It's just one game, I wouldn't get depressed about it. I didn't really think we'd win to be completely honest. I just didn't envision us getting blown out. Whatever, one game doesn't detirmine the season.
Lakers were doomed from the start of the game by not going inside and getting Bynum involved. The Celtics play good defense, but they also get into foul trouble when you attack them done the center. Lakers got both Allens in foul trouble, but couldn't take advantage of the situation by continuing to attack the rim. Instead we settled for terrible shots from the outside and not enough ball movement. I can only remember two sequences we slowed the ball down and actually ran the Triangle offense. One led to a dunk and one led to Bynum getting fouled off of a shovel pass. Luke Walton being asked to defend Paul Pierce was the kiss of death. Another bad matchup was Radman trying to check KG. I really do not understand PJax when he makes these substitutions and leaves our weakest defenders on the opposing teams best scorers. We should have used Turiaf more in this game and tried using a power lineup with Kwame-Bynum-Odom on the floor. The Celtics went with a power lineup in the second half and worked our team on the glass and by setting screens to free up Pierce and Allen. Kobe's shot selection in this game was also poor and he got caught up trying to out duel Pierce. In the first half Kobe was shooting bad, but at least he was getting to the free throw line. In the second half he stopped driving hard and was forcing way too many tough shots against double teams out on the perimeter. He missed Bynum off the pick and roll several times by not passing out of a double. Celtics are damn good in executing their offense and also defending the basket. They foul hard, they rotate well and they force you into bad shooting angles when you try to isolate from the baselines. The short shorts were fun, and the game was exciting until Boston went on a late run. Hopefully the Lakers rebound from this blowout loss, lick their wounds and start a new win streak.
We have Philadelphia and Indiana next, should be two winnable games. Anyways, Boston came out to play, they meant bussiness, while we decided to be cute and funny. We pretty much embarrassed ourselves out there with the short shorts. I don't know why we decided to wear them in the first place. Never again
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Dec 31 2007, 12:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Dec 31 2007, 12:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bynumite @ Dec 31 2007, 12:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Odom my hero!Take that you Bitch Allen</div> Are you serious? Odom's underachieving ass has a terrible night and gets blown out at home, so it's alright to try and hurt somebody? **** Lamar Odom and **** anybody who applauds him for that classless action. If he doesn't get suspended for that, I'll be pissed. </div> Want a tissue? Ray Allen isn't exactly the most classy guy in the league. LOL this shit is ****ing amazing, the refs decide to call all the fouls in the world in the final 30 seconds. Suck my nuts, they were ****ing terrible tonight, but so were the Lakers. How good will Boston be when Pierce and Allen get bit with their yearly injury bug? Can we cut Luke Walton? </div> First of all, Ray Allen is one of the classiest individuals in the game. You may be the only person who doesn't think so. Also, Ray and Pierce getting hit with the yearly injury bug? Check your facts, guy. Paul Pierce has missed 71 games in his whole career - and 55 of them were last year. Before that, he was one of the league's real iron men. He has played in 610 out of a possible 681 games - that's 89.6%. He has had one real injury in his whole career. Ray Allen, same deal. He didn't miss a single game in his first 5 years in the league, and throughout his whole career (1996-now) he has only missed just 82 total games. He has played in 735 out of a possible 817 games. That's 90%... and he also has only had 2 seasons plagued by injuries. Don't say "look at the 50 games he played in 98-99" because that was the lockout year where the league played just 50 regular season games. Ray didn't miss one and Paul missed 2. Also, don't say "Ray only played 47 games in 02-03" because if you look closely on his career stat sheet, you'll see that he played 47 games with Milwaukee in 02-03 and also 29 games with Seattle in the same season - as he was traded for Gary Payton and Desmond Mason halfway through. So, Ray played 76 out of 82 games that year. Calling Pierce and Allen injury prone, while also saying Ray is classless, is absolutely hilarious to me.
Ray Allen was fine, he popped right back up. If he did get hurt, I wouldn't condone what Odom did. Frustrations are a part of the game of basketball, part of any sport, so what?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Dec 31 2007, 01:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Ray Allen was fine, he popped right back up. If he did get hurt, I wouldn't condone what Odom did. Frustrations are a part of the game of basketball, part of any sport, so what?</div> Whether Ray actually got hurt or didn't get hurt, it doesn't matter. That's like saying it's OK to shoot somebody as long as they don't die. Odom's intention was to hurt Ray Allen on that play, therefore it's not acceptable. EDIT: My blog is fixed. Here's the link to my recap.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 31 2007, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I didn't see the hit (I've turned off my TV), but I don't wish injury on anyone. I've never had a problem with Ray Allen before either, except that little spat he had with Kobe, but that's history. Ray Allen has always been a stand up guy, so I would never wish any harm on him. I wouldn't worry about Lamar, he's a classless punk, career under acheiver. He'll get what he deserves</div> Agreed, Lamar doesn't belong in LA. What he did was very classless. The team got blown out, take it like the other players on the team, don't be try to hurt someone. I don't see anything wrong with Ray Allen either.
The Celtics simply outclassed us tonight. I think the young guys were intimidated by the Big Three, because the game should have been a lot closer if we played the way we played against Utah and Phoenix. Look for the Lakers to blowout Philly on Friday. No way they are gonna play down after tonight's game. This game just proves, we need Odom, Kwame, Luke (used to love him, but now we got Ariza, we don't need him), and Turiaf (a lot of you aren't going to agree with me here, but the more I see Turiaf, the more pissed off I get. He's got to be the most turnover prone big man in the NBA) off this squad. -4 way trade between Lakers, Bulls, Warriors, and Kings Bulls GAIN: Brad Miller, Mikael Pietrus, Mike Bibby LOSE: Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Joakim Noah Kings GAIN: Vlad Rad, Ben Wallace, Jordan Farmar, Lamar Odom, Lakers 1st Rd. Pick LOSE: Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Mike Bibby Warriors GAIN: Luke Walton, Lakers 2nd Rd. Pick LOSE Mikael Pietrus Lakers GAIN: Joakim Noah, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Joe Smith, Ron Artest LOSE: Luke Walton, Lamar Odom, Vlad Rad, Jordan Farmar, 1st+2nd Rd. Picks Our Roster: PG Fisher/Crittenton/Karl SG Kobe/Ariza SF Artest/Abdur-Rahim PF Noah/Turiaf/Smith C Bynum/Kwame/Mihm I LOVE IT!
BTW, I don't like Ray Allen. Didn't he say he was just as good as Kobe and deserved the same $$$? Still, VERY low by Odom. Show some class. Don't matter anyways because we are trading you to SacTown.
If there is any silver lining to this game, it's that the Lakers were sent to reality, and reminded that they still need work .. so hopefully now they wont let that little winning streak get to their heads, and they'll continue to try to improve. Championships aren't won in December ..
They just need to pick up the pieces and move forward. The season is still young. Lets go Lakers. On to Philly!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Black Mamba @ Dec 31 2007, 12:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think Odom heard the Patriots were holding open try-outs, he was auditioning. That was a pretty nice tackle.</div> LMAO I think Odom will be the backup in the Patriots team. Go Odom! lol
The ugly stat of the night: Andrew Bynum 2 FGAs Kwame Brown 2 FGAs If the Laker starters aren't going to give Bynum any touches, maybe it is better he goes back to the bench and dominates the touches with the second unit. Bynum needs to be treated as the second option on this team and should get a minimum of 10 shot attempts per game with the efficiency he scores at.
