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DancingBarry
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:14 am    Post subject: LAKERS -at- HORNETS - 3/8 - Thoughts and :-)) ratings

Pro Sports Back in New Orleans... Kobe and Chris Paul put on a show tonight, giving New Orleans a little respite in addition to a glimpse of the MVP and ROY candidates doing what they do best. Kobe struggled early, but was relentless in the fourth quarter, scoring basket after basket down the stretch. Paul showed poise as the Hornets floor general and a smooth stroke from the perimeter. In the end, it was too much Kobe.

While the headliners did their thing, Lamar Odom put together a monster 18-point, 17-board, 6-assist night in a game-high 45 minutes. After a key dunk off a Smush steal in the last minute of the game, Lamar rested his hands on his knees as the team went to a timeout. He was dog tired.

The Lakers played with some real purpose in the offense at times. They took advantage of mismatches in the post with Lamar and Kobe. There was a key stretch late in the third when they halted a run by the Hornets by going to Lamar and Kobe in the post on several deliberate possessions. Nice to see.

Defensively, we struggled at times. David West was lighting up Brian Cook. We gave up a ton of second-chance opportunities and missed Devean George's intensity on that end of the court. Phil ran a lot of zone down the stretch, trying to mix things up. In the end, we simply outscored them 113-107 on .513 shooting and getting a couple timely steals by Smush.


Kobe -- -- Kobe struggled a bit early, missing jumpers and drives. Then, came the fourth quarter. There isn't a player in league who is more feared in the fourth quarter. Kobe was relentless, scoring 18 points on 7-11 shooting, including baskets on possession after possession in crunch time. You know what is coming, but what are you going to do about it? He finished with yet another 40-point effort on 12-33 shooting and 14-16 FTs. He had 6 boards, and 3 steals and 1 block on the defensive end in 43:56. He was aggressive early. He posted up Paul and scored easily over him. He hit a turnaround at the elbow. He stepped through and hit a tough little floater from 12 feet away. He swished a high-arching three from the wing. He saved an easy basket rising up and spiking down a shot by Paul at the end of the first quarter. He drew FTs on an attack in transition. He drew more FTs, hanging in the lane. Nice read to snag a pass from behind on a help D situation. He drew some FTs at the end of the half. He couldn't get a shot off before the halftime buzzer even though we had 5 seconds. He got tapped on a number of shots and wanted the foul on several to start the second half. He spun in the lane and got a layup to bounce in. With the Lakers on their heels because of a run by the Hornets, he started to manufacture some points. He posted up twice and drew fouls for FTs at the close of the third quarter. To start the fourth, he faced up and hit a long wing jumper. He attacked the lane, missed, got his board back and drew FTs. Nice defensive anticipation, to rotate from the weakside and steal a pass, saving a sure layup. He pumpfaked on a jumper and drew more FTs. He crossed over, rose up and hit a 10-footer from the elbow. He faced up at the sideline, faked, rose up along the baseline and swished a long jumper. He took an oulet from Smush, took a dribble and dunked on the break. With the shotclock running low, Kobe took the pass beyond the arc and swished a long three with 2:18 left. Huge shot. Next time down he worked off the high screen and drilled a long wing jumper. On the next possession with under a minute, he got into the corner, turned and hit a long fallaway.

Odom -- -- As mentioned above, Lamar's statline showed the heavy lifting he did for the team in this key game. He scored 18 point son 6-14 shooting, grabbed 17 boards (5 offensive) and had 6 assists in 45 minutes. There were times in the game when he and Kobe looked liked a legit one-two punch on offense. Lamar went to the post with purpose to take advantage of his size. Very nice to see. His effort on the defensive glass was much needed as we were struggling to keep the Hornets from going one and out (we gave up 15 offensive boards). Lamar started his scoring in the post. He posted up, was fronted, the Lakers ran the high-low sequence to get him the ball, he missed the layup, got it back and scored. Nice job pushing the break and finding Smush cutting down the lane for a layup a short while later. Lamar scored a layup after a step through in the lane to use his length to go off the glass. He threaded the needle to Mihm from the post for a layup. He drew FTs on the offensive glass and made three of four FTs at the close of the first half. He posted up to start the second half and drew FTs, making one. He posted up and drew another foul. Late in the third, he started working the post. He scored a jumphook over Mason. He hit a three from the top of the key. Then, he scored another layup from the left block. Throughout the game he was hitting the boards and came up with several key possesions down the stretch. In the last minute, Smush stole the ball, pushed it up, Lamar trailed the play and got the feed and dunked. He got a couple more FTs after a defensive board and made one. Superb effort on the night by Lamar. Phil has asked Odom to step it up offensively, "He just said, even if it's not going to be in the offense, make my own play," Lamar said in the Times. "He's giving me the green light. I'm going to do that. It's my coach telling me just to go, don't worry about nothing."

Mihm -- -- I thought Chris was running the Triangle about as fluid as I have seen him all year. He had a lot of good read and react moments out there. He finished the game with 9 points, 8 boards and 3 assists in 29 minutes. He faced up on PJ, took a quick first step to his right and dunked. He popped out to the elbow and knocked down a jumper. Nice recognition of Lamar being fronted, Mihm flashed to the FT line, then fed Lamar on the high-low entry. He grabbed an offensive board, reset the offense as the spacing was off, then handed off to Smush who dunked along the baseline. He somehow got an interior feed from Lamar and scored a layup. He posted up and hit a jumphook in the middle of the lane.

Smush -- -- Smush made up for a brainlock moment in crunch time. After throwing the ball away while caught in the air on the perimeter, Smush had two steals in the final minute of the game that led to dunks. Smush led the Lakers in steals with 5 on the night, and he also led in assists wtih 7. He scored 16 points on an efficient 7-10 shooting. He had a tough matchup on the night against Paul, but came up big in that final minute. Early on, he found Kobe with the mismatch against Paul in the post for a score. He kicked it out to Cook for a wing jumper. He scored a layup on the break. He scored another layup on a nice cut down the lane in transition. He took the handoff from Mihm and threw down a reverse dunk. He crossed over the bigger man on a mismatch and scored a layup high off the glass. He stepped into the passing lane, stole a ball and drew FTs, making both. He dunked off a handoff from Mihm, then got a tech. He cut quickly from the top of the key, got a feed from Luke and scored a layup down the middle of the lane. He came up with a loose ball, fed a nice outlet to Kobe who dunked. Bad decision with 3 minutes left, it looked like the Lakers were going to run the weave, Smush started to attack in the lane, then got caught in the air and threw the ball where Walton used to be standing before he started to weave. Classic hoop IQ error for the Lakers in crunch time, but it didn't cost them in this one. He blindsided Paul with under a minute left, stole the ball took it down court and fed Lamar over his shoulder for a dunk. Huge, huge play. He swiped the ball from Speedy shortly later and dunked. Nice. "I just felt I had to get that play back — a stop on defense or a steal," Smush said in the Times after the game.

Cook -- -- Uggh. He was getting toasted by West on the defensive end. Phil finally put him on the bench midway through the third and left him there for the remainder of the game. While in the game, he scored 8 points on 3-3 shooting (including knocking down both threes he took). He had just 3 boards in his 25 minutes. He knocked down a wing jumper straddling the three-point line. He got called for a travel as he tried to fake his man. He sank a three on a lucky high bounce. He drained a three from the top of the key.

Kwame -- -- Not a great night for Kwame, we could have used a little better work on the defensive glass. He didn't pull down a single defensive board in nearly 19 minutes. He did pull down 3 offensive boards and scored 3 points on 1-1 shooting and 1-2 from the line. He lost the ball on his first post up attempt. He tried to finish strong and drew a foul, he banked in his first FT (looked nice, he should shoot them all that way), he back-rimmed the second. He scored a putback on a Kobe missed three.

Walton -- -- Without Devean, Luke has a chance at playing extended minutes. The team will need him to make the most of those minutes when he gets them. Tonight he played nearly 24 minutes and scored 7 points on 3-3 shooting. He grabbed 2 boards and dished 4 assists. He faced up and hit an 18-footer on his first attempt. He hustled after a couple of offensive boards and got the Lakers possessions on consecutive plays. He posted up and hit a stepback baseline fade. He fed Smush cutting down the lane for a layup. He got the ball to Lamar who had good position on the block and scored a layup. He attacked from the side off the dribble, got in the lane and hit a stepback jumper. He picked up a couple of late game FTs.

Jackson -- -- JJ got his first minutes tonight, coming in to start the second quarter when Kobe went to the bench. He threw a soft kickout pass that was easily picked off for a score the other way. He hit a long catch-and-shoot wing jumper on his first attempt. He missed a jumper in transition on his next shot. He sat for Kobe after four minutes, never got tested on the defensive end. He ran the triangle reasonably well. I am hopeful he will get some time on the floor while Kobe is out there, too. He finished with 2 points on 1-2 shooting and 1 rebound in 3:56.

Vujacic -- -- Sasha led the bench in scoring tonight, getting 10 points on 3-5 shooting in just 13:41 of action. Defensively, he had his issues. His low-light was when he got taken off the dribble by West for a score. Offensively, he drained a three from the corner on his first attempt. He missed his next three. Nice high finish in the lane off a give and go. He hit a huge three from the top of the key midway through the fourth. Sasha picked up a couple of last second FTs.

Phil -- -- Before the game, according to the Times Phil put "Make Up Ground" on the board in the locker room. According to the Daily News, it was BShaw writing "They're in 7th, we're in 8th. Make Ground Tonite!" Whoever wrote it, the Lakers came through... He called for a zone out of a timeout in the first quarter and the Lakers got a stop. He needs to do that once or twice a game. Later in the game, he went to some extended time with zone and got mixed results... Cook was getting lit up by West on jumpers and dunks to start the second half. Phil finally subbed out Cook after 7 minutes and then took a timeout shortly later as West scored over Walton. Out of a timeout, they doubled West with Lamar and got a turnover. The Lakers then started to buckle down late in the third, going to Kobe and Lamar in the post with purpose. This halted the Hornet run and got the Lakers even again... After getting destroyed on points in the paint in the last battle against this team, the Lakers won that stat tonight 44-40... Phil on Lamar's game: "We're encouraging him to take an active, proactive role in this," Jackson said in the Times. "In games we played that have been exceptional games, where we look like a quality team, a challenging team — the Sacramento game, obviously the Detroit game — Lamar's played an important role in figuring out those games. The times that we've struggled and not come up to the mark measured, he hasn't had the same kind of success...I think some of it has to do with not taking on some of the responsibility about scoring. In others, it's allowing the game to kind of come to him too much."... Phil is going to have to shake up his rotations with George out for at least a week and look to throw JJ into the mix. Devean said, "My fingers feel like fat hot dogs, like fat 'Nutty Professor' fingers. It ain't going to be healed in a week, but good enough for me to get out there."...


Last edited by DancingBarry on Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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DaggerInTheHeart
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:19 am    Post subject:

Any reason why Jim got only 4 minutes tonight?
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:20 am    Post subject:

It was still a 3rd quarter struggle but somehow they have managed to get themselves back into the game and win it down the stretch. All I can say is good job, but they won't be this fortunate next time. They need to figure out why the 3rd quarter is a bother to them.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:23 am    Post subject:

DaggerInTheHeart wrote:
Any reason why Jim got only 4 minutes tonight?


Phil only had him in as Kobe's replacement. He only plays players he trusts, I'm guessing he just doesn't trust JJ to be out there yet. That's Phil.

I would imagine, it won't be long before Jim earns that trust.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:25 am    Post subject:

DancingBarry wrote:
Phil only had him in as Kobe's replacement. He only plays players he trusts, I'm guessing he just doesn't trust JJ to be out there yet. That's Phil.

I would imagine, it won't be long before Jim earns that trust.


I can understand Phil under that circumstance but if he trusts Sasha or Luke more then he does to Jim then i don't know what else to say with DG out 1 week we need him at this point...
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:30 am    Post subject:

If Jim Cleamons was still Phil's assistant I can assure everyone it would be a different story...
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:31 am    Post subject:

Good to see your recap back. Thanks DB!
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:34 am    Post subject:

Thanks DB, I think JJ can play more minutes as Sasha's replacement
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:32 am    Post subject:

Quote:
Phil on Lamar's game: "We're encouraging him to take an active, proactive role in this," Jackson said in the Times. "In games we played that have been exceptional games, where we look like a quality team, a challenging team — the Sacramento game, obviously the Detroit game — Lamar's played an important role in figuring out those games. The times that we've struggled and not come up to the mark measured, he hasn't had the same kind of success...I think some of it has to do with not taking on some of the responsibility about scoring. In others, it's allowing the game to kind of come to him too much."...


I find this sentence very interesting, because , if you think about it it's the exact opposite of Kobe.


How many times we have heard that Kobe had to let the game come to him instead of being too aggressive?


For Lamar it's exactly the opposite, and IMHO it's the reason why many people believe that Kobe and Lamar can't coexist, being so different.


Personally, I'm not so sure : we have to be patient because Lamar has the talent to improve, and now he is showing the desire ...
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 2:54 am    Post subject:

Great write up DB.

I liked the energy in the 3rd - even when we were getting demolished. It was not due to a lack of assertion like usual. It was due to a lack of execution.

We went back to feeding the post and the game came back to us.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:41 am    Post subject:

DB - Great to see you in action!!

It appears that one workable solution for the Lakers to stop consistent dribble penetration is the 2-3 zone defense. PJ is adjusting/realizing that the players are having problems staying in front of their assignment and changing from his usual "man on man" - and it works, though it wouldn't be good for the entire game.

Jim Jackson will start getting more and more important minutes when PJ is confident in his ability to play within the system - even having Jim Cleamons as one of his coach would not change that.

I like it when Smush is seemingly pissed when he is taken out, it shows that he has some fire and losting PT will make him realize that bonehead inexcusable lazy mistakes will not be tolerated from now on.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 4:51 am    Post subject:

DB

It looks like Phil has settled on his 8 man playoff rotation (Kobe, Odom, Mihm, Cook and Smush starting with Kwame, George and Sasha off the bench). Changes slightly with injuries (Walton for Geroge). Is that the way it looks to you?

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:16 am    Post subject:

Laker7 wrote:


It looks like Phil has settled on his 8 man playoff rotation (Kobe, Odom, Mihm, Cook and Smush starting with Kwame, George and Sasha off the bench). Changes slightly with injuries (Walton for Geroge).
L7


I can also see JJ taking Profit's role...
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:32 am    Post subject:

couldn't attend the game, watched it on tv. I'm glad for the lakers playing well. glad for the win.

I find it VERY ironic that our team was the first team to challenge the N.O. in the state of LA (another irony). I've got memories of several months ago that began in louisiana.

I hope the recovery of the entire region continues and some solid decisions are made to prevent future disasters in the state.

peace

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:07 am    Post subject:

Good job.
Good win. The Lakers are playing very well lately.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:56 am    Post subject:

I waited for DB's thread to make a gripe...

Yes I'm happy with the win, but...

Has this team ever looked more clueless defending the pick and roll? To me, a broken P&R defense involves 2 people defending one guy and leaving the other guy open to shoot or drive.

But somehow, we've taken that to the next level. We manage to leave both players open to do whatever they want.

Phil has to review this in the film room, doesn't he?
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:05 am    Post subject:

Nice gut check win after yet another in a series of 3rd Quarter blues. The team nutted it up in the 4th.

NKPOG = Lamar with a Godzilla-like game. We'll take more of that, please. No more teasing.

Honorable mention to Smush. Chris Paul had an impressive night with 22/10 and 0 turnovers until the critical point in the game as Smushie picked him clean twice.

Luke has put together steady games of late. With DG out and JJ just learning, this is his time to shine.

What else can you say about Kobe? Playing almost 44 minutes, but still having the strength and will power to close out the game even though he had a poor shooting night. That baseline fallaway is pure money. I know a lot of people prefer dunks, but that shot always makes my jaw drop.

Anyone like the zone? It caught NO by surprise, but was not very effective. The Lakers gave up a couple of baseline drives and offensive boards, leading to baskets. Odom was at the top point which takes away from his rebounding ability. Aaah, just something to tinker with.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:15 am    Post subject:

Quote:
Smush -- -- Smush made up for a brainlock moment in crunch time



boy did he ever, i bet CP3 is still wondering what happened to the ball
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:20 am    Post subject:

Great report as usual DB
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:28 am    Post subject:

If we could use Cook as a situational player he would be very effective. His shooting ability at the PF position makes him an asset against gimmick defenses, especially in the playoffs. If Kobe is hot and teams are doubling him off the Pick n Roll insert Cook for a stretch to make them pay.

Having him in the main rotation is not working.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:17 am    Post subject:

Laker's Fan wrote:
If we could use Cook as a situational player he would be very effective. His shooting ability at the PF position makes him an asset against gimmick defenses, especially in the playoffs. If Kobe is hot and teams are doubling him off the Pick n Roll insert Cook for a stretch to make them pay.

Having him in the main rotation is not working.


I agree, his defense is atrocious. If he wasn't such a swiss cheese defender, we'd be much much better. I think that has to be our main concern this offseason. We need a two-way player to play the four.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:20 am    Post subject:

I like the addition of the zone, but felt they used it too much down the stretch. You need to throw that in once in a while to surprise a team, give them a different look. It's kind of like the 91 full court press. if you do it everytime, they figure it out. If you hit them with it out of the blue every so often, they get rattled and it leads to a turnover.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:01 pm    Post subject:

great job as usual db.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 3:57 pm    Post subject:

As always, great recap DB.

Anyone else think that Byron Scott screwed up by taking Chris Paul out at a critical juncture (they were clicking at the time)? It seems he left him out longer than he should've, as well. Not that I'm complaining - just an observation.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:05 pm    Post subject:

Great Analysis, DB.
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