MAJOR props to Detroit for stuffing it to the Lakers last night -- that was a CLASSIC butt kicking.
I LAUGH at all the people who say the Lakers are done -- but say it in a way that they can redeem themselves in case the Lakers do manage to come back. The Lakers CAN come back, IMO, but they have to make some SERIOUS adjustments -- both offensively and defensively. Last night was a break down of the offense that led to frustration on defense that sapped any emotion the Lakers had. Does that mean they can't make adjustments? Of course not but PJ is going to have to scrap the triangle for much of the game and he is going to have to make adjustments in the Lakers rotation.
1) Take GP out of the starting job and make him EARN the right to be on the floor. He not only isn't shooting well but is determined to go UNDER the pick and roll EVERY SINGLE TIME -- how many open shots did Chauncy Billups have last night -- I know I lost count!
2) Tell Shaq to get Big Ben's autograph because he's been better than Shaq in the last two games. Wallace has had 14 and 11 rebounds in the past two games while Shaq has had 7 and 8. That's not going to cut it. Shaq had zero block shots in game 3 and 1 in game 2. Shaq is simply not moving on defense -- he is slow to move and that is going to cost the Lakers the series.
3) Malone is HURT -- his lack of mobility hurt the Lakers yesterday and it would have been better to play players who don't have any experience than watch players drive around Malone (or watch the Lakers have to help and see an open player knock down the open shot).
4) Start Luke Walton instead of Devean George. Do I think Luke is going to have a ton of games like he did in game #2? No, but I think he is a very smart ball player and it's not like the Pistons are a lightning fast team -- Luke can handle the assignment better than George can. George has ZERO confidence in his shooting and how many times did you see George's man take a wide open shot because George was down in the paint trying to block a shot! I'd rather see Rick Fox logging minutes at this point than Devean George!
Last -- props. You really have to give Larry Brown and the Pistons their due. First, the Pistons are playing GREAT team basketball. Second, look at what Brown did (reminds me of a Lakers/Spurs series in the past) -- in game #1, he allows Shaq and Kobe to get theirs and pressures everyone else on the court. The idea is to shake up the confidence of the Lakers shooters (and FORGET what Rick says, the Lakers shooters are much better than their Detroit counterparts -- the stats AND the past shows that). However, if you can get the Lakers to have to try and hurry that release just a little, you can mess with their heads and get them to miss open shots later (because they will always be expecting that pressure). Then, you start packing it in against Shaq -- make him try to move a little quicker than he wants to and shoot a little farther out than he is comfortable. And then, in game #3, you double and triple Kobe -- put a small guy on him (just to enrage him) but let that guy merely be the beginning point -- you have one or two other guys go after him every time he has the ball. Brown has done a GREAT job of coaching the Pistons -- it's time to see what adjustments that PJ (via Tex Winters) can make now).
