The Lakers are in an onerous position heading into game three. They trail two games to none, losing both games by double figures as the Spurs took control of both games in the 2nd half. Further, their depth is severely compromised. Steve Blake has already been ruled out due to a strained hamstring that leaves […]
NBA Playoffs
Friday Forum
Maybe you thought the injury bug had passed, that Kobe’s Achilles tear would be enough to appease the dark basketball gods who inexplicably dogged the Lakers all season long. Wrong and wrong again. The maladies cycle and regenerate in direct correlation to whatever the team’s greatest needs and weaknesses are at any given moment. It […]
Lakers Showing the Wear of a Long, Hard Journey
The Lakers fought like mad just to make the playoffs. Their 28-12 run to close the season implies a certain amount of fluidity and good fortune, but that wasn’t the case at all. Nearly every game was a grind with injuries and in game lapses providing a teeter-totter feeling to each contest. Wether the Lakers […]
Finding the Right Personnel Groupings
The loss of Kobe Bryant for the season has created a myriad of issues for the Lakers to sort out. As their top scorer and chief creator of offense, the team has struggled to generate sustained offense since his absence. Spacing has been mucked up and opposing teams are treating every perimeter player as a […]
What Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are Facing Defensively
Sunday’s loss to the Spurs showed great effort by the Lakers, but also a severe lack of outside shooting. The Lakers only made 10 of their 43 shots outside the paint, struggling to generate any sort of offensive momentum against a defense set on crowding the paint like a Best Buy on black Friday. The […]
Lakers Struggle to Score, Spurs Take Advantage
The reality of this series is apparent after the first game. The Lakers have a ton of fight in them and are willing to make the effort play in order to keep the game close. However, without Kobe Bryant and with a less than 100% Steve Nash, the team may struggle to score enough points […]
Game 1 Preview and Chat: The San Antonio Spurs
We’ve covered a fair amount of ground in the lead up to game one, from the regular season trends to what to look for on offense and defense to some potential X-factors to look for over the course of the series. The analysis we can provide before the games begin is done, now it’s about […]
Playoff Preview Part III: Who are some of the X-Factors?
We’ve looked at the regular season series and have also explored some of the key themes to look for on offense and defense. However, while history, talent, and execution all play a vital role in who wins a playoff series they are also decided by other variables. Sometimes, it’s the non-star player who can make […]
Lakers vs. Spurs Playoff Preview: Looking at Offense and Defense
While it can be informative to look at the regular season series between the Lakers and the Spurs, the fact is that both teams are different than the versions that played in those games. Injuries and other personnel decisions have affected roster composition. Further, the playoffs typically offer tweaks to offensive and defensive sets in […]
After The Gold Rush
There’s an oft-used saying, ‘it’s a tough act to follow.’ You don’t want to be the band that takes the stage after the last band just totally shredded. Or the comedian that follows the guy who had them rolling in the aisles. Phil Jackson was a tough act to follow. Just ask Rudy T, ask […]