Pacers: That's the second best team in the East?

[thunderup]

sup CN

sup

everyone talking about how ty the pacers are.. no one talks about their defense and how the lakers tore it apart. smh at the bias here

The Pacers have an inflated defensive rating playing against leastern conference teams. Congrats to your Lakers anyhow partner.

[midnightpulp]

ur what im saying. i said since the all star break, they have been playing better.. enlighten me who are the contenders they have faced up against...i beleive OKC was the only team, if u consider them contenders or not thats your opinion. a win is a win whether its be 1 or 50 the record doesnt show how many point you won by

Miami, OKC, Clippers, and Denver (4 of the best 6 teams in the league) are the contenders they've faced, and they lost every game by double digits.

Sure a "win is a win," but I wouldn't be too encouraged that terrible teams are constantly taking the Lakers down to the wire. A team priming itself for a run shouldn't be needing OT to beat the Raptors at home or fall behind 25 to the tanking Pelicans. Compare the way the Lakers are playing with Miami, OKC, Denver, Memphis, and even the Spurs.

Invoke a "win is a win" all you like, but year after year, point differential has been a pretty accurate predictor of playoff success, and during the Lakers "hot streak," their point differential has been .75.

[Latarian Milton]

mid has some insightful takes imho and even a long-time basketball fan like myself couldn't think to such extents tbh

the point i wanna add is that, although kobe didnt score even a single point tonight, he still made his contribution by messing up the defensive strategy of the opposing team. teams will always make defensive plans oriented around how to deal with kobe, and the pacers were apparently unprepared when the lakers switched to a sheer different style imho. kobe was the decoy tonight and he got his job well done imho. however, when the lakers plot gets fully exposed in light and other teams start to make adjustments accordingly, the lakers will struggle again tbh

[LkrFan]

FTA:
Pacers - 9
Lakers - 30

While you're complaining about refs helping us win, please explain how their all star center goes 3-12 FGAs - at home no less.

[LkrFan]

Box score pimping: their 2 all stars combined for 9-35 FGAs - at home no less.

Can we now put the D back in _antoni?

[whitemamba]

Miami, OKC, Clippers, and Denver (4 of the best 6 teams in the league) are the contenders they've faced, and they lost every game by double digits.

Sure a "win is a win," but I wouldn't be too encouraged that terrible teams are constantly taking the Lakers down to the wire. A team priming itself for a run shouldn't be needing OT to beat the Raptors at home or fall behind 25 to the tanking Pelicans. Compare the way the Lakers are playing with Miami, OKC, Denver, Memphis, and even the Spurs.

Invoke a "win is a win" all you like, but year after year, point differential has been a pretty accurate predictor of playoff success, and during the Lakers "hot streak," their point differential has been .75.

Again I said since the all streak break, and if I can remember correctly the only team that that we played that's a supposed contender is OKC, Denver is a great ball club no question but not considered contenders I don't think. And I didn't have a " storm" after this win, although our best player was out.pacers had only lost 7 times on their home court and are a prideful defensive minded team, so it's a good win regardless. Ur last straying of the point the lakers have played like 6 or 7 games as a full roster, it takes some time to build that chemistry, and u have to go gut out some wins, these are NBA players any team can beat any team on any given night. I do think the lakers are "figuring it out"

[Venti Quattro]

Can we now put the D back in _antoni?

He already wants the D.

[whitemamba]

sup


The Pacers have an inflated defensive rating playing against leastern conference teams. Congrats to your Lakers anyhow partner.

Good win imho

[racm]

I'm sure Lakers fans will themselves blind after this win, and the usual posters who overrate the Lakers will once again claim they've "figured it out" and are an emerging threat, but anyone who has been watching basketball for more than 5 years should know that teams often play way over their heads the next few games after losing a key player. The Spurs looked even better the next 3 games after Parker went down. Atlanta, after losing two of their best players, beat the Lakers with what was essentially a D-League team. Boston had the big streak after losing Rondo. Going back even further, Dallas gave the Spurs all they could handle in the '03 WCF after losing Dirk in game 3. Etc, etc.

I call it the "Step up phenomenon."

Also, the Lakers matchup pretty decently with the Pacers. Half court oriented, grit-and-grind teams don't give the Lakers the kind of trouble as slashing, fast breaking teams filled with athletes.

The Pacers have athletic players in George and Stephenson but they somehow don't know how to run a fastbreak.

Also, at paying George Hill 8m to lead a mediocre offense

[Thread]

^And Hibbert is a lost soul.

[racm]

Box score pimping: their 2 all stars combined for 9-35 FGAs - at home no less.

Can we now put the D back in _antoni?

Can't be hard to do when he's got a 3 time DPOY. Your defense is still ranked 18th, tbh.

[racm]

^And Hibbert is a lost soul.

Dollar for dollar I'd rather have Splitter than Hibbert.

[LkrFan]

Without Kobe

A couple of takeaways from this game:

1) Howard can lead the Lakers if he gets the touches. 20/12/4/4 vs. an all star center.
2) Howard's defense is picking up. Ditto for MWP. They basically shut down their all star counterparts.
3) Kobe needed to see that his teammates are pretty good. They beat a top 4 EC team, basically without him. This will build their confidence.
4) Glad Kobe took himself out and hopefully he didn't cause any further damage to his ankle. With games against the Queens, Suns, and Wizards, the Lakers should hold him out until the GS game on 25 Mar 2013. That would be like 10 straight days of him rehabbing his ankle.

Little known fact that most non-Laker fans don't know: Steve Blake and Jamison have great chemistry. Our playoff bench will basically be Earl Clark, Jamison, Meeks, and Blake (LA Times reported Pau will start again since Clark has begun to struggle).

[racm]

LkrFan: I always thought the problem with the Lakers was that everyone wanted touches.

Now with 11-33 gone, Howard can dominate through the pick and roll/put backs/occasional post ups.

[whitemamba]

A couple of takeaways from this game:

1) Howard can lead the Lakers if he gets the touches. 20/12/4/4 vs. an all star center.
2) Howard's defense is picking up. Ditto for MWP. They basically shut down their all star counterparts.
3) Kobe needed to see that his teammates are pretty good. They beat a top 4 EC team, basically without him. This will build their confidence.
4) Glad Kobe took himself out and hopefully he didn't cause any further damage to his ankle. With games against the Queens, Suns, and Wizards, the Lakers should hold him out until the GS game on 25 Mar 2013. That would be like 10 straight days of him rehabbing his ankle.

Little known fact that most non-Laker fans don't know: Steve Blake and Jamison have great chemistry. Our playoff bench will basically be Earl Clark, Jamison, Meeks, and Blake (LA Times reported Pau will start again since Clark has begun to struggle).

Good take tbh.

[LkrFan]

LkrFan: I always thought the problem with the Lakers was that everyone wanted touches.

Now with 11-33 gone, Howard can dominate through the pick and roll/put backs/occasional post ups.

Disagree - to an extent. Kobe is still a threat to drop 40+. He still commands double/triple teams. That opens up the floor for others to get easier looks. Sure, Kobe being out should garner more looks for Howard, but theoretically it shouldn't be easier looks given how much attention Kobe attracts.

All that said, we should still be an inside first team. But Howard's inside game is inconsistent to do that everytime though. It is a pleasant surprise to see Kobe looking for him more often. Gotta have balance though because sometimes Kobe gets into passing mode too much - then when we need him to make buckets sometimes his shot is way off.

Regardless, solid win I'll take it. Bring on the Queens.

[LkrFan]

Good take tbh.

[Thread]

Dollar for dollar I'd rather have Splitter than Hibbert.

Absolutely.

[racm]

Disagree - to an extent. Kobe is still a threat to drop 40+. He still commands double/triple teams. That opens up the floor for others to get easier looks. Sure, Kobe being out should garner more looks for Howard, but theoretically it shouldn't be easier looks given how much attention Kobe attracts.

All that said, we should still be an inside first team. But Howard's inside game is inconsistent to do that everytime though. It is a pleasant surprise to see Kobe looking for him more often. Gotta have balance though because sometimes Kobe gets into passing mode too much - then when we need him to make buckets sometimes his shot is way off.

Regardless, solid win I'll take it. Bring on the Queens.

Set up Kobe as the perimeter threat and closer like a prime Manu with more touches while Dwight gets the ball inside and on the P&R like a prime Duncan.

Of course, your coach is Mike D'Antoni.

[midnightpulp]

A couple of takeaways from this game:

1) Howard can lead the Lakers if he gets the touches. 20/12/4/4 vs. an all star center.
2) Howard's defense is picking up. Ditto for MWP. They basically shut down their all star counterparts.
3) Kobe needed to see that his teammates are pretty good. They beat a top 4 EC team, basically without him. This will build their confidence.
4) Glad Kobe took himself out and hopefully he didn't cause any further damage to his ankle. With games against the Queens, Suns, and Wizards, the Lakers should hold him out until the GS game on 25 Mar 2013. That would be like 10 straight days of him rehabbing his ankle.

Little known fact that most non-Laker fans don't know: Steve Blake and Jamison have great chemistry. Our playoff bench will basically be Earl Clark, Jamison, Meeks, and Blake (LA Times reported Pau will start again since Clark has begun to struggle).

Yeah, Howard was dominant, shooting 7-17 with 4 turnovers and 5 fouls.

[Thread]

Yeah, Howard was dominant, shooting 7-17 with 4 turnovers and 5 fouls.

Midst.

[ElNono]

A couple of takeaways from this game:

1) Howard can lead the Lakers if he gets the touches. 20/12/4/4 vs. an all star center.
2) Howard's defense is picking up. Ditto for MWP. They basically shut down their all star counterparts.
3) Kobe needed to see that his teammates are pretty good. They beat a top 4 EC team, basically without him. This will build their confidence.
4) Glad Kobe took himself out and hopefully he didn't cause any further damage to his ankle. With games against the Queens, Suns, and Wizards, the Lakers should hold him out until the GS game on 25 Mar 2013. That would be like 10 straight days of him rehabbing his ankle.

Little known fact that most non-Laker fans don't know: Steve Blake and Jamison have great chemistry. Our playoff bench will basically be Earl Clark, Jamison, Meeks, and Blake (LA Times reported Pau will start again since Clark has begun to struggle).

Good take tbh.

It was actually a terrible analysis... especially the defensive part. Indiana must've missed 20 uncontested layups... that's not defense, that's getting lucky. It happens over 82 games, but it doesn't over a 7 game series.

[midnightpulp]

Our playoff bench will basically be Earl Clark, Jamison, Meeks, and Blake

Condolences.

[Thread]

Condolences.

Midst, you don't come and visit your old dad's room anymore. Remember, you'd come and I'd throw your ass right back out.

"C'mon, Cubby, what'd I do?"

"You know damn good and well what you did."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Can we talk basketball now?"

And we'd talk for awhile then you'd go back out onto the floor and bust my chops and I'd have to bar you all over again. Grand times, Midst. Can't believe it's been over 9 months.

[racm]

It was actually a terrible analysis... especially the defensive part. Indiana must've missed 20 uncontested layups... that's not defense, that's getting lucky. It happens over 82 games, but it doesn't over a 7 game series.

The Pacers are bottom 10 in team field goal percentage, tbh.