Adjustments are a thing of beauty, don't they? Phil Jackson did his thing and kinda work out until de refs started to call every single type of contact (I know that every type of contact is technically a foul but normally some contact is not called just because it is a contact sport). Both Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom started very aggresive and the Lakers made the effort to get in the key which resulted in 16 early inside points. The moment that Odom was called for his second foul his night was over. Gasol continued to attack the defense but never managed to have a dramatic effect in LA's offense.
The adjustments continued and after Radmanovic picked his own second personal ( This guy has nothing to do trying to defend Paul Pierce. I mean nothing. The Truth could raise an eyebrow and Radmanovic would go for the block shot) Ariza come into the game but wasn't really a factor on neither end. LA bench was awful. Vujacic did a better job chasing Ray Allen but that was about the only good thing I could say about them.
Doc Rivers continued with his thing and Perkins' foul trouble could have been Doc Rivers' greatest moment so far. That prompted him to put Leon Powe in and we all know what happened. Which takes me to the officiating. I have only saw three games where the referees took central stage: Game 5 of the Utah-LA series, in favor or LA. Game 3 of San Antonio - LA series, in favor of SA and now Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Neither of those game fall in the category of game 6 of the 2002 Western Finals between LA and Sacramento. (Which has been one of the worst refereed game I've ever seen)
Referees at those three game didn't giftwrapped no game to nobody but most of the close call and normall-no-calls went to the home team. That was what happened yesterday. The calls did get LA out of rhythm and indirectly forced them to take outside shots - which makes kinda hard to force the refs to blow their whistles - and cut some playing time of their main guys (specially Kobe and Odom in the first half). But I don't saw like the game was stolen from the Lakers. Follow me here:
Lakers fans need to keep something in mind. They are a young team. I know Kobe and Fisher are there, I know Phil is their coach but outside of those names they are an inexperience and young team. They get easily taken out of their game. All season long their bench have been turnover prone and that have been minimized by playing Kobe extended minutes, and after the Pau Gasol trade, having a scoring threat with them at all times.
The bottom line is the most close calls when to the Celtics at the start of the game but you can easily blame the Lakers for being discouraged by that and not forcing the refs to blow the whistle.
Referees at those three game didn't giftwrapped no game to nobody but most of the close call and normall-no-calls went to the home team. That was what happened yesterday. The calls did get LA out of rhythm and indirectly forced them to take outside shots - which makes kinda hard to force the refs to blow their whistles - and cut some playing time of their main guys (specially Kobe and Odom in the first half). But I don't saw like the game was stolen from the Lakers. Follow me here:
- Leon Powe. Totally and inexcusable lack of preparation here. Nobody know how to guard this guy. Walton, Turiaf, Ariza and Odom, they all fouled this guy while he was attacking the rim . He is no Tim Duncan. He is not Dwigth Howard. He's a strong guy with quick feet that can be hard to guard if given space. That's it
- Kobe second foul was a foul. He did stick out his elbow against Ray Allen. Maybe a no call but still a foul.
- Lots of reaching are going to produce that. The Lakers did reach a lot against Pierce and Allen.
- The Celtics did look for this fouls. Pierce and Rondo drive to the heart of LA's defense any time they wanted it.
- Why LA's defense allowed this? You don't need to reach of bang somebody to stop them . Front the guy, anticipate , footwork. You know what I'm saying? LA's one on one defense have sucked for two games right now (If you think about it they maybe had one good defensive game against the Spurs. The Spurs offensive crashed and burned more by itself than LA's defensive schemes) I could put here a list of guys just not playing defense at all (It would start with a name that rhymes with Rastamanovic) and when they see a guy in green passing them by their resort is to foul him and hope to not get caught.
- Kendrick Perkins played 14 minutes.
- There were some make up calls in the second half going LA's way. Mainly Odom bringing down PJ Brown and then hitting him with the ball in a effort to mainting posetion
Lakers fans need to keep something in mind. They are a young team. I know Kobe and Fisher are there, I know Phil is their coach but outside of those names they are an inexperience and young team. They get easily taken out of their game. All season long their bench have been turnover prone and that have been minimized by playing Kobe extended minutes, and after the Pau Gasol trade, having a scoring threat with them at all times.
The bottom line is the most close calls when to the Celtics at the start of the game but you can easily blame the Lakers for being discouraged by that and not forcing the refs to blow the whistle.
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