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GM2: Phoenix (0) @ LA Lakers (1)

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Artest is hitting shots again. I love it.

 

Kobe isn't shooting too well, but he's throwing assists...and the scary thing is, we're up nine and Kobe's quarter is the third.

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kingfish Newbie

kingfish

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Yeah the Suns preparing us for what Boston will probably do in the Finals, they are double teaming Kobe almost as soon as he catches the ball, the fact that other guys are makin shots is encouraging because we will need that next round.

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The Lakers are fully healthy, with the exception of Bynum (and Kobe's finger, but that doesn't bother him as much as the knee).

 

That means that we are arguably the most dangerous team in the league, especially now that Ron's hand is healed up.

 

After seeing the way all of our guys are playing, I really wasn't worried that the Suns tied it up at the end of the third. It just felt like the game was still in our hands.

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The Regime Newbie

The Regime

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Kobe took a page out of Steve Nash's book today, his passing was pin point. Also Pau and Odom basically picked apart Phoenix in the third quarter. It was easy basket after easy basket.

 

Amare is absolutely terrible on the defensive end, he sure doesn't play like the second best player on the team. You can just tell by his body language that he was demoralized after getting destroyed play after play by Pau. I wonder what he has to say about Odom's double double tonight.

 

Phoenix had some luck with the smaller lineup, but I think alot of that had to do with lazy defense on our part. Grant Hill (along with J Rich) kept the Suns close, and Odom was giving him the midrange shot all day for whatever reason. This game shouldn't have been tied at the end of the third. I also though Kobe was giving too much space to Dudley to shoot the three ball, he's pretty much automatic from downtown.

 

Ron Artest has been amazing. He really struggled offensively in the first couple rounds but he has come alive in this series, and as Brandon said his hand looks healed.

 

This series might just be a sweep, the Suns have no answer for our height. They might shoot themselves into one win but that's about it. Time for some revenge against Boston.

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Sky Newbie

Sky

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Prodigy - It's not about the Suns offense it's their defense that's killing them. Lakers are shooting 58% after two games. Olé.

 

Amare has to hit the glass and at least pay some attention to the defensive end. Suns have to create turnovers and pack the paint to dare LA to shoot 3's, Lakers won't shoot as well behind the arc on the road. Phoenix has to create running opportunities and early offense to get Amare going and to the line. If they don't run then LA plays halfcourt ball and it's over. Lakers with just one turnover in the fourth is a killer for the Suns.

 

I don't see this going past 5. Lakers have three days off to rest up and the Suns still haven't figured out how to defend them after two games. That's the problem with Gentry, he's overmatched.

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That's the problem with Gentry, he's overmatched.

Not just Gentry, but Nash and Amare are just horrible defensive players, and those are the two guys Gentry needs out there on the court most of the time.

 

I also think what Charles said about Phoenix going smaller was true, to an extent...but the problem with that is that the Lakers aren't missing their shots, and the only way the Suns can speed up the game is by playing defense and grabbing long boards, two things they are worst at in this series.

 

Game 1, Phoenix was roasted by Bryant. They decided not to double, and he burned Hill and Dudley. Game 2? They doubled, and Bryant found all of his teammates, and it was Gasol and Artest who put the Suns to sleep, inside and out.

 

Simply put, the Lakers can adjust...and the Suns can't. That's the difference between a true champion and a contender.

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Lakers will end this in the desert.

Pretty bold statement. I think it's possible, though...but I don't want to put my neck out there, haha. I think Phoenix has the ability to pull one out at home.

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Sky Newbie

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Real - If I'm Phoenix I use the game 2 strategy again at home, banking on LA not shooting as well from 3 on the road. But with one adjustment. You have to trap Kobe with length to create turnovers and then bait LA to take jumpers instead of reversing the ball. Suns problem is two matadors on the floor make a trap strategy hard to execute.

 

Barkley is right on going small but in vintage Chuck fashion his solution only solves the offense.

 

One example on how over his head Gentry is. Apparently after Q&A tonight he asked the media if they had any ideas on how to stop LA. Lost in the woods.

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Real - If I'm Phoenix I use the game 2 strategy again at home, banking on LA not shooting as well from 3 on the road. But with one adjustment. You have to trap Kobe with length to create turnovers and then bait LA to take jumpers instead of reversing the ball. Suns problem is two matadors on the floor make a trap strategy hard to execute.

 

Barkley is right on going small but in vintage Chuck fashion his solution only solves the offense.

 

One example on how over his head Gentry is. Apparently after Q&A tonight he asked the media if they had any ideas on how to stop LA. Lost in the woods.

Makes a lot of sense, really. Long, missed jumpers make for long rebounds, quick transition baskets: basic basketball.

 

Those Kobe/Gasol pick and rolls are hurting Phoenix, too.

 

You know what's funny about this series? Offensively, it's almost like the Lakers are playing Suns basketball, beating them at their own game. It's true that we are getting a massive amount of points in the paint, but we are nailing threes and utilizing that PNR to near perfection, and we're scoring 120+ as if we were playing Golden State.

 

This is an excellent sign for us, though. Our offense has been questionable the entire season, ranked 10th or worse. Inconsistent play, injuries, major shooting woes...and most of it was during the second half of the season, with Bryant's troubles, Ron's pathetic shooting, and even Gasol struggling a bit.

 

The rest really did us good, though...and a lot of trash-talking by the media and other players (ex. Barkley on Kobe, Amare on Odom, media on our heart), it really turned our game up a notch as well.

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moeroadkill Newbie

moeroadkill

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One example on how over his head Gentry is. Apparently after Q&A tonight he asked the media if they had any ideas on how to stop LA. Lost in the woods.

yeah i was just about to type that. that he asked the media if they knew how to stop them. idk if he was joking around but still

imo that to me is a coach giving up. if i was a player thats the last thing i would want to hear from my coach

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