What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

[Freelance]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

Yep, SoMiss, not the loss so much is the way they lost. To drop a lead like that in the manner they did......

Offensively, they'd just go down the court, dribble until there were 4 seconds on the shot clock, then heave some nasty crap up. Where was the ball movement and kickouts like in the first half?

They'll be stinging tonight for sure.

But the Lakers are done as far as championships. They look way different from last year. It'll be between Sacramento, Dallas, and maybe even Houston this year.

[Gizmo]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

After watching the first half of the game, I was in disbelief and couldn't believe the score. As the second half started, the Lakers continued where they left off and thought they were going to get blown out. But Dallas just couldn't hit their shots and the Lakers came back to prove something. Now, they need to use that mentality and carry it throughout the season.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

ERod,

Keep trying to convince yourself that this game means nothing. What is that 24 losses in a row for the Mavs in L.A.?? I'm sure Charles Barkley will have a field day with this one.

[Freelance]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

It doesn't mean nothing. It means one game. If the Lakers drop five of their next eight, what will it mean then?

It's an embarassing lesson to a Mavs team still learning how to play with a target on their back. When you're up by 30, you turn it into 40. You don't "milk" the clock.

[PittDawg21]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

please help me, fathom this loss

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

you really think Dirk, Nash and Finley think the game meant nothing? I saw the look in Dirk's eyes in the 4th. He looked like a deer in the headlights. Anyways, it doesn't really matter what it means to the Mavs, because they have no say in who wins the title. What's important is that this game may have awoken the true beast in the West.

[neovsmatrix]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

Exactly Erod. They got out of their game plan. Though, they really should have gotten Adrian Griffin back into the game in the fourth to keep Kobe in check. Or at least try to. There was nobody on the floor at the time that could keep him in check but Griffin did a good job when he was in, from what I can tell in the game log on Espn. i only watched the last few minutes though, where I saw the Mavs just choke it away. Disgusting. Hopefully Mavs have learned their lesson and won't let up until the 4th quarter's almost over. It's always possible for a team to come back from 30 in a quarter or two, and teams have to realize that they have to kick their opponents when they are down, or they'll regret it.

[Freelance]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

You can't let off the gas on the Lakers. They've got too much in their favor before the tipoff.

Look, Shaq is going to commit his 35 offensive fouls, and the refs are only going to call 2 of them. By the time he has five fouls, the refs swallow the whistle. Everyone in the league knows that. Therefore, they're never going to be out of a game. You've got to stomp on the gas for 48 minutes against that team. You can not let up like they're just another team.

I agree with the Griffin thing. Kobe had two points in the first half with Griffin on him, the Nelson sat him much of the second half. Didn't get that one.

[rheller]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

I don't think the Mavs gave up in the last quarter. They were trying. Their shots just didn't fall for them. Whether they were tired, choking, or didn't have thier heads in the game, no one will know. They were trying to run pick and roll a lot in that fourth quarter. Late in tough games and in the playoffs outside shots are not always going to fall. That is why I ask again...Do they have a reliable inside presence on the offensive end? (And I don't mean posting up Van Exel)

You've also got to give some credit to the Lakers. They spaced the floor and moved the ball really well against the zone in the second half and made outside shots. Kobe had a field day finding the seams in the zone in the fourth quarter.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Look, Shaq is going to commit his 35 offensive fouls, and the refs are only going to call 2 of them. By the time he has five fouls, the refs swallow the whistle

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aaaahh! Fans of other teams whining about Shaq and the Lakers. That's more like it, music to my ears........

[Gizmo]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

Kobe always seems to amaze me come clutch time. I mean, this guy can go scoreless in the first half and come back in the 4th quarter and drop 25. And he did that tonight.

[Freelance]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

Now, madskillz, you know good and well that if they called it against Shaq like the rest of the big men in the NBA, a big part of his game would be gone.

He gets the ball, plows backward over the guy behind, and dunks.

That was an offensive foul at LSU, which is why they never won jack squat there.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

it wasn't Shaq that brought them back. It was the best player in the league, doing his thing in the clutch like always. Hail KING KOBE!

[WaddupCouzin]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

Here's a novel idea...

Let the Mavericks get to the Finals or even the Western Conference Finals before we start to anoint them the next coming of whatever, Geesh.

Until someone can take it from them, the Lakers still have the Crown .

[FOXYboy]

Re: What the hell is up with THE LAKERS?

corny !