its official devean will miss game 2...its gonna be an up hill battle without fox and now george down...but i still think we can take this series....but we do need george back for the kings series for his defense....and let me add in no way am i blaming the refs for the LOSS yesterday...im just stating the facts,the game was won on the free throw line..not to mention all the bogus calls on shaq...regardless if you wanna be champion you gotta find a way to win...
Well, Phil Jackson's always placed a premium on ripping the other team's self confidence out by taking Game 1 on their floor. The Lakers have done it, over and over.
Now their whole season pretty much teeters on winning Game 2. No way S.A. blows this series if they win the next game, not with the head of steam they'd have and not with the way they've handled L.A. all season long....
On the Laker side, well, they're depending way too much on their Big Duo. They'd better get a whole lot more from Fisher, Horry, et al, or they're going down quickly.
Losing Fox didn't help and now it looks like George might be toast too, so points are definitely going to be at a premium for the Lakers anyway, and against S.A.'s D it only gets more difficult...
They only scored 82 tonight, despite a monster game from Kobe. Problem was, it took Kobe 872 shots to have that monster game. I could easily see that being a harbinger of things to come for L.A....
Props to S.A. for coming through in Gut Check Time (finally)...
Game 2 is gonna be all out war. L.A. has to win it, and S.A. knows it. Shaq's gonna be a monster.
Now their whole season pretty much teeters on winning Game 2. No way S.A. blows this series if they win the next game, not with the head of steam they'd have and not with the way they've handled L.A. all season long....
On the Laker side, well, they're depending way too much on their Big Duo. They'd better get a whole lot more from Fisher, Horry, et al, or they're going down quickly.
Losing Fox didn't help and now it looks like George might be toast too, so points are definitely going to be at a premium for the Lakers anyway, and against S.A.'s D it only gets more difficult...
They only scored 82 tonight, despite a monster game from Kobe. Problem was, it took Kobe 872 shots to have that monster game. I could easily see that being a harbinger of things to come for L.A....
Props to S.A. for coming through in Gut Check Time (finally)...
Game 2 is gonna be all out war. L.A. has to win it, and S.A. knows it. Shaq's gonna be a monster.
Good Read...
Laker Title Run Will Soon End
By Sam Smith
Chicago Tribune
May 4, 2003
On closer inspection, perhaps this isn't such a dynasty.
There's no way the Lakers should have won the NBA title in 2000, not with Portland holding a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 7 of the conference finals. Even Phil Jackson knows that.
There's no way the Lakers should have won their third consecutive title in 2002, not with that ridiculous Robert Horry three-pointer in Game 4 of the conference finals and some curious officiating in Game 6. Rick Adelman knows that.
Is it greatness or luck? Do teams lose because of the Lakers' transcendence or their own ineptitude? If it keeps happening, it must be excellence. But this Laker team that eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games?
"This is just typical playoff basketball," Kobe Bryant said. "We're not supposed to sweep every series. The Bulls got down 0-2 [in the Eastern finals] in 1993 before they won their third."
True, and this wasn't a terrible Minnesota team, especially with Troy Hudson playing so well. Hudson played two years in the CBA and has been waived by four NBA teams, including the Timberwolves and Clippers.
He averaged almost 28 points in the playoffs, double his regular-season average, which was a career high. He's about 6 feet tall and 165 pounds. He wears dreadlocks and never gets shot at outside nightclubs. And this guy was a problem for the Lakers?
But Hudson's effectiveness on the pick-and-roll, a longtime Laker weakness, sent Derek Fisher to the bench for bigger guards Brian Shaw and Devean George in last Sunday's comeback win. Horry, worn down from having to start much of the regular season because Laker ownership was too cheap to spring for a power forward, now hopes mainly to hit the bench when he aims.
Rick Fox is out for the remainder of the playoffs because of a torn ankle tendon. Bryant hasn't shot much from the perimeter because of a strained shoulder.
This Laker team isn't going to win another NBA title although perhaps it's better to say "shouldn't win" another NBA title. Because they shouldn't have in 2000 and 2002, and they did.
And there was another one of those conspiracy games that sure makes it look as if someone wants the Lakers in the Finals.
Probably ABC-TV. If you don't subscribe to cable or satellite, you probably don't know that anyone other than the Lakers and the Timberwolves were in the playoffs. Their games have been the only ones on network television. Although there's this O'Neal guy
He has been hurt this season, and uninterested. He's said to be overweight and out of shape. He's often too tired even to make up good nicknames. But he makes teams disappear.
"We can't even find Rasho [Nesterovic] on Doppler radar," Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders said of the scoring disparity between the two centers. "I'm somewhat surprised they don't chant MVP [as L.A. fans do for Bryant] when Shaq is at the foul line. Maybe they see something I don't."
The Lakers are tired, beat up, worn out from three championships runs, aging around the edges and short on personnel.
The end figures to come sooner than later. Unless they really are greater than anything we can see or explain.
Laker Title Run Will Soon End
By Sam Smith
Chicago Tribune
May 4, 2003
On closer inspection, perhaps this isn't such a dynasty.
There's no way the Lakers should have won the NBA title in 2000, not with Portland holding a 15-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 7 of the conference finals. Even Phil Jackson knows that.
There's no way the Lakers should have won their third consecutive title in 2002, not with that ridiculous Robert Horry three-pointer in Game 4 of the conference finals and some curious officiating in Game 6. Rick Adelman knows that.
Is it greatness or luck? Do teams lose because of the Lakers' transcendence or their own ineptitude? If it keeps happening, it must be excellence. But this Laker team that eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games?
"This is just typical playoff basketball," Kobe Bryant said. "We're not supposed to sweep every series. The Bulls got down 0-2 [in the Eastern finals] in 1993 before they won their third."
True, and this wasn't a terrible Minnesota team, especially with Troy Hudson playing so well. Hudson played two years in the CBA and has been waived by four NBA teams, including the Timberwolves and Clippers.
He averaged almost 28 points in the playoffs, double his regular-season average, which was a career high. He's about 6 feet tall and 165 pounds. He wears dreadlocks and never gets shot at outside nightclubs. And this guy was a problem for the Lakers?
But Hudson's effectiveness on the pick-and-roll, a longtime Laker weakness, sent Derek Fisher to the bench for bigger guards Brian Shaw and Devean George in last Sunday's comeback win. Horry, worn down from having to start much of the regular season because Laker ownership was too cheap to spring for a power forward, now hopes mainly to hit the bench when he aims.
Rick Fox is out for the remainder of the playoffs because of a torn ankle tendon. Bryant hasn't shot much from the perimeter because of a strained shoulder.
This Laker team isn't going to win another NBA title although perhaps it's better to say "shouldn't win" another NBA title. Because they shouldn't have in 2000 and 2002, and they did.
And there was another one of those conspiracy games that sure makes it look as if someone wants the Lakers in the Finals.
Probably ABC-TV. If you don't subscribe to cable or satellite, you probably don't know that anyone other than the Lakers and the Timberwolves were in the playoffs. Their games have been the only ones on network television. Although there's this O'Neal guy
He has been hurt this season, and uninterested. He's said to be overweight and out of shape. He's often too tired even to make up good nicknames. But he makes teams disappear.
"We can't even find Rasho [Nesterovic] on Doppler radar," Minnesota Coach Flip Saunders said of the scoring disparity between the two centers. "I'm somewhat surprised they don't chant MVP [as L.A. fans do for Bryant] when Shaq is at the foul line. Maybe they see something I don't."
The Lakers are tired, beat up, worn out from three championships runs, aging around the edges and short on personnel.
The end figures to come sooner than later. Unless they really are greater than anything we can see or explain.
i agree with most of the shit you said but the lakers have the ability to bounce back and they have in the past...u can never count them out,like the media ia already doing...im a die hard laker fan,so maybe people see something i dont see...but a couple of montha ago,we wernt even going to make the playoffs according to some people..and here we are...the lakers have nothing to lose,theyve already won 3 straight titles..the pressure is on san antonio and thier mvp to win this series and the next..despite the injurys i still feel we can take this series...
Fakers gettin wacked right now by 17 at the half!!! The Fakers are pathetic!!! Damn Ko-me shot 16 times already!! But ofcourse he missed alot of them!! Haha!!! And Ko-me is gettin scorched at the defensive end as well!! Bowens lighten that ass up for 17!! Shag cant get no help, but like I said it doesnt matter cause they cant win regardless!! GOT EM!!!
Fakers get Shabammled by Spurs to stay a perfect 6-0 this year!!!
What up yall!! Its only the end of the 3rd quarter, but this game is over and been over so here it goes!! NBA is great these dayz!!! The Spurs put a ass whoopin on the fakeshow!! I mean sumthin viscious!! I dont know where to begin??? Ok well lets start with the obvious.....Ko-Me again is a nonfactor in this game shootin 7-22 at this point while gettin scorched on defense by B. Bowen who has 27 points in 3 quarters!! Ko-Me if u aint gonna be a factor on offense then play some fuckin defense trick!! Haha!! Bowens has proven he is the better player this series by shutting Ko-Me down and scorchin him on the other end!! Shag has been hittin this game but ofcourse he doesnt get the ball when Ko-me is hoggin and gunnin every play!! Damn shame!!! Bowens has blocked Ko-me 3 times already and its clear to everyone that Ko-me is overrated!!! Fuck The Fakers, and THE RUN IS OVER!!! Face facts Faker fans!! Now dont come in here cryin becuase it aint my fault that yall wack ass team played like that on national TV!!! Haha!!! ITS OVER FAKER FANS!!!! GOT EM!!!!!!
What up yall!! Its only the end of the 3rd quarter, but this game is over and been over so here it goes!! NBA is great these dayz!!! The Spurs put a ass whoopin on the fakeshow!! I mean sumthin viscious!! I dont know where to begin??? Ok well lets start with the obvious.....Ko-Me again is a nonfactor in this game shootin 7-22 at this point while gettin scorched on defense by B. Bowen who has 27 points in 3 quarters!! Ko-Me if u aint gonna be a factor on offense then play some fuckin defense trick!! Haha!! Bowens has proven he is the better player this series by shutting Ko-Me down and scorchin him on the other end!! Shag has been hittin this game but ofcourse he doesnt get the ball when Ko-me is hoggin and gunnin every play!! Damn shame!!! Bowens has blocked Ko-me 3 times already and its clear to everyone that Ko-me is overrated!!! Fuck The Fakers, and THE RUN IS OVER!!! Face facts Faker fans!! Now dont come in here cryin becuase it aint my fault that yall wack ass team played like that on national TV!!! Haha!!! ITS OVER FAKER FANS!!!! GOT EM!!!!!!