***Official Lakers vs. Celtics thread***

[CantTouchThis 23]

If i'm Kobe i am

 

Really Artest? 2 fts with tons of time left to get within 3, and you miss BOTH. Plus everyone besides Odom played like sh1t on both sides.

 

He finally gets it going and no one else can score or get a stop. Then made a nice run to make it a game with a minute to go, but seriously. After that game, Celtics deserve to win, Lakers deserve to lose. I don't think i have seen a team with less urgency than the Lakers subtract Kobe. Artest is just dreadful.

[gocolts 300]

WOW. I am pretty damn shocked the Celts are up 3-2 in this series. They could really win this thing. I didn't think they would be in this position going back to LA, up a game. Should make for an exciting game 6.

[MedStudent 56]

Pierce looked great tonight and Garnett played great. Anytime 2 out of 3 of the big three have played great the Celtics have won. Allen has been struggling. If Allen was just shooting half way decent in the past 3 games this series would be over.

[TAS 2]

All mamba= no win for the lakers. They have to find balance or it is over...book it!

 

Oh yeah...fock the show!

 

Fish has surpassed Ginobli as the leagues biggest flopper.

[CantTouchThis 23]

All mamba= no win for the lakers. They have to find balance or it is over...book it!

 

Exactly, and the thing is Kobe knows it. After he took over in the 3rd quarter and they gained no points, he really tried to get Pau and others going, same thing in the 4th. Kobe could've easily gone off for 50, but he knew that's not how they would win the game or series. This is why i said if i were Kobe i would just chew out my teammates and tell them to get their sh1t together.

 

This is what i get for actually rooting FOR the Lakers Kobe doing work, but everyone else being suckass.

 

Again, that being said it's still about a 50/50 series with both games being in LA and LA making a decent run to end the game. Pau was flukishly off, Pau will bounce back with a HUGE game i think. Like i said, the Celtics needed that game a lot more than the Lakers and they showed it. If Boston lost, that's the series. If Boston wins, they obviously have a great chance, but i think it's still 50/50.

 

Celtics are certainly pushing it to it's limit, but can they come up with one more?

 

I think game 6 will be a Laker blow-out, similar to game 1. Pau has something like 30/15, Kobe has his usually 30ish.

 

Game 7 is a toss-up. As we saw this past game, even if Kobe is en fuego the Celtics are too good to let one person beat them. Pau or Odom or something has to really step up for game 6 and game 7 if the Lakers are to win this thing.

 

I...don't know anymore. Lakers in 7 seems to be the most logical, but nothing in this series has been logical.

[redtodd 7]

I was stuck on a plane for most of the game, but I landed in CA just in time to see the last minute of the game at the bar and see Crazy Man Artest choke. It was also fun to see Kobe get out fought for the ball (and of course he pissed and moaned to the refs).

 

I like the Celtics chances to win one of the two games in LA. I'd feel a whole lot better if they win it Tuesday Night, but if not I will be in LA on Thursday. Maybe I can scalp a ticket.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

Great win, its about time the Celtics got great games from at least 2 of the big 3. Hasn't happened yet this series.

 

I think this one ends Tuesday night.

[TylerRoseFan 16]

Celtics are just playing better ball. It's not one shot. It's not one run. They just have more players to contribute. They can easily play 9 players where the lakers are putting up 7 players. More juice and more contributors in the long run.

[Team Revell 0]

So if the Celtics win this series, does the Lakers championship from last year get a big *? Similar to winning a ring while Jordan was playing baseball?

 

Obviously if KG hadn't gotten hurt, Boston would be going for the three-peat and we would of been spared the excessive slobbering over Kobe's c0ck.

[TD Ryan2 314]

Celtics are just playing better ball.

 

I've been watching this series and until last night, I don't believe the above statement is true.

Yes, Boston outplayed L.A. in game 5... but that's the only game (IMO)

As a Celtics fan, I have been concerned about the Celtics' play.

They were outplayed in the RayAllen 3-pointer game.

They were outplayed in the BenchGoesCrazyShrekDonkey game.

 

The first quarter of game 3 Boston came out on fire; they looked great and for the first time were clearly outplaying L.A... but they fell apart by the 2nd qtr. and lost that first home game.

 

I feel a lot better now than I did and like Boston's chances needing only 1 of 2 for the series win.

But I just don't feel like Boston has clearly outplayed L.A.

They had a freakish 3point game to steal a win.

They had a freakish bench game to steal a win.

And they had one game where they were just plain better.

[edjr 5,570]

The Celtics overall played a sloppy game 5 and they still won.

 

defensive rebounding is horrible, Lakers had 16 offensive rebounds.

Ray Allen hasn't hit a 3 since game 2.

Rondo had 7 turnovers and 8 assists

Big Baby had zero

Perkins has feet for hands

[edjr 5,570]

Vegas has the Lakers as a 6.5 point favorite.

 

That tells it all right there.

 

The Refs are in the bag!

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

I've been watching this series and until last night, I don't believe the above statement is true.

Yes, Boston outplayed L.A. in game 5... but that's the only game (IMO)

 

They were outplayed in the BenchGoesCrazyShrekDonkey game.

 

negative.

 

Boston outplayed the Lakers in game 4. A ton of their 50/50 shots rimmed out. But they played better defense, rebounded better, got more open looks etc and generally outplayed LA.

[surferskin 30]

Vegas has the Lakers as a 6.5 point favorite.

 

That tells it all right there.

 

The Refs are in the bag!

That should go without saying. The question is not "if" the Lakers shoot more freethrows in game 6, it's how many more.

[TD Ryan2 314]

A ton of their 50/50 shots rimmed out.

I understand your point... Doc was saying it over and over, "we're getting good looks, they're just not going in".

But if you can't hit shots, you can't win no matter how good your defense and off-the-ball movement is.

Putting the ball into the basket is the objective of the whole game... so if you can't do that, it doesn't matter if you do all the other little things better.

[TD Ryan2 314]

also, the pushing fouls

 

Artest was acting, but Rondo deserved the Tech... you could lip read Rondo saying something like, "What the fock are you doing?" to Artest.

 

But WHY DIDN'T KOBE get a foul for the shove he gave (Rondo?) a few minutes later?

Kobe was dribbling at the top of the key, Rondo (?) was guarding and Kobe gave him a CoreyDillon-Stiff Arm... NO CALL?

[edjr 5,570]

also, the pushing fouls

 

Artest was acting, but Rondo deserved the Tech... you could lip read Rondo saying something like, "What the fock are you doing?" to Artest.

 

But WHY DIDN'T KOBE get a foul for the shove he gave (Rondo?) a few minutes later?

Kobe was dribbling at the top of the key, Rondo (?) was guarding and Kobe gave him a CoreyDillon-Stiff Arm... NO CALL?

 

 

Artest flopped and Rondo didn't

 

Van Gundy again was right on top of it.

 

He said "Rondo should have flopped like Artest"

[TD Ryan2 314]

Artest flopped and Rondo didn't

 

Van Gundy again was right on top of it.

 

He said "Rondo should have flopped like Artest"

 

Kobe's push was so blatant, no flop was needed.

Maybe Van Gundy is right, maybe if Rondo flopped, he'd have gotten the call... but that's pathetic. I can't imagine that's what the NBA wants to become.

[edjr 5,570]

Kobe's push was so blatant, no flop was needed.

Maybe Van Gundy is right, maybe if Rondo flopped, he'd have gotten the call... but that's pathetic. I can't imagine that's what the NBA wants to become.

 

JVG was 100% right and it is what the NBA has become.

 

if Rondo had done the flail your arms backwards and fall down, he absolutely gets that call.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

I understand your point... Doc was saying it over and over, "we're getting good looks, they're just not going in".

But if you can't hit shots, you can't win no matter how good your defense and off-the-ball movement is.

Putting the ball into the basket is the objective of the whole game... so if you can't do that, it doesn't matter if you do all the other little things better.

 

i had this convo the other day with someone who isn't really a basketball fan so i understood his reaction when i said Boston was playing really well in game 4 just not hitting their shots. He asked how they could be missing shots but playing well.

 

To me, playing well means how they are moving as a team, transition, help defense, staying out of foul trouble, making the extra pass and generally out hustling the other team, which Boston did for most of game 4. They had a few really nice drives to the basket where the layup was just a bit too hard and rimmed out. Granted the shots were somewhat contested but they were still good looks and agressive plays that easily could have gone the Celtics way.

 

On the flip side, they played very poorly as a team when Ray Allen went off and saved them.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

Always going to be bad calls in any basketball game. They dont bother me. What bothers me more is when the refs are too quick with a whistle. I would rather err on the side of no call.

 

But I could name a dozen bad calls in last nights game. Ray Allen didnt even touch Kobe the first time he "fouled" him behind the 3 pt line.

 

Its just the way basketball is, being that there is constant action. there are tons of calls to make or not make during the course of a game.

[mobb_deep 917]

Always going to be bad calls in any basketball game. They dont bother me. What bothers me more is when the refs are too quick with a whistle. I would rather err on the side of no call.

 

But I could name a dozen bad calls in last nights game. Ray Allen didnt even touch Kobe the first time he "fouled" him behind the 3 pt line.

 

Its just the way basketball is, being that there is constant action. there are tons of calls to make or not make during the course of a game.

 

Completely agree. I think these last two games have been a little too chippy though. No way the ref's in LA let them play like that back in LA.

 

All respect to the Celtics though. None of us Laker fans thought this would be an easy series. I think game 6 is just a formality. This one is going 7!

[JT 137]

I understand your point... Doc was saying it over and over, "we're getting good looks, they're just not going in".

But if you can't hit shots, you can't win no matter how good your defense and off-the-ball movement is.

Putting the ball into the basket is the objective of the whole game... so if you can't do that, it doesn't matter if you do all the other little things better.

 

Most coaches would disagree. Keeping the other team from putting the ball in the basket is the objective of the whole game. It's the only way to guarantee that you don't lose.

 

Shooting comes and goes, even for good teams. As long as they're quality shots generated within your offense, you can't complain about misses. Defense is a constant, something that you can control.

 

Boston's defense has simply outplayed the Lakers offense, allowing 100 pts only once this series. With all the veteran experience they have, the Celtics get more comfortable each game. They've begun to find some things that they can successfully do vs the LA defense.

[TAS 2]

Artest flopped and Rondo didn't

 

Van Gundy again was right on top of it.

 

He said "Rondo should have flopped like Artest"

From here on out please refer to this technique as he "Fished" or "Fishered".

 

Thanks, Management.

[DankNuggs 305]

I've been watching this series and until last night, I don't believe the above statement is true.

Yes, Boston outplayed L.A. in game 5... but that's the only game (IMO)

As a Celtics fan, I have been concerned about the Celtics' play.

They were outplayed in the RayAllen 3-pointer game.

They were outplayed in the BenchGoesCrazyShrekDonkey game.

 

The first quarter of game 3 Boston came out on fire; they looked great and for the first time were clearly outplaying L.A... but they fell apart by the 2nd qtr. and lost that first home game.

 

I feel a lot better now than I did and like Boston's chances needing only 1 of 2 for the series win.

But I just don't feel like Boston has clearly outplayed L.A.

They had a freakish 3point game to steal a win.

They had a freakish bench game to steal a win.

And they had one game where they were just plain better.

They shot at an unsustainable % in game 5.... Shot like 70% in the first half.... So if you go through their wins, all have been 'flukey' in a way...

 

 

Still don't understand how a supposedly smart coach like Jackson can't see that Gasol is the lone unstoppable force in this series... and they just won't feed him the ball... each game he gets more and more silent... Game 1 & 2 they were utilizing him really well for easy buckets..

[mobb_deep 917]

From here on out please refer to this technique as he "Fished" or "Fishered".

 

Thanks, Management.

 

Ray Allen is ALMOST as bad a flopper as Derrick. He also has that Reggie Miller flying leg jumper thing going on. Let's not kid ourselves here.

[TAS 2]

They shot at an unsustainable % in game 5.... Shot like 70% in the first half.... So if you go through their wins, all have been 'flukey' in a way...

 

 

Still don't understand how a supposedly smart coach like Jackson can't see that Gasol is the lone unstoppable force in this series... and they just won't feed him the ball... each game he gets more and more silent... Game 1 & 2 they were utilizing him really well for easy buckets..

With MJ and now Kobe, how smart do you have to be...really? Just playing Devils advocate here.

[DankNuggs 305]

Completely agree. I think these last two games have been a little too chippy though. No way the ref's in LA let them play like that back in LA.

 

All respect to the Celtics though. None of us Laker fans thought this would be an easy series. I think game 6 is just a formality. This one is going 7!

Boston homer that COMPLETELY agrees... notice game 5 was the first game the refs weren't a pviotal player down the stretch, and i think that was putting away the whistles a bit... I don't expect that to continue in LA..

 

NBA would LOVE game 7 and it is too easy to place advantage through officiating in the NBA... I see major foul issues early in game 6... Refs are going to target Allen and the bigs

[TAS 2]

Ray Allen is ALMOST as bad a flopper as Derrick. He also has that Reggie Miller flying leg jumper thing going on. Let's not kid ourselves here.

Not even close, bro. Fish is the absolute worst with Ray maybe a distant 30th.

[DankNuggs 305]

With MJ and now Kobe, how smart do you have to be...really? Just playing Devils advocate here.

That bulls team was put together EXTREMELY well both offensively and more importantly defensively... Horace Grant and Cartwright in the middle Paxson, Pippen MJ, Kerr off the bench... They played together and knew their roles...

 

Lakers don't seem to have much of a a team identity, alot of players are versatile, but they are not good at playing a specific role... You got Artest who is a glue/defender type who thinks he is a jump shooter... Odom who is an ultimate flex guy who disappears as quickly as he shows up... Fisher is about the only guy playing a role... Bynum has been awful, no rebounding, no inside presense...

[JT 137]

They shot at an unsustainable % in game 5.... Shot like 70% in the first half.... So if you go through their wins, all have been 'flukey' in a way...

 

 

Still don't understand how a supposedly smart coach like Jackson can't see that Gasol is the lone unstoppable force in this series... and they just won't feed him the ball... each game he gets more and more silent... Game 1 & 2 they were utilizing him really well for easy buckets..

 

Gasol's touches drop in direct relation to Bynum's contribution. While he played 30 minutes last night, it's obvious he played on one leg after about the first 8 minutes. Not a single defensive rebound; that's a guy that can't brace his knee and push back against an opponent.

 

Pau has been close to unstoppable when Bynum has been at his best. Cuts the double-team from the weak side, instead bringing it from a guard who has to leave a perimeter shooter. It opens the middle for his drop-step and spin move. When he faces up, Boston has been bringing help immediately, forcing him to pass. With another 7 footer out there, that pass goes to the rim.

 

I've also noticed that the longer the series has gone, the less physical Pau has become. Hes come a long way since '08, but he's still getting beaten down by the Celtics rotation of big bodies.

[DankNuggs 305]

Gasol's touches drop in direct relation to Bynum's contribution. While he played 30 minutes last night, it's obvious he played on one leg after about the first 8 minutes. Not a single defensive rebound; that's a guy that can't brace his knee and push back against an opponent.

 

Pau has been close to unstoppable when Bynum has been at his best. Cuts the double-team from the weak side, instead bringing it from a guard who has to leave a perimeter shooter. It opens the middle for his drop-step and spin move. When he faces up, Boston has been bringing help immediately, forcing him to pass. With another 7 footer out there, that pass goes to the rim.

 

I've also noticed that the longer the series has gone, the less physical Pau has become. Hes come a long way since '08, but he's still getting beaten down by the Celtics rotation of big bodies.

Nice analysis...makes sense.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

They shot at an unsustainable % in game 5.... Shot like 70% in the first half.... So if you go through their wins, all have been 'flukey' in a way...

 

 

Still don't understand how a supposedly smart coach like Jackson can't see that Gasol is the lone unstoppable force in this series... and they just won't feed him the ball... each game he gets more and more silent... Game 1 & 2 they were utilizing him really well for easy buckets..

 

all their wins have been flukey? thats a true LA homer comment there. So game 4 was flukey because Davis and Nate played so well, yet Fisher winning game 3 for LA wasn't "flukey"?

 

Im also assuming you consider Ray Allens game 2 shooting display to be 'flukey' even though he broke the 3 point record he previously held a share of... Kobe was 7-7 at one point in the third and scores 20+ straight points for the Lakers. But he has done that before so im certainly not going to call it a fluke.

 

Gasol's production has gone the way of Andrew Bynums play time and effectiveness. Can't believe more people are not noticing this and realizing that Bynum is the true inside force. Gasol was feeding off his presence.

[DankNuggs 305]

all their wins have been flukey? thats a true LA homer comment there. So game 4 was flukey because Davis and Nate played so well, yet Fisher winning game 3 for LA wasn't "flukey"?

 

Im also assuming you consider Ray Allens game 2 shooting display to be 'flukey' even though he broke the 3 point record he previously held a share of... Kobe was 7-7 at one point in the third and scores 20+ straight points for the Lakers. But he has done that before so im certainly not going to call it a fluke.

 

Gasol's production has gone the way of Andrew Bynums play time and effectiveness. Can't believe more people are not noticing this and realizing that Bynum is the true inside force. Gasol was feeding off his presence.

Yes, yes i do... Record setting 3-pt performances i'd say are rare and inherantly 'flukey' as they are not repeatable.

 

Shotting well above historic %'s is 'flukey' IMO...

 

 

And im certainly no LAL homer, LOLOLOLOL.. Have you seen me post? Im a masshole through and through

[edjr 5,570]

This series is pretty simple.

 

Bynum healthy = Lakers title

[DankNuggs 305]

This series is pretty simple.

 

Bynum healthy = Lakers title

Sounds alot like the Celtics last year with KG hurt... what a difference a year + health makes

[edjr 5,570]

Sounds alot like the Celtics last year with KG hurt... what a difference a year + health makes

 

It's true.

 

Bynum changes everything for the Lakers.

 

When he's out they need Odum to come up big and that will never happen, unless he's trying to knock up the ugly sister.

[DankNuggs 305]

It's true.

 

Bynum changes everything for the Lakers.

 

When he's out they need Odum to come up big and that will never happen, unless he's trying to knock up the ugly sister.

He eats a TON of candy... Like Heavy-Set style when he gets all amped up for Man Vs Food episodes... He has some ghetto gang banger whose job it is to procure daily candy for him...

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

Yes, yes i do... Record setting 3-pt performances i'd say are rare and inherantly 'flukey' as they are not repeatable.

 

Shotting well above historic %'s is 'flukey' IMO...

 

 

And im certainly no LAL homer, LOLOLOLOL.. Have you seen me post? Im a masshole through and through

 

well sorry for calling you an LA homer but the fact that Allen repeated something he had already done in the past tells me its not flukey, just a hot shooting streak. Great shooters have streaks and Allen is known as a great shooter. Its not like Nate had 8 3's.

 

also i thought Boston shot closer to 60 or 61% in the first half not 70. But indeed it was 69%

[edjr 5,570]

What happened to Ron Artest?

 

Holy Sh1t is he awful