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I prefer to adopt the "Stay humble, stay hungry" mindset. Overconfidence is exactly the thing about the Lakers that I find so repulsive.
I don't know. Out here in LA, everyone is talking about how the Lakers played such a bad game and how they have to get serious now, etc. -- but they're still not taking the Rockets seriously as a legitimate threat. The Rox didn't win game 1; the Lakers *lost* it. In other words, they are STILL overlooking this team, and I think it might bite them again tonight because they're still overconfident.
Well fans and the actual players are different. It's not like we heard Phil Jackson saying, we beat ourselves we'll own them next time. I'm still pulling for the Rockets to win though. It's fine if their players are, because we'll just own them. Oh and what's your take on the best center?
For whatever reason I have a feeling we might just take game 2, all the media, the Lakers and even some fans have the preception the Lakers in a must win will win tonight but with Kobe saying this is a test for his team when basically it could be your season online really rubs me the wrong way. This whole series gives me the whole "If were going down we are taking you with me" vibe...could be a classic tonight really think so!
i have the feeling we're going to get blown out tonight. especially with odom in the starting lineup so now yao has to guard pau and scola has to guard odom. two huge mismatches in their favor.
I find it interesting that Kobe is behaving like the Lakers are the defending champs. The Lakers have only proven that they were the most consistent team in a topsy-turvy season for the Western Conference. Lakers lost to the Celtics last year because of two things: defense and heart. The Celtics outmuscled and out hustled them and had many things going for them: Pierce playing hard-nose defense against Kobe, Garnett being a offensive option in and out of the paint, a quick point guard running the floor, and a bench stepping up big. What's interesting is that the Rockets are a lot like the Celtics last year...
Before game one I started a thread entitled the "Perfect Storm," how things could come together at just the right time, that the unusual could happen. The first game was still a shocker, but if they win tonight which "seems" unlikely it will prove the perfect storm has formed and is upon us. I truly believe that if the Rockets can get past L.A. they will win it all. And that would be the most improbable thing imaginable. As far as a feeling, well it seems very probable that the Lakers will go for a blow out to regain their confidence. But if that doesn't work they are in deep trouble.
Indeed you did. The thunder is rumbling, the rain is falling, the water is rising... let's see if we can "drown" the Fakers. I'm feelin' it!
I think 'the feeling' is spreading. Now, the TNT crew senses 'it'. I admit it...I felt it when we played Portland and won that last game. We dont look the same. We aren't the same.
Kenny the Jet has that feeling. Chuck Barkley has that feeling. In two more quarters, I think there's going to be an awful lot of bandwagon-hopping by sportswriters nationwide. Too bad John Hollinger couldn't hang onto his convictions for one more season.
When we responded to the ridiculously hot-shooting Lakers in first quarter by evening it up at half time, I think we put a little fear into the mighty Lakers. Now they know they are in some deep ****, because they can't impose their will on us at home, playing with a sense of urgency, and playing against a team whose best player got taken out by the zebras. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but we're the deeper team in this series. Now, that doesn't mean the refs won't put Lakers on the line 18 times in the 4th quarter and let the series go 1-1 before all it's said and done. But I think so far, if we keep this game close, I think we accomplished everything we want to in LA. Anything else is just gravy.
And that's despite the fact that we're missing our $23-million superstar and our veteran defensive presence in the middle. When I started this thread, I thought we would take game 2. But winning at home against a good team with a superstar who gets preferential treatment by the refs is a huge hurdle. Kudos to the Rox that we were able to catch them with a surprise left hook in game 1 when they were busy smiling for the cameras and dreaming of working their way into a picture with Kobe as he holds that trophy aloft. Now they KNOW the Rockets are not scared of them and not intimidated by them. You could see the Lakers' sudden lack of confidence all night long in their actions: * Odom's constant taunting of Scola whenever he out-maneuvered him. * Kobe's screaming at Doug Collins that Battier can't guard him and his own constant taunting of Battier. * Vujacic's cheap fouling all game long. * Fisher's veteran cheap-shot of Scola, knowing that his team needed some energy from the hometown fans because midway through the 4th quarter, the Rockets STILL weren't going away. Those aren't the actions of a confident veteran team who knows they lost game 1 because they were looking ahead. They're the actions of a team that realizes they have a fight on their hands and were desperate to win game 2 because if they lost, there goes their entire championship season. And after a good pounding in game 3, they'll be even less confident.
I have the feeling Game 2 is the best of Lakers with the help of referees. Lakers are done! Trust me, If we can't beat Kobe in this series. Nuggets and Lebron James will!
Agree topfive - nice post. The momentum changed against the Rockets once the Lakers resorted to the cheap, dirty shots - when the game really started getting ugly. Played fairly, I think the Rockets would have won. I had the feeling. Hopefully game 2 was a learning experience. If the Lakers would not play dirty we can win. I believe it. (almost a Dulles grad - bro/sis graduated there - Dulles right behind our house in SCreek - where pro football players lived - don't recall pro BB players, tho, alas).
