Starring the Lakers as they give away Game 2 to the Thunder Lakers crumble late in Game 2 loss to Thunder - latimes.comLAL 75, OKC 77: Game 2 Running Diary " Lakers BlogLakers give it away to Thunder, 77-75, in Game 2 - latimes.com
The Los Angeles Lakers may have developed a solid blueprint for beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2.And they still lost the game. And because they did and now trail two games to none, they lost this series as well.The Lakers played solid ...
It's just like my dude Marie Joseph Eugène Sue wrote in "Mathilde" — "La vengeance se mange très-bien froide." (Some people might know "Revenge is a dish best served cold" from "The Godfather," but I feel pretty confident that the Thursday ...
Source: Orange County Register by By JANIS CARR
NBA commissioner David Stern recently took on the issue of flopping and suggested the league take a harder stance after Indiana coach Frank Vogel was fined for accusing one team in particular of flopping. Kobe Bryant also weighed in on the subject...
Source: Bleacher Report
The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night in an extremely close 77-75 contest that could have gone either way and ended up being decided at the final buzzer.
Kobe Bryant has every right to be furious with his team for not putting the ball in his hands on the last possession to give the Lakers the best chance to win. Instead, the potential game-winning shot went to Steve Blake.
Yes, Steve-freaking-Blake. The same Steve Blake that averaged 5.2 PPG and shot just 33.5 percent from beyond the arc this season. Blake, the journeyman point guard who has been on seven teams since entering the league in 2003. He’s the man who allowed Ramon Sessions to be heralded as a savior in LA at the trade deadline.
So when Blake fired up an errant three-point attempt when the team was down a single point with less than five seconds to play, it came as absolutely no surprise.
Bryant has to be absolutely furious that Metta World Peace (the inbounder) decided to swing the ball to Blake off the inbound rather than the champion wearing No. 24.
The play was supposedly designed for Kobe and it needed to involve him.
This isn’t the regular season anymore. That was the biggest possession of a crucial Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. That play might have given the Thunder an overwhelming advantage in the series now that they are up 2-0.
Blake can probably count the amount of game-winning shots he has made on one hand. The Black Mamba has hit more than he can realistically remember. When the game is on the line, who should the player formerly known as Ron Artest be getting the ball to?
It’s clear that Kobe is the only choice and the Lakers paid the price by not passing the rock his way for that shot.
It does not matter that he was slumping down the stretch. Bryant is a proven closer that would have found a way to get his points or to the line in that situation.
When OKC ends up finishing off LA, the decision to let Blake shoot the final shot over Bryant will be a major part of the Lakers eulogy.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Bleacher Report
The Lakers dropped to 0-2 following their heartbreaking 77-75 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles controlled the ball and the score for a majority of the fourth quarter, but collapsed in the final two minutes due to a series of missed shots and turnovers.
Here are a few takeaways from the Lakers’ loss.
Horrendous Three-Point Shooting
The Lakers continued to struggle from three-point land on Wednesday night, going 2-for-15. In case your computation skills are as bad as the Lakers’ shooting, that’s a mere 13 percent from deep.
Kobe Bryant led the atrocious exhibit, going 0-for-6.
The Lake Show will have to prove their ability to hit shots from the Promised Land if they plan on pushing the Thunder to the brink of elimination.
Inside Dominance
The silver lining in all of this may have been the dominance of Lakers bigs in the paint. Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill made nearly 54 percent of their shots in and around the painted area. Bynum received significantly more touches than in Game 1 and was much more assertive, although not quite as efficient.
L.A.’s dominance inside the key was also partially due to their control of the glass and activity on the offensive boards. The Lakers’ frontcourt had 13 offensive rebounds in all, converting seven of the extra opportunities into points. Hill was especially impressive, grabbing three offensive rebounds and capitalizing on two of them himself.
Better Defense
Another positive from the Lakers’ nauseating breakdown was the fact that they played much better all-around team defense.
L.A. improved leaps and bounds from Game 1. Bynum and Gasol showed more effort defending the pick-and-roll, resulting in fewer made mid-range jumpers. Russell Westbrook, whose jumper nearly single-handedly dismantled the Lakers in Game 1, went 2-for-9 on mid-range shots.
Mike Brown’s squad’s intensity and communication was more visible as well, as evidenced by quicker and more effective defensive rotations. The Lakers swarmed to the ball on nearly every extra pass by the Thunder, paving the way for a 42 percent shooting night.
Obviously, the degree to which the Lakers impacted the Thunder’s offense is up for debate, but the overall improvement was evident.
Phantom of the Mamba
The curious case of Bryant, which started in Game 5 of the Nuggets series, continues.
Bryant came out hot at the beginning of fourth, making two consecutive difficult jumpers over the outstretched arms of defenders.
Kobe and the Lakers’ downward spiral didn’t begin until the midway point of the quarter when Bryant missed his first of five jumpers. The Black Mamba also contributed to two turnovers in the final minute, the first of which culminated in an easy transition dunk for Kevin Durant.
It’s tough to watch the supposed consensus best and most reliable closer in the game come up empty in the biggest match of the season. Instead of stopping the bleeding, Bryant proved to be the catalyst behind the Lakers’ collapse.
If the Black Mamba wants to get out of the second round, let alone win his sixth ring, he’ll need to stop sippin’ out of the same fourth quarter cup as LeBron James.
Other Articles: Lakers' Takeaways from Game 1 Loss to OKC Thunder
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Bleacher Report
With 3.9 seconds to go in a must-win game and down one, wide open Derek Fisher makes that shot—point, blank, period. The Lakers did not just let a golden opportunity slip away Wednesday night, they may have just lost their only chance to win the series as well.
Now there is plenty of basketball left to be played and anything can happen, but let us be honest: Things look bleak. This was not suppose to happen, and per the media and some Lakers fans, Ramon Sessions was the missing piece and everything the Lakers needed—except he had not been a champion on any level.
When the Lakers have needed him most, Sessions has returned to his true form—now L.A. is stuck with perennial back-up Steve Blake to close out games. Gone are the clutch shots that were forgotten when fans cheered for Sessions’ forays to the basket. The Lakers have never been a regular-season team and, in turn, some of their greatest role players struggled through the regular season.
However, when called upon, they delivered—especially Fisher. In life we tend to focus on the 20 percent of what we are missing instead of enjoying the 80 percent of what we have. Fisher was a proven veteran who always delivered, while Sessions is a penetrator who is turnover-prone and devoid of any mid-range game.
Most of all, Sessions does not have the heart of a champion, and anyone who denies that at this point is not even worth talking to.
To be clear, Sessions is a good ball player, but he is not what the Lakers needed—Fisher was what the Lakers needed. There is a reason Jerry West drafted Derek Fisher and Jim Buss traded for Sessions. In short, real recognized real and West saw the heart of a warrior in Fisher, while Buss saw the 20 percent of what Fisher lacked.
Sessions has been exactly what he has always been throughout his career, and does not deserve the backlash that is building because of his struggles. The point guard has never been a great player and should not have been asked to perform like one now. The point guard has never been a decent defender, let alone capable of staying in front of the game’s best, and he should not be asked to do that now.
Lastly, he has never been a good shooter and never has he been clutch, so one should never have expected that from him now. Fisher proved he would always be there to shine in L.A.’s darkest moments.
Regardless of the arena or time on the clock, the guy who was too slow and never fully appreciated, nailed that shot. Every time Los Angeles has tried to leave Fisher, it has always come back to bite them. Yes, J.J. Barea may have gotten a contract off of his antics last postseason, but a smart man adjusts, he does not annihilate.
Yes, there were a plethora of other plays that Lakers fans will point to and say that is where we lost the game. However, for years they never had to point those fingers because Fisher made those shots. For years, Lakers fans snatched victory from the grasp of defeat because of a Fisher last-second shot.
Champions are not easily obtained and champions are never replaced. Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake are younger and faster, and at this stage of their careers, are better penetrators than what the Lakers used to have—no one doubts that.
But younger and faster never equals better. In sports, it is never about what you can do, rather always what you will do. With 3.9 seconds left in the game and the series on the line, Derek Fisher will make
that shot. He always did and always will.
Listen to Kwame every Monday 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. PT as the host of Back Page Sports on www.wpmd.org. Also check out his All-NBA First Team selections at www.jonessportsworld.com.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Bleacher Report
The Los Angeles Lakers played their game for 46 minutes.
They did everything they had to do to win Game 2.
Then, in the last two minutes, everything unraveled. Kobe Bryant turned the ball over twice and missed a key shot, and the Oklahoma City Thunder ceased missing shots. They completed a seven-point comeback and took a 2-0 lead to Los Angeles.
Although it seems like an insurmountable deficit, the Lakers have to be happy with the way they played for the first 46 minutes of the ball game. They controlled the tempo. The game was theirs to lose and they lost it.
That being said, they have to put this game behind them and continue to do five things that they did well in Game 2 to get back in this series at Staples Center.
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Kobe Bryant helped give away what appeared to be a near-certain victory for the Lakers.Source: Orange County Register by By KEVIN DING
OKLAHOMA CITY – Kobe Bryant came toward the ball just the way he had in the Lakers' previous inbounds attempt that was denied and left Steve Blake to call a timeout. This time, though, he stopped and doubled back the other way to run away from the...Source: Bleacher Report
The Los Angeles Lakers are down 2-0 in their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 1 was dominated by the Thunder, but Game 2 showed that the Lakers defense can contain the Thunder's superstars.
In Game 2, the combination of Durant, Westbrook and Harden scored just 50 points and I think that has to be considered a win for the Lakers.
This slideshow is going to look at 10 reasons the Los Angeles Lakers defense will contain the Oklahoma City Thunder's superstars moving forward in the series.
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Kevin Durant is a three-time scoring champion, but his defense on Kobe Bryant helped key the Thunder's Game 2 win.Source: Bleacher Report
After Wednesday night's Lakers implosion, Kobe Bryant's "compliments" towards OKC's defense were backhanded to the point of biting. From the post-game presser, via Ben Golliver:
They just made gambles and they just jumped in the passing lane. It's something we're not accustomed to seeing. It was just flat out risks defensively. Jumping in the passing lane in front of the ball. Durant did it and got a steal. Westbrook did it and caused a turnover. It was a little unconventional but we'll make our adjustments in Game 3.
"Gambles." "Flat out risks." "Unconventional."
None of that describes what happened on Bryant's bizzarre pass to Durant with 1:50 left in the game. KD was just too long for such a low entry pass (I believe Pau Gasol was the target). He barely jumped in snatching it for an easy transition dunk. Such a "gamble" description could, however, fit what occurred on the subsequent possession, when Russell Westbrook blurred into the path of a Steve Blake pass. Still, it isn't as though Blake would have made Westbrook pay with a drive from halfcourt to the hoop.
But let's get away from the final moments, because the others matter just as much. OKC smothered the Lakers for the second time in a row—to the tune of .385 field goal percentage and 2-of-15 from three. For all the focus on Steve Blake's three-point miss, Los Angeles had trouble scoring all game.
In a way, this was by design. The Lakers pounded the ball inside, hoping to slow the game and stem the tide of Thunder transition opportunities. While this worked as an indirect defensive strategy, OKC's length and athleticism made it a miserable offensive plan.
Double teams swarmed Andrew Bynum, causing the usually efficient big to shoot 42 percent with four turnovers. Serge Ibaka came racing into the paint, blocking seven shots. In the distant past, a double team of Shaquille O'Neal keyed the Lakers' offensive attack, opening up lanes for shooters and drivers. Bynum's not quite ready for such an offensive load.
Quite a few compliments are also in order for OKC's wing defenders, who limited Kobe Bryant for a second game in a row. KD's aforementioned crunch time harassing of Bryant was crucial, but so, too, was Thabo Sefolosha's defense throughout the contest—especially in that final, meaningful Los Angeles possession.
With the Lakers down one, with 18 seconds left, Thabo's incredible lateral mobility kept Kobe at bay, until the Swiss wing finally used his foul to give with 5.7 seconds left. This resulted in the Lakers getting one less possession in a moment of desperation.
The Thunder are an offense-first bunch, and they may not need this level of defensive play to advance past their current foes. But if they are to challenge a points juggernaut like San Antonio, such signs are encouraging.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Silver Screen and Roll by TheGreatMambino
Source: Orange County Register by By KEVIN DING
OKLAHOMA CITY – Even though Derek Fisher nailed an unlikely 3-point shot with Steve Blake blanketing him Wednesday night, the Lakers' trade with Houston to acquire power forward Jordan Hill continued to pay dividends. Hill gave the Lakers a lot of...
Source: ESPN Los Angeles
Wow. Just... wow. There are losses. There are bad losses. And there are bad losses that carry the sting of 1,000 bees -- all born and raised in Oklahoma, naturally -- working in unison to attack as one. A primo chance to drastically alter the tone of this series went out the window, and the Lakers will have to work overtime to dig themselves out of a hole. And by "overtime," I mean "quite possibly beyond their capabilities." And by "hole," I mean "grave.Source: LA Times
The Oklahoma City forward picks off a Kobe Bryant pass and the Thunder goes on to beat the Lakers, 77-75, in Game 2 of an NBA Western Conference semifinal series.Source: LA Times
Ramon Sessions has two points and no assists in 24 minutes and Steve Blake has only five points on one-for-five shooting as Lakers lose Game 2 to the Thunder by two points.Source: Orange County Register by By KEVIN DING
OKLAHOMA CITY – Pau Gasol suggested Tuesday it might've been worse to endure a heartbreaking one- or two-point loss than the 29-point truck of a loss the Lakers were hit with in Game 1. Gasol and the Lakers felt that sharper pain Wednesday night in...Source: LA Times
Oklahoma City trails by seven with two minutes to play, then scores the last nine points to take a 2-0 series lead.Source: LA Times
He is not up to the task in the key closing moments of a Game 2 loss at Oklahoma City.Source: Bleacher Report
With a Game 2 victory on the line, the Los Angeles Lakers went to Steve Blake for three on their final possession. He missed. Hysteria ensued on the internet, where the general consensus seemed to be that the Lakers goofed up by not going to Kobe Bryant for the final shot.
Something similar happened after Game 2 in Miami Tuesday night, when the Heat drew up a play for Mario Chalmers—their best three-point shooter—rather than going to LeBron James or Dwyane Wade.
While we love hero ball and enjoy watching the NBA’s finest get the opportunity to save the day and/or come up short, sometimes it’s about making the correct basketball play. Both of these games are examples of that.
In Miami, the Heat went to their best perimeter shooter. With the defense focusing in on James and Wade, this makes sense even if it’s not what we want to see.
In Oklahoma City, the Lakers had actually drawn up a play for Kobe Bryant to be open. Unfortunately, the inbounder would have had to make a cross-court pass to Bryant, over the outstretched arms of the athletic Thunder team. Who did they have inbounding the ball? Metta World Peace, who had one of the worst inbounds passes that most of us have ever seen earlier this season.
Instead of passing to Bryant as the play had been designed, World Peace saw a wide-open Blake in the corner and went to him without hesitation. Seeing how open he was after Russell Westbrook fell asleep on defense, this wasn’t a mistake. Blake has hit many three-pointers to bail out his team this season, and he was wide open for a shot he’s capable of hitting. He just didn’t hit the open shot.
It happens.
It’s a pretty simple story. We could talk about why the Lakers had World Peace inbounding the ball instead of someone taller, with more height and a better chance of passing the ball over OKC’s players, but World Peace’s decision to hit the (wide) open man with the pass? That’s a basketball play.
Tony Allen tweeted his thoughts on the final possession after the game:
Had Blake hit that shot, we’d all be lambasting Westbrook for his missed defensive assignment and praising World Peace for recognizing it. Instead we’re looking for someone to blame. Rather than heaping blame on someone for that final possession, how about looking at how the Lakers allowed Oklahoma City to roar back from seven down with two minutes remaining to retake control of the game and steal a 2-0 series lead?
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Even though Kevin Durant was the Oklahoma City Thunder player who finished second in the NBA MVP voting, it was Russell Westbrook who really crushed the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.Source: Yahoo! Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Los Angeles Lakers gave everything they had, and it still wasn't enough.Source: Yahoo! Sports
The stars are going to be stars in the Thunder-Lakers series. Oklahoma City fields All-Stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, while Los Angeles suits up Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.Source: Daily News by By Elliott Teaford Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY - Now what? What do the Lakers try that they haven't tried already? How do they recover after fumbling away Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder?Source: ESPN Los Angeles
Wow. Just... wow. There are losses. There are bad losses. And there are bad losses that carry the sting of 1000 bees -- all born and raised in Oklahoma, naturally -- working in unison to attack as one. A primo chance to drastically alter the tone of this series just went out the window, and the Lakers will have to work overtime to dig themselves out of a hole. And by "overtime," I mean "quite possibly beyond their capabilities." And by "hole," I mean "grave.Source: Bleacher Report
With a Game 2 victory on the line, the Los Angeles Lakers went to Steve Blake for three on their final possession. He missed. Hysteria ensued on the internet, where the general consensus seemed to be that the Lakers goofed up by not going to Kobe Bryant for the final shot.
Something similar happened after Game 2 in Miami Tuesday night, when the Heat drew up a play for Mario Chalmers—their best three-point shooter—rather than going to LeBron James or Dwyane Wade.
While we love hero ball and enjoy watching the NBA’s finest get the opportunity to save the day and/or come up short, sometimes it’s about making the correct basketball play. Both of these games are examples of that.
In Miami, the Heat went to their best perimeter shooter. With the defense focusing in on James and Wade, this makes sense even if it’s not what we want to see.
In Oklahoma City, the Lakers had actually drawn up a play for Kobe Bryant to be open. Unfortunately, the inbounder would have had to make a cross-court pass to Bryant, over the outstretched arms of the athletic Thunder team. Who did they have inbounding the ball? Metta World Peace, who had one of the worst inbounds passes that most of us have ever seen earlier this season.
Instead of passing to Bryant as the play had been designed, World Peace saw a wide-open Blake in the corner and went to him without hesitation. Seeing how open he was after Russell Westbrook fell asleep on defense, this wasn’t a mistake. Blake has hit many three-pointers to bail out his team this season, and he was wide open for a shot he’s capable of hitting. He just didn’t hit the open shot.
It happens.
It’s a pretty simple story. We could talk about why the Lakers had World Peace inbounding the ball instead of someone taller, with more height and a better chance of passing the ball over OKC’s players, but World Peace’s decision to hit the (wide) open man with the pass? That’s a basketball play.
Tony Allen tweeted his thoughts on the final possession after the game:
Had Blake hit that shot, we’d all be lambasting Westbrook for his missed defensive assignment and praising World Peace for recognizing it. Instead we’re looking for someone to blame. Rather than heaping blame on someone for that final possession, how about looking at how the Lakers allowed Oklahoma City to roar back from seven down with two minutes remaining to retake control of the game and steal a 2-0 series lead?
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Bleacher Report
Twelve teams passed on drafting Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA draft, allowing him to fall to thirteen. The thirteenth team? The Charlotte Hornets.
His agent at the time, Arn Tellem, expertly maneuvered Kobe to the Los Angeles Lakers on a draft-day trade in exchange for then-Lakers center Vlade Divac, citing that he would prefer to take his talents to a larger market where he could perhaps blossom into the second coming of Michael Jordan.
Now, the Black Mamba is an astonishing talent, that is unquestionable. Kobe has five championship rings thus far in his illustrious career. He has won Finals MVP twofold. He has won NBA MVP just once, but that is not indicative of his brilliance because he will without a doubt go down as one of the best players to ever play the game.
He has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He oftentimes defies nature. He has us staring at the television, jaw-dropped in amazement thinking, "Did he really just do that?" His patented turn-around jumper from the baseline appears nearly impossible to convert at a high rate, but he continues to get it done. And even more impressive is that they fall in clutch situations with the game on the line.
However—all five of his championships have come with the benefit of playing with a great big man while his opponents lacked the ability to counter the talent the Lakers put on the floor.
Contrary to what you are currently mumbling to yourself, this is not a slight to Kobe's game, it is, quite simply, a fact. Shaquille O'Neal, the most dominant big man of all time, was in his prime during the Lakers' three-peat to begin the 21st century. This was at an age where a dominant big man translated into success. The reason the term "Hack-A-Shaq" exists is because there was no other conceivable way to stop him, especially when Arvydas Sabonis and Vlade Divac were his main competition.
When fighting for his two most recent titles, Kobe had the benefit of playing with perhaps the best passing big man in the NBA, Pau Gasol. He is mostly known for his finesse game, but his ability to rebound and play a dynamic two-player game with Kobe allowed for the Lakers to win consecutive titles. It didn't hurt that Lamar Odom had become the most feared sixth man in the league either, as he combined with Pau to provide the Lakers with the longest front court in the league (with an underdeveloped and often hurt Andrew Bynum).
The reasoning behind the boldness of my statement is simple: the NBA has drastically improved. In a league that sorely lacked parity over the last twenty years, it seems more and more likely that there will be a different team raising a banner each year.
The Western Conference alone is so deep, the Lakers' main focus now lies in finding a way to scratch and claw their way out of their own conference. The San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and dare I say it, the Los Angeles Clippers all pose a legitimate threat to the Lakers in the coming seasons. In years past it was simply between the Lakers, the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Jailblazers. I mean Trailblazers.
The Nuggets just pushed the Lakers to seven games in the first round and Kobe was spectacular. He has quickly realized that he cannot win on his own in today's game because opposing teams are too well balanced. He put forth an unbelievable effort in a potential Game Five clincher as he found his Laker team down 90-75 late in the fourth quarter at home. He is the only player in the league who can do that without surprising his audience. He has spoiled us all because now we expect him to do it. He scored 14 points in the quarter to finish with 43, but came up just short because his teammates left him hanging.
Kobe still has it. He is fourth all-time in 40-point postseason games with thirteen. He is a genuine stud. The issue lies in the increased competition. Without a consistent team effort, he just cannot win another ring. The team he has around him does not work as hard as he does and it frustrates him. Andrew Bynum only exerts himself every other game when he finds time not to make headlines for the idiotic things he says. Pau Gasol disappears sometimes for no apparent reason and the bench is completely nonexistent.
The biggest factor is the absence of an effective crunch-time point guard. The trade for Ramon Sessions was supposed to ignite the Lakers and alleviate some of the pressure placed on Kobe's shoulders night in and night out. However, in his first taste of postseason experience, Sessions has been far from effective. In eight games thus far, he has shooting splits of 37/19/69 (FG/FT/3FG). That just won't get it done.
Sessions was also to be counted on to make a defensive difference as the Lakers have had trouble with opposing athletic point guards in years past. Derek Fisher was too old to keep up with the likes of Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Tony Parker and Ty Lawson.
In Round One, Lawson completely dominated the point guard matchup, posting averages of 19 points, six assists on 51-percent shooting.
Game One of Round Two? Westbrook put up 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in only 25 minutes.
If he is unable to defend opposing point guards, it forces coach Mike Brown to ask Kobe to expend some of his precious energy on the defensive end, which affects his offensive production. Regardless of who you are, defense requires the exertion of energy and if he over-exerts himself at the defensive end, his offensive game suffers.
You see? This article wasn't what you thought it would be. It isn't a hater piece, it's a factual one. The NBA is too deep for Kobe to add another ring to his collection. And you know what that means—one less than MJ.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Yahoo! Sports
NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant struck for 22 points, five coming in a game-ending 9-0 run, as Oklahoma City stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 77-75 in the NBA playoffs on Wednesday.Source: Yahoo! Sports
(Reuters) - The Oklahoma City Thunder scored nine unanswered points in the final two minutes to edge the Los Angeles Lakers 77-75 on Wednesday and seize a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. There was no late drama in the Eastern Conference, where the Boston Celtics trounced the Philadelphia 76ers 107-91 to move ahead 2-1 in their best-of-seven series. Although the 76ers lost by a bigger margin, it will be the Lakers who will probably be suffering more due to the manner of their loss. ...
Source: Forum Blue And Gold by Darius Soriano
Long time commenter Snoopy2006 said it well after the game ended:
When your team fights so hard the entire game – despite being overmatched, just fighting hard, uglying the game up, instigating the physicality – you become invested in every play. You start believing, you start living and dying with each play. When you’re up by 7 with the game almost over, you start to feel hope – which many of us didn’t think possible after Game 1. And when you give that up after 46 grueling, agonizing minutes – it’s heartbreaking.
Heartbreaking. Yep. That about sums it up.
The Lakers had this game won. Up 5 with two minutes left in the game, all the Lakers really had to do was milk some clock and create some points. Any points would have done – FT’s, a jumper, anything that gave them just the slightest bit of extra cushion while also draining some of those precious seconds off the game clock.
They did the opposite, however. A bad pass by Kobe was picked off by Kevin Durant and he raced the other way for a dunk. Three point game. Then Steve Blake telegraphed a pass that Russell Westbrook – Blake’s man, btw – jumped at to tip away that ultimately grazed Kobe’s arm before sailing out of bounds for another turnover. While that didn’t directly produce any OKC points, it shifted momentum a bit more in their direction. Two possessions later James Harden got a layup in transition to cut the lead to one. Then, after OKC fronted the post, deflected a pass, and turned the Lakers possession into a scramble, Kobe missed a three pointer that OKC took the other way. On that possession, Durant used a high P&R to shake free to the sideline where he hit a floater for the go-ahead basket.
With the Lakers trailing by one and only 18 seconds left they ran the clock down to 5 seconds before OKC gave their last team foul to make the Lakers inbound again. On that final possession, the Lakers ran a nice screen action to try and free Kobe going to the weak side of the floor but the D read it pretty well and Ron, in an alert move, passed to a wide open Steve Blake in the corner who fired up a three pointer that missed.
Game over. Heartbreak ensues.
What makes this loss so difficult to deal with is the fact that the Lakers forced OKC to play nearly an entire game outside of their comfort zone. They made the appropriate defensive adjustments to make their offense sputter, holding them to only 77 points on 42% shooting. The Lakers played the P&R much better, hedging higher and harder to pressure the ball handler and contest shots when he tried to pull up after turning the corner. When OKC tried to compensate for the extra help by rotating the ball out of this action, the Lakers weak side defenders read their passes perfectly, deflecting passes out of bounds and picking several off outright. On the curl plays that the Thunder run to get Durant going, the approach was the same – big men left their own man to clog the paint, make KD’s catches more difficult, and then contested shots when he did make catches that he tried to turn into the easy baskets he got in game one. This scrambling, active approach on D limited the Thunder to only 34 points in the paint while allowing them to only shoot 4-17 on shots in the 10-15 foot range.
Offensively, the Lakers also played a style that made the Thunder work. They pounded the ball inside relentlessly, playing bully ball through classic post ups and power back downs from the wing by Kobe and Ron. Thirty-nine of the Lakers seventy-eight shots came in the restricted area and fourteen more came from within 15 feet. The message was clear that the Lakers were going to play a physical, taxing game on offense and for most of the night it kept them close. The pace was what the Lakers wanted, the grinding nature of the possessions was more suited to them, and for most of the night it worked on the scoreboard even if it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing.
It needed to be for all of the night, however. And it wasn’t.
The Lakers fell short and now must re-group while understanding that what they did tonight must be repeated, even if it will be difficult to do so. The Lakers are the overmatched team and with that must come a desperation to compete even when the odds don’t favor them. Tonight was the perfect example of what needs to happen even if botched play down the stretch robbed them of seeing a winning result for their efforts.
And while this game will stay with these players – especially Kobe – for some time, there is no time to sulk over the result. They must take inspiration from the good, stew over what went wrong, and repeat their effort from this game on Friday. It’s really the only way.
Source: Daily News by By Elliott Teaford Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY - The NBA disciplined Andrew Bynum and Devin Ebanks for being bad. Bynum was fined $15,000 for skipping Tuesday's media session and Ebanks was fined $25,000 for his actions before and after his ejection Monday.Source: ESPN Los Angeles
Wow. Just... wow. There are losses. There are bad losses. And there are bad losses that carry the sting of 1000 bees -- all born and raised in Oklahoma, naturally -- working in unison to attack as one. A primo chance to drastically alter the tone of this series just went out the window, and the Lakers will have to work overtime to dig themselves out of a hole. And by "overtime," I mean "quite possibly beyond their capabilities." And by "hole," I mean "grave.Source: Lake Show Life by Chris Shellcroft
Blame Kobe Bryant. Hate on Steve Blake. Loathe Kevin Durant.
However you want to spin it the Lakers lost a game they should have won.
Veteran teams with championship pedigree are supposed to … [visit site to read more]
Lakers Let Thunder Off The Hook With Game 2 Collapse - Lake Show Life - Lake Show Life - A Los Angeles Lakers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Source: Bleacher Report
What's worse—getting blown out by 29 or choking away a fourth-quarter lead to lose in crunch time?
Ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who suffered those fates in back-to-back games, including a 77-75 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday night.
The Thunder parlayed turnovers and bad shots by the Lakers into a 9-0 run over the final 2:08 to erase a seven-point deficit. Steve Blake had a wide-open shot from the corner to win the game but clanked it off the back of the rim. The miss brought to mind the ghost of Derek Fisher, who'd hit many shots of that sort for the Lakers in the past but now plays for OKC after being traded away during the season.
The Thunder survived a sloppier effort on their part—and a much stouter defensive showing from the Lakers—to take a commanding 2-0 series lead on LA. OKC's Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined to shoot just 17-of-40 from the field, though they managed to put the ball in the basket when it counted most.
LA did a solid job of controlling the tempo for most of the game, albeit with plenty of help from the referees. The two teams combined for 38 fouls, many of which appeared to come amidst minimal contact
Harden snuck in a smidgen of revenge for Metta World Peace's concussing elbow to the head by slyly dishing out one of his own to the Lakers' mercurial wingman in the first half.
Tweets of the Night
Something tells me that ESPN college basketball recruiting guru Dave Telep and NBA sharpshooter-turned-analyst Steve Kerr would get along juuuust fine:
Six members of the OKC Thunder played in Final Fours. Only two Lakers (Blake/Ebanks) made Final Four teams
— Dave Telep (@DaveTelep) May 17, 2012
Leave it to "Bill Walton" to say what everyone is thinking:
Thunder/Lakers has slowed down to a snail's pace with excessive foul calls. These refs need to swallow their whistles unless they see blood!
— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) May 17, 2012
So, was Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in OKC for the game, or is he just another witty Twitter observer?
That awkward moment when u walk back to the wrong seat at the OKC game and realize ur a white shirt in a sea of blue
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) May 17, 2012
Must-See Highlight
Harden's elbow to World Peace's head wasn't an exciting play, though it's certainly worth watching.
If only to play directly into the strange obsession with their rivalry.
Grades for Key Lakers Players
Kobe Bryant: B-
Kobe clearly labored through much of the game on tired legs, with several shots clanging off the front of the rim.
He managed to hit some big shots on the way to a 20-point night, but still shot poorly from the field (9-of-25) and made some crucial mistakes down the stretch to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Andrew Bynum: B
Andrew Bynum didn't exactly shine on Wednesday night, per se, though he was effective nonetheless. The Lakers' All-Star center finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, though his 8-of-19 shooting left much to be desired.
Pau Gasol: C
You can say this much about Pau Gasol on Wednesday night: He wasn't nearly as listless on the court as he had been on Monday. The big Spaniard registered 14 points, 11 rebounds and three assists, though he was dominated defensively by Serge Ibaka on more than one occasion.
Grades for Key Thunder Players
Kevin Durant: B+
Kevin Durant was surprisingly quiet for most of the game but came through when it counted most. Part of that can be attributed to the defense of Metta World Peace, though the Durantula played passively on many occasions anyway.
The Thunder won't win many games with their best player taking only 15 shots. Then again, it's tough to argue with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Russell Westbrook: B-
Of course, Durant wasn't the only OKC player who tailed off considerably after Game 1. Russell Westbrook contributed a solid-but-hardly-spectacular 15 points (on 5-of-17 shooting), six rebounds and four assists.
Which would normally be fine, except he racked up a line of 27-7-9 two nights ago. He fell asleep on the Lakers' final possession, but dodged a bullet when Blake's shot missed long.
James Harden: B
James Harden laid low for most of the game before scoring two huge buckets to fuel OKC's late rally. He finished with 13 points on eight shots but contributed five turnovers to the Thunder's tally.
Which is more than they had as a team in Game 1.
Deciding Factor: Composure
In the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, one team played like a pack of veterans who'd been there before and the other made youthful mistakes and nearly panicked.
Interestingly enough, it was the Thunder in the former category and the Lakers in the latter. OKC played poorly for most of the game, but kept its collective composure over the final two minutes to hold LA scoreless and make its seven-point deficit a thing of the past.
Game MVP: Durant
His balanced stat line aside, Durant contributed five points to OKC's game-ending run and did a marvelous job of guarding Kobe with the outcome hanging in the balance.
What's Next?
The series shifts to LA, where the Lakers and the Thunder will play Games 3 and 4 on back-to-back days (Friday and Saturday) at the Staples Center, starting at 10:30 p.m. EDT on each night.
Read more Los Angeles Lakers news on BleacherReport.com
Source: Yahoo! Sports
Oklahoma City Thunder 77, Los Angeles Lakers 75 (Thunder lead series, 2-0) The Oklahoma City Thunder were down seven points in this contest with two minutes left to play, with just 68 points to their credit at that point in the game. And though we've seen comebacks that overcome that differential in even shorter amounts of time, given Los Angeles' defensive dominance for the first 46 minutes of the contest, who in their right mind thought that the Thunder could outscore the Lakers by eight points over that final term, considering that they had to essentially pitch a shutout because of the waning seconds? Well, the Thunder managed one of the two. They pitched the shutout, but they didn't outscore Los Angeles by eight in the final two minutes. They outscored 'em by nine. The Thunder are championship-worthy, and the Lakers have their problems, but it's OK to be shocked at the way Los Angeles frittered away this contest.Source: Yahoo! Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Kevin Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder scored the final nine points to rally for a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.Source: ESPN Los Angeles
This. Is. A. Killer. If I were to tell Mike Brown -- or Vegas for that matter -- before Game 2 the Thunder would have 76 points with .3 seconds remaining on the clock, both would have happily made the Lakers a giant favorite. Instead, the Lakers head back to Los Angeles down 0-2, after giving away a seven-point lead with two minutes to play. By now, most Lakers fans know the math when it comes to this scenario. It isn't good. The Lakers showed they can hang with OKC, get physical with them, and disrupt their juggernaut of an offense.Source: Silver Screen and Roll by TheGreatMambino
In heartbreaking fashion, the Lakers choke away a game they had to have, as the Thunder rally in the last two minutes to close out the game right in the face of one of the greatest closers of all time. Wow. Hard to sum that one up.
With two minutes left in the game, the Los Angeles Lakers led by 7 points over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Victory felt secure, as the Show had completely taken OKC out of their game for nearly the entire second half. The contest had turned into a slow, physical slugfest, just the way that everyone on the team, coaching staff and management said they'd have to do to
Source: Yahoo! Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Los Angeles Lakers gave everything they had, and it still wasn't enough.Source: Lake Show Life by Carlos Sandoval
Kobe Bryant leads OKC past his Los Angeles Lakers down the stretch, OKC leads series 2-0 - Lake Show Life - Lake Show Life - A Los Angeles Lakers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
Source: Orange County Register by By KEVIN DING
Pau Gasol wondered if it would’ve been worse to endure a one-point loss than the 29-point loss the Lakers were hit with in Game 1. The Lakers blew a seven-point lead with two minutes left and lost, 76-75, in Game 2 of the Western Conference...Source: LA Times
Turnovers and sloppy defensive play hurt the Lakers in the final minutes as Oklahoma City rallies to a 77-75 victory and a 2-0 series lead.Source: Yahoo! Sports
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Kevin Durant scored 22 points and rattled in the go-ahead basket on a baseline runner with 18 seconds left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder scored the final nine points to rally for a 77-75 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night.Source: Yahoo! Sports
The 2012 NBA Playoffs schedule for Thursday, May 17 will feature two games. On May 16, the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder each moved one step towards the next round with wins over their respective opponents. Which of these four teams playing on Thursday will win the next game of their respective series?
Source: NBA.com
Lakers Gameday | 05/16/12 | ThunderSource: Orange County Register
Slideshow: Check out photos of the fans in Oklahoma City as they arrive for the Lakers-Thunder playoff game on Wednesday night.Source: LA Times
The Lakers look to even the series after struggling against Oklahoma City in Game 1.
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