News from L.A.

[RolandoBlackman]

Hey y'all!


NBA PLAYOFFS | LAKERS 92, MINNESOTA 85
Wolfing Them Down
Bryant scores 31 points, 18 in the third quarter, and O'Neal has 19 and 19 rebounds as L.A. moves one victory away from a Finals berth.

 
By Tim Brown, Times Staff Writer


Playing back from the edge of implosion, the Lakers stand on the verge of the NBA Finals.

Ever dramatic, ever routine, the Lakers on Thursday night had Kobe Bryant fly in from Colorado, Shaquille O'Neal storm in from the paint and Derek Fisher step in from the bench as they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 92-85, at Staples Center in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.

They lead the series, three games to one. Game 5 is Saturday night in Minneapolis, the Lakers a victory from their fourth Finals in five years.

Six teams have come back from 3-1 deficits, none since the Miami Heat against the New York Knicks in 1997, only two since 1981, and the Lakers have won 12 consecutive close-out games.

"We can see the light to the Finals," Rick Fox said.

That close, Bryant spent his day fighting a charge of felony sexual assault a time zone away, arrived in the arena more than an hour before the tip, and then scored 31 points, 18 in a game-turning third quarter.

That close, O'Neal took 19 rebounds and scored 19 points. It was his fifth consecutive game of at least 16 rebounds.

Phil Jackson called him "terrific" and O'Neal seemed happy to do it. After the game, O'Neal's wife, Shaunie, changed their baby in a hallway off the press room as he looked on, the first dirty work he hadn't done all night.

"I'm just trying to do the little things at times," he said. "A lot of guys on this team demand shots. I don't really get the 20 to 25 shots I used to get. I block shots, get some rebounds. Just trying to do the little things."

That close, Fisher, who might have saved the postseason with four-tenths of a second left in Game 5 a round ago, and playing in front of handfuls of fans wearing foam fish heads, scored 15 points in 28 minutes.

Kevin Garnett, the league MVP, had 28 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, but his Timberwolves were outplayed in the critical middle two quarters, outrebounded, 45-24, through three quarters and face the same ending to this season as last — elimination at the hands of the Lakers.

Garnett on Wednesday called Game 4 "an absolute must-win" and now the Timberwolves must win out.

"We gotta win at home," he said. "That is the focus."

The Lakers won Game 1 in Minnesota, and they have that run of close-out successes, dating to Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals, the moment of their first title together.

Bryant, again, had incredible energy at the conclusion of a long day. After a half in which he missed some and hung back some, he made two free throws in the third quarter that gave the Lakers a 58-54 lead, beginning a stretch in which he scored 16 of the team's 19 points. By the end of the quarter, the Laker lead was 75-60 and the Timberwolves were tugging at the bottom of their shorts.

In Game 3, a more routine day by Bryant standards, he'd also gotten more involved in the second half, when he scored all of his 22 points.

"I just read it and pace it out, collapse the defense in the first half by swinging it around and moving the ball, getting other guys involved," he said. "In the second half, when I sense some momentum and I feel like it's time to go in for the kill, that's when I do it."

The Timberwolves were never again closer than seven points, despite 10 fourth-quarter points from Garnett and seven from Wally Szczerbiak, who scored 19 points. Darrick Martin started for Sam Cassell, whose back has been sore since before the series began, and Cassell played only five minutes.

"We're very confident," Szczerbiak insisted. "We've been close. We've been right there…. We beat them once. We gotta find a way to do it again."

Bryant again appeared weary, as he does at the conclusion of his travel days. In similar playoff circumstances, he scored 31 points in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets, 42 in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers have won them all.

"I just go day by day," he said. "Whatever I have to do I will do and that's pretty much the bottom line. Whatever I have to do, that's what I will do, no matter what it is. Whatever it takes."

And so the Lakers of Bryant and O'Neal, of newcomers Karl Malone and Gary Payton, are beginning to sense their championship, five wins off.

Ten months after he left Utah behind and signed with the Lakers, Malone smiled at his new place. He has played in the Finals twice, in 1997 and 1998, and lost to Phil Jackson's Chicago Bulls. Well, Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.

"It's not really what I came here for," Malone said. "I've been there twice. I would like to win it. But I don't know. I'm just trying to keep all the emotions, all of that, not get caught up in all of that on the floor. I'm trying to keep an even keel. If we're so lucky, I don't know how I would be.

"To have it this close. I've been part of [being] up, 3-1, and I'll take this any day. Having to win one game looks a whole lot better than having to win three games."

After winning Game 4 Thursday, the Lakers took a 3-1 series lead and can eliminate the Timberwolves in Game 5 on Saturday in Minnesota. The Lakers have won 12 consecutive games when they have a chance to end a series. The last time the Lakers were not able to win a close-out game was in the 2000 NBA Finals, when they lost to the Indiana Pacers, 120-87, in Game 5.


 YEAR OPPONENT RESULT ROUND GAME  


 2000 Indiana W, 116-111 NBA Finals Game 6


 2001 Portland W, 99-86 First round Game 3


 2001 Sacramento W, 119-113 Conference semifinals Game 4


 2001 San Antonio W, 111-82 Conference finals Game 4


 2001 Philadelphia W, 108-96 NBA Finals Game 5


 2002 Portland W, 92-91 First round Game 3


 2002 San Antonio W, 93-87 Conference semifinals Game 5


 2002 Sacramento W, 112-106 Conference finals Game 7


 2002 New Jersey W, 113-107 NBA Finals Game 4


 2003 Minnesota W, 101-85 First round Game 6


 2004 Houston W, 97-78 First round Game 5


 2004 San Antonio W, 88-76 Conference semifinals Game 6


 
Dang...this record has to be pretty intimidating to the T-Wolves.  And, if wk thinks he's seen some bandwagons up 'til now, just wait!

-RB

Shaq #1

[Rickortreat]

Now I remember why I've come to hate what the NBA has become.

Last night's game wasn't determined by the players, but by the officials.  Yes friends, Thug ball is alive and well in the NBA.

Remember when teams used to play 130-125 games, lot's of up and down action, ariel highlights, great outside shooting no zone defense?  That was good basketball, very entertaining and fun to watch.  Laker Showtime, Celtic shooting.  

Then, Detroit came along and used physical play and intimidation, tactics that would have earned technical fouls, suspensions, and notices from the league office.  

Yesterday, I saw the T-wolves, held, clutched at grabbed and bodied up to whether they had the ball or not.  Minnesota has a livlier team, but LA is bigger and stonger.  IF the officials allow that kind of play, T-wolves don't have a chance.  But it's not basketball the way I liked it, I don't know what you call it, but apart from a few moves by Kobe it's not much fun watching.

[Laker Fan]

Whatever Rick, LA is the one getting all the T's called away from the ball and enduring all the body's draped all over Shaq all the time, and Kobe too whenever he takes it to the rack.

You are not watching the same series I am, Minnesota has been playing physical, aggressive ball since the start of the post season, or did you not see the Denver and Sacramento series? The difference here is, they met a team that can give as good as it gets and now they are crying like little girls about it, and apparently, so are you.  :nod:

Sucks being a Sixers fan right now doesn't it?  :cry:  

[msc]

Now I remember why I've come to hate what the NBA has become.

Last night's game wasn't determined by the players, but by the officials.  Yes friends, Thug ball is alive and well in the NBA.

Remember when teams used to play 130-125 games, lot's of up and down action, ariel highlights, great outside shooting no zone defense?  That was good basketball, very entertaining and fun to watch.  Laker Showtime, Celtic shooting. 

Then, Detroit came along and used physical play and intimidation, tactics that would have earned technical fouls, suspensions, and notices from the league office. 

Yesterday, I saw the T-wolves, held, clutched at grabbed and bodied up to whether they had the ball or not.  Minnesota has a livlier team, but LA is bigger and stonger.  IF the officials allow that kind of play, T-wolves don't have a chance.  But it's not basketball the way I liked it, I don't know what you call it, but apart from a few moves by Kobe it's not much fun watching.

Interesting post Rickortreat.  I saw the game the exact opposite as you did.  I was at the game last night and it was apparent the officials were instructed to do all they could to even the series.  I couldn't believe how one sided the officiating was in favor of the Wolves.  I kept thinking, are we in Minnesota?  No home cooking at all.  

Doesn't really matter tho, the Wolves are good, but without Cassell and Hudson, they're just too outmatched.  

[westkoast]

The Denver and Sac-town series were very physical.  Lets not act like they were not playing good hard playoff basketball against those teams.  Like Laker Fan said....they tried to be physical with a team that has a much bigger front line.  Bumping and jumping on guys like Webber, Miller, NeNe, and Camby is a little different than do the same to Shaq and Malone.

I do think that KG deserved a few calls when he tried to attack the rim.  I think the refs thought that he initiated the contact on a number of those plays but really it wouldnt be any different than any other strong finisher taking it to the hole.  I really hope KG gets 0 flack from any media outlet or basketball fan.  What more could he have done last night?  No Cassell and a very quiet Spree equals too much for one player to handle.....even for a player of KG's caliber.

You can blame this loss on the refs all you want but the Wolves supporting cast was at In n Out during the 2nd and 3rd quarters.  Wally, Spree, and the bench could have stepped it up more IMO.

[Lurker]

Just to add a non-Laker fan view.

The refs didn't cost Minny the game.  They have progressively allowed more & more physical play in each round.  I do believe that KG is NOT getting the respect that he should be getting from the refs.  There were several times he took it to the rim and got no calls.  Some were probably legit no calls but many were not.  But for the most part KG is not (and never really has) being aggressive enough in the low post position.  However the post game is a small, weak part of his game.

Whether the physical play takes away from the game or not is a different story.  I have said for the past few years that the way games are called is taking away from the game.  They have supposedly changed rules to minimize the hand checking and defensive holding that goes on.  These rules were enforced for about as long as it takes for Kobe to fly to Colorado & back.  And the tendency has been for the game to get even more physical.....not just in the playoffs but in the regular season also.

The league moans and groans about how scoring is down but then turns a blind eye towards the physical play that is causing it.  If they want to get back to the 70-80s style of high scoring games then they have to call the rules as they are written....not based on some wrestler's interpretation of what is grabbing or hand checking.  If the league started enforcing the rules as written then the great athletes that they have will adjust to the game.  It might also force a few kids to start practicing fundamentals instead of highlights.

 :ph34r:  

[Guest_Randy]

Now I remember why I've come to hate what the NBA has become.

Last night's game wasn't determined by the players, but by the officials.  Yes friends, Thug ball is alive and well in the NBA.

Remember when teams used to play 130-125 games, lot's of up and down action, ariel highlights, great outside shooting no zone defense?  That was good basketball, very entertaining and fun to watch.  Laker Showtime, Celtic shooting.  

Then, Detroit came along and used physical play and intimidation, tactics that would have earned technical fouls, suspensions, and notices from the league office.  

Yesterday, I saw the T-wolves, held, clutched at grabbed and bodied up to whether they had the ball or not.  Minnesota has a livlier team, but LA is bigger and stonger.  IF the officials allow that kind of play, T-wolves don't have a chance.  But it's not basketball the way I liked it, I don't know what you call it, but apart from a few moves by Kobe it's not much fun watching.

Umm, which game were you watching, Rick?  I definately saw some of that grabbing -- but I actually saw that happening on BOTH ends of the court.  Spree and Martin were slapping, grabbing, holding the backcourt players for the Lakers every chance that they got.  

I would actually agree with Lurker  :eek2:  that KG isn't getting MVP calls but he also needs to realize that his finesse game isn't going to get the calls.  He CAN take the ball hard to the basket -- when is he going to commit to doing that.  He is allowing Malone to push him around the floor but he isn't fighting it -- he WOULD get some calls, IMO, if he did fight.  And he is definately quicker than Malone but the Lakers are doubling and causing him problems so he settles for his jumpshot.  That's NOT going to get you to the line -- period.

The ONLY inequality that I have seen from the refs have been in the T's.  Kobe tells the ref to call a foul and gets T'd up -- PJ gets T'd up for asking a question of the ref.  BOTH were VERY quick T's.  Why didn't the refs get that quick with Ervin Johnson, Wally World or Flip?  You aren't going to see the TWolves shoot more ft's than the Lakers -- anyone who thought that was going to happen needs to have their brain examined.  This team is a jumpshooting team -- the only post game they have is done by their backcourt -- which MIGHT work against the Lakers if the TWolves had a center with any kind of an offense or outside shot but since they don't, Shaq is allowed to roam and kill any thoughts of the TWolves backcourt posting a player up.  And the Lakers are a VERY good defensive team once again (thanks Spurs for waking them up) and the Lakers are just the better team -- offensively and defensively.  Oh, the TWolves are better at the ft line.  

[Rickortreat]

Interesting comments, but some of you missed the point.  I didn't say LA didn't deserve to win, I said they way the game is being referried, they don't have a chance.

I also didn't say that Minnesota doesn't try the same thing when they can against a less physical team.  The certainly do, and I don't blame them for taking advantage of the situation, anymore than I blame LA for doing so.

NO, I blame the league and the refs and the system.  IMHO, it's ruining the game.  I can't help it.  I liked the running game, I like high scores, I like arial highlights, and I like great shots against defenders who aren't clutching or grabbing, but standing their ground, staying with the player, and pressuring him WITHOUT TOUCHING.  That one shot Kobe made was great, but it was one play, whereas 20 years ago, there'd be dozens of amazing plays.

Even if the refs called the game as I belive it was intended, LA would probably win this series and also the finals.  Kobe is a monster who can score at will.  Shaq is still unstoppable as a scorer and a rebounder.  Malone is still stronger than any other PF I can think of at the moment.  And a slow Gary Payton can still play D and run a team.  

Yes, it does suck being a Sixer fan, but I've come to terms with that.  It was fun while they were on the way up, watching a team being built and maturing.  It's been tough watching them disintegrate so quickly.  This season was a major dissapointment since Glen "Big Dog" Robinson, turned out to be a lazy dog.  AI went AWOL, D.C. went back to his old habit of avoiding play whenever possible.  Etc. Etc.

What really sucks is that the NBA has allowed the game to degenerate to the point where teams manage 80 to 90 pt. games and sports jounalists talk about the "advanced defenses" sic that are the reason for the low scores.   It's the league and the way the refs are calling the game, and the zone defenses.  And the teams willingness to adapt to playing under those conditions.  

The best team shouldn't be the biggest, strongest team, it should be the team that plays the right way, executing a half-court offence with post-players, outside shooters and slashers going into the paint.        

Those of you who have watched B-ball for more than a couple of years know what I'm talking about.  Try to imagine this Laker team playing against the Showtime teams of the 80's, playing the way it was refed in the 80's.  Then think about how they would do the way the refs are calling it now. Jabbar vs. Shaq, Worthy vs. Malone.  Scott vs. Payton, Kobe vs. Magic.  One would be a thing of beauty filled with highlights and back and forth action, Under the new rules it would be what we get to watch now. :cry:  80's rules, the old edition of the Lakers would cream the new one.  With the new defensive rules and refs, the recent edition would have a chance, but it would be ugly to watch.

[Laker Fan]

You can blame this loss on the refs all you want but the Wolves supporting cast was at In n Out during the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Hmmmmmm, In N Out! (Homer Simpson salivating here)

[Laker Fan]

Interesting comments, but some of you missed the point.  I didn't say LA didn't deserve to win, I said they way the game is being referried, they don't have a chance.

 

Hmm, so you say you didn't mean LA was handed the game by the officials? So these comments don't mean exactly that?


"Last night's game wasn't determined by the players, but by the officials.

Yesterday, I saw the T-wolves, held, clutched at grabbed and bodied up to whether they had the ball or not.  Minnesota has a livlier team, but LA is bigger and stonger.  IF the officials allow that kind of play, T-wolves don't have a chance."

I don't understand how you only saw the Wolves being subjected to as you call it, "thug basketball" when EVERYBODY else see's the aggressive, physical, and downright desperate way the Wolves grab, hack, body up (legal BTW) and otherwise hinder LA's on every possession, like they did with Sacramento, like they did with Denver.

I like offense as much as the next guy, but I also like seeing team that can shut you down defensively just as well, LA pushed Minnesota up against the clock so many times I lost count, I love that kind of defense, it was great watching Malone pull the chair on Garnett in the 4th. The reason I don't like offense only teams is the same reason I don't watch the allstar game and see it as totally and completely meaningless, I'm not into the 5 second highlight reel and one dimentional teams. If you think the '87 Lakers didn't have a very effective defense, think again (BTW, Magic was a point guard, his victim would have been Payton, not Byron Scott), and someone wrote here and I completely agree, the '80's Lakers scored so much by forcing turnovers, trapping defenses, and defensive rebounding, which led to the fastbreak and the showtime quick transition buckets that came to define them, it ALL began with a committment to defense.

And BTW, I have been an avid afficianado of the NBA for virtually all of my 46 years and I still love a great defensive effort. It's not so much that Detroit and Indiana are in teh middle of some titanic defensive struggle, while Detroits defense is quite good, the bottom line is both of these teams have offenses that, to quote Bart Simpson, both suck and blow.

[gaither]

Sucks being a Sixers fan right now doesn't it?  :cry:

Sooooo, I guess the word "sucks" is OK as compared to "damn" and "f***".  We'll keep that in mind the next time you start raise a stink about the use of profanity on the board.

[Laker Fan]

Apples and oranges Jordan, but nice try anyway.

However, if you take offense to me using that word, let me know and I promise I will never use it on this board again, THAT is the difference between innocent pecadilloes and deliberate hate based baiting, too bad you don't see it, funny how you pick up on something that trivial but don't say anything about the bigger issue I had raised that prompted your comment here, hmmm?

[gaither]

The larger issue?! What was that...whether it sux to be a Sixer fan right now? Of course it does? It sux to be the the fan of any team that isn't moving on in the playoffs. What was your point? I think you just wanted to take an opportunity to taunt and swagger a bit.

I suppose I was being a bit argumentative about the profanity issue. I (apparently) don't make the same distinctions that you do about which words are somehow worse. But I have a pretty high threshold of tolerance for profanity as long as it isn't directed at someone personally. And in hindsight, I shouldn't have even brought up the issue as I don't post here regularly enough to care either way.

Congrats on the Laker win.

[Laker Fan]

No Jordan, the bigger issue of profanity on the board, I guess you just misunderstood my point. The fact that the Sixers are a lousy team right now was merely a little sideswipe at Rick, you know, sort of like the little sidswipes Laker fans get hit with, all in good fun.

[WayOutWest]

I shouldn't have even brought up the issue as I don't post here regularly enough to care either way.
 

Then you MUST start posting here more often!  :nod: