Daaaaaaamn! We just took the Spurs to the woodshed, what a performance!
I guess everyone will say we won the game with our offense but to be honest our offense is always smooth when we run the triangle. Our defense has been at a level that i've been praying for and is clearly giving the champs huge problems. If we can keep this kind of defensive intensity and discipline on the road then i like our chances to steal one in San An. We have the players to play this kind of D but usually they dont have the desire to consistently get after it.
Love the way Lamar bounced back, i think he could be even more dangerous if he sometimes gathered himself and went up strong rather than gliding in and avoiding the contact. He also has a nice left handed jump hook he should use in the post against smaller opponents like Udoka and Finlay. Kobe seemed to be in cruise control, the game just seems to come so easily now he has teammates worth guarding. Great to see Farmar gaining some confidence back, he can be useful pushing the tempo and trying to get Parker in foul trouble. Finally, awesome to see Ariza get in the game. This dude has some real potential and i hope we keep him around, he has all the tools to be a great perimeter defender and as Grant Hill knows he can finish on the break.
We still need to come out with even more focus and intensity in game 3, but i think we got the Spurs attention now.
The Spurs are a great team. That's from a diehard Laker fan. But they have never won back to back titles
They are lookin like the old team they are. Average age nearly 32. Lakers run and they got blasted
Keep playing same way. Great performance from Farmar. Good to see Trevor. Feel bad for Chris. Lakers prolly won't keep him next year
Come on Laker fans we have to man up when we lose to.
You dont beat the defending champs in a must win game for them by playing that kind of ball. Our ball movement was none existent and our defense was nowhere near the level it was in game 2. That coupled with the fact that Manu got it going and the Spurs role players woke up spelled doom for us, the good news for us is that we can still steal game 4 if we play our game.
Lamar was horrendous on offense, he has the speed advantage on whoever is guarding him but he has to understand that he cant just barrel his way in there and hope to get a high percentage shot off. The Spurs are too smart defensively to let him have a lay up drill and Lamar is gonna have to adjust his gameplan. He is much more effective working weakside away from the ball and cutting off the 2 man game with Kobe and Pau, the few times we used that play it was successful. Most importantly for Lamar and Pau is they have to finish strong, after Duncan the Spurs have no shotblockers so there is no reason to throw up weak shots. Pau especially needs to be more aggressive with his moves, even his jump hook is being shot while he's fading away. If he goes up strong with his full extension Duncan cant bother that, he is longer than Tim and the fact that he can use either hand will always keep the defense guessing.
The most disappointing thing about the loss is that Kobe played a very good game and gave his guys more than enough room to succeed, in the past Kobe would have just started firing away once we got down big but he is really trusting his teammates and trying to stick to the gameplan. I did get my hopes up when Kobe went nuts from 3 in the 4th but our defense was so bad we were just trading buckets.
We still have a great chance to win game 4, i dont expect our frontline to be that ineffective again and im sure Fish and Sasha will bring it from the perimeter. We always knew the Spurs were not gonna go quietly but i still think we are the better team, we just have to go out there and prove it.
Guys.... it's cool! I was expecting to come home up 3-1. After the game 2 victory, Phil Jackso said that it's tough playing every other day without a chance to rest. Add to that the Spurs being so embarrased and you have a Spurs victory in game 3. I'm betting that Phil told the guys, "Look, let's focus on the series, NOT this game in particular. Take it easy, don't get hurt and we'll end this series at home.". I was soooo expecting the Spurs to take game 3. Makes sense. Lakers in 5... no doubt.