You didn't connect the dots here, fish man. Golden State just gave up 140 points and 23 three-pointers. That is not exactly Bad Boys defense.
They should have fouled them right back and really driven up the possessions and final score. They could have probably made it 160-129.
Monster game from Harden tonight in his 122-119 win over OKC. 46 points on 19 FGA (7-8 from deep, 11-12 from the FT line). Even if you count his fouled shots as shot attempts, that is an eFG of .920! On top of that, he rounded in 8 rebounds (2nd most on his team), and he found time to dish out 6 assists, steal a ball, and block a shot. +8 on the night against the OKC starters. Lin also went for 29 points, 8 assists. What a back court performance. 75 points, 14 assists from the starting guards??? That's over 100 points in production. Kemba Walker had a good night against us tonight and he had half as many points as Harden on 19 attempts.
I am just so sick of Tim Legler and Flip Saunders. Those guys get paid to talk about two things on ESPN. .... Will Dwight Howard leave the Lakers and will the Lakers make the playoffs? If they take a day off, then Chris Brousard or Mike Wilbon have to give their daily Laker update. For ESPN, it's like the NBA world will come to an end if Kobe is not playing in May or June. If the Lakers don't make the playoffs, I think Tim and Flip lose their jobs. In fact I am pretty certain Flip wants D'antonis job or would even take an assistant job under Phil if he goes back to the Lakers..
Yea, but we learned that Flip is short for PHILLIP, which he only is called by people who are upset with him.
I heard him yesterday talking about how in the playoffs, the key is to find ways to score. I just don't respect his bball mind. On another topic, I just got back from the Bulls/Heat game here in Chicago. Had pretty decent seats and it was interesting watching Lebron's effort level. He barely tries in the first half. Didn't even break a sweat. I've never seen another player loaf that hard and still be somewhat effective. It's really not a bad strategy.
Tony Parker owned CP3 last night. Clipps had won the first two games early this season, and the Spurs told them last night who was the number one team in the NBA... TP danced circles around Clipper defense.... Of course the Spurs had the better coach....
I agree with this. Many players are too lazy to play defense and rebound for 82 games. Teams actually work harder and play better defense in the playoffs. It's harder to score. The key is to find ways to score.
Why not simplify one mini step further and mention that the key is to win? Usually, the winning team fares better in the playoffs. The Heat allowed 92.5 ppg in the regular season and in the playoffs they allowed 90.3 ppg (-2.2). In the regular season scored 98.5 ppg and in the playoffs they scored 97.3 (-1.2) Some would say defense wins Championships. Flip would say that lack of offensive suppression wins Division Finals.
Couldn't find the right thread for this. Quote from Dwight Howard in article about his poor conditioning having cost the Lakers a lot of games. Golly Dwight, I don't think your actual energy level really varies depending on where you're standing on the floor. I get that you've been hurt and that was slowed you down, but this sounds more like a motivation problem to me. “You’ve got to have energy and I want to bring that energy every night,” Howard said in a revealing interview Saturday afternoon. “That’s my job. They count on me to be that guy. I just know how much more effective I will be when I’m in better shape. And, unfortunately, it’s cost us a lot of games.” Howard said his conditioning has improved throughout the season, but he’s still “not even close” to where he wants to be, and where he once was before undergoing back surgery in the offseason. “I knew that would be a process. The better shape I’m in, the more active I can be and the more I’m able to do on the floor,” he said. “But it was a struggle at first because I just didn’t have it in the tank, especially on defense.”
Just want to post some data on the contenders. Looking at offensive rating and defensive rankings (how they score and how many they give up per 100 possessions) East: OR/ DR IND: 22/ 1 = 23 CHI: 24/ 4 = 28 MIA: 2/ 11 = 13 NYK: 3/ 18 = 21 BRK: 10/ 15 = 25 West: OR/ DR MEM: 18/ 2 = 20 LAC: 7/ 6 = 13 SAS: 6/ 3 = 9 OKC: 1 / 8 = 9 DEN: 5/ 14 = 19 Contenders are therefor: 1) SAS T1) OKC 3) MIA T3) LAC 5) everybody else If you weight defense more heavily (and if you believe D Rose will come back), then Indiana, Chicago, and Memphis might be considered contenders too.
Kobe says the Lakers will make the playoffs....at this point with them being 2.5 games behind the Rockets, I say unless Howard, Nash or Kobe go out for more than 10 games, they can probably make it....unless Gasol comes back messes with the current chemistry. Their goal is to get the sixth spot, avoid the Spurs or Thunder in the first round and reclaim the LA glory by grabbing Staples center crowd in a first round match up with the probable third seeded Clippers...and beat them. Then the Nationwide Kobe faithful will have something to cheer about through mid May.
If LAL sneaks in the 8th seed, I will be surprised. If they take the 6th seed, I will be downright shocked. I personally want them in the 7th to watch OKC run them out of the building. Blowout city.
I want to see them sneak in and then get swept. Nothing causes more internal turmoil than getting swept in the first round of the playoffs.
Exactly... The Pistons getting swept in the first round would be atleast we made it in and the kids got a taste, with the over the hill Lakers it would be great drama for the summer.
Lebron with: 40 points 8 rebounds 16 assists It was a double OT game, but still, that's a lot of production with at least 72 points coming through him. That's his season high in both points and assists and on the same night.
