My Game Report
by: MistiLynn
http://www.mistilynn.com/game03-06-06.htm
The only thing worse than LA traffic at rush hour is LA traffic at rush hour while it’s raining. It was supposed to be a 20-minute drive from my hotel to Staples Center, it took 1 ½ hours.
No worries, my friend Barry and I arrived just as the doors were opening. We were sitting in the first row behind the Spurs bench in Section 102 Row A with the Lakers warming up in front of the Spurs bench.
I chatted with Luke Walton and Brian Cook, Ronny Turiaf remembered me from Summer League and I congratulated Smush Parker on a great win against Detroit.
For the Spurs, I got a picture with Tony Parker and asked him if it was true that none of them are going to shave until the playoffs, he confirmed the rumor. The guys already looked pretty scraggly, I can only imagine what they will look like in a month. I asked if he went to the Oscars, he said no they just stayed close to the hotel and relaxed. I also got a picture with Manu Ginobili.
We said ‘Happy Birthday’ to Michael Finley and greeted Sean Marks and Rasho Nesterovic. RC Buford came by, Barry wanted his autograph on his Spurs championship basketball, RC signed on the underside of the ball (it was deflated) because he wanted to leave the good spots open for somebody more important (his words). We told him, ‘Hey, you built this team.’ Barry got Duncan’s autograph but I was just barely too late with my camera to capture the moment, I snapped a picture just at TD was walking away.
Turiaf and Parker, friends from France, were joking with each other and warming up together. Parker had already warmed up so he was feeding the ball to Turiaf.
I did manage to lose my ticket when I picked up the post-game passes. The ushers and security all knew me by that point so I was able to get to my seat. Amazingly enough, my ticket was found by the couple that ended up sitting next to us! She was a Spurs fan and he was a Lakers fan, she said she was all decked out in silver and black but he made her change. They were really nice and it was fun talking with them throughout the game.
First half
The Lakers started out strong, controlling the opening tip and leading by as many as 8 points. Nazr Mohammed seemed to be missing a lot of defensive assignments and let Chris Mihm rattle off 9 points in the first half, second only to Kobe Bryant’s 16 points.
Cook was taking the shots available to him, hitting 3 of 6, but got called for his second foul early. He obviously disagreed with the call and almost threw the basketball, but restrained himself.
Kobe was very vocal on the court, setting up play after play for his teammates. He didn’t even score until almost halfway through the first quarter.
The Spurs made a run to close the half tying up the game at 43 until Kobe hit a last-second fall-away shot to give the Lakers a 2-point halftime lead.
Second half
Mihm and Duncan were chatting with each other and having a good laugh as they waited for the 3rd quarter to begin. Then Mihm fouled Duncan, sending him to the free-throw line where he made both free throws. Smush Parker ran the floor for a sweet lay-up, but aside from that all the Lakers shots were jumpers, they seemed to lose the aggressiveness that they had in the first half. The Spurs quickly took the lead and kept it for the rest of the game. There were some highlights, like Smush’s almost steal against Tony and Duncan’s airball with Cook guarding him.
During a time-out they showed a couple people in the crowd, like Rick Fox (everybody cheered) and Eva Longoria (everybody boo’d).
The Spurs extended their lead to as much as 17 points in the 3rd quarter but Kobe excited the crowd by hitting a buzzer-beater fall-away shot to close the quarter. Score: 79-64 Spurs lead.
Kiss Cam: Heath Ledger and Mic e Williams fresh from the Oscars made an appearance.
The Spurs ran the same play twice to open the fourth quarter, both resulting in a trey from the left corner as a Laker player came crashing into Tony and Tim on the bench. Of the two plays, only the second resulted in a successful shot.
Ginobili was taken out of the game at the 7:28 mark and he was mad, we speculated because he didn’t want to be taken out of the game but he was very upset about something.
I was very disappointed in the Lakers fans at Staples Center tonight. Duncan was poked in the eye about halfway through the fourth quarter and went down, he rolled around on the ground so long that they called a timeout. Some brilliant fans started a “Duncan sucks” chant while he was still laying on the ground. When he finally stood up and was escorted to the locker room, half the crowd cheered for him and half boo’d him. Truly pathetic.
Just a couple plays later, Tony Parker hit the floor hard as he was fouled. It was getting scrappy.
The Lakers made one last run to try and take the game. Kobe hit a hot streak and nailed four trey’s in a row but it was too little too late as the Spurs won by 7.
Post-game
Barry and I took our nifty post-game passes and went over to Section 105 to wait for the players. I got Luke Walton to sign the picture of him and I together and chatted with Brian Cook about his golf tournament that I just heard about, it’s set to be in August in Illinois. Jim Jackson came by, I made sure to welcome him to the Lakers.
I don’t know his name, but there was a guy that I recognized from a movie, apparently everyone else knew who he was. Every one of the Spurs stopped by to talk with him, I only wished I could remember his name. It was that movie with Katie Holmes where she is the President’s daughter and goes off to college, he was the secret service agent/boyfriend.
After Barry and I left the game, we were walking to our cars and ran into Beno Udrih at a crosswalk. We didn’t see him right away, there was a guy walking around with Kobe t-shirts, he tried to get me to buy one but all I said was ‘Go Spurs Go’. Then Barry said to me, “I think that’s Beno in front of us.” Sure enough it was, we asked him why he wasn’t on the bus with his teammates, he said he was going out to dinner with friends from Slovenia. He remembered us, since we were sitting right by the bench, and I told him that he was very photogenic, I got a lot of good pictures of him. He said, “Really? I always thought I wasn’t.” Barry asked to take a picture with him, since the light was taking forever to change and we were waiting anyway, so I snapped their picture and Beno asked if I wanted a picture too. I said sure. He very nice and it came as quite a surprise to run into him there!
Great game, a great evening – and I get to do it all over again tomorrow!
Pictures are unedited, I'm working off my laptop so the coloring, etc. will be better when I get home to work on my regular computer.
Me and Manu
Me and Tony
Barry after TD gave him an autograph
Devean George
Duncan
Beno Udrih and the Spurs during timeout
Mike Budenholzer talking to Timmy
TiMVP
The Parkers
Nazr getting ready to guard up Mihm
Last edited by missmyzte; 03-07-2006 at 02:18 PM.
Rasho scores 2 points
Fabulous Fabricio
Beno and Fabio talking
Le Blur
Duncan
Budenholzer and Duncan talking again
Beno always had his arm around someone during a timeout
Rick Fox sitting courtside
Barry and Fabricio ...
Jim Jackson leaving, Duncan talking to that guy I can't remember his name
more of Duncan talking to that guy
My nifty post-game pass!
Nice wrap-up and pics, Misti.
Thanks for sharing. Very nice.
Jim Jackson leaving, Duncan talking to that guy I can't remember his name
more of Duncan talking to that guy
So I guess Duncan's OK looking at these post-game pics, right? I don't know what I was expecting, maybe an eye-patch over his eye or something? Did you hear anything more about the extent of his eye injury?
mando
A couple people asked him how his eye was, he said it was fine. He probably just didn't come back out since the game was essentially over.
Awesome MistiGreat to read your report!
Fantatic, colorfull and always great Misty report.
Thanks
Nice! I didn't hear the rumor about the players not shaving till the playoffs...Tony's going to be looking like a French Santa Claus if he follows through!
Great report and pics.
thanks, Misti
LJ and I were talking about that during the game.For the Spurs, I got a picture with Tony Parker and asked him if it was true that none of them are going to shave until the playoffs, he confirmed the rumor. The guys already looked pretty scraggly, I can only imagine what they will look like a month.
Tim and Tony are going to be like Grizzly Adams by the playoffs. They both grow their beards pretty fast. Baby faces like Rasho, Beno and even Manu should be okay.
Tony and Timmy are gonna look like yetis
Speaking of which, did you ever post the new pics of LJ with his hair?
Cool Pic's
Thanks again for Sharing
I got this info from CL on that guy I didn't know who was:
I posted one picture of the hair last week, I believe. It's in the vBookie thread.
Well at least you were wearing silver and black.
Nice. Thanks.
Buffy!!!! That's why he looked familiar!
Damn he went from basketball...to considering being a lawyer....to an actor.
I saw you cheering for the Spurs a lot. You even cheered when Finley hit a 3. (I remember you weren't fond of him before). I think you are converting, Misti.
Okay?
They will be looking more silly then Timmy and Parker who now is having a preety long beard.
is Pop involved in this one?
Btw Beno and Barry are looking nasty
I was actually cheering for both teams!I saw you cheering for the Spurs a lot. You even cheered when Finley hit a 3. (I remember you weren't fond of him before). I think you are converting, Misti.
That's good that you can cheer for both sides. Then you enjoy the game either way.I was actually cheering for both teams!
Thanks for posting your insights and pics, as always.
Nice set of pics. Good time there.
There where a lot of empty seats.. sigh.
What pic are you looking at? The game was sold out.
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