<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Laker coach says the team quit in second half of 117-96 victory by Nuggets, who move 51/2 games ahead of L.A. in the race for the last playoff spot. "The second half, I thought our guys quit to some degree," Hamblen said. "I was really disappointed when Caron Butler stole the ball, went full length for a layup, missed the layup, and his four teammates stood at the other end of the floor within the three-point area, not making one effort to run down there just in case he missed the basket, to put it back in. Not one of them." Kobe Bryant, Chucky Atkins, Chris Mihm and Jumaine Jones were also on the court. "I ain't got no comment to that, man," said Atkins, who had 10 points, four in the second half. "I don't have no comment to that. I ain't going to never give up. We give up? I don't know nothing about that. I speak for myself, I'm going to give it everything I've got as long as I'm out there." Bryant had 18 points, only four in the second half, and made five of 13 shots. "I don't know," Bryant said when asked about Hamblen's assessment. "I felt that we played pretty hard. We got down by 20-something points, we might have hung our heads a little bit, but I felt like we battled hard. They just played much better than we did." Much, much better. The Nuggets had more assists, a better field-goal percentage, more free throws and fewer turnovers. The Laker defense has given up more than 100 points in six consecutive games, and the Lakers are 6-32 when they commit such an act.</div> Source
Good. I hope he blasts them more. That miss by Caron with none of his guys to back him up is uncalled for! Where the hell was the help
Chucky....i love you off the bench...but there is no wonder in my mind why your 30 something and havent been in the league that long. I hate watching LA lose...but as a die hard, i find myself glued to the TV every game...i love the lakers and always will....this is new to me because ive only been a LA fan since around 97'98....all ive known is winning, i was a magic fan before the 95 finals and ive always been a BULLETS/wizkids fan because they are my home team...but LA is where my heart always is and always will be....this hurts but it can only get better.
I agree - Hamblen was put in a bad situation. He had to take over the Lakers in midstream from a Coach that everyone liked (I'm assuming). The Lakers were playing fast break b-ball...but he felt he didnt have the personell to play it effectively. He installed an offense he knew...the Triangle. He now has a team that for the most part has just stopped (e.g. Atkins). I wonder how he would have done with a full summer to work on things. We'll never know. Heck, he didnt even want this mop up job.
