<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns' offseason acquisitions simply would not allow them to open the season with two straight fourth-quarter collapses. Kurt Thomas, James Jones and Raja Bell all made clutch baskets down the stretch to lead the Suns to a 122-112 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, who wasted an outstanding 39-point effort from Kobe Bryant. NBA TV highlights from Suns-Lakers: Play On Tuesday, Phoenix led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter before Dallas put together a furious rally to tie the game en route to a 111-108 victory in double overtime. For the second straight game Thursday, the Suns built a 17-point cushion in the fourth quarter, as they held a 108-91 advantage with 8:36 left. The Lakers went on a 12-2 run to close to within 110-103 on a 3-pointer by Laron Profit with 5:40 left, but Phoenix turned to its newcomers, who seemingly made every clutch play. Acquired this summer in a trade with New York, Thomas made layups on Phoenix's next two possessions to stretch the lead to 114-105. Bryant answered each basket with a jumper and Lamar Odom and Profit added layups on the Lakers' next two trips to cut the deficit to 115-112 with 2:16 left. On the Suns' ensuing possesion, reigning MVP Steve Nash found a wide-open Jones, who was acquired in a trade with Indiana, for a 3-pointer to restore a six-point lead. Bell, who was signed as a free agent primarily for his defensive prowess, put away the game with a fadeaway jumper to beat the shot clock with 51 seconds left. Shawn Marion led the Suns with 30 points and 11 rebounds and Nash chipped in 12 and 17 assists. Jones scored 17 points and Bell and Thomas added 14 apiece for Phoenix, which shot over 50 percent (45-of-89) and committed only nine turnovers. Bryant led the Lakers on 13-of-26 shooting. Odom also put forth a strong effort, collecting 23 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists for Los Angeles, which made just 6-of-23 shots from beyond the arc. </div> Source Box score Looks like they pulled out Mihm from the starting lineup, and inserted George instead. Kwame seems to have had another bad game, but he only took 5 shots. Odom and Kobe were solid, although Odom went 2-8 from behind the arc...
Stupid move be the Lakers. Kwame has no business playing at C. He is undersized and would do better playing at PF. By moving Kwame to C, we moved Lamar Odom to PF once again. I kind of expected us to loose, but I wasn't expecting 120+ points again against us. We should just stick with Mihm for now at C and see how things pan out for a while. Kwame at PF may give us an extra advantage so we could afford for Mihm to play at C. I will be glad if Mihm and go 10/8 for us.
I hate lamar Odom he killed it. The lakers were going on a run then he missed a wide open three that leads to a Phoenix basket. It seems to me he tries to be the star to much of the team and instead hurts them.
It sounded like Smush Parker played decently that game, will he decently fill the pg hole for the Lakers?
wow check out steve nash's game he played amazing another chance at MVP? maybe Kobe did good..Lamar played good..smush played good aswell (he has a chance at MIP) kwame brown struggled once again..i personally think that you guys gave up way too much for him
Smush Parker deserves that starting spot, at least for awhile. He's playing insanely good as compared to last year, I remember when he was with the Pistons and Suns he didn't play well at all. I was shocked these past 2 games when I see him lightin it up from 3 and gettin dunks and all sorts of steals.
LA needs Spree! <div class="quote_poster">Quoting amador08:</div><div class="quote_post">I hate lamar Odom he killed it. The lakers were going on a run then he missed a wide open three that leads to a Phoenix basket. It seems to me he tries to be the star to much of the team and instead hurts them.</div> Laker bench was outscored by 20+, we need Spree! Pay the man Mitch, so he can feed his family and ours.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting whatthef?:</div><div class="quote_post">Laker bench was outscored by 20+, we need Spree! Pay the man Mitch, so he can feed his family and ours.</div> I agree, the Lakers need a reliable scorer off the bench. The Lakers had no answer for Eddie House and Leandro Barbosa. Great adjustment by D'Antoni from the first game, starting Diaw with those two, to run the offense. Barbosa blew the game for the Suns when he was running the point against the Mavs. The only reason Mihm didn't start was the matchup situation. PJax started Devean George at PF to guard Shawn Marion. Tough assignment for George, and he got into early foul trouble. Once he went to the bench the Lakers didn't really have an athletic player to keep up with Marion and he went off the Lakers. This is where Sprewell would have been valuable. He's athletic and big enough to guard Marion, and Spree can also put pressure on Marion when the Lakers are on offense. Sprewell makes most of those three's Lamar missed. I didn't expect the Lakers to win last night, they just won a tough game in Denver and didn't have much time to prepare for the Suns. You have to take the positive from the game, and despite some miscues the Lakers had a chance to win this game. Smush Parker played amazing against Nash, he picked his pocket three times and contested Nash's shots. The breakdown was the second line of defense, the help rotation wasn't there all night. Everyone was afraid to help out and allow the Suns to shoot three pointers. Lamar Odom needs to stop settling for 3 point baskets. He clanged three wide open shots down the stretch, when the Lakers swung the ball to him. He's much better when uses the space to drive to the rim and create. I think PJax needs to take some of the blame there. He should have made the adjustment to have a better shooter at that position, like Profit. Kwame Brown had a tough night, the tempo was too, fast for him and he was lost in no man's land a majority of the night. The Lakers are forcing him to be a back to the basket player, but Kwame is more effective when he can face his defender and take him off the dribble. When he gets the ball from the second hash mark of the key, turns to face the basket, and then uses his strength and speed to blow by his defender, he gets to the rim or draws the foul. When he's in close, he gets too, excited and it leads to a bad shot or turnover. Until Kareem has more time to work on his post moves and footwork, Kwame needs to be used differently on offense. Kobe Bryant really took over down the stretch. He's a lot better when he's shooting inside the arc. He hit shot after shot to get the Lakers back into the game. Unfortunately, the defense was giving it back on the other end, by not boxing out Shawn Marion. He forced a few at the end, but once Kobe gets into that closer mindset, he's going to over aggressive on offense. At that point, I think it's up to his teammates to crash the glass on the weakside when the shot goes up. The Lakers just gave up too, many points in the paint against the Suns last night and the Suns speed off the bench was a real problem for the Lakers.
We should start a petition to sign Spree... What's the deal with McKie? Does he play so few minutes because he is injured or because he sucks/doesnt want to play?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bahir:</div><div class="quote_post">We should start a petition to sign Spree... What's the deal with McKie? Does he play so few minutes because he is injured or because he sucks/doesnt want to play?</div> He's not injured, other players have just passed him up on the depth chart. Smush Parker and Laron Profit outworked him during the summer. He just doesn't have a place on the team right now. Unless, the other players start declining, McKie is just going to be insurance. Maybe the Lakers will start shopping him around December. I'm sure Larry Brown would like to coach him again. Antonio Davis sure would look good in the P&G. Devean George + Slava + McKie for Davis works under the salary cap. Knicks get two expiring contracts and LB gets his man McKie. Once Luke gets back, George will be more expendable, and maybe the Lakers sign Sprewell since they will have an extra roster spot open.
