Comments on: Lakers/Nuggets Game 4 Chat

By: anaymouse

anaymouse — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:19:46 +0000

I think overall the lakers as a team have gave a pathetic performance with the exception of kobe and gasol. This team plays with no heart, and it seems like they do not care if they win or loose as it was clearly displayed in game 4. Until this team comes out and plays with heart and energy, and start wanting to win, they are going to remain in trouble.

By: sT

sT — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:02:22 +0000

Well, The Penguin, will make it through the spam filter at least. I never see a Laker doing that type of….. whatever that type of activity is called. LO we need you in game 5, I do think the back is bothering him. Keep the faith…

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters…

By: Kurt

Kurt — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:44:35 +0000

new post up

By: j.d. Hastings

j.d. Hastings — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:17:50 +0000

I found this whole game to be entirely predictable. Not every aspect, but given the recent history of this team and how tired they are, it’s easy to see them being satisfied with the split. Its a dangerous game that could cost them the season, but its certainly predictable.

It probably would have been more effective to concede the game without playing it so they could rest a few more days, but what have you. They better come back ready for game 5.

By: Don W

Don W — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:08:29 +0000

I think you guys are attributing the lack of boardwork and defense too much to our players’ faults and effort. Sure, that was a part of the issue. However, I believe our tactics also need to be refined. We are soft zoning up the strong side when Carmelo, JR, and Billups have the ball. The primary defender is getting up into the ballhandler to force them to a big to help. This makes for an easy blow-by, so it’s not so much the inability of Vujacic or whoever to stay in front of his man. The big leaves his man to zone before the ballhandler even makes a move. If soft, he’s caught in no mans land who has to give up a pass to his big for a layup, foul, or be out of position for a defensive rebound. I don’t care if you’re LO or Tim Duncan, when you’re out of position, you’re not going to get that rebound.

I say we should just let JR and Billups shoot with a hand in their face. Play them straight up until they prove they can hurt us with the drive or the spotup. Carmelo is the only one we should be zoning and forcing to a big. And we need to do it with a strong trap to the baseline. If he’s in the middle, we need to play him one on one and contest when he shoots. Our traps from our bigs have too be either strong or weak (to cut off passing angles to his big or prepare to box out), but they cannot be in between, as we will lose on every count.

Finally, we should be mixing up coverages. After awhile they know how to attack us if we keep doing the same thing.

By: lil' pau

lil' pau — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:03:03 +0000

640, Kurt won’t print what we ALL ought to call it… how can anyone like that guy?

I hope they put that paragon of maturity up on the Jumbotron before game 5, in slow motion, and have it last just forever…. maybe that will motivate this Lakers team as little else seems to… and if not them, at least the crowd.

I’m really nervous moving forward. I’d like to believe the rebound issue was an anomaly, but I’m not at all sure that it was, but rather a direct result of playing a team that is more physical, more aggressive, moves without the ball better, and can create rotation problems for us by breaking down the SSZ/perimeter D. Oh yeah, and better rested too, as Kobe needs to play 48 minutes all of a sudden for us to have a shot.

Lamar, please come home.

By: MannyP13

MannyP13 — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:58:10 +0000

Hasn’t anyone else noted that the Nuggets have held the lead in games the majority of the series? We may be tied 2-2, but this Laker team is playing like a defeated animal who is resigned to make the best of a predicted outcome and not a fierce beast who wants to win.

Where is the fire and intensity that one expects from a champion? Why is it so hard for these guys to get fired up? If the showboating by JR Smith does not get this team fired up for game 5, then the Lakers do not deserve to win the series. Period.

By: Mimsy

Mimsy — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:52:35 +0000

The biggest problem with inconsistent refereeing is that the players have no idea how to play. If the game is called very tight they can adjust to that, if it’s played very loosely they will adjust to that. But if it constantly and seemingly at random varies between the two, that’s when everyone gets in foul trouble, and is frustrated enough to get T after T after… you get the idea.

WWE Memorial Day Lakers: John Cena, Batista, United States Champion MVP, Jerry “The King” Lawler & Mr. Kennedy.

WWE Memorial Day Nuggets: Big Show, WWE Champion Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase & The Miz

Recap, video link, and photos here: http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/results/9599118/

And Jaybird is the Mamba of haiku.

By: Franky

Franky — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:56:30 +0000

I know everyone is frustrated with LOs play, but while it’s not an excuse, there is obviously something wrong with him. He just hasn’t been the same player since he landed on his back. I know i might be harping on our running attack, but how many times have we seen him grab a board and start a break recently? and how many times have we seen him with a power drive to the basket recently? These were all things he did regularly in the regular season. To me, the only explanation is that he is in more pain then we think.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:41:38 +0000

The Lakers just got outworked on the boards. That was the biggest difference in the game. I doubt that happens in LA. Every time the Lakers would start to make a little run the Nuggets would get fouled and get two FTs to stem the tide. The obvious ones were in the 4th where Walton was called for a tech then 3 touch fouls on Mello. Those calls were not being called earlier in the game. But at least the called a few on the other end when Bryant was fouled.

Things I’d like to see in the next game.

More effort on the boards. Denver is not a good rebounding team and this last game was an outlier so I would expect the boards for favor LA.

Someone to hit an outside shots. Some home cooking for our shooters would be nice. But someone, Ariza, Fish, Farmar, Sasha, Brown has to hit some outside shots.

A moving screen called on Martin and Andersen. I couldn’t count how many times they were set moving screens and never got called for them. Nene usually sets legal screens but Andersen and Martin do not.

Odom to show up. Even if he doesn’t have a big offensive game he needs to pound the boards which he is more than capable of doing.