***LAKERS -vs- NUGGETS 5/27 Game 5 Thread***

ElginBaylor · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 4:58 am Post subject:

AB did a great job blocking the paint. He's still a little slow on the rebounding end but he's definitely making the Nuggets bigs work and altering shots. In the overall scheme of things, that's all we need from him right now. By the time the finals roll around, I expect him to pick it up even more and as predicted, will be one of the keys to a championship.
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mhan00 · Retired Number Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 32075

andrew did NOT look dominant out there; last night was one of his weakest games of this series. lamar odom and gasol stepped it up and dominated for us though.

gill2k · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 5:29 am Post subject:

Game ball to Lamar. Mad props to Pau for stepping up on the defensive end (5 blocks!) and for Drew for getting us going with his post up moves.
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OregonLakerGuy · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 5:46 am Post subject:

props to the bigs

B_P · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 6:19 am Post subject:

Our bigs should play like this EVERY SINGLE GAME.

Effort
Effort
Effort
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mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl said something telling during the post-game press conference following the Lakers 103-94 victory.

Paraphrasing here: We didn't get out and run like we like to.

In fact, neither team got out and ran. The Lakers had six fast-break points, while the Nuggets had only four. On Monday night, the Nuggets had 15 fast-break points and the Lakers had only five.

So what caused the difference? Better transition defense?

No, it all started with the triangle offense and running the half-court sets by going inside-out.

There were very few instances of the Lakers throwing three perimeter passes and then jacking up a three pointer. The team shot 16 threes Wednesday compared to 31 on Monday.

Fewer long rebounds lead to less opportunities for fast breaks.

In addition, the Lakers dominated in the paint, 54-36, with Lamar Odom breakthrough 19-point, 13-rebound game and Pau Gasol's 14 and 10.

The Nuggets still had too many offensive rebounds, 14, but the Lakers did a much better job to start the fourth quarter in boxing out and not allowing second chances.

And those two facts made all the difference in the game.
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Legacy · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 6:40 am Post subject:

Yup.

I would still like to see us to limit their second chance points.

Arizona · Star Player Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 3177 Location: PHX

Simple, isn't it?
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ElginBaylor · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 6:58 am Post subject:

Yeah, it seems so easy when you think, why not just play that way all the time. The problem is, it's just not as easy as it sounds with teams making adjustments and such especially in a playoff situation. Otherwise this team would be undefeated.
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wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58380

Well I disagree a bit.

No doubt offense is important, winning the paint battles is almost always resulting in a W for the Lakers, but this game was tied (or the Lakers down even) DESPITE them pounding it in the paint to the bigs and having alot of cutting.

The game changed hands when the Gasol/Odom/Ariza/Bryant/Brown lineup locked in and played great defense. They just flat out STOPPED Denver, and TOOK the game from them through dominant defense.

For about 7 minutes, Denver had no FG's. That is championship D, and that is what we need more of to get these next 5 W's.

Addicus · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 7:05 am Post subject:

We all know anytime Fisher/Sasha have more shot attempts than Pau/LO/Bynum we are in trouble. It's just bad basketball for this unit.
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While Denevr still got a lot of offensive rebounds last night few were easy putbacks. They came from balls the Lakers had their hands on and couldn't retain. That made Denver firght to score every possesion and they aren't built for that.
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mike_dee23 · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Feb 2005 Posts: 11703

This game reminded me of all those earlier this season when the Lakers would wear teams out by the fourth quarter because of execution. The biggest difference is that they didn't knock down the 3-point shot. They hit at their playoff average and they win by at least 18.
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MTFBWYA

ETHIO-LAKER · Star Player Joined: 08 Dec 2003 Posts: 1452

8750 · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 7:14 am Post subject:

it all starts with a pg able to defend one on one, so we don't need to rotate so much and our big men can hold their positions... otherwise if we play a defense that overhelps on the strong side and lets the weak side unprotected, we'll find again ourselves in trouble, for our opponents will always find easy rebounds and shots...

rak617 · Star Player Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 6932

Positives: Kobe passing, Odom ruling the paint, Bynum staying strong inside the paint, Brown

Negatives: Fisher, Phil's substituions (mainly putting Fisher in final minutes)

No comment: Luke, Refs

Game Changer: Brown's dunk over Chicken. Also, Odom's dunk over Chicken

What do u say guys??

gill2k · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 8:09 am Post subject:

Positives: Gasol's defense (5 blocks!), Kobe's passing, Shannon Brown igniting the crowd and the Lakers.

Negatives: Yes, the substitution by Phil to put Derek back in when Shannon was clearly doing a hell of a job on Chauncey and was providing an amazing spark off the bench.
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postandpivot · Retired Number Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 36822

LA_Lakers_Rule · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 8:16 am Post subject:

RCS926 · Franchise Player Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 16824

Positives: late quarter runs at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd to tie the game; great defense throughout the first; great ball movement throughout the game; Lamar's gut check performance; Kobe's unselfishness; Pau's steadiness; Shannon's D and crowd-igniting dunk

Negatives: poor stretches of man D against Melo; poor decision-making from Fish (although he shot better); still waiting for Drew to dominate the glass

noahp45 · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 8:18 am Post subject:

Sasha made that 3 with out that who knows

rak617 · Star Player Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 6932

Vishnu · Franchise Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 16558

Positives: I think all of our players played relatively well.

Negatives: We didn't blow them out even though all our players played relatively well.

postandpivot · Retired Number Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 36822

postandpivot · Retired Number Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 36822

Legacy · Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 8:30 am Post subject: Shannon's Technical Foul

Apparently he and Birdman got a double tech (correct me if I'm wrong) after Lamar posterized Anderson. I saw Birdman get upset at someone after the play, but the camera view was limited as to who he was getting into it with. And then there was some speculation involving Pau with the incident.

Anyone know what happened? Or have a video clip with a better angle of the altercation? I'm dying to know.

BTW, Shannon and Lamar were our difference makers in game 5. Props fellas.