Game #20: Los Angeles Lakers (9-10) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4) - Page 6 - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**Ron** · 12-07-2012, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajon

On a positive note, I'm pleasantly surprised by the post moves Dwight's been showcasing tonight.

Agreed.

**Ron** · 12-07-2012, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Sancho Fantastic

Closer than I expected. Better effort in the 2nd half.

I watched the entire game and the late third period and fourth period were very well played (well, their defense still wasn't great).

My feeling is that they can do this. They just have to put together 48 minutes.

But their defense is going to need some big-time work. Doubt they can fix it this season.

Maybe after they bring in Nate McMillan in the off-season................dreaming.

**Ron** · 12-07-2012, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cajon

That second quarter outburst by Westbrook killed us.

Easy solution: MWP needs to knock the guy down. Maybe he gets an flagrant 1, maybe not. But if you knock him down playoff-style, he doesn't go off like that. Guaranteed.

**King Sancho Fantastic** · 12-07-2012, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron

I watched the entire game and the late third period and fourth period were very well played (well, their defense still wasn't great).

My feeling is that they can do this. They just have to put together 48 minutes.

But their defense is going to need some big-time work. Doubt they can fix it this season.

Maybe after they bring in Nate McMillan in the off-season................dreaming.

Or trade for Josh Smith and watch him and Dwight and Metta wreak havoc on teams defensively....

Cajon · 12-07-2012, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron

Easy solution: MWP needs to knock the guy down. Maybe he gets an flagrant 1, maybe not. But if you knock him down playoff-style, he doesn't go off like that. Guaranteed.

Cajon · 12-08-2012, 12:09 AM

Quote:

LAL had two losses in OKC in the last three years that changed their franchise. Will Friday be the third? ... http://t.co/i8C8Fesa…

Quote:

The Lakers lost to the Thunder in Game 4 of the first round in 2010 in blowout fashion to tie the series 2-2 (read my column about it here: http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angele...ory?id=5134327....) and went on to go 14-5 the rest of the playoffs and win the championship.

The Lakers lost to the Thunder in Game 5 of the second round in 2012 (read my column about it here: http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/s...ke-big-changes...), ending their season and serving as the first domino to fall that eventually led to the acquisitions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

The Lakers' loss Friday is just a regular season game, but it was a hard-fought game by a team that's looked too lackadaisical all season long. Could this loss be looked back at as the one that was the start of L.A. finally turning its 2012-13 season in the right direction?

Quote:

Dwight Howard was bullish on the Lakers' improvement through the 1/4 season mark despite a 9-11 record ... http://t.co/iqdAs8zq…

Quote:

"It’s 82 games," Howard said after the Lakers' 114-108 loss to the Oklahoma City on Friday. "This team has just gotten together. It’s not like we’re going to go out and get together and start winning right away. The only team that I’ve seen do that was Boston a couple years ago.

"We’re learning how to play together. We’re getting better. This is not on anybody’s timetable but ours. We have to be patient and understand it’s a process. Like I said, we grew tonight despite the loss.

"We did a lot of great things in the second half I wish we had been doing the past couple of games. So, it’s going to take time. We’re going to stay together. We have a close-knit team and we’re not going to let anything from the outside break us."

Thunder coach Scott Brooks, of all people, strongly echoed Howard's confidence in L.A.'s chances.

"We all know that the Lakers are one of the best teams," Brooks said. "They don't have the record right now but they will. They're going to get some guys healthy and they're going to get some rhythm but they have the best center in basketball and they have one of the best players ever. Steve Nash will come back and Coach D'Antoni will continue to get that team better."

-Dave McMenamin

Dun dun dun!

**Basel** · 12-08-2012, 12:34 AM

The 2004 Lakers started the season looking a hell of a lot worse than this squad (11-19 in case you guys don't remember) and still made the Finals that season. I'm not worried about this Lakers team one bit. If they're still losing when Nash/Gasol are both healthy, then I'll start worrying. Until then, we'll be just fine.

Cajon · 12-08-2012, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basel

The 2004 Lakers started the season looking a hell of a lot worse than this squad (11-19 in case you guys don't remember) and still made the Finals that season. I'm not worried about this Lakers team one bit. If they're still losing when Nash/Gasol are both healthy, then I'll start worrying. Until then, we'll be just fine.

The '03-'04 Lakers' record was 21-9 through the first 30 games and 17-3 through the first 20.

**Laker Freak** · 12-08-2012, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basel

The 2004 Lakers started the season looking a hell of a lot worse than this squad (11-19 in case you guys don't remember) and still made the Finals that season. I'm not worried about this Lakers team one bit. If they're still losing when Nash/Gasol are both healthy, then I'll start worrying. Until then, we'll be just fine.

I'm pretty sure that's not true. If I remember correctly, they started the season steam rolling the competition until Malone got injured.

**Basel** · 12-08-2012, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laker Freak

I'm pretty sure that's not true. If I remember correctly, they started the season steam rolling the competition until Malone got injured.

You're right. That was 02-03. My bad.

**Jamel Irief** · 12-08-2012, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basel

You're right. That was 02-03. My bad.

02-03 started horribly because Shaq missed like the first 12 games.

e-monk · 12-08-2012, 04:33 PM

well then how about the heat who were barely over .500 after their first 20 and everyone wanted to fire spoelstra and trade bosh? they didnt have any injury issues btw - rotations and chemistry take time and the system we're running requires a point guard, we're going with Chris Duhon right now but can expect a little bit of an upgrade (a little bit, a little bit *** +feel free to install Deniro gif here if you know how+)

**Jamel Irief** · 12-08-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-monk

well then how about the heat who were barely over .500 after their first 20 and everyone wanted to fire spoelstra and trade bosh? they didnt have any injury issues btw - rotations and chemistry take time and the system we're running requires a point guard, we're going with Chris Duhon right now but can expect a little bit of an upgrade (a little bit, a little bit *** +feel free to install Deniro gif here if you know how+)

Not sure who you are trying to convince here. I'm the one that's said all along that how a team plays in November and December has little to do with how they play in March.

e-monk · 12-08-2012, 05:26 PM

just throwing it out there

**Ron** · 12-08-2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basel

You're right. That was 02-03. My bad.

They also gout bounced out of the second round by San Antonio that season as well.

I do remember that team well...at 11-19, I knew they were going to turn it around and they went 39-13 the rest of the way.

But the difference was, all those guys knew each other and had played on three championship teams...as Jamel said, Shaq missed a ton of games in that 11-19 start.

You can't compare the two starts, Basel. This team has at least 5 new faces, and even Jordan Hill came here late last season. Even with Nash, Gasol, and LTZ out, they are still fielding a pretty good lineup.

I am just amazed at all the fools thinking Nash is going to save this season. The ****ing terrible defense is only going to get worse when he gets back. And you can say all you want to about a dynamic offense with Nash as the PG, but it doesn't mean squat if you don't play defense.

And so far, this is the worst Lakers defensive team I've seen in a long, long time. So long that I can't remember any Laker team being worse than this.

12-08-2012, 12:34 AM	#82 (permalink)
Basel Legen-wait for it-dary! Legendary! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Age: 27 Posts: 68,550 Rep Power: 21474913	Re: Game #19: Los Angeles Lakers (9-10) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4) The 2004 Lakers started the season looking a hell of a lot worse than this squad (11-19 in case you guys don't remember) and still made the Finals that season. I'm not worried about this Lakers team one bit. If they're still losing when Nash/Gasol are both healthy, then I'll start worrying. Until then, we'll be just fine. __________________ Best there is, best there was, best there ever will be.

12-08-2012, 04:33 PM	#87 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,686 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Game #19: Los Angeles Lakers (9-10) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4) well then how about the heat who were barely over .500 after their first 20 and everyone wanted to fire spoelstra and trade bosh? they didnt have any injury issues btw - rotations and chemistry take time and the system we're running requires a point guard, we're going with Chris Duhon right now but can expect a little bit of an upgrade (a little bit, a little bit *** +feel free to install Deniro gif here if you know how+) Last edited by e-monk; 12-08-2012 at 04:42 PM.

12-08-2012, 05:26 PM	#89 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,686 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Game #19: Los Angeles Lakers (9-10) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (15-4) just throwing it out there

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