Phil, Kobe and the gang tried to pull the usual jedi mind tricks surrounding Kobe’s ankle. Yeah, he “limped around” and didn’t score in the first. Nevertheless, you’d be hard pressed to believe Bryant would remain quiet as New Orleans had a healthy lead heading into the second quarter.
The boiling point commenced when Bryant got peeved at Ariza’s continuation bucket after Kobe fouled him. Therefore, it’s plain to see Bean took his anger out on the rim on the ensuing possession. Then heads got gassed over the sudden extra bounce to his step. Let’s keep it funky; his ankle was fine all along. Besides, no one dunks on somebody’s head that hard on a tender joint. The sledgehammer shifted momentum in LA’s favor for the rest of the game.
Then Kobe let the Hornets know anybody could get it in the third. Witness how he weaved by Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry for another poster. You gotta love Monty Williams’ “I saw it…but I won’t believe it” reaction after the jam. The Lake Show went on to win 106-90 and hold a critical 3-2 series lead.
Things could have been worse for New Orleans on second thought. I mean it’s not like the plays set the city back as far as The New Orleans Booty. You better believe the squad is plotting their revenge for Thursday’s game 6 matchup in the Big Easy.
Previously: PoV: Kobe Dunks
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Baptisms. On a related sidenote: did anybody see Joakim Noah’s sister in the first game? She looked bad.
I’m going to ask before i comment on Noah’s sister. Do you mean bad meaning bad or bad meaning good (c) Run DMC?
I thought Trevor Ariza was doing a pretty solid job on him until he got into foul trouble. It still boggles my mind that the Lakers are having so much trouble with them. A David West-less Hornets team was the most attractive 1st round match up in the whole West. I mean, they don’t even have any dangerous players over 6’6.
@cell the lakers do this every year man, it’s mind control. Check the other two championship runs. Those first round teams dont match up just like the rest of the west dont match up. it’s mind control. They when this in 6 or even 7 and then they win the rest of the playoffs 4-1 or 4-2……
some people are just meant to get dunked on
I saw Noah’s sister too and she looked real bad. And that’s bad meaning good.
The funny chain link this post has lmao. if you go back to the bad hair cut post that was quoted…..you will magically make it back to the David D. Jordan post, and you will be forced to re-live it. I went ahead and commented lol.
it’s mind control.
———
Don’t drink the kool-aid fam. Not this time.
I was there for last years run vs a Okc Thunder team who was led my the NBA’s leading scorer and premier point guard. They weren’t playing some bum “shouldn’t even be in the playoffs” squad. You can’t just look at the numbers and say, ‘Hey they’ll pull it out, they always do’. The Lakers have been TRYING to win (or at least Kobe has) for the last month and they’ve pretty much been playing with what looks like no gas. With all the wear and tear on Kobe’s knees/ankles/foot/pinky he can’t afford to “play mind tricks” and extend a series to 6-7 games. That would be just fucking stupid.
The road to the Finals last year was Okc –> Utah –> Phoenix
That was a wet dream match up. The Lakers were taller than those teams and had Kobe to dig draw from when needed.
This year they will have to go through
New Orleans (which should have been a sweep)–> Portland or Dallas (who will at least make it a 6-7 game series)–> The NEW Okc (who have the largest front court in the NBA who would be a match up match up nightmare.
Yeah, that was pure psychological warfare, my friends.
Bad meaning “Oh my Jesus. She fine.”
yeahhhh, i saw pics of her modeling pics last night and uhm…on first look, she looks like Joakim w/a perm. I mean even down the teeth lol.
did anybody see Joakim Noah’s sister
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Just looked her up. She’s a model
she looks like Joakim w/a perm. I mean even down the teeth lol.
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Damn lol. But they get their teeth from their father.
http://www.chicagomag.com/galleries/859/19828-C201011-Joakim-Noah-father-Yannick.jpg
meh..yeeaa, Okafur got dunked on (yawn) and the second dunk gets a half yawn for degree of difficulty…
Yeah Noah’s sister is a sexy woman; but she looks too much like her brother. Can’t be beating up her guts and seeing Jaokim’s face lol
I caught a glimpse of Joakim’s sister during the game and followed up w/ a quick search afterwards. Yeeeaaah about that…she looks too much like her brother.
Lakers look to me like theyre living more off of former glory and hype than talent. Even with CP3 going ham this was about a gimme a sweep as they come by. Kobe can be enough to get over the hornets hump but at this rate if Gasol and co. don’t step it up quick the window will be slamming shut. I see a Chi/Okc series going in 7 to DA BULLS!!!!!
Remember when the big debate was Okafur or Dwight Howard for the #1 pick? Seems like forever ago
It still boggles my mind that the Lakers are having so much trouble with them. A David West-less Hornets team was the most attractive 1st round match up in the whole West.
=================
I agree, but I just keep quiet on the topic.
Yea both dunks where dope & you could say all you want about the Lakers but no games are ever a given in the NBA especially the playoffs! If that was the case the Knicks would have won at least a game or two before being eliminated while Atlanta would have already been gone with the Grizzlies & not Spurs where on the verge of being eliminated! That said I still think the Lakers have the best chance at winning the title but the bigs more specifically Pau have to be more consistent game in & out! Joakim sister is bad to & I’m surprised she wasn’t trending here in Chicago by the end of last nights game!
I see what you’re saying. But the game, especially the playoffs, are all about match ups. Not the names. If you’ve been watching the game since the All Star break, you’d know that the Grizz have found themselves and have beaten damn near every good team in the NBA. And since the Spurs have been trending downward for the last month or more, so it’s not a HUGE shocker (other than the fact of their names) that the Grizz are giving it to Spurs.
Atlanta’s the same, they’ve matched up well with the Magic all season and whooped them in the regular season. And they’ve always matched up well against the Celtics even going back to the last championship year. The Knicks don’t play consistent defense and lost players during the series so you have to cut em a break.
And I’m still waiting on someone to tell me how they could beat Okc.
^ The Lakers that is.
CHICAGO BULLIES
(that is all)
(I wouldn’t smang noah’s sister. Looks like Noah with breasts. Pause)
On an unrelated but related note, I been watching Bulls playoff games on the local sports network here in Chicago, hometown announcers and whatnot. I switch to tnt for halftime. Anyway, local broadcast added Pippen to the booth for the playoffs. He’s not bad, has a monotone delivery but he’s smart as fuck and calls plays before they even happen, then they happen…dude has a serious hoops IQ. Anyway, my point is that Pippen hates Carlos Boozer. I wish y’all non-Chicago folks could hear it, it’s fucking hilarious. He has been dogging Boozer the whole series (justifiably so) but the way Pip goes in makes me feel like he got something against him personally. He calls Boozer soft on defense, slow to react on both ends, says he plays with no passion, said Boozer isn’t cut-out for playoff basketball, hinted that the way he’s playing would have him glued to the bench if this were the Jordan era bulls, etc etc. He’s done everything short of calling Boozer a straight-up bum who sits when he pees…except he has, in a mostly indirect way. Even last night, when Rose went off in the 3rd quarter, out of nowhere he attributed Rose banging 3′s from deep as being due to Boozer being on the bench and not fucking up. I really think Pip hates him, cause he is relentless in his critiques like it’s something personal.
said Boozer isn’t cut-out for playoff basketball
==========
But hasn’t reality also said this about Booz? I wish I could hear em. I like hearing ex-player with high IQ call out the game rather than some announcer with a radio voice basically dick-ride what everybody else says about the superstars.
@ El Rosado
Boozer’s D is tough to watch. Pau had a field day in the post last year when LA played Utah in the Western Conference Semis. It got worse when I saw Boozer bite on Hansbrough’s pump fakes this year. That stuff has to be frustrating for Bulls fans especially since he hasn’t played well offensively all series.
Pippen will let you know what he thinks whenever. I remember he talked about the Heat not touching the Bulls 72-10 record and felt compelled to hike on Chris Bosh. The guy pulls no punches.
From what I remember, Pip has always been the type never to bite his tounge. Even from interviews he has come off as a well spoken guy, so it doesn’t surprise me that he calls a good game.
Boozer? Well, what’s been said about the guy that hasn’t already been said? He doesn’t play hurt. His defense is about as reliable as a Trojan with a hole in it. His offense can be considered streaky (as seen with his no-show in the Pacers series). The Bulls are going to need him moving forward though. Regardless of who they get second round, I think their ticket is punched to the East Finals unless the Magic just go on a stretch where they shoot 50% from three and D12 averages 30-15-4.
Do the Lakers just seem like they are not hungry for that three-peat, or is it just me? They should not be having this much trouble with N.O.; CP3 is beastin on em, but should they really have this much trouble with the other cats? I mean the whole team is a foot taller than the Hornets. Then again, in all their Larry O’Brien years they always seem to get hung up on the 1st round, then breeze thru the rest of the tournament. As for the Bulls, they ain’t ready just yet. D. Rose needs a legit 2-man before they take it all. And Pippen thinks Booze is got-damn Charmin soft. BDL put up a transcript of what Pip said about him and its truly funny, yet so accurate.
Look man cell is trippin because okc has never even won a series and they dont have the tallest front line clearly the lakers do. Westbrook will go HAM but ron will do well on durant> and westbrook and durant are having their little competition right now. i guess ibaka will beat us on his own.
You know what, you’re right. I keep thinking Perkins is taller than he is because he’s always played such big man ball. Other than that, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.
I’ll believe the Thunder can win the title when they’re foots are on the Lakers throats in Game 7 of the WCF. Until then, just call me Missouri…
It is always a little uncomfortable to see us get tossed around in games occasionally in these first couple rounds of the postseason (OKC last year, the Rockets a few years before that), but the boys play their best with their back against the wall. They’ve showed just that for the past few years as they are about to make it 4 straight visits to the Finals (ridiculous statistic if you think about it, when was the last time a team did that?)
Lakers still 3peating, see you on Figueroa in a couple months
@El Ro I watched a lot of the games on CSN & I loved Scottie insight which was mostly right especially on Booz like you mentioned which is 1 reason I wasn’t as excited as most others about da Bulls signing him during the off-season! Like everyone else pretty much mentioned he’s always been like that in big games especially the playoffs!
@Cell I watch mostly the Bulls & Lakers throughout the season though I watch a lot of other games & obviously the whole league pretty much throughout the season! I seen some but not much of the Grizzlies games & while they match up well with the Spurs I still thought they where not quite good enough to beat the Spurs in a series though I did think they would give a good effort in six games! Also while the Hawks are still slightly improved with the addition of former Bulls player Hinrich I still thought they would only be able to take 1 at the most 2 games from Orlando!
As far as the Lakers the Thunder are still their biggest challenge but I think they still have at least another year before they can beat them although they could take them to seven games! While their bigs match up well with the Lakers & they have an advantage at point with Westbrook, Artest could still limit Durant’s production for the Thunder & though Selfalosha is a really good defender Kobe still has an edge & will get his usual points & production needed to win! Not to mention the Lakers bench lead by LO is still better too though the Thunder bench isn’t that bad either! Overall though the Lakers are still a better team & will win the title again though this will be their hardest to capture in the Kobe era!
Black Mamba:
http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkam91iIUe1qe1pl8o1_400.gif
Everyone seems to have the Memphis Bleek perception of Okc, (Your time is coming, you’re one hit away) but realistically where is their weakness? Not to say that the individuals are in their prime, but they are solid from the point to post. Offensively, they had the 2 time leading scorer that can (just like he did in that “must win” game for the Lakers a few weeks ago) shoot over the shorter Artest with ease. Serge Ibaka since sliding to the PF position has been a beast and if we are matching him up with Pau, I can see him giving Pau more problems than Pau gives him defensively. I just see the Okc team as being a complete team that hasn’t really taken nights off (almost like the Bulls but with a better surrounding cast). I see the Lakers as wishy washy and believing, no matter what Kobe can get us out of any issues. The problem with that is that they are probably exhaust a lot to get past either Portland (who has matched up well against the Lakers for the last 4 seasons) or Dallas (who seems to be playing with a chip on their shoulders). I’m just sayin… Tomorrow may not go like yesterday.
Their Prime? They are a year or 2 before that at least. And you clearly put too much weight on the regular season, if that was the real test the spurs would not be getting tossed up as we speak. And durant hasnt shot over the shorter Artest easily ever so why would we believe he magically will start now. ANd yeah portland gives us fits, dallas im not worried about. And expending energy does not matter everyone is exhausted. We have done alright so far and have played awful on offensive once it clicks it should be a rap.
@Cell
OKC’s weakness is that outside of Russ and KD, they have no one who can score in the half court offense. That really is (IMO) their only noticeable weakness if you ask me and its even more noticeable against a team like the Lakers who have the trees to clog the lane (and the overall team D to slow down Russ, presuming its Kobe we got on him) and stop Westbrook’s penetration and RonRon to do his thing to KD (who has just been a bigger man against KD more often than not the last 2 years they’ve matched up)…
The one game OKC had on LA during the regular season was the only game that KD didn’t shoot less than 40% (he went 24 for 68 in OKC’s 3 losses combined and no that wasn’t because he had 3 separate “bad shooting nights”) but more telling of the game was that they out rebounded us and shot fucking lights out the entire night (everyone outside of Westbrook shot well above their average except for Harden who got a rare 10 trips to the charity stripe to make up for it)…the same was the case in their two playoff wins over us last year.
Now true, another key thing to note was that their one W against us was their only game playing with Kendrick Perkins, true, but we handled our own when it was him and KG down-low in Boston (who even at this age, is one of the better defending big men in the league) and thats with Pau having to go down the floor and play D on KG…OKC isn’t going to be calling Ibaka’s name, calling plays for his ass in the half court offense, you’re BSing yourself hard if you believe Scott Brooks is looking at that as a potential mismatch…These guys will only beat us when they are playing perfectly and clickin on all cylinders, which yeah they can a couple times but not 4 out of 7 times
Ive said it once and I’ll say it again, in the West, the only way a team beats the Lakers is if the Lakers beat themselves, if this squad puts in 100% effort, they will beat every team in the West in a 4 out of 7 game series.
I believe they can do the same to the East too, but that is a bit more difficult to discuss since I think there are some exceptions to that rule here and there.
Why does everyone get hard when he..i don’t know “does his job ?” That’s what he gets paid to do. WTF.