fish7718 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 DALLAS -- Despite his team's 3-0 deficit in the Western Conference semifinals after the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 98-92 on Friday, Kobe Bryant remains steadfast in his thinking: The Lakers can win this thing. "I don't know, I might be sick in the head or crazy or thrown off or something like that because I still think we're going to win this series," Bryant said after totaling 17 points and six assists in Game 3. "I might be nuts. ... Let's win on Sunday, go back home and see if they can win in L.A." Following L.A.'s Game 2 loss, Bryant said, "If you want to make history, you have to do historic things." A comeback by the Lakers to win four straight to advance to the conference finals wouldn't just be historic; it would be unprecedented. No NBA team has ever won a series when trailing 3-0, as the trailing team has gone 0-98 in those situations. It is one of the rarest feats to pull off in all of American pro sports, as a comeback from 3-0 has only occurred once in Major League Baseball (when the Red Sox beat the New York Yankees in 2004). "They do it in hockey all the time," Bryant said. "I know hockey guys are tough and all this other stuff, but I like to think we're pretty tough too." Bryant's hometown Philadelphia Flyers beat the Boston Bruins after trailing 3-0 in the series and 3-0 in Game 7 in last year's playoffs, but even with Philadelphia pulling it off, it has only happened three times in the history of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Bryant approached Lakers coach Phil Jackson at the team's shootaround Friday and told the all-time winningest championship coach in NBA history that a historic comeback would be an appropriate addition to his resume before retiring. "Well, it's almost as difficult as can be situation we have right now," Jackson said prior to Game 3. "If we make it any more difficult, we just have another thing to do. Kobe said to me this morning, 'It seems like this is the kind of way your last season should be, that something like this comes up and it has to be another hurdle that you have to cross.' But it's not me crossing it, it's the team."Source I didn't think they had a chance, until now a motivated Kobe Bryant with this lineup can do anything, he might come out and drop 82 in game 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Knowing how psycho Kobe is with his regimen, I'm sure he was serious when he said they're gonna win this series. If they do, he's a legend, I kind of hope the Lakers do, cuz it'd be a hella exciting Game 7, and I don't really like the Mavs... and it'd validate my decision to buy his shoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Tzu Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 If this does happen this will be absolutely crazy. I'm sure it'll destroy the Mavs aswell, although they have been known to be chokers I don't see how losing this series is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Swish* Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Source I didn't think they had a chance, until now a motivated Kobe Bryant with this lineup can do anything, he might come out and drop 82 in game 4.Same for Dirk.... Pau sucks. Lakers lose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland's Finest Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hate to say it, but every game this series has been open for him to close one of them out, and he failed to one of the three. I'm ready to see another team in the finals, so I'm all for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Swish* Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I don't think they could win 4 games in a row and close this thing up with Dallas confidence and Dirk's hunger to win a ring but a motivated Kobe is very scary. He just needs Pau to play at an all-star level along with Artest and they might have a chance. Drew Lamar and the others need to keep doing what they're doing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl Malone Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Kobe has been talking too much during these playoffs. The Lakers have collapsed this year, there's no way they can win 4 in a row against this Mavs team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRV Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Not gonna happen, but the Mavs like to choke so I wouldn't put it past them if any team were to blow a lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleveland's Finest Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I think yesterday was the Mavs opportunity to choke. And down 8 in the fourth, they showed us that they are a different team. They went on a huge run, Dirk, Peja, and Jet made clutch shots, and now I believe that this team is for real. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 If they do win, where does Dirk go from here? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren2ThaG Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 One game at a time, it's all about passion and every not coaching. Work it and pound it in the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 I really hope so man. We've played well enough to win 2 games and have blown it in epic proportions. I honestly still believe we can win this series, just as kobe...like everybdoy said, gotta take it one game at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted May 7, 2011 Owner Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren2ThaG Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 Haha. wow cmon now hun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sportsguy9695 Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 its gonna take alot for the Lakers to come back but if any team is gonna come back i see the Lakers being the one able to do it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammin Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 It's sad that it takes Kobe being down 0-3 in the 2nd round for him to become 'motivated'. He should have been motivated since game 1, round 1. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted May 7, 2011 Report Share Posted May 7, 2011 It's sad that it takes Kobe being down 0-3 in the 2nd round for him to become 'motivated'. He should have been motivated since game 1, round 1.Not motivated? Cause he doesnt guarentee victories and such? Kobe is prolly the last person you can say that about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted May 8, 2011 Owner Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 What indication did we all get to confirm that Kobe wasn't motivated to win Game 1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poe Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 It's possible LA could come back. There are certain players on the Mavericks that are playing unusually well, and players on the Lakers that have played unusually poorly. Statistics tend to round out at some point or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted May 8, 2011 Owner Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 It's possible LA could come back. There are certain players on the Mavericks that are playing unusually well, and players on the Lakers that have played unusually poorly. Statistics tend to round out at some point or another.Highly unlikely. Gasol would have to step up, and I don't think that's going to happen for those four consecutive wins we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poe Posted May 8, 2011 Report Share Posted May 8, 2011 (edited) Gasol would have to step up This is what I mean by statistics rounding out. During Gasol's 82 games played in the regular season, he averaged 18.8 points with a 59% True Shooting Percentage, with 10 boards and a turnover percentage of just 9.8. During his 9 games played in the playoffs, Gasol has averaged 13.4 points in 50% True Shooting, with only 8 rebounds and a TOV% of 12.3. Gasol has statistically underperformed during the past 9 games. Give him 9 more games, and the ODDS are (based on his full season statistics), Gasol is likely to over-perform as a whole, and therefore round out his statistics to his "true" average. When a player averages 20 points, they never score exactly 20 points every single game. There are weeks where the player may average 25 points, and weeks where they may average 15 points. Same for a shooter. A 40% season shooter may average 45% one week and 35% the next. Pau Gasol isn't the only player on the Lakers to statistically under-perform on this team. After a quick glance, Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, Steve Blake, and Matt Barnes have all had statistics unusually low or inefficient. The only over-performers are Derek Fisher and Andrew Bynum. Taking a look on the Mavericks, Kidd, Terry, Chandler, and Peja have over-performed. Marion is the only statistical under-performer from what I can tell. Once again, give all of these players a set of more games, and the ODDS are, statically, their play will likely be on the other end of the spectrum set by their average performance during the regular season. So if I'm right, based on what I've said above, Pau Gasol may have some pretty good games coming up. Edited May 8, 2011 by Poe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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