It wasn't a pretty game, but if you are a Laker fan, you'll take it. But while you are holding that win dear to your bosom, at the same time, you can see it coming. Defeat.
Did the Celtics play well? No, and credit the Lakers' D for being more aggressive. Did the Lakers play well? As a team, no. And they haven't the entire series. Kobe saved them from a 3-0 sweep. No wonder why he looks so mad all the time. He has no supporting cast.
It's all about Kobe. And you can't win a championship with just one player. Ask Michael Jordan. LeBron James. The Lakers, as a team, have been officially exposed as Kobe and the four dwarfs.
Lamar Odom, where art though? He looks like a lost soul on the floor. Pau Gasol? It's starting to look like there was a reason for why he was basically handed to the Lakers. He's the new official spokesperson for Charmin. Power forward? No way. He rarely has shown any authority when tipping in shots. He's as tentative as Indiana Jones in a snake pit. And he is soft. Charmin soft.
The rest of the team? Radmonovic? M.I.A. Derek Fisher? Nice guys finish last. Save for Sasha's three point shots, no other Laker showed up to help Kobe. It's pretty obvious that Kobe has to score 40 points to beat the Celtics- history has shown he will not be able to overcome his team's lackluster performances all by himself.
Can we already cue-up the Kobe Bryant press conference where he demands to be traded to a team who has some support? It's coming folks. You can see it in his eyes. You can see it in his teammates' eyes. Deja-vu from last year.
Look, my team lost. Fair and square. But let's get real here. The Celtics had the lead with seven minutes to go in the fourth shooting in the high thirty percentile. Garnett missed two-thirds of his dunks. P- double (2 for 14) would have been better off fouling out, as his jumpers were more like lame ducks. Two of the big three failed to produce anything on the floor, and yet, the Lakers squeaked by.
Lakers fans- are you more confident now? If anything, this game showed how a team that could shoot that badly (and again, give credit to the Lakers defense), have a disadvantage at the free throw line (yes, the game was officiated fairly) and miss dunks, and still be in the entire game highlights the complete lack of team productivity from the Lakers. The Lakers, ladies and gentlemen, are much ado about nothing.
The Celtics are clearly the better team. The Lakers clearly have the best player. But when evaluating the two, you would have to be blind to not see the obvious- the Celtics are superior to the Lakers. Three games have proven that. Think about this; just how uncomfortable was it to watch the Celtics play that badly and still have a five point lead? The Lakers fans will refuse to see the light. That's OK. The glare of Hollywood can blind you. Kobe is your entire team. Deny it all you want, but the fact is, you have no chance of winning the Finals. None. Zippo. Zilch.
The Lakers should have blown the Celtics off the court. The C's went 1-9 in the first quarter, 1-7 in the second. That won't happen again. While the Lakers won game three, their confidence is not very high. They know they let a horrible shooting team stay in the game.
The Celtics have to be feeling pretty good. They stunk up the court. While the Lakers' D improved greatly, the Big Two of Three missed a ton of open shots and dunks with no one guarding them. It was laughable. And they were still in the game while Kobe was lighting it up.
Game four is in two days. Let's see how hard it will be for the Lakers fans to talk about how good they think their team is without mentioning Kobe. Mission Impossible. There is no team. It's Kobe. And the four dwarfs.
yeah right...the laker will take it from here..
i will come back to remind you of your prediction..
strong words for such a weak team...
who's ur leader...allen cant create of the dribble late in games...garnett doesnt want the pressure...pierce cant score against kobe..
I DONT SEE IT!!
Thanks for making my point...you only mentioned one Laker as the reason for why you think I'm wrong: Kobe. I rest my case.
The Celtics leader is Paul Pierce. He has burned you 4/5 games. Are you serious? Allen had over 20 points, again, not seeing your point. Garnett had a miserable game, but he will be back, and as far as pressure, ha! I saw him miss a ton of open shots....bricks! Nice try...you are myopic!
Not so sure about KG though I'm kid of sick of him not posting up and settling for 20ft jump shots he's shooting about 30% since the first half of game one
Not real worried about the Lakers though. I'm not impressed. With Kobe going off, Sasha with the hot hand end Pierce and Garnett abyssmal offensivly the Lakeshow could only come up with a 6 point win?
Laughing. Okay, in the same FUN spirit you wrote ...
Yes, the Celtics played badly and yet were in it, but then again, the Lakers played badly as well and won it. Seriously, who wreaked worse? Pierce and Garnett, or Pau and Odom? The Lakers were saved because a 3rd tier player stepped up, Vujacic. The Celtics had no such player step up. Face it, the Celtics have their big 3, and the Lakers have a TEAM!
What is more, isn't it a bit hypocritical to claim that the Lakers SHOULD have blown the Celtics off the court, when the Celtics WERE blowing the Lakers off the court in game 2, and then choked and let a 24 point lead become a 2 point game in the 4th quarter?
Are Lakers fans the only fans who refuse to see the light? ;-) That's okay. The world knows Bostonians can be full of beans. :-0
In game 3, the score was 20 to 20 after the first quarter. That's not news for the Celtics' defense, but it should have been a headline for the Lakers. The Lakers let up in the 3rd, but overall played much better defense in game 3.
Defense was the Lakers' only discernible adjustment, and spotty as it was, it was enough. What could the Lakers do if they decided to get serious about rebounding?
The Celtics have 3 all stars, Tom Thibideau's brilliant defense, and are the best team money can buy.
The Celtics had the best record in the regular season, hold the NBA record for biggest turn around, and swept the Lakers in the regular season. The Celtics have seen the friendliest whistles in the playoffs at home, and they have more home games than the Lakers. They'll likely win the series.
But then again, had Kobe Bryant just shot his free throw average, the game would not have seemed as close. You can't credit Celtics defense for that happening.
The Celtics SHOULD win, but their is still plenty of room for doubt.
Tom...yes they had a 24 point lead and the Lakers came back in game 2. But that is fairly typical in the NBA. Teams with huge leads get lax. As far as the Lakers, the Celtics barely showed up for that game offensively, and they still had problems beating the Cs.
Had kobe made more free throws, the score would have been greater? Well, yes, that's true. You also made my point about Kobe being the only one on the team (that you have talked about) that gets mentioned.
I am talking about the TEAM. But since you brought up stats, if Pierce or Garnett had made half their misses, the Lakers would have lost, no? Bottom line? It's all Kobe. It's not Showtime. It's Kobe time. The rest of the team (Sasha gets credit for one game) has been completely irrelevant in 3 games.
The C's can win if Ray Allen doesn't shoot well. Can the Lakers win w/o Kobe?
Spidey...lol. Beautiful insight! (LMAO) And darn it, he does need to start posting up within 5 feet.
Everyone be prepared to see a string of WRONG predictions from Lisa H. She picked a blow out for game 3 and is doing the same for game 4. This is coming from someone who predicted a 7 game series before she got emotionally involved in the games. I doubt we'll see her pick the Lakers in 1 game this series. Even if they win the next one by 10. In her eyes the Celtics have em right where they want em. There are NO moral victories in the NBA Finals as you are trying to spin it. A win is a win is a win. Just as in game 2. A game that the Lakers could have pulled out despite the 28 free throw difference. We lost that's it. Move on.
Last edited by sprtsmniac on June 11th at 11:15 AM.
Did you guys catch Paul Pierce at halftime yesterday heading into the Locker Room???
They were down by 6 (being carried by Ray Allen) and he was having a horrible game.
He was clapping it up like they just won the Finals. I've never seen somebody so satisfied during one of the worst single game finals appearences by supposed big time player.
Celtics might be a little too comfortable.
A Laker win Thursday night might change that.
Last edited by sprtsmniac on June 11th at 11:19 AM.
sportsmaniac...a 13 point win is a blow out prediction? Hardly. And since we are on the topic of predictions, I'm 2-1. What's your record?
Oh that's right, you haven't made any. It's so easy to cast stones when you hide behind a stone wall. Let's hear your prediction for game 4. I'll make sure and post it in my blog, so you can reap the accolades, OK?
By the way sportsmaniac...you are correct one one thing...I will not predict any Laker wins just as J-Dizzle will not predict any Celtic wins. That was the point on this whole Lisa v J-Dizz blog. To have some fun while homering for our teams.
You said, "before she got emotionally involved in the game." I was always emotionally involved in the game. I'm a Celtics fan. Just like J-Dizzle is a Lakers fan. He's emotionally involved. Look at the title of the blog! It's a smack-off!
It's a little smack between two teams being represented by two bloggers. Chill dude.
You shouldn't take anything I say personally Lisa. Reading over my posts I don't see anything that would make you think i'm upset. (ok i'll admit it the celtics defense has me heated)
The celtics D is definitely better than I thought or atleast wanted to admit before the series.
I haven't posted any of my predictions on the games on this site. (and yes I know it's in fun) so is me jumping on here to let you know that you were wrong on your game 3 prediction.
for the record i'm 2-1 also. I had the lakers winning games 2 and 3.
I picked the Celtics in game 1
And YES a 13 point victory in the Finals is a blow out! just my opinion.
Tom...yes they had a 24 point lead and the Lakers came back in game 2. But that is fairly typical in the NBA. Teams with huge leads get lax.
So when did the celts relize the Lakers were only 15 back did they decide we better play our smothering D or was it when the Lakers were 10 back that they decide to play that smothering D, maybe it was when the Lakers cut the leasd to 2 the celtics said wow we are in trouble here we better pull our heads out of our ####. Dont talk about let ups, give everyone a break and take a break from these boards, your insite is as useless as #### on a bull. :)
Actually, those kinds of comebacks are NOT typical in the NBA. As the ESPN / ABC broadcasting team pointed out at the time, this would have been the BIGGEST comeback in NBA Finals history ... in other words, this kind of comeback has NEVER happened before!
The Lakers held the Celtics to 27 points less than they had in game 2.
27 points less?!
THAT was the difference in the game, THAT was the reason the Lakers won, and THAT wasn't done by Kobe Bryant.
In other words, the reason the Lakers beat the Celtics in game 3 is defense, and that is a team thing.
The problem is, offense gets all the glory, so much so that people get very warped perceptions of the game.
Take Garnett for example. People see he shot 6 of 21 and say he had a bad game.
Uh, the guy had 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and because even boxscores are offensively biased, we'll never know how many double teams he was a part of, picks he set, etc., shutting down Pau and Odom, and detering Bryant and Fisher from getting inside shots.
Garnett struggled shooting from the outside, that's the only part of the game that didn't click for him.
Contrary to popular belief, the Celtics had more inside points than the Lakers.
the Lakers right now are ot playing with the same intensity that got them this far. simply put, they've been playing about as aggressive as a team full of Mr Rogers type personalities.
I can't for the life of me figure out how Odom and Gasol can be so soft, but i'm gonna leave that alone for now.
i only want to make a point that the lakers are more than just Kobe, and their lack of team play is the only reason they lost games 1 and 2. the same thing happened vs the Jazz in Utah. the Lakers were pushed around and bullied and out played for those 2 games...but then they turned it around. it wasn't just Kobe.
as far as i can see...the same thing applies here.
taking nothing away from the Celts' play in those games, i can still honestly say that the absence of aggressive team play (from L.A.)is just as much a contributing factor.
if they can get just one other player to step up to the plate...this is a brand new series.
and as for KG and Pierce...real stars don't need to be on their own court to play well. those two have struggled thru out the playoffs on the road. regardless of double teams or whatever...they still have to find a way to contribute to the cause.
yeah but leaders dont dissappear...
face it..boston has played the best they can..
they lakers will turn it on..
the clearest thing about this series is boston getting the whistle..
The big loss for me in Game 3 was not the Celtics, although I am a dyed in the wool fan.
It was Kobe Bryant, for whom I have lavished praise after praise over the years.
I think he has a monster talent and is the greatest player in the game today.
However, he is a CryBaby and a Wa-Wa, who complains on every call, has an ego 5 miles high and who has shown only an ability to play the game very well, not the personna of a Superstar or a "Leader."
He has 4 Technical Fouls for complaints in the Finals, and 7 will get you a permanent sit down. Some Leader, ya think?
And I don't have to include the rape case, although that did not help him much in the eyes of the Laker fans I know. The fact that all the NBA players play around, does not excuse him from behaving responsibly. Ask his wife. But, he was an embarrassment at that time off the court, and he is an embarrassment now ON the court.
Nope, the fans, even out here, can see that their hero is a little kid with a big talent, who is wasting that talent if he wants to join the game's immortals.
He is a Star, for sure. He has an inflated SuperEgo also, unlike King James who has his own moments of "I"-dealism, but, who IS a Leader, unlike Kobe the Krybaby. Kobe, who should not be mentioned in the same breath with Michael Jordan, flails his arms and moans with every play. More like Michael Jackson ...
So, while the Celtics could not play any worse, and still almost won this one, Kobe lost an unlikely fan from a demographic POV: me.
The Celtics were not "held" to 27 points less by any Laker defense of mention. They simply missed a heck of a lot of open looks, undefended. Pierce and Garnet getting 19 points total won't likely happen again, especially with the open looks they are getting.
The Celtics shot very poorly, and NOT due to the Lakers defense. The woeful look on the Laker fans faces at the Staples Center in the third quarter bespeaks to the very real fact that these two teams are really not comparable in skill and excellence.
Lisa has it right: Kobe and the 4 Dwarfs.
SportsRebel,
Talk is cheap.
When all you can do is mindlessly predict victory, you are simply a Laker homer without any knowledge to speak of, and one who is not worthy of a response other than this one. Anyone can just predict a victory, without substantive argument, and in particular in contrast to the well researched and thought through arguments such as Lisa almost always presents.
Hey, it's a free country. When reading you, I recognize that somewhere there is a village which is missing its i-d-i-o-t ....
Ahh, c'mon Lisa. I don't normally disagree (ok, argue) with you, but here goes. You talk about how the Celts big guns didn't show and supposedly thats a point of confidence for Celts fans. Surely they will "get it going" in the next games. But you use contradictory logic when examining the Lakers. They are 'supposedly' in big trouble when Odom and Gasol have bad games, even though they won. Examine games 1 and 2. Kobe was a no show and the Lakers came from 24 down with 7 minutes left and almost stole one in the Gardens (and I'm sorry, even the comentators noticed how one-sided that game was being called).
You assume the Lakers that haven't played well will continue to not play well, and the Celts who have played poorly are bound to get it going. No stars in my eyes, I'm now living in Cedar Rapids Iowa and about all I see is water. The Laker no shows will get it going, and it will be a close series but despite poor officiating the Lakers will win in 7. If there are questions about the officiating, think about this; even the announcers have commented on the one sided nature, and it could cost them their jobs. But I will never use calls as an excuse, but it is a fact. It has been very one sided bad (Turiaf gets called for a continuation foul after the shot, something that is NEVER called, then on an almost identical play the orther way Gasol getss no similar break. Some of the calls and non calls are truely laughable. What ever happened to "let em play" in the finals? No excuse, just observations that lend more credence to Tim Donaghy's accusations.
Last edited by UltTroyDos on June 11th at 1:56 PM.
So far both teams have held serve by winning at home, and that is what is s'posed to happen. Also, all 3 games were winnable by either team at about the 2 minutes to go point. All 3 could have swung either way with a play or 2.
What it comes down to for Boston: can they hold serve. For LA: they must not only hold serve but must #### one of the 2 at the Gardens.
IMO this series is far from over, and I feel that both teams have the ability to do what they must to accomplish the above. What it may come down to is the will to win (advantage KB) and/or coaching (uh, who do we give the advantage to there? You decide.)
Alex...that comment about Kobe and the alleged rape incident has you so far off base, that you're coming around third without ever having even grazed first.
you might want to adjust your view point...because if Kobe is a crybaby, then so is Paul Pierce. Pierce has a permanant crybaby look...that obviously comes from crying alot. he isn't any different than the rest of the superstars in the league who have had their fair share of whistles blown in their favor...so please let that go. Lebron has also done his share of crying...as has Tim Duncan...D-Wade...Dirk Nowitski...Iverson...or whoever.
if you're gonna hate on KB, then go ahead and hate. but don't let your lopsided opinion blind your better judgement...if in fact you ever had any...and i'm quite certain Kobe's fan base is not affected by your defection.
Gimme a break Rogain, it ain't just Laker fans talking about the officiating, spend .25 cents and buy a paper in anytown USA, or go to the NBA page of SI.com, or in other words just about any wher sports is being discussed.
And it is not the # of fouls necessarily, but the type, as in my example. I saw bad calls go both ways in game 3, but even tho the Lakers went to the line more, I still think the bad calls favored Boston more than LA.
Besides, the refs can't make it to obvious, in addition their objective is probaly to have the series go seven. And a disparity of 12 is not unusual, but some of the stuff in games 1 and 2 were. But maybe you missed my point; I don't use that as an excuse and never will, but that doesn't mean I'm blind. I didn't use it when Texas beat USC in the Rose Bowl, and if I didn't use it then I won't use it now.
And yes Alex, I realize that Boston is the home team; that's why all I said they had to do was hold serve while the Lakers must hold and win one on the road, which considering the closeness of all the games so far either is possible. If the "holding serve" stuff is what's intefering with your understanding, I believe it's a Tennis term that I am using here instead of actually spelling out "win all their home games".
If you have any further misinterpretations I'll be more than happy to correct you.
look here joe rogan...
the laker D did stand up...
go look at the tape and count how many pierce score.
no the celts were not open missing shots...
I stated specifically why boston is inferior...no leader...the reg season games dont count because they DIDNT FACE THIS ROSTER...
who cares about colorado..
the thing that doesnt make sense to me about the kobe haters is.......
he wasnt given the throne like Lebron and MJ...
he shouldnt be judged by that standard....
so dont judge him against those 2...
if you choose to root someone else..more power to you...
its not like u haters pulled for him before all those things u mention...thats what doesnt make sense...
lol
hmmm....some people take a smack blog too seriously. I am supposed to pick the Celtics every game guys....deal with it. On the other hand, I will be perfectly honest.....the C's played horribly and almost won. It's somewhat reassuring. While I am impressed with Kobe's play, I am not impressed with their team play. Please show me some stats to change my mind. Their "team" is non-existent. It's Kobe, and four other guys. Sasha stepped up from the bench. That's your story.
sports...what the #### are you talking about? PP is their leader, always has been, always will be. His stats are incredible. He has had one bad game in all of the playoffs and series.
Hey Lisa. Ok, you were right about the first two games. I thought LA would win won of them. I was wrong. However, we hung with you in game 1, and game two we came back, just too big of a deficit. And you said LA couldn't come back from a huge deficit against Boston. Actually, I still felt confident after 2 games, even more so than after game 1.
So, game 3 stank to high heavens. You base your critque of the Lakers on them being a one man team. Weren't the Celtics pretty much the same with Ray Allen last night? I'll take low numbers from Gasol and Odom if it means we shut down Garnett and Pierce.
This series will come down to the bench. Last night, ours showed up.
3 possible outcomes:
Boston wins 2 in LA series over.
Split games 4 and 5, Celtics up 3-2. Boston should win, but they have to earn it.
Lakers win next two. This is what will likely happen. Yeah, Boston won 2 in Detroit, that's it, No more this year. Lakers will finish undefeated at home and break your heart in 6 games. Be afraid, be very afraid. Don't expect us to miss our foul shots the rest of the series. We have your team figured out, and we have more will to win.
Well Lisa, just so you know, I enjoy these blogs between you and J DIZZ very much. Gives some comic relief when things get frustrating watching my team. Keep up the good work.
You got the facts right, just fouled up the conclusion;
Yeah the Celtics were a 1-man team last night. No, that is not the way they were all year.
Yes, the Lakers were a 2 man team last night. No, that is not the way they were all year.
Correct conclusion: If both teams play the way they were playing all year. Celtics will win in 5.
Got that?
GameStorm,
The rape incident affects him as a SuperStar personna, and is not offbase for the topic of my post.
Whether Pierce is a CryBaby or not is incidental to any discussion of Kobe, who is the person I was discussing. Plus, you must argue the point, not just state it. Kobe proves he is a Krybaby every night, as witness the 4 T's for Whining.
BTW, I don't hate Kobe. I am just no longer impressed with him. He's another infantile pampered ballplayer with little class and a big mouth and ego.
Whether Kobe's fan base is affected by my defection or not is also incidental to who Kobe is and what his image has become. Many LA fans are off the Kobe bandwagon, btw.
And don't open your mouth again here until you do ...
Facing the Lakers roster is like facing Superman and the Little Sisters of the Poor ...
I said, btw, I was a fan, and that means I expected and hoped that he would do well. But, I am a fan of a lot of players whose team I don't support. Evidently, you limit yourself to teams you do support, which explains the extreme bias and naivete of your comments ...
Lakers55 you have to remember though last night was the first night you bench actually showed up. Boston's bench was superior in the first two games 17-15, 35-23, But when it really comes down to the grind, the Lakers do become a one man team. Throughout all the challenges in the playoffs its come down to Kobe, Kobe, Kobe in the 4th. Even when Vujacic made one of the treys in the 4th quarter Kobe gave him that look of why didn't you pass it to me?
I will agree with everyone on here Pierce played horribly yesterday, but Garnett has plenty of room for improvement too. Even though he finally brought a little game in the second half he just kept settling for the jumper, and that has been a topic between analysists throughout the playoffs. Pierce needs to bring his game, Garnett needs to drive the ball, Ray needs to stay on his game, Perkins needs to go for the boards, and Rondo needs to stay sneaky and play his game plus take a few shots every now and then (thats if he plays).
Last edited by LoneWolf99701 on June 11th at 4:58 PM.
"I saw bad calls go both ways in game 3, but even tho the Lakers went to the line more, I still think the bad calls favored Boston more than LA."
I see. Then from this, you believe that the socalled "number of bad calls disparity" did not affect the game Three outcome but did affect the game Two outcome, right? ... that is called a Non Sequitur ... the device of "The Homer" ...
WHEN are Lakers fans going to understand that ONE reason more fouls are being called on a team is that they actually are committing more fouls?
AND, that in BOTH Games Two and Three, the team with the dramatically lower foul calls WON THE GAME?
You homers cannot have it BOTH ways, yet you try! Such are the actions of those of questionable sports intellect ...
As to the Texas - USC game, please do not EVER AGAIN mention that game to me ...
I well understand the term "holding serve", but if you do not mean "win all their home games" why is it an appropriate allegorical contrast? IE, If the Lakers win only two of 3, are they "holding serve?"
If so, the only way the Celtics can "hold serve" is to win both 2 of 2 end game sets against the Lakers. Which, btw, they do not have to do if the Lakers can only win and hold serve with 2 of 3 at home .. Celts win without "holding serve", and need to win just one game in a split...
When you use a term to indicate a scenario, make it more clearly applicable, please.
"The Lakers fans will refuse to see the light. That's OK. The glare of Hollywood can blind you. Kobe is your entire team. Deny it all you want, but the fact is, you have no chance of winning the Finals. None. Zippo. Zilch. "
YES MISS LISA, WE GOT THAT....THIS IS FIX FOR CELTICS TO WIN...
If the Lakers and Celtics play like they did all year, Celtics in 5 you say? Yeah, Celtics are 2-7 on the road in the playoffs. Now you are going to win 2 in a row? Dream on. I've been an NBA fan since 1967 so I know more about this game than you may think. Lakers will head back to Boston up 3-2 and take it from you in 6.
LoneWolf: It was also the first game played in LA. You will see we aren't just a one man team. The guys you are down on will respond. You haven't been watching carefully. After subpar performances in earlier series, both Gasol and Odom took it on themselves to respond positively and did. They will again.
Looks like I'm in the minority on this blog, but who cares? The players will decide and this Laker team can and will play like a team. Get ready to face elimination Celtics after game 5.
For the Celtics, Rondo, Pierce, and to a smaller extent Perkins, are all nicked up. They'll still play, but won't be at 100%. The Lakers collapsed on the Big Three of the Celtics, daring Rondo to beat them, and he couldn't.
The Lakers will make most of their FT's in Game 4. Gasol and Odom will step up. The bench will come up huge again.
It would be interesting to find that out (but that would be in a world where officiating doesn't unfairly influence outcomes of games).
AlexRogan, your comment was incorrect, the fouls per team were Boston 28, LA 23.
Regarding the 34 to 22 FREE THROW advantage for the Lakers, that is 1.54 times more free throws for the Lakers than for the Celts. In comparison, in game 2 the Celts got over twice that advantage, 3.8 times more free throws than the Lakers.
But, if you believe the #### the league/media is hoping you will, that's because the teams played completely different styles in the two games.
The more "aggressive" team always gets the most free throws!
"nuff said"!
Of course, the Lakers win game 4, the series needs to be extended for all of our entertainment...
