Western Conference Finals Game 2, L.A. @ Minnesota(TNT)

Discussion in 'Minnesota Timberwolves' started by Mamba, May 22, 2004.

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  1. Mamba

    Mamba The King is Back Staff Member Global Moderator

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    <div align="center">[​IMG]
    <font size="6"><font color="Purple">Game 2
    L.A. Leads 1-0</font></font>
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    <font color="Purple">The Los Angeles Lakers</font>@<font color="Gray">The Minnesota Timberwolves</font>
    Time: 8:30 Eastern, 5:30 Western
    TV: TNT
    Place: The Target Center</div>

    Coaches
    [​IMG] [​IMG] Phil Jackson/Flip Saunders


    Starters and Matchup Breakdowns
    PG: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Sam Cassell/Gary Payton
    After seeing game 1, Sam Cassell has the advantage in the first 3 quarters, GP has it in the 4th. Cassell had to sit out the last 13 minutes of the game, possibly the deciding factor in who won the game. GP missed some really easy shots but luckily that didnt hurt us that much. He will need to have a good game, he has been virtually non-existent in the playoffs so far and we will not continue to roll as well as we have been if he doesnt pick it up.
    Advantage: Timberwolves for the first 3 quarters, Laker for the 4th.

    SG: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Trenton Hassell/Kobe Bryant
    After watching game 1, Kobe can turn it on whenever he wants. He had an ok first half, superb 3rd quarter, and good 4th. Hassell is a great defender, but Kobe is just too much for him. Kobe was splitting double teams, hitting jumpers, getting to the hoop, playing d, and everything else imagineable. For Hassell to be effective he needs to hit the open looks he gets like he did in Games 1-3 of the WCSFs.
    Advantage: Lakers

    SF: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Latrell Sprewell/Devean George
    Spree completely won this mach up in game 1. He was basically the Twolves offense in the 3rd quarter, cutting the lead down to as much as 2 I believe. He needs help, Garnett looked exhausted, Cassell was grimacing. The only help he got really was from Olowakandi, and he is going to need more than that. If Sprewell can have the kind of game he did in the first game and get some help from Garnett the Wolves will win. If not, the Lakers will win again.
    Advantage: Timberwolves

    PF: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Kevin Garnett/Karl Malone
    Malone got the better of the league MVP in game 1, outscoring him and outrebounding him. I do not expect this too happen again, I expect Garnett to be fired up in game 2, get the crowd fired up, and make this game close throughout its entirety. KG look tired all game, if Malone can have another good game, the Lakers will be up 2-0 heading into game 3. Malone basically made Garnett look like an average player last night, not the league MVP that we know.
    Advantage: Timberwolves

    C: [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Ervin Johnson/Shaquille O'neal

    The MDE made his FTs. Fouling him was no point in game 1, he went 9-11 at the line, leaving the Timberwolves in a disarray. If he can do this again, the Lakers will win the series, no doubts in my mind. I think he will be dominant again, hit his FTs, get a lot of rebounds, he will be unstoppable. He is playing his best basketball since their 3 year Championship run and is making people pay for fouling him. The Wolves have no answer, Olowakandi slowed him down, he didnt stop him. This will be a long series for the Wolves' big men.
    Advantage: Lakers

    Bench
    After game 1, I think L.A. has the better bench. Fisher hit huge shots, 4-5 from 3, had 14 points. Rush hit a huge 3 after Fish nailed down 2 before him. Hoiberg hit some 3s but it wasnt enough to keep Minnesota in the game. Some one on Minny's bench is going to have to step up when Cassell is out of the game with his back injury, KG and Spree cant take on the Big 4 all by themselves.
    Advantage: Lakers

    <div align="center">Key Players
    [​IMG][​IMG]
    2004 Playoff Statistics
    Garnett: 24.7 points per game, 15.2 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game
    Bryant: 25.5 points per game, 6 assists per game, and 6 rebounds per game</div>

    Keys to the Game
    [​IMG] Garnett wasnt his dominant self in game 1. Only 16 and 10, he let Malone better him with 17 and 11. He looked sluggish all night, the results from only 1 day off after an emotional game 7 victory. Cassell's back bothered him all night, causing him to sit out the last 13 minutes of the game. Olowakandi was a surprise scoring 10 and grabbing 11 boards. If he can do that again it will increase the Wolves chances of winning. Garnett will come out fired up and ready to play in this game, he knows the Wolves will lose if they drop the 2 at home. Expect him to demand the ball a lot during the game, look for him to try and beat Malone out on the High post, look for him to utilize his spin/Fade jumper a lot. Sprewell had a great game 1, he kept the Wolves in it in the 3rd. He is the main key here though, he has struggled a little lately, if we can post another great game the Wolves will be in great shape to win.

    [​IMG] It is simple, if they want to win they need to give the ball to the Big Aristotle, The Diesel, The Most Dominant Player in teh game, Shaq. No one on Minnesota can contain him, he is far bigger than every big man they have. If he can hit his FTs again in game 2 it will be a long night for the Wolves. He needs to take that to his advantage without drawing offensive fouls because they will be attacking him on D. Kobe needs to look to pass first if Shaq is having a good game, Hassell is a great defender and this isnt the series for Kobe to show who the real leader of the team is. Payton needs to be more productive, Cassell is injured, he needs to post up to take advantage of that, he needs to run the pick and roll with Malone, same with Fisher when he is in the game. Bench players such as Fisher and Rush need to come through in this series because Minny has the better bench and L.A. doesnt have the most consistent players on their bench.

    Kobe 8 Ball's Prediciton
    I think L.A. will make their win streak 6 in a row in the 2nd game of this series, they will set the tone early and keep playing at that level. L.A. by 5
     
    Mamba, May 22, 2004
    #1
  2. ICED T

    ICED T JBB JustBBall Member

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    very well written. I say laker by 5 this time, its going to be a very good game!
     
    ICED T, May 22, 2004
    #2
  3. Kobe=DaMAN

    Kobe=DaMAN JBB JustBBall Member

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    Great review

    The Lakers are on a roll. The team is looking better every game. I though that we were going to give up the lead for a second there but we pulled through. If we go into game 2 with the same energy and play as a team we will leave with a win. We just can't expect Kg to have the same game he did in the first.

    Lakers by 4
     
    Kobe=DaMAN, May 22, 2004
    #3
  4. MR_SAC_KING

    MR_SAC_KING JBB JustBBall Member

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    Kobe 8-Ball,

    Thanks for gettin Emo's message about the preview...Emo will Be Pleased :mrgreen: because you did a very excellent job of writing it :thumbsup:

    Anyways i'll go with the Lakers by 6

    I Just don't see The Timberwolves gettin past LA This time
     
    MR_SAC_KING, May 22, 2004
    #4
  5. theclown1

    theclown1 JBB JustBBall Member

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    La by at least 6. No way the Wolves gonna stop the Lakers now. They are on fire.
     
    theclown1, May 22, 2004
    #5
  6. eginobili20

    eginobili20 JBB JustBBall Member

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    Im not really sure who'S gonna win the next one, i think min is gonna be a bit better recovered, theyre gonna focus on getting kg better in the game and once he is ... i wouldnt be too confident about winning at Minn. Still as a lakers f?n i say lakers by 4
     
    eginobili20, May 22, 2004
    #6
  7. Mr.Fundamentals

    Mr.Fundamentals JBB JustBBall Member

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    Superb preview Kobe 8 ball.

    Will kevin Garnett play like the MVP he is rather than the game he played in game 1? Personally i think that if LA wins this game it is over, LA has just been amazing at home. BOT(BACK ON TOPIC) the TWolves will take this one as they are really motivated to win it and KG has something to prove as to why he was the MVP and that he can win a championship. I am expecting Shaq not to have the same game he had the last game as Minnesota will probably foul him a lot assuming he does not hit 60 percent of them, but i have a feeling Kobe will have a 30+ point outburst and jut play his heart out like he always does. IMO he has probably been one of the most (or maybe even the most) consistent player throughout the playoffs. I say Minnesota by 3
     
    Mr.Fundamentals, May 22, 2004
    #7
  8. los

    los JBB JustBBall Member

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    Great writeup.

    In Yesterday's game the Lakers played consistent. They didn't have low energy, and they didn't have high energy, they had enough energy (Oddly enough, they seemed to play at the same steady pace that the Spurs usually play with).

    This is because they were playing a team with NO energy. The Lakers have a tendancy to play to their competition. When they play with at least a little more energy than their competition, they win.

    What does that all mean? That means that even though the Lakers had a very decisive victory in Game 1, they didn't play at their best level. I have no doubt that the T-Wolves will come ready to ball next game, but they are just going to fire the Lakers up even more.

    The Lakers know that they have the Wolves on the ropes. They are playing 3 games in 6 days, causing them to be very tired. The Lakers do not want this series to extend very far, and give the Wolves a chance to rest. Look for them to turn up their intensity too, and take game 2 by 10.
     
    los, May 22, 2004
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  9. Linkin

    Linkin JBB JustBBall Member

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    This is going to be one of the most important games in the Timberwolves' history. If they can't win this game, I will still have hope but I have a hard time seeing them win this series. They can't go down 0-2 and play at the Staple Center for the next 2 games.

    The bright spot in game 1 was Olowokandi's performance. He played better. He made some shots and defended Shaq well. If Shaq still makes his free-throws like in game 1, fouling him will not be the answer. The man guarding him have to do his best.

    The Lakers didn't take advantage of the turnovers but it still hurt the Wolves. They will have to take care of the ball or all will be lost.

    KG has to bring his A-game. He has to play like a MVP. If Malone beats him in this matchup the Wolves won't win. He has to know when to carry his team. I thought I would never say this but he has to be more selfish. He is too unselfish even if that is a good thing. What seperates him from greatness is he has to be a bit more selfish. He has to know when to take shots and dominate the game. He passes the ball too much. He has to play better. And Flip has to know when to rest him. He has played alot of minutes. He is getting tired and that won't help.
    The Wolves by 6.
     
    Linkin, May 22, 2004
    #9
  10. B.e.

    B.e. The One Who Score Touchdowns and Spikes Mics

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    I think Game 1 should have woke up the T-Wolves.So in game 2 I think KG will be a lot more agressive and effective,I dont think Karl Malone can hold KG for two games in a row.Another big factor will be Sam Cassels health if he is healthy the T Wolves offense will run a lot better and thye should score more.I think the Wolves will pull this one in ot.
     
    B.e., May 22, 2004
    #10
  11. purpleb0n9

    purpleb0n9 JBB JustBBall Member

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    I agree Game 1 will wake up the Wolves... but what can they do better in this one with Sam dragging his leg? Remember we're no Sac-town, we play defense, that means no nifty-crossover-and-dunk by Garnett anymore. Malone is going to get lots of double team help to cover KG. Sam Cassell means this much to the Wolves, that's why he's an all star this year. Without him, they're gonna find trouble scoring against already stifling defensive Lakers and being aggressive all game. I see the Wolves have a better chance if they put Sprewell at the point, and Sczerbiak at the 3... but he must step up. No matter what adjustment made though, they will find it tough to hang with the Lakers, esp. in the crunch. Lakers by 7.
     
    purpleb0n9, May 23, 2004
    #11
  12. Trip

    Trip 2000000000000000000000000

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    Remember, the Timberwolves lost Game 1 against the Kings as well but still took the series. I sort of expect that to replay itself in this series.The Timberwolves need to get Garnett going early on and at least stay close to the Lakers on the scoreboard for the first 3 quarters. Expect this to be a close one.

    Timberwolves by 4. 101-97
     
    Trip, May 23, 2004
    #12
  13. Van Exel

    Van Exel JBB JustBBall Member

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    If the T-Wolves lose this game tonight, I call it a sweep. It's possible if Sam Cassell doesn't play because of his back. Kobe playing his hardest the next 2 games cuz of the court day in game 4 and the rest of the team using Kobe's absence for motivation.
     
    Van Exel, May 23, 2004
    #13
  14. Sabretooth

    Sabretooth JBB JustBBall Member

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    Absolutely beautiful game by the Wolves today. Sam went out early, and they got scoring from the bench, good interior defense by EJ+Kandi, Madsen brought some needed O rebounds, KG was aggressive (in a matter of speaking). :mrgreen:
     
    Sabretooth, May 23, 2004
    #14
  15. bentalldayeveryday

    bentalldayeveryday JBB JustBBall Member

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    Can I compare Mark Madsen to Dennis Rodman?
     
    bentalldayeveryday, May 23, 2004
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  16. jbbSpree

    jbbSpree JBB JustBBall Member

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    I must admit, as a wolves fan i thought this was not going to be our day when Sudden Sam took a sudden exit. So what can i say? I thought that was a true test of character for the wolves. They played with passion, fire.. plenty of emotion, never once backing down from the big bad lakers. KG, Latrell and Wally balanced the offensive load with a suprising effort from Darrick Martin! DM stepped up at the right time taking good care of the ball in place for sammy.

    ALL OF THE BIG MEN (Madsen, Johnson, Miller, Kandi) had there turn on Shaq limiting his offence to 4-10 from the field, with the most effective i think being Ervin Johnson. They all contributed and O.Miller even stepped in for a nice jam there which i thought was a sweet move.

    This is where the wolves want to be. The AGGRESSORS! not letting LA get the best of them, it was inspirational basketball. This series is taking nice form, with the tech fouls, pushes and shoves involved this is what makes the beauty of playoff basketball.. its all or nothing and both teams have just made it certain that there not going down without a fight. This series is looking good. looking forward to a rough and aggressive game 3.

    P.S (A few little notes i thought i should add)

    * T-wolves only turned it over 9 times in comparison to 10 in the first half of game 1
    * Karl Malone gave a cheap shot to Darrick Martin which got him ejected
    * Lakers tied a playoff low for points in a game with 71
    * Twolves are not pushovers! GO BABY!
     
    jbbSpree, May 23, 2004
    #16
  17. B.e.

    B.e. The One Who Score Touchdowns and Spikes Mics

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    Yeah Sam told Darrick Martin to be ready,and he certainly was,15 points and 6 assists with zero to's, is a good stat line espically for a player that didnt play last game and hasnt played much in the playoffs.The funny thing is that Sam has already said that he will play more than 43 seconds in game 3,but I think he will still be limited.
     
    B.e., May 23, 2004
    #17
  18. Henacy

    Henacy JBB The Man like Sam

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Spree:</div><div class="quote_post">

    ALL OF THE BIG MEN (Madsen, Johnson, Miller, Kandi) had there turn on Shaq limiting his offence to 4-10 from the field, with the most effective i think being Ervin Johnson. They all contributed and O.Miller even stepped in for a nice jam there which i thought was a sweet move.

    </div>

    Yeah they did a nice job. I think the scrappy, freelance, up & down play had alot to do with limiting Shaq as well. If you get the Lakers in an up & down game, Kobe gets alot more shots than Shaq. And you always rather a guy taking up shots instead of letting shaq catch it so deep. Kobe took 24 shot to score 27pts. The t-wolves will live with that every single game.

    Anyway here is a few things to I noticed about tonight's game 1st the negative.

    KG was still way to passive when Karl Malone was in the game. He scored a bulk of his points in the 1st & 2nd half when Slava was guarding him. He is going to have to score against Karl Malone if the t-wolves are going to win this series. Karl wont be in foul trouble like he was tonight.

    Now on to the postives

    Wally S. really step up tonight. He took the jumpshot. And didnt try to do to much,like over penetrate which he has a tendency to do.

    Derrick Martin also step up tonight. It was a different look for the Lakers & I think it caught them of guard because they really never got a hand up in his face on any of his shots. And they really didnt pressure the ball like they did in game 1, when Sam wasnt in the game.

    Big night from Sprewell as well, he didnt come out taking 20- 25shot without Sam in there. And I think that was his smartest move. He was more of a playmaker. He got the t-wolves' bigs a few easy shots, which gave them confidence on both ends of the court. And he also got Wally a few eay looks as well. And most importantly he set the up & down tempo for the Wolves.

    Great win by the Wolves, now they need at least a split in LA and then the ball is back in their court.
     
    Henacy, May 23, 2004
    #18
  19. Rudeezy

    Rudeezy JBB Senior *********

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    Great game by the Wolves today. Amazing they were able to do this without Cassell. This has to be a huge boost of confidence heading into LA. Absolutely dominating performance by the Wolves.

    The fourth quarter was a prime example on why I hate Malone and Payton.
     
    Rudeezy, May 23, 2004
    #19
  20. Sir Desmond

    Sir Desmond JBB Stig!

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    <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">The fourth quarter was a prime example on why I hate Malone and Payton.</div>

    Amen to the Malone comment. That was just a real cheap shot against the smallest player on the floor, but then again I wouldn't expect anything less from him.

    Would like to see a suspension, but I doubt it. Makes me want the Wolves to win even more, now.
     
    Sir Desmond, May 24, 2004
    #20
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