Refs made a stupid decision to not call anything during the jump ball at the end...

 

Ouch!!!

 

Considering the quality of the officiating nowadays in the NBA, I doubt any of them even saw the jumpball infraction. It didn't have a material effect on the play IMO. It's unfortunate that Ariza lost the ball, as he'd played a heckuva game up till that point.

I didn't like the final play called by Jackson. It was obvious that Kobe was a decoy, and it was a designed play for Fish. I'd expect George Karl to try something like that, not Jax. Maybe Jax was worried that the Nugs would've fouled Kobe as soon as he touched the ball? Still don't like that play especially since Kobe had busted a couple of 3s in the last few minutes of the 4th........

 

Hi,

Great win by the Nuggets. Really good to see. Hopefully Kobe will quit flopping like a soccer player in the next few games. It's been a bit awkward to watch.

James V Mello? HooWee!

Cheers,
Nik

 

I had to work late last night, then I had a long drive home. I was forced to keep up with the first half via occasional updates on by blackberry, then listen to the second half on the radio while driving home. The espn radio announcers calling the game were terrible, and I was never able to get a feel for the game by only listening. Why Phillip had Walton guarding Melo during a critical part of the 4th quarter is beyond me. I was literally yelling at him in the car "PUT ARIZA ON MELO!!!!!"

I have to give the Nuggets credit for battling back and showing some character and heart. I have as more respect for Billups than just about any other player in the NBA. I really wish this sleeping giant of a Laker team would wake up.

fusionstorm, "quit drinkin that purple & gold hate-orade" and embrace the inner Laker fan that exists in all of us.

 

I don't have hate for the Lakers. I've been a fan of the NBA since I was a pretty young kid. I tolerate college basketball only b/c I view it as the minor leagues proving grounds for the next generation of NBA players.

Am I pulling for the Lakers to win the title? No. The Cavaliers and Nuggets play a better brand of basketball at both ends of the court IMO.

I respect Kobe as a player, and have ever since he entered the league. Heck, I made a decent sum of money off of his basketball rookie cards, as I invested fairly heavily in qtys of his Topps Chrome and Finest cards.

However, I personally feel if you're waiting for the Lakers to "raise the level of their game" by "taking it up another notch" b/c they have "another gear left", then I think you're going to be disappointed. I'm pretty sure that what we've seen thus far is what you're going to get with them - - inconsistent play vacillating between flashes of brilliance when the team is clicking and too many flashes of wretchedness that a top flight team should only rarely show.

The Nuggets are shaping up to be younger, more athletic versions of the Lakers team with the added bonus of having a reliable PG to steady the team and more consistent bench contributions (even with JR Smith struggling with a calf injury). I fully expect the Nuggets to win Game 3. If they "hold serve", then Game 4 will be huge.

 

mmmmmmmm Laker Hater-ade.... mmmmmmmmmmmmm

I'm gettin shit-faced on the stuff and loving every second of it.

 

that was another good game. the lakers needed someone other than kobe to hit a jump shot. this one looks like it will go 7.

 

I am a huge NBA fan, and have been huge Laker fan since the late 70's. I have lived through the ups and downs of the Lakers for 30+ years. I have played basketball on every level (including professionally overseas) and consider myself a student of the game. I could break down and analyze every aspect of every team left in the playoffs and bore you all with several pages of gibberish.....but I won't

I will be the first to admit that my world is viewed through "purple and gold" lenses and I have high hopes for these Lakers. I'm not sure what is wrong with them. For a good portion of the season, they have been the best team in the NBA. I have no doubt that with a healthy, 100% Bynum, and Farmar/Vujacic playing the way they did in the playoffs last year, this Laker team could be the best the NBA has seen in several years.

Here is my abbreviated summary of each team left in the playoffs. I'm sure you will all want to weigh on these comments;

- Lakers - Slumping at the wrong time, currently weak at PG position and muscle on boards. Really need Bynum at 100%. Bynum playing normal productive minutes will put everything the way it is supposed to be position wise.

- Nuggets - Emotionally fragile. Full of great atheletes with a number of head cases. Capable of great things when riding emotional waves like they are now. Billups is a great leader and Melo has shown surprising maturity. Melo reminds me a little too much of Paul Pierce....very good, but not great.

- Magic - Live by the 3 pointer, die by the 3 pointer. Very emotional team capable of being red hot and ice cold. Howard is a monster, but his offense is eerily similar to Shaq's when he was in Orlando. Baby hooks and power dunks. The offense does not go through him because he is not the passer that shaq is/was.

- Cleveland - interesting mix of career underachieving "almost an all-star" veterans getting their "last chance at a title", some very good young talent, and LBJ who has been unstoppable so far in the playoffs. My worry for Cleveland is that the more LBJ scores the more the rest of the team stands around and watches. If LBJ averages 30/10/10 per game, Cleveland will be tough to stop.

The NBA game is one of matchups, emotion, hot streaks and slumps. If everyone played their absolute best every night, the Lakers have the most talent and are the toughest matchup for everyone else. Unfortunately the Lakers are currently in a slump.

 

after 3 games played, one clear thought!