<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PHOENIX -- No one in the desert was expecting this, least of all the Phoenix Suns. Even the home team was figuring on an over/under of 50 points for Kobe Bryant's grand return to playoff basketball. "I was thinking it was going to be Kobe, Kobe, Kobe," said Suns forward Shawn Marion. "But we played the Lakers today." Reason being: Phil Jackson and the NBA's only 35-points-a-game guy -- and, yes, they insist such decisions are made collectively in this re-marriage -- decided there were other priorities Sunday bigger than putting on the show we all wanted. Coach and player apparently reasoned that Kobe's green and thin supporting cast would be more likely to make this a series if they were very involved in Game 1. So L.A. was willing to sacrifice this game, as well as the worldwide assumption that Kobe would be dazzling, if that meant making Kwame Brown and Luke Walton feel more like folks who believe they should be starting in the big afternoon playoff game on ABC. The result? The Lakers were worlds less enjoyable to watch, but they indeed got everyone involved and came close to winning anyway. The visitors also came away moderately encouraged by this 107-102 defeat, knowing that they were in it to the finish even though Bryant, when finally implored by the Zenmeister to go Kobe on the Suns, submitted an unusually limp crunch-time display. Turns out there's a reason for the limpness, too. The game's best active closer admitted afterward that what he was asked to do in Game 1 is tougher than what all of us want him to do. What's tougher than telling himself to go for 50 points (or more) from the opening tip? Morphing from three quarters of pass-first No. 8 into Mr. Eighty-One at crunch time. "It's harder," Bryant said. "But I look forward to the challenge Wednesday." As you surely know by now, Bryant didn't score less than 37 points in the teams' four regular-season meetings and has a standing invitation from the Suns to shoot for 60 (or more) if he wishes. Yet Jackson is convinced that the Lakers have no shot to be competitive playing that way and must force themselves to A) attack the Suns' tiny front line to capitalize on the absence of Amare Stoudemire and interior defensive ace Kurt Thomas and keep the ball moving so L.A.'s Smush Parker-types won't be ice cold and confidence-shy if they have to take an important shot late. The problem, of course, is that committing to pound the ball inside repeatedly means Kwame becomes an offensive focal point for the Lakers instead of Kobe. Something no one really wants to see, probably not even Kwame. But before you blast Jackson for daring to hatch such a game plan, it's probably safer to say that the Lakers are merely looking to increase their series-long options as opposed to locking themselves into Kwame-centric game plans. It likewise seems unjust to blast Bryant, who certainly tried to execute Jackson's (and his critics') vision by putting everyone else first. Whether or not he liked it. This much is clear: Phoenix was surprised. The Suns seemed as stunned as the rest of us to look up at the scoreboard at the start of the final period and learn that Walton had already scored 17 of his 19 points . . . with Bryant stuck on 12. That's even though D'Antoni acknowledged reading accounts of Jackson vowing in recent days to play this way. "I didn't believe them," he said, "but I guess I do now. They were very intent on getting the other guys going." D'Antoni went on to describe Bryant as "pretty much a set-up guy" in this one and a "little bit more passive than usual." Passive is one word for it. You certainly wouldn't have bet on the Lakers getting a combined 54 points and 26 boards from Lamar Odom, Walton and Brown any more than you would have bet on Kobe turning 21 shots into a mere 22 points. Now, though, Walton and Brown know they're capable on the big stage, or at least capable against these smallish Suns. The trio's production would have crept into the 60s if Odom and Brown hadn't conspired to miss a flurry of early "bunnies" at the rim, to use Jackson's word. Jackson branded the whole exercise as an opportunity "to feel out a little how we could play against this team." Translation: The goal in Game 1, win or lose, was getting Bryant and his, uh, unheralded teammates to believe that they don't need a one-on-five miracle to be competitive. Which you'd have to say they accomplished. Bryant missed his first five shots in the fourth when he tried to turn it on, but the shaky hosts still weren't safe until Steve Nash swished a corner triple with 67 seconds to play. The Suns needed every one of their whopping 35 free-throw attempts, after averaging just 18 free throws a game during the regular season to set an NBA record low, to offset their inability to run on the Lakers like normal. "We're going to see a lot of variations from them throughout the series," Nash said, feeling fortunate to escape with a 1-0 lead and already bracing for a more predictable Kobe response. "I expect him to be more aggressive, obviously, after losing this game." It's an expectation Bryant isn't exactly trying to discourage, which has to encourage anyone who was hoping for a different Kobe here. "All I need is one jumper to go down," Bryant reminded, "and I'm hot." Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here </div> http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2006/...marc&id=2419091 P.S. Hey Shape or KB8 let me know if I posted this wrong..I never posted a quote and link before..so let me know if I did anything wrong.
That's exactly what I was saying, I'm not down with this whole "Kobe being passive" business. He needs to score 8-10 pts each quarter efficiently within the flow of the offense, and we'll be fine. Franchise, me too buddy, I needed Lakers to win tonight, would have won $1400 1) BET ID=158275674 Parlay (3 Teams) 04/23/06 04:29 ET 120.00/1340.13 Result: Wager Lost Bucks(Milwaukee) 74 Pistons(Detroit) 92 04/23/06 (19:10 ET) Pistons(Detroit) -12 (-120) Grizzlies(Memphis) 93 Mavericks(Dallas) 103 04/23/06 (21:50 ET) Mavericks(Dallas) -7 (-115) Lakers(LA) 102 Suns(Phoenix) 107 04/23/06 (15:40 ET) Lakers(LA) +255 DOH!! Gonna take 'em moneyline again Wednesday.
I expect better from Marc Stein. What an elementary view of the game by calling Kobe passive. He touched the ball plenty of times on offense and played a very intelligent game. Kobe kept putting the Suns in a situation to switch on him. He read the defense and then made the right decision with the basketball. If the big man stayed with Kobe and the Suns didn't send help, he'd attack the basket and dribble right around the defender. If the Suns sent a weak double team Kobe would take the jumpshot, his jumper was just a little off in this game. If the Suns sent a hard double team, Kobe would find the open man, which lead to open looks, or became the pass before the pass leading to the assist.
Koibe played great. The only problem is that once it was 4th quarter time he couldn't get him self going. He was really in a offensive rhythm at all throughout the game so when the defense tightented up and he HAD to score it mad things a little harder. But again, for the most part he played a great game. Didn't have the same offensive numbers, but the fact that the game was close and gave the Lakers a shot to win is ALL that matters.
I think Kobe had an average game. He missed a few open shots and he forced the ball into the paint too early to Odom. He could have been better on D but overall, not a bad performance. He was kind of like a coach playing on the court, just running the plays and giving instructions. He needs to take control though as we can't afford to go 2-0 down.
Really shape? I thought Kobe was VERY passive that game. Yeah he was getting everyone involved, but you can't expect a man who's been getting a few points in quarters 1-3 by attacking the basket, then expect him to be red-hot in the 4th quarter with his jump shots. Like I said, I'd like Kobe to score 8-10 pts a quarter efficiently within the offense, not forcing anything, if he does that, we are perfect.
Kobe didn't force anything except in th 4th quarter when he had to. Only problem was he never got his scoring going.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting illmatic:</div><div class="quote_post">Really shape? I thought Kobe was VERY passive that game. Yeah he was getting everyone involved, but you can't expect a man who's been getting a few points in quarters 1-3 by attacking the basket, then expect him to be red-hot in the 4th quarter with his jump shots. Like I said, I'd like Kobe to score 8-10 pts a quarter efficiently within the offense, not forcing anything, if he does that, we are perfect.</div> I think Kobe was taking what the defense was giving him. I just don't consider making the right decision with the basketball being passive. The Lakers had him initiating in this game instead of putting him on the wing where he can attack more. If his teammates shoot better than 30%, the Lakers win this game.
