Lakers are the best half-court team in the League

[itzsoweezee]

I can't imagine anyone out-executing them in the half court; not San Antonio or anyone else. This worries me because the Spurs appear to be running less now than they were earlier in the year. Anyone disagree?

[ChuckD]

We're better than OKC is, and they had a shot to tie.

[Mugen]

yup, they can get a contested Kobe fadeaway anytime they want....best half court team in the league for sure...:rolleyes

[DPG21920]

OKC gave the Spurs just as much trouble as LA.

[DPG21920]

I wish we had Thabo. Dude is a monster defensively.

[DJB]

yup, they can get a contested kobe fadeaway anytime they want....best half court team in the league for sure...:rolleyes

+1

[Solid D]

Kobe is still the best half-court player in the league.

[xellos88330]

The Spurs have better shooters than OKC. Packing the paint won't work nearly as well as it does against OKC.

[crc21209]

I didnt know forcing it down Kobe's throat was "great half-court execution."

[Mugen]

The Spurs have better shooters than OKC. Packing the paint won't work nearly as well as it does against OKC.

our coach also understands how to put your best shooters out there in the clutch, no idea why Thabo was in and Cook was out when you need a 3 to tie. Gotta sub offense/defense in that situation...

OKC is still a young team that makes a lot of mental mistakes

[John Basedow]

The Spurs have better shooters than OKC. Packing the paint won't work nearly as well as it does against OKC.

That's what everyone said in 2001. Top 3PT shooting team in the league yet only 29% against LA in the playoffs.

Yes, they are different teams now, but the point remains that you cannot rely on outside shooting to save you in the playoffs.

[crc21209]

That's what everyone said in 2001. Top 3PT shooting team in the league yet only 29% against LA in the playoffs.

Yes, they are different teams now, but the point remains that you cannot rely on outside shooting to save you in the playoffs.

No in way in hell you can compare this Lakers team to the 2000 Lakers. They had the best player at the time in Shaq remember?

[Obstructed_View]

"league" = California

[John Basedow]

No in way in hell you can compare this Lakers team to the 2000 Lakers. They had the best player at the time in Shaq remember?

you're missing the point...jacking up treys doesn't bring home the gold

[DazedAndConfused]

Jacking up 3's will NEVER win you a ring. In fact, it hasn't worked to my knowledge for any team in this league.

You need defense, rebounding, and half court execution. Veteran players also MATTER a whole lot, and when you rely on so many newbies it's going to blow up in your face when they start to fold under the playoff pressure.

The Lakers are simply going to be an onslaught of size come playoff time. What they did to OKC on the glass was just ridiculous today, and the Spurs aren't going to fare any better in this regard. Duncan is the only legitimate big man you have and that will be your undoing.

[crc21209]

you're missing the point...jacking up treys doesn't bring home the gold

OK troll...:tu. Tell that to the Orlando Magic then....

[DazedAndConfused]

OK troll...:tu. Tell that to the Orlando Magic then....

How many championships have they won? How did they fare against the Lakers in '09?

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I wish we had Thabo. Dude is a monster defensively.

+1111000
We gotta throw some money at this guy if he becomes available. Would be a perfect Spur.

[DPG21920]

He can't shoot, which is very alarming, but I wonder if he could do well enough in the Spurs system to earn time. He can really defend.

[Mugen]

i wish the Spurs wins against OKC were statements games too....:depressed

Lakers fans have everything....

[Cant_Be_Faded]

He can't shoot, which is very alarming, but I wonder if he could do well enough in the Spurs system to earn time. He can really defend.

After one full summer, he would find at least one comfort zone to shoot from in our offense.

I'd love to see the Spurs at least throw out an offer to someone of his nature.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Ummm...the Thunder actually out rebounded the lakers and the lakers won by 3 points.

The spurs have actually faired far better against the thunder in all of their games against them this year.

[John Basedow]

i wish the Spurs wins against OKC were statements games too....:depressed

Lakers fans have everything....

When you've made 3 straight NBA Finals you have no statement games. Every other team circles the Lakers on their schedule. Only other team with that effect would be the Heat b/c of the star power. The rest of the teams get treated with the same intensity shown to the Bucks.

[Mugen]

When you've made 3 straight NBA Finals you have no statement games unless the Lakers actually win :cry

[xellos88330]

That's what everyone said in 2001. Top 3PT shooting team in the league yet only 29% against LA in the playoffs.

Yes, they are different teams now, but the point remains that you cannot rely on outside shooting to save you in the playoffs.

If your shooters are just spot up shooters it could be a problem. It is no longer just Manu and Tony who can create their own shot on the perimeter. Jefferson, Neal, and Hill all have the ability to create their own shot. They are not just spot up shooters. Anderson looks to be able to, but I haven't seen enough of him to throw him into the equation.

LA cannot simply just pack the paint against the Spurs anymore. The Spurs perimeter is great from three, midrange and around the basket. This is the most offensively explosive perimeter lineup the Spurs have fielded that I can recall currently. Not to mention, they are pretty damn fast as well. The Spurs defense is not as good as it was in years prior, but I think they are being sorely underrated this season. They are an effecient defensive ball club. Not the best, but good enough IMO.

It isn't the reliance on outside shooting that makes the Spurs good this year. It is the fact that their perimeter game is really good and makes things easier for the frontcourt. I mean come on... the Spurs are starting a 6'7" DeJuan Blair at center. Yet he still puts up decent numbers, even at time against long frontcourts (Kinda like the first game against LAL). How else can you explain that he is still a starter 3/4 of the way through the season? The perimeter makes the frontcourt better. They don't just settle for jumpshots, they can find the open man under the basket.

[Obstructed_View]

Jacking up 3's will NEVER win you a ring.

Not unless you have Shaq, Robert Horry, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest to bail you out.

[crc21209]

How many championships have they won? How did they fare against the Lakers in '09?

I'm saying theyre the team that relies on the 3 and forces it a little too much at times....

[Russ]

The Lakers are simply going to be an onslaught of size come playoff time.

You need defense, rebounding, and half court execution. Veteran players also MATTER a whole lot, . . .

That's why the Lakers are so BORING . . . :sleep

[mytespurs]

again, don't know why the angst over a meeting that may not even happen.....and the season is still going on.....anything can happen b/t now and may

[alchemist]

trolls getting their troll on :sleep :sleep :sleep

[John Basedow]

I'm saying theyre the team that relies on the 3 and forces it a little too much at times....

You basically proved my point. Gracias

[ChuckD]

That's what everyone said in 2001. Top 3PT shooting team in the league yet only 29% against LA in the playoffs.

Yes, they are different teams now, but the point remains that you cannot rely on outside shooting to save you in the playoffs.

If you ran them off the line in 2001, they were done. None of them could handle the ball. Not at all the case now. Please pack down the lane, Phil. Pretty please?

This year's Lakers remind me a LOT more of the 2001 Spurs than our current squad does. Advanced decrepitude masked by the regular season.

[Obstructed_View]

Does Kobe going one on five constitute half court offense?

[m33p0]

no worries. as long as kobe is on the court, there's always a 75% chance he'll torpedo a play.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Actually it was +3. Kobe jacked up three possessions where he shot contested jumpshots at the end of the game. Dude was a blackhole that gave OKC a chance to win at the end.

[Obstructed_View]

Actually it was +3. Kobe jacked up three possessions where he shot contested jumpshots at the end of the game. Dude was a blackhole that gave OKC a chance to win at the end.

Kobe took the last five shots for the Lakers, and none of them were high-percentage attempts. Team basketball would have had them winning that game going away; OKC couldn't hit water with a boat during the second half.

[Mr. Body]

OKC was in a great place to win, but were content with jacking long range 2's for much of the final quarter.

[Barfunk]

:cry you can't win championships by scoring points :cry

[crc21209]

You basically proved my point. Gracias

I said the Magic troll boy.....:lol

[Baseline]

I can't imagine anyone out-executing them in the half court; not San Antonio or anyone else. This worries me because the Spurs appear to be running less now than they were earlier in the year. Anyone disagree?

What are you talking about? The Lakers don't execute anything. Bryant goes 1-on-5 and shoots it, except for the occasional bailout pass.

Their "execution" consists of Bryant jacking up contested fadeaways, and they send their 8-footers to the offensive glass.

Today Bryant shot 22 times and scored 17 points. He is a study in inefficiency. What he's playing out there isn't even basketball.

[Obstructed_View]

What are you talking about? The Lakers don't execute anything. Bryant goes 1-on-5 and shoots it, except for the occasional bailout pass.

Their "execution" consists of Bryant jacking up contested fadeaways, and they send their 8-footers to the offensive glass.

Today Bryant shot 22 times and scored 17 points. He is a study in inefficiency. What he's playing out there isn't even basketball.

He wants that all-star MVP trophy.

[Man In Black]

Question: Did any of those bigs that OKC traded for actually play against the Lakers in this game?

Let's take a look shall we?

None of Oklahoma City’s three trade deadline acquisitions—Perkins, Nazr Mohammed(notes) and Nate Robinson(notes)—played although Perkins was the only one unavailable. The Thunder still held their own in the paint after getting outscored there 54-26 in a blowout loss at Orlando on Friday night.


Does that mean that the LAL bigs were overly dominant against OKC?


Oklahoma City actually outscored the Lakers 40-34 inside largely by getting perimeter players to the basket, and held a 39-36 rebounding advantage behind Serge Ibaka’s(notes) 13 boards.

I see the turnstile perimeter defense is still in play. Parker, Ginobili, Hill, & Jefferson are going to have a field day attacking the turnstiles.

[temujin]

Wizards are the best pre-game drills team in the league.

Knicks are the best post-game interviews team of the league.

Blazers are the best hands-on orthopedic practice team in the league.

Clippers are the best ever-potentially-talented team in the league.

Thunders are the best FT team in the league.

Heat are the best free-agents-of-2010 team in the league.

Hornets are the best transition defense team of the league.

Lakers are the oldest starting units team in the league.

Nuggets are the deepest team in the league.

Mavs are the most generous team of the league (Still paying M. Finley).


PS. Spurs and Celtics, in the meantime, are simply the best teams of the league, so far.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I wish we had Thabo. Dude is a monster defensively.

Hell yes. And then we should sign Bruce as an assistant to shape him into a HoF defender... surprised Presti hasn't thought of that already.


If your shooters are just spot up shooters it could be a problem. It is no longer just Manu and Tony who can create their own shot on the perimeter. Jefferson, Neal, and Hill all have the ability to create their own shot. They are not just spot up shooters. Anderson looks to be able to, but I haven't seen enough of him to throw him into the equation.

LA cannot simply just pack the paint against the Spurs anymore. The Spurs perimeter is great from three, midrange and around the basket. This is the most offensively explosive perimeter lineup the Spurs have fielded that I can recall currently. Not to mention, they are pretty damn fast as well. The Spurs defense is not as good as it was in years prior, but I think they are being sorely underrated this season. They are an effecient defensive ball club. Not the best, but good enough IMO.

It isn't the reliance on outside shooting that makes the Spurs good this year. It is the fact that their perimeter game is really good and makes things easier for the frontcourt. I mean come on... the Spurs are starting a 6'7" DeJuan Blair at center. Yet he still puts up decent numbers, even at time against long frontcourts (Kinda like the first game against LAL). How else can you explain that he is still a starter 3/4 of the way through the season? The perimeter makes the frontcourt better. They don't just settle for jumpshots, they can find the open man under the basket.

Many great points. I totally agree on the enboldened bit too - I've never seen a Spurs backcourt (TP, Manu, Hill, Neal) as able as this one to score from anywhere while creating their own shot - they can all do it! Hard to combat by packing the paint. And then there's Fisher's total inability to control Tony in any sense... ;)


If you ran them off the line in 2001, they were done. None of them could handle the ball. Not at all the case now. Please pack down the lane, Phil. Pretty please?

This year's Lakers remind me a LOT more of the 2001 Spurs than our current squad does. Advanced decrepitude masked by the regular season.

:tu


Does Kobe going one on five constitute half court offense?

Kobe still hits the odd game-winner but his legs are going and he can't consistently lift the Fakers like he used to. I haven't studied his stats for this season, but I bet his efficiency is starting to wane.

BTW, here's an interesting article:

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/1/12/1925915/kobe-bryant-carmelo-anthony-derrick-rose-clutch


Question: Did any of those bigs that OKC traded for actually play against the Lakers in this game?

Let's take a look shall we?


Does that mean that the LAL bigs were overly dominant against OKC?


I see the turnstile perimeter defense is still in play. Parker, Ginobili, Hill, & Jefferson are going to have a field day attacking the turnstiles.

Nicely PWNED. :tu :D

[OC Lakerfan]

What are you talking about? The Lakers don't execute anything. Bryant goes 1-on-5 and shoots it, except for the occasional bailout pass.

Their "execution" consists of Bryant jacking up contested fadeaways, and they send their 8-footers to the offensive glass.

Today Bryant shot 22 times and scored 17 points. He is a study in inefficiency. What he's playing out there isn't even basketball.

He's shooting 46%, much better and more efficient than Manu for example. 46% is good for a SG these days.

[itzsoweezee]

I wish I hadn't been right about this. What is Popovich thinking trying to play a half court game against the Lakers?