[Th3rd]

i just find it funny that everyone here blames losses on bad games, or bad officiating, and does not think for a second that maybe just maybe there is a reason the lakers are in the finals and that they are capable of winning games in the finals. give props where its due.

[flamesbball84]

- The whining that goes on after every call by all the superstars (or players who think they are) makes me think im watching soccer. I mean the flopping is getting to the point where they ned to be handled in a negative manner

The NBA passed a rule for this season where you can get technicals for flopping. I don't think anyone ever got T'd up for it. As much playing time as flopper extraordinaires like Varejao get, if he didn't get T'd up for one then I doubt anyone did.

[flamesbball84]

Lakers could use Ronny Turiaf this year. They should have kept him, guy did receive two votes for defensive player of the year last year...

[ToTheLeft]

i just find it funny that everyone here blames losses on bad games, or bad officiating, and does not think for a second that maybe just maybe there is a reason the lakers are in the finals and that they are capable of winning games in the finals. give props where its due.

He's not a Magic fan dude, he is a Philly fan, and a realist. Rocket coming out and saying something like that means something, it's not just me crying cuz I'm hurt that my team lost.

And the calls that Kobe gets really ruin the game.

[ToTheLeft]

Lakers could use Ronny Turiaf this year. They should have kept him, guy did receive two votes for defensive player of the year last year...

Doesn't he still have a heart condition or something?

[Th3rd]

i just find it funny that everyone here blames losses on bad games, or bad officiating, and does not think for a second that maybe just maybe there is a reason the lakers are in the finals and that they are capable of winning games in the finals. give props where its due.

He's not a Magic fan dude, he is a Philly fan, and a realist. Rocket coming out and saying something like that means something, it's not just me crying cuz I'm hurt that my team lost.

And the calls that Kobe gets really ruin the game.

he is a superstar, what do you expect? the same thing happened when jordan was playing, need i remind you of the push?

refs have always been partial to a superstar

[ToTheLeft]

Which is what is wrong with basketball... the way superstars get all the calls. Albert Pujols doesn't have a smaller strike zone when he's at bat...

Also, if you need your Laker homerism fed, and get "props where they are due"... just watch ESPN. You'll get plenty of props for your boys. "Stifling defense..." "Kobe is amazing..." blah blah blah.

[Th3rd]

i agree its what is wrong with basketball

and props where its due, i mean even with horrible calls the magic had a chance to win at the buzzer, to say that in overtime the lakers didn't deserve to win the game is retarded, i mean they worked hard in the overtime period and deserved to win that game

[RubberMallet]

Which is what is wrong with basketball... the way superstars get all the calls. Albert Pujols doesn't have a smaller strike zone when he's at bat...

uh yeah he does...

[flamesbball84]

Lakers could use Ronny Turiaf this year. They should have kept him, guy did receive two votes for defensive player of the year last year...

Doesn't he still have a heart condition or something?

Didn't bother him any in Golden State this year. Played a career high number of games and minutes. Basically had a career year and set new career highs in virtually every category. He was actually second in the NBA behind Chris "Birdman" Andersen for blocks/48 - sometihng they are always raving about when talking about the Birdman. Lakers could use his defense and athleticism against Howard. He doesnt bring much offense to the table, but when you have Kobe, Gasol, Odom, Ariza, and Bynum, he doesnt need to have much of an effect scoring wise, but he was effective when he did shoot as he shot 50.8%. At least the Lakers would have another beefy big man to throw at Howard so they could put out a lineup of Fisher, Kobe, Odom/Ariza, Gasol, Bynum/Turiaf.

[flamesbball84]

i'm going with the Magic in game 3. the lakers aren't mentally tough enough yet to put the proverbial knife in the back to virtually finish off a team.

that little girl singing the national anthem is pretty impressive.

[flamesbball84]

surprised Phil Jackson would say this:

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson says Lakers center Pau Gasol should have been called for goaltending on the missed layup by Orlando's Courtney Lee at the end of regulation in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

With 0.6 seconds left and the score tied 88-all, Lee caught an alley-oop pass but missed his short shot as Gasol's right hand grazed the net and his fingers banged into the rim. Lee's shot caromed off the backboard and fell out, sending the teams to overtime.

The Lakers went on to win 101-96 on Sunday, but on Tuesday, Jackson, calling the rule "kind of archaic," said basket interference should have been called. Jackson felt Gasol's attempted block did not interfere with the shot, but that by the strictest interpretation of the rules it was interference.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/ ... AHeadlines

[flamesbball84]

uh-oh, rafer 2-2. he might start chucking some bad shots now...

[flamesbball84]

it's the kobe vs. rafer show, go figure.

[flamesbball84]

my satellite is out due to the storm. is yahoo right, pietrus fouled kobe on a made three pointer? i thought he was supposed to be in there for his D?

[ToTheLeft]

my satellite is out due to the storm. is yahoo right, pietrus fouled kobe on a made three pointer? i thought he was supposed to be in there for his D?

You're right. One play makes someone a bad defender.

He bit on a fake and went up in the air and Kobe made a circus shot while making contact.

[flamesbball84]

is kobe's performance so far average, ttl?

[flamesbball84]

if the lakers were to play any D, they could be pulling away in this game. magic have only missed 6 shots from the field, yet are still down a point.

[ToTheLeft]

is kobe's performance so far average, ttl?

How did I know one of you SASmith's would ask me that.

How predictable of a troll are you, man?

He isn't playing very good defense, now is he? No rebounds either. Shooting out of his mind, tho. (Just to find some negatives to ruin your Kobe party.)

[flamesbball84]

is kobe's performance so far average, ttl?

How did I know one of you SASmith's would ask me that.

How predictable of a troll are you, man?

He isn't playing very good defense, now is he? No rebounds either. Shooting out of his mind, tho. (Just to find some negatives to ruin your Kobe party.)

Nope, just picking on you for you ridiculous statement about his performance in game 1 being "average." magic and pretty much every other nba team would take average performances like that every day of the week.

calling me SASmith and a troll? how predictable of a fool are you?

[flamesbball84]

rashard needs to start bringing it. if the lakers are going to be playing this bad of D, he needs to get on a roll going into half-time. I would guess phil jackson will ream them at halftime and they'll come out playing better D. if they don't it's a magic W.

and right after i post what i said above he drains back-to-back threes, uncanny.

[ToTheLeft]

75% from the field for the half.

17 assists as a team.

Turkoglu needs 4 assists and 6 rebounds for a triple double.

[flamesbball84]

keys for the magic in second half: play defense and continue being aggressive on offense. that's it. they are shooting 75% and are just up 4 points at the half. if you are shooting 75%, you should be winning easily. since I doubt they will be shooting 75% for the entire game, they will have to pick it up on the defensive end

[ToTheLeft]

keys for the magic in second half: play defense. that's it. they are shooting 75% and are just up 4 points at the half. if you are shooting 75%, you should be winning easily. since I doubt they will be shooting 75% for the entire game, they will have to pick it up on the defensive end

And they need to clean things up on the boards and on the 50/50 plays. They've given up some easy stuff and some extra possessions.

Plus... Kobe needs to calm down, haha. He's playing out of his mind, especially from three.

[flamesbball84]

magic have only given up 4 offensive rebounds. that's pretty darn good. 6 turnovers isn't an incredible figure, but it's definitely not killing them (unless they are giving up points nearly every time, I cant tell from the stats)