[LAL/HOU] - Western Conference, Round 2

[Sptsjunkie]

A team of roleplayers destroys the Lakers, despite Ron's shooting antics.


I forgot what a treat it is to watch an Adelman coached team clicking. Great ball movement all game. Great energy. Sure am gad we let Rick walk.

Yao was getting stripped and stuffed like a chump that last game. I know its a stupid thing to say, but I think the Rockets are almost better off without their 20/10 C. Granted I know I'm wrong, but still. It's refreshing to not have to watch Yao **** up on the block.

They did seem to match up better. Some of these best basketball this series was with Yao off the floor and their small lineup playing even before today. It's a testament to Chuck Hayes IMO, the fact that he can credibly defend Bynum and Gasol and get 4 steals is amazing.

 

[VF21]

Speaking of Bynum, I guess I haven't been paying close enough attention. I don't recall seeing all the evidence of his brilliance that was supposed to be obvious once he returned to the lineup. (And yes, that is sarcasm. )

He'd better shape up fast...That fall Odom took landing right on the point of his hip looked like it might not be something he can come right back from and he was having a pretty good series. Bynum is over-rated and undertalented, right along with Luke Walton and a couple of others on the Lakers roster. They lose Odom and have to depend on Bynum and they have early exit written all over them...

 

[gunks]

And wouldnt that be a shame?


Game 5 is going to be a doozy. I look foward to loudly cheering on the Rockets in a bar way down here deep in Lakers country haha.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

Speaking of Bynum, I guess I haven't been paying close enough attention. I don't recall seeing all the evidence of his brilliance that was supposed to be obvious once he returned to the lineup. (And yes, that is sarcasm. )

He'd better shape up fast...That fall Odom took landing right on the point of his hip looked like it might not be something he can come right back from and he was having a pretty good series. Bynum is over-rated and undertalented, right along with Luke Walton and a couple of others on the Lakers roster. They lose Odom and have to depend on Bynum and they have early exit written all over them...

Yeah, the Odom fall is not getting much attention but could alter the playoffs even if the Lakers beat Houston. Odom is essential to the Lakers title hopes, especially if they have to play Cleveland. His length along with Gasol really helped bother Lebron in their regular season matchups. Even if he plays, if he's hobbled and playing at 60-70%, that could kill the Lakers season.

And you're right, Bynum has been terrible. He really is talented, but it took him a year to recover from an identical injury last season before he looked like a monster, so it may be wishful thinking by Lakers fans to hope he can suddenly play like he was in January or even be a facsimile of that during this post season.

 

[AriesMar27]

bynum is garbage.... but man did the rockets play one hell of a game or what? brooks is tiny but he can ball. battier played a really good game, hitting his three pointers... i doubt that the rockets can win 2 more but i wouldnt be surprised if this goes to 7 games....

go rockets....

 

[Big Cuz 15]

We could write a book about the myriad problems with having Ron Artest on your team. What we cannot fault, however, is his dedication and desire to win. Sure, he's pulled up and taken a lot of shots that I would have preferred him not to take, but it's just part of the package. He's passing the ball, he's fighting hard on defense AND he's helping to keep his team motivated and playing hard. And we've said it before - Rick Adelman is probably the ONLY coach in the NBA who can get Artest to perform at his peak without going over the line.

firing on all cylinders VF21

 

[Big Cuz 15]

i think bynum has the advantage of playing on a great team (kobe/gasol). individually his basketball iq isn't that great.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

i think bynum has the advantage of playing on a great team (kobe/gasol). individually his basketball iq isn't that great.

I don't know if he can be a franchise player, but he is immensely talented. He has legit moves and soft touch. He was a beast in January before he got hurt. I don't think he just benefits from playing with great players, he is a legit talent. You really can't judge him by the playoffs. He is nowhere close to being fully mentally and physically healthy. It took him a year to fully heal from an identical injury last year.

 

[Variant]

Bynum is still young enough where he should be able to shake off not only the physical setbacks, but the potentially confidence shattering experience he's had so far in the playoffs.

Unless he turns out to be a headcase......

 

[est.1999]

the problem with bynum is that he's only played one year(I think) of high school ball and then went into the pros. He just looks like he doesn't want to take over or take his game to the next level. He doesn't have a killer instinct or real love for the game. I guess that's what happens when you don't play lots of bball growing up.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

This has nothing to do w/ my quote that elbows aren't the same thing as running up into the stands to attack a fan who threw a water bottle at you while you were lying on the scorer's table after a scuffle you participated in,

I was refering to how you used Rasheed Wallace as an example of someone should be punished because of past history of technical fouls. When I pointed out that kobe has been consistantly in the top of that category for the last 5 yrs, you no longer want to address that. Its kind of a double standard as always for the lakers. But its no suprise, we knew that already.

I contest the eyesight of those who think Ron's throat is down by his chest. I understand why every non Laker fan and most of the media wants to portray it otherwise. I don't begrudge you of your right to dislike Kobe, Pete.

You can choose to believe the view of a floor cameraman's angle taking the video pointing upwards from the ground or you can believe the eye level cameras that everyone else is refering to. While you can say the Kings fans in this forum has something against the lakers, I highly doubt the major media people are fans of the Kings. How many of the media people are fans of the Rockets to be bias against the lakers? Its views of non laker, non rockets fans in general. But if you want to believe everyone is bias against the lakers, its your choice.

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4154496

Wow, The foul by Ron Artest is the same punishment as the elbow to the neck of Ron by Kobe Bryant? Totally fair...

+1

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

The lakers have much to worry about than a call that they got the benefit of a few games ago. This is still not going to be easy for them even without Yao. The Rockets are now playing a style that that current lakers roster have always had trouble dealing with. Reminds me of the Bobcats and Hawks style of game, both teams that consistantly beats the lakers. Every member on the team hitting the boards hard, deflections, fast paced, physical game. The lakers are just not a dominant team. I can’t imagine the Shaq led lakers team having problems with a Yao-less rockets team this way.

 

[Bricklayer]

The appropriate Lakers counter really should be: start Bynum alongside Pau. With the Rockets short 15 feet of centers sitting over there on their bench in suits, suddenly you have your two seven footers back against a frontline that now goes 6'9"/6'6" and you should dominate inside. But that's only if Bynum is pouting and will come ready to play if he starts/gets his touches. If he's just uninterested, still hobbling, or spacing on drugs or whatever the problme has been, then obviously that would not not help matters for L.A..

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

^ That would be the logical approach. But the way that Bynum's been playing, I don't think he'll be up for the task. If Odom is out for tomorrow, the Rockets really have a chance to take one in LA as Odom is often the game changer with his offensive rebounding and all around threat.

 

[Sptsjunkie]

The appropriate Lakers counter really should be: start Bynum alongside Pau. With the Rockets short 15 feet of centers sitting over there on their bench in suits, suddenly you have your two seven footers back against a frontline that now goes 6'9"/6'6" and you should dominate inside. But that's only if Bynum is pouting and will come ready to play if he starts/gets his touches. If he's just uninterested, still hobbling, or spacing on drugs or whatever the problme has been, then obviously that would not not help matters for L.A..

That was my immediate suggestion too. The Lakers even tried it for awhile, but it didn't seem to help at all. Just made them slower. The gains they should have made on O never came because Bynum is just not playing like himself right now.

 

[Oprostaj]

I love Phil's BS explanation on Bynum. Wants to get him involved early, yet he says he has no confidence in him because he is clearly not playing right. My question is, what exactly does he need? If he's injured, shut him down. You're paying him tons of money, not worth killing him now. If he's not injured, Zen him up or something. The rockets are basically throwing a SF/PF hybrid out there at C. All he had to do is drop step and dunk. Jesus man this leauge has become a bunch of whiners. How this guy averaged 13 and 11 in regular season before injuries I have no idea.

 

[Aenadin]

could the rockets start playing small ball today?

they have no legit center now that yao is out

they can now play that fast speedy game

run the lakers out of the gym!

 

[Superman]

That was my immediate suggestion too. The Lakers even tried it for awhile, but it didn't seem to help at all. Just made them slower. The gains they should have made on O never came because Bynum is just not playing like himself right now.

I'd start Bynum, and I'd tell him "look, you're averaging 10 minutes a game in this series, so don't worry about getting in foul trouble. Just play, and if you pick up fouls, oh well. Doesn't change anything. Just go out there and play hard, play fast, and get yourself involved in this series." If he can't contribute under those conditions, then he's not mentally or emotionally ready to be a part of this series.

The Rockets are at a huge disadvantage in this series w/ the loss of Yao. I didn't give them a snowball's chance in hell of winning Game 5 no matter what, and I can't imagine a scenario that doesn't include Kobe Bryant being kidnapped before the game that helps them win. So I'd expect them to try to unleash Bynum in this game, because they're going to have a huge margin for error in this one.

 

[kingsnation]

J.A. Adande: NBA's Oddest Couple Leading Rockets

One guy is crazy enough to let a man called "Boogie" put clippers to his head and do whatever he wants. The other guy looks like the type who would spend nights in online forums comparing the new "Star Trek" movie to the original series.

The only thing more surprising than the Houston Rockets' taking an equal share of their series with the Lakers so far is the method the Rockets have used to get there, with two divergent personalities taking an equal stake in the leadership of the team. The Rockets take their cues from both Ron Artest and Shane Battier, which sounds like a formula better suited for a buddy movie than for a winning basketball team.

More..

 

[TheWileyVet]

boooooo

Lakers lead 35-24 after 1

BOOOOOO!

 

[TheWileyVet]

64-39 Lakers


*barf*

 

[Big Cuz 15]

officiating play a part or did the rockets not show up tonight?

 

[Bricklayer]

officiating play a part or did the Rockets not show up tonight?

People need to get off officiating being any factor in this series. Vastly superior size and (remaining) talent is the factor.

Lakers are sloppy mentally, so you never know, but there is blood in the water now and they have to know if they put forth an effort like this in Game 6 this series is over. Very little the Rockets can do to counter it with the avilable personnel.

 

[VF21]

What bothers me is that I'm sure some will point to this as just another "failure" on Adelman's part. I can only imagine what his record as a head coach would be if...

 

[TheWileyVet]

officiating play a part or did the rockets not show up tonight?

No the Rockets pretty much got dismantled. The Lakers showed why they are the #1 seed in the West today. Without Yao the Rockets really don't have a shot.

I just hope the Nuggets can stop em.

 

[Oprostaj]

What bothers me is that I'm sure some will point to this as just another "failure" on Adelman's part. I can only imagine what his record as a head coach would be if...

It's hard to go one way or another. You lost Yao yet blew the Lakers out on your home floor. Then you turn around 2 days later and get absolutely, NO Hornets style demolished with basically the same team. Hard to blame anybody else but the coach if you are looking from the outside in. I do feel bad, since the Lakers are a more talented and deeper team, but Adelman has to find some sort of inspiration and drive for these guys, they can't lay an egg like they did last game.

 

[kingsnation]

It's hard to go one way or another. You lost Yao yet blew the Lakers out on your home floor. Then you turn around 2 days later and get absolutely, NO Hornets style demolished with basically the same team. Hard to blame anybody else but the coach if you are looking from the outside in. I do feel bad, since the Lakers are a more talented and deeper team, but Adelman has to find some sort of inspiration and drive for these guys, they can't lay an egg like they did last game.

And you saw that inspiration and drive in Game 4 on their home floor. What happened last night was not a reflection of Adelman but instead was the defending Western Conference Champions WAKING UP.

They should not have been beaten like that in Game 4, by Aaron Brooks none the less - and they know it.

The Rockets can get as motivated as they want - but winning a playoff home game w/o your star(s) is a world apart from winning a playoff road game w/o them.

Does anyone remember the series when Webb went down in 03 with Dallas? We were down 3-2 going to Arco for Game 6, and guess what? We won. However, unfortunately once we got into Dallas for Game 7, the hole of not having Webb was greatly exposed both in play and in our heads.

If the Rockets do indeed lose this series, IMO it will be a testament to the greatness of Adelman's coaching, since this team could've folded when either:

A. Tmac went down
B. Yao went down
C. When they were down 2-1.

 

[bloom]

The Rockets didn’t really play well last night. They had a bunch of turnovers and on top of everything, the team wasn’t playing with fluidity and their shots weren’t falling. They also preferred to just shoot jump shots instead of driving into the hole.

The only person who was driving inside and having any kind of luck was Aaron Brooks…When the layups aren’t falling, they should just slam the ball. I never get why players don’t learn.

The Lakers were also playing a great game…What an embarrassing game to watch.

 

[kingsnation]

Go Rockets!