I thought since we have 5 threads about one game, all from people who don't even like the team, this forum deserved at least one from a Laker fan. First of all, the majority of you creating these threads and posting in them don't know a great deal about the sport at all. After browsing through these threads I found roughly 95% shit-talking, and about 5% discussion on the actual games that took place, this is not very intelligent. While I know the same is going to happen to this thread, redundant bashing on myself (for making this thread), everything contained therein, as well as the team, I am making it anyway.
I'm not going to tell you Kobe is the best in the league or that he's better then Jordan because whenever there is a discussion about his talent it comes down to favoritism and bias. Jordan fans hate him and think he's the worst, Laker haters hate him and would love nothing more then for him to end his career with an injury, and a lot of Laker fans hype him up when it is not needed. I will just say to you that he is one of the very best in the league, though I would be holding back.
First of all, to any one of you that say "Prince shut Kobe down", I'm not saying any names ::cough:: GOT'EM ::cough:: I want to point out some very overlooked and ignored facts about Kobe's contributions to this team in this series.
1. Tayshaun Prince did not shut Kobe down. First of all, no one can shut Kobe down, no one. If you didn't notice (which is obvious in this case) it wasn't Prince who shut him down. While I will be the first to admit, Kobe did get "shut down", it is vital that you know, it took three different players to make it happen. Every shot Kobe took was contested by at least 2-3 players. Oh, but he should have passed the ball! Well he did, and much to his dismay his team couldn't hit a layup if they were playing one on none. A frustrated Kobe said fuck it and tried to take things into his own hands (as we *all* expected) in the remaining minutes of the game. IT TOOK THREE FUCKING PLAYERS TO SHUT HIM DOWN.
2. Kobe's contributions in this last game, although hard to see for someone who doesn't follow basketball, were not limited. Though Kobe got shutdown by three players, it could be argued that Kobe shut down two other players. In the first half, when Kobe was guarding Hamilton, Rip went 1-5 from the floor. That is defense people. After that, they switched him to either Rip or Billups, whoever was hot, and if you watched the game, you would see that whoever he guarded was virtually shut down. How many times did Billups/Hamilton shake Payton? I couldn't even watch.
3. You think Kobe's 8-25 was bad? How about his supporting cast shooting 9-32? Put yourself in either Kobe' or Jackson's shoes; if Kobe is having an off day, and so is Fisher, Payton, Malone, Medvedenko, Fox, and Walton, then what do you do? Shaq is not an option EVERY SINGLE TIME, and that is why their offense works. The opposing team expects Shaq to get the ball, and when they do, Kobe attacks. This time it was the other way around and the team crumbled. This team revolves around Shaq? We just witnessed proof of that being false. When Kobe's on his game they win, when he's not they lose.
Things that I will admit:
1. Kobe shot the ball way to damn much. Not that 25 is a high number, but when your 1 for whatever, you need to slow your role. He shouldn't have stopped shooting altogether, but he should have completed the game with 15-18 shots. He should have stopped shooting outside and just drove in every single time so he could get to the charity stripe.
2. Although they lost, the refs couldn't even help them win. Shaq was grabbing balls over the rim and slamming them, he was kicking the shit out of players on the ground, and Fisher was grabbing on his defense. Not that the Pistons played clean ball, but in the first half I witnessed the refs fucking the game up, more so in favor of the Lakers. Note that, none of this was enough to manipulate the winner of the game, but enough to change the tempo in favor of the Pistons.
3. The Pistons are a fucking team! I have to admit, I completely underestimated them. There are no gimmicks, favorable refing, they are just kicking the shit out the Lakers.
Things that need to be addressed:
1. Malone needs to sit the bench for the rest of the series. His presence is great, his rebounding and passing are good, but he is so scared to shoot anything outside of two feet from the rim it's rediculous. Have you guys been watching him? Everytime he gets the ball outside of the paint he gets nervous, moving his head rapidly in every direction before giving up the ball.
2. Payton needs to sit out the rest of the series. This guy has made his contrubutions to the team and it's success up to this point, but the fact of the matter is, there is not a single player on the Pistons team who he can guard; not Billups, Hamilton, James, no one. I could be wrong here because for the first time in this last game he showed signs of life, but not nearly enough energy.
My opinion on the Lakers as of right now is this: They need to go with what works. Payton, Malone, O'Neal, and Bryant sure sounded good, but it's obvious that it is not working, so natually they should go with what does. As I watched Rick Fox--yes the old fat beat up scrub--sub in for George, I saw the Lakers, for just a few minutes, dominate the game. Payton is tired, they need someone with speed, like.. hmmm, I don't know, Derek Fisher? Why not? O'Neal, Bryant, Fisher, Fox, and work Payton/Malone in around them. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, where the fuck was Kareem Rush? He is someone who can spark something in the offense, but they didn't give him a chance.
My analysis: If the Lakers are to stay in this series, they need to go with their original squad because that is what has worked in the past. They went 67-14 with these guys and almost swept the playoffs!
I'm not going to tell you Kobe is the best in the league or that he's better then Jordan because whenever there is a discussion about his talent it comes down to favoritism and bias. Jordan fans hate him and think he's the worst, Laker haters hate him and would love nothing more then for him to end his career with an injury, and a lot of Laker fans hype him up when it is not needed. I will just say to you that he is one of the very best in the league, though I would be holding back.
First of all, to any one of you that say "Prince shut Kobe down", I'm not saying any names ::cough:: GOT'EM ::cough:: I want to point out some very overlooked and ignored facts about Kobe's contributions to this team in this series.
1. Tayshaun Prince did not shut Kobe down. First of all, no one can shut Kobe down, no one. If you didn't notice (which is obvious in this case) it wasn't Prince who shut him down. While I will be the first to admit, Kobe did get "shut down", it is vital that you know, it took three different players to make it happen. Every shot Kobe took was contested by at least 2-3 players. Oh, but he should have passed the ball! Well he did, and much to his dismay his team couldn't hit a layup if they were playing one on none. A frustrated Kobe said fuck it and tried to take things into his own hands (as we *all* expected) in the remaining minutes of the game. IT TOOK THREE FUCKING PLAYERS TO SHUT HIM DOWN.
2. Kobe's contributions in this last game, although hard to see for someone who doesn't follow basketball, were not limited. Though Kobe got shutdown by three players, it could be argued that Kobe shut down two other players. In the first half, when Kobe was guarding Hamilton, Rip went 1-5 from the floor. That is defense people. After that, they switched him to either Rip or Billups, whoever was hot, and if you watched the game, you would see that whoever he guarded was virtually shut down. How many times did Billups/Hamilton shake Payton? I couldn't even watch.
3. You think Kobe's 8-25 was bad? How about his supporting cast shooting 9-32? Put yourself in either Kobe' or Jackson's shoes; if Kobe is having an off day, and so is Fisher, Payton, Malone, Medvedenko, Fox, and Walton, then what do you do? Shaq is not an option EVERY SINGLE TIME, and that is why their offense works. The opposing team expects Shaq to get the ball, and when they do, Kobe attacks. This time it was the other way around and the team crumbled. This team revolves around Shaq? We just witnessed proof of that being false. When Kobe's on his game they win, when he's not they lose.
Things that I will admit:
1. Kobe shot the ball way to damn much. Not that 25 is a high number, but when your 1 for whatever, you need to slow your role. He shouldn't have stopped shooting altogether, but he should have completed the game with 15-18 shots. He should have stopped shooting outside and just drove in every single time so he could get to the charity stripe.
2. Although they lost, the refs couldn't even help them win. Shaq was grabbing balls over the rim and slamming them, he was kicking the shit out of players on the ground, and Fisher was grabbing on his defense. Not that the Pistons played clean ball, but in the first half I witnessed the refs fucking the game up, more so in favor of the Lakers. Note that, none of this was enough to manipulate the winner of the game, but enough to change the tempo in favor of the Pistons.
3. The Pistons are a fucking team! I have to admit, I completely underestimated them. There are no gimmicks, favorable refing, they are just kicking the shit out the Lakers.
Things that need to be addressed:
1. Malone needs to sit the bench for the rest of the series. His presence is great, his rebounding and passing are good, but he is so scared to shoot anything outside of two feet from the rim it's rediculous. Have you guys been watching him? Everytime he gets the ball outside of the paint he gets nervous, moving his head rapidly in every direction before giving up the ball.
2. Payton needs to sit out the rest of the series. This guy has made his contrubutions to the team and it's success up to this point, but the fact of the matter is, there is not a single player on the Pistons team who he can guard; not Billups, Hamilton, James, no one. I could be wrong here because for the first time in this last game he showed signs of life, but not nearly enough energy.
My opinion on the Lakers as of right now is this: They need to go with what works. Payton, Malone, O'Neal, and Bryant sure sounded good, but it's obvious that it is not working, so natually they should go with what does. As I watched Rick Fox--yes the old fat beat up scrub--sub in for George, I saw the Lakers, for just a few minutes, dominate the game. Payton is tired, they need someone with speed, like.. hmmm, I don't know, Derek Fisher? Why not? O'Neal, Bryant, Fisher, Fox, and work Payton/Malone in around them. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, where the fuck was Kareem Rush? He is someone who can spark something in the offense, but they didn't give him a chance.
My analysis: If the Lakers are to stay in this series, they need to go with their original squad because that is what has worked in the past. They went 67-14 with these guys and almost swept the playoffs!
