Archive for the 'Post-Game' Category

Lakers Stop the Thunder in Vegas

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on July 14, 2009
in Off-Season, Post-Game, Summer League and Video
. Closed


As we saw during L.A.’s fourth Summer League game in Las Vegas, each NBA franchise sending a squad to Sin City has a different goal, depending primarily on that team’s roster heading into the 2009-10 season.

The Oklahoma City Thunder (0-2) - a team building for what looks to be a bright future - falls among those squads eager for a first look at their first-round picks (James Harden and B.J. Mullens in this case), looking for an early indication of how they’ll fit in with the senior squad.

The championship-winning Lakers (3-1), on the other hand, sold their first two picks and, based on the minute distribution and the way the offense was run, were primarily interested in the health and form of signed-through-next-season Adam Morrison.

Morrison, who came into the game averaging 22 points in his previous three, again led the Lakers in scoring with 17 points, even though he needed 18 attempts to get there (5-of-18) in a come-from-behind 74-68 win.

“I wasn’t happy with how I played tonight, but I’m glad we got the win,” said Morrison, who added five boards, two assists and two steals. “Overall I feel pretty good and am glad to be getting some good minutes on the floor.”

Morrison, who said his health is no longer an issue, moved quite well in an active 34 minutes, and his stroke looked pure the few times he managed to find space against an athletic Thunder defense that keyed on him doggedly. At least six players on OKC’s Summer League roster will play for the big squad, which gave the Thunder a distinct edge in on-paper talent.

Still, the teams went back-and-forth through the first three quarters with the Thunder up five heading into the final period, but the Lakers outscored their opponents 23-12 in the period to steal the contest. L.A. turned it on in a big way in the final two minutes, highlighted by a 6-0 run capped by a Ben McCauley reverse lay-up with 24 seconds left that sealed the game.

“It was good to come out with a win using our team concepts,” said Lakers Summer League Head Coach Chucky Brown. “Adam is our best scorer, and we wanted to get him the ball.”

That they did, but OKC countered with Kyle Weaver - who started and guarded Kobe Bryant in the regular season - to chase Morrison all over the place. The former No. 3 overall pick out of Gonzaga saw frequent double and triple teams particularly when he got into the paint, resulting in a tough night from the field even as he kept his average at 20.8 per game in Vegas.

“They were doubling (Morrison), but I thought Adam did a good job,” said Brown. “I thought he got hit on the arm a few times … They just tried to take him away from us because he’s our biggest scorer.”

Though L.A. lacked OKC’s athleticism, they didn’t lack for effort, typified by second round pick Chinemelu Elonu’s game-high eight rebounds, plus 14 steals that signaled 23 Thunder turnovers.

“We wanted to turn up the defensive pressure in the second half, and we were able to do that,” said Brown, whose team opened the half on an 11-2 run and caused 12 of OKC’s TO’s in the second half.

That helped the Lakers overcome a poor shooting night all around (41.4 percent) even as OKC hit 52.8 percent of its shots, led by an excellent 9-of-14 for 23 James Harden points. Fellow rookie Mullens added 10 points, five boards and five blocks for the Thunder.

With that, both teams essentially got what they were looking for at the Summer League: A flash of young talent for OKC and a heavy dose of minutes for Morrison.

L.A.’s final game comes against Houston on Thursday evening.

Lakers 99, Magic 86: Championship Postgame

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on June 14, 2009
in Finals, Playoffs and Post-Game
. Closed

blog_post_finals09
For a full calender year, the Los Angeles Lakers possessed a single, pervasive thought that permeated through the team’s collective brain…

Championship or bust.

After catching the title scent early in the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals with a 16-0 run, the Lakers sprinted away with the franchise’s 15th championship with an all-encompassing display of basketball.

Each and every player that stepped foot onto the Amway Arena floor wearing purple and gold offered something productive: Kobe Bryant nailed shots near and far from the basket; Pau Gasol swatted shots and defended Dwight Howard impressively; Lamar Odom sank corner threes and attacked the glass; Trevor Ariza swiped the ball and like Odom, buried triples; Derek Fisher made savvy plays and controlled the tempo; Andrew Bynum stood tall in the lane … And so on, and so forth.

No stat line was more impressive than that of Bryant, who put up 30 points, five assists, six boards and four blocks. But the net result of the total team effort was effectively what L.A. showed all year: They were too long, too strong, too deep and too skilled.

“It felt so good to be able to have this moment,” said Bryant, who fittingly won the Finals MVP award. “We tried not to envision it too much, you know what I mean, because you just get too excited. You try not to think about it, just think about playing the game, and for this moment to be here and to reflect back on the season and everything that you’ve been through, it’s top of the list, man.”

They won 65 regular season games, and got better as the playoffs rolled on, eliminating a tough Denver Nuggets squad with six straight dominant quarters and rolling the Magic in five games, winning their final two of 16 playoff contests on the road.

Their coach, Phil Jackson, who won an almost unbelievable 10th NBA Championship to pass the late Red Auerbach, talked not about himself but about his players after the dust settled.

I’d like to say that it’s really about the players; it’s about Kobe Bryant, about Derek Fisher’s leadership of the team. “I tried to take them through some of the build up things that we had to do last year as a basketball club. They came together this year and were self motivated, and for a coach that’s always a positive sign. When a team is ready, they’re aggressive, their learning curve is high, and they wanted to win. I’ve always felt as a coach you have to push your team, and I told them they had to push themselves. I wasn’t at the stage of my life where I could get out and do the things that I had done 10 years ago or 15 years ago to push a team. And they pushed themselves, and I really feel strongly that this is about them.

In their final contest, the Lakers first survived the inevitable first quarter back-against-the-wall charge that saw Orlando take a 15-6 lead with force, cutting the lead to just two as the quarter ended, and going off on a 23-10 run to close the first half up 56-46.

It was academic from there, the Lakers refusing to allow anything on defense in tacking five points onto the lead after the third quarter, up 76-61 heading into the final quarter en route to a championship.

If a dagger were even needed at that point, Bryant pulled up from three as if a defender (JJ Redick) weren’t right in his face, countering a Jameer Nelson three that had provided Amway Arena’s last grasp at survival. The Magic tried to mount a last gasp effort by hitting six threes in the fourth quarter, but never got closer than 11 points.

A championship had been won.

Check back later this week for an extensive season-ended “By The Numbers” column, but until then, only one matters:

1
NBA Title earned by the L.A. Lakers on Sunday, June 14 at Amway Arena in Orlando.

Lakers 99, Magic 91: Postgame 4

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on June 11, 2009
in Finals and Post-Game
. Closed

Derek FisherTo: Los Angeles Lakers Teammates
From: Derek Fisher
Subject: An NBA Finals Victory

Derek Fisher’s no stranger to big shots. In fact, big shots, particularly in the playoffs, are among his closest friends.

But nailing a three in the face of Orlando’s Jameer Nelson to force overtime in Game 4 of the NBA Finals with 4.6 seconds remaining took it to another level.

Of course, that shot alone would have been enough to produce flowing rivers of praise for a player that had endured a great deal of criticism for his play particularly early in the postseason, but to not only save the game but then add its winning shot by sinking another triple with 31.4 seconds left in overtime was almost too good to be true.

“It’s character,” said Phil Jackson. “It’s not just about talent, it’s about character, and he’s a person of high character, brings that to play, not only in just his gamesmanship but also his intestinal fortitude.”

“Even greater than 0.04 because I feel like we’re as close as possible from our end goal,” said Fisher, referring to his 2004 game winner against San Antonio. “It’s at the top.”

Kobe Bryant, who led the way with 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, was happy to explain why he’s developed maximum trust in his point guard.

“He’s been there before,” said Bryant. “He’s been there and done that. In the locker room I was teasing him a little bit because he was 0-for-5 on threes before he made those last two. But that’s Derek, though. I think those shots at the end of the game are actually easier for him than the other ones.”

Fisher’s first dagger, which followed a Pau Gasol dunk with 31.9 seconds remaining, took L.A. from what seemed to be almost inevitable defeat - Orlando was up by five with the ball and less than a minute remaining - to a victory that brought them within a single victory of the NBA title.

After the top-of-the-key swish in OT, Gasol followed a Turkoglu missed three by streaking up the floor to collect a long rebound, taking a few steps and dunking to put L.A. up 96-91 with 21.6 seconds remaining to seal the deal, but L.A. knew it wasn’t time to punch the clock.

“We know we still have work to do,” said Fisher. “We’ve got to be ready to go come Sunday.”

That the Lakers had a chance to come back in the first place was courtesy of a fantastic third quarter that featured a swarming defense and 13 points from Trevor Ariza, turning a 12-point halftime deficit into a four-point lead heading into the fourth. Ariza’s, who also hit a huge three with 2:36 left in the fourth to tie the game, scored just one fewer point than Orlando in the third, and his teammates added 17 to cap a 30-14 quarter. The third made up for an odd first half that demanded all 12 players on the active roster to check into the game as Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom all picked up two early fouls.

Another huge factor in the outcome of the game was Orlando’s struggle at the free throw line; the Magic made just 22-of-37, including 13 misses from Hedo Turkoglu (five) and Dwight Howard (eight). No misses were bigger than two Howard clanks with 11.1 seconds left in regulation.

That provided the Lakers with that final chance, and anticipating a foul, Bryant passed immediately to Ariza, who found Fisher up the floor for his fateful jumper that left the Magic with little to say.

“The mood was very somber,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy of his locker room. “Very, very somber.”

As for the Lakers, it was fitting that Derek Fisher didn’t celebrate for too long, instead reminding his teammates of L.A.’s 2000 championship team that was trounced in Game 5 after taking a 3-1 lead in Game 4.

After all, L.A. needs another victory, and that’s the only number necessary tonight:

1
Wins needed for the Lakers to claim an NBA Championship.

…On second thought, one more number:

2
Derek Fisher’s jersey number was never so fitting.

Lakers 104, Magic 108: Postgame 3

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on June 9, 2009
in Finals, In-Game and Post-Game
. Closed

KobeIn the old school NBA JAM 2-on-2 video game, players would get “On Fire” after three consecutive makes from the field.

On subsequent possessions with that player, the ball would turn orange, and a flame would follow the rock’s inevitable trail through the twine until the net singed off the rim.

That was just a video game, but perhaps riding the energy of a city’s first Finals appearance in 14 years, the Orlando Magic played as if each player were NBA JAM(ming), shooting an Finals record 62.5 percent (40-of-64) in the game, including a 75 percent (24-of-32) first half.

“Ball was going in the basket,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “That always works.”

Yet L.A. stuck around.

Never trailing by more than eight, the Lakers managed to cut Orlando’s lead to just three with 5:55 to go in the game when Pau Gasol nailed a baseline hook, and two when Derek Fisher hit a three with 5:25 remaining. Then, with eight fourth quarter points from Lamar Odom and some key defensive stops, Gasol drew a foul with 2:41 remaining, sinking both freebies to tie the score at 99. At the point, the shooting percentages mattered little.

“That tends to even out,” said Phil Jackson.

As such, the teams traded blows into the final minute, and the Lakers came up with a key stop on Gasol’s block with 37 seconds remaining in the game to get the ball and a chance to tie, down two at 104-102.

Bryant, the ball in his hands, had struggled after a ridiculous 17-point first quarter, making just 4-of-15 shots, but … well … he’s Kobe Bryant. One expects him to make a play.

Instead, while attempting a high pick and roll with Gasol, Bryant lost the ball when Dwight Howard reached in; Mickael Pietrus eventually gathering the loose ball after Gasol appeared to have control. Bryant then wrapped up Pietrus, who sunk both freebies at the other end, putting the Magic up four with 28.7 seconds remaining.

From that point forward, the Lakers missed four three-pointers, two by Bryant, and the Magic held on to win 108-104 after two Rashard Lewis free throws with 0:00.2 seconds on the clock.

“It’s disappointing,” said Bryant. “I’m used to coming through in those situations, my teammates trust me to come through but it didn’t happen.”

“They made some plays down the stretch we weren’t able to match, even though we got the best in that fourth quarter,” added Phil Jackson.

Contributions to Orlando’s win came from across their roster. After getting little from any of their role players in Games 1 and 2, the Magic received huge contributions from Rafer Alston (20 points) and Mickael Pietrus (18 points) on a collective 15-of-23 shooting, complimenting 60 combined points from Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu.

For the Lakers, Bryant ended up with 31 points and eight assists, while Pau Gasol added 23 points and Trevor Ariza 13, but 10 missed free throws and 25 personal fouls hurt the road team.

So, whether it was a less-than-good defensive effort throughout of one misplaced Kobe Bryant dribble that did L.A. in, the Magic held serve at home to bring the NBA Finals to 2-1 with Game 4 back in Amway Arena on Thursday.

Until then, some numbers:

75
Magic shooting percentage at halftime on a ridiculous 24-of-32, though the Lakers weren’t bad at all with 22-of-41 (53.7 percent) shots. L.A. actually had control for most of the half, but a late Magic charge produced a five-point cushion at the half.

62.5
Orlando’s Finals record shooting percentage for the game on 40-of-64 field goals. They also shot 23-of-30 (76.7 percent) from the line.

38
Combined points from Rafer Alston and Mickael Pietrus, who combined for just six points in Game 2 and 20 points in Game 1 (14 from Pietrus).

18
Second chance points for the Lakers to just five for the Magic, in part because of Orlando’s hot shooting (which didn’t allow any follow ups). The Lakers grabbed 11 offensive boards to five from Orlando.

13
Turnovers for both teams, which produced 16 points, respectively.

11
Points off L.A.’s bench from both Lamar Odom (eight of which came in the fourth quarter) and Jordan Farmar, who played 16 minutes off the bench. Shannon Brown didn’t see the floor, and Sasha Vujacic saw only three minutes off action at the end of the first and start of the second quarter.

5
Three pointers from the Magic on 14 attempts, meaning Orlando shot 35-of-50 on two-point field goals, otherwise known as 70 percent.

Lakers 101, Magic 96: Postgame 2

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on June 7, 2009
in Post-Game
. Closed

TeamIt took overtime for the Lakers to find the same effort they’d put forth in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but at the end of a sunny Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles, the home team managed to seal a five-point win that secured a 2-0 series lead, a luxury the Lakers didn’t have against either Houston or Denver in the West.

“We just drove ourselves through the game,” said Phil Jackson, whose team trailed by two heading into the fourth quarter and nearly lost at the buzzer. “I didn’t think Kobe (Bryant) had a good game at all as far as his standards go (but) we had other guys contribute. Lamar (Odom) had an outstanding game … He came through in a big way for us.”

That “almost lost” came after Bryant appeared to get hit on the arm with 0.6 seconds left on the clock before his attempt at a game winner was blocked, allowing Courtney Lee a chance to convert an alley-oop off the inbounds pass at the other end as regulation time expired, but he missed.

“There is a sense of relief because they played very well,” said Jackson. “However, we had the ball at the end of the game with nine seconds after making a really good defensive play. We didn’t get a good shot … But (that) disappointment didn’t weigh us down going into overtime.”

Though Orlando never led by more than three points, L.A. was able to respond to the adjustments the Magic made in no small part because of Odom, as alluded to by his coach.

While Bryant led the way with 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting plus eight assists, L.O. was fantastic in chalking up 19 points, eight boards, two assists and three blocks on 8-of-9 shooting in 45 minutes off the bench with Andrew Bynum in foul trouble all game. Odom made shots from all over the court to get his eight field goals, but it was two clutch free throws with 22.1 seconds left in OT that turned a three-point lead into a five-point edge and ultimately sealed the deal for L.A.

“Lamar just had a great, great game, particularly in the fourth quarter,” said Bryant after Odom scored eight points with three boards in the final regulation quarter.

The home team, who’s still undefeated this season while wearing its Sunday white uniforms, needed every one of Odom’s points as Orlando sent consistent double teams at Bryant, which worked for the majority of regulation as his non-Odom teammates struggled to hit shots. Most notably, a 4-for-11 start from Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza’s 3-for-13 didn’t help. But in the overtime, in stepped Gasol and Derek Fisher.

First, Gasol drew a foul off Fisher’s penetration and hit both from the line (10-of-11 in the game). Next was a tough Kobe jumper over Hedo Turkoglu, and then a huge defensive play from Fisher, who stepped into the passing lane to intercept a JJ Redick pass before drawing a foul and sinking both foul shots at the other end to put L.A. up 94-91. If that wasn’t the game’s biggest play, then Gasol’s and-1 layup off Bryant’s dish was, as it gave the Lakers a 6-point lead that Orlando couldn’t overcome despite finding its three-point shooting stroke.

“The three-point shooters seemed to flourish tonight,” said Jackson, noting Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu’s combined nine triples. “It kept them in the ball game.”

What hurt the Magic, on the other hand, were 20 turnovers, resulting in 28 Lakers points, because L.A. knew the Magic were going to shoot much better than the 29-percent-effort in Game 1 of the Finals, and they did, netting 41.8 percent of their looks. The knew the general effort of Orlando would be much better, and it was, shown through a 44-35 edge on the glass that limited the Lakers to only four offensive boards. Furthermore, the Lakers mustered just 28 points in the paint after going off for 56 in Game 1, but they simply fought their way to a victory.

“They played extremely well, but we played well enough to win,” concluded Bryant.

Dwight Howard’s 17-point, 16-board double-double and 56 combined points from Lewis and Turkoglu were leaps and bounds better than the threesome’s Game 1 performance, but it wasn’t quite good enough.

“We wanted to win this game just to keep the pressure on them,” said Odom. “Both teams want this. It was is tough for us last year, getting embarrassed in Boston. I guess with this win, we kind of kept that pressure on. But we still have to take care of business, just focus on each possession.”

In two days, they’ll get a chance to do just that.

Until then, a few numbers:

1
Shot taken by Courtney Lee before he found the ball in his hands with consecutive chances to potentially win the game in the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter. He missed both looks from close range as L.A. sent the game into overtime.

4
Threes made by the Lakers in the first half, one more than was made in the entire Game 1.

7
L.A.’s biggest lead in a closely-contested ball game that saw the Magic have no higher than a three-point advantage.

10
Points in the paint by the Lakers in the first half.

20
Shots missed by Orlando’s guards on 26 attempts, including Rafer Alston’s 1-of-8 and JJ Redick’s 2-of-9.

20
Shots made by Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis on 38 attempts, including nine of Orlando’s 10 three-point makes.

30
Orlando’s third quarter scoring output on 11-of-19 shooting, including 5-of-6 from Hedo Turkoglu, which turned a 5-point Magic deficit into a 2-point lead heading into the fourth.

85.7
L.A.’s free throw percentage on 24-of-28 makes, including 9-of-9 in the overtime.

Lakers 100, Magic 75: Postgame 1

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on June 4, 2009
in Finals and Post-Game
. Closed

Kobe BryantIn a storied career highlighted by three NBA championships, an MVP award and a plethora of scoring titles, All-Star berths and All-NBA teams, Kobe Bryant had accomplished more than most athletes could dream of before Game 1 of the 2009 Finals tipped off Thursday at STAPLES Center.

But with a masterful performance emphasized by a stat sheet that read 40 points, eight assists and eight rebounds on the league’s highest platform, Bryant took another step up the ladder of the game’s all-time greats.

“Kobe’s energy in the game carried (the win),” said Phil Jackson, who said he wasn’t at all surprised with Bryant’s dominance. “He plays big in big games.”

“When he gets it going, he’s one of the best players of all time,” added Lamar Odom. “There isn’t anything that he can’t do. We understand how bad he wants to win this championship, and we all want it.”

The feat was all the more impressive after a sluggish first quarter netted just six points and two assists on 3-of-9 shooting, but he went on a 30-point, six-assist, five-rebound rampage in the second and third quarters to put L.A. up by 22 heading into the fourth quarter.

“I just want it so bad, that’s all,” said Bryant. “You just put everything you can into the game, and your emotions fly out of you.”

At the same time, Bryant was very careful to emphasize that L.A. “hadn’t won nothing yet,” his eyes firmly locked on Sunday’s Game 2.

But after one quarter that found the Magic up 24-22, it wasn’t even close. Orlando had gotten to the Finals in part by playing stingy defense that conceded 43.3 percent from the field (3rd in the NBA) in the regular season … Yet they had anything but an answer for L.A.’s combination of skill and length as the Lakers got almost whatever they wanted on offense, producing a mammoth 56-22 edge in points in the paint.

“There was nothing I liked (about the performance),” said Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy. “Clearly after the first quarter, we were totally dominated at both ends of the floor and on the boards.”

Offensively, Orlando struggled to get anything resembling the easy looks it got in the Eastern Conference Finals against the less-lengthy Cavaliers, turning in a 29.9 shooting percentage punctuated by a combined 5-of-27 (18.5 percent) from Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis.

“Defensively I thought they were great today,” lamented Van Gundy. “We’re going to have to find a way to get the ball inside more efficiently and play out of that more efficiently.

To Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol much of the defensive credit should go, as their collective job on Howard not only limited the big center to 12 points (only two from the field) but allowed the Lakers’ perimeter players to stay with Orlando’s three-point gunners, who were able to hit just 8-of-23 shots. L.A.’s two seven footers also received ample help from Lamar Odom, who contributed a 14-rebound, 11-point double-double off the bench.

“I feel a lot better,” said Odom, who’d been hobbled late in the Houston and early in the Denver series with a bruised back. “I’m a lot more active. You know I want it, I’m just pushing myself, and it’s never enough.”

Odom, Bynum and Gasol helped L.A. boast a 55-41 edge on the glass, pushed in part by Orlando’s poor shooting, which was key because Orlando turned the ball over just eight times. Yet for the Lakers, the 25-point margin really meant nothing, particularly as the losing team is often the one that has the benefit of making adjustments heading into Game 2.

“I think the best thing we can do is just forget about it,” said Kobe Bryant. “This is a resilient Orlando Magic team and this is nothing to them.”

“There are two days between games, so it’s a chance for (Orlando) to regroup,” concluded Jackson. “I told these guys it doesn’t matter whether we win by 60 or 6, it’s just one win, we have to go out and perform on Sunday.”

Until then, some numbers:

3
Three pointers hit by the Lakers in a 25-point win

4
Lakers players that had at least eight rebounds, led by 14 from Lamar Odom in 32 minutes. Pau Gasol (8), Kobe Bryant (8) and Andrew Bynum (9) filled out the boarding foursome.

5
Game 1’s in Finals history with larger scoring margins than Thursday’s 25-pointer, the biggest since Chicago’s 33-point victory over Portland in 1992 (courtesy of ESPN stats).

14
Points scored off the bench by Mickael Pietrus, 11 of which were in the second half, to lead the Magic.

16
Straight series victories for L.A. when winning Game 1.

23
Minutes played by surprise-entry Jameer Nelson off the bench, in which he produced six points with four assists and two rebounds on 3-of-9 shooting. Nelson finished -19 on the game, while starting point guard Rafer Alston was just -6 despite struggling from the field (2-of-9).

32
Second half points for the Magic, compared to 47 for the Lakers.

34
Shots taken by Bryant, more than what he took in Games 5 and 6 combined against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. He seemed to figure out how Orlando was playing him after the first quarter, and took particular advantage of the pick and roll, which Stan Van Gundy lamented after the game. As for Kobe: “They were giving me a jumper,” he said.

46.1
Shooting percentage for an efficient Lakers attack, helped by the on-target Luke Walton (4-of-5, nine points) and Derek Fisher (4-of-6, nine points).

64
Rebounds that reserve forward Josh Powell would have finished with were he to play all 48 minutes, as he grabbed four in only three minutes of play.

Lakers 119, Nuggets 92: Postgame 6

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on May 29, 2009
in Post-Game
. Closed

Kobe BryantA 27-point victory over what had been the toughest and grittiest of opponents for five Western Conference Finals games was quite an emphatic way for L.A. to get back to the NBA Finals for the 30th time in franchise history.

Indeed, this one was never close.

The Lakers followed up a fantastic Game 5 fourth quarter by playing terrific basketball in all four Game 6 quarters despite a hostile Pepsi Center in Denver, executing with precision on offense and bringing constant energy on defense that left the Nuggets searching for answers.

“Tonight was a game where we played at the highest level, shooting the ball well from all spots on the floor,” said Phil Jackson. “I thought our collective energy was good. I thought our collective intelligence was good, and that seemed the most important thing at this time is being able to read the defenses, move the ball, get the ball in places where people can operate.”

With Kobe Bryant leading the way in focused assassin mode, the purple and gold were on from the jump, taking a five-point lead into the second quarter and using a 20-7 run to close the first half with a 13-point lead that they almost immediately pushed to 20 in the third quarter. Bryant was everywhere, orchestrating L.A.’s attack on both ends as if he knew what Denver was going to do.

“It was very controlled, excellent game from him,” Jackson said in summation.

“We just got a read for what they were doing,” added Bryant. “I think that was the key. We just got ‘em beat … It was the defense. And, like I said, we did a great job of reading that and finding the open man.”

The lead would swell to 29 points late in the fourth as L.A. assisted on 28 of its 43 field goals, led by 10 dimes from Bryant that underscored his 35-point performance on 12-of-20 shooting and 9-of-9 from the free throw line.

While Bryant was, well, Bryant, it was a complete team effort that produced L.A.’s finest all-around effort of the season, particularly in the given circumstances: five Lakers hit double figures; the bench scored 40 points; the Lakers turned the ball over just three times in the second half to build on the lead; L.A. shot 57.3 percent from the field, and made a perfect 24-of-24 free throws; and the team defense held Denver to 43.8 percent shooting.

Simply put, L.A. did whatever it wanted.

As it’s been all season, Pau Gasol was 1A to Bryant’s numero uno, the Spaniard going for 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block in nearly 43 minutes on 8-of-12 shooting. Not far behind was Lamar Odom, who put up 20 points (14 in the second half) and eight boards, while Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton proved a very productive small forward duo, combining for 27 points, five boards, three assists and two steals.

“Last two games, I mean, we really proved to ourselves and to everybody else that we can be an extremely high quality team, a team that deserves to be in the NBA Finals and is going for the NBA championship.,” said Gasol. “So that really, really felt good out there and we have to do more of that.”

With the victory, the Lakers earned themselves six full days to rest, with the Finals set to take place on Thursday, June 4, against the winner of the Orlando-Cleveland Eastern Conference Finals that’s currently led 3-2 by the homeward-bound Magic.

Stay tuned for extensive coverage of what was simply a fantastic Lakers’ performance that had the team just four wins away from its one and only goal.

Until then, some numbers:

0
Free throws missed by the Lakers on 24 attempts.

3
Second half turnovers for a Lakers’ team that had coughed the ball up 11 times in the first half, helping L.A. preserve the 13-point lead they’d built at the half.

5
Lakers in double-digit points in a game marked by terrific ball movement, including three players at the 20-point margin (Bryant, Gasol and Odom).

6
Minute mark of the second quarter when Denver would hold its last lead at 33-32; they’d cede the lead on a Lamar Odom baby hook in the lane and never get it back.

10
First quarter points from Trevor Ariza, including two three pointers from opposite wings as he took advantage of double teams on Bryant and Gasol to get L.A. off to a good offensive start.

16
Combined assists from Bryant (10) and Gasol (6), whom Denver double-teamed constantly to their detriment. Both seemed to make the ideal pass out of the trap throughout the game.

29
Bench points in the second half from the Lakers, thanks primarily to 14 from Lamar Odom and eight from Luke Walton. The bench finished with 40 points on the evening to counter 34 from the Nuggets.

60
L.A.’s shooting percentage in a terrific first half that produced a 13-point lead.

66
Second half points from the Lakers to 52 from the Nuggets, a 14-point difference that was one more than the 53-40 halftime margin.

Lakers 103, Nuggets 94: Postgame 5

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on May 27, 2009
in Post-Game
. Closed

57544224Denver asked the game’s best scorer to pass, and Kobe Bryant did just that.

Maneuvering around consistent double teams and traps that the Nuggets threw his way, Bryant played willing passer throughout an intensity-filled Western Conference Finals evening, leading L.A. from a seven-point deficit late in the third quarter to a nine-point victory.

“That’s what we really asked of him,” said Phil Jackson. “He had eight assists and could have had more if we hit some shots. He was creating offensive opportunities by drawing double teams and (it) worked.”

It was fitting that Bryant’s final assist went to Lamar Odom under the hoop to seal the game with 1:02 remaining: Odom, who had been battling an injured back since falling hard in the second round against Houston, was everywhere at both ends of the floor, spreading statistical love across the box score with 19 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and three assists.

“He’s been limited in activity, so playing the kind of minutes he did tonight he was exhausted but he gave us a really good effort at both ends of the court,” said Jackson. “He did some things that were important for us to win.”

Many of those things came during an all-important 21-3 run that began late in the third and ended halfway through the fourth as Odom and Pau Gasol (nine total blocks) protected L.A.’s rim while Bryant darted and dished. And if Odom was a spark, Shannon Brown was the match, as requested on the bench by Phil Jackson after Derek Fisher picked up his fourth foul.

Brown checked in with L.A. down seven, and moments later cut to the hoop for a layup from Bryant, which he followed with the game’s biggest momentum-changing play when he skied high into the air to hammer dunk on a charging Chris Andersen, who’d blocked four shots to that point. Brown then took his show to the other end, hounding Chauncey Billups as Denver turned the ball over twice, which led to a game-tying three from Odom. The Lakers flowed naturally from there, pushing their lead to 11 with 7:36 left in the fourth when Gasol sunk a hook shot in the lane.

Speaking of the Spaniard…

“He had a terrific game tonight,” said Jackson of his power forward that had 14 points, 10 boards and five blocks. “He was getting the ball out on double teams, rebounding and blocking shots, good game from him.”

While Gasol and Bryant led the starters, nearly each Laker that played contributed in some manner.

“I think this was one of the best games we’ve played this year as far as giving a team effort,” said Odom, who went on to name most of his teammates, citing individual contributions that included a solid all-around game from Trevor Ariza; 19 combined first half points from Fisher and Andrew Bynum; Brown’s six points, dunk and defensive energy; and four boards, two assists, a steal and a block from Luke Walton, and a buzzer-beating three from Sasha Vujacic to tie the game heading into the half.

As a team, the Lakers executed their offensive goal of getting the ball down low, scoring 54 points in the paint to just 36 from Denver, and thriving off some electric STAPLES energy to a 27-18 fourth quarter after the first three had ended in ties.

“This is playoff basketball and the energy that is created by the home crowd and the intensity of the game plays into it,” concluded Jackson. “This Lakers group is really connected, driven, and motivated to get where we were at last year to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Heading back to Colorado for Game 6, how will the Lakers give themselves that chance to close out the series in what’s sure to be a hostile environment?

“The intensity is going to be there, what we have to do is execute,” said Bryant. “Be cold blooded, go out there and execute.”

It would sure help the Lakers execute if Lamar Odom can bring what he delivered on Wednesday night … Because when he does, as Carmelo Anthony said after the game, it ain’t easy to beat L.A.

“They’re special,” he said. “Lamar, when he’s out there, he’s a mismatch, especially at the four. In that second unit, way he played tonight, hit the glass, pounded inside. When he plays like that, they’re a tough team. So we gotta look forward to that for Friday.

Until then, some numbers:

1
More rebound for Denver than the Lakers (43-42), who’d prefer to win that battle, but would take it after losing it by 18 in Game 4.

3
Three pointers hit by the Lakers on 16 attempts, only 18.8 percent. L.A. was very good from everywhere else, however, hitting 56.7 percent from two.

4
Fastbreak points for the Nuggets, as the Lakers’ focus on sprinting back in transition paid off.

9
Combined blocks from Pau Gasol (5) and Lamar Odom (4)

13
Field goal attempts from Kobe Bryant, his fewest in the series, towards 22 points, including 9-of-10 from the free throw line.

18
Lamar Odom’s +/- total, by far the highest in the game, meaning the Lakers outscored Denver by 18 points when he was on the floor. No. 2 was Shannon Brown with +13, while Denver’s Chris Andersen was a game-worst -17.

31
Points from Carmelo Anthony to lead the Nuggets, 12 of which came from the free throw line. No other Nugget had more than 12 points (Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups).

54
Points in the paint for the Lakers, to just 36 from Denver as L.A. dominated the lane.

Lakers 101, Nuggets 120: Postgame 4

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on May 25, 2009
in Post-Game
. Closed

Pau and KobeL.A. knew the recipe for success heading into Game 4 in Denver: try to sustain the home team’s inevitable early energy, stay close on the scoreboard and out-execute the Nuggets in the fourth to try and steal a second-straight road win.

Yet what the Lakers had no answer for, even if assistant coach Frank Hamblen warned of it before the game, was a terrific bench effort from Denver, who got 42 points from its pine to overwhelm the Lakers and even the series at two heading back to Los Angeles.

Without question, it’s a tough task to take two consecutive home games from a good playoff team, particularly when fatigue was thought to be an issue for the purple and gold heading into the contest. That Denver had to work its collective behind off against a tired purple and gold squad in staving off a 3-1 series deficit was well-defined by its 58-40 edge on the glass, including 20 offensive rebounds that produced 23 second-chance points.

Throughout the game, the Nuggets sustained their effort to open up leads only to see the Lakers hang a few buckets at the other end to stay in the game. The Lakers trailed by three after one and seven after two, but ultimately, the visitors couldn’t keep up, and the Nuggets were able to protect an 11-point lead they’d built into the fourth.

Before the game, George Karl had this to say about L.A.’s legs and his bench: “Fatigue is a part of a playoff series if it goes for a long time … I hope that does become a factor, because I think right now our bench has a little more confidence.”

That certainly proved true, particularly from Chris Andersen - who grabbed 14 boards and blocked two shots in 24 minutes - and J.R. Smith, who put in 24 points with four assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, got little from their bench, relying instead on Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol to carry the day on some tired All-Star legs. Though both were terrific - Bryant scored 34 points with seven boards and five assists while Gasol put up 21 points, 10 boards, four assists and three blocks - their lack of support ultimately doomed the Lakers.

Still, there was no panic in the postgame locker room, as the Lakers knew Denver had to completely empty its tank on Monday before taking a flight to L.A. for Wednesday’s Game 5 at STAPLES Center. There, the Lakers feel like they’ll be the team with the extra skip in their step.

Until then, some numbers:

1
Missed shot in seven attempts for Andrew Bynum, for whom Denver didn’t have an answer in the paint. Bynum scored 14 points, grabbed five boards and blocked a shot, though he did get caught behind the play a few times en route to five personal fouls.

3
Fourth quarter technicals called on the Nuggets (J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin drew one each). Also the number of days it rained in Denver during L.A.’s stay.

6
Turnovers for the Nuggets, which helped keep the Lakers to just five fastbreak points.

18
Denver’s advantage in the paint, from where it outscored the Lakers 52-34.

20
Offensive boards from the Nuggets, to just nine from the Lakers. This stat as much as any showed Denver’s energy level.

31
Three-pointers attempted by the Lakers, who converted on nine (29 percent).

42
Bench points for the Nuggets, compared to 22 for L.A.

49
Free throws taken by the Nuggets, including 31 in the second half. L.A. attempted 35 from the charity stripe.

547
Times Denver’s Detroit-style PA announcer annoyed the band of Lakers fans who made the trip from Los Angeles. Swiping the “Chauncey Buh Buh Buh Billups” line from the Pistons probably wasn’t a California favorite.

Lakers 103, Nuggets 97: Postgame 3

Published
by
Mike Trudell
on May 23, 2009
in Post-Game
. Closed

Kobe About 5,280 feet above sea level on Saturday night in Denver, yet another Kobe Bryant performance for the ages culminated in a come-from-behind win that reclaimed home court advantage for the Lakers in what’s turning out to be quite the Western Conference Finals.

Bryant matched his brilliant effort in L.A.’s 105-103 Game 1 victory when he put up 40 points, four assists and six boards with 41 points, five assists, six boards and two steals in Colorado. His 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining and L.A. down two over J.R. Smith was by far the biggest shot of the series, and preceded five of his six final quarter free throws that clinched the game.

What was different is that Bryant had a whole lot of second half help from Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza. Gasol nailed back-to-back turnaround jumpers over the outstretched hands of Nene and grabbed four fourth quarter rebounds en route to 20 and 11 for the game, while Ariza not only made two three-pointers and the game-clinching steal (eerily similar to his steal that clinched Game 1), but he helped hold Carmelo Anthony to only seven points after the first quarter, and no field goals in the second half. The steal of the inbound pass again came with Lamar Odom flailing his long limbs at Kenyon Martin this time and Ariza stepping in front of Anthony.

“The effort tonight by Kobe and Trevor and Gasol chipped in with solid basketball game,” said Phil Jackson. “We had a little momentum there down the stretch and outscored them in the fourth quarter.”

That they did, by 14 points actually (32-18), to salvage the game and with it, ensure they’d be at worst dead even heading back to Los Angeles after Monday’s Game 4.

“We worked really hard,” said a winded Pau Gasol, who played nearly 43 minutes while Bryant went for 41. “I’m really proud of our guys. They really competed. That was the big difference the way we finished off the game.”

Bryant’s 5-of-6 free throws came as Denver missed three different attempts at 3-pointers while trailing by at least four in the final minute, though it was an 11-2 run to start the quarter - keyed by Odom, Gasol and Ariza - that set L.A. on its way.

Andrew Bynum chipped in seven points, four boards and three blocks in 20 minutes that allowed Gasol to save a bit of his legs in the first half, while Lamar Odom scored eight points with seven rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench. Anthony finished with 21 points, 14 of which came in the first quarter, to lead Denver, while Chris Andersen added 15 points - 13 in the first half - off the bench.

The Lakers will attempt to regenerate some energy on Sunday, and take the Denver floor once again looking to win for the eighth straight time in a postseason road game against the Nuggets.

If Game 4’s anything like the first three, make sure you’re watching.

Until then, some numbers:

3
Second half points for Carmelo Anthony, all on free throws, as he went 0-for-4 from the field.

5
Field goals made by the Nuggets in the fourth quarter on 22 attempts (22.7 percent). Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith combined to go just 3-for-11, while Anthony was 0-for-2.

7
Straight road playoff wins for the Lakers in Denver.

14
Free throws missed by the Lakers. All seven players who attempted a free throw missed at least once for the Lakers, though the team made 11-of-14 in the fourth quarter.

15
Free throws made by Kobe Bryant in 17 attempts, who took - and gave - all kinds of contact throughout the game.

26
Second half points for Bryant en route to his 41.

39.3
Shooting percentage for the game by the Nuggets.

60
Field goal percentage by the Lakers in the fourth quarter on 9-of-15 shots, highlighted by two threes from Trevor Ariza and the big dagger from Bryant.