Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:31 am Post subject: NUGGETS-at- LAKERS - 11/29 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings
What The?... The Lakers looked awful. Worse than awful in the first quarter. The Nuggets pushed out to a 17-point lead, and you wondered what kind of night it was going to be. Who knew the Lakers had them right where they wanted 'em?
They won the second quarter by 10, the third quarter by 8 and the fourth by a stunning 22, while scoring 46 points and keeping the Nuggets under 99 as fans chanted "We want Tacos."
And in this bizarro world, Sasha Vujacic was getting MVP chants in the fourth quarter while at the free throw line. He killed the Nuggets in the fourth and finished with 22 points. He got under the skin of Melo like only Sasha can. Melo took a cheap shot on Sasha, grabbing Sasha's neck as he tried to cut baseline. He says he wasn't doing it purposely. I guess Sasha has that effect on people. Melo got tossed, and someone should tell him he's just been Sasha-tized.
After the dust settled in this alternate universe where Sasha is a god, seven Lakers scored in double figures...63 points from the bench. And for a night, all was well in Laker land.
Kobe says: "We have young players who have a lot of heart and who care. And when you have that combination, you have a lot of potential. In the past, I've always been the only guy in the gym really working hard. But now I've got guys in there with me pushing themselves every single day, and that makes a big difference."
(Note: No major play-by-play breakdown tonight as I went to the game and I am exhausted.)
Kobe -- -- Impressive game from Kobe. He looked so effortless throughout the game, I was wondering if he was breaking a sweat. Defensively, he matched up quite a bit with AI and played him tough. Offensively, he had his usual array of And-1 scores in the lane, even a running off-balance buzzer beater to give the Lakers a little momentum going into the half. I was most impressed with some of the passing. A few of those feeds just froze the D. On one he was looking at Bynum on the right side, then zipped a no-looker to Turiaf on the left side under the hoop for the score. On another, he scrambled on the dribble in the lane, gathered it, then no-looked to LO under the hoop for a score. Later in the game, he fought for an offensive board, attacked the rim, drawing the D and whipped a one-handed no-looker across his chest to Turiaf for the dunk. Just some superb passing throughout the night. Very impressive.
Lamar -- -- Well...shooting more is one thing. Shot selection is another. Lamar needs to get to his sweet spots, targeting those as places where he can get aggressive. Scattering perimeter jumpers from around the court isn't imposing his game on anyone. His best play was probably when he sealed his man in the mid post, took the entry from LO and dunked. Getting into the paint and working around the hoop is what you need to see more of. Defensively, Melo was getting to his sweet spot on the wing and hitting multiple jumpers over Lamar.
DFish -- -- Great job by Fish. He didn't find any shots in the offense early and that probably hurt the team because he has been so consistent lately. Once he got going, he helped spark the team. He sank both threes he took. He was also surprisingly effective getting through traffic and finding a way to finish at the rim on a couple sequences.
Radmanovic -- -- The stats look kind to Vlad's game. He scored 6 points on 3-7 shooting and had 6 assists...but it wasd ugly. He airballed a corner three. He clanked another on that was wide open. He never looked like he was going to hit anything. He had multiple turnovers with careless plays. Phil gave him the hook and started Luke the second half. Late in the game, Vlad had some better minutes...but we were rolling by then. Still, a horrible game, I thought.
Bynum -- -- For a stretch there, he and Kobe looked like the only ones doing anything in the game...which is a compliment to Bynum. He just looked like a dependable force out there when we were struggling. He was controlling the boards, causing problems on the opponent's glass. He got tapped on a turnaround jumper early. He finished a couple around the rim. He hit a jumphook from the right side. The sweetest play, however, was the spin move to lose man and possible avoid a charge and then dunk. That was an athletic play for a 7-footer.
Turiaf -- -- With the Nuggets running smaller lineups, Ronny got a little action at the C spot. What I liked to see was some of that Kobe-Ronny chemistry back on the floor. Those two were teaming up early and often this season, but that went away with his injury. This game, Kobe found him a couple times for scores. And Ronny also finished a breakaway dunk. He had 8 points and 7 boards in 23:30 of action. Good numbers. Looks like he's back to himself again.
Luke -- -- Much better game from Luke. He had a couple turnovers that got the crowd upset, but he played more like the Luke that Phil Jackson wants to see. He had a couple power moves inside to score layups. He hit a turnaround. Probably the most positive aspect, he sank both three attempts he took, holding pose after one with Staples calling "Luuuuuuuke." He also had a couple of steals making up for some of the athletic mismatch he had on the defensive end.
Farmar -- -- The second unit was alive and well tonight. Farmar had some of that energy going on both ends...controlled chaos, he has calls it. The fourth quarter opened with that controlled chaos, the Lakers playing scrambling D, causing problems and striking in transition. Farmar was in the middle of a lot of that. There was a point when he and Sasha had 5 straight points from the freethrow line that seemed to sink the Nuggets.
Vujacic -- -- Career high 22 points on 6-14 shooting (and an impressive 8-9 from the line). It wasn't a great start for Sasha or the Lakers in general, but he sure finished strong. With the Nuggets going to the zone, Sasha found open jumpers. He was working the baseline quite a bit back and forth to get catch-and-shoot opportunities. Overloading one side and quick ball movement allowed him to get good looks. He was connecting from the perimeter as well as getting to the line...when he's torching you like that someone is bound to lose it. Melo grabbed him by the throat in the corner and got tossed, flagrant two. Hopefully, Sasha can carry over the mo and string together a few games.
Ariza -- -- Not much to write about. He got a few minutes late with Crit. He had a nice pushout on the break for a score and missed a jumper. He seemed to understand a couple basic sequences of the offense while he was out there.
Crittenton -- -- Crit got some run and didn't disappoint. The kid showed once again that he has some sensational handles. There was a sequence on the break where he went behind the back once to lose a defender, then quickly again to get around another (and they were the right moves to make) and then he hit the open man for the score. He also got into the lane, attacked and elevated a couple of times, showing his hops and abilities to cause havoc to the interior of the D. Kid is going to be good, just don't know when the regular minutes will come.
Mihm -- -- He played the fewest minutes and missed a couple times. He grabbed a couple boards. Nothing much going on in this one.
Phil -- -- Phil met with Buss and accepted that beefy extension. Did the collusion between Kobe and Phil disappear sometime during training camp or during the Kobe trade process with Chicago? "The decision to return as coach and the decision to be asked to return as coach both had very little to do with Kobe Bryant and very little to do with the talent," Jackson said in the Times. "It's about the situation here -- the proximity that I feel to this organization, the comfort I feel working for this organization and the progress I think we're making. We look at some of our young players, we feel like we have got four or five draft picks in the last three years that are successful potential players in this game. It's fun to coach them. It's fun to watch them play. With Kobe's ability to give this team a chance to win on any given night, we want to watch the productivity of these young guys come along." Interesting statement... However, both Phil and Kobe added: "Since the season started . . . there's not been one iota of trade talk going on," Phil said. "It went up to a certain point and then the door closed and we've been going forward since that time."... Kobe on the extension: "I think it's great. He's clearly, in my opinion, the greatest coach of all time. When you can lock him in, that's always a great sign."... Coby Karl was assigned to the D-league. He scored 19 points in the game before the Lakers played...
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:02 am Post subject: Re: NUGGETS-at- LAKERS - 11/29 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings
DancingBarry wrote:
Kobe says: "We have young players who have a lot of heart and who care. And when you have that combination, you have a lot of potential. In the past, I've always been the only guy in the gym really working hard. But now I've got guys in there with me pushing themselves every single day, and that makes a big difference."
At last, Kobe's dedication to constantly improving one's game showing that they are interested in the game of basketball (something that Kobe has stated that he wanted more people interested in the game of basketball) and it is starting to show on the court.
Re: Vlad
His shot is M.I.A., but at least he is still hustling on defense and starting to work in the post to get layups to eventually get him going. His is an establilshed shooter and just needs to start taking shots that will get his long distance stroke back
Re: Crit
That mad dash from defense to offense was something to behold! A lineup of Crit/Farmar/Luke/Kobe or Sasha/Turiaff or Bynum can run teams off the court in the future!
It will be interesting to see how the starting lineup will play tomorrow since they had the entire fourth quarter off - a really great thang!
Fish playing well these past couple of games. Don't know if you can ever forget the triangle after learning it, but he seems to understand the fluidity to this offense; zero turnovers. Also liked Luke's contributions tonight. He seems to have that pattern of stealing the ball on an entry pass. Most steals out of the team. Critt with the instant-soup production and Ariza denying a pass on the wing sheds a nice glimpse for future minutes.
Quote:
In the past, I've always been the only guy in the gym really working hard. But now I've got guys in there with me pushing themselves every single day, and that makes a big difference.
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 755 Location: Liverpool down under
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:20 am Post subject:
"Sasha-tized"!!! caps my night. _________________ -" The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:33 am Post subject: Re: NUGGETS-at- LAKERS - 11/29 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings
DancingBarry wrote:
Impressive game from Kobe. He looked so effortless throughout the game, I was wondering if he was breaking a sweat.
That was my thoughts exactly when I watched him tonight. One some of his drives for layups it just looked like a men playing amongst boys, seemed to easy and smooth.
I hate to admit it, but I turned off the game when the Lakers were down 38-21. I'm an East Coaster and I was tired. The Lakers looked awful and Denver was much more active and seemed the team that wanted it more.
My apologies to Lakers Nation.
Hey man , even though you missed to put some player's stats (gonna have to go to nba.com to check ) still great recap.. _________________ LG.net Lurker for 3 years , finally got my account approved..
It's just life. Everybody goes through it. It doesn't matter whether you're a banker, politician or an athlete. God has a different movie script for all of us.
-Lamar Odom
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:36 am Post subject: Re: NUGGETS-at- LAKERS - 11/29 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings
DancingBarry wrote:
The sweetest play, however, was the spin move to lose man and possible avoid a charge and then dunk. That was an athletic play for a 7-footer.
No hate , i love how the kid's been playing , but after watching the highlight , i clearly see that it was a traveling..still great move.. _________________ LG.net Lurker for 3 years , finally got my account approved..
It's just life. Everybody goes through it. It doesn't matter whether you're a banker, politician or an athlete. God has a different movie script for all of us.
-Lamar Odom
I was mentally playing "Bet ya can't make that" with Sasha in that fourth quarter and he kept making them. He looked like he wan't thinking, and that's always a good thing with Sasha.
Phil said he held a practice in taking a charge for the first time in his professional career. That paid off.
Melo really lost it. First the charge on Walton, then the elbow to the throat of Sasha, then the grab. Now they'll probably get beat by the Clips tonight too.
Vlad looks unathletic out there and I wonder if that is a confidence thing. Maybe when he heard that Cook got traded because he duplicates Vlad's skillset it freak Radman out too much to perform. One time I thought he looked like Madsen driving to the hoop, it was that ugly. Mihm also looks bad bad bad _________________ Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
thanks DB. I think the best part of the game was that the bench (starters) were on their feet cheering on "the bench." _________________ "I define success by championships, by winning..." Kobe Bryant
"I've seen it all. Sasha dunked on somebody," Kobe Bryant said. "I'm ready to retire now."
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 785 Location: Murrieta, California
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:16 am Post subject:
I couldn't stand to watch the first quarter. I had to turn it. It was like pushing needles into my eyes to watch Rad dribble into traffic in the paint and turn it over MULTIPLE TIMES. Timing was off, no rythym to the game - it was just a freak show. But they pulled it out, and what a terrific second half!
That Kobe Bryant is pretty good... _________________ I love LA........WE LOVE IT!
Joined: 05 Nov 2005 Posts: 10780 Location: Hoosier Nation
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 6:22 am Post subject:
Yes! My very complex and well documented theory of parallel universes has been validated. Went to bed in the one where the Lakers are the team with a disguntled superstar and a bunch of scrubs, and when I woke up, I was in the one where Sasha is an MVP candidate, Phil is our coach for the next two years, and Kobe has nothing but love in his heart for his teammates. _________________ Not a legend
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-- Well...shooting more is one thing. Shot selection is another. Lamar needs to get to his sweet spots, targeting those as places where he can get aggressive. Scattering perimeter jumpers from around the court isn't imposing his game on anyone. His best play was probably when he sealed his man in the mid post, took the entry from LO and dunked. Getting into the paint and working around the hoop is what you need to see more of. Defensively, Melo was getting to his sweet spot on the wing and hitting multiple jumpers over Lamar.
-- Great job by Fish. He didn't find any shots in the offense early and that probably hurt the team because he has been so consistent lately. Once he got going, he helped spark the team. He sank both threes he took. He was also surprisingly effective getting through traffic and finding a way to finish at the rim on a couple sequences.
-- The stats look kind to Vlad's game. He scored 6 points on 3-7 shooting and had 6 assists...but it wasd ugly. He airballed a corner three. He clanked another on that was wide open. He never looked like he was going to hit anything. He had multiple turnovers with careless plays. Phil gave him the hook and started Luke the second half. Late in the game, Vlad had some better minutes...but we were rolling by then. Still, a horrible game, I thought.
-- For a stretch there, he and Kobe looked like the only ones doing anything in the game...which is a compliment to Bynum. He just looked like a dependable force out there when we were struggling. He was controlling the boards, causing problems on the opponent's glass. He got tapped on a turnaround jumper early. He finished a couple around the rim. He hit a jumphook from the right side. The sweetest play, however, was the spin move to lose man and possible avoid a charge and then dunk. That was an athletic play for a 7-footer.
-- With the Nuggets running smaller lineups, Ronny got a little action at the C spot. What I liked to see was some of that Kobe-Ronny chemistry back on the floor. Those two were teaming up early and often this season, but that went away with his injury. This game, Kobe found him a couple times for scores. And Ronny also finished a breakaway dunk. He had 8 points and 7 boards in 23:30 of action. Good numbers. Looks like he's back to himself again.
-- Much better game from Luke. He had a couple turnovers that got the crowd upset, but he played more like the Luke that Phil Jackson wants to see. He had a couple power moves inside to score layups. He hit a turnaround. Probably the most positive aspect, he sank both three attempts he took, holding pose after one with Staples calling "Luuuuuuuke." He also had a couple of steals making up for some of the athletic mismatch he had on the defensive end.
-- The second unit was alive and well tonight. Farmar had some of that energy going on both ends...controlled chaos, he has calls it. The fourth quarter opened with that controlled chaos, the Lakers playing scrambling D, causing problems and striking in transition. Farmar was in the middle of a lot of that. There was a point when he and Sasha had 5 straight points from the freethrow line that seemed to sink the Nuggets.
-- Career high 22 points on 6-14 shooting (and an impressive 8-9 from the line). It wasn't a great start for Sasha or the Lakers in general, but he sure finished strong. With the Nuggets going to the zone, Sasha found open jumpers. He was working the baseline quite a bit back and forth to get catch-and-shoot opportunities. Overloading one side and quick ball movement allowed him to get good looks. He was connecting from the perimeter as well as getting to the line...when he's torching you like that someone is bound to lose it. Melo grabbed him by the throat in the corner and got tossed, flagrant two. Hopefully, Sasha can carry over the mo and string together a few games.
-- Not much to write about. He got a few minutes late with Crit. He had a nice pushout on the break for a score and missed a jumper. He seemed to understand a couple basic sequences of the offense while he was out there.
-- Crit got some run and didn't disappoint. The kid showed once again that he has some sensational handles. There was a sequence on the break where he went behind the back once to lose a defender, then quickly again to get around another (and they were the right moves to make) and then he hit the open man for the score. He also got into the lane, attacked and elevated a couple of times, showing his hops and abilities to cause havoc to the interior of the D. Kid is going to be good, just don't know when the regular minutes will come.
-- He played the fewest minutes and missed a couple times. He grabbed a couple boards. Nothing much going on in this one.
-- Phil met with Buss and accepted that beefy extension. Did the collusion between Kobe and Phil disappear sometime during training camp or during the Kobe trade process with Chicago? "The decision to return as coach and the decision to be asked to return as coach both had very little to do with Kobe Bryant and very little to do with the talent," Jackson said in the Times. "It's about the situation here -- the proximity that I feel to this organization, the comfort I feel working for this organization and the progress I think we're making. We look at some of our young players, we feel like we have got four or five draft picks in the last three years that are successful potential players in this game. It's fun to coach them. It's fun to watch them play. With Kobe's ability to give this team a chance to win on any given night, we want to watch the productivity of these young guys come along." Interesting statement... However, both Phil and Kobe added: "Since the season started . . . there's not been one iota of trade talk going on," Phil said. "It went up to a certain point and then the door closed and we've been going forward since that time."... Kobe on the extension: "I think it's great. He's clearly, in my opinion, the greatest coach of all time. When you can lock him in, that's always a great sign."... Coby Karl was assigned to the D-league. He scored 19 points in the game before the Lakers played...
) still great recap..
