were to spend half an hour or even an hour before the game, to REALLY get these "fight-or-flight juices/hormones" up? Now try to imagine Bynum trying to defend someone in a P&R, with this juice constantly flowing, you can see that he'd actually be able to move faster, with his best effort, than he would otherwise, with just his best effort and being calm. In fact, I can even imagine him "gliding."

Naturally, one asks, what if the entire team did this, and so on. In theory, if enough people did this(and by that I mean millions), then it will cause a mutation where the release of these hormones is natural, and when you "try," you'll release even more of them, and so you'll get even faster, and that's how the human race can become "superhumans," but I digress.

The interesting thing is that when I try to visualize this on the offensive end, it'd also work. That is, if they were to take shots thinking that "if I miss, then I may die," while being in this "juiced up" state, then it'd also work. Just try to imagine us running a play where Kobe passes the ball to Ron, where Ron runs to his left, at the 3-point line, with Ray Allen chasing him. If Ron was convinced that it's a do-or-die shot AND playing with his juice up(in other words, assume that he's convinced that he IS playing for his life), then IMO, he'd make it, as opposed to feeling the pressure.

Boston's D is very good, but it's not shutdown. Watching the Magic series, they will give you JUST enough daylight to shoot. Obviously, Ron will not get the looks that he's been getting. Instead, he'll have guys running at him. The key is to think of something that will "ignore the defender." Now in addition to the above trick, I think being determined is another key. In fact, this is the mentality that I expect everyone to come out with(certainly, people on this board have been pretty good about trying to give motivation, starting from Bynum to Pau to Ron, and that CAN be a big advantage(see Mo Williams in game 6 Cavs/Celtics, luckily for us, he didn't do that from the beginning of the series, or we may be facing the Cavs right now), assuming that the Celtics don't do the same thing of course).

However, I think my trick will work even better, because it will block out the defender, even "at the last second of the release"(and much harder to copy. I mean, they can see how determined a guy is and eventually copy him, but not how much time he's been doing "juicing up.")

Another way is to make it a challenge of, "let's see if I can release the ball first, or whether you'll get to me first." However, when I try to visualize this, it'd only work for Sasha, and maybe Pau, I think. Ron's release is not fast enough.

Now, in order for any mental trick to be good, one has to ask, will it work on the Kobe vs. Pierce isos "consistently," which we will inevitably see, and is probably the key to this series? Unfortunately, Pierce defends Kobe better than anyone in the league. Now he's two years older, but so is Kobe. And Pierce showed against Vince that he can still defend as well as anyone.

That said, based on what I saw today, and in imagining how Kobe'd do with Pierce right in front of him, at the 3-point line, with his hand extended, I "think" being determined would work. I think Pierce would foul him.

What about a combination of "juiced up", "determined" AND "do-or-die" mentality? Well, in this case, I think he'd be able to score over Pierce at will. However, I can't say that for sure, until I see them actually matched up, and visualize it. However, I do believe that there is a combination
in there that will allow Kobe to "completely" ignore Pierce's hand.

What if the player was wide open? Ironically, when I try to imagine Ron being determined, it doesn't appear to work. I can see him as being "over-determined" and rims it out. I think if he's open, then he should just shoot, and not think of anything. After all, no need for mental tricks if there's no defender around(my juiced up and do-or-die mentality, however, does appear to work, that is if he can't completely fake "ignoring the mental pressure," caused by the intensity of the game.)

No one trick will work for all situations. The key is knowing how to adjust to them. However, even if my trick may not help offensively, it will help defensively. Just gotta get the body into that state of or "find a fear" where it HAS to release those hormones. Do it even when you're on the bench, and you will be sure to gain an "unfair advantage."

Finally, don't do anything that might get you suspended. And don't overwork yourself where you might get a cold that weakens your performance.

[lounger]

Thanks DB. I was fine with Sasha's antics, just disappointed with the way the refs handled it... as usual, home court advantage there. It almost cost us but maybe, had it been called differently, it may have worked more in our favor. Nonetheless, we have a new road to trek. Beat Boston!

[sanko123]

I hope we get to see utah jazz gasol in the finals!

[godspeed]

thank you db

[ShadyG]

@ABynum17:

Overcoming natural body limits to strength is indeed something that's possible. Elite level athletes can occasionally achieve it. The thing is, that instantaneous super strength comes at a heavy cost. A good example is avulsion fractures. The central nervous system places limits on strength to avoid injuries. It is normally impossible to force a muscle to exert so much force that it rips apart the bones to which it is attached.

A mother whose child is trapped under a boulder can move that boulder and save the child, then spend a lot of time in the hospital recovering from all the damage she did to her body.
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[ChefLinda]

[ChefLinda]

[prisma8slg]

[JTS1]

12 bells...always getting louder.

kobe is a very, very bad, bad man.

earlier, this season, it didn't seem like meeting boston was in the cards. it really seemed like it was either going to be a magic rematch or the kobe vs. lbj series. i find myself pleasantly surprised for some reason.

someone made a thread of nba players and their tweets. chris bosh's was the one that stood out...something to the effect of, 'the lakers and celtics are meeting again for the 100000000000 time.' that was a fan-type response and i like when these players are able to be just people.

i can't wait for the finals. thursday won't come soon enough. i can't wait to read the db writeups for this upcoming series.

have any teasers, db?
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'How many kids can say growing up that they'll turn pro and play for their favorite team in the world and spend your entire career there? IT'S BEEN A DREAM!'-Kobe Bryant 11.29.15

[Rick12322]

I'm pleased with how the team is doing thus far, but frustrated that we can't have a healthy Bynum in this series. That sucks big time. I'm concerned with Pau's softness rearing it's ugly head against Mrs. Stoudemire. At least it happened before our first game against Boston. Maybe there's enough time to slap him around in practice and get him up to the war that's coming.

The series should be closely matched, and the disrespect we've gotten from the league's officiating crews is a huge concern. Today's game had a 1 FT difference, but the real story lies in numerous horrendous calls I and others cited in the game thread.

Steve Nash said something interesting in the post game interview, he said he felt we were the better team going in, but as the series went on he started believing they had a chance. The scary part about that is, your first impression is right 90% of the time, so what caused his impression to change? Obviously he's delusional if he didn't recognize what gave him that confidence was the horrendous, lopsided officiating giving them a boost every single time we gained an edge.

Is that going to continue in the Boston series? Are we going to have a repeat of 2008? I'd bet my life savings the Laker's are preparing for it... We've been here too many times this decade. Everytime we've faced an Eastern Favorite team, i.e, Detroit 2004 and Boston 2008, we were subjected to this type of officiating and we were so astonished we couldn't overcome it. I think the Laker's know what's up, and are determined to overcome it. Kobe and Ron willed us to victory over the refs, cough Suns, I think they're prepared to battle both vs. Boston.

[inthepaint]

Thanks for the recap DB. Even though I watched the game it's always good to read your perspective on the game. You call it the way you see it without sugar coating our players performances.

The four horseman continues their journey with green slim in their path.

[A Mad Chinaman]

[Klone_dd]

I think Sasha got the flagrant foul for stupidity more than the force of his bicep. I'm not sure, but if a flagrant 1 is called, it's 2 shots plus the ball, but it wasn't Phx's ball at the time, so why did they have the chance for a 6 point play?

If Sasha's antics were a flagrant 1, KG's throwing not 1, but 2 heavy forearms to D12's forearms should warrant even more scrutiny. Looked like KG was trying to break D12's arms.

Man o man, is that Kobe good or what? Plus it looked like he was fouled on each of the last daggers he hit. Sometimes, I think the refs are so stunned he made an impossible shot, they forget to blow the whistle.

Nice for RonRon to step up when Pau goes MIA. Also, great games by our PGs. DFish has been huge all postseason. JoFar was in control during his stint, hitting 3s and dishing.

[heatseeker08]

Thanks DB!
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[DancingBarry]

[Qsmiff]

John Ireland reported that Sasha apologized to everyone over the inflight intercom on the trip back to LA........lol.................this is the one time this season that I don't blame Sasha either......for the refs to have instant replay and still call that a flagrant is just ridiculous

[IPK]

DB, do you recall this (link) and when it was first released? Did you notice the references to the perpetrators standing in our way of a 16th championship? Only you and Alpha caught wind of that initially. Craziness!

"Repeatin' Ain't Eazy" - 2010 Revenge Tour is underway....
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Our tribute to Phil, the man behind LG

[DancingBarry]

^ Yeah, I wrote up a big piece anticipating we would likely find each other somehow. Now it's time to take care of business.

[IPK]

^

Time to lay the smack down on sewage, vomit, et, and garbage. There are no phones nor homes around these parts. Death riders be the workers. Taking care of business is what they do.

No suit. No tie. Just the Larry O'bry and the willingness not to die.

LAKERS LETS GO!
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Our tribute to Phil, the man behind LG