I think Robert Horry has made more clutch shots in the post season than any other player in the NBA over the last 10 years. I can remember at least 5 while he was with the Rockets and now at least 6 with the Lakers. He will get his 5th ring this year. He sleepwalks during the regular season but he is a warrior in the playoffs. Another Blazers team with superior talent against the Lakers but the same result. Until Phil Jackson retires, the Lakers will keep getting rings. It was frustrating watching Mo Cheeks trying to coach against Jackson. Every move that Cheeks made, Jackson made one better. Oh yeah, Pippen totally fucked up the game as well. I'm going to have to get a new TV from all of the stuff I was throwing at it today.

You should have predicted Scottie Pippen would choke if given the opportunity. Nothing is more set in stone than Pippen choking away a basketball game when the pressure is on.

The only disturbing thing to me is that the great Sixer Mo Cheeks actually put the ball in Pippen's hands at the end of the game.

-Superman-

By Dogster on Monday, April 01, 2002 - 03:45 pm:
"Even though I'm a diehard Lakers fan, and my team is the best in the NBA right now, I must say that the current team is rather unlikeable. So if you *hate* the Lakers, I'll understand. I'll even extend sympathy when my team beats the crap out of your team."

My sympathies, Blazers. In the last few years, the Blazers never really reached their potential, despite all that talent, IMHO. Too bad. It could've been different.

Dare I say it? I think Pippen is alright. It is more a matter of team chemistry. Maybe next year?

All this Laker hate is making me rich!!! More on this after they win their 3rd consecutive championship.
Viva Horry!

Celtics Versus Lakers ?
Can it be possible ?
Well I was the only loser on this board that said the Pats had a chance to win against the Rams.
So this is very possible too.
I would like to see how high the ratings for the NBA championship series would be if this happens.

Old school memories.
The 2 greatest basketball teams in history going at each other again.

If the Celtics do not make it that far I would like to see the Lakers 3peat.
Every sport should have a dynasty once in a while
Celtics/Lakers/Bulls , Yankees , Dallas , and the reverse dynasty - The Braves - what a bunch of losers

Take care
Milkman

Hey Milkster, given how weak the East is - it is very possible. I'm from Lowell, currently in El Paso & I've been following the green since the early 70's. Being realistic, they could run the table in the east if Walker learned how to hit the offensive boards. Every other playoff team seems to have a power forward that understands the importance of following a shot - or crashing the boards after making a pass. I love the guy, but I think his love of the 3 will keep them from advancing past the 2nd round.
By the way, I won gobs of money on the Pats. A Steeler fan/amigo of mine bet me a fully paid day of mongering in Juarez & gave me the 14 points to boot.

...And then there were four...

My condolences to any Spurs fans out there, now that my team has mercilessly exterminated your team.

I attended 2 Lakers-Spurs games. It was kind've a shame to see all the bad blood about Duncan's MVP.

He DESERVED to win the award.

Duncan played like a champion during the series. The Spurs playbook was pretty predictable - if they had a less predictable approach they'd be tougher.

Phil Jackson is the greatest coach (or babysitter. I'm not sure which).

L.A. will beat the Kings and whoever survives the east. No surprises there. I'm hoping that the Nets beat the Celtics. It would be a good victory for Byron Scott (future LA Lakers coach). But the Celtics are looking fierce. Keep the friggin' green as far as possible away from the championship trophy, that's what I say.

Yours in whoring and basketball
Dogster

I am calling a Sacramento upset of the Lakers. They are the NBA's best home team, and I like the way they dispatched a good Dallas team. I was not as impressed with the Lakers win over the Spurs. Too many games were not decided until the final minute. Sac is a better team than San Antonio too. Still, it will be a tough series, especially since Peja Stojakovic is out for the first two games.

To me, the most critical player in the series is Chris Webber, because he is not one of the better pressure players around. Webber has a habit of not showing up when it's on the line ... and everyone remembers his timeout against UNC (not to mention the fact that he started walking the ball upcourt, without dribbling, when it was inbounded to him earlier in the same sequence). One of the great mysteries is how that Fab-5 Michigan team never won the title ...

If Webber shows up, Sacramento will take LA out in seven. If not, same 'ol, same 'ol.

-Superman-

I hope you're right Superman...my favorite NBA team being whoever is playing the Lakers. Sacramento has been the deepest team in talent for a couple of years but has never showed much in the way of championship character (the Lakers' strong suit)...e.g. you comments about Webber. I'm hoping they got over the hump by pulling away from Dallas with key players out or fighting injury.

One thing is certain though, the Lakers will NOT lose 4 games in Sacramento if it comes down to a 7 game series. The Kings will have to win 1 or more games in L.A.

Attitude is everything and the Lakers have the attitude of a champion. Kobe said he couldn't stand the thought of not being the champion. Expect Lakers to bring it to the Kings in 5-6.


Jarocho

Once the Lakers stomp through Sacramento (starting tomorrow; could be a sweep, but 5 games is more likely), it is hard to predict who they'll find on the other side. I've been rackin' my head over this one, and all I can say is that the matchup in the east is pretty even.

And frankly, the Celtics are the hardest team for me to evaluate objectively given their history against the my Lakers and the NBA. Imagine a hungry, burping cockroach as big as an SUV. That'll give you some idea how much the Celtic franchise creeps me out. I'd rather eat the shit they serve on that TV show "Fear Factor" than see the Celtics win another one.

Hell, I'd hate it if the Celtics made it to the finals. Of course the Lakers will win. It has been said that revenge is a dish that is best eaten cold, and that revenge is sweet. But there's nothing pleasant about eating cold, damp mouldy green pickled cadaverous leprechaun meat.

Go Nets! Make the Celtics go away...

Dogster: I don't think its a given that the Laker will roll the Kings...either the Lakers are supremely confident and thus can win games on a whim, or else they are winning with mirrors-- as I feel is more likely the case given their razor-thin victory margins against the Spurs...

Shaq is hurting; Kobe is resorting to alchemy in order to win games down the stretch; Horry hits an occasional 3; and the Zen Master is playing mind games...Does this combustible mix add-up to a waltz past the Kings?...

Winning in Utah and Dallas is no small achievement, tho the Kings received precious little attention for doing so...They are more resolute than they are receiving credit for...

Sacramento in 6, with the Kings winning twice in LA...

YoungBrig

Yes, time for Rick Adelman to outsmart the Lakers. Bet heavily!!!

Porker: You're shortselling Adelman...He's a good man and a better basketball mind than you think...We'll see what happens...

YoungBrig

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Those Kings sure looked tough in game 1 against the Lakers. I feel almost guilty winning all this money. There's a sucker born every minute.

YB, loved his work w/ the Bay Area Homeboys a few years back.

Gotta agree that all Sacto predictions are looking real damned silly right now. Bet with your HEAD people! O'Neal, Bryant and 3 chicks from La Valentina Bar will whip any team the rest of the NBA can put together. I TOO kinda wish that wasn't true, but why spit into the wind?

Pissing rules:
(1) Don't ever piss against the wind
(2) Don't piss uphill
(3) And most important, don't piss against
electric fences
Above all,
Don't bet against O'neal and Bryant!

Jarocho

Porker and friends:
The Lakers' success has less to do with Shaq and Kobe than it has to do with Jackson's coaching style and Winters' system. Remember that S & K are longtime bitter rivals who want to be the center of focus, often at the expense of each other and their teammates. Before Jackson showed up, they were essentially uncoachable superbrats who didn't win when it counted.

Jackson has given Shaq, Kobe, and the other players a chance to hog the spotlight at times (thesis) in exchange for their attention and cooperation at others (antithesis). Rather than being a total control freak who demands perfection and compliance at all times (e.g., most coaches), he lets players deviate from the triangle frequently. Sometimes the players deviate from the system in selfish, juvenile, costly ways, but sometimes they demonstrate to the coaches, their teamates and themselves something new that can be added to the team arsenal (synthesis). This experimental, creative, inclusive, non-punishing approach gets all players involved, in a way that makes each player aware of other players' strengths. It gives the Lakers a dynamic and internal resources that no other team in the league has. Such is the genius of Phil Jackson. World's Greatest Babysitter.

The fact that the Lakers have had the key elements of the system in place since well before the playoffs is one of the key reasons I see it as a foregone conclusion that they'll win another championship. I'm always amused when people sense the demise of his teams when they lose a game, play poorly, or lose big every now and then. The fact is that Jackson thrives on such "lapses", because he uses the occasional crash and burn to his advantage, as something of a calibration device. When his teams go on long winning streaks, it actually deprives them of the cleansing effects of an occasional loss.

In order to predict playoff performance successfully, I think you've gotta look way, way beyond individual talent, and beyond statistical performance in individual games. The Portland Trailblazers, for instance, are the most recent example of a team that had TONS of individual talent and predictably choked repeatedly in recent years, despite their talents. Freakin' anarchy on that team.

If a team has played together a long time, they usually have an advantage, especially if they've been successful together previously in the playoffs. If a team experiments and develops a wide range of options through trial and error during the regular season, they'll usually fare well in the playoffs despite their regular season record and the age of their players. The Houston Rockets under Rudy T were a nice example of this in the mid '90s. They were seeded low going into the playoffs but used the regular season well as an experimental testing ground. In contrast, the San Antonio Spurs have melded well as a group, but they under-perform in the playoffs because they haven't developed their options through trial and error experimentation. "We'll just do what we always do" -- the kiss of death against relatively sophisticated, adaptable teams like the Lakers.

Anyway, assessing these "intangibles" is one reason that I'm more successful than most at predicting NBA playoff outcomes.

Nice analysis, though you're obviously giving Jackosn waaaay too much credit for O'Neal's and Bryant's inevitable development.

Gotta quibble significantly with the Blazers having 'tons of talent' comment, though. Crybaby 'i was traded for rod pinche strickland for chrissakes' Wallace, Superflea 'i was exiled from TORONTO for chrissakes' stoudamire and Scottie 'i'm fourHUNDRED YEARS OLD for chrissakes' Pippen don't exactl qualify as NBA supertalents, as I'm sure you'll agree. Oh, I forgot Arvidas 'I'm 400 year old AND I HAVE NO KNEES' Sabonis. Did I miss somebody? Stacey Firckin' Augmon?

Comparatively Minnesota and San Antonio have 'tons' of talent. Two guys. The has beens and never wases don't much matter in the NBA.

Wow. Someone in Sacramento poisons Kobe's food and the Kings barely squeak one out. It means NOTHING. All that cowbell noise and genius Phil simply inserts earplugs as his dominant, well-prepared team nearly closes the gap in the final moments.

Actually, it is nice to see talented Laker discards play well (Divac, Christie), and not be totally humilated. Also, it is nice to see that we may be on our way to a Celtic-free final pitting Lakers west vs Lakers east (Byron Scott).

Nice. Sacramento wins 1 of 2 without Peja Stojakovic. Hopefully they will get their second leading scorer back for game 3.

Now that they've proven to themselves that they can beat the Lakers, Sacramento should loosen up and start playing like the team that had the best record in the NBA ...

-Superman-

i agree Superman, The Kings did win without one of their top scorers Peja, .... The Lakers are an excellent road team in the playoffs, only thier second road playoff loss in TWO years... The Lakers went 15-1 last year in the playoffs, but are 8-2 this year.....As for as the "food poisoning" incident, there was this guy who played for the Bulls back in 1997 who got some bad room service in Utah.. I think he scored like 40 points or more and they won the game...My heart bleeds for Kobe and the Lakers..

It's funny you mention that incident with Mike going for 48 when he was sick ... Kobe tries so hard to emulate Mike that I think he might have staged the whole thing trying to "be like Mike." It was the first thing I thought when they said he was gonna play ...

They said out of every meal they served at the hotel that day, Kobe's was the only case of "food poisoning." Whatever. If anyone was trying to stop the Lakers, they would have gone after Shaq, not Kobe. Shaq's the one the Kings have no answer for.

-Superman-

"Shaqs the one the Kings have no answer for" --------- NO TEAM in the NBA has an answer for stopping Shaq, only possibly containing him..Not even your Beloved 76ers and Mutombo can prevent Shrek from putting up 30 points a night...
If Shaq and Kobe can be contained and frustrated, (hold them down to about 22 points a piece) and if Horry gets in foul trouble, AND if the Lakers bench doesnt show up, AND if Fox has a rough night, AND if Weber and Divac can go to the hole and WORK the paint, AND if Bibby plays like an All Star, AND if Pedja comes back Healthy and is effective (i.e. score at LEAST 22 points a game) then MAYBE the Kings have a chance... One more note... I wish Adelman would use Wallace more as a pesky defender against Shaq and the inside, he was somewhat effective in game one, but wasnt really used in game 2...

Ouch ... Kings are up 25 in the fourth quarter. Put this one in the bank. Kings reclaim homecourt and take a 2-1 series lead. What will happen when they finally get All-Star Stojakovic back? Now the Lakers face a must win game 4 ...

-Superman-

On second thought, maybe they should just rest Peja until the finals ...

-Superman-

How bout those Kings?
Watched the game drunk on my ass at Gitana in Burbank.. Wouldn't have been so drunk if the Lakers would have played some ball..

Damn fine eye candy at Gitana anyway, ;o)

Where the hell are all the Lakers fans now?? KINGS UP 2-1 in the series?? wow, and with mr. peja, 22 pts a game.. hmmmm..really really tough game on sunday, you know Zen Master will have his troops ready, but going back to Sactown with the series tied 2-2, hey, thats above expectations..

The Lakers just learned that they can't sleep until the 4th quarter and turn on the switch. At least I hope they learned this. This is the sort of adversity that Jackson thrives on. (My god, they weren't even running much of a Triangle for the first half. And their lack of focus was evident in their messed-up outside shooting).

Lakers in 6.

Lakers needed that type of a game to wake their asses up! I too hope they've learned their lesson to come and win the next 3 games.

I agree. It's boredom! They're just toying w/ Sacto to get guys like Superman all worked up. Might get interesting if they spot them one more game, though...

So what Happpened with the Celtic's game
yesterday ?
did they win ?
Milkman From Boston where Basketball was made !!

What a choke job by the Nets yesterday. That was a crushing blow for them. I'll be shocked if they can rally to win that series now.

Lakers have a must win today. If they don't win today, the series is over because they will not win 2 more games in Sacramento. Kings in 7.

-Superman-

Whoo! What a bunch of luck saving the Lakers skin!

A 3 at the end of the first half after time expired and and a great shot by Horry at the end of the game. Sacramento did what they were supposed to and still have homecourt.

-Superman-

Tough Guy Horry to the rescue !!!
Lakers and Celtics please !!!!

B-Ball at its finest , bring back the old school players !

Milkman

Like Greg Kite?

Damn Milky. You are looking at the finals right now. L.A. Vs Sac. The East team will be nothing more than a victim.

-Superman-

I like Horry's philosophy "If the shot doesn't go in, I wake up tomorrow and I'm still a happy person." Even if the Lakers lose this series (which they won't), two championships in a row is more than for I've asked for when I became a Laker fan in 1992. As an NBA fan this is what I live for.

Wow.... I still cant believe he hit that shot.. The Kings have to be kicking themselves in the ass right now, they should be up 3-1.. If you watch the final play, Divac hacked the shit out of Shrek, but the refs didnt call it.. Divac did the right thing by swatting the ball down on the court, thinking time would expire... NOBODY ON THE KINGS bothered to guard Horry, who wisely hung around the 3 point arc, waiting for a chance.... GREAT CLUTCH SHOT, LUCKY ASSIST BY DIVAC....... If anyone told me that the series would be tied at 2 a few weeks ago, i would be surprised... By the way laker fans, I dont know what you should be excited about, the Lakers have played ONE GOOD GAME THIS SERIES.. GAME ONE.. They didnt show up in game 2 or 3, (well the last seven minutes of game 3) and had to fight to the end and get a last second shot by Horry to win game 4.....

I go away for a few days and look what happens to this thread. People prognosticate doom for the Lakers and the Nets, and then the good guys come back to win their games. Nice!

I attended Sunday's game at Staples, and had pretty good seats perhaps 20 rows behind the Lakers' bench. As a Lakers fan, it was an unpleasant game to watch, until it had actually ended. (Incredibly beautiful women all over the place made for a nice distraction, I might add. What's with all these twentysomething hotties hangin' on the arms of these plump, balding, greying, fifty-something suits? I just *don't* understand... LOL). The Kings are playing at a very high level, I must say, at both ends.

I noticed a number of things that might not be evident on TV. First, the Lakers seem to have modified the triangle offense to the point that it doesn't look much like a triangle to me. They seem to be sending the ball in to Shaq much less frequently, and the Kings did an excellent job of disrupting the Lakers' passing and movement. Beyond that, it was remarkable how clunky the Lakers' shooting (even high percentatage shots) appeared compared to the red hot Kings. The Lakers in game 4 were not asleep -- they were sort've in shock because the Kings were working so effectively and creatively.

The Kings offense actually looked very "triangle" like, and they seem to have gelled as a group lately -- they've succeeded in turning their own game up a notch. Bibby was phenomenal until Kobe was sicked on him. I think that was the real turning point in the game, as Bibby had to narrow his focus considerably to deal with Kobe's focussed defense. Before Kobe, Bibby exhibited a level of anticipation that is exceedingly rare -- he was nearly always in the right place to disrupt plays on defense, and to get rebounds. And, he made passes to teammates who not only were open but also seemed to have many options available. For instance, the targets of his passes often had an open shot, but also had somebody nearby who was in a position to score, too. Lots of point guards aspire to this, but Bibby did this very effectively, more effectively than I've seen in a long time (though Kidd is playing at a high level, too). It was strange to see Fisher be so ineffective.

Anyway, Kobe's offense seemed to change considerably, too, once he began guarding Kidd. I think at that point he made more passes/assists than he usually does. Maybe he was tired, but I think that he and the Lakers figured out that if he passed the ball, that bought him some additional moments to get nearer to Bibby once the Kings got possession of the ball. It was cool to watch, and I really think that made the difference. The rest of the Lakers' game didn't really seem to improve, but they managed to come back anyway.

Another interesting thing the Kings are doing involves Vlade Divac. Sure, there's been lots of press about all the banging below the basket between Shaq and Vlade. But Vlade also found his way to the perimeter frequently, and in ways I haven't seen him work before. Shaq at times had to play farther from the basket than usual, interfering with his ability to defend the basket and get rebounds. And Shaq (slower than usual, due to injuries and perhaps fatique) ultimately couldn't/didn't try to keep up with Vlade. In the second half, other Lakers converged on Vlade while Shaq stayed near the basket. I don't know that this adjustment was all that effective, frankly. Lots of teams try to do what Vlade did, but I was amazed at how effective he was.

Anyway, thats about it. Lakers'll get 'em. Have no fears.

3-2 Kings. The series should be over, but for the miracle in Staples.

The Kings are the better team ... now it's only a matter of which of the next two games Sac town will put LA out of their misery ...

-Superman-

92-91 Kings. I'm shocked, I expected the Kings to fold after Sunday.

Can the Lakers pull off 2 more wins in a row? Its possible, just not probable.

Dogster , great great post... i respect the Lakers, and always tell my friends that Kobe is the best all around player in the NBA.. period... Shaq is the most dominant center in the NBA...no questions there... The Lakers bench forgot to show up for this series.. Where was Fisher, Horry, Fox, etc... Fox had a pretty good game, making some clutch shots in the 4th quarter last night..
Bibby has really stepped up his game..After having a mediocre regular season, he has turned into a superstar in the playoffs..
Kings need to win Friday, dont like their chances in a game 7 against the defending two time champs....

Tim Duncan is a better all-around player than Kobe but does not get the credit cause he plays in a small market.

Hey Happyboy,

I agree with most everything you said. The only difference of opinion I have is on Bibby. I think during the regular season he was asked to play the role of distributor or assist man. Now with the injury to Stoya his role has changed. They really need his scoring and its making him into a star.

Its good to see, he dominated Stockton (I know passed his prime), did the same with Nash, seems to be doin the same to Fisher (although this series is not done yet). He will probably have trouble with Kidd (if they meet in the next round).

pretty good for a hometown boy

BTW you goin to TJ with MrBill and I? June 13,14,15. Let one of us know

JD

Lakers are just toying with them. Lakers in seven, as I've been saying all along (LOL).

Don't call Kobe the best overall player in the league. Kobe is a secondary player on his own team ... he defers to Shaq and rightly so. We will never know how good Kobe is until he does it without Shaq. Everyone called Scottie Pippen the 2nd best player in the league when he was rolling with MJ, but he got exposed when MJ went to play baseball. He was a secondary player who looked better than he was because the Bulls had the best player in the league getting all the attention. I suspect Kobe is the same ... a very good player (and obviously better than Pippen was), but not all-world. All-world players are Shaq, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, and potentially Tracy McGrady. Kobe falls in around the next level with Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, and KJ.

As good as Kobe is, he is losing a lot of his luster this series. Why even give him the ball at the end of the game? Two straight games he has missed the game winning shot on plays drawn up for him. Jordan would have drained those shots. Just give it to Horry.

Still, there is no doubt the Lakers have the two best players on the court in this series ... the problem is the Kings have the next 6 best ... and that's why L.A. will lose this series.

Always remember ... Kobe is Shaq's bitch:



-Superman-

Now I know what you dream about when you aren't dreaming about holding Wilt's jockstrap.

Come on Dogster ... you can do better than that. Work on it and try again later. LOL.

-Superman-

Sacramento has dominated the series so far but I wouldn't count the Lakers out. The Kings had better win on Friday night. I don't think I'd favor them in a game seven against the two time world champs.

I'm a diehard Laker fan, and I am down about what's going on so far, but I like it like this.
Obviously, if the Lakers come back now no one can say that they don't deserve to be in the finals, (even if they just win by a point or two). On the other hand, if the Kings can put them away in six, or even, triumph in a game seven battle of champions, no one can say that the Kings are not the better team.

I'm setting Sunday aside for game seven...... on the other hand, if I have the day free I can always go to TJ.

I love Kobe but there was a reason that Jerry West was called Mr. Clutch. Kobe's not there yet.