WC Playoffs Rnd 1: (1) Lakers vs. (8) Thunder

What do you think the result will be?

  • lakers in 4

    Votes: 2 11.8%

  • lakers in 5

    Votes: 5 29.4%

  • lakers in 6

    Votes: 6 35.3%

  • lakers in 7

    Votes: 1 5.9%

  • Thunder in 5

    Votes: 1 5.9%

  • Thunder in 6

    Votes: 1 5.9%

  • Thunder in 7

    Votes: 1 5.9%
  • Total voters
    17
Variant

Variant

Starter
#61
#61
I couldn't figure out if Kobe was trying to make a point by not doing anything on offense or if that was what Phil actually wanted.

Couple articles seemed to say that Phil asked Kobe to be more aggressive but that Kobe wanted to really force it down low to the big men. And of course we all know Kobe from time to time will respond to criticism by totally uninvolving himself to prove a point... though I'd be surprised if he did that in the playoffs....

We also don't know how much he's really being held back by his injuries. Guy doesn't ever really talk about it. Personally, I think they're significant.

I still think the Lakers win the series though. Game 5 is the pivotal game, and without home court I'm expecting the Thunder to not exactly know how to step up. Experience will prevail with the pressure on...

Maybe they're too young and dumb to know that though....
 
Larry89

Larry89

Disgruntled Kings Fan
#62
#62
Rick Fox was on NBA TV and couldnt help but take a shot at sacramento for some reason, by referring to 2002 for some reason when talking about the current lakers
 
eislerain

eislerain

Prospect
#66
#66
Wait.. So Kobe gave the OKC fans an early Christmas present? Geez how nice. Haha... next game the ref will be in favor of Lakers at home. Im guessing OKC wont get to the free throw line like last night. In guessing, when Durant drives to the basket a Laker body from the perimeter will flop to the floor and get the charge call. Durant plays cautious and shoots 2-19 from the floor.

Just a prediction.
 
captain bill

captain bill

Starter
#69
#69
Variant said:
I couldn't figure out if Kobe was trying to make a point by not doing anything on offense or if that was what Phil actually wanted.

Couple articles seemed to say that Phil asked Kobe to be more aggressive but that Kobe wanted to really force it down low to the big men. And of course we all know Kobe from time to time will respond to criticism by totally uninvolving himself to prove a point... though I'd be surprised if he did that in the playoffs....

We also don't know how much he's really being held back by his injuries. Guy doesn't ever really talk about it. Personally, I think they're significant.

I still think the Lakers win the series though. Game 5 is the pivotal game, and without home court I'm expecting the Thunder to not exactly know how to step up. Experience will prevail with the pressure on...

Maybe they're too young and dumb to know that though....
Click to expand...

in addition to what team dime mentioned, he dogged it badly against the pistons a while back. but what's going on here seems different- he is not only injured but aging much faster. i think it's a combination of not wanting to hurt himself and maybe some of the ego stuff going on.

whatever is going on, game 4, as great as it was for thunder fans and lakers haters, was a 'loseable' game for the lakers in that they can still recover- they've got home court, and i wouldnt count them out in game 6 in okc.

game 5 is gonna be huge. can't wait, gonna go buy my popcorn tonight.
 
tradepeja

tradepeja

Starter
#70
#70
This is just like last year, I prayed and prayed for the Rockets to win game 5 and of course they got reffed out of it. The Thunder are better than the Rockets were last year so......god willing they can pull out a victory here because I can't see any way the refs would let them win a game 7 in LA.
 
eislerain

eislerain

Prospect
#71
#71
Haha I remember that game... Ron Ron was chucking from every angle of the board... Yao was out... lakers were out to injure more rockets player.. fishead knocked scola to the floor.. and then kobe throws a cheap elbow at ron..i was jumpin on my sofa.. do it ron do it... take kobe to the floor ala indiana.. ohhh man.. stuff like that i remember. oh and rockets loss by like 50 points.
 
P

Peter_Gibbons

Starter
#72
#72
Kobe is most likely going to be selected to another all defensive 1st team this year. But as usual, he guards the 4th or 5th option on the other team. Joe Johnson stepped up to guard Jennings because Bibby was getting torched. I've yet to see kobe step up and ask to be assigned to check Westbrook.

If kobe is really the defensive stopper that he is said to be, he will shut down Westbrook and end OKC's chances.
 
Fear the Putin

Fear the Putin

Starter
#73
#73
Peter_Gibbons said:
Kobe is most likely going to be selected to another all defensive 1st team this year. But as usual, he guards the 4th or 5th option on the other team. Joe Johnson stepped up to guard Jennings because Bibby was getting torched. I've yet to see kobe step up and ask to be assigned to check Westbrook.

If kobe is really the defensive stopper that he is said to be, he will shut down Westbrook and end OKC's chances.
Click to expand...
guarantee he still gets selected for an all-defensive team, which will then prompt all his fan boys to continue to point out the fact that he is one of it not the best on ball defender in the league, which makes me vomit
 
P

Peter_Gibbons

Starter
#74
#74
1 TeAm DiMe 0 said:
guarantee he still gets selected for an all-defensive team, which will then prompt all his fan boys to continue to point out the fact that he is one of it not the best on ball defender in the league, which makes me vomit
Click to expand...

Yup, the ballots that I've seen from the voters mostly have him on the 1st team over RonRon. I know Ron is no longer the defender he once was, but considering they are on the same team and Ron ALWAYS guards the opponent's best perimeter player... never kobe. Before Ron there was Ariza, then there was George.

Kobe usually guards the Matt Barnes, Battier, sefolosha... all usually the non factors of their opponents' offense.
 
S

Superman

All-Star
#75
#75
eislerain said:
Im not a lakers fan, but i saw a fixed game there. How do you get one team shooting 84 free throws..? That will ruin momentum for any team. The NBA is turning into a profit scam. $35k fine for criticizing the referee? Gimme a break...
Click to expand...
Who shot 84 free throws? Are you misreading a box score, my friend?
 
P

Peter_Gibbons

Starter
#79
#79
est.1999 said:
Kobes defense is a mess. Not even 3rd team all NBA worthy IMO.
Click to expand...

Yes... he almost always guards the 4th or 5th offensive option of the other team. Then he plays off of his own man (not to help with a double team, but just plain lazy) and often allow wide open 3s from kick outs. On man to man D, if his man has the ball and actually drives on him for once, he usually gets blown by and tries to reach for a bailout steal/reach. Reminds me a lot of Bibby's D. And we all know Bibby was/is not a good defender by any means.
 
J

JayBird

Bench
#80
#80
KMart23 said:
if the lakers lose this series to the young thunder...

will the lakers have offseason reconstruction? rioting in LA?
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No no, the rioting is reserved only for after winning a championship. If there is one thing I've learned from living in Socal over the last 12 years, it's that the only way to celebrate a championship is by burning cop cars and looting. :rolleyes:
 
Big Cuz 15

Big Cuz 15

All-Star
#81
#81
JayBird said:
No no, the rioting is reserved only for after winning a championship. If there is one thing I've learned from living in Socal over the last 12 years, it's that the only way to celebrate a championship is by burning cop cars and looting. :rolleyes:
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i remember seeing that on the news. way to have a bonfire
 
Tetsujin

Tetsujin

The Game Thread Dude
#86
#86
KMart23 said:
they are getting the shaft by the refs. there are numerous non calls on clear fouls. lakers are getting every call. why is there always so much disparity in reffing from game to game?
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I can't exactly say that the Thunder haven't been getting their calls in this series though, the last game was ridiculously skewed in their favor.
 
est.1999

est.1999

Starter
#87
#87
Dude the thunder aren't getting shafted in this game. They cane out very jittery and unexperienced in this game. Here's hoping the home crowd can help force a game 7.
 
J

JayBird

Bench
#89
#89
Gargamel said:
Houston lost Gm 5 by 40 points, dood. Which series are you thinking of?
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It may have been a blowout, but the officiating was atrocious in that game. Wasn't that the same game that Artest's neck fouled Kobe's elbow (a la Bibby's nose in 2002)?

I feel really bad for Kobe's elbow. It's taken a beating over the years...
 
Gargamel

Gargamel

Starter
#90
#90
JayBird said:
It may have been a blowout, but the officiating was atrocious in that game. Wasn't that the same game that Artest's neck fouled Kobe's elbow (a la Bibby's nose in 2002)?

I feel really bad for Kobe's elbow. It's taken a beating over the years...
Click to expand...
Kobe elbowing Artest was in Gm 2, he hit his chest, not neck. I don't remember what the call was.

I don't remember the 40 pt game being badly reffed, not that it would matter, but fans from everywhere are doing the conspiracy, rigged, etc commentary about refs from game to game now (in any series, not just LA), so I want to make sure I'm on the right track when the accusation comes up.

Just want to point out that time didn't stop in 2002. LA has received a number of nasty FTA differentials since then in the playoffs. Stuff that, if reversed, non-Laker fans would mos def point out (to be frank).

Gm 2, 2003 Spurs: 35-12 FTAs, Lakers lost despite hitting more FGs, better shooting percentage, more assists, etc

2004 Finals: worst FTA disparity in the Finals dating back to the 1970s, Pistons were up 111-41 at one pt, finished w/ 60 more in 5 games (12 per)

Gm 2, 2008 Finals: 38-10 Boston, no touch policy on LA as in the others above

Gm 4, 2009 Finals: 37-20 FTA, 20-1 in the 4th Q (bigger disparity than 26-9).

48-24 the other day, no touch policy. Not so much the 48 total, but the +24 difference on defense.
 
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