Lakers 89, Spurs 85: Instant Analysis
You gotta feed TimmyWhy the Lakers won: Two words: “Defense” and “Kobe.” After looking a little sluggish for the first part of the game, the Lakers found themselves down 20 at one point. In half No. 2, both Kobe and the Lakers’ team D showed up in a big way. They went on a 40-16 run by forcing the Spurs into bad shots while Kobe took over (27 points, 25 in the second half).
Why the Spurs Lost: They didn’t go to Tim Duncan enough. TD got enough touches to get himself 30 points, but they were getting nothing from the supporting cast in the second half. If no one else is gonna step up, you win or lose with your star. Manu was terrible tonight (8 points, and three bad turnovers), as was San Antonio’s shot selection down the stretch (Ime Udoka’s two hideous airballs pretty much summed it up). They let themselves get flustered by the swarming Lakers.
May 21st, 2008 at 11:58 pm
G says:
first
May 21st, 2008 at 11:59 pm
G says:
p.s. Kobe is the man. It just feels so good to watch the spurs flop all over the court in the agony of defeat.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 am
MaMba says:
LAKERS!!!! KOBE G.O.A.T
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:01 am
G says:
p.s.s. Oh yea and watching kobe put bruce bowen on skates for the game winner
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
Austin Burton says:
Spurs aren’t worried. Duncan had 30 points and 18 boards, and they only lost by 4 on the road to a team that’s been resting. They’ve been down 0-1 plenty of times.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
JHov says:
Did anyone else catch Kobe tipping the ball back in for the Spurs? So he tied the game for them and then he won the game for his team?!?! Crazy..Lakers in 6!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:03 am
hahns says:
MAMBA CANNOT BE STOPPED
KB24
GOAT
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:03 am
Austin Burton says:
By “on skates” do you mean he pushed off?
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
G says:
As far as pushing off you can refer to my previous post about flopping all over the court
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:08 am
JHov says:
But Austin peep this..Duncan had 30 and 18..in a loss! The Lakers don’t care if he gets 40 and 20! It’s the fact that they are negating Ginobli,Ume, Finley, Bowen,etc. That’s the key to winning the series…
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 am
Washington the Frog says:
Austin:
Bowen was sliding all over the place before the hard bump (pushoff? How do you push off with both hands on the ball?) Kobe gave him. Sick play. No way you’re gonna call “pushoff” on that, maaaannn?!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
Austin Burton says:
Kobe used his elbow. I’m not saying it was the worst thing in the world or that he wouldn’t have got the shot off anyway — and I know Bowen overacts when he gets pushed off (was doing the same against Chris Paul) — but Kobe definitely pushed off with the elbow. Watch the replay.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 am
G says:
It’s a hard drive by Kobe you can see his elbow come out a little, but by no means was it a foul just a great play by a great player. (washington the frog is right bowen was skatin before the “push off”)
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 am
JHov says:
Okay Austin I will give you that play if we can go back in time and replay the Jordan play against Russell in the Finals!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
Washington the Frog says:
He got him with the elbow/forearm/shoulder and all that…(if I remember right…) but right before Kobe made his move, he gave Brucey a lil jab step that had him sliding on skates. I think that’s what dude was referring to. The bump he gave him, or elbow or whatever, was the Guard version of what Shaq does in the post. Kobe ain’t elbow dude in the THROAT like Shaq does all the time, but he got them guns up and out-manned Bowen. And Bowen overreacting and basically running out the picture is what freed Kobe up for the WIIIIDE open jumper. Bowen could’ve at LEAST gotten a hand in his face if he actually attempted to play real defense, instead of flopping his way out of it.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
rangerjohn says:
wow are G and JHOV the same guy?
austin i think you are right, kobe pushed but it was not nearly as bad as chris paul did.
i have to say, manu was the key, nobody slowed him anything out of the ordinary, he missed A TON of open shots. i watched at minimum 3 WIDE OPEN 3’s he would normally make but i am guessing he is tired.
hey lakers protected home court with a huge come back, spursw lost a great chance but they know what they need to do now.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:19 am
courtlegend says:
it doesnt matter what the spurs do this series and tonight proved it
kobe toyed with them by just jogging up and down the court for a half (im sorry bruce bowen had nothing to do with him only scoring 2 pts) and then he turned it on when he felt like it theres nothing the spurs can do to stop him
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
rangerjohn says:
hey cant knock bowens “D” kobe got his points off udoka AND MANU, bowen altered, slowed, locked kobe. watch teh game, kobe had maybe 2-3 plays all game on bowen that where “memerable” everything else came on other defenders. pop has to figure out how to keep bowen on him more. as an example, bowen was never in foul trouble but kobe played 8 more minutes then bowen.
what gets me, yahoo.com has the head title ” laker stun spurs”. i dont think the spurs are even remotely stunned, they would have loved the win but it is the lakers IN LA! stunned? i dont think so
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
Ding Dong the Hornets are Dead says:
Its great how you spur fans are so optimistic
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
Austin Burton says:
That’s just silly. Kobe didn’t try hard in the first half? He wanted his team to be behind at halftime and get down 20 in the third quarter? Kobe is great, but you’re giving him WAY too much credit.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
shhhhhooops says:
I hate bowen.. but Kobe fucking pushed off.. just ridiculous that the game was decided on Kobe’s “gret move”… the NBA is such bullshit sometimes it’s unreal. his last basket he was able to clearout everyone by 10 ft witha stiff arm… this would be a great move in the nfl. the nba is just ridiculous when it comes to superstars. fuck it.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 am
rangerjohn says:
@court, so the spurs had NOTHING TO DO WITH 1 for 6 in the 1st half? so kobe said “im gonna miss 5 shots in the 1st so i can look like a hero in the second” your an idiot if you actually believe that!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 am
Washington the Frog says:
DAG this NBA foolishness keeps me up WAAAY too late…I gotta WORK in the morning! What am I DOING?! East coast time, too, so you KNOW it’s gonna be rough. Aite peace y’all. Lakers up Spurs down.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
rangerjohn says:
did anyone catch kobe trying to pull a chirs paul and “tattle taleing” but covering his face with the ball.
now here is my question, the camera angle, they showed an “above floor” angle BUT only on the spurs end of the floor. i saw it a couple times and though “is it just me?” and so i watched much closer, and it never one time showed that angle over the lakers offense. so no “conspiricy” but i find it odd that they would show the way the spurs offense is running for he cameras.
just odd, maybe nothing i guess
watch game 2 for this and you tell me
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
hahns says:
washington, i feel you dude. but dime, you guys are the only thing gettin me through work everyday!!!!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:29 am
K Dizzle says:
Congrats, Austin. When did you get the job as VP of Public Relations for the Spurs? I hope you’re not writin today’s smack. Spurs aren’t worried? Who’d you talk to? It’s obvious Manu’s hurt and his inability to slice and cut and elevate should maybe cause a bit of concern.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
Washington the Frog says:
ok one more thing! @ RangerJohn:
Nah, man…everyone already knows what the Spurs offense is running.
Option 1: Post Duncan for the 2
Option 2: Post Duncan for the 2, if Double team comes kick out for the 3
Option 3: Let Tony Parker keep the ball and get out of the way
Option 4: Let Manu Ginobili keep the ball and get out of the way
No need for SpyGate cameras dog.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
rk2 says:
LO and derek fisher only had 12 combined points,
by comparison, parker and ginobli combined for 26 points…
the lakers won…
think about that spurs fans…
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:33 am
Oscarisalakerfan says:
GO LAKERS!!!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOHOOOO!!!!!
What a comeback….
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
drewstar says:
something for spurs fans to worry about..but any phil jackson coached team that has won game 1 of a playoff series is *yikes*.. 40-0.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:41 am
rangerjohn says:
@rk2
yeah spurs fans have thought about that, but manu shot pourly, parker didnt (he shot about his average). to think manu is going to have more bad games like this? spurs fans (and spurs players) know better. but then lets think about this, LO is a huge part of the ofeense with rebounds and “pick and roll/pop” and yet neither was effective, farmar played better defense then fisher on parker, must not be to happy about that lakers fan.
here is a stat for lakers fan, duncan had more points (30-27) then gasol/odom, more rebounds (18-15) he had the same number of steals and blocks, and 1 less turn overs then the combo. THAT CANT BE GOOD!
spurs just shot to many jumpers and manu was to tired. he needs to step it up!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 am
Austin Burton says:
@KDizzle — Weren’t the Spurs down 0-2 against the Hornets? Who won that series?
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
andy says:
manu’s brother on TV kept talking about how tired he looked.
I wish the Spurs won but at least they scared the hell out of everyone in gold and purple.
Let’s see what happens on Friday.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 am
daquest?on says:
has n e one noticed that nomar garciaparra((baseball player whos in the gatorade commercial bowling) looks identical to manu ginobili
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
If anyone should feel good about this game its the Lakers. Not just because they found a way to win, but because they played like crap and STILL one.
Thats the diff between Kobe and LBJ/CP3. - He can and does WILL his team to victory.
There was no way he was going to lose that game period.
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 am
Oscarisalakerfan says:
perspective of a laker fan:
happy as hell they won
“locked kobe” thats a negative kobe missed jumpers he regularly makes….maybe slowed him down but to say that he locked him is a hyperbole…….
in that case sasha put manu in a jail cell locked it up and ate the key…. lmao on my way to sleep
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:20 am
godfreyallstar says:
please dont call kobe GOAT. ever.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 am
Amar Panchmatia says:
This game came down to the two coaches: Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. I can’t believe Pop didn’t keep pounding it down low and letting the Spurs keep taking high-percentage shots. The Lakes were out getting transition points and getting up and down the floor and the Spurs were shooting 3s. What the hell was Manu thinking there in the second half?
I think the Spurs come back and win Game 2. They are the better team…they just had a massive brain fart there in the second half of Game 1. This team is way too poised to let Game 1 get to them.
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 am
Common Sense says:
lol @ the conspiracy theory by ranger
the cameras are on our plays?
what plays?
get the ball to duncan then spot up on strong baseline for an open 3 or the play where parker goes 1 on 5 for a score?
just pathetic….
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 am
courtlegend says:
@ ranger john
obviously i dont believe kobe wanted to be down 20, im just saying if he can have it on cruise control like that for a whole half, and you can’t deny it because when kobe attempts 6 shots the entire half and says “i was letting the game come to me a little too much” he obviously was crusing somewhat
and if he can get away with that and still win the spurs have serious problems that they might not be able to overcome
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 am
Desert Storm says:
@ courtlegend
kobe only attempted 3 shots in the first half…always check rangerjohn’s stats. they’re usually skewed in his argument’s favour and they’re usually wrong LMAO!!
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:33 am
rk2 says:
@ rangerjohn
in response to your question, no i don’t think that manu will always have games like this…but then again, he might…he doesn’t have a good history against the lakers…
do you think LO and fisher will always have games like this? will tim duncan average 30 and 18 throughout the series? probably not…
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:02 am
Flying_Dutchman says:
Boston-Lakers final - Thats how David would want it >:(
(This coming from a Piston fan)
But yeah, I also thought it was Kobe who made that tip in at the end in the Spurs basket
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
rangerjohn says:
man you guys need to lighten up. the “camera is on our team” was a joke, (phil and bellechik being refered to in the same sentence all the time)
@ d storm, excuse me? so maybe ihe was 1 for 6 for 2.5 quarters instead of just 2. and i hate to say this but my stats are generally pretty damn close or right on!
all in all it was a rough loss and while this lakers team is not the denver nuggets, the spurs have been down 0-1 plenty of times and come back to win.
parker had a nice little game going, duncan DESTROYED, and manu and finley sucked. so much for “we dont need bynam pau can handle duncan” i tel you this, lakers will not come back from a lead like that again. no way do the spurs blow another lead over 10 in the 4th and lose the game.