Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[minew_m]

Great game for the Lakers. Great game dominated by Shaq!!!! I sorta felt bad for Dalembert of the Sixers. He weighs a full 100 lbs. less than Shaq and was dominated all night. He will be a great player, just not against Shaq!
Also great to see the return of Brian Cook. Now the only Lakers missing is Malone. Can't wait to see him back (hopefully soon).

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I think Malone is looking to come back March 8th, the day Lakers go to Utah to play the Jazz

[minew_m]

I know that the Lakers were saying that they were hoping he would come back in March. Malone himself said in an interview that he would like to be back sooner. They shouldn't take a chance with him anyhow. Rest him up before the playoffs!

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2/22/04: Lakers beat the Suns 104-92

this was a much closer game than the score indicated.

The Lakers got out to an early 14-point lead early in the 2nd quarter, then it was downhill from there, as they got outscored 27-17 in the 2nd quarter, with great shooting by Amare, Marion, and Joe Johnson.

The Suns lead grew to as big as 6 before the Lakers clawed their way back into the ball game, helped by officiating, in which Shaq could've been called 3 times for his 4th foul, but the zebras kept their whistles out of their mouth.

Shaq finally got that foul late in the 3rd quarter.

By the 4th quarter, it was all Kobe, who made 3-4 spectacular plays, highlighted by a spectacular rebound and put-back of a missed shot. Kobe came out of nowhere to get that rebound.

This was Kobe's game, and he's looking like his old form, post-All Star break, averaging over 33 points in the past 4 games, including tonight's 40 point, 7 board and 5 assists performance, along with 8-8 free throws, and 15-25 shooting

Shaq did ok, but he was often triple-teamed, and only got 19 points and 5 boards

Payton had 20 points, 5 boards nad 5 assists; he's been shooting the 3-pointers quite well

Slava hada miserable game, got into early foul trouble (what else is new?) and was 0-5 shooting with 0 points.

Horace had a TREMENDOUS game, in helping to "contain" 21-y/o Amare, who scored 25 points, but only made 8 field goals. Grant, despite being 40-y/o (or whatever age), helped to slow down Amare.........

Marion had 22 points; but Joe Johnson had a very disappointing 11 points on 17 shots

next up: At Denver on Wed; then right back home to play the Queens, er, Kings of Sacramento

Spurs won
Kings won

Lakers still in 4th playoff spot

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2/25/04 update: Lakers 112-111 as they steal a win from the Nuggets, who lead for the majority of the game.

boy, I cursed like never before this whole game, as the Lakers played NO defense, allowing the Nuggets to shoot over 65% before a 4th quarter defensive stand dropped that to 55%

but the 4th quarter, in which they were down by 13 points, was a thing of beauty

as the Lakers turned on the offense and defense.

Luke Walton made an INCREDIBLE steal and layup, Payton made several clutch jumpers, as did Kobe with a 3-pointer and Rush with a 3-pointer....

but the play of the game came with about 29 seconds left, when a missed shot by a Nugget as the shot clock wound down barely glanced the rim, was rebounded by Carmelo, but the ref blew the whistle....it was an inadvertent whistle, there was a jump ball, won by the Denver center, but grabbed by Payton

Payton passed to Kobe, who got double teamed, passed to Payton, who passed to Luke, who penetrated, and dished to a wide open Rush, who calmly and firmly shot in a 3-pointer, with 3.2 seconds left. A last second shot by Andre Miller, who should've passed it to an open Carmelo, hit the front of the rim and missed

Lakers now 4-0 after All Star break, and face the Kings at home tomorrow on TNT!!

Last time they met, Lakers had no Shaq, no Kobe, No Karl, and the Kings showed NO mercy, as they grab the early 1st quarter lead, and poured it on thick as maple syrup.

In the 4th quarter, with the game well in hand, several of the Kings' starters were still out there vs. the Lakers reserves.

willl the Lakers overcome a back-to-back, and come back to seek vengeance?

stay tuned tomorrrow!!

[minew_m]

A nail biter by the Lakers. The only thing I don't understand is why isn't Shaq getting the ball? He is the most dominant player in the game and he only got 10 shots yesterday! That mentality definitely won't work against Queens.... I mean Kings!

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Minew, Shaq was lackadaisical yesterday, and the Nuggets totally collapsed on him on defense.

Shaq had a measly 6 rebounds.

someone as big as Shaq shouldn't have a problem averaging 10 rebounds a night

tonight's gonna be a TREMENDOUS game. Can the sly Rick Fox slow down Peja?

Fox stopped Peja for the past 3 playoffs (not counting last year, when they didn't meet)....but Fox is older, and now a step slower, while Peja is getting into his prime

[skyracer3]

Arent the kings going to play without Brad Miller tonight? Along with him and Webber..the Lakers shouldnt have any problem beating the Kings

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2/26/04 update: Kings beat Lakers 103-101

first, let me say that the Kings did a GREAT job beating the Lakers

having said that, let me say why it happened that 3 Hall of Famers couldn't beat a team missing its best player in Webber, its best reserve in Bobby Jackson, and an All-star in Miller

1. Shaq is a joke in crunch time. This overpaid fat SOB says that he is MDE (most dominant ever) and that he makes his free throws when he has to.

well. Shaq is useless in a close game, b/c he's lucky to make 50% of his free throws. Shaq missed 3 of 4 free throws in the last 1 1/2 minutes of the ballgame

2. Lakers do NOT know how to handle pick-and-roll. During the 3-year title run, they couldn't handle it, but they were still athletic and skillful enough to win out games. Now, 4 years later, Fox has lost 3-4 steps, Fisher is useless as a defensive player, and Shaq doesn't do jack for most of the ballgame on the defensive end.

3. Kobe did as much as he could, with 33-35 points, assists, and rebounds, but he had the ball with 9 seconds remaining, and barely hit the rim on a 3-pointer. If he wants to be Michael Jordan, he's gotta make these shots against these teams. It's no use making a last second shot against the Orlando Magic or Chicago Bulls. Do it against the best teams.

3. Fisher refuses to understand that he is an absolute sh*tty dribble drive, stop, and pop. Kobe is the only one who does this well on the Lakers. Fisher is HORRIBLE...yet, he continues to insist on dribbling in, stopping, and clanking shots. Does he not realize he is a set shooter? It's too late to change

4. Shaq was again lackaidaisical at throughout most of the game. Every point counts. 2 points at the beginning of the game, counts as much as 2 points at the end. Free throws made at the beginning count as much as 2 points at the end.

5. what the f*ck is up with Kobe heaving up left handed shots? Sure, when the clock is winding down and the defender is playing him to the right, then shoot left....but, this f*cker was throwing up 4-5 left hand shots that didn't have a chance!

I am sooooooooooooooooo f*cking pissed. Lakers had 3 healthy Hall of Fame players, and still couldn't beat a Kings team that was missing 3 of its better players, including 2 starters and a 6th man award winner

you have got to be ™™™™™™™ kidding me!! I almost threw my Heinekein at the goddam TV.

Fox is over-the-hill; Fisher is over-the-hill, Horace is over-the-hill, Shaq is getting there

Seems like Kobe is the only one with any athleticism!!!!

[skyracer3]

Theres a reason why Shaq is so INVISIBLE during crunch time. What can you do with him?? You cant have him post up outside the box and make a play for himself? All he knows how to do is rush his defender and knock him down. Thats not going to work during the end of the game because the refs will be quick to blow their whistle.
And the Kings know EXACTLY how to run their offense against the Lakers. KEEP SHAQ OUT OF THE PAINT. When Vlade sets a pick for bibby by the 3 point line..Shaq is also there. That basically means both Vlade AND Shaq are setting a screen for bibby and payton has to go around both of them. Shaq is too immobile to switch defenders so its easy to go around him if they do switch.

During the end of the game its like Shaq is Superman, but the basketball is his kryptonite.

Is he the most dominate player?? possibly..but the man would of never amounted to anything without Kobe because Kobe does it all at the end of the game...Shaq just makes the occasional free throw and swagger like hes the man.