May 7, 200917 yr I was just thinking earlier that Artest had done a good job trying to keep everybody cool. It was a cheap elbow but you have to keep your cool at this stage. Houston might have had a chance to go home up 2-0 instead Artest decided to show how tough he is and cost his team after playing a great game. It was cheap as was Fischers move but it's the playoffs. It's going to be physical.
May 7, 200917 yr I was just thinking earlier when it got physical I would be in Artests ear and throwing bows lol I had a 30 dollar bet Kobe would score 10.5 more than Artest. It was at 7 going into the 4th and that bucket just sealed the deal! I've won a little over 100 bucks tonight:)
May 7, 200917 yr Kobe with the play of the playoffs throwing a pass off the board to himself! That was awesome, to bad he didn't dunk it.:dancingpa:notworthy:
May 8, 200917 yr Author Can the Lakers win Game 3 in Houston with Derek Fisher in a suit and tie? It's a big game. How will Farmar and Brown handle the pressure in a big playoff road game? It isn't do-or-die for LA, but a loss tonight would put a ton of pressure on them to win Game 4 to avoid being in a must win situation for the rest of the series. The Lakers have to step up and play defense for 48 minutes instead of turning it on and off. They also have to have some people step up and give Kobe some support...they can't rely on him to shoot at a near 60 percent clip and score 40+ every game. I haven't been impressed or pleased with the Lakers play this post-season. The good news is that they have responded well after the really bad performances, but they're still inconsistent. They still act like they expect their opponents to roll over and die when they (the Lakers) crank it up and go on a run. They have to learn how to bring it for a full game. LA hasn't impressed me in playoff basketball since the Spurs series last year. I still think they're going to figure it out and start playing to their potential. The time to do that has arrived.
May 8, 200917 yr Can the Lakers win Game 3 in Houston with Derek Fisher in a suit and tie? It's a big game. How will Farmar and Brown handle the pressure in a big playoff road game? It isn't do-or-die for LA, but a loss tonight would put a ton of pressure on them to win Game 4 to avoid being in a must win situation for the rest of the series. The Lakers have to step up and play defense for 48 minutes instead of turning it on and off. They also have to have some people step up and give Kobe some support...they can't rely on him to shoot at a near 60 percent clip and score 40+ every game. I haven't been impressed or pleased with the Lakers play this post-season. The good news is that they have responded well after the really bad performances, but they're still inconsistent. They still act like they expect their opponents to roll over and die when they (the Lakers) crank it up and go on a run. They have to learn how to bring it for a full game. LA hasn't impressed me in playoff basketball since the Spurs series last year. I still think they're going to figure it out and start playing to their potential. The time to do that has arrived. In thinking about the Lakers road to the finals last season, this year is definitely a lot more challenging. Last season: - Denver was a complete mess by the time the playoffs got under way. I believe it is evident how much of a detriment Allen Iverson was to the Nuggets. - Utah is essentially the same exact team as they are now, with one year less experience. - San Antonio. When Manu is not 100%, the Spurs are not 100%. Maybe it is just the half glass full in me, and the fact I rooting for the Lakers, but I feel like IF they make it, they will be better prepped going in to the Finals, whereas last year they did it with relative ease.
May 8, 200917 yr Author In thinking about the Lakers road to the finals last season, this year is definitely a lot more challenging. Last season: - Denver was a complete mess by the time the playoffs got under way. I believe it is evident how much of a detriment Allen Iverson was to the Nuggets. - Utah is essentially the same exact team as they are now, with one year less experience. - San Antonio. When Manu is not 100%, the Spurs are not 100%. Maybe it is just the half glass full in me, and the fact I rooting for the Lakers, but I feel like IF they make it, they will be better prepped going in to the Finals, whereas last year they did it with relative ease. Honestly, I thought this year would be easier. It looks like I underestimated Houston. I know people will accuse me of being a "homer" (if a person from KY can be a Lakers homer?), but the Lakers still haven't switched to playoff mode, IMO. They're still playing like it is the regular season. Uninspired at times...inconsistent...they turn it on for a few minutes and then put it back on cruise control. They remind me a little of the Pistons teams who played like they could turn it on and off at any time when necessary, and we know how that ended. Maybe this team is just immature, or they don't have the makeup for playoff basketball from a toughness standpoint, or maybe they're in the process of figuring that out? Whatever it is, my point is this...if the Lakers can figure out how to crank up the intensity and keep it there for a full game, and then do it consistently as is required in the playoffs, nobody in the west can challenge them. But, for a team that claims its finals appearance and subsequent beat down motivated them to and taught them how to win a championship, they sure haven't looked like it through the first 7 playoff games of '09. They look more like a great young team making its first serious playoff appearance.
May 9, 200917 yr Lakers retake home court advantage. I hope Yao isn't hurt seriously, lower body injuries for big guys like that can be trouble.
May 9, 200917 yr Ron Artest ejected again, and I thought that one was rather ridiculous. He fouled Gasol hard, sure, but he also got the ball before he ever even touched him. No way that was a proper punishment.
May 9, 200917 yr Glad that doesn't have any effect on the game. They missed the call on that big time. Shouldn't have been ejected but once again give past history of him and these teams in this series they are tying to keep it under control I guess.
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