Like I posted before, Game 1 is the easiest to win on the road. 3 out of 4 in the conference semis this year.
New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season
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steve williams
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Watching the Hawks play Game 1, I'm impressed at how cool they played. Fluid passing and great teamwork. Bulls were playing tight and bit pressured. That's what the Bulls need to adjust on Game 2. But what a group of young players the Hawks have, playing greatly as a team. The Bulls' achilles heel maybe their heavy reliance on Rose to carry the team pretty much like LeBron and the Cavs last year.
Dallas got real lucky on Game 1. They had so many tentative plays, like Dirk jumping up and then trying to find a receiver to pass to. Kidd passed on a clear path layup to a teammate who was BEHIND him who missed the layup bec the defense got into him. They got back into the game bec of many 3 point conversions. LA lost a won game, which is rare in the Phil Jackson era. Again, I see the Lakers adjusting and regrouping. They won't go down easy and I think they will still win the series. It's a 7 game series and the Lakers are just so used to it. LA lost Game 1 to NO as well but bagged the series.
steve williams
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Boston has no answer on how to control Wade. He is having his will imposed on the court. It seems he really wants to go all the way and win a title.
steve williams
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Yeah Steve,
They just don't have answers for the incredible energy of Wade and James. This one-two punch is proving to be very potent as the series and playoffs go on. It will be tough to beat them at home, imo. One thing they have in a future Chicago-Heat series is their experience. D-Wade and James just have too much experience over D-Rose, which in itself is already a 2 over 1 mismatch in talent. If they win it all this year, Riley will have another masterpiece.
They just don't have answers for the incredible energy of Wade and James. This one-two punch is proving to be very potent as the series and playoffs go on. It will be tough to beat them at home, imo. One thing they have in a future Chicago-Heat series is their experience. D-Wade and James just have too much experience over D-Rose, which in itself is already a 2 over 1 mismatch in talent. If they win it all this year, Riley will have another masterpiece.
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"much better" ???!!?? Dallas is yet to win the West .. The Lakers are yet to be dethroned NBA champions ... One game doesn't make a series ...I am surprised though how good the Heat are in the playoff... I am no longer sure The Bulls can beat them if they continue to play that way ...
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Yesterday after the C's lost game 2, I invited my wife and 2 kids to watch THOR in the theatres. Just to relax. It's just me but when I see the C's losing by a big margin I tend to shut the TV and monitor via the net. It's just too painful to watch an uphill climb only to fall short.
And yes, looks like Sir Charles' picks have been winning. Who wants to go with him to Vegas to cash in? LOL
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Bob
the more I watch the Bulls play I just cant see them beating the Heat. The Bulls have looked just slightly better than OK in their series with the Hawks whereas Miami is looking darn good.
the more I watch the Bulls play I just cant see them beating the Heat. The Bulls have looked just slightly better than OK in their series with the Hawks whereas Miami is looking darn good.
Agreed, Bulls have looked lousy. They are playing tight, and their lack of offensive creators is being exposed.
What I least wanted to see happen this year -- a Miami championship -- looks like a very good possibility now. Only thing I'd say if the Bulls face them is that it'll address the tightness issue as they won't go in as the favorites.
What I least wanted to see happen this year -- a Miami championship -- looks like a very good possibility now. Only thing I'd say if the Bulls face them is that it'll address the tightness issue as they won't go in as the favorites.
You all know I've been repeatedly lamenting the Lakers' deficiency in guarding the pick and roll. If they do not change their defense, not only will they lose to Dallas, they will get swept. The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of Phil Jackson.
If Dallas sweeps L.A., their confidence will go through the roof. They will beat either the Thunder or the Grizzlies and go to the finals.
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Mavs won't beat the Thunder
I do agree with you about the Lakers defense. If they lose tomorrow, sayonara
Gasol has been pathetic both offensively and defensively. Lamar seems to be the one holding their offense together
I do agree with you about the Lakers defense. If they lose tomorrow, sayonara
Gasol has been pathetic both offensively and defensively. Lamar seems to be the one holding their offense together
steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Will Artest Be Suspended for Game 3
LOS ANGELES – The Staples Center had already half emptied, the A-listers handing over their valet tickets, everyone streaming toward the exits, little J.J. Barea(notes) dribbling out the final seconds of this improbable victory by the Dallas Mavericks. And here came Ron Artest(notes) looking for blood.
The NBA handed Artest its citizenship award on this same floor one week ago, not that he has much use for it now. Mr. Citizenship raked his right arm across Barea’s head, missing the ball by, oh, 2 feet, and catching all face. Barea crumbled in half and the officials ejected Artest, who barely broke stride, taking the opportunity to beat the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers to the showers.
Pau Gasol was booed by Lakers fans after another tough performance in Game 2.
This wasn’t about sending a message to the Mavericks. This was an act of frustration, a lesser opponent coming unhinged, a champion cracking.
The Lakers have been pushed to the edge, or to Dallas anyway. They will fly to Texas, down 2-0, having lost twice on their own floor, facing what Derek Fisher(notes) called an “unfamiliar” challenge. They surrendered a 16-point lead in the series’ opener, and even that was easier for them to stomach than their 93-81 beating in Game 2. Effort and overconfidence weren’t the problems on this night.
“This game,” Andrew Bynum(notes) said, “they just beat us.”
For the Lakers, that’s the hardest truth to swallow. As Kobe Bryant(notes) strode out of the arena late Wednesday, dressed in a charcoal suit and black tie, wife at his side, even he had to be wondering the obvious.
Maybe these Lakers just aren’t that good.
Not since they lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals have the Lakers looked this overmatched. Pau Gasol(notes) isn’t the best big man on the floor, or even in his own family. The Lakers’ bench doesn’t extend past Lamar Odom(notes) while the Mavericks are running at least 10 deep. Most damning: Their defense, which looked so formidable for a month after the All-Star break, has been splintered by the Mavs.
“This team is cutting us up,” Bynum said, “and we’re not doing anything about it.”
Bynum said a few other things, most notably that the Lakers are struggling with “trust issues.”
“I mean I think it’s quite obvious to anybody watching the game,” Bynum said. “Hesitation on passes, defensively not being there for your teammate because he wasn’t there for you before.”
All dynasties eventually crumble, and the first cracks usually come from within. Sometimes it’s an injury. Sometimes the team has grown too old. Or, as has been the case with the Lakers in the past, maybe they’re just too tired to get along anymore.
These Lakers haven’t looked formidable for a month. The first warning sign came when they lost five straight games in the final two weeks of the regular season. Then they lost their playoff opener at home against the New Orleans Hornets, the weakest team in the Western Conference bracket. Now this.
“We’ve been playing with fire for the last three years, dropping games on our home floor,” Bryant said. “We finally got what we deserved.”
Everyone has been too swept up with the Lakers’ past accomplishments to notice their obvious flaws. One Western Conference scout sounded this warning the week before the playoffs began: “They can be beaten this year because their bench isn’t very good and they don’t have enough dependable shooters around Kobe and their big guys.”
The Lakers missed 18 of their 20 3-pointers in Game 2. As for their bench: Steve Blake(notes) was so ineffective you couldn’t distinguish his errant shots from his errant passes.
The Mavericks head home with a commanding 2-0 lead over the Lakers. Said Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki: "If you would have told me before that we were going to win both games, it would have been hard to believe."
Somehow Dirk Nowitzki(notes) has emerged in this series with the better supporting cast, and that points to Gasol’s ongoing struggles. Gasol played hard on Wednesday. He just didn’t play well. He missed three free throws, had one shot blocked from behind by DeShawn Stevenson(notes), and after he missed an open jump shot, the crowd started booing him – a first in his four seasons in L.A.
“I wish I could be more productive,” Gasol said. “I wish I could be more effective. …But I’m trying my best.”
Kobe had his own moments. He blew an open layup on the break and threw a pass off the side of the backboard, causing Phil Jackson to wonder if there were “gremlins out there.”
“Obviously, you’ve got to be worried,” Jackson said, presumably about his team’s performance and not the gremlins.
Most concerning to Jackson: L.A.’s defense. The Lakers haven’t had an answer for Nowitzki, but who does? Stopping Dirk is the least of their concerns when they also can’t corral Barea. At times, Barea has looked like Chris Paul(notes), repeatedly carving up the Lakers off pick-and-rolls.
Artest came up with his own solution: With the game already decided, he clotheslined the Mavs’ diminutive guard. Now, the Lakers head to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday with even Jackson expecting Artest to be suspended.
Never have the Lakers had their resolve tested more. Perhaps Kobe can still pull something special from within, but who’s going to help him? The Lakers admit this is new territory for them. Only three teams in NBA history have won a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games at home.
“You couldn’t expect this to be easy,” Kobe reminded everyone. “If you want to make history, you have to do historic things.”
Considering how dark their future looks, the champs might as well cling to the past. Down 2-0, flying to Dallas for the next two games, the Lakers didn’t need Artest to club someone to show them the obvious. They could already see the cracks.
LOS ANGELES – The Staples Center had already half emptied, the A-listers handing over their valet tickets, everyone streaming toward the exits, little J.J. Barea(notes) dribbling out the final seconds of this improbable victory by the Dallas Mavericks. And here came Ron Artest(notes) looking for blood.
The NBA handed Artest its citizenship award on this same floor one week ago, not that he has much use for it now. Mr. Citizenship raked his right arm across Barea’s head, missing the ball by, oh, 2 feet, and catching all face. Barea crumbled in half and the officials ejected Artest, who barely broke stride, taking the opportunity to beat the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers to the showers.
Pau Gasol was booed by Lakers fans after another tough performance in Game 2.
This wasn’t about sending a message to the Mavericks. This was an act of frustration, a lesser opponent coming unhinged, a champion cracking.
The Lakers have been pushed to the edge, or to Dallas anyway. They will fly to Texas, down 2-0, having lost twice on their own floor, facing what Derek Fisher(notes) called an “unfamiliar” challenge. They surrendered a 16-point lead in the series’ opener, and even that was easier for them to stomach than their 93-81 beating in Game 2. Effort and overconfidence weren’t the problems on this night.
“This game,” Andrew Bynum(notes) said, “they just beat us.”
For the Lakers, that’s the hardest truth to swallow. As Kobe Bryant(notes) strode out of the arena late Wednesday, dressed in a charcoal suit and black tie, wife at his side, even he had to be wondering the obvious.
Maybe these Lakers just aren’t that good.
Not since they lost to the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals have the Lakers looked this overmatched. Pau Gasol(notes) isn’t the best big man on the floor, or even in his own family. The Lakers’ bench doesn’t extend past Lamar Odom(notes) while the Mavericks are running at least 10 deep. Most damning: Their defense, which looked so formidable for a month after the All-Star break, has been splintered by the Mavs.
“This team is cutting us up,” Bynum said, “and we’re not doing anything about it.”
Bynum said a few other things, most notably that the Lakers are struggling with “trust issues.”
“I mean I think it’s quite obvious to anybody watching the game,” Bynum said. “Hesitation on passes, defensively not being there for your teammate because he wasn’t there for you before.”
All dynasties eventually crumble, and the first cracks usually come from within. Sometimes it’s an injury. Sometimes the team has grown too old. Or, as has been the case with the Lakers in the past, maybe they’re just too tired to get along anymore.
These Lakers haven’t looked formidable for a month. The first warning sign came when they lost five straight games in the final two weeks of the regular season. Then they lost their playoff opener at home against the New Orleans Hornets, the weakest team in the Western Conference bracket. Now this.
“We’ve been playing with fire for the last three years, dropping games on our home floor,” Bryant said. “We finally got what we deserved.”
Everyone has been too swept up with the Lakers’ past accomplishments to notice their obvious flaws. One Western Conference scout sounded this warning the week before the playoffs began: “They can be beaten this year because their bench isn’t very good and they don’t have enough dependable shooters around Kobe and their big guys.”
The Lakers missed 18 of their 20 3-pointers in Game 2. As for their bench: Steve Blake(notes) was so ineffective you couldn’t distinguish his errant shots from his errant passes.
The Mavericks head home with a commanding 2-0 lead over the Lakers. Said Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki: "If you would have told me before that we were going to win both games, it would have been hard to believe."
Somehow Dirk Nowitzki(notes) has emerged in this series with the better supporting cast, and that points to Gasol’s ongoing struggles. Gasol played hard on Wednesday. He just didn’t play well. He missed three free throws, had one shot blocked from behind by DeShawn Stevenson(notes), and after he missed an open jump shot, the crowd started booing him – a first in his four seasons in L.A.
“I wish I could be more productive,” Gasol said. “I wish I could be more effective. …But I’m trying my best.”
Kobe had his own moments. He blew an open layup on the break and threw a pass off the side of the backboard, causing Phil Jackson to wonder if there were “gremlins out there.”
“Obviously, you’ve got to be worried,” Jackson said, presumably about his team’s performance and not the gremlins.
Most concerning to Jackson: L.A.’s defense. The Lakers haven’t had an answer for Nowitzki, but who does? Stopping Dirk is the least of their concerns when they also can’t corral Barea. At times, Barea has looked like Chris Paul(notes), repeatedly carving up the Lakers off pick-and-rolls.
Artest came up with his own solution: With the game already decided, he clotheslined the Mavs’ diminutive guard. Now, the Lakers head to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday with even Jackson expecting Artest to be suspended.
Never have the Lakers had their resolve tested more. Perhaps Kobe can still pull something special from within, but who’s going to help him? The Lakers admit this is new territory for them. Only three teams in NBA history have won a best-of-seven series after losing the first two games at home.
“You couldn’t expect this to be easy,” Kobe reminded everyone. “If you want to make history, you have to do historic things.”
Considering how dark their future looks, the champs might as well cling to the past. Down 2-0, flying to Dallas for the next two games, the Lakers didn’t need Artest to club someone to show them the obvious. They could already see the cracks.
Artest has been suspended for Game 3. There is mention that Barnes will start for him, and that Luke may see some playing time.
I'm surprised why a seasoned bench player like Luke has been kept on the bench. He has championship experience and has a lot of energy and hussle when he's on the court.
I'm surprised why a seasoned bench player like Luke has been kept on the bench. He has championship experience and has a lot of energy and hussle when he's on the court.
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