Weak

the game was SUSPECT at the very least.

 

what was weak was the turnovers

 

Calmest and most useful thread I've ever read on this forum. Adelman should pass this onto his players. You are exactly right. We did not play a mentally tough game. And mental toughness would be the only thing that can carry a team missing their 20million star to the finals.

 

Wafer I agree. You don't lose your cool with the coach in a tight playoff game.

I disagree about Artest. Even Kobe thought he shouldn't be ejected. A technical foul sure. And I can live with that technical. You can't let other teams bully you. So that's not weak in the head. Artest was relatively calm; no reason at all he should have been ejected that quickly because of a short exchange with Kobe. What is weak, however, is the few occasions he stopped playing within the team concept and started dribbling into traffic.


This team needed pit bulls and they got 'em. What will be interesting to see is if our pit bulls can channel their ferocity or if they go wild.

 

Agreed. This wasn't about being mentally weak, it was about letting people know you're not going to take the crap they throw just because they are Kobe Bryant.

You said Kobe looked to the refs for intervention. What was Artest supposed to do? Take the elbow, talk to the ref, and walk away like nothing happened? Kobe baited him and Artest bit, but it wasn't worthy of an ejection. Artest played the game and nothing happened, so he let Kobe know what was on his mind.

I hate that basketball is being so watered down with, "Let's all just play the game! No hand checking on the perimeter, guys! No trash-talking either!" This game got out of hand and the refs tried to keep up.

I remember watching Gary Payton yap non-stop to anyone that would listen. I remember Hakeem confronting Antonio McDyess. I remember guys like Charles Oakley. I am sure you're old enough to remember things far beyond my time, but that wasn't being mentally weak.

The refs blew the call and ejected him for no reason.

 

There's a point when you have to force the officials/league to take a look at some of the things going on. Shane didn't react to Kobe kneeing and elbowing him in the head and it was never mentioned in the media. I was proud of Shane for that but tonight you saw Kobe take it to the next level. If Ron didn't react what do you think happens in game 3? Maybe Kobe gives one of his famous "throw his off hand into the defenders nose" move and puts Battier out for a game or two with a broken nose or cheek bone.

I'm completely fine with how the Rockets reacted tonight. Regardless of what Ron did that game was over. The Lakers were going to win.

The Rockets need to regroup, focus and remind themselves how they got here. They need to avoid anymore of the jawing and trash talk that the (scared) Lakers are trying to draw them into. But the way the Lakers are going needed to be exposed. Now, thanks to Ron, Kenny and Charles are talking about this and everyone watching this series sees the Lakers for what they are.

 

I think a team benefits from having Shanes and from having Rons. Any team needs some toughness. Ron is our team's identity, in that sense.


Shane is someone who is tough in a mental sense. A team needs that also.

I can't explain why I love this team, but these are two reasons. I can't even go to sleep tonight...

 

Ron is tough and you are completely wrong on this.

He made a statement. Yeah, he knew he would get a tech but sometimes you need to do that to make your point, coaches and players do it all the time. Unfortunately, because this was Artest he got tossed. If Kobe had done the same thing he would have just got a tech.

The refs won't let the rockets win a physical game. They have to let it be known that they won't take this. Put pressure on the refs to clean this series up.

 

Sorry Will, I think this thread is weak. We weren't likely to win this game, and Barkley's comments made that call an NBA issue.

I'm glad Artest did what he did, and am grateful for what he didn't do. If we have to lose a game and gain an advantage from it for being righteous, I'm all for it.

You definitely wouldn't want to explain all this to a Sunday school class, but there is a time to make waves, and tonight was the perfect situation to do so.

 

Usually I like Will's post, but I have to disagree with him on RonRon.

I think EddieWasSnubbed hit it right here.

 

Will, I see what you are saying, but there is a point when you have to stand up for yourself when no one else will. In this case, that no one is the refs. Kobe elbows Artest in the neck, and the Refs call a foul on Artest? In this case, Artest is completely justified.

 

Disagree, Ron did what he's supposed to do. Stood up for himself.

 

I fully agree with Baqui99. The Lakers now know that the Rockets won't stand for that crap and allow for LA to play dirty. If you don't get in their face and even give some of it back, you're going to be viewed as weak, and in the NBA the aggressor usually gets the benefit of the doubt. This way they'll have to call it more closely and maybe evenly on both ends. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

 

I like what Ron did...I love what Ron did.

The Lakers were being dirty all night long, and the Refs were letting them so at that point Rockets have to let the Lakers know that they are not getting away with that.

You have to send a message if the Refs are not going to. That's what Adelman did in Portland, he lobbied to the refs.

That's what Ron Ron did tonight, he's letting the Refs know...he's showing them that Kobe is getting away with too much.

Had Ron did nothing, remember Ron was called for the foul. Had Ron just did nothing the refs would continue to do nothing about this. That's why guys take fines and techs for this stuff, in the end it's usually worth it.

Ron just put the spotlight on Kobe for game 3.

 

They were tightening the foul calling to regain control of the game by giving Artest a foul for getting elbowed in the throat.

Never understimate the carry over officiating from one game to the next. Phil Jackson has made a habit of planting the seeds for the next officiated game by putting out quotes about calls between games. Hopefully the constant replay of the Kobe elbow and the Fisher foul will help us in the rest of the series.

 

Agree with the OP 100%.

FAIL FOR ALL THOSE WHO THINK IT WAS SMART FOR ARTEST TO GET HIMSELF THROWN OUT OF THE GAME WHEN THE GAME WAS ON THE LINE.

You want reprisal for Kobe's elbow? You BEAT THEM IN THIS GAME.

Kobe wanted Artest to get ejected, and he had a nice smirk when Artest got thrown out.

Kobe will do this over and over, and if we lose future games because Artest gets ejected or suspended, we are playing into Kobe's hands.

Let the NBA review Kobe's cheapshots and if they do nothing about it, shrug it off and focus your energy into beating LA.

Artest could punch Kobe in the face but if Kobe walks away winning this series, guess who is laughing at the end?

 

I agree somewhat, but at the other hand I am glad ron did what he did in this game.
Something had to be done about kobe's dirty playS and this was a good time to do it.
How the hell does someone ELBOW two players in TWO back to back games and does not even get called for a foul???!!
I know it's the lakers, but is this the image NBA is looking for??
I mean a broken face, a almost broken knee, and two elbows with NO CALLS?

I am glad ron did this , specially while STU was there watching the game.
Actually, I would say our fans should start sending as many emails to the leauge office as possible and demand a penalty for both kobe and fisher!!!

Call me what you want, but that needs to be done.
Our guys are fighting fare and square and we have a much greater chance at this then many think.
Last but not least, I AM PROUD OF OUR GUYS, regardless of the outcome.

Contact the NBA office please!!!!

 

Ron Artest was going Chuck Hayes on Kobe, and Kobe threw a violent elbow at him.

And Scola didn't lay down. He was knocked down by Fisher. It was such a violent hit that it caused Luis's head to fly forward and his teeth to cut open the side of Derek's head.

And quite frankly, I'd rather have Derek Fisher playing the next game than their other point guards.

 

If LA wants a dirty series, I'll take our guys seven days a week and twice on Sunday.