tlongII
04-09-2011, 01:52 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/nba/index.ssf/2011/04/in_potential_playoff_preview_l.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/nba_impact/photo/9472090-large.jpg
Wesley Matthews made Kobe Bryant work for his 24 points Friday as the Blazers defeated the Lakers 93-86.
The second-to-last player to leave the Lakers' locker room at the Rose Garden on Friday had been gone about 10 minutes, leaving a dozen reporters waiting for the last, Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers had just lost 93-86 to the Blazers at the Rose Garden for their fourth consecutive defeat, and coach Phil Jackson had ripped his team’s lack of execution and effort. When Bryant finally emerged, he was asked if he thought Jackson’s assessment was correct.
“I agree,” he said quietly without elaborating.
Does he, as the Lakers’ best player, need to start taking a more active vocal role in getting his team going, Bryant was asked.
“We’ll have a good conversation,” Bryant said.
The Lakers are the two-time defending champions, and there’s a perception that losses such as Friday’s and the ones to Utah and Golden State before it are just minor blips, that the Lakers can pull things together come the postseason. Indeed, last season the Lakers won just four of their final 11 regular-season games before winning a second consecutive championship.
Even with that history, Jackson simply does not like the way his team is playing right now.
“It matters how you play in the playoffs – it really does,” he said. “But I hate to have this set up in the playoffs where we’re just not playing well.”
The Blazers burned the Lakers with fastbreak points, getting 16 in the first half and 20 for the game. The Lakers have a size advantage on most teams, but are at a speed disadvantage many nights and certainly were against the Blazers.
“Certain things they found they can take advantage of, which is getting out in transition,” said Bryant, who led the Lakers with 24 points. “If this is a team we’re facing in the playoffs, we’ve got a make a conscious effort to get back.”
A first-round matchup between the Lakers and Blazers seems more likely by the day. The Lakers sit in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference, and the Blazers are a half-game ahead of New Orleans in sixth. But the Hornets have the head-to-head tiebreaker, meaning the Blazers will likely be the seventh seed unless they can get help.
Jackson was asked if Friday’s result was the Blazers’ effort or the Lakers’ lack of it.
“Well, they ran out, that’s all I’ve got to say,” Jackson said. “But I guess that’s energy. So you’ve got to give them some credit in that regard. I thought they played pretty well in the third quarter and they had a really good run.”
For the most part, the Lakers did not take advantage of the fact that the Blazers were undersized, with center Marcus Camby out with a neck injury. The Lakers attempted 25 three-pointers, making 11, while their two 7-footers, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, combined for 11 points and got few post-up opportunities.
“I don’t think we put enough emphasis on that as the game went along,” said Gasol, who finished with eight points and shot 4 for 11 from the field.
Would the Blazers be a concern for the Lakers in a first-round matchup?
“They’re a speed team, I would say,” Jackson said. “I’m not concerned. Who knows? Every opponent in the playoffs is going to be difficult. Right now, we’re not thinking about Portland as an opponent.”
http://media.oregonlive.com/nba_impact/photo/9472090-large.jpg
Wesley Matthews made Kobe Bryant work for his 24 points Friday as the Blazers defeated the Lakers 93-86.
The second-to-last player to leave the Lakers' locker room at the Rose Garden on Friday had been gone about 10 minutes, leaving a dozen reporters waiting for the last, Kobe Bryant.
The Lakers had just lost 93-86 to the Blazers at the Rose Garden for their fourth consecutive defeat, and coach Phil Jackson had ripped his team’s lack of execution and effort. When Bryant finally emerged, he was asked if he thought Jackson’s assessment was correct.
“I agree,” he said quietly without elaborating.
Does he, as the Lakers’ best player, need to start taking a more active vocal role in getting his team going, Bryant was asked.
“We’ll have a good conversation,” Bryant said.
The Lakers are the two-time defending champions, and there’s a perception that losses such as Friday’s and the ones to Utah and Golden State before it are just minor blips, that the Lakers can pull things together come the postseason. Indeed, last season the Lakers won just four of their final 11 regular-season games before winning a second consecutive championship.
Even with that history, Jackson simply does not like the way his team is playing right now.
“It matters how you play in the playoffs – it really does,” he said. “But I hate to have this set up in the playoffs where we’re just not playing well.”
The Blazers burned the Lakers with fastbreak points, getting 16 in the first half and 20 for the game. The Lakers have a size advantage on most teams, but are at a speed disadvantage many nights and certainly were against the Blazers.
“Certain things they found they can take advantage of, which is getting out in transition,” said Bryant, who led the Lakers with 24 points. “If this is a team we’re facing in the playoffs, we’ve got a make a conscious effort to get back.”
A first-round matchup between the Lakers and Blazers seems more likely by the day. The Lakers sit in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference, and the Blazers are a half-game ahead of New Orleans in sixth. But the Hornets have the head-to-head tiebreaker, meaning the Blazers will likely be the seventh seed unless they can get help.
Jackson was asked if Friday’s result was the Blazers’ effort or the Lakers’ lack of it.
“Well, they ran out, that’s all I’ve got to say,” Jackson said. “But I guess that’s energy. So you’ve got to give them some credit in that regard. I thought they played pretty well in the third quarter and they had a really good run.”
For the most part, the Lakers did not take advantage of the fact that the Blazers were undersized, with center Marcus Camby out with a neck injury. The Lakers attempted 25 three-pointers, making 11, while their two 7-footers, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, combined for 11 points and got few post-up opportunities.
“I don’t think we put enough emphasis on that as the game went along,” said Gasol, who finished with eight points and shot 4 for 11 from the field.
Would the Blazers be a concern for the Lakers in a first-round matchup?
“They’re a speed team, I would say,” Jackson said. “I’m not concerned. Who knows? Every opponent in the playoffs is going to be difficult. Right now, we’re not thinking about Portland as an opponent.”