duncan228
06-16-2008, 11:06 PM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA.061608.WEB.BuckHarveryFinals5.en.9a1649d.html
Buck Harvey: Lakers travel east, as if it really matters
Buck Harvey
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers wasted another lead. Now they are going to waste jet fuel.
Now they are going to travel across the country to try something they aren’t ready for. They proved that even as they won Game 5.
They aren’t ready to defend someone such as Paul Pierce, or street fight with someone such as James Posey. They aren’t ready to play with the mental toughness that Doc Rivers preaches in his huddle.
The Lakers weren’t ready to extend this series Sunday, either. But then came a gamble by Kobe Bryant, slapping Pierce from behind with about 40 seconds left.
It worked.
It also merely delayed the inevitable.
That one play saved everything for the Lakers, because they were on their way to another collapse. They had taken an early 19-point lead, and they had reacted as they did Thursday. In short, they played the way Pau Gasol remembers the Grizzlies playing.
Phil Jackson contributed to this, subbing the former Texas center, Chris Mihm, to start the second quarter. It was a potentially disastrous move; Jackson may have cost Mihm his redshirt status.
Mihm had played 25 minutes and had made one shot since Christmas. And yet there he was, with the Lakers facing elimination, on the court with Trevor Ariza. Those who follow the Lakers say it might have been the first time Mihm and Ariza ever played at the same time this entire season.
Mihm fouled a few times, committed a turnover and shot an airball. The other Lakers played accordingly.
Bryant, starting as if he couldn’t miss, couldn’t do much of anything. He began to force his way, and midway through the third quarter he charged into Pierce. Minutes later he charged into Posey, picking up his fourth foul and creating a problem for Jackson.
The only player who could guard Pierce was now in foul trouble.
The Celtics came back, and it was a telling moment when they tied the game in the second half. The Celtics took three shots on that possession, once when Rajon Rondo stripped Gasol after a rebound, setting up a Ray Allen 3-pointer.
The Celtics were better defensively again, even with assorted injuries and with Kevin Garnett in early foul trouble. And in the final minute everything leaned the Celtics’ way.
Bryant missed twice, and Pierce followed by going to the free-throw line for two of his 19 attempts. He hit both and, when Derek Fisher missed a three, Pierce warred among the bodies for the rebound. With Boston down by two, Pierce dribbled up the floor with Bryant guarding him.
“We were trying to run a screen roll, which we’d been running all fourth quarter with Kevin,” Pierce said, “and I thought I had cleared the screen.”
This is how Pierce continually worked his way to rim, scoring 38 points along the way, and the Lakers were helpless defending it. This will be available in Boston, too.
Screened out, Bryant reached around Pierce. Pierce later called it “a great defensive play,” but he also said this: “That was pretty much all he could do after Kevin set the pick.”
Bryant put it another way. He said he “read the play” and saw the basketball exposed.
So he gambled on something that coaches would say is not textbook defense. There’s often contact and a foul.
This time there was no call. It wasn’t an awful no-call, and Pierce said later he didn’t “think” there had been contact.
Still, the setting was awful. The league had defiantly assigned Dick Bavetta to officiate the game, and everyone knew two things: One, the NBA would be better off if this became a longer Finals, and, two, Bavetta has long been linked to extending other series.
With the ball punched out, Bryant headed for a breakaway layup he couldn’t miss. He needed the statistical break; Bryant wound up shooting 8 for 21 with a half-dozen turnovers.
Now he gets to travel across the country, and he said the Lakers “shot the ball like crap two games in Boston so we’re due.”
Here is what the Lakers are due.
A long trip for nothing.
Buck Harvey: Lakers travel east, as if it really matters
Buck Harvey
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers wasted another lead. Now they are going to waste jet fuel.
Now they are going to travel across the country to try something they aren’t ready for. They proved that even as they won Game 5.
They aren’t ready to defend someone such as Paul Pierce, or street fight with someone such as James Posey. They aren’t ready to play with the mental toughness that Doc Rivers preaches in his huddle.
The Lakers weren’t ready to extend this series Sunday, either. But then came a gamble by Kobe Bryant, slapping Pierce from behind with about 40 seconds left.
It worked.
It also merely delayed the inevitable.
That one play saved everything for the Lakers, because they were on their way to another collapse. They had taken an early 19-point lead, and they had reacted as they did Thursday. In short, they played the way Pau Gasol remembers the Grizzlies playing.
Phil Jackson contributed to this, subbing the former Texas center, Chris Mihm, to start the second quarter. It was a potentially disastrous move; Jackson may have cost Mihm his redshirt status.
Mihm had played 25 minutes and had made one shot since Christmas. And yet there he was, with the Lakers facing elimination, on the court with Trevor Ariza. Those who follow the Lakers say it might have been the first time Mihm and Ariza ever played at the same time this entire season.
Mihm fouled a few times, committed a turnover and shot an airball. The other Lakers played accordingly.
Bryant, starting as if he couldn’t miss, couldn’t do much of anything. He began to force his way, and midway through the third quarter he charged into Pierce. Minutes later he charged into Posey, picking up his fourth foul and creating a problem for Jackson.
The only player who could guard Pierce was now in foul trouble.
The Celtics came back, and it was a telling moment when they tied the game in the second half. The Celtics took three shots on that possession, once when Rajon Rondo stripped Gasol after a rebound, setting up a Ray Allen 3-pointer.
The Celtics were better defensively again, even with assorted injuries and with Kevin Garnett in early foul trouble. And in the final minute everything leaned the Celtics’ way.
Bryant missed twice, and Pierce followed by going to the free-throw line for two of his 19 attempts. He hit both and, when Derek Fisher missed a three, Pierce warred among the bodies for the rebound. With Boston down by two, Pierce dribbled up the floor with Bryant guarding him.
“We were trying to run a screen roll, which we’d been running all fourth quarter with Kevin,” Pierce said, “and I thought I had cleared the screen.”
This is how Pierce continually worked his way to rim, scoring 38 points along the way, and the Lakers were helpless defending it. This will be available in Boston, too.
Screened out, Bryant reached around Pierce. Pierce later called it “a great defensive play,” but he also said this: “That was pretty much all he could do after Kevin set the pick.”
Bryant put it another way. He said he “read the play” and saw the basketball exposed.
So he gambled on something that coaches would say is not textbook defense. There’s often contact and a foul.
This time there was no call. It wasn’t an awful no-call, and Pierce said later he didn’t “think” there had been contact.
Still, the setting was awful. The league had defiantly assigned Dick Bavetta to officiate the game, and everyone knew two things: One, the NBA would be better off if this became a longer Finals, and, two, Bavetta has long been linked to extending other series.
With the ball punched out, Bryant headed for a breakaway layup he couldn’t miss. He needed the statistical break; Bryant wound up shooting 8 for 21 with a half-dozen turnovers.
Now he gets to travel across the country, and he said the Lakers “shot the ball like crap two games in Boston so we’re due.”
Here is what the Lakers are due.
A long trip for nothing.