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I'm from OC slurp slurp slurp Kobe slurp slurp
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/b...994-gasol-play
These aren't last season's Lakers
Ding column: This version is not a one-man team, which you could see at the end of Friday's game.
Kevin Ding
The Orange County Register
[email protected]
Comments | Recommend
LOS ANGELES Yes, the play is designed for Kobe Bryant.
No, the result doesn't have to be.
This is a distinction of epic importance for the Lakers, who lost the NBA Finals in June because the Boston Celtics stacked their defensive deck against Bryant and the other Lakers didn't use their analytical heads or coordinated bodies to score anyway.
To see how much the Lakers have progressed on this front, there was Friday night.
The Lakers needed three points to tie New Orleans. Coach Phil Jackson stood there and drew up a play that loomed large enough that even assistant coach Frank Hamblen could be seen sneaking an early peek at the clipboard to see what would be coming.
It was a play for Bryant, yes.
Luke Walton is to inbound the ball to Pau Gasol at the high post, and Derek Fisher is supposed to set a screen for Bryant to move freely from right to left on the floor and get the ball from Gasol behind the 3-point arc.
And nevertheless, in a testament to these Lakers' ability to think for themselves and see their world without the Bryant-centric radar that the coaches lament as "Kobe-dar," Fisher got the ball and made the tying shot.
The Lakers won the game, and they walked away heartened further that this is nothing close to a one-man team anymore.
"The first read was Kobe coming out of that pick that Fish gave him," Gasol said. "Two guys went with him (Bryant), and Fish was wide open."
Sounds perfectly simple. It so isn't.
Bryant not only carries an eminence in the basketball community for his ability to hit the clutch shot, he has a commanding presence on the court with the way he hunts down opportunities to take those clutch shots.
These Lakers have strengths in depth, size and passing skill that exist separate from Bryant's singular magic act. And they know it.
With the game on the line, it becomes harder and sometimes illogical, frankly to look off Bryant. But the bodies in motion while Gasol held the ball on that key play of the game made it far more illogical to force the ball to Bryant.
Gasol probably could have dropped the ball to Bryant in between New Orleans defenders James Posey and Chris Paul (who lurked by Bryant) without turning it over, although Bryant would have been immediately trapped.
But it never got close to that, because Gasol decided early on that Fisher was being blatantly ignored and had to get the ball.
For co-star Gasol, who despite his strong relationship with Bryant will still get earfuls of reprimand at times, to be able to make this sort of decision with the game on the line without hesitation is nothing short of anic for the Lakers.
The play was designed for Bryant, yes. But the world did not revolve around him.
"Both guys stayed with Kobe, which happens a lot, obviously, because it's Kobe," Fisher said.
Bryant took the intentional walk. Fisher stepped up and hit the meatball served up to him right out of the park.
It's not necessarily the way the Lakers want or plan to win.
It's one wonderful way they can.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
I'm from OC slurp slurp slurp Kobe slurp slurp
It was just bad defense by Paul. Scott specifically told the team not to leave your man and guard the 3 and Paul just had a brain fart. Nothing special on the Lakers part. Let's be honest. Hornets blew that game. Life goes on.http://www.ocregister.com/articles/b...994-gasol-play
These aren't last season's Lakers
Ding column: This version is not a one-man team, which you could see at the end of Friday's game.
The Orange County Register
[email protected]
Comments | Recommend
LOS ANGELES Yes, the play is designed for Kobe Bryant.
No, the result doesn't have to be.
This is a distinction of epic importance for the Lakers, who lost the NBA Finals in June because the Boston Celtics stacked their defensive deck against Bryant and the other Lakers didn't use their analytical heads or coordinated bodies to score anyway.
To see how much the Lakers have progressed on this front, there was Friday night.
The Lakers needed three points to tie New Orleans. Coach Phil Jackson stood there and drew up a play that loomed large enough that even assistant coach Frank Hamblen could be seen sneaking an early peek at the clipboard to see what would be coming.
It was a play for Bryant, yes.
Luke Walton is to inbound the ball to Pau Gasol at the high post, and Derek Fisher is supposed to set a screen for Bryant to move freely from right to left on the floor and get the ball from Gasol behind the 3-point arc.
And nevertheless, in a testament to these Lakers' ability to think for themselves and see their world without the Bryant-centric radar that the coaches lament as "Kobe-dar," Fisher got the ball and made the tying shot.
The Lakers won the game, and they walked away heartened further that this is nothing close to a one-man team anymore.
"The first read was Kobe coming out of that pick that Fish gave him," Gasol said. "Two guys went with him (Bryant), and Fish was wide open."
Sounds perfectly simple. It so isn't.
Bryant not only carries an eminence in the basketball community for his ability to hit the clutch shot, he has a commanding presence on the court with the way he hunts down opportunities to take those clutch shots.
These Lakers have strengths in depth, size and passing skill that exist separate from Bryant's singular magic act. And they know it.
With the game on the line, it becomes harder and sometimes illogical, frankly to look off Bryant. But the bodies in motion while Gasol held the ball on that key play of the game made it far more illogical to force the ball to Bryant.
Gasol probably could have dropped the ball to Bryant in between New Orleans defenders James Posey and Chris Paul (who lurked by Bryant) without turning it over, although Bryant would have been immediately trapped.
But it never got close to that, because Gasol decided early on that Fisher was being blatantly ignored and had to get the ball.
For co-star Gasol, who despite his strong relationship with Bryant will still get earfuls of reprimand at times, to be able to make this sort of decision with the game on the line without hesitation is nothing short of anic for the Lakers.
The play was designed for Bryant, yes. But the world did not revolve around him.
"Both guys stayed with Kobe, which happens a lot, obviously, because it's Kobe," Fisher said.
Bryant took the intentional walk. Fisher stepped up and hit the meatball served up to him right out of the park.
It's not necessarily the way the Lakers want or plan to win.
It's one wonderful way they can.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
They have really, really good chemistry.
Of course Kobe's a great teammate when things are going smoothly. But when things get tough, just like last season and every other season, the same old selfish Kobe will be back to torpedo his team's chances at a championship.
Who cares what Mr. Ding Dong has to say.
Hornets78 you must be having a good dream if you think your hornets have a shot of winning anything soon. Just admit it hornets suck.
i never said anything like that. I'm just talking about last week's game. Must be nice jumping on the Lakers bandwagon. Must have plenty of experiencing since you jumped over fences to cross the border.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/b...994-gasol-play
These aren't last season's Lakers
Ding column: This version is not a one-man team, which you could see at the end of Friday's game.
The Orange County Register
[email protected]
Comments | Recommend
LOS ANGELES Yes, the play is designed for Kobe Bryant.
No, the result doesn't have to be.
This is a distinction of epic importance for the Lakers, who lost the NBA Finals in June because the Boston Celtics stacked their defensive deck against Bryant and the other Lakers didn't use their analytical heads or coordinated bodies to score anyway.
To see how much the Lakers have progressed on this front, there was Friday night.
The Lakers needed three points to tie New Orleans. Coach Phil Jackson stood there and drew up a play that loomed large enough that even assistant coach Frank Hamblen could be seen sneaking an early peek at the clipboard to see what would be coming.
It was a play for Bryant, yes.
Luke Walton is to inbound the ball to Pau Gasol at the high post, and Derek Fisher is supposed to set a screen for Bryant to move freely from right to left on the floor and get the ball from Gasol behind the 3-point arc.
And nevertheless, in a testament to these Lakers' ability to think for themselves and see their world without the Bryant-centric radar that the coaches lament as "Kobe-dar," Fisher got the ball and made the tying shot.
The Lakers won the game, and they walked away heartened further that this is nothing close to a one-man team anymore.
"The first read was Kobe coming out of that pick that Fish gave him," Gasol said. "Two guys went with him (Bryant), and Fish was wide open."
Sounds perfectly simple. It so isn't.
Bryant not only carries an eminence in the basketball community for his ability to hit the clutch shot, he has a commanding presence on the court with the way he hunts down opportunities to take those clutch shots.
These Lakers have strengths in depth, size and passing skill that exist separate from Bryant's singular magic act. And they know it.
With the game on the line, it becomes harder and sometimes illogical, frankly to look off Bryant. But the bodies in motion while Gasol held the ball on that key play of the game made it far more illogical to force the ball to Bryant.
Gasol probably could have dropped the ball to Bryant in between New Orleans defenders James Posey and Chris Paul (who lurked by Bryant) without turning it over, although Bryant would have been immediately trapped.
But it never got close to that, because Gasol decided early on that Fisher was being blatantly ignored and had to get the ball.
For co-star Gasol, who despite his strong relationship with Bryant will still get earfuls of reprimand at times, to be able to make this sort of decision with the game on the line without hesitation is nothing short of anic for the Lakers.
The play was designed for Bryant, yes. But the world did not revolve around him.
"Both guys stayed with Kobe, which happens a lot, obviously, because it's Kobe," Fisher said.
Bryant took the intentional walk. Fisher stepped up and hit the meatball served up to him right out of the park.
It's not necessarily the way the Lakers want or plan to win.
It's one wonderful way they can.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Funny how this article doesn't mention how Kobe doesn't get whistled for pushing Chris Paul, but instead Chris Paul gets fouled out for tripping Kobe as a result of falling.
Typical bull .
Nobody new it was a push when it happened
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