Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[podstock]

Originally posted by Bonds_25
I think he is a very good player and we need him to go all the way but he is the most overpaid player in sports outside of Alex Rodriguez.

the difference b/t Webber and A. Rod, is that A. Rod has put up the phenomenal stats for the salary he is recieving.

Webber hasn't averaged 30 points, or averaged 15 rebounds, or any other phenomenal stats that are worthy of $100M contract.

very few folks in basketball deserve $100M contracts

Shaq
Kobe
Iverson
KG

and one day, Carmelo and Lebron

T-Mac and Vince Carter are phenomenal players, but they play no defense. And that is what separates them from a Kobe

[podstock]

Originally posted by skyracer3
Phil,
I know you havent posted tonights game recap, but I want to know your opinion on Shaqs ejection.

that was a bogus ejection.

Shaq missed a shot, got the back back in a scramble with 2-3 other Jazz players, went up for a slam dunk, and on the way down, clocked Kirilenkov on the head

Did he mean to do that? It sure looked like it. But, it was a physical game the entire game.

Referee Delany could've just called Shaq for his 5th foul, the league could've hit Shaq for $100,000, and Shaq could've been allowed to play

Lakers were up by 4, and once Shaq left, the last 3 minutes and 45 seconds belonged to the Jazz, who promptly went on an 11-0 run.

how can a referee decided the game???? Shaq followed through on a slam dunk, and intentional or not intentional, Shaq did NOT go out of his way to smack someone. Kirilenkov was right underneath the basket; Ostertag was smart enough to run away from the play.

™™™™™™™ referee!!

[minew_m]

Originally posted by podstock
that was a bogus ejection.

Shaq missed a shot, got the back back in a scramble with 2-3 other Jazz players, went up for a slam dunk, and on the way down, clocked Kirilenkov on the head

Did he mean to do that? It sure looked like it. But, it was a physical game the entire game.

Referee Delany could've just called Shaq for his 5th foul, the league could've hit Shaq for $100,000, and Shaq could've been allowed to play

Lakers were up by 4, and once Shaq left, the last 3 minutes and 45 seconds belonged to the Jazz, who promptly went on an 11-0 run.

how can a referee decided the game???? Shaq followed through on a slam dunk, and intentional or not intentional, Shaq did NOT go out of his way to smack someone. Kirilenkov was right underneath the basket; Ostertag was smart enough to run away from the play.

™™™™™™™ referee!!

That game pissed me off!!!! If they can call a technical for Shaq just hitting someone on top of the head (and he didn't go out of his way) they should also call a technical for players who go out and basically bearhug Shaq to stop him from going to the basket. What they do to Shaq in the post area is definitely intentional. And your going to tell me that an accidental hit deserves an ejection? Total bull™™™™. The main reason I am pissed is of the position they were in. Minnesota lost to Boston and the Lakers were only 2 or 3 games behind them for second place. That could mean a world of difference in the playoffs.

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exactly, Minew

don't eject players unless they really are asking for it (like T-Mac kicking the basketball into the stands TWICE) or someone who bumps a referee, or someone who commits a flagrant foul that takes the player out of the game.

basketball is an emotional sport. if you don't like what a player is doing, fine his ™™™ $25,000 after the game.

don't kick him out.

™™™™™™™ Bob Delany!!!!

[minew_m]

Hey Podstock... you ready for the game tonight? Because Kobe returns!!! Just heard that on the local news!!! Can't wait to see the game. 12 more min to go before it starts!!!

[podstock]

oh really!?!!?!!

wowowowowow...I am just about to get off work

I sure hope Kobe plays

you know the Lakers desperately want to be #4 or higher, otherwise, they'd rest Kobe


in edit: yes!!! it's been confirmed by the Lakers announcers - Kobe is playing.

Now, the game is tape delay, so it's already playing 4:30 PM PST

but it's not televised until 5:40 pm PST

so, I am avoiding the sports websites, and will watch the tape delay without knowing who's winning

will update as soon as game is over

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3/10/04 update: Lakers 117-109 over the Celtics

wowowowow! as reported here by Minew, Kobe played.

and while he wasn't too effective shooting, only 4 of 16 shots for 18 points, 5 boards, but he had a game high 10 assists, along with 2-3 steals. AND played 40 minutes!!

this is what greatness is all about. Vince Carter tweaks an ankle, and misses 1 month; Kobe jams a shoulder and misses 3 games. In the past, Kobe has sprained his ankle, wrist, knee, and still came back to play earlier than expected. If he is out, you know the injury deals with something broken.

Shaq had 28 points, but just as importantly, he had 17 boards!!!! Very active tonight!

Payton had a quiet 20 points, 4 boards, 3 assists.

Luke Walton, as has been the case for the past 2-3 months, played the majority of minutes in the 4th -- Phil really like Luke, and it won't be long before Rick Fox becomes a reserve and Luke starts.

Fox probably had his best shooting game of the year, going 3-4 with 8 points, 2 three-pointers, and 1 board and 1 assist.

Kareem Rush had another TREMENDOUS shooting game, going 7 for 11, with 17 points, in only 22 minutes. Boy, that stroke of Rush reminds me of Jamaal Wilkes and Alex English ---- sooooooo smooth!!

Pierce had 30 points for the Celtics but shot poorly, going 9 for 22.

Ricky Davis, ever the hot dog, had 24 points, 7 boards and 1 assists. On one play, he got into the passing lane, stole the ball. The Lakers conceded the basket as no one got back on defense. So Davis tried a between-the-legs dunk and totally missed it. But since no Lakers came back on defense, he got the rebound, and did a windmill jam.

I can see why the Cavs unloaded Davis --- he is the epitome of a selfish player. Davis has talent, can shoot the ball. But, so can the guys in NY's Harlem District who spend their life playing street basketball. Davis is a player you do not want if you are a playoff bound team -- he'll figure out ways to get himself points at the expense of the team, and doesn't play too much defense.

Chucky Atkins also played well for the Celtics with 18 points and 9 assists.

but, in the end, with Kobe, Shaq, and Payton, there was just too many weapons.

Next up: Friday at the Target Center vs Minneapolis Timberwolves.

and it's likely Karl will be playing!!!!

ooooooh, boy, if we can win this game, it's gonna be BIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!

right now, Portland is beating MN 83-64 with 5 minutes to go in 4th quarter at Portland.

Lakers are 1/2 games behind San Antonio, who blew out Clippers as Duncan came back after missing 6 games due to thigh contusion

With this win, Lakers are 2 1/2 games behind MN, and depending on outcome of MN at Portland game, will be either 3 games back if MN wins or 2 1/2 if MN loses.

after Minnesota Friday and Chicago Saturday, Lakers are mostly at home for the rest of the time.

After Chicago, Lakers will 15 games left, and only 4 on the road!!!!

Lakers NEED to win Friday if they want a shot at 2nd place. They meet San Antonio one last time, and have 2 more meetings with Sacramento.

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3/12/04 update: 96-86 Wolves beat the Hapless Lakers

I am so ™™™™™™™ sick of this Zen-master ™™™™!!!

Lakers were 2 down at end of 1st quarter; Phil takes all 4 hall of famers out, and the Wolves promptly run an 8-point lead before Shaq comes back.

I do not understand?!?!??!?!?

why can't all 4 play the first 8 minutes of the 1st quarter; then Karl and Kobe sit for 2 minutes. Then at the 10 minute mark, sit Shaq and Payton.

have it staggered it so that you don't have a piece of ™™™™ like Devean George shooting 3 shots, missing them badly, and that leads to 3 Wolves buckets as they ran to an early 2nd quarter lead?

Why is Devean dribbling the ball, stopping, and shooting? it's been PROVEN that he cannot do this! Sure, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

And then there was Kobe, who was frigid - Perhaps not sexually, but he sure was colder than the Minnesota weather, being 5 degrees.

™™™™™™™ Kobe made 1 of 11 shots in the 1st half, and his shots were so incredibly tough it was ridiculous. It's one thing to shoot tough shots when the clock is running down, or when he's healthy. But, he's got a bum shoulder, and rather than passing to the other players, Kobe's taking ridiculous fallaway jumpers on a bad shoulder

™™™™ kobe!!!

™™™™ Phil Jackson and his bull™™™™ methods. These past 2 seasons have demonstrated that Jackson is one of the most over-rated coaches ever. He's made HORRIBLE coaching decisions (such as leaving all 4 hall of famers on the bench while his damn reserves throw up bricks as the other team runs up a 10 point lead)

no one can ever fault Kobe for not playing hard (I'd rather see Kobe having an off night like tonight)....b/c it's certainly better than Shaq, who plays hard 25% of the season, and takes the 3/4 of the rest of the season off.

Kobe had 16 points on a lousy 6-20 shooting, but did grab 11 boards and 5 assists

Shaq had 24 points, including 8-14 from free throws, and 13 boards -- how come Kobe almost every night gets nearly as many rebounds as Shaq?!??!!

Karl had a respectable 13 points, with 2 boards and 2 assists, on 5-6 shooting


Garnett didn't do that well, with 9-20 shooting for 20 points and 13 boards

Sprewell had 16 points, 6 boards, and 2 assists

Hudson had 17 points,

Cassell had 19 points.

Devean George was useless again tonight, going 0-4 with 0 points, with 2 boards and 1 assists

Kareem Rush was horrible, going 1-7 with 3 points.
Payton was a lousy 4-10 with 10 points 4 rebounds and 6 assists

I know they say Payton is a Hall of Famer....but having watched him this year, you'd be hard press to vote him in on his 1st year of eligibility - the guy can't shoot free throws (he's at about 68%), often turns the ball over, and he's lost 2-3 steps on defense.

oh, and one other thing....both centers of the Wolves had 2 fouls in the 1st quarter. So, do the Lakers hand the ball to Shaq in the 2nd quarter?

nooooooooooooooooooooo

the fuckers were busy taking shots left and right.

why not hand the ball to shaq and see if he can't draw further fouls or else kick it out the an open guy.

Why is Kobe taking ridiculously tough shots when he doesn't have to?!?!!?!?!?

and what the ™™™™ is Phil doing starting the 2nd and 4th quarters with 4 bench players on the court?!?!??!

I was so mad that I stop watching at halftime and checked the score on the Internet to see who was winning (game tape delayed here in CA)...and stopped watching altogether in the 2nd half.

Lakers now look like they're going to get #3 at best; at worst, they could drop out of the play off hunt.

There is absolutely no way the Lakers have the defense to contain Sacramento.

They'll be able to beat San Antonio (who only has Duncan), Dallas (who don't play defense) and Minnesota (who haven't proven they can get out of the 1st round).....

but the defense of the Lakers is just outrageously horrific!

Fox is 2 steps slow, and Peja will eat him alive (Fox used to stop Peja..but that is a distant dream)

Gary is a step slow and Bibby will eat him alive with the pick-and-roll, since Shaq sits his ™™™™™™™ fat ™™™ in the paint, refusing to rolll out on the pick-and-roll

Malone may be able to neutralize Webber

Christie can't stop Kobe; but if Kobe is cold, Kobe will stop himself

Kings have Vlade, Webber, Brad Miller, and other big men to throw at Shaq

and all the Kings have to do is stay close, then foul Shaq in the 4th, b/c he can't shoot worth ™™™™ in the 4th

oooooooh, what a horrible game tonight was.

And to make matters worse, the Lakers play Chicago tomorrow.

Chicago has beaten the Lakers 4 of the past 7 meetings these last 4 years.

So, we're probably looking at another ™™™™™™™ loss tomorrow, given that Shaq is gonna be tired, so is Karl and Payton.

Kobe will play hard as usual........

™™™™!!!!!

[stalking_WOLF_21]

NOW WHO'S THE best lakers had all there players in last night the t-wolves were with out wally if you know what i mean

[minew_m]

stalking_WOLF_21- Kobe was playing hurt and Karl only got a few minutes. You can start telling me "who's the best" when the T-wolves actually make it out of the first round. Until then they are just a team that can't perform under pressure.