Author Topic: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!  (Read 9419 times)

Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #30 on: June 02, 2009, 03:13:35 PM »
My mistake, I don't know what I was looking at, but when I checked the LA/Denver series they went at least 10 deep.  Orlando tightened their bench further as their series with Cleveland went on.

The NBA did a write-up on the various match-ups and as far as the starters went, they gave the nod to Orlando.  They said LA's bench was better, but that didn't appear to be the case, as only Odom has really made a significant contribution. They also gave LA the inatangibles (Whatever that means!) and predicted LA in 6.

One thing they did not take into account was Jameer, who practiced at full-strength with the team. Still mum about whether he will play or not in the series, but it now appears more likely than not.  If he does play that will obviously further deepen the Magic's bench.

They did say that Hedo would be a difficult match-up for Ariza, and projected Lee on Kobe. I think it far more likely that Kobe will see more of Petrius. Lee has seen his role diminished since Dwight broke his sinus.  Petrius did a stellar job on LeBron and was an effective scorer for Orlando as well.  In my opinion, that won't change the projections, Kobe was given the nod over whoever he faces, and Hedo was given the nod over Ariza.

Orlando nixed him coming back for the playoffs yesterday.
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Offline rickortreat

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #31 on: June 02, 2009, 03:19:21 PM »
Where did you see that about Jameer?  It doesn't jibe with what is on NBA.com.

Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #32 on: June 02, 2009, 03:20:41 PM »
Where did you see that about Jameer?  It doesn't jibe with what is on NBA.com.

General Manager Otis Smith told the Sentinel on Sunday that Nelson would only play if he passes "a litany of tests" and the club is comfortable with a decision that won't risk his future.
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Offline Lurker

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #33 on: June 02, 2009, 03:56:06 PM »
I might not watch all the games but I can read stats!

Kobe 704 (39.1/game) minutes in the playoffs

Gasol 709 (39.4) minutes.  I hope those extra 5 minutes over 18 games didn't tire out Pau too much....

For comparison:
Howard   37.9
Hedo      37.8
Lewis     40.3


So the Lakers don't go 10 deep?

I responded to that in the other post.  This was in response to your comment that Kobe is being "monitored" and Gasol is playing "too many minutes".  Stats don't support your comment.
It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave.  Keep on thinking free.
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Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #34 on: June 03, 2009, 09:45:16 AM »
 :'( post of the day...

I woke up today thinking it was Thursday and was happy some basketball was going to be one.....

« Last Edit: June 03, 2009, 09:49:31 AM by westkoast »
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Offline WayOutWest

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #35 on: June 03, 2009, 10:10:22 AM »
:'( post of the day...

I woke up today thinking it was Thursday and was happy some basketball was going to be one.....



What's really sad is that you "edited" your post and still had the word "one" at the end.

westkoast = sad  :'(
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Offline WayOutWest

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #36 on: June 03, 2009, 10:20:40 AM »
I responded to that in the other post.  This was in response to your comment that Kobe is being "monitored" and Gasol is playing "too many minutes".  Stats don't support your comment.

Ah ha!  So you ADMIT it!  ;)

It has been a bit decieving regarding Kobe's minutes.  PJ has a standard rest time for Kobe, end of the 1st going into a few minutes of the 2nd.  The other standard rest is sitting him to start the 4th until the 8 minute mark.  Gasol doesn't seem to get the same kind of scheduled "rests".  PJ used to sit him on a regular basis as well but since Bynum went down he's played more minutes but IMO the lack of rest is something else.  It really surprised me that PJ FINALLY realized his mistake of massive substitutions to coincide with Kobe's rest.  Many times Gasol and Kobe would be on the bench and the team started to fall apart after the all-star break.  So PJ decided to keep Gasol in and continue to rest Kobe.  It's been pretty obvious that Gasol has been tiring so PJ tried to go back to his regular rest schedule and the Lakers started having problems in the playoffs.  So again he picked Gasol to log more minutes than Kobe, for obvious reasons, and Gasol has been getting tired.  To his credit PJ has changed his regular schedule of Kobe breaks to match the flow of a game.  There have been times when Kobe has played the entire 2nd half or had a shorter rest in the 3rd quarter in order to have him start the 4th.  Overall PJ has been trying to manage Kobe's minutes more than Gasol, he just seems to ride Gasol into the ground, but based on the numbers you posted, I guess PJ is doing a poor job but more likely it's the bench's fault for not being able to hold their own.
"History shouldn't be a mystery"
"Our story is real history"
"Not his story"

"My people's culture was strong, it was pure"
"And if not for that white greed"
"It would've endured"

"Laker hate causes blindness"

Offline Lurker

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #37 on: June 03, 2009, 11:57:33 AM »
I responded to that in the other post.  This was in response to your comment that Kobe is being "monitored" and Gasol is playing "too many minutes".  Stats don't support your comment.

Ah ha!  So you ADMIT it!  ;)

It has been a bit decieving regarding Kobe's minutes.  PJ has a standard rest time for Kobe, end of the 1st going into a few minutes of the 2nd.  The other standard rest is sitting him to start the 4th until the 8 minute mark.  Gasol doesn't seem to get the same kind of scheduled "rests".  PJ used to sit him on a regular basis as well but since Bynum went down he's played more minutes but IMO the lack of rest is something else.  It really surprised me that PJ FINALLY realized his mistake of massive substitutions to coincide with Kobe's rest.  Many times Gasol and Kobe would be on the bench and the team started to fall apart after the all-star break.  So PJ decided to keep Gasol in and continue to rest Kobe.  It's been pretty obvious that Gasol has been tiring so PJ tried to go back to his regular rest schedule and the Lakers started having problems in the playoffs.  So again he picked Gasol to log more minutes than Kobe, for obvious reasons, and Gasol has been getting tired.  To his credit PJ has changed his regular schedule of Kobe breaks to match the flow of a game.  There have been times when Kobe has played the entire 2nd half or had a shorter rest in the 3rd quarter in order to have him start the 4th.  Overall PJ has been trying to manage Kobe's minutes more than Gasol, he just seems to ride Gasol into the ground, but based on the numbers you posted, I guess PJ is doing a poor job but more likely it's the bench's fault for not being able to hold their own.

Pop manages minutes in a similar fashion with "scheduled" rest periods.  They just tend to get shorter in the playoffs.   ;)

I agree that Phil has been modifying his rotation as the playoffs develop.  But obviously he feels comfortable with 10 players deep as his starters are averaging 3-5 minutes less than other teams.  I agree with your comment that he has started to stagger his substitutions so that at least 2 of the Kobe/Gasol/Odom group seems to be on the floor at all times.  And it can be seen in minutes played:

Kobe  reg season  36.2   playoffs   39.1
Gasol        37.1    39.4
Odom        29.7    30.3
Ariza         24.4    28.8   (shows importance of solid defender in playoffs)

Then there is the point guard....obviously PJ "knows" Fish is struggling:

Fisher     29.8       24.9
Brown      7.7       13.7
It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave.  Keep on thinking free.
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Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #38 on: June 03, 2009, 11:59:55 AM »
:'( post of the day...

I woke up today thinking it was Thursday and was happy some basketball was going to be one.....



What's really sad is that you "edited" your post and still had the word "one" at the end.

westkoast = sad  :'(

I edited my post because it pretty much said what someone else did in the thread earlier, almost word for word.  So I took that first part out and left the second.

What's even more sad than forgetting that I had an E on the end of ON? A guy who took ESL in high school is correcting me. 

westkoast = very sad  :'(
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Offline WayOutWest

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #39 on: June 03, 2009, 12:36:07 PM »
A guy who took ESL in high school is correcting me. 

I knew you were a closet racist!  How do you know the ESL was not mine to begin with?  Why is the brown guy always the one who "takes" things?  I could have bought it or it might have been a gift!
"History shouldn't be a mystery"
"Our story is real history"
"Not his story"

"My people's culture was strong, it was pure"
"And if not for that white greed"
"It would've endured"

"Laker hate causes blindness"

Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #40 on: June 03, 2009, 12:41:36 PM »
A guy who took ESL in high school is correcting me. 

I knew you were a closet racist!  How do you know the ESL was not mine to begin with?  Why is the brown guy always the one who "takes" things?  I could have bought it or it might have been a gift!

No the gift you got was having to take 'spanish' as an elective in HS!
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Offline Reality

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #41 on: June 03, 2009, 01:54:45 PM »
Much more of a potential impact IMO is Ariza being torked/motivated to final against the team that said he did not fit into their plans.

Vs Hedo TurkeyGlue.  Pretty impressive vs the Cavs.  Can/will Hedo keep it up.

Ariza for Lakers
Hedo for Magic

Who impacts more?

Offline westkoast

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #42 on: June 03, 2009, 05:13:17 PM »
Shaq decided to chime in...

http://twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ/status/2020721522

He wants Kobe to win his 4th....which is all gravy, they've patched it up, on Twitter Shaq has praised Kobe many times (specifically after he told Shaq to take the All-star MVP Trophy home to give to his boys) but I find this all to be so weird.  Didn't he ask Kobe how his rear end tastes in a freestyle last summer?  Now he wants him to win?
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Offline WayOutWest

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #43 on: June 03, 2009, 11:16:44 PM »
Shaq decided to chime in...

http://twitter.com/THE_REAL_SHAQ/status/2020721522

He wants Kobe to win his 4th....which is all gravy, they've patched it up, on Twitter Shaq has praised Kobe many times (specifically after he told Shaq to take the All-star MVP Trophy home to give to his boys) but I find this all to be so weird.  Didn't he ask Kobe how his rear end tastes in a freestyle last summer?  Now he wants him to win?

Shaq is just trying to crash the party.
"History shouldn't be a mystery"
"Our story is real history"
"Not his story"

"My people's culture was strong, it was pure"
"And if not for that white greed"
"It would've endured"

"Laker hate causes blindness"

Offline WayOutWest

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Re: Put away the Puppets, let the real contest begin!
« Reply #44 on: June 04, 2009, 09:28:25 AM »
Looking back at the Lakers success this year it's critical that Odom have a good series.  It would be really nice if Bynum could contribute and if Fisher could get back his shooting eye then the Lakers would be deadly.

Game 1 is going to be exciting, I feel the same thrill as I did before game 5 vs Denver.
"History shouldn't be a mystery"
"Our story is real history"
"Not his story"

"My people's culture was strong, it was pure"
"And if not for that white greed"
"It would've endured"

"Laker hate causes blindness"