Comments on: Preview and Chat: Seattle Sonics

By: Ann Rocha

Ann Rocha — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:20:20 +0000

8xwfo5j0j6q53och

By: muddywood

muddywood — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:49:41 +0000

I guess Luke got the message. If you don’t contribute, you won’t be playing much with Newble on the roster. And especially when Trevor comes back.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:35:50 +0000

While most here were enjoying the Lakers romp over Seattle I was watching a highly entertaining Hou/GS game. The two coaches may have started the smallest combined line-ups in decades. Houston had McGrady take the center jump,which he won. A couple of quick observations about GS.
Monta Ellis and 3s get the GS crowd in a frenzy.
GS O is a Denver that works. Lots of fast breaking,then 1-on-1 w/very skilled offensive players. Davis and Ellis shoot way too much off of solo moves. When they pass the ball around they are really good.
Against any team w/a good inside presence GS is toast in the Playoffs. Only Biedrins can defend really protect the paint and he can get worn down/overwhelmed.
Of interest to Lakers w/out the bigs,they had Stephen Jackson play McGrady VERY tight and everybody else collapsed in the Lane when he drove. Every other Rocket however had a clear path to basket until help D showed at rim.(Scola and Head couldn’t elevate to take advantage,Rafer was throwing up junk.When Landry came in he got several open paths-and dunks-off simple rolls.) Any Laker looking for pts will get them by going hard to hoop.
The refs let GS be extremely physical,esp Jackson defending McGrady.I’d put Kobe on high post early and see if couldn’t pick up a couple of quick fouls on Jackson. And despite being very active and physical,McGrady was able to get past Jackson towards basket pretty easily,
Pietrus was a monster on the glass and looks like he will get some money this summer. But in this game his O was outrageous putbacks and open 3s,so…buyer beware.
Harrinton reminds me of Odom. W/the right coach,system and role he can be valuable,otherwise his talent and his game just don’t quite mesh. I know Phil won’t change his starters to match another team as it’s a sign of weakness,but a fun matchup against what GS started would be Fish,Sasha,Kobe,Walton and Lamar.

I always thought Ira Newble was a defensive specialist w/no outside shot at all. Tough driving to hoop,mediocre/streaky mid-range shot and definitely somebody to slack off if he was around the 3pt line.(Rather like Ariza but smaller,slower,much more physical and not injury prone.)

By: kelly

kelly — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:39:14 +0000

Newble is built knda like Ron Artest. Good sign to see Ariza is off the boot and Bynum is running full speed on the treadmill.

By: The Dude Abides

The Dude Abides — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:46:07 +0000

Udoka was on the Lakers preseason roster in Fall 2003. Newble was on Cleveland’s roster for the first time in that same preseason, and he was with Cleveland continuously until the recent trade with Seattle. It’s possible he got cut from the Cavaliers at some time after one of those seasons, and then re-signed, but I don’t really know.

By: Karl

Karl — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:06:42 +0000

Has anyone else seen the “Los Lakers” jerseys that they will be wearing on Sunday? I don’t like ‘em.

http://lakersstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=836

By: Tony B.

Tony B. — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:51:50 +0000

Does anybody else remember Newble playing for the Lakers during training camp and the preseason a few years back? It was the same preseason that Udoka played for the Lakers.

By: sfJayp

sfJayp — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:06:31 +0000

I know this is kinda random….. but I had to share it with the gang. AB’s been gone for so long I think some of us (me included) might forget what he’s going to give us. I know he’ll have a break-in period before he helps us…. but…. geez. I miss that kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-FLEDTfao

By: drrayeye

drrayeye — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:12:08 +0000

This game was lots of fun for the Lakers–notso for the Sonics.

I doubt that “Showtime” was any more fun than tonite for the fans. I bet they didn’t even mind that they didn’t get their tacos.

Just about everyone got more than 10. Luke got 17.

Of course, even Mbenga looked unstoppable–and Ira got a basket.

This was just the type of win the Lakers were hoping for.

In his interview, Trevor Ariza said that he expected to play in the last few games of the regular season and was recovering fast.

Ira looked happy in a Laker uniform. At this point, who wouldn’t want to be with the Lakers now? Bynum, Ariza, and Mihm must be just about dying to get back and play.

Of course, we just can’t wait for the next game ourselves.

By: j. d. hastings

j. d. hastings — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:56:57 +0000

We needed this game. Seattle’s defense is so bad that I scored 6 points.

The last 3 games have been huge I think. As opposed to our earlier games without our centers (including the pre-Pau games after Bynum was injured when we barely beat this same Seattle team) we look like we’ve remembered how well we started the year when Kwame Brown was still our starting center. Before Bynum stepped up in earnest, he was just part of a very productive roster.

The team looks like they’ve reminded themselves that even missing Pau and Bynum, they are better than last year’s team. Ronny and Vlade have been playing out of their minds on both ends of the court, playing smart aand active in all aspects.

These injuries suck, and I’m still upset at them happening, but they could end up being a positive if it gets the rest of the team clicking so that they return to the form they had when they first got Pau.

How we play the Warriors will be very telling.