Thanks, DB. Down 17 in the second quarter and we win the game by 28 points. A 45 point swing? I would never have guessed it. That move by Bynum was quite impressive. That showed a lot of athleticism. He's pretty much an automatic double double. I hope Vlad finds his stroke soon from the land of three. That airball from the corner was just pathetic. Turiaf looked better tonight. I'm glad our starters got to rest in the fourth quarter so they can be rested for tonight's game. Tough game in Utah.
The first quarter and a half sickened me, almost to the point of watching an "Ugly Betty" rerun instead.
Kobe was very efficient. I've been saying if he plays efficiently, the Lakers can be dangerous. Despite the Nugs frantic pace to start the game, he was very smooth and steady. His 7 assists were Magic-like.
LO? Really took the scoring demand to heart, but man, was he jacking up some horrible shots?! Luckily, Kobe found him for a couple of easy scores and LO settled down thereafter.
Bynum continues to impress. His spin move & dunk was very cool.
JoFar and the bench mob were back in play. Sasha being a pest.
All good, but I especially thought Luke was the key. After Melo lit up LO, it was Luke that snuffed out the flame. Don't ask how, but whatever he did, it worked. Luke's confidence carried over into his play with the 2nd unit and helped spark the 4th Q drubbing.
Thanks! It was good seeing Sasha have a good game, I'll take this parallel universe play any day. I was pleased with Bynum's play, the short hook he took under duress was a good sign. The spin move, I've seen him do a similar move, though on the break, that was very nice! He got really tired with 4 minutes left in the third, you can see his conditioning still has room for improvement. We were fortunate the bench was able to give him the rest of the night off for todays game.
LO, he forced things. LO's original problem has always been decision making, the decision of whether to take opportunities in the offense to score, or pass. Last night was an overreaction. Like we were saying about Kobe during TC, LO needs to READ the D and make right decisions. Then he'll be in rhythm when the time's right to shoot, post up or attack.
He's got good shooting form, he just needs to be in rhythm. A healthy dose of confidence in his shot would go along ways. I think more than anything else, when he shoots he lacks confidence in his decision to shoot, rather than confidence in his ability to shoot, and that's what throws off his rhythm.
Radmanovic, what happened to him? He's been making brain dead passes and how could his 3 pt. shot be so far off? At least he made a couple nice plays in garbage time. You'd almost think something was weighing heavily on his mind, I mean something other than basketball.
Luke - I get the feeling he's been sulking on the bench, he brought his "A" game once he got the start in the 2nd half. He's a smart, strong F that knows how to use his body in the post, and play smart positionally. There's know doubt we are better when he's in the starting lineup. I wonder if when Kwame comes back if we go back to Kwame/RT/LO Kobe/D Fish.
Derek Fisher has been a lot better than some around here were bemoaning he'd be. I feel lucky we have him.
I can't wait to see Trevor get into the lineup, love the athleticsim. He looked good out there in garbage time. I'd love to see him develop a solid jumper.
Ronny looks like he's back! Last but not least, Javaris Crittenton! Stunning spin moves on the break, and slashing to the basket through a crowd, I can't wait until this kid gets some minutes!
We've got an exciting young team and we're only getting glimpses of what the different pieces can do. In the next 3 years the pieces are going to be developing into an elite team that I believe will eventually contend for a title.
Thanks! It was good seeing Sasha have a good game, I'll take this parallel universe play any day. I was pleased with Bynum's play, the short hook he took under duress was a good sign. The spin move, I've seen him do a similar move, though on the break, that was very nice! He got really tired with 4 minutes left in the third, you can see his conditioning still has room for improvement. We were fortunate the bench was able to give him the rest of the night off for todays game.
LO, he forced things. LO's original problem has always been decision making, the decision of whether to take opportunities in the offense to score, or pass. Last night was an overreaction. Like we were saying about Kobe during TC, LO needs to READ the D and make right decisions. Then he'll be in rhythm when the time's right to shoot, post up or attack.
He's got good shooting form, he just needs to be in rhythm. A healthy dose of confidence in his shot would go along ways. I think more than anything else, when he shoots he lacks confidence in his decision to shoot, rather than confidence in his ability to shoot, and that's what throws off his rhythm.
Radmanovic, what happened to him? He's been making brain dead passes and how could his 3 pt. shot be so far off? At least he made a couple nice plays in garbage time. You'd almost think something was weighing heavily on his mind, I mean something other than basketball.
Luke - I get the feeling he's been sulking on the bench, he brought his "A" game once he got the start in the 2nd half. He's a smart, strong F that knows how to use his body in the post, and play smart positionally. There's know doubt we are better when he's in the starting lineup. I wonder if when Kwame comes back if we go back to Kwame/RT/LO Kobe/D Fish.
Derek Fisher has been a lot better than some around here were bemoaning he'd be. I feel lucky we have him.
I can't wait to see Trevor get into the lineup, love the athleticsim. He looked good out there in garbage time. I'd love to see him develop a solid jumper.
Ronny looks like he's back! Last but not least, Javaris Crittenton! Stunning spin moves on the break, and slashing to the basket through a crowd, I can't wait until this kid gets some minutes!
We've got an exciting young team and we're only getting glimpses of what the different pieces can do. In the next 3 years the pieces are going to be developing into an elite team that I believe will eventually contend for a title.
This is a brilliant re-cap too Rick. You should be DB's assistant or step in when DB's looking for a night off.
As I said in the game threads during the game (even when down) all we needed to do to take control of the game was limit the TO's. Odom was shooting poorly early on and taking bad shots, but the reason we went down so much were the TO's. Once those stopped, the Lakers made the Nuggets execute a halfcourt game .. which they struggled in themselves, and this opened up fastbreaks for the Lakers.
A very good game to watch from my perspective. I like seeing the team as a whole beat the other team through execution. This was a great example of that. The Nuggets have more scoring talent, but we have the better more cohesive team that runs a much more affective system.
On a final note - this was also a brilliant game by Kobe. He played with so much balance and poise. Like a true guard, not just a pure scorer. Took the challenge of defending Iverson too. Big ups to #24
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 6054 Location: My own little piece of reality
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:12 am Post subject:
BigEvil wrote:
Sasha must be the most hated man in all of basketball.
Who else inspires such animosity between fans and players alike?
I'm just waiting for Jack Rubey to show up at a post-game interview.
I bet half the board won't get the Jack Ruby reference but good one. _________________ “There is always light if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it.” --Amanda Gorman
Great job again DB. Weird game. thought we were going to lose after the 1st quarter debacle. LO looked like he was lost and forcing things....ugh. Is it me or is our ball movement not as crisp as the beginning of the season? _________________ Music is my medicine
Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 8272 Location: San Diego, CA
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:55 am Post subject:
So thats what Sasha looks like in practice.........
How the hell did we win this game by 28? I had a bad feeling early on and would have sworn we were going to lose this game after 1 1/2 qtrs. Too many sloppy turnovers though, we wont beat the elite teams playing like that.
Sasha- he sure is pesky. the melo stopper? i was pissed at him early on because he kept forcing shots early in the shot clock, but he ended up the hero.
Kobe- great game, much needed rest in the 4th, let Bavetta get into his head alittle bit.
Lamar- how can someone so talented miss so many easy shots?
Phil- not sure why Kobe needed to rest 6-7 minutes in the 2nd Qtr (knee?) with the Lakers down by double digits. I also dont understand why when Melo was lighting Lamar up, they switched Luke on Melo instead. When did Luke become our defensive stopper?
Farmar- clutch 3s to bring us back. what do you guys think about a farmar,fish,kobe,odom,bynum lineup from time to time?
Luke-really turned it around in the second half, doug collins kept commenting that phil did a good thing to boost his confidence by starting him in the second half. while it worked, i think its because vlad shot has been so off, because Luke himself was horrible in the first half. too many turnovers.
Dfish-liked the way he attacked the hole, didnt like that he kept leaving his man open to help Kobe guard A.I.
Bynum once he gets his base........LOOK OUT
young guys-great to see Ariza and Crittenton have some fun out there
FREE TACOS _________________ "When (Kobe) gets you on life support, he won't give you mouth to mouth. HE PULLS THE PLUG." -stu
Great highlights! I especially liked the inclusion of Turiaf dance moves.
Quoted for truth!
Thanks for the recap, DB—I don't slight you at all for keeping it short after going to the game!
Wow ... I never thought I'd see the day that Sasha took Melo to school!
From NBA.com:
When Vujacic was told that Anthony accused him of embellishing the foul by flopping, the Lakers' reserve guard responded with a bemused grin.
"I think I've got to give him a DVD of European soccer. Then he can really see flops,'' Vujacic said. "I think it was frustration on his part. He's one of the best players in the league. But we did an amazing job on defense against him by double-teaming him - and that's why he tried to choke me. I was surprised that he grabbed me with his hand.''
I hope he really does send him that DVD of European soccer flops.
Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 29999 Location: Likely nowhere near you
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:17 pm Post subject:
ElginBaylor wrote:
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.
_________________ Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying...'I will try again tomorrow.'
Sasha - congrads on a true break out game. It is so nice to see all the work you put in pay off. It was great to watch you run baseline, run the break, hit your open shot (3's and midrange) and play good help defense.
The amazing part of it all is how Farmar was intent on finding you on the court.
Great recap and I hope tonight's game goes as well. _________________ Stop crying and start doing.
Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 18721 Location: L.A County, 26 miles away from Staples Center
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:25 pm Post subject:
I know this a really late post but great win . Came back from 17 point deficit. Not only that Sasha with 22. No Kobe needed in the 4th always good when that happens.
This win impressed me. We fell behind early because of no hustle or sense of urgency. Denver came out the aggressor early on and just simply outplayed us. Even when we fell behind by 17, instead of going after the ball, the guys just stood around expecting the ball to come to them. But we certainly picked it up. Phil’s decision of bringing in Luke was what changed the game for us. Even when we fell behind, I wasn’t frustrated at all. I was confident we’d pick it up at some point.
Lamar Odom- I like that he said he’s going to shoot more, but that doesn’t mean to force things. That was what Lamar did in the first half. I just don’t think he’s going to work at small forward. Things started to work for him once Luke came in and he moved closer to the basket. Once that happened, he was the recipient of some nice passes and he was under the basket for some rebounds during our run. The game became so much simpler for him once we slid him down low. Final stat line: 12 points, 5-16 from the field, 4 rebounds.
Vladimir Radmanovic- I’m hoping the only reason Vlad is still starting is because Ronny isn’t fully healthy. He kills any type of rhythm the starters develop with both forced passes and shots. His game fits more with the second unit. Final stat line: 6 points, 3-7 from the field, 0-4 from three, 6 assists.
Andrew Bynum- His aggressiveness is what’s been impressing me so far this season. He’s snatching rebounds straight out of the air as if he’s a homeless person wanting food. He can fall asleep sometimes, but his improved stamina is what enables him to sustain that aggression. He did a pretty solid job on Camby. He read when Camby would drive and cut him off, or when he would shoot jumpers. The only things I’d like to see him improve on is recognizing when the right time is to pass out of a double team instead of holding the ball so far above his head and having it stolen, and more post moves. Whenever he gets the ball outside of the block, he seems confused because he can’t back a defender like Camby down and take it hard to the rim. I’m loving his development, though. Final stat line: 12 points, 13 rebounds.
Kobe Bryant- I’m still a bit puzzled about his role in the offense. Phil’s taken him off the ball in the triangle, which means less isolations and more cuts, picks off the ball, etc. Sometimes he plays that part of the offense well, and other times it doesn’t work. I think him not getting the ball in good spots is what’s causing him to struggle with his shot. A lot of his touches have been coming in spots where it’s easy for the defense to help and double team. If he was more at the top of the circle and in the pinch post he could create a wide open look for someone else. If the defense is playing Kobe well, then that makes it difficult for his teammates. He didn’t shoot a lot of free throws, but he did penetrate at the right times and found his guys out there in good positions to either catch and shoot or lay it in. Having Luke in there made it easier for Kobe to sort of step back and let things in the offense develop. He didn’t force and played great defense on Iverson in the second half. Instead of playing him closely, he gave him space and dared him to shoot from the outside. But even when Iverson was about to pull up, Kobe cut the angle off and wouldn’t let him get off a shot. It confused the hell out of Iverson and resulted in turnovers and a disgruntled Denver offense. Final stat line: 24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists.
Derek Fisher- He struggled on Iverson in the first half and just wasn’t in a good flow. He’s been forcing passes in transition when there’s nothing there when he should just slow it down and set up in the half court. But he did, however, hit some big time shots during our comeback in the first half. Final stat line: 10 points, 4-6 from the field, 2-2 from three, 4 assists.
Bench:
Luke Walton- I’m pondering whether or not Luke should return to the starting lineup. I know, I know, it was only one game. But still, anytime a guy can change the whole feel of a game and create things, it makes you wonder. He seems to work well in the post in the triangle with his passing, which I think we should go to more. Once Luke came in, we matched up better with Denver on defense and had a little more speed on the defensive side of the ball. He contested some of Anthony’s shots and received great help from his teammates in double teams. He impressed the hell out of me in this game. Final stat line: 14 points, 6-9 from the field, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.
Jordan Farmar- I think Phil needs to do a better job of recognizing when the right time is to sub him in. His foot speed is what you need against a player like Iverson, so when he’s got it going take Fish out. His poise impressed me and his leadership out there for that second unit has CONTINUED to impress me. I’d like to see him more aggressive on offense, though, since Bynum has moved to the starting lineup. He also needs to sharpen his jumper since opposing guards are becoming aware of his quickness and playing him for the drive. Final stat line: 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists.
Sasha Vujacic- His selfishness on offense has annoyed me at times, but at least he was making his shots in this game. I’m glad that he’s now the backup shooting guard and can get minutes, he’s gonna be big for us later on in the season. I’d like to see him play under more control and make the extra pass more, he’s playing as if it’s preseason and he’s fighting for a roster spot. Final stat line: 22 points, 6-14 from the field, 8-9 from the free throw line.
Final Thought:
I was disappointed that we didn’t go for the throat early against this team since they were coming off a stretch of bad games and were probably questioning themselves. We let them get into a groove and get out in transition, but we recognized when to settle into our offense and not run with them. We also took care of the boards, outrebounding Denver 52-41. If there’s one thing that can frustrate the hell out of a team it’s not securing rebounds while the other team is on a surge, especially at home. We protected homecourt against a team we’ll be battling with for playoff positioning all season long and, like us, is looking to become that fourth team up there with San Antonio, Phoenix, and Dallas. We still have a ways to go, but wins like this one make you appreciate this uphill journey.
-Heir
Next Game: LAL vs UTA (today)
“Listen to all the teachers in the woods. Watch the trees, the animals and all the living things–you’ll learn more from them than books.”
-Joe Coyhis
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Critter behind the back, twice.
) still great recap..
