Tim Duncan was playing as a solo act...no David Robinson...and Smith and Parker didn't exactly step up big. I hate to credit Phil Jackson for anything, but I'm sure he and the coaching staff knew what to do: bludgeon Duncan, make them beat you from outside or off the dribble...but Duncan is the team's only consistent force. So go after him. I couldn't watch much of this game because it looks like the Lakers are gonna tippy-toe into the Western and NBA Finals. I can only hope the Kings sweep; Sacramento and Dallas could beat each other up in 7 (more likely) setting up destruction by the well-rested Lakers. And yes, the officials swallowed the whistles in this game. The Spurs might have benefited as well. You can bet in the Staples Center, the Lakers will get the calls. Hopefully the pendulum will swing in game 3. Actually, with luck, Duncan will see how much it sucks being the Solo Tower and decide to go play in the East after next season. One can dream (I say dream, because I don't know if he'd just leave his old team w/o compensation).
ln all honesty I think the Spurs just choked today. Yeah the Lakers are great on D but the Spurs role players never seem to make any clutch three pointers down the stretch even when their wide open. I mean when they collapsed on Duncan at the end of the game, and the Spurs were down 3, Duncan kicked it out to a wide open Bruce Bowen who simply bricked the shot as badly as you can brick it. I mean Bowen is a terrible 3pt shooter I dont care what his percentages say. The bottom line is the Spurs do not have one player who has proven he can hit the open clutch jump shot. Almost everyone on the Lakers can do it, Fox, Horry, Fisher, Shaw practically make a living on the wide open jumpshot...they play good D but their ability to hit clutch shots is something the Spurs do not have at all. Steve Smith had some 3's early on and had one in the fourth but after that he airballed the next 3, and he had a good look! What kind of junk is that? If this were Mario Elie or a 99 Sean Elliot those threes would go down as much as a Fisher or Horry three pt attempt. The bottom line is Duncan does not have the right personel yet, Parker is improving, Bowen plays good D, but on the offensive end the Spurs are a liability come clutch time. Its like they can hit threes during the game, but in the fourth when Duncan is double and triple teamed the team can never seem to hit clutch shots. Its like Duncan almost senses that....the Lakers can just double team him and force him to pass it, cause as long as the Lakers leave Bowen wide open they know he will miss the shot 9/10 times in the fourth quarter. That does not sound like the Spurs 99 team, who were miles ahead of this team. I like Parkers poise, but hes a little young to be a huge impact and help to Duncan. I felt he did a decent job in Game 1. Anyway I feel Duncan should of done better and Shaq did outplay him overall, but I do not think that Shaq is miles ahead of Duncan. Duncan when he has some LAKER like clutch shooters around him will be just as deadly as Shaq. Shaq will dunk on Duncan and block him but Duncan could wear Shaq down if it were one on one. Yeah down the stretch Shaq might block Tim or stop him once, but can he do it the entire game? I mean its usually guys like Horry and Samaki who double team Duncan while Shaq guards a 7 inches shorter and 100 pounds lighter Malik Rose. Now is that really fair to Duncan? I mean he has very little room for error, he has to play perfect almost for the Spurs to win, and if he doesnt, the Spurs suppoting cast wont hit clutch shots anyway. In all honesty the Lakers are the better team, Shaq and Kobe lead them and their support plays great along side of them. Guys like Horry, Fox, Fisher HIT CLUTCH shots and play D, Spurs supporting cast simply does not. I think if Duncan and Shaq switched teams right now the Lakers would still crush the Spurs, some people underestimate the Lakers supporting cast and simply come to the conclusion that its Duncan who is simply not as good as Shaq or even Kobe as a playoff performer...but it isnt true. Lakers are simply the better team overall...period. If the Spurs even make this a series it will be because of Duncans leadership and dominance accompanied by the role players abilities to hit OPEN SHOTS. Its as simple as that. You know the Lakers support will come up in the clutch, but your pretty sure the Spurs support will not.
Nikos, more or less agree with you. Spurs need TD to play incredible (which he is capable of) but even then it may not be enough.
I already conceded that last season's Laker team was one of the best in NBA history. I've complained about the Lakers and officiating in a whopping total of three games this season. If that's EVERYTIME, there must be a new definition.
The way I see it a day later is, The Role players for the Lakers made the shots when they needed to be made. You can't look at either starting five and say that they did a really good out there and played with what there capable of. The play of Tim Duncan and the injuries to Kobe and Shaq(at different times) basically canceled each other out. The Spurs role players couldn't get them going when they were down or even up a few points to get a lead, and the LA role players stuck in there until the last 4 or so minutes which in turn gave Kobe just enough time to get a few clutch shots down.
