Ayup. When the opposing team is running plays to set up Mbenga for points, you know they are toying with you. Kobe is on cruise mode right now. What you have to hope for is that the game stays close, and when he finally tries to take over, he misses first couple of shots.
If Kobe gets going there is nothing you can do about it. When the Rockets beat the Lakers is when they force him to be a volume scorer and get the rebounds on the misses. The Lakers are playing some frisky defense themselves, tonight, so it should be a good second half.
Looks like Rockets are playing 110% just to hang with the Lakers right now, of course the TOs and missed FTs do not help either. We definitely miss bullet-prove Landry here and may fall apart once Lakers tune their game a gear up----but I will take a loss as long as guys fight hard, of course would prefer a win too but looks not likely .
yao needs to smack Kobe with an elbow, Kobe always thinks he can strip Yao, although he does half the time, he fouls him the other half. Anyone see that play when Yao got the def rebound and Kobe smacked him once, Yao almost lost the ball, then Kobe again tried to strip him, fouled him both times and there was no call since Yao kept posession. These refs have been calling "steals" late all game, they wait to see if the ball is turned over, otherwise they dont call it.
Yep, it looks like we would stay away from the Jazz in the first round with either the 4th or 5th seed. But the negative is that the winner of the 4 vs. 5 series would have to face the Lakers in the second round.
The Lakers are the only team in the league that has different gameplans for the first and second halves. 1st half- get everyone involved. 2nd half- let Kobe go one on one. I hope Adelman is making these adjustments during halftime as we speak. Against most teams coaches usually tell their players to keep doing what they've been doing well, but against the Lakers you have to make adjustments every game against their more Kobe-centric 2nd half.
I'm just impressed that we're tied with all the mistakes. happy but not satisfied. Thank God I came comment again.
You're right he can score. But look at those shots he made at the end there. One three with Shanes hand nearly touching his nose and another fading away with Shane all over him. Shane is going to give him difficult shots and Kobe can and will drain them...as long as they are difficult though I have confidence that the other guys will step up on defense tonight. I don't remember any easy layups or open shots for Kobe and that's key. If he(kobe) wants to take those difficult shots and makes them, nothing we can do about that but live with it and focus on everyone else. Even Brooks has done a so-so job tonight. Adelman should have enough experience about the triangle offense.
weird as it sounds...i feel more comfortable against LA than the Jazz... Matchups are better...and theres a whole lot of mental/emotional stuff going on there.
RA hopefully talked to the team to get the ball to Yao in the post throughout the 3rd quarter and see what that gets the team.
i agree with Mark Jackson... Man, if they would just say 'we are going into Yao everytime, UNLESS there is a fastbreak option of a breakdown on LA's defense'...i think theyd own many of the teams they struggle against. When Yao's on the bench getting a breather, THEN Ron can play 'his' game... but RUN THE OFFENSE.
WHY does AB pass away from Yao's side everytime? If Yao sets up on the left, he passes over to the right.
