Game Blog: Lakers @ Spurs - Dec. 28

[Cessation]

blair with the game of his life

[Spurs Brazil]

Hill and Manu were FANTASTIC on D

I'm very happy with the D today

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Just managed to turn on the game, and damn! Spurs kicking ass!

[maddnezz]

Thats what happens when you play balanced and FOCUSED team ball! Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[Man In Black]

The best defender of the day was Manu Ginobili. George Hill though...a razor close 2nd.

[Gospursel]

Lakers shooting 37%. That is how the SPURS win games.

no doubt

[spurspokesman]

Looking good right now

Yes sir. Big east baby. Dejuan blair

[Drachen]

Another classic Kobe game, 8-27 from the field.

So you are telling me he is taking this game as seriously as a finals game.

Wow.

Lots of respect.

[Texas_Ranger]

lol Hill 4 blocks

[Banzai]

Lakers shooting 37%. That is how the SPURS win games.

Lakers been shooting 37% for quite awhile now. A few games actually.

[Fireball]

George Hill obviously is the glue in our team defense ...

[siraulo23]

damn bonner and blair played well

[Cessation]

If you have told me we'd blow out the Lakers and Tim would have 2pts and 4 boards..


Nice call with the laker win, buddy.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

kobe's head is tearing, imo

[CFH]

Parker with a steal and layup, too easy

[Libri]

Tp!!

[timtonymanu]

Would have been nice to see how JA would do against Kobe.

[Spurs Brazil]

And Blair with a big fuck you to me. Props and great game

[Capt Bringdown]

The man I was most worried about and most critical of sure put on a display tonight.
Blair's best game as a Spur, considering the competition?

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

19 point blowout! Extend the lead even more!

[dbestpro]

Phil Jackson is going to love watching this tape with his team.

[Spurologist]

tp with another steal and bucket!!!!!!!! magnifique

[Gospursel]

that cut-off steal move by tony is sick. he's done that like 50 times this year

[spurspokesman]

no doubt
Smart move getting tony out of the game. The fakers might get stupid.

[007nites]

I hope we make it to 100

[CFH]

Udoka :lol

[ace3g]

Udoka made a basket???

[blkroadrunners]

Splitter saved Udoka on that play.

[Spurologist]

Ime scores :rollin

that wraps it up

[Texas_Ranger]

hahahahahhahahaha

[Gospursel]

you know the lakers suck when ime scores.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

what a bounce pass, tiago :tu

[DPG21920]

No foul on Artest :lol

[Drachen]

Wow who knew that with two minutes left the spurs would be putting in the victory cigars?

[chaco]

hill and manu were fantastic on d

i'm very happy with the d today
+1

[Libri]

Even Ime is shitting on the Lakers.

[Spurs Brazil]

Ime!!!

[Spurologist]

Game ball to Blair no doubt

[OrEmuN]

When Udoka scores against you, you know that you are a scrub team....

[Gospursel]

is it just me or did the spurs defense inside look much different tonight than it had the rest of this season?

[lefty]

Even Ime is shitting on the Lakers.

:lmao

[BillMc]

Tiago 4 fouls in 6 minutes

[maddnezz]

The Grizzley! Now Is' gonna eat ya!

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

I'm really getting worried about Duncan. He scored 2 pts in 29 minutes.....:(

[timtonymanu]

Get to 100, Spurs.

[CFH]

Excellent win :D

[Spurologist]

Glad I was able to watch this on the tele

NBATV Fan Night :tu

[janetcn12]

Poor lakers...they come in with great hope and they are losing,.,.,.back to lalaland

[Spurologist]

Glad I was able to watch this on the tele

NBATV Fan Night :tu

[DieHardSpursFan1537]

Laker fans butthurt now.

[Trill Clinton]

[B]He aint no rookie!!!!![/bill land]:lol

[Spurs Brazil]

This is perfect Spurs win and Dallas lost at home against the Raptors :lol

[maddnezz]

Dallas is losing to Toronto Right now!

[dbestpro]

People on here were mocking Blair at the start of this game lol

Blair was stinking it up in the first half and deserved to be mocked as much as he deserves to be praised for his effort in the second half. Imagine if he had given a strong effort for the whole game.

[Gospursel]

I'm really getting worried about Duncan. He scored 2 pts in 29 minutes.....:(

he had a bad night, but i'm not too concerned. Timmy will get his when he needs to. I just hope pop noted that how well we played WITHOUT running the offense through tim.

[Dex]

Spurs win.

Lakers lose.

Mavs lose.

:tu Good night for the standings board.

[Spurs Brazil]

Big props to Blair, Tony and Hill. Those 3 were great

RJ missed a lot of open 3s but I liked his energy. Manu was fantastic on D.

[SpursWoman]

Happy Birthday to me! Thank you, Spurs! :lol :)

[Sofaking]

Blair was stinking it up in the first half and deserved to be mocked as much as he deserves to be praised for his effort in the second half. Imagine if he had given a strong effort for the whole game.
No he wasnt

[EricB]

he had a bad night, but i'm not too concerned. Timmy will get his when he needs to. I just hope pop noted that how well we played WITHOUT running the offense through tim.


The offense is all about Tim Duncan.

[BillMc]

Soundly beating the Lakers when Duncan scores 2 points.

RC thanks for the bench man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blkroadrunners]

Even Ime is shitting on the Lakers.

:lol

[EricB]

So was the defense OK for the Spurstalk experts?

Or were they "lucky" again.


QUESTION

[Dex]

Rick Renner is such a fucking tool. :lol

[janetcn12]

Awesome game by TP & Blair...they are going to have a party....Kobe Sucks

[Gospursel]

The offense is all about Tim Duncan.

this year?

[EricB]

this year?

Every year.

[EricB]

Also for how good this team is, imagine how well when they can get a healthy James Anderson re indoctrinated into the rotation they can play...

[maddnezz]

Where is Laker Luva?

[samikeyp]

Happy Birthday to me! Thank you, Spurs! :lol :)

Thanks for the B-Day mojo!!! :toast

[maddnezz]

And that pubic hair Crickets?

[Capt Bringdown]

Spurs shot 42%, still lots of room for improvement.

[Gospursel]

Every year.

okay. i still think timmy is the cornerstone of the team, but i disagree that the offense "is all about" him this season.

[hsxvvd]

Thankyou Kobe. 8 of 27 and only 1 assist... classic Kobe.

[ElNono]

Played out like Phil wanted, really, but Blair and Hill really delivered. I also thought Neil keeping on shooting was huge. We need mentally tough people like that.

Awesome win!

[Capt Bringdown]

Ha ha, James Worthy calling out Kobe's leadership in the post game.

[DJ Mbenga]

I expected Neal to be tonight's one game superstar bit it ended up being Blair. too bad the Lakers offense is worse than Charlotte right now, I thought we were headed for a nice finish.

[Obstructed_View]

Also for how good this team is, imagine how well when they can get a healthy James Anderson re indoctrinated into the rotation they can play...

Now why is it you post something like that but you're all in defense of the status quo when someone dares to mention that Splitter would be better for team defense than 30 minutes of Matt Bonner every night?

[EricB]

Played out like Phil wanted, really, but Blair and Hill really delivered. I also thought Neil keeping on shooting was huge. We need mentally tough people like that.

Awesome win!


Not sure he wanted to get blown out by double digits in a game the franchise practically circled on the calender.

[EricB]

Now why is it you post something like that but you're all in defense of the status quo when someone dares to mention that Splitter would be better for team defense than 30 minutes of Matt Bonner every night?


I've never disagreed Splitter would be a better defender than Matt Bonner.


I don't see why you want to start something where there is nothing.

[Obstructed_View]

I don't see why you want to start something where there is nothing.

Oh, I didn't realize I was starting anything...


So was the defense OK for the Spurstalk experts?

Or were they "lucky" again.


QUESTION

[ElNono]

Not sure he wanted to get blown out by double digits in a game the franchise practically circled on the calender.

He successfully stopped two of the big 3. That's a sound gameplan and enough to beat us in years past. This team is just deeper, especially when Blair gets his head out of his ass.

[ducks]

phil jackson told nba tv announcers they circled this date and wanted to see where their club was out

big big big win tonight

[Killakobe81]

I came here to say mad props to the Spurs and their fans ...
I havent had much time to post but would only be fair to show my face after this loss ...
You guys are the better team and kicked our ass ...congrats.

[Spurs Brazil]

Hill 10pts 9rebs 4lks 3asts

[Banzai]

Nice win Spurs..Lakers got issues..this season reminds me of when the Lakers started out hot..and eventually lost 10 straight. Oh well..Spurs are playing great..I wish the Lakers did..but can't have everything go right. Anyways I look forward to seeing the next match up later in the season!

[ducks]

jan 5 espn

[EricB]

He successfully stopped two of the big 3. That's a sound gameplan and enough to beat us in years past. This team is just deeper, especially when Blair gets his head out of his ass.


Apologies, I must have missed when you said this, typical busy spurstalk posts are flying a million miles an hour.

Your exactly right if you told Phil Jackson Duncan and Ginobili would play like they werent there, he would've taken it a million times over.

Perfect game for this time of year. Played with great energy, good defense, but enough mistakes for Pop to harp on and keep their attention...

[SPURadic]

Great win for the Spurs, looks like a vintage performance on the defensive end based on the box score.

Got damn, Kobe + Odom + Fish + Blake + Brown aka "Laker ballhandlers" shooting a combined 14/56 from the field. DAMN!

[robot89]

Splitter played bynum really well
and props to blair.

[EricB]

Oh, I didn't realize I was starting anything...


You were just saying something I've never said at all. But yes more splitter improves the defense no question, but Splitter's fouling problem seems to have carried over from Europe...

[Obstructed_View]

Wish the Lakers were playing better during this just to find out where both teams are. Doesn't matter too much, though. I'd rather have the wins at this point in the season, regardless of how they happen.

[silverblackfan]

Great game and a joy to watch the swarming defense and amped up energy. Hill was dialed in on Kobe and showing shades of Bowen in his tenacity out there. Even got into Kobe's head a bit.

[DPG21920]

So was the defense OK for the Spurstalk experts?

Or were they "lucky" again.


QUESTION

You are such a front runner :lol

[Spurs Brazil]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/getty/78/fullj.a5b56d30d2637bf090d5a1417a64688a/a5b56d30d2637bf090d5a1417a64688a-getty-103883322rm008_los_angeles_.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/ap/a7/fullj.6ae9d1b0445a5bdd2c124036045468dc/ap-201012282104758587690.jpg

[kjhip1]

on what was being said between Kobe and Ghill

"I just wanted him to know that you might be an NBA All-Star and the MVP, but I won't back down from anybody," Hill said.

Gotta give it up for Hill who played the kind of D needed to beat LA....

[Obstructed_View]

You were just saying something I've never said at all. But yes more splitter improves the defense no question, but Splitter's fouling problem seems to have carried over from Europe...

Splitter's fouls per 36 minutes (5.0) are less than Blair's were last year (5.1), and he's playing good defense and drawing at least an equal number of fouls.

Are you aware that he was the best player in Europe last year? Good thing his coach didn't give him a DNP to keep him out of foul trouble.

[lefty]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5554/coloe.jpg

[EricB]

Splitter's fouls per 36 minutes (5.0) are less than Blair's were last year (5.1), and he's playing good defense and drawing at least an equal number of fouls.

Are you aware that he was the best player in Europe last year? Good thing his coach didn't give him a DNP to keep him out of foul trouble.



Again your trying to start something thats not there. I like Splitter, I think he should be having more minutes even at the expense of Bonner whos IMO having a career year.

[kjhip1]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5554/coloe.jpg

:lol:lol:lol:lol

[EricB]

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5554/coloe.jpg


lmfao

[Betsy]

WAY TO GO SPURS :flag:
I LOVE IT WHEN THEY BEAT THE FAKERS :clap
GINOBILLI TOOK ONE HELL OF A DIVE TODAY. HE IS GOING TO KILL HIMSELF BUT HE IS A GREAT PLAYER.

[Obstructed_View]

Again your trying to start something thats not there. I like Splitter, I think he should be having more minutes even at the expense of Bonner whos IMO having a career year.

No I'm sort of tired of you coming in after a win and using it as a way to whine about people that disagree with you as though the most recent win makes all your ridiculous past arguments meaningless. If you don't want a fight, don't post combative shit.

[EricB]

No I'm sort of tired of you coming in after a win and using it as a way to whine about people that disagree with you as though the most recent win makes all your ridiculous past arguments meaningless. If you don't want a fight, don't post combative shit.


I've said the defense was good but could be better.

I've been told the defense has been horrible.

Not starting a fight at all, was a simple question.

Sorry to agitate you as you always are.

[ace3g]

jadande J.A. Adande
by johnhollinger
None of Phil Jackson's 11 champions ever lost 3 straight by 10+ (most didn't lose 3 straight, period)

[Obstructed_View]

I've said the defense was good but could be better.

I've been told the defense has been horrible.

Not starting a fight at all, was a simple question.

Sorry to agitate you as you always are.

Sorry you can't just stop being a dick, because everyone knows your post was not a "simple question". You like to throw down the gauntlet at people who were mean to you, citing only the most recent events as evidence that you were right all along. I'll guess nothing's going to actually stop you from doing it.

[rascal]

Nice win. The spurs needed this because they have been playing down to their opponents and barely getting wins lately but don't get too carried away with this. Its only a regular season game. Its still early in the season and a lot can still happen with injuries and trade deadline deals.

The Lakers have issues now and lets hope they don't go out and make a steal of a trade to upgrade their roster.

[TampaDude]

Nice beatdown of the Lakers tonight! Of course, we won't be seeing this same soft Lakers team in the postseason...Kobe and Co. will be a very tough out come playoff time. Still, this was a great win, guys!

GO SPURS GO!!!!!

[rascal]

Spurs may have caught another break for the upcoming Dallas game with Dirk injured.

[EricB]

Sorry you can't just stop being a dick, because everyone knows your post was not a "simple question". You like to throw down the gauntlet at people who were mean to you, citing only the most recent events as evidence that you were right all along. I'll guess nothing's going to actually stop you from doing it.

No I'll cite all of the season actually.

Not trying to be a dick at all.

But hey I guess you know my meaning better than I do, so I'll leave it all at your feet.

[Frankie23]

manu, the 3/12 mvp
That's for those who forget that this game is played at both sides of the court. Also, if you have problems shooting, just pass the ball to the open man (6 assists), don't chuck..

[Frankie23]

Lakers shooting 37%. That is how the SPURS win games.
:nope:nope

This is how the Spurs win championships.

[DPG21920]

No I'll cite all of the season actually.

Not trying to be a dick at all.

But hey I guess you know my meaning better than I do, so I'll leave it all at your feet.

Honest question: Are you a real person?

[EricB]

Honest question: Are you a real person?

No im a robot.

[ElNono]

Apologies, I must have missed when you said this, typical busy spurstalk posts are flying a million miles an hour.

Your exactly right if you told Phil Jackson Duncan and Ginobili would play like they werent there, he would've taken it a million times over.

Perfect game for this time of year. Played with great energy, good defense, but enough mistakes for Pop to harp on and keep their attention...

No apology necessary. That's Phil's gameplan, have the 'scrubs' beat his team, if possible from the perimeter. This time was Hill on D, Blair up front and Neil hitting when it matters. Obviously Tony also took advantage of Fish/Blake, but I'm sure Phil thought he could live with that.

[EricB]

No apology necessary. That's Phil's gameplan, have the 'scrubs' beat his team, if possible from the perimeter. This time was Hill on D, Blair up front and Neil hitting when it matters. Obviously Tony also took advantage of Fish/Blake, but I'm sure Phil thought he could live with that.


Agreed.

If this was game 1 of the WCF you'd be happy but IMO worried about the adjustments to game 2, BUT encouraged by the Spurs played horrible on O but could improve from guys like Duncan, RJ, Neal, Ginobili and literally no James Anderson.

[crc21209]

No apology necessary. That's Phil's gameplan, have the 'scrubs' beat his team, if possible from the perimeter. This time was Hill on D, Blair up front and Neil hitting when it matters. Obviously Tony also took advantage of Fish/Blake, but I'm sure Phil thought he could live with that.

+1. The thing is, the Spurs bench seems to be better than the Lakers bench right now. Sure Barnes and Blake are "bigger names" but Hill and Neal clearly outplayed them tonight. Add James Anderson once he comes back and the bench is pretty damn strong...:tu

[Banzai]

I expected Neal to be tonight's one game superstar bit it ended up being Blair. too bad the Lakers offense is worse than Charlotte right now, I thought we were headed for a nice finish.

Expect more of the same. Up 19..lose..up double digits..lose that to. I expect an ass kicking tomorrow..Lakers are so fucking lost right now..painful to watch. Players know they are stinking...yet as you can see..3 straight losses of "we will learn from our mistakes" and " look at ourselves in the mirror" bullshit. Damn..wtf:lol:bang

[SouthTexasRancher]

I came here to say mad props to the Spurs and their fans ...
I havent had much time to post but would only be fair to show my face after this loss ...
You guys are the better team and kicked our ass ...congrats.


Thanks....your Lakers will be in the mix come playoff time. They just look discombobulated presently. The Spurs have had the same look in season's past. Too much talent and experience on the Lakers for you not to turn things around.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

What a great game. Its been a while since I've gotten to attend a game that mattered. That was a ton of fun. I highly recommend the superbox seats by the way. Free beer and lots of schadenfreude.

[duncan228]

Post-Game Video:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169252

Quotes:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169250


NBA-best Spurs rout Bryant and reeling Lakers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2010122824)
By Paul J. Weber

Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili were on the bench before the final horn, and not because of their bad shooting nights. That’s how easy it was for the San Antonio Spurs.

On the other end, Kobe Bryant was also out of the game early. That’s how bad it’s getting for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tony Parker scored 23 points and the Spurs, backing up their NBA-best record against the defending champions, beat a still-frustrated Bryant and the reeling Lakers 97-82 on Tuesday night.

“It’s always great to beat the champion,” Ginobili said.

The Spurs improved to 27-4, and if there are any doubts about that record being inflated, they can likely put those to rest this week. Next up is Dallas, one of the only teams to beat them this season, followed by games against Oklahoma City, New York and Boston.

The Lakers, meanwhile, can’t seem to beat anyone.

It was another humiliation for the Lakers, who lost a week ago by 19 at home to lowly Milwaukee. That was followed by letting LeBron James and the Miami Heat leave the Staples Center with another easy victory on Christmas Day, in one of the highest-rated televised NBA games in recent years.

Bryant railed on his team’s lack of focus following the Heat loss, but had a more quiet disappointment after the Spurs became the third straight team to crush the Lakers.

Bryant had 21 points on 8-of-27 shooting, at one point missing 13 shots in a row. He answered questions in clipped sentences before saying he was confident the Lakers can steer out of their stunning tailspin.

“I’m just (mad) at myself,” Bryant said. “(Mad) I didn’t play well.”

He wasn’t the only one on the Lakers. Bryant alluded to Derek Fisher’s technical foul, after getting into a confrontation with Richard Jefferson, about the attitude throughout the team.

The Lakers dropped to 21-10, marking the first time since 2007 they’ve reached 10 losses this early.

“We’re all moody,” Bryant said. “Fish got a tech today and he’s the basketball version of Barack Obama. Everybody’s a little moody right now.”

DeJuan Blair had 17 points and 15 rebounds, leading an unlikely Spurs cast that buried the Lakers in the fourth. Jefferson scored 17 points and George Hill had 10 while the Spurs coasted toward the end, almost remarkably, while Duncan and Ginobili were reduced to non-factors on offense.

Duncan was 1 of 7 from the field and had two points. Ginobili made only 3 of 12, finishing with nine points.

“It means Tony Parker was amazing tonight,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum had 10 points apiece for the Lakers. When the buzzer sounded, Bryant was the first off the bench and headed back to the locker room.

It’s only December, but Bryant hasn’t treated the slump as a mere blip.

After James and Dwyane Wade coasted to a 14-point win in Los Angeles on Saturday, Bryant seethed over a second straight home loss. He said it was as though the games “mean more to our opponents than they do us” and grumbled over the focus of the two-time defending champs.

Bryant came out like he was trying to set an example. He scored eight of the Lakers’ first 10 points—all within the first 3 minutes—and attempted 10 shots in the first quarter alone.

Covered by Hill in the second quarter, Bryant drew his third technical foul in three games when the two confronted each other under the basket. They continued talking back to the other end of the court.

“I just wanted him to know that you might be an NBA All-Star and the MVP, but I won’t back down from anybody,” Hill said.

For all that intensity, Bryant had a miserable night.

After making four of his first five shots, Bryant missed 13 shots in a row and turned the ball over four times. The slump finally ended with 4:44 left in the third quarter on a wide-open 3-pointer.

The Spurs’ stars weren’t faring any better. But they had help.

Duncan and Ginobili were a combined 1 for 13 in the first half, with the Argentine clanking four 3-pointers and Duncan unable to finish near the rim against Pau Gasol.

Notes: It was a rare sellout at the AT&T Center, which has seldom been packed this season despite the historic franchise start for the Spurs. … Sixteen other teams in NBA history had as good or better record as the Spurs through 31 games, most recently the 2007-08 Boston Celtics (28-3).

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2010122824

[TampaDude]

Spurs may have caught another break for the upcoming Dallas game with Dirk injured.

Yup...the Mavs won't beat us without a healthy Dirk.

[DJ Mbenga]

Yup...the Mavs won't beat us without a healthy Dirk.

what about allah beabuouis? is he playing?

[EricB]

what about allah beabuouis? is he playing?


I THINK he is still out.

[mytespurs]

Yup...the Mavs won't beat us without a healthy Dirk.

Don't bet the house on that!

Dallas may have enough to beat us on Thursday-Spurs have a tendency to have brain farts & play like crap after good wins.

[TampaDude]

Don't bet the house on that!

Dallas may have enough to beat us on Thursday-Spurs have a tendency to have brain farts & play like crap after good wins.

I don't bet on sports...that's for suckers.

If Dirk plays, then the Mavs probably will win. If Dirk does not play, then the Mavs most likely will lose.

[mytespurs]

I'm late to the party so I'll just say good win for Spurs. I picked them to lose tonight so I'm glad I was wrong for a change.

That schedule is getting much tougher-just be prepared that Spurs may not have the luxury of having the best record in the league for long. Still, I like the way this team is playing & winning-hope they can just keep it up and have enough energy to compete for another NBA title. :toast

[TDMVPDPOY]

is SA council going to kick out the lakers bandwagon who settled in SA post GFC?

[DrSteffo]

Great win. Great team D and effort throughout and props to Parker. Props to the classy Laker fans here too. The trolls are hiding of course.

[Darkwaters]

Wow - awesome win.

Lakers continue to underwhelm the whole league as their record against teams with winning records indicates (1-5). I'm glad the Spurs aren't their label win.

For arguments sake the Spurs are 10-3 against teams with winning records.

[Bukefal]

Nice win. Great job. the king TP :king

[MI21]

I managed to avoid the result of this game for the whole day and sat down and watched it a few hours back - I really wasn't expecting that.

Everybody played their part, very impressed with Bonner's effort defensively and on the boards. Neal showed he wasn't scared of the big stage, 3/9 isn't great, but it was really 4/10 with that 3 that just didn't count (and the foul). George seems to always play well against LA and I haven't seen Manu play defense like that for a very long time.

That's not even mentioning DeJuan, Tony and RJ.

[Darkwaters]

Kobe Takes Blame For Loss To San Antonio
Dec 29, 2010 7:50 AM EST

Kobe Bryant's shot was off on Tuesday night and he took the blame for the Lakers' loss to the Spurs.

"I couldn't put the ball in the basket and it snowballed from there," Bryant said. "It's my responsibility to make them."

He was 8-for-27 from the field, including a stretch of 13 straight missed field goals.

"I just have to put the ball in the damn hole," Bryant said. "It's my responsibility, it's my job."

Before Tuesday's game between Los Angeles and San Antonio, Bryant said he was ready for the showdown but that he wasn't sure if the "rest of the guys" were up for it.


Read more: http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/70828/20101229/kobe_takes_blame_for_loss_to_san_antonio/#ixzz19VZg7Fyj

Wow, Kobe has a way of always sounding and acting like a little bitch.

[Spurs Brazil]

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/14130/spurs-97-lakers-82-at-the-buzzer

Spurs 97, Lakers 82: At the buzzer
By Brian Kamenetzky

Apparently, whatever motivational tactics Kobe Bryant had in mind following the Miami game didn't take.

On a night far more important when it comes to practical, how-the-West-will-eventually-be-won implications, the Lakers once again laid an egg, squandering a nice second-quarter run to once again lose by double digits. The Lakers are now six games behind San Antonio for the top seeding in the Western Conference but have far more to worry about. Their offense, so potent at the start of the season, has fallen off a serious cliff. Meanwhile, their defense couldn't pull them through.


The Lakers lost going away, despite quiet nights from both Manu Ginobili (nine points), and Tim Duncan (one field goal). Why? They shot 35 percent as a team, had critical turnovers, and couldn't control guys like DeJuan Blair (17 points, 15 boards). Still, San Antonio shot a manageable 42.5 percent, and left the door open. The Lakers just kicked the door jamb -- repeatedly -- as they tried to go through.

As it stands, the Lakers, facing another tough game Wednesday in New Orleans, will either need to play dramatically better basketball over their final 50 games in the face of a brutal schedule, or hope San Antonio comes back to the pack. Credit the Spurs -- they played a strong team game and don't look the slightest bit ready to backslide. The Lakers will improve as the season goes along (it'll take some time, though, because what ails them is far more than simple boredom), but the context of this season has very likely shifted for good.

Here's how it broke down, bad news first...

Three Down:

1. Kobe Bryant. He came out hot early, going glass on Ginobili on his first shot of the game, popping to the free throw line away from the ball to hit another jumper, and finishing another possession with a brutally tough, fadeaway jumper over Manu. All told, it was a 4-for-5 start for 24, and it looked as if he was going to roll. Or maybe not. He'd finish the first quarter 4-of-10, and go to the half 4-for-14. In the third, he managed to hit a shot. Singular, ending a streak of 13 straight misses (a personal single-game record, no surprise). Heading into the fourth, Bryant had missed 14 of 19. A brief flurry in the fourth brought up his point total, but in the end he finished 8-of-27.

For those keeping score at home, that's 16 more attempts than any of his teammates. Nineteen more than Pau Gasol, 18 more than Lamar Odom. And, as Bryant will often do after going cold, he spent much of the game trying to shoot his way back into form, despite ample evidence ball movement and inside touches were an effective strategy for the Lakers. Bryant grew, rightly at times, frustrated with his inability to get a whistle -- he went to the line only twice -- but too often left the context of the offense to try to do the Superman thing even as San Antonio defended him aggressively. Even at the start, when he was hot, it was a bad tone.

Too much Kobe early threatens to take everyone else out of the game, unless he can reverse course and take less upon himself as a shooter. 10 shots in the first quarter -- and he didn't play all 12 minutes -- doesn't qualify.



Moreover, he turned the ball over five times overall, helping fuel opportunities the other way for the Spurs. This against one assist (could have been more, in fairness, had teammates knocked down a few jumpers). Kobe is a remarkable player capable of doing great things, but when he shoots with this sort of volume, he absolutely cannot miss 19 of 27 -- eight more misses than any teammate had attempts -- and can't give the ball away. It leaves the Lakers with no other outlet.

This is a team that thrives on balance.

2. Derek Fisher. It was nice of Fisher to show some solidarity with Bryant by having a poor night, but probably not necessary. One field goal, two points, four fouls. The low point came in the third quarter, when at the 4:11 mark Fisher took an unnecessary 3 on the wing with about 12 seconds left on the shot clock, and tried to draw contact on Tony Parker in the process. The hoist missed, no whistle came, and the Spurs had a run out the other way. Parker missed the layup, and Richard Jefferson bumped Fish out of the play, grabbed the ball and scored. Frustrated at the contact (or not getting the call at the other end), Fisher trailed Jefferson to half court and got in his face, picking up a technical foul.

Bad shot leads to points, which Fish makes worse with the T. A six-point deficit swells to nine.

A couple of plays later, Fisher came off a baseline screen to take a pass from Matt Barnes at the top of the key. Slowing down because he didn't think the pass would be contested, Fisher had the ball tipped away by Parker, who went the other way for two more. All in all, a poor showing from a guy the Lakers depend on to be, well, dependable.

3. Backup Backcourt. At least Fish had company. Give Shannon Brown credit for nine rebounds, but between Brown and Steve Blake, the reserve guards shot 2-for-16, with 11 of the bricks belonging to Brown. (Again, if you're keeping score, Lakers guards were an abominable 11-of-46. Yeeps!) Blake seemed oddly tentative with his passes, and Brown's shot selection, so strong for most of this season, was periodically questionable.

Three Up:

1. The Second Quarter. After nine-ish minutes of Kobepalooza to open the game, the Lakers found balance in the second quarter with Bryant on the bench, and roared back from a nine-point deficit. It started with a patient sequence in which the ball cycled through all sorts of hands. Gasol gets a quick entry at the left elbow, and makes a quick feed to a cutting Barnes. Barnes drives and kicks to Blake in the corner, who makes the entry to Andrew Bynum. A Matt Bonner foul sends Drew to the line. More good stuff followed. Bynum with good recognition and patience in the face of a double from the right midpost, kicking to Brown for 3. Gasol with a quick flip from the elbow to Blake, delivering a nicely timed pass and simultaneously setting a screen. Moral of the story? The more the Lakers moved the ball and made sure the bigs touched it, the more success they found.


Gasol had seven points in the quarter, Odom five (jumpers off plays where the Spurs dared him to shoot), the Lakers shot nine free throws (after earning nary a freebie in the first 12 minutes) and drew eight fouls on the Spurs, many coming as San Antonio was forced to foul on entry passes.

2. Andrew Bynum. Easily the best game he has played since returning to the lineup after offseason knee surgery. He had 10 points, plus seven rebounds. More important, he was active. Seriously active, both offensively and defensively. He moved well in the post to make himself available for entry passes and offensive boards. On the other end, he made himself a major factor. Perhaps his best sequence came in the fourth quarter, when on San Antonio's first possession Bynum went from the right block all the way to the corner to alter Gary Neal's 3-point shot, and less than a minute later made a strong contest and block of Ginobili as San Antonio's star created penetration off the dribble.

He rose up to dunk in the first half, hit a couple of nice hooks, and generally was a presence. Had Drew managed to hit a few more free throws (he was a hideous 2-of-8 from the stripe), it would have been a truly great night. As it was, Bynum still played a very strong game.

3. Punt. Barnes was active, Ron Artest had moments, and I thought Gasol played a very strong first half on both sides of the floor ... but really, they don't deserve to have this slot filled.

[Spurs Brazil]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5965569

Lakers really need to talk it up

By Dave McMenamin
ESPNLosAngeles.com

SAN ANTONIO -- As the hopes for a stellar regular season for the Los Angeles Lakers are falling from the sky like a lead zeppelin, the root of their persistent problems can be blamed on a communication breakdown.

The Lakers lost 97-82 to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. It was a third straight "L" in the right-hand column of the standings, this one standing for "lashing" after these three-peat seekers looked listless against Milwaukee and downright limp against Miami.

Kobe Bryant lit into the team after the Christmas debacle, telling a room full of reporters how he wasn't going to stand for his team's disinterest and to deliver his message he would "beat it in [his teammates'] heads until it gets through."

It was the type of rhetoric that shaped the stories written by national columnists and the scintillating sound bites that led SportsCenter, but all of Bryant's barking fell on deaf ears.


Talk is cheap if no action follows. Talk is even cheaper if the right people don't hear it.

Twice since Bryant's diatribe, Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked about his co-captain's comments, once after practice Monday and once before the game Tuesday. And twice Jackson said he hadn't yet read what Bryant said.

Bryant was asked at the team's morning shootaround Tuesday if he spoke to the team the way he spoke to the media and he replied, "Nope."

Los Angeles has now dropped three straight games by 15-plus points for the first time since March 2007, back before L.A.'s three straight trips to the NBA Finals and two rings. Everyone on the team seems to have their own take to describe what's going wrong, but nobody seems to be sharing their thoughts with one another.

Pau Gasol thought the ball should have ended up in his and Andrew Bynum's hands more often.

"We have to take advantage of our size," Gasol said. "That's one of our main strengths of this team and we go away from it, we don't utilize it. It's again, not being smart."

Gasol and Bynum combined for 7-of-12 shooting, which is one less shot attempt than the 13 misses Bryant had in a row from midway through the first quarter until late in the third, the longest empty streak of his career in a single game.

"I just need to put the ball in the damn hole when I need to," Bryant said. "It's my responsibility. It's my job and I got to do it."


The 13 straight misses eclipsed Bryant's previous record for futility of 11 in a row, done twice, in December 2003 against Boston and November 2004 at Phoenix.

"If I was playing, I probably wouldn't pass him the ball the next time," Jackson said, explaining how he would have handled it as a teammate.

If Ron Artest knew the solution for getting the sputtering offense -- one that shot just 35.4 percent from the field against the Spurs -- back in gear, he wasn't sharing it.

"That's for the coaches," Artest said. "I don't want to answer and be incorrect. I'd rather not answer. I'd rather let the leaders answer that question."

Lamar Odom simply didn't know what to make of it.

"I'm a little confused," Odom said. "I really don't know what to tell you guys."

It's not about telling the media anything, it's about finding a solution with one other.

"As a collective unit out there, we're kind of starting pointing fingers a little bit so we got to really stay inside the system and look to attack teams using mismatches and look to the advantages," Bynum said.

Gasol said the team "maybe" had some discussion at practice Monday to try to get back on the same page, but admitted that it wasn't enough.

"There probably should be a little more talking because we got to figure it out as a group what's going on and what we need to do better," Gasol said. "We need to do that with each other and talking face to face, otherwise it probably will prolong itself."

The only people who were told exactly what certain players on the Lakers were thinking Tuesday were George Hill and Richard Jefferson of the Spurs. They both received technical fouls, drawing tongue lashings from Bryant and Derek Fisher, respectively.

"We're all moody," Bryant said. "Fish got a tech today, and he's the basketball version of Barack Obama."


Fisher can apply his presidential abilities to make sure that when a bunch of moody teammates start speaking about what's going on to one another, everything stays politically correct.

Everyone agreed that Bryant going 8-for-27 from the field and putting so much of the offensive responsibilities on his shoulders alone was not the way the team would turn things around, Bryant included.

When asked if it was the right move for him to be dominating the offense early in the game instead of getting everyone involved he said, "Nope."

Because you weren't hitting shots?

"Yup."

The Lakers play the Hornets in New Orleans on Wednesday -- a tough back-to-back under normal circumstances that's even tougher given the state the team is in. Bryant said he planned to play just as hard and just as determined because, "That's how you win championships, is play with that attitude."

It will be Jackson's job to harness that hard play by Bryant and make sure it doesn't lead to hoisting up a disproportionate amount of shots.

"I'll talk to him about it," Jackson said.

A conversation is the perfect place to start.

Dave McMenamin covers the Lakers for ESPNLosAngeles.com. Follow him on Twitter. Travis Gordon of ESPN Stats & Info contributed to this report.

[bigbendbruisebrother]

Blair is a liability in today's NBA

We could have used him vs Karl Malone, but he is useless against guys like Rashard Lewis or Lamar Odom
And to small for Gasol

?

[duncan228]

San Antonio Spurs 97, Los Angeles Lakers 82: Well, this was a pretty big game (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/san-antonio-spurs-97-los-angeles-lakers-82-well-this-was-a-pretty-big-game#more-12102)
by Andrew A. McNeill
48 Minutes of Hell

AT&T CENTER — San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich never said anything to give the belief that this was the team’s most important game thus far this season. No, we all did that for him.

But he sure did wear the look of a man who knew this was a big game.

“Coach Pop came in yesterday at practice and set the tone,” Spurs guard Gary Neal said after the game. “He was real to the point and direct on what he expected us to do, especially on the defensive end.”

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/san-antonio-spurs-97-los-angeles-lakers-82-well-this-was-a-pretty-big-game#more-12102)

[The Truth #6]

Saw this amusing post on Blue and Gold about our hometown announcers. I appreciate how Ninja's brazen allegiance annoys other fans.

Jonathan wrote on December 28, 2010 at 10:55 pm
I dunno how many of you watched the game on NBATV vs a local LA channel but the Spurs announcers only made this more frustrating. Their open bias and hatred of the Lakers was disgusting for a national broadcast. You don’t have to love us, but when you respond to a positive Laker play by saying something negative about us and you also respond to a negative Laker play by saying something negative about us it’s a joke. They reveled in every mistake and the commentary on the refs was just amazing. They acted like they really thought every single play should have been called for the Spurs. While this is what you’d expect from a 14 year old fan of the Spurs, you would expect a lot more than a group of announcers on a huge channel like NBATV.

[samikeyp]

Saw this amusing post on Blue and Gold about our hometown announcers. I appreciate how Ninja's brazen allegiance annoys other fans.

Jonathan wrote on December 28, 2010 at 10:55 pm
I dunno how many of you watched the game on NBATV vs a local LA channel but the Spurs announcers only made this more frustrating. Their open bias and hatred of the Lakers was disgusting for a national broadcast. You don’t have to love us, but when you respond to a positive Laker play by saying something negative about us and you also respond to a negative Laker play by saying something negative about us it’s a joke. They reveled in every mistake and the commentary on the refs was just amazing. They acted like they really thought every single play should have been called for the Spurs. While this is what you’d expect from a 14 year old fan of the Spurs, you would expect a lot more than a group of announcers on a huge channel like NBATV.

yada..yada..yada....

Its no worse than the Kobe fellatio fest when LA's announcers are on or any of the other home team announcers. It makes me LOL when other teams fans get bent over Spurs announcers when their teams guys are just as bad...its all part of the game. It's also not a national broadcast per se...its NBA tapping into the local feeds of one of the teams playing. It happens to everyone....next time SA is on NBA TV and the other teams announcers are calling it...i'm sure some Spurs fans will bitch.

They're just mad because Elliott loves his "Mr. Kardashian" blasts. :)

[mystargtr34]

The Spurs announcers are pretty bad homers... great guys and Sean is especially funny... but even i find it a little over the top.

Lakers probly have the best announcers in the league.

[KuntryDude]

The Spurs announcers are pretty bad homers... great guys and Sean is especially funny... but even i find it a little over the top.

Lakers probly have the best announcers in the league.



You think they're bad. They have NOTHING on the Houston Rockets announcers. They are pathetically bad!