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Rockets vs. Lakers According to the LA Times & Daily News

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by A_3PO, Jan 11, 2007.

  1. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    Very bland stuff.

    http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp...y?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true

    Lakers' loss a tale of woe and ejection
    Game gets away in the third quarter again, as Jackson is thrown out of a 102-77 rout against the Rockets and Bryant suffers a groin strain.
    By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
    January 11, 2007

    HOUSTON — Not that long ago, Phil Jackson wished he could stay in the locker room at halftime to watch "A Christmas Carol" as the Lakers slapsticked their way to a one-sided loss in Miami.

    His holiday wish arrived a little late with his ejection from the Lakers' 102-77 lopsided loss Wednesday to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

    He didn't watch any movies and he had to coach past halftime, but he was joined a bit later by Kobe Bryant, who limped to the locker room with 3:33 to play because of a minor left groin strain. He suffered the injury toward the end of the second quarter, played the entire third quarter and almost half of the fourth, and finished with 20 points and six assists.

    He did not shoot well, making only six of 18 attempts as the Lakers lost consecutive games for only the third time this season.

    Bryant said he expected to play Friday against Orlando, leaving the main headline to Jackson, who is ejected only once or twice a decade, if and when his Zen allows it to happen.

    With 15.3 seconds left in the third quarter, Jackson was hit with two technical fouls, the first for arguing that Luke Walton should have gone to the free-throw line after being hit by Houston center Dikembe Mutombo on a layup attempt. Jackson then walked onto the court and leaned down into the face of referee Tony Brothers for a quick follow-up chat, making his early exit official.

    The last time he had been thrown out of a game was May 21, 2001, when the Lakers took a 2-0 series lead against San Antonio in the Western Conference finals.

    Jackson, who chuckled in an "I-told-these-guys-this-could-happen" way after losing to Memphis on Tuesday, was less amused after falling to the Rockets.

    "It was one of those situations when one of our guys drove to the basket and got knocked into the first row of seats," Jackson said. "I really don't want to talk about it. It's not worth it."

    There will be some talking points if the Lakers lose Friday at home against Orlando. They have not lost three consecutive games this season, and they probably won't have a fully sound Bryant against Orlando.

    Bryant felt a tweak after getting an outlet pass toward the end of the second quarter.

    "I started accelerating and I just pulled it," he said. "I should be fine to play. It just takes some adjusting to. We'll just treat it around the clock like we normally do. Hopefully, it will be closer to 100% than it is now."

    Bryant probably will play, and Jackson probably won't be ejected Friday.

    "I was surprised," Bryant said. "I'm sure all you guys were surprised too. I mean, it just doesn't happen too often. I can't even remember the last time he got ejected."

    Neither Jackson nor Bryant was thrilled with what happened in the third quarter.

    The Lakers didn't give up an embarrassing 46 points as they did in Memphis, but they let the Rockets turn a one-point halftime edge into a 72-58 lead by the time it ended.

    "Teams have really busted us in the third quarter," Bryant said. "If we can kind of solve that mystery and play at least half the quarter decently, we'll be OK."

    The quarter, won by the Rockets, 25-12, was dripping with a numbingly poor Lakers offense and a touch of irony.

    As the Lakers closed in on a four-for-22 shooting effort in the quarter, Mutombo moved past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second in league history with his 3,190th blocked shot. He did it by blocking Andrew Bynum's shot and emphatically wagging a finger. Bynum, of course, is Abdul-Jabbar's protégé.

    "I don't care," Bynum said of Mutombo's antics. "I block shots too. I had a couple of blocked shots, but I didn't wave my finger. That's his thing."

    The Rockets were without Yao Ming, and Tracy McGrady scored only eight points.

    Their mascot, apparently some sort of rodent-bear combination, held up a sign in the fourth quarter that read "Beat L.A."

    It wasn't tough to do Wednesday.

    mike.bresnahan@latimes.com
    __________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.dailynews.com/lakers/ci_4990372

    Lakers suffer painful defeat
    By Ross Siler Staff Writer
    Inside SOCAL
    Article Last Updated:01/11/2007 02:18:48 AM PST

    HOUSTON - In case they needed a reminder of why it was so important to win 12 of those 15 home games to start the season, the Lakers got it Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets when nearly everything that could go wrong did.

    They suffered a 102-77 loss in a game that ended with both Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson in the locker room early. Jackson was ejected in the third quarter while Bryant left the bench with 3:33 remaining after suffering a groin strain in the second quarter.

    It was a night in which 40-year-old Dikembe Mutombo turned back the clock with one finger-wagging block after another. The Lakers shot a season-worst 34.8 percent and came apart in the third quarter for the second time in as many games.

    So went the good feelings from Sunday night's victory over the Dallas in only 72 hours. Now 7-9 on the road, the Lakers can fall back on the 16-4 home record built in November and December at Staples Center.

    "We're not playing the same basketball we were just three days ago when we were at home," Luke Walton said. "We've got to sit down, figure out what we're doing differently and get back on track."

    Bryant finished with 20 points on 6-of-18 shooting and was hindered by the groin injury. He pulled it when he took an outlet pass in the second quarter and went to accelerate. As for his availability Friday against Orlando, Bryant was optimistic after the game.

    "I should be fine to play," Bryant said. "It'll just take some adjusting. We'll just treat it around the clock like we normally do.

    Hopefully, it'll be closer to 100 percent than it is now."

    Already playing without injured starters Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown, the Lakers can ill afford to lose Bryant. Although it was described as a minor strain, Jackson called it "a difficult injury to overcome"

    There was plenty of time for Jackson to think about all that went wrong. He was ejected by referee Tony Brothers with 15.3 seconds left in the third quarter after arguing a foul should have been called when Walton was hammered on a drive by Mutombo.

    "I don't want to talk about it," Jackson said afterward. "He's not worth talking about anyway."

    The Lakers made just 4 of 22 shots in the third quarter. They scored only 31 points in the second half.

    Mutombo blocked Bynum twice around the basket to tie and pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second on the NBA's all-time list.

    ross.siler@dailynews.com

    (818) 713-3607
     
  2. studogg

    studogg Contributing Member

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    I love that damn rodent bear like combination.
     
  3. Cohen

    Cohen Contributing Member

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    :D Isn't it great getting under their skin? I lived in LA for 10 years and had to suffer Laker fanatacism.
     
  4. Rox225

    Rox225 Contributing Member

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    This is the most ridiculous thing. I'm guessing he might be just a little bit of a Laker fan, because you can just sense the anger.

    Clutch is the best damn mascot in the league, and he's a freaking bear. What the hell is a Laker anyways? Someone should email this jerk.
    __________________________________________________________________________

    http://www.dailynews.com/lakers/ci_4990372

    Lakers suffer painful defeat
    By Ross Siler Staff Writer
    Inside SOCAL
    Article Last Updated:01/11/2007 02:18:48 AM PST

    HOUSTON - In case they needed a reminder of why it was so important to win 12 of those 15 home games to start the season, the Lakers got it Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets when nearly everything that could go wrong did.

    They suffered a 102-77 loss in a game that ended with both Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson in the locker room early. Jackson was ejected in the third quarter while Bryant left the bench with 3:33 remaining after suffering a groin strain in the second quarter.

    It was a night in which 40-year-old Dikembe Mutombo turned back the clock with one finger-wagging block after another. The Lakers shot a season-worst 34.8 percent and came apart in the third quarter for the second time in as many games.

    So went the good feelings from Sunday night's victory over the Dallas in only 72 hours. Now 7-9 on the road, the Lakers can fall back on the 16-4 home record built in November and December at Staples Center.

    "We're not playing the same basketball we were just three days ago when we were at home," Luke Walton said. "We've got to sit down, figure out what we're doing differently and get back on track."

    Bryant finished with 20 points on 6-of-18 shooting and was hindered by the groin injury. He pulled it when he took an outlet pass in the second quarter and went to accelerate. As for his availability Friday against Orlando, Bryant was optimistic after the game.

    "I should be fine to play," Bryant said. "It'll just take some adjusting. We'll just treat it around the clock like we normally do.

    Hopefully, it'll be closer to 100 percent than it is now."

    Already playing without injured starters Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown, the Lakers can ill afford to lose Bryant. Although it was described as a minor strain, Jackson called it "a difficult injury to overcome"

    There was plenty of time for Jackson to think about all that went wrong. He was ejected by referee Tony Brothers with 15.3 seconds left in the third quarter after arguing a foul should have been called when Walton was hammered on a drive by Mutombo.

    "I don't want to talk about it," Jackson said afterward. "He's not worth talking about anyway."

    The Lakers made just 4 of 22 shots in the third quarter. They scored only 31 points in the second half.

    Mutombo blocked Bynum twice around the basket to tie and pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second on the NBA's all-time list.

    ross.siler@dailynews.com

    (818) 713-3607[/QUOTE]
     
  5. jd3

    jd3 Contributing Member

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    I love that! It must really suck to live in LA, i know he's good but i just don't like KOBE.
     
  6. Will

    Will Clutch Crew
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    Pssssssst ... It's called "bad coaching" ...
     
  7. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Contributing Member

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    Someone needs a hug :D

    Ahh, I take joy in the fact that we got under their skin.
     
  8. gfab-babyboi

    gfab-babyboi Contributing Member
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    Their mascot, apparently some sort of rodent-bear combination, held up a sign in the fourth quarter that read "Beat L.A." .


    hahahah this is freakin hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CLUTCH doesnt look nothing like an rodent...they are tripping.
     
  9. finalsbound

    finalsbound Contributing Member

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    That is terrible journalism. The second one is almost as bad as the first, but the first is just complete and utter bull****, just a bland article filled with homerism, anger, and fluff. Where are the stats? Not once did the writer give credit where it's due...to the Rockets. The entire article basically said "Our team is the best and we're martyrs and the refs GAVE it to the Rockets we're bitter we lost cause Kobe's injured blahh blah blah." Rodent-Bear? Are you kidding me? It's amusing, but moreso annoying to me. Laker fans, and now I guess their beat writers, are absolutely classless.
     
  10. DVauthrin

    DVauthrin Contributing Member

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    Oh poor phil jackson, woe is me, my team never gets any calls. I feel so sorry for you, philip.

    Please, I still remember the sacto and minnesota debacles and the jordan rules.
     
  11. Taothit

    Taothit Member

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    Nothing much new there. I think that we should use the guys email address and send him a heart warming picture of Clutch, a caption that says "Clutch thinks you need a hug", and then link the youtube vid of Luther Head poserizing Ronny Turiaf just to round out the email.
     
  12. Nice Rollin

    Nice Rollin Contributing Member

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    NICCCCCCCCCE. THEY'RE MAD....THE ONLY THING THEY CAN TALK ABOUT IS CLUTCH THE BEAR. LOL....thats when you know you're mad!
     
  13. NIKEstrad

    NIKEstrad Contributing Member
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    I thought good coaches make adjustments? Like fixing problems at halftime? PJax was probably thinking of a new line to use on Kwame.

    I'd like to see the Rockets 3rd quarter numbers. I don't think this was the first time we played a game close in the first half only to absolutely paste the opponent in the 3rd quarter.
     
  14. DVauthrin

    DVauthrin Contributing Member

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    heres the thing that really stuck out in the 3rd quarter. Everybody but kobe bryant was taking the majority of shots. And the couple shots he got were the kind of shots he criticized arenas for taking earlier this season.
     
  15. topfive

    topfive CF OG

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    The Rockets don't need to be all that concerned with the Lakers finishing above them in the conference standings -- it won't happen, because they're simply not that good.

    Currently, both teams have identical 23-13 records. A closer look, though, shows that the Lakers have played 20 games at home and only 16 on the road, while the Rox are just the opposite: 16 home and 20 away. If we could force the Lakers to play their next four on the road and the Rox to play theirs at home, we'd be looking at records more like HOU 26-14 and LAL 24-16.

    Add to that the fact that LA has lost to Memphis, Seattle, New Orleans, Charlotte and Portland -- 5 of the worst 6 teams in the league. And they lost those games by an average of double-digit points.

    The Lakers starting 5 are not as talented as the Rockets', and their bench is nowhere near as deep. By the end of the season, LA will be clinging to the 7th or 8th playoff spot.
     
  16. macfan

    macfan Contributing Member

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    It's exactly right. Teams like Dallas and San Antonio always start quarters with great intensity and focus.

    If some of these "Fire JVG" clowns would understand that, they would see that Van Gundy is at the top of his profession
     
  17. GRENDEL

    GRENDEL Contributing Member

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    Wow, you are really grasping at straws when the best you can do is try and poke fun at our mascot!

    Funny that first article didn't run any of the quotes from the Lakers players saying they got their butts whipped
     

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