Lakers Thread

[MaD_hAND1e]

It's only been possible for the Lakers to lead the Suns so far because Phil Jackson has somehow rallied his team together and gotten Kobe to pass, I guess that's something the Suns never expected, so they've been taken off guard, that and the Suns haven't been playing good ball since the end of the season. In my opinion, seems like the Lakers can and will win this series, and they have a good chance of beating the Clippers. It'd be great to see the Lakers make it to the WCFs, that would prove to people what a great player Kobe is and what an awesome coach Phil Jackson is, or at least it'll silence the critics who say Kobe can't win or Phil always inherits good teams.

[[L3]1101]

Great game first of all, one of the best in a long time.

Secondly, i would love to see a LA Hallway series between the Lakers and Clippers. That's gonna be some game. It'll me even more funny considering every game is like a home game for the two(more laker fans probably).

[Fenix]

It's only been possible for the Lakers to lead the Suns so far because Phil Jackson has somehow rallied his team together and gotten Kobe to pass, I guess that's something the Suns never expected, so they've been taken off guard, that and the Suns haven't been playing good ball since the end of the season. In my opinion, seems like the Lakers can and will win this series, and they have a good chance of beating the Clippers. It'd be great to see the Lakers make it to the WCFs, that would prove to people what a great player Kobe is and what an awesome coach Phil Jackson is, or at least it'll silence the critics who say Kobe can't win or Phil always inherits good teams.

Yeah, I do believe there's a big chance that Lakers will change their gameplan in the second round (if they get there, of course). Historically speaking (and by watching Clippers' games) Brand has some problems with tall PFs and Kwame is exactly that - 7 foot, 275 pound PF/C who can give Brand a lot of troubles with his strength and quickness and so can Odom, who matched up pretty well against Brand the last time they've met. But still, the interior presence that Clippers have should tell us that PJ will probably move Kobe back to the role of a scorer. The X factor will certainly be Quinton Ross. Has anyone seen this guy defend? Raja Bell is nothing compared to Ross.

[zmac]

Firstly, well done Lakers, todays game was one of the best Ive witnessed.
Of course they will win the series, how can they not?
Definitely a good idea putting Kwame on Brand, it would be suicide putting Odom on him. But Phil aint stupid so he will do whatever is best, and Im backing the Lakers against Clippers, in fact, since San Antonio wont make it(I hope) im backing them against whoever they face in the Conference Finals!
I might be crazy, but if they do it I will be the only one to have said it.

[Fresh8]

Hmmm.. in the second round, I'm hoping we will see more of Chris Mihm. The momentum is on the Lakers side and I'm looking to them making the COnference Finals. And hopefully against Dallas. If Kobe and the Lake Show end up drawing Dallas in the Conference Finals... damn.. Kobe might take them to the NBA Finals.

Well.. maybe that's thinking a bit TOO much but it could happen now that we've seen a totally different Laker team play in the postseason.

And I guess this does take me back to someone who suggested that if Kobe took this team to the Finals, how miught people perceive him afterwards. What do you guys think? Is it just a great acheivement or something bigger?

[Fenix]

I think that would really seperate him from the rest of the 'great' guards/swingmen in the League, Mcgradys, Wades and Lebrons of todays NBA. And of course, it would make Phil Jackson officially the greatest coach of all time.

[ElSeano]

You've got problems. Lay off the crack.

When you bear in mind I've only known the NBA has exists for 4 years tops, live in England where getting a live game is a rarity, maybe once a week, and this is the first game ive ever seen live where its decided at the buzzer, twice, with the team I've been following since I found the NBA and actually followed closely for the first time all year winning an unexpected game, so this is my first clutch exposure, then its not so crackish.
I was excited, shit people that have watched the NBA for much longer than me on here were. But I don't begrudge the statement Jae, its pretty much true

If kobe took the Lakers to the finals this year, even if they didnt win it, two things should definately be uncontested:
1. Kobe being as good as everyone said he was, and the best player of his era
2. Phil Jackson as the best coach of all time.

but the lakers getting to the finals is gonna be immensely unlikely i feel, especially seeing as theyve gotta close PHX out yet, i mean 3-1 series have only been won by the team who's down 4 times, but that doesnt mean PHX can't do it. Im taking a game at a time still, its all to easy to not think sensibly after last night, just look at my posts.

[dada]

Great game, Lakers of old

- Lakers of new man!

Well said Sitty-boy!!

[Fresh8]

Thanks dada...

And you two before dada posted. You guys got similar points. And yeah... i'm thinking along the lines of, who should be given more praise?

Phil or Kobe?

Sure, Kobe's playing great but Phil's return seems to have changed him that way. Phil is coaching a vastly similar team to last season and he's done mroe with them. However, Phil is only the coach, and Kobe is the one who has to play in the games and follow his orders.

So who is the one driving the team? Is it fair to say both of them are?

[BIG GREEN]

Notice how the people complaining about the "foul" *cough* Axel..have all disappeared realizing that they have no excuse for their fav team.

[HonorGlow]

It's quite funny that readying the Phoenix newspapers they all mention 3 foul incidents that happened but in LA Times, OC Register, and the Daily News, it's never really mentioned at all.

In the Phoenix newspaper, Nash admits that he didn't call timeout but complained that they didn't hear his teammate so say so

[gergerjai]

LOL, a MVP not calling a timeout in such situation?

[Cloudy]

Yes. I knew Zen can help us...

[Jing]

whats going on with the lakers?
though i am really suprised they are leading the series... haven't been following nba that closely though

[shadowgrin]

^ Dare I say it?

It's Showerfu_.

[Fenix]

http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=22921

[Drex]

Nicely done

[Fresh8]

lol @ VanK's comic.

I just watched the OT for the game. That play were Nash was surrounded... could have gone either way. I guess he was fouleld but refs didn't call it.. I guess most refs let the players play the last moments out... unless something very blatant comes up.

[Cloudy]

I guess the refs never thought Kobe would be able to tie it... Too bad

[BIG GREEN]

Even nash admits it was not a foul..so again...that was no foul. I wish people would accept that the suns lost fair and square.

[ixcuincle]

That was the best Lakers game I have ever seen since ".4" 2 seasons back. I was at the sports grill eating dinner when Kobe made the layup that tied it , and the entire place just went mad when Kobe won it in OT. It was an unforgettable game.

If Kobe Bryant had only played the regular season like he did in this postseason series , we would be talking about a different MVP...Kobe Bryant. If the "ballhog" Bryant is gone , and a new Bryant appears next year that actually makes players around him better , then Kobe Bryant is next year's MVP without question.

ps : the series is over , bring on the clippers. All-Staples-Center playoff matchup!

[Led Zeppelin]

whats going on with the lakers?
though i am really suprised they are leading the series... haven't been following nba that closely though

probably a stupid question, but is that real?

[Isaiah]

thats an old picture..i think it was on media day of last season

[Colin]

Even nash admits it was not a foul..so again...that was no foul. I wish people would accept that the suns lost fair and square.

When has Nash ever not been completely humble and respectful in regards to the ref after the game?

Either way, that still doesn't account for Walton's other foul. The one where he grabbed James Jones going for the alley-oop. Which should have resulted in free throws to win the game.

Game 1 - Kobe gets fouled during a drive to tie the game up. Doesn't effect him that much.
Game 2 - Kwame runs over...Barbosa? Bell? Someone that results in the Lakers keeping possesion.

Each time, one call, not deciding. The slate is clean.

But in game 3 there was a missed call for the Suns at the end of regulation and at the end of overtime. Wiht less than 10 seconds on the clock.

[ElSeano]

at colins sig.

im with yohance on the arguing the call thing, i mean just drop it, its not gonna change with all the bitching in the world. if it was like PHX fans are claiming, then woohoo we got lucky and if we were on the recieving end no doubt id be the one bitching and moaning about it, but its the way the dice rolled in the end. In the favour of my lakers