Rummpd
09-05-2020, 06:12 AM
What a great line in SI as Rockets put on a show last PM against "LaHype" (3-8) James, Anthony (I am so out of NO) "DaQuit", and the poor shooting/former great defender Rondo, ala the coach's pet. This would be an all-time epic fail by LAL and their hyped mission to win it for "the mamba" if series continues like this (perhaps even greater than that by the Bucks and their pseudo DVP/MVP)?
https://www.si.com/nba/2020/09/05/houston-rockets-race-past-lakers-game-1
It’s one game, and James has certainly been in this position before. But this isn’t about the Lakers playing better. They need to adjust. Frank Vogel needs to adjust. Vogel elected to stay big, keeping the Davis-McGee frontcourt intact. That may need to change. Rajon Rondo, inactive since March, played 25 minutes off the bench and, predictably, struggled. L.A. doesn’t want to give up all its advantages, but you can’t chase a Ferrari with a tank.
Houston has an opportunity now. Harden wasn’t overextended in this one. Westbrook (32 minutes) wasn’t either. No one really looked fatigued. The Rockets have extreme confidence in this style of play, and have the kind of versatile frontcourt players (Tucker, Robert Covington and Jeff Green) that can give the Lakers fits. And they can play better: Houston attempted 39 threes, making 35.9% of them. There’s more there.
L.A. is in for a fight. The weirdly constructed Rockets drew first blood, and they will keep coming. Harden will keep scoring. Westbrook will keep driving. Everyone else will keep shooting. “Our confidence never changes, win or lose,” Harden said. This will be an unconventional series. The Lakers will have to figure out how to take advantage of it.
BY CHRIS MANNIX
Sports Illustrated
Go Rockets!
https://www.si.com/nba/2020/09/05/houston-rockets-race-past-lakers-game-1
It’s one game, and James has certainly been in this position before. But this isn’t about the Lakers playing better. They need to adjust. Frank Vogel needs to adjust. Vogel elected to stay big, keeping the Davis-McGee frontcourt intact. That may need to change. Rajon Rondo, inactive since March, played 25 minutes off the bench and, predictably, struggled. L.A. doesn’t want to give up all its advantages, but you can’t chase a Ferrari with a tank.
Houston has an opportunity now. Harden wasn’t overextended in this one. Westbrook (32 minutes) wasn’t either. No one really looked fatigued. The Rockets have extreme confidence in this style of play, and have the kind of versatile frontcourt players (Tucker, Robert Covington and Jeff Green) that can give the Lakers fits. And they can play better: Houston attempted 39 threes, making 35.9% of them. There’s more there.
L.A. is in for a fight. The weirdly constructed Rockets drew first blood, and they will keep coming. Harden will keep scoring. Westbrook will keep driving. Everyone else will keep shooting. “Our confidence never changes, win or lose,” Harden said. This will be an unconventional series. The Lakers will have to figure out how to take advantage of it.
BY CHRIS MANNIX
Sports Illustrated
Go Rockets!