Lakers -- are they better then the Spurs?

[Reality]

Kobe Springield with 52 after 3 qtrs.
Drubbing Utah by 20.

[Skandery]

Kobe was ridiculous!

His 3rd quarter was unconcious....fun to watch, too!!  Giricek started roughing him up a little bit, Kobe was still rising and nailing.  He was 9-9 from the field, 10-10 from the line, 30 points (3 points shy of the record -- Iceman breathes easy).  He also had some really nice passes.  Great game from him.

Other Lakers that impressed Maurice Evans (he's really good), Jordan Farmar (how in the heck did he pick up the triangle that quickly), Luke Walton (he was always smart, now he's confidant), and Ronny Turiaf (hard-nosed energy guy with hands and can finish). 

I also gotta mention Bynum:  WOW maybe right that all Bynum will be is a good journeyman ala Robert Parish but he's wrong about the kid's moves.  Now all I saw were fourth quarter garbage minutes against Utah's bench but he got the ball twice in the low post and impressed with solid footwork (including a double spin in traffic) and a soft touch. 

Utah really had a bad game and Lakers shot the lights out but their was one player that impressed the heck out of me.  Once again, limited 2nd Q minutes and some 4th Q garbage minutes, but I love what I saw of this guy:  Paul Millsap!!  Great knack for getting to the ball, quick off his feet (especially on the second jump), active defender (if not technically sound), and was a great finisher.  No matter how bad the pass was, or awkward the angle, the guy put it in the basket.  What a 2nd round FIND!!  At this point I'm in favor of benching Jarron Collins completely to make room for Millsap.  They need to start giving him 25 minutes per night and making him the focus of the second unit, I think he's really that good. 

He didn't have a good shooting day but I like the way Deron Williams plays the game. 

Andrei Kirilenko played OK but couldn't quite get the lift he's used to getting and it showed badly on a couple Kobe maneuvers. 

Boozer looked sound (though still jump-shooting too much), Okur looked lost (until Boozer sat down), and Ronnie Brewer was awesome in the passing lanes.       

[Joe Vancil]

Skander,

I'm with you on playing Millsap rather than Collins when Okur went to the bench.  Bring him out there, play Boozer at the 5, and you're playing a different game.  I'll take Millsap's rebounding (and fantasy-wise, I did) over that of Bynum or Brown if the Lakers want to play whichever on Millsap, or I'll take Boozer's pounding them and drawing fouls if they want to cover Millsap with Odom.

Collins didn't show me anything last night.

One thing I did notice, and I'm not sure what to make of it - Deron Williams looked off Ronnie Brewer *FOUR* *TIMES* when Brewer was *completely* open - twice in favor of Boozer, once in favor of his own drive, and once in favor of...well...nothing apparent.  Three of those times, Brewer was on the baseline with no one between him and the basket.  Has anyone else noticed that Utah has been struggling more offensively once Kirilenko came back, and C.J. Miles lost his spot to Brewer?  Is it because Williams is looking off Brewer, and the offense isn't running in precision form because of it?

I know you like Brewer's defense, but I'm thinking it's time for him to go back to the bench, and C.J. Miles take back the starting 2-guard job.  Brewer may be more of a 3 than a 2.

[westkoast]

I got to witness the 52 in person!!!  Kobe had Staples Center shaking on each play.  Especially on that mean dunk to end the 1st half with 6 ticks to go.

That to me wasn't the Jazz that we've seen this year.  It was pretty apparent from the jump that they used alot of energy to beat the Spurs the night before.  Once they got down by a bit in the 3rd it looked like they were not going to have enough gas to make a run at the lead the Lakers were holding.  It also doesn't help when you are trading baskets when you are down by 20.

As for Skand's comments on Bynum, he has good hands and good footwork for a second year player.  The consistency is not quite there (he also came off the bench last night instead of starting) so he has to work in that department.

I noticed Deron look off Brewer a number of times last night.  He was working hard trying to get open in the paint and on the block, at least 2-3 times he was WIDE OPEN under the rim because of a Laker defensive brain fart yet never recieved the pass.

Player of the game?  Aside from Kobe...Ronnie Turiaf.  The Lakers seemed to be lacking energy and fire coming out of the gates.  Phil Jackson inserts Ronnie...BAM the Lakers start playing like they want to win the basketball game.  I got to the game super early last night so I got to watch alot of the warming up and shooting around.  Just the fact this guy is 10x more excited to play basketball then anyone I know is great to see.  You cannot help but love the guy no matter if you are a Laker fan or not.  He is a wonderfull teammate and seems to be the only NBA player who realizes how great it is to be able to play basketball for a living.  I guess coming close to losing your life will do that to you.

[Randy]

So much for AK47 being able to shut Kobe down, huh?

While I hate to agree with Skander, I commented on Bynum in another thread -- the kid has VERY good fundamental moves to the basket.  I think that PJ is trying to get him to focus on defense rather than offense -- a move that I like a lot!  I don't see any of these kind of moves out of Haywood -- and I don't see the defense from Haywood either.  Bynum's still got a LOT to learn but I think he has the stuff.

Also, koast, comments on Turiaf are straight on -- Turiaf is quickly becoming the "heart and soul" of the Laker team -- and the Lakers need that!

[westkoast]

It is alot of small things that Ronnie does that go unnoticed by most.  While everyone is shooting around and getting into the flow of the game, Ronnie is grabbing a rebounding, passing it to Sasha, then running straight at him as if he were a defender of the other team.  Not just a few times.  Over and over and over and over.  He also did a similar thing with Kobe where he would sit on Kobe's hip and put his hands up so Kobe could practice elevating over defenders on the elbow.  He also runs out to the middle of the court before the tip and waits to give every single starter a high five or to yell at them to get them pumped up.  You kind of get a weird chill down your spine when you see how great of a guy he is and how close he came to not being on this planet.  I don't wish illness or anything like that on any NBA player but I wish some of them would take a page out of Ronnie's book and realize how good they have it by being pro players.

And Reality, since when is 132-102 = 20 points?  Is this Spurs math?

[Reality]

And Reality, since when is 132-102 = 20 points?  Is this Spurs math?

No it's Lakers math and observationism.

Kobe Springield with 52 after 3 qtrs.
Drubbing Utah by 20.
 

[westkoast]

And Reality, since when is 132-102 = 20 points?  Is this Spurs math?

No it's Lakers math and observationism.

Kobe Springield with 52 after 3 qtrs.
Drubbing Utah by 20.
 

Spin it how you want...but when does 95-73 = 20?  Sounds like Spurs math to me still.

The non-existant word 'observationism' also sounds like Spurs english.

[WayOutWest]

The Lakers are not better than the Spurs.

Utah showed why they are doing well this year against the Lakers early on.  The no-name front line of the Jazz are brutal.  While most real fans know the names of the front line they are not household names.  They are really tough on the boards and get alot of second chance points and/or FT's.  Despite the Lakers getting embarrised at home by the Bucks they didn't come out with much fire.  Kobe and Turiaf where the only sparks and it was really Turiaf that got the rest of the team going, as others have mentioned.  It seemed like the Jazz would weather the storm and come back with some solid b-ball but then all of a sudden it seemed like they ran out of gas.  I would be able to gauge the Lakers AT HOME vs the Jazz if the Jazz weren't on the back end of a back to back.

The Jazz are for real, unfortunately for Jazz fans they are for real for a regular season run.  Come playoff time when games are won late the Jazz will falter cause they don't have a goto guy, I think the TNT commentators said that about 50 times but when the truth is so OBVIOUS that even NBA commentators can see it then you've got a problem.  Williams seems like he could be a goto guy against an average defender, AK I doubt, he's more hustle than goto move for a score.  Boozer?  Nah, can't see him going against TD or Amare for a game winning score.  The Jazz will exit in the 2nd round IMO.

[Reality]

The Lakers are not better than the Spurs.

Have you factored in this matchup?

[Reality]

No it's Lakers math and observationism.

Kobe Springield with 52 after 3 qtrs.
Drubbing Utah by 20.

westkoast
Spin it how you want...but when does 95-73 = 20?  Sounds like Spurs math to me still.

The non-existant word 'observationism' also sounds like Spurs english. 

My characterising a 20 point Spurs lead after 3 when it was actually 22!.
That is soo inaccurate of me.  My apologies.
Oh, how that must have cooled your cappacino.
Flattened your fuzzy navel.
Ruffled your radish dip.
That was divine of you for pointing that out.  Ohhh i will be more diligent.

[Joe Vancil]

The top picture of those two - Phil Jackson, or a younger Colonel Sanders?

[westkoast]

No it's Lakers math and observationism.

Kobe Springield with 52 after 3 qtrs.
Drubbing Utah by 20.

westkoast
Spin it how you want...but when does 95-73 = 20?  Sounds like Spurs math to me still.

The non-existant word 'observationism' also sounds like Spurs english. 

My characterising a 20 point Spurs lead after 3 when it was actually 22!.
That is soo inaccurate of me.  My apologies.
Oh, how that must have cooled your cappacino.
Flattened your fuzzy navel.
Ruffled your radish dip.
That was divine of you for pointing that out.  Ohhh i will be more diligent.

Hay it's only fair.  If someone was to say Fabs scored 5 points instead of he usual 7 game changing average you'd be crying foul.  The only thing we ask is not to make up words.  You've already made up a legacy for certain players so stick with that.

[Reality]

The top picture of those two - Phil Jackson, or a younger Colonel Sanders? 

I dunno.  They both have unique megaMoneymaking recipies.

[Reality]

westkoast Hay it's only fair.  If someone was to say Fabs scored 5 points instead of he usual 7 game changing average you'd be crying foul.  The only thing we ask is not to make up words.  You've already made up a legacy for certain players so stick with that.

Koast you are trying to bust my balls over nothing.  And I'm not trying to bust yours, altho it may seem that way.  Spurs up 20 after 3, up 22 after 3, same thing.  Point was a Poppy team got beat by Utah the night or two before and a Phil 2006-7 team runs them by 30.  Who has the better roster.  For gawds sake please don't tell me W.O.W. and company are going to argue the Lakers have a better roster.  Spurs do by far.  Yet Phil does much more with much less. 

*I realize the "much" part is closing rapidly.  Yet another superiority of Phil over Poppy.  Look what Philly is doing with Bynum.  Compare what Pop-A-Repress is doing with Elson.  JoeV feel free to back me.  Lurker while we don't always agree on Pop, surely you must be in my corner on this one.