Comments on: Part I, In Which The Mamba Sinks It’s Teeth In: Orlando at LA, Game 1 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/ Unbiased opinions from extremely biased people Mon, 21 May 2012 13:40:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: OFF-TOPIC: The magnetic appeal of Colin Quinn bombing « this is the city line. http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11459 OFF-TOPIC: The magnetic appeal of Colin Quinn bombing « this is the city line. Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:13:21 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11459 [...] haven’t felt all that interested in sports of late. Sure, there are a million reasons to love the NBA playoffs, there’s all sorts of anger-gold to be mined in rooting for a [...] [...] haven’t felt all that interested in sports of late. Sure, there are a million reasons to love the NBA playoffs, there’s all sorts of anger-gold to be mined in rooting for a [...]

]]> By: WildYams http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11458 WildYams Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:19:20 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11458 waltonswisdom - The whining about the officiating that people were referencing happened on HP's Twitter feed, not in this article's writeup. Just FYI. SoCal01 - Kobe hit those two threes against Portland in 2004, not in 2000, and by hitting those two shots it gave the Lakers the 2nd seed, not the top seed (Minny was the top seed in the West that year). In 2000 the Lakers won 67 games in the regular season and finished about as far in front of the 2nd seed (Portland) as they did this year. waltonswisdom – The whining about the officiating that people were referencing happened on HP’s Twitter feed, not in this article’s writeup. Just FYI.

SoCal01 – Kobe hit those two threes against Portland in 2004, not in 2000, and by hitting those two shots it gave the Lakers the 2nd seed, not the top seed (Minny was the top seed in the West that year). In 2000 the Lakers won 67 games in the regular season and finished about as far in front of the 2nd seed (Portland) as they did this year.

]]> By: SoCal01 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11428 SoCal01 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:51:57 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11428 Matt I really don't know how you could say that Game 1 was Kobe's best night. It's definitely not the best game I've seen from Kobe Bryant - I mean the game was a blowout. It's real easy to get stats when your up by 28 with a quarter to go. He has nights like that all the time so to be "his best game" it has to be something really really special. Like for me, in 2000 he hit those 2 threes @ the end of the game and OT to win it over the Blazers and get the top seed in the playoffs. Later that season they played Portland in 7 and you see the kobe - shaq replay all the time on route to a championship. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuP-36pNLsM&feature=related Matt I really don’t know how you could say that Game 1 was Kobe’s best night. It’s definitely not the best game I’ve seen from Kobe Bryant – I mean the game was a blowout. It’s real easy to get stats when your up by 28 with a quarter to go. He has nights like that all the time so to be “his best game” it has to be something really really special.

Like for me, in 2000 he hit those 2 threes @ the end of the game and OT to win it over the Blazers and get the top seed in the playoffs. Later that season they played Portland in 7 and you see the kobe – shaq replay all the time on route to a championship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuP-36pNLsM&feature=related

]]> By: waltonswisdom http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11427 waltonswisdom Sun, 07 Jun 2009 14:44:58 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11427 Why is everyone worked up about the author's supposed "whining" about the officiating in game one. The way I read it, he showered praise on the Lakers and was merely throwing in a few "biased refs"/"NBA marketing machine" humor to spice up the post. I don't think anyone in their right mind thinks the referees actually affected the outcome of this game... Why is everyone worked up about the author’s supposed “whining” about the officiating in game one. The way I read it, he showered praise on the Lakers and was merely throwing in a few “biased refs”/”NBA marketing machine” humor to spice up the post. I don’t think anyone in their right mind thinks the referees actually affected the outcome of this game…

]]> By: Jose http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11402 Jose Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:38:29 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11402 The Magic shot what? 29%? Some of that was just bad shooting, people. The Magic missed a lot of open looks even when they made the right plays. I'd agree with yackity yack that they were intimidated (and part of it could've been the pressure of being in the finals for the first time), but you can't honestly attribute ALL of it to the Laker defense when the Magic are missing open threes and open layups. The Magic played well in the first quarter and then disappeared afterwards. They clearly weren't watching Boston last season because they played poor defense on Kobe. Instead of double-teaming him and luring him into help defenders, they let him go one-on-one way too often in addition to giving up way too much spacing on the defensive end. It was pretty much the opposite of Boston's disciplined defense last season and they paid the price. Orlando SHOULD be able to play with this team, but if they're going to let Kobe single-handedly beat them, he probably will. They need to make someone else beat them, even if it means giving up some shots to Ariza and the others. Also, it's not "negative" for Mr. Moore to want to see a competitive finals, Laker fans. He didn't take anything away from the L.A.'s performance. On the contrary. Oh, and for everyone subscribing to the theory that Orlando would have trouble shooting threes against the taller Laker players, Orlando shot 40+ percent against them in the two regular season games that Orlando won. Basically, it's fool's gold to attribute that to the Laker defense, which has long been known to be bad at defending the three. Orlando missed a lot of good looks from the three. Sometimes it just comes down to hitting the shots, and even when Orlando made the right plays, they could not buy a bucket. They should shoot better from the perimeter in game two, but the real concern is whether or not Howard will be able to get going, because if they continue to get pounded in the paint, their chances of winning won't be good at all. Orlando is not going to win with Howard averaging one field goal a game. Finally, Tony Battie should NEVER be permitted to take a jumpshot. That was awful. The Magic shot what? 29%? Some of that was just bad shooting, people. The Magic missed a lot of open looks even when they made the right plays. I’d agree with yackity yack that they were intimidated (and part of it could’ve been the pressure of being in the finals for the first time), but you can’t honestly attribute ALL of it to the Laker defense when the Magic are missing open threes and open layups. The Magic played well in the first quarter and then disappeared afterwards. They clearly weren’t watching Boston last season because they played poor defense on Kobe. Instead of double-teaming him and luring him into help defenders, they let him go one-on-one way too often in addition to giving up way too much spacing on the defensive end. It was pretty much the opposite of Boston’s disciplined defense last season and they paid the price.

Orlando SHOULD be able to play with this team, but if they’re going to let Kobe single-handedly beat them, he probably will. They need to make someone else beat them, even if it means giving up some shots to Ariza and the others.

Also, it’s not “negative” for Mr. Moore to want to see a competitive finals, Laker fans. He didn’t take anything away from the L.A.’s performance. On the contrary.

Oh, and for everyone subscribing to the theory that Orlando would have trouble shooting threes against the taller Laker players, Orlando shot 40+ percent against them in the two regular season games that Orlando won. Basically, it’s fool’s gold to attribute that to the Laker defense, which has long been known to be bad at defending the three. Orlando missed a lot of good looks from the three. Sometimes it just comes down to hitting the shots, and even when Orlando made the right plays, they could not buy a bucket. They should shoot better from the perimeter in game two, but the real concern is whether or not Howard will be able to get going, because if they continue to get pounded in the paint, their chances of winning won’t be good at all. Orlando is not going to win with Howard averaging one field goal a game. Finally, Tony Battie should NEVER be permitted to take a jumpshot. That was awful.

]]> By: NBA China http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11401 NBA China Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:25:25 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11401 Flip flopping from a 7 game win for the underdogs to a sweep for the favorites after a blowout win...how unoriginal. Flip flopping from a 7 game win for the underdogs to a sweep for the favorites after a blowout win…how unoriginal.

]]> By: The Dude Abides http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11392 The Dude Abides Sat, 06 Jun 2009 08:29:38 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11392 em-k, that was Odom who closed out so quickly on Rashard and forced him off the 3-pt line and into a more or less uncontested 18-ft pull-up jumper. It's a lot easier to hit threes when the defenders trying to run you off the 3-pt line are Mo Williams, Booby Gibson, and Delonte West with Lebron at power forward. Trying to shoot threes over Gasol/Odom, Ariza, and Kobe is a lot different. In addition, it was obvious that the Lakers closed out harder on Rashard than they did on Rafer or Lee, although Lee still faced some degree of close outs. They also played tight defense on Turk the entire game, but especially so after the 1st quarter. em-k, that was Odom who closed out so quickly on Rashard and forced him off the 3-pt line and into a more or less uncontested 18-ft pull-up jumper. It’s a lot easier to hit threes when the defenders trying to run you off the 3-pt line are Mo Williams, Booby Gibson, and Delonte West with Lebron at power forward. Trying to shoot threes over Gasol/Odom, Ariza, and Kobe is a lot different. In addition, it was obvious that the Lakers closed out harder on Rashard than they did on Rafer or Lee, although Lee still faced some degree of close outs. They also played tight defense on Turk the entire game, but especially so after the 1st quarter.

]]> By: kneejerkNBA http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11386 kneejerkNBA Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:31:30 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11386 Orlando's a resilient bunch. They might not win this series but there's no way they play that badly in Game 2. Orlando’s a resilient bunch. They might not win this series but there’s no way they play that badly in Game 2.

]]> By: Justin N. http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11385 Justin N. Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:24:38 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11385 "All I did was praise the Lakers. How is that bitter?" Yeah you did. You gave their defense credit, you gave Kobe credit, and you gave Phil credit. You were very much so correct about these points. However: "In a season when realistically, the Lakers were the best team all season, downing Boston and Cleveland with little resistance, wouldn’t it be just like them to rob us of a compelling Finals series after a terrific playoffs?" The Lakers flat out do not deserve little jabs like this. Sure they may be a storied organization, but you must evaluate them in the now. Gasol did not bribe the league to send him to LA. A lot of the players on this Laker team have worked very hard to get to where they are today and to be poised to win a championship. Just because they bring their A game every night of the finals and win in four does not mean they robbed you of an exciting finals matchup. As NBA fans, we cannot blame the team that left it all on the floor, we must blame the team that didn't (last night obviously the Magic). “All I did was praise the Lakers. How is that bitter?”

Yeah you did. You gave their defense credit, you gave Kobe credit, and you gave Phil credit. You were very much so correct about these points.

However:

“In a season when realistically, the Lakers were the best team all season, downing Boston and Cleveland with little resistance, wouldn’t it be just like them to rob us of a compelling Finals series after a terrific playoffs?”

The Lakers flat out do not deserve little jabs like this. Sure they may be a storied organization, but you must evaluate them in the now. Gasol did not bribe the league to send him to LA. A lot of the players on this Laker team have worked very hard to get to where they are today and to be poised to win a championship. Just because they bring their A game every night of the finals and win in four does not mean they robbed you of an exciting finals matchup. As NBA fans, we cannot blame the team that left it all on the floor, we must blame the team that didn’t (last night obviously the Magic).

]]> By: WildYams http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2009/06/04/part-i-in-which-the-mamba-sinks-its-teeth-in-orlando-at-la-game-1/comment-page-1/#comment-11380 WildYams Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:48:32 +0000 http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/?p=2823#comment-11380 Question: did Bynum outplay Dwight Howard last night? Did Gortat outplay Howard last night? Question: did Bynum outplay Dwight Howard last night? Did Gortat outplay Howard last night?

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