Shout Outs To The Shrink, An Angry Spaniard & Other Reasons The Lakers Won
Pathetic. That’s how I would’ve put it. That was just a pathetic offensive performance. It’s really the only way to describe a game when a team shoots 32 percent from the field and their two best players go 6-26 in the first half of the biggest game of their lives. When Ron Artest is your best option for putting the ball in the hoop, you’ve got problems.
Phil Jackson put the arctic conditions in perspective: “It was tough sledding out there.â€
But as out of sync as L.A. was on the offensive end, their defense was about as good as it gets. Through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter, the Lakers held Boston to just two field goals- a Kevin Garnett layup and a short jumper from Ray Allen. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom did an incredible job rotating on defense, hedging on every screen. Artest was overwhelming in his control of Paul Pierce during the final period as well. The Truth went just 1-5 with four points in the fourth.
Once they fell behind 23-14 at the end of the first quarter, L.A. was climbing uphill the rest of the way. But because there defense was so good, Boston was never able to really open up a cushion. Both times that the Celtics went up by double digits, the Lakers cut it right down. Boston couldn’t score much either and Allen and Pierce combined to shoot 8-29 for the game.
There’s a cliché out there that says Game 7s aren’t about numbers, rather heart and desire. That was never more evident than last night. You think Artest didn’t want this? For a while, he was the only Laker involved in the game, the only one who seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. A few years ago, David Stern wanted the Queensbridge Kid out for good. Tonight, he played the way he had to, as if his whole career and image was on the line. Pierce wanted to win. Artest had to win. Those five steals and 20 points he delivered were the difference.
There was Andrew Bynum playing on one wheel, having his knee drained multiple times in a month just so he could give his eight minutes. Derek Fisher was there, making a big fourth quarter shot again, even after enduring months of talk about how his ineffectiveness would derail this repeat run. Odom, with all the personal tragedy and individual basketball troubles, was still continuing to put those around him ahead of himself.
Gasol, the whipping boy for so long, took it right to Garnett and the rest of the Boston frontline in the fourth quarter with nine final period points. Will there ever be a question again about his toughness? He is still timid and not commanding at times, but in a Game 7, Gasol had 18 rebounds. His longtime nemesis, the man who went out of his way to insult him and seemed to relish making him look bad – Garnett – had 3. Think about that for a second, okay?
And don’t let anyone say this game told us nothing about Kobe Bryant. He was out of his element, forcing shots and not playing team ball. That wasn’t the real Kobe out there last night. Hell nah. That game was exactly what Kobe Bean Bryant is about: a relentless, tireless will to win. His desire was never more prominent. Missed shots weren’t going to deter him. Neither were double-digit second half deficits. He just kept coming. He kept competing. He was going to shoot 6-36 if that’s what it took.
The man has outlasted any competition he’s ever had. Tonight was no different.
While that relentlessness manifested itself in some ugly shots – airballs and off-balance fadeaways – it also rubbed off on the rest of the team. It helped him grab 15 rebounds in a game where the Lakers were again dominant on the backboards.
This was about Bryant doing what everyone said he couldn’t: get teammates to love him and fight with him.
Numbers were thrown out the window in this one. This game focused on something harder to pinpoint, impossible to see. That was not the same L.A. team that lost in the Finals in 2008. That was not even the same unit that won last year. It was an older group, wiser and tougher. When it came down to winning time, they faced down the Boston veterans and took what was theirs.
What do you think? Why did L.A. win?
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June 18th, 2010 at 10:36 am
PHECKZ!? says:
They won because DAVID STERN wanted them to WIN!!!
June 18th, 2010 at 10:39 am
PHECKZ!? says:
“i have no idea how we won that game”
Kobe Bryant
I kinda do, read excerpts from Tim Donghy’s book online that David Stern sent his whole pack of ISRAELITE legal team to deam bullshit, but it only made it that much more relevant as you watch and perceive the NBA as more of a business than a respectable game…
June 18th, 2010 at 10:55 am
nola says:
^^ if you really believe it’s all a fixed game, get the fuck out of here and stop watching basketball. stop watching sports.
June 18th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Showtime says:
U give up 23 offensive rebounds and blame that on Stern and Donaghy? I’m not even gonna argue with an obvious hater. The more props to a guy like “Celts Fan” who respects the game and the people involved instead of hating
June 18th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Dr. Jumper says:
Hey PHECKZI, tell you what, how about you quit watching basketball, kick rocks, and jump into the Gulf Coast, you diabolical hater…
June 18th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
laker faker says:
check the free throw discrepancy…Lakers shot 20+ more fouls then Boston in a 4 point game….What about Gasol travel on his double pump…I knew he didn’t have hang time like that..THEN HE GETS AN AND 1 OUT OF WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED A TRAVEL…Gasol hacks KG on a clear lay up attempt and no call…N.ational B.usiness A.ssociation Joey Crawford for playoff MVP
June 18th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
PHECKZ!? says:
Come down Mr. Jumper, no need for keyboard warriorness on here..
N by the way, who the fux uses the word “diabolical” lol!
Obeseness is affecting your brain homeboi, either that, or boinking your cousins in the bumbum is stopping the circulation from your oversized clitoris to ejaculate correctly, hence, the “diabolical” wording you use to fondle your dopeamines while think of how you just ethered somebody over the keyboard.. try me again, keyboard warriorness is my religeon, ALONG WITH MAKING “MAYBE” VALID POINTS AND CORRECTLY STATING MY OPINION IN WHICH YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, THEREFORE HOLDS YOU BACK FROM STATING YOUR TRUE FEELINGS, HENCE, THE IGRNORANCE YOU GRACED THE “DIABOLICAL COMMENT” WITH…
Showtime, i respect your response and obviously rebounding was very key but once again, WTF does that have to do with the point i’m making about the bigger picture, okay so u understand, what does rebounds have to do with “BUSINESS” to “RESPECTING THE PURE ESSENCE OF THE GAME ITSELF”
neways…
PHECKZILLA RAAAAAARRRRRRRR MADAFUDGERS!!!
p.s. please don’t flag, i think i make some valid points!
June 18th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
PHECKZ!? says:
Laker Faker
Don’t expect a knowledgable response to your FACTS homeboi!
You are on point with statement, especially a 4 point swing like that, an obvious 2 possession game that could of easilly went in favor of Boston. Even my peoples who are diehard Laker fans are realest and believe that Celts got dicked out at the end…
June 18th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
sa says:
i love how during hte game the announcer point out every bad call towards both teams (which are pretty even) and then the people come online nad complain about the ones on their teams as if the other ones didnt happen.
June 18th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
K Dizzle says:
Please. You ain’t got one friend who’s a “Diehard Laker fan” who thinks the Celts got “dicked”
Game was tied with 5 minutes left. Celts couldn’t score. Lakers did.
Always some loser who posts conspiracy theories like Stern made Fisher’s and Artest’s 3s drop but made Pierce shoot 1-5 in the last 4 minutes.
They let em play for once like everybody been askin.
Stop lookin foolish.
Both teams scrapped hard. Better team last night at the end of the game won
June 18th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Lake Fan says:
cosign Dr. Jumper and sa
Pheckz?! Exactly what “valid points” did you make? Seems like you just wrote a whole lot of nonsense about your personal opinions.
Laker Faker, thats the only point you make. There are too many variables in the game you have to consider. Free throw difference was mainly because the Lakers were living in the paint, hence the rebound difference. You got anything else?
Celtics fan…cry me a (doc)RIVER!
June 18th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
BiG_RoB_n_cali says:
Come on dudes that was pure basketball man rebounds and defense totally won the game for the lakers everthing in the game was pretty even everyone but Ron-Ron played horrible
June 18th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
laker faker says:
20 free throws for the lakers in the 4th Q…. 17 for Boston in the whole game. I pointed out valid missed calls that had a huge effect on the game…Reminds me of laker vs portland when portland got called for 30+ fouls in the second half(Pippen is still pissed)….or lakers vs Sacto(webber is still pissed)…Fouls called in the deciding game made the difference… 20 FREE THROWS IN ONE QUARTER…BOSTONS DEFENSE AMAZINGLY TAKES A 180 DEGREE SPIN FROM THE FIRST 3Q’S AND STARTS FOULING LIKE CRAZY… FANS LIE, HATERS LIE..NUMBER S DON’T!!
June 18th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Three Stacks says:
The free throw disparity can’t be solely blamed on the refs. Both teams were in the penalty w/ 6+ minutes left in the 4th, but the Lakers were the ones who took advantage of that. None of the fouls called were that preposterous. All of them took place in the paint, except for the loose ball foul on Davis for that body check after a rebound and the charge Pierce tried to take on Kobe at half court. All the fouls were obvious fouls. What are you mad about.
June 18th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Arno says:
Maybe the officiating favored the Lakers. Isn’t it always like that for the home team ? The best way to avoid it is to get the top regular season spot.
Of course, the 20 rebounds advantage is partly a consequence of Perkin’s absence.
I think there are to many meaningless games in a season and too few win or die. So the players aren’t trained enough to master their emotions. Which gives you this 0.35 shooting game.
June 18th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
dano says:
If there’s really a conspiracy within the NBA to make major markets the champions, how come the Spurs have four titles? How come New York has been so bad for so long? How come the “greatest player on the plant” LBJ hasnt even come close to winning a title yet (that sweep in 07 was a joke on the cavs part)? The Lakers had 15 more OFFENSIVE rebounds than the Celtics. The Lakers had 49(!) shots in the first half! 49! The Celtics did an amazing job at shutting down Kobe, it just so happened that the Lakers’ role players showed up (Artest, Fisher) and the Celtics’ main guys didnt (Pierce and Ray a combined 9-28, i think). This was one of the better officiated games of the series, they let em play, and this is what happens. A low scoring, grinding, punch in the face game.
@PHECKZ
haha damn man your post up there gave me a headache to try and read. almost as crazy as ron artest’s press conference.
June 18th, 2010 at 7:43 pm
yeahokayguy says:
PHECKZ!? stick with soccer
June 19th, 2010 at 10:23 am
PHECKZ!? says:
@yeahokayguy
umm yah o k guy
June 19th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Big Al says:
It’s great to see the Lakers win the championship as a team and just by Kobe Bryant. Ron Artest won Game 7, but it took an entire Lakers squad to get them there in the first place.
I supported them mainly because of Ron-ron. I came to know him during the (in)famous Pistons-Pacers brawl. I finally see him land a spot in one of the best ever teams and anticipated his potential. Behind that badboy was a kind heart and dedicated attitude that saw him get a championship ring he thought he could only dream of. His antics only showed that he’s human after all, but given the chance, he can be a great guy.
I wasn’t exactly a Kobe fan until I saw 2010. He’s changed a lot, from someone who just shoots and shoots to a great team player who lets others shine as well. Giving the ball for Shannon Brown to dunk when he could have done it himself was a sign of his maturity. Artest more or less sealed the game with that last three-pointer, but it was Kobe who assisted, and again, he could have shot it himself. Michael Jordan shared his stardom with the other Bulls and that made him a laudable star. This is what Bryant did and he will be remembered this way.
Gasol, Fisher, Odom and Bynum certainly deserve a round of applause. They supported Kobe all the way, acknowledging his fantastic all-round ability and helped him win whenever they can.
June 21st, 2010 at 2:02 pm
easy yeezy says:
Israelite legal team? “Homeboi,” you’re fucking stupid.
Regardless, the discrepancy in regard to calls was ridiculous. Kobe, Pau and even Ron-Ron were getting sneezed on and for whatever reason- got the calls.
On the flip side- I watched Pau and Bynum HACK people in the post and the refs called nothing. Bynum wasn’t out there a terribly long time, so most of this goes to Pau.
And if you’re telling me Pau didnt push Rondo to get that huge o-board at the end of game 7, you’re crazy.
But whatever.. Lakers won and its over. Just let the record show that Pau is fucking dirty- and no one ever calls him out on it.
LeBron to Chicago! GO BULLS!
June 21st, 2010 at 6:59 pm
JLove says:
“Pau is f*cking dirty” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
He learned it from Garnett!
Keep hatin’, we’ll keep giving your something to hate!
March the 3-Peat begins now!