Phil Jackson: I'd like to congratulate Utah on their season. I know it was a disappointment to them but they play hard and they play together and you have to give them credit. I thank them for giving us a run and making it a hard series.
Q: Was that late run just Utah giving everything they had or did you guys get a little lackadaisical? What happened during that last stretch?
A: Do you want me to explain it to you? Well, I think it's pretty obvious what happened. They started running the ball and Millsap got going. That was a match up I think I talked to you guys about a little bit and it didn't work out very well for us. They made a couple 3 point plays the old-fashioned way and that stopped everything and we just turned the ball over a couple of times to add to that and those kind of 10 point bursts like that are really a momentum shift.
Q: It seemed like Kobe was lined up most of the game offensively and defensively at small forward. Is that an accurate assessment?
A: Yeah, I guess so. I think it's possible that you can assume that although he played small forward defensively for more minutes, most of the time he was lined up at that wing spot anyway. But he played small forward defensively tonight because Trevor got in some foul jeopardy and Luke was obviously out.
Q: How do you assess your teams performance throughout the series?
A: I think we played well offensively. We had some real good games. I thought we played spotty defense tonight. I liked our defense for the first 3 quarters, good hands, tipping the ball, getting run-outs kind of broke the game open... we didn't close the door. I had 4 guys out there from off the bench at the start of the 4th quarter with Kobe out there and they couldn't sustain the effort and you got to give Utah credit. That's one of the things they do is play with a fury. I told them in the locker room that they have to improve as we go forward.
Q: You've got some time off coming, is there a way to practice NOT blowing leads?
A: No, I really don't think that's something that you can put in practice in a day to day scrimmage situation. You can talk about it, you can try to assist guys but ultimately, it has to come from within the guys how they play, how hard they play and the preparation. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
If Phil wants the team to close the door in the fourth, play the guys that will shut it! That means more Odom and less Sasha!!! You play the scrubs when the game is decided, not when it's in doubt.
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 35854 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject:
For some reason, I always think of Lamar as being smaller than guys like Amare and Duncan. They just seem like a whole different level of tall to me. I really don't know why, or if it's even true.
Odom is NOT seven feet. He's a good 2 inches shorter than Gasol. I've even heard Odom called 6'9 by the Magic announcer. His true height is 6'10 for sure, though.
Really, is there all that much different between a 6'10 and a 7 footer, though? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
Phil Jackson: I'd like to congratulate Utah on their season. I know it was a disappointment to them but they play hard and they play together and you have to give them credit. I thank them for giving us a run and making it a hard series.
Q: Was that late run just Utah giving everything they had or did you guys get a little lackadaisical? What happened during that last stretch?
A: Do you want me to explain it to you? Well, I think it's pretty obvious what happened. They started running the ball and Millsap got going. That was a match up I think I talked to you guys about a little bit and it didn't work out very well for us. They made a couple 3 point plays the old-fashioned way and that stopped everything and we just turned the ball over a couple of times to add to that and those kind of 10 point bursts like that are really a momentum shift.
Q: It seemed like Kobe was lined up most of the game offensively and defensively at small forward. Is that an accurate assessment?
A: Yeah, I guess so. I think it's possible that you can assume that although he played small forward defensively for more minutes, most of the time he was lined up at that wing spot anyway. But he played small forward defensively tonight because Trevor got in some foul jeopardy and Luke was obviously out.
Q: How do you assess your teams performance throughout the series?
A: I think we played well offensively. We had some real good games. I thought we played spotty defense tonight. I liked our defense for the first 3 quarters, good hands, tipping the ball, getting run-outs kind of broke the game open... we didn't close the door. I had 4 guys out there from off the bench at the start of the 4th quarter with Kobe out there and they couldn't sustain the effort and you got to give Utah credit. That's one of the things they do is play with a fury. I told them in the locker room that they have to improve as we go forward.
Q: You've got some time off coming, is there a way to practice NOT blowing leads?
A: No, I really don't think that's something that you can put in practice in a day to day scrimmage situation. You can talk about it, you can try to assist guys but ultimately, it has to come from within the guys how they play, how hard they play and the preparation.
It was Lakers from start to finish. Utah goes on vacation. Lakers win by double digits. Everyone at Staples got free tacos. Odom showed Laker Nation the toughness we need to win a title. Even though we were up by 22 but we still win by 11. BRING ON THE ROCKETS!!!! _________________ 15 NBA Titles!
30 Conference Titles!
30 Division Titles!
Lakers Rocks!
Q: I know the ankle was bothering you a little bit. Was it hurting you earlier in the game and did it warm up as the game went on?
A: Earlier it was bothering me a little bit but as the game went on and I played more minutes it loosened up and I feel a lot better.
Q: The block was one of those highlight plays in the first half, is that what got you going?
A: I think so. I think it did a big thing for our team. It got us going, we started making shots and playing harder and it definitely helped our team out.
Q: Good to close out Utah because we know how physical they are. We saw the end of the game, the run that they made. Jerry Sloan getting thrown out, Ronnie Price getting physical with some of your players... To finish the series off, what does that feel like?
A: It's a sigh of relief, they play hard off our games and it's a good feeling to say that we beat a good team.
Q: Is it fair to talk about losing leads, starters having to come back in and going from 22 to 6 or do you just see this as product of the NBA, a good team making a run?
A: That was a good team making a run but still at the same time, we can't give up big leads like that. It's been our problem all year...if we try to get to where we're trying to go, we can't do that.
Q: Now we have to wait to see who you will play. Houston is up 3-1, how does it feel that you did not lose to them all year?
A: I don't think that matters in the playoffs. I think that whoever we play, we definitely have to prepare for them all the way like we would prepare for any team and not just because we beat a team 4-0, expect that they're just going to lay down because this is the playoffs and they're fighting for the same things we're fighting for. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
Q: Utah is a very hard team to play, why was it so difficult?
A: They're a tough team overall, they're very physical. Coming into tonight's game we knew to "ABC" (Always Be Closing) and we were not there to let them come back in the series and I think the lead was 22 and they came to 6 or 7 points and I think they just didn't want to give up and that's just how it is. They were diving for every single basketball, hustling and they came back into the game. We can't let it happen again.
Q: From 22 to 6, is this something that you as a team are concerned with? You win in 5 but it happened in a couple of times during the regular season and of course we can point to the Finals last year in Game 4.
A: Yeah, I wouldn't say it's a concern but it's a learning experience. It happens, the important thing is that we got the win and hopefully we learned something from it. I think we have 12 games left to win and each game we have to play better, especially coming from the bench we gotta be ready to play the game.
Q: With Houston and Portland, want it to go 7, let these guys beat each other up? You played Houston very well during the regular season, or just sit back and watch and it doesn't matter who you play?
A: It doesn't matter who you play if you want to win the championship. If you want to be the best, you don't pick your opponents. I think we are ready for that and whoever is going to win and whoever will be our opponent, we'll do the scouting report on them. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
Q: Regardless of what happened out there, 12 games to go and you're getting closer to the ultimate goal.
A: Yes we are. It was definitely very satisfying to be able to beat Utah in 5 games. We let that 3rd game get away from us but still, 4-1, I think we'll take that all the way and we were happy about it and we're ready to get to the next round and wait for our next opponent and get ready because it's going to be extremely tough.
Q: Utah plays a lot like what their head coach Jerry Sloan represents. We saw how he left his bench on the floor and they made a huge 13-0 run to get back in this. What were you thinking as you saw that lead go to 6 points?
A: Well, obviously we were concerned. It kind of woke us up because we thought with a 20 point lead in the 4th quarter it was pretty much resolved but they continued to fight and that's something that they have been doing all series long and they did well, they made their run but in the end we were able to finish up again pretty well.
Q: Houston-Portland, Houston up 3-1, Portland, you guys haven't won up there in years, what do you think when you watch that game tomorrow night?
A: I'm thinking that I hope that Portland wins and extends the series. I think that it's been a pretty physical series between them and if Portland wins, they stay alive and they go back to Houston and that should give us a couple days more rest.
Q: For you, playing almost 40 minutes a game the entire year and throughout the playoffs, now the rest, maybe you play Sunday, Game 1 vs. whoever it's against, but that gives you almost 5 days.
A: That's fine, I think that's good, I think it's perfect timing to get a couple of days off and then we'll go back to work, get ready for your opponent and also get your legs and body ready again for a tough battle. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
Q: (Regarding Kobe's scratched up face) Will you need stitches or anything?
A: No, no stitches. It was just in the heat of battle. I got marked up a little.
Q: Did you tone it down a little bit offensively tonight?
A: No, not really. I'm still aggressive and trying to keep the defense on their heels a little bit, making them make decisions.
Q: It seemed like you were playing a lot of small forward tonight both offense and defensively, first of all, how do you like that position compared to shooting guard and does it put you in the position to attack a little bit better?
A: They're both the same to be honest with you. I've played the small forward position in the triangle in the last 4 or 5 years and since Phil's been back, I've been playing small forward position so it's comfortable for me. It's more of a position to attack obviously because you're coming from behind the defense where they can't set up.
Q: At this point, the relinquishing the big leads...it happened during the regular season, it happened during this series, what can you do between now and the 2nd round?
A: Well, we've got to give a better effort. Our second unit comes in there, and we've got to give a better effort defensively, running back on defense, not giving up easy baskets, stuff like that. We've got to continue and keep up the hustle.
Q: Is it particularly disappointing to have gone through that same thing for 3 or 4 games to end the series with one of those?
A: Yeah, it was but as long as you're in the series, you've got a week here and to have a spirited conversation with the group and see if we can't correct that next series.
Q: How concerned are you about Andrew Bynum right now? It seems like he's had a hard time getting involved this series and it was another game in which I think he had 2 points, 11 minutes. How do you guys get him involved?
A: He just got back...he just got back and all the games he's in foul trouble so we've got a week here to kind of prepare, get him in practice, get him in a good rhythm and stuff like that and he'll be fine.
Q: Are the seeds of the Killer Instinct being sown here in this first round, last year it took 6 games to out Utah, this year 5, do you feel this year this team is mentally stronger?
A: I feel we've improved. Last year we went to Utah and dropped both of those games, so we were able to bounce back. _________________ Rest In Paradise Kobe & GiGi
Phil Jackson said it, and now, Kobe says it. I'd rather believe those two than a whiny fan who can't form a proper sentence. Walton has a high basketball IQ. It's just that his athleticism is so poor, he can't consistently perform what he knows. He comes out being slow, and out of timing. That doesn't mean he does not know anything about hoops though. I'm not surprised. A lot of posters in this board equate high basketball IQ to athleticism.
I guess Harold Miner had a high basketball IQ and Larry Bird was a dumb player.
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