Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CB4AllStar @ Apr 23 2007, 04:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm not completely buying that. These guys are NBA players, they won't miss every time they get an open look. If Kobe was truly looking to pass, he would have racked up some assists....He hogged for most of the game, man...You can't deny that. Huh? No one else could make a shot in the 4th..? Kobe couldn't even make a shot in the 4th...He went 1 for 10, so they obviously were looking to help their team win...It's not like Kobe was absolutely lights out like he was in the 1st half...In fact, it's the opposite.Like I said before....they would be benched if they were just standing around...Phil Jackson's not an idiot....this is a team game....his players aren't just going to stand there in the final quarter of a playoff game. Kobe just jacked up shots in the 4th that he could not make, and that cost them the game....That's all their is to it..This is getting pretty frustrating...I've gone in depth with my opinion a few times, but you havn't acknowledged any of my points, and you're just saying the same thing over and over again. You shouldn't even take those shots in the first place in the 4th, because you are obviously better off taking a shot where you are relatively open, and when you have your feet set...Kobe was neither when he was taking those shots, and like I said before...Kobe will have hot periods where he will be making those...but it's impossible to make those consistently throughout the whole game...and in the 4th, every possession matters.That's my point...If they were just standing around doing nothing in the 4th, Phil would have taken them out and brought in guys who would work for open shots (BTW, when I'm saying this, I'm trying to make a point that your theory is wrong....just so you know)...yeah, I don't believe you on this one.</div>Are you f*cking kidding me? I am not saying they stood around the entire 4th period, I am talking about the closing minutes. They gave Kobe the ball and said make a miracle happen. I watch every Laker game. Believe Me. Those shots Kobe took, he takes them all the time and they go in. You don't believe that if Kobe passed that the rest of the team could miss? How about looking at Game 7 from last year? Exactly. It happens. The Lakers as a team shot lights out and the opposite as the Suns did in the first half and some of the 3rd (defense was the main problem in the 3rd ). The Lakers couldn't shoot as a team in the 4th so during Kobe time in the last minutes of the quarter kobe hogged the ball and shot more. Should he have done that? I think he can take some of those shots, he's Kobe Bryant after all, but he should have definitely passed it off a few times, especially on that play with Farmar downlow. All the rest of the Lakers did was stand around late in the 4th. Unlike you I actually watched the entire game, and I am way more familiar with the Lakers and Phil's coaching techniques than you are so just stop. Oh Phil would have taken them out...oh uh...No. They didn't stand around the entire 4th quarter...just the last 2 or 3 minutes when they just gave it to Kobe hoping he would do another heroic outpost like he has done many times. I know what I saw.

 

Game plan for game 2: Hose down Barbosa with a 50 cal.On Nash's elbow to Lamar, imagine if Kobe threw that elbow and hit a Sun? Can you say suspension? Not that Nash did anything that bad, he didn't. I'm just saying that the League probably would have butt-F*cked Kobe once again had he been in that situation.Looks like last year, the Lakers did some things right in game 1 but didn't finish. They only need one of the first two games, they still have that chance. Look for them to be a little more focused in game 2.About the Suns catching fire in the 2nd half: That's the way the Lakers expected the Suns to play. So, that's no supprise. The Suns poor shooting in the first half was a pleasant supprise for LA, they just lack the consistancy right now to finish games.However, the Lakers just aren't ready this year. I think the Suns will win in 5 games, no more than 6. The Lakers will be saving a spot at the country club for the Suns, seeing as how nobody is beating the Mavs this year(hopefully GSW won't prove me wrong).

 

If I remember I'll count how many times kobe passes to teammates when they're open and if they make it or not.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>If I remember I'll count how many times kobe passes to teammates when they're open and if they make it or not.</div>A lot of times, Kobe's passes are the first of many passes that end up back to him. That's the traingle offense for you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Something-To-Say @ Apr 23 2007, 07:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If I remember I'll count how many times kobe passes to teammates when they're open and if they make it or not.</div>You would

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Apr 23 2007, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You would</div>What's wrong with you? Why do you keep jumping on me. Do you like go through all my posts and try to find anything you can to try and use it against me? Grow up.