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Lakers roll the next 4. I'm just glad NO extended the series a game. That's an extra game for Bynums knee to go hiroshima on his ass.
Who else thinks this series is going 7 games if Gray is healthy the rest of the series?
These are the stats for the guys the last three games.
Bynum
12&6
13&5
13&9 Total-38pts/20rebs
Gray
10&10
7&7 18min
12&1 +25 Total-29pts/18rebs
Advantage goes slightly to Bynum. What I did notice was that Bynum could not budge this guy on the offensive end. Bynum couldn't get anywhere near the rim and was forced to take a jumpshot(made it), but I rarely ever see that. This match takes away a huge laker advantage against most teams.
Looking at the stats it looks like some of the Hornets over performed but one must take notice of the players that under performed. Ariza and Okafor combined for average of 21pts per game this season. They only manage to score 10pts on 4-17fg attempts.
On the other side both Pau and Odom under performed. NO was capable of roughing Pau up and taking him out of his finesse game. NO surely is not going to be able to hold him to 8pts(2-9fg) but they should be able to keep him below his season averages if they play fiscal playoff basketball. Odom had a bad game as well only scoring 10pts and getting 1 rebound. He has been playing great all year and was due for one bad game. It just happened to be the first game of the playoffs against NO, wrong. His last two game against NO this year he recorded 9pts/5rebs and 8pts/5rebs. These numbers are significantly lower than his season averages of 14.4pts/8.7rebs. Which makes you wonder if NO also has the ability to throw the Lakers 6th man off his game. This should scare any Laker fan given the talent of the rest of the bench players.
The comparison of the the teams top players Kobe and Paul. One would think that the Lakers have a clear advantage but given the oppositions respective defender the edge goes to Paul. Fortunately for NO the Lakers weakest link is the pg position and the strongest for NO is pg. I expect to see a lot more of the Paul from game 1 in the games to come. Not one defender on the Lakers can contain him and they can't pack the paint because of his ability to shoot the ball. Kobe had a great game shooting 50%fg but he rarely does that even against poor defending teams, so that will probably drop.
Couple more points to make. The Lakers shot 6 for 13 from three in game 1. A percentage that is very unlikely to continue during the rest of this series. Ron Artest played better than I would expect him to play in the games to come.
Heres to Lakerfan praying that Gray is out the rest of the series.
Lakers roll the next 4. I'm just glad NO extended the series a game. That's an extra game for Bynums knee to go hiroshima on his ass.
I doubt Gray plays Game 2. He's in a walking boot right now. Big loss unless Mbenga steps up or Okafor can stay out of foul trouble because Bynum can't and won't be able to back down Gray in the paint. Plus, Gray is a smarter player on the floor and will use that to his advantage. Hornets won't change their strategy. They're going to use their quickness to attack the rim. They easily won the points in the paint by penetrating every possession. They only shot 10 threes that game. Really depends on how well Jarrett Jack can play and if they can get Bynum in foul trouble again forcing Odom to guard Landry which he can't. Gray's loss does hurt. If the Hornets can pull out a victory tomorrow which is a monumental task and maybe impossible with Gray out, the series is over.
Oh ! Hornetsfan just said this is a must win for the Lakers.
Lakers have been dropping turds for a few weeks now... At any rate, they go as far as Gasol takes them, so if Pau wakes up this will be over soon...
It is. They're not going to easily steal games in a hostile Saints-like crowd this weekend. The city will respond to yesterday's shocker. The Hive will be roaring. If the Lakers somehow lose Game 2, its over. They're not going to win two games on the road. NOLA fans will sense something crazy happening and will respond just like they did for the Saints. Lakers need to win Game 2. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Agreed.
Monty knows that and he's game-planning to make sure Gasol doesn't dominate. He will give Kobe whatever, but is planning to make sure Gasol stays quiet. Gray's loss hurts because he was there to neutralize Bynum. Now they have to continue to put Okafor on Bynum instead of Gasol. Hornets want Gasol and Odom in the game because Okafor has a better chance of defending Gasol compared to Bynum and Hornets also think they have an advantage with Landry/Smith against Odom.
5 games. no more.
Just like the OKC-Den series.
I expect Okafor to be in foul trouble early. I think the home cooking will be severe. Sorry, but I don't think the league is interested in the Lakers losing tomorrow.
This guy is a doctor. He must know something.
it really can...
Chris Paul knows he owns the lakers front court...there is not a god damn thing fisher or artest can do to stop him, and its not like packing the paint will do much either since Chris Paul is an excellent shooter from the outside.
Chris Paul will stat pad so much in this series because he knows this is his ticket out of New Orleans to a big fat contract the best point guard in the league deserves (rose is probably better but whatever).
Kobe will notice a star shinning brighter them him, and as the arrogant piece of he is, he will try to one up him and fail because he is over the hill. In the process, he will ball hog so much Pau Gasol and company will never get to an offensive rhythm. Kobe has return back to the Hornets...
Hmmm... Still not over the departure of Tyson Chandler
It is.
I said it first. El, gettin' his fart catcher on.
You're right. The Lakers may not have come out ready to play in Game 1 and its not going to be easy closing out the defending champs. But, if the Lakers slip up Game 2, its pretty much going to be out of reach.
Lakers in 6.
He doesn't put the team over the top. He just neutralizes Bynum. Paul and Jack were the biggest reasons for the Hornets winning. Gray is a role player and his job is to neutralize Bynum making it easier to double Gasol. They're going to put Ariza on Kobe one-on-one regardless of how many the Mamba scores. They're going to try to stop Gasol at all costs.
Could go 7. I think 5 or 6 much more likely, but 7 games wouldn't shock me. The Lakers losing... yeah, now that would shock me.
I'll remind folks that the 00 Lakers and the 08 Celtics got taken to the limit in the opening round vs. vastly inferior teams.
I would let Gray's ankle heal up for game 2 and rest him till Friday night. The Lakers are going to be nearly impossible to beat Wednesday with or without him, as they are going to feel like they are playing for their season.
I agree with Hornets78 that it's going to be hard for the Lakers to win both games in NO as there will be hostile crowds for both. I'm pumped to be attending them.
I see the series being tied at 2-2 after 4 games.
After that, I could see the Lakers getting serious and putting the Hornets away in the next 2. So at this point I see the series going 6 games.
Going to 6 games would be a big accomplishment for the Hornets. No one expected them to win a single game.
Y'all remember what was said in the Spurs-Hornets series in 08. The Spurs were ed because they had to go to New Orleans for game 7... Remind me which team pulled that out again?
I think the Lakers will eventually take this, but they have nobody to guard Paul. Reminds me of the Houston series from two years ago when Fisher couldn't guard Brooks. You're supposed to stay home on everybody else and force him to carry the scoring load. 33 points and 14 assists is not doing that.
Ask Kobe how much he enjoys his 2006 "Took Em to 7 Games When Series Was Supposed To Be Done in 5" participation medal.
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