Game Debrief: What Went Right And What Went Wrong?

I gave the game a full forty minutes head start to watch on time shift (usually do even on SSN) .... especially to be able to not listen to one word from that insufferable ex TNT crowd. For anyone that did how did it go with Laker hater and "we'll bury you JJ" Barkley and the Big "I was never an A-Hole superstar" ( ) ?

 

Want went right was we have the best player in the series playing like we are going to win the series. LeBron is on another level.

 

Lakers play swarming defense for pretty much 45 mins (there was a 13-0 HOU run in the 2nd that was janglin' all our nerves), and win another gutsy game, holding HOU under 100, and this time HOU had KD, who looked like he'd torch us for 40. Then: JJ had us double KD and he couldn't do jack! It was glorious.

Lakers 101
Rockets 94

Lebron is a wonder at 41. Kennard was huge. His buttery left-handed shot from, like anywhere, is really something. All our guys played tight D.

Ladies 'n gentlemen: Marcus Smart. Yea, he had 25 with 7 dimes and 5 (FIVE) steals, but he does so much more that doesn't show up in the box score. Effing love Marcus.

The other day my neighbor asked me if I had been watching sports on TV. (Lakers beat HOU in Game 1). I said yea, why? She said she heard me yell "Woo-wee!" I knew what she meant. I didn't explain. It was "Rui!": when he hits it from outside as the 24 gets close to 3,2 or 1, Rui will hit a shot.

I don't know how long this defensive magic will last, but it's been a thrilling first two games. I expect a loss (no jit?) in Game 3, but would love to get Game 4, come back here with HOU on the ropes.

 

The key of the game for me was staying with Houston in the 1st Q with some great shooting from Marcus and Luke .

Once the Rockets realized they couldn't create a 8-12 pts advantage and it was going to be a battle , they mentally "melted down"

 

Lakers get win #2

This is a really big win and helps set the tone with the defense on KD

Smart was huge last night 25 pts 2 reb 7 ast 5 stl 1 blk

LK 23 pts 6 reb 2 ast 3 stl

 

wow...playoff smart has been something else.

 

Like playoff Rondo

They step up their game when the pressure is on

 

The Lakers are back!

 

He really has. It’s what we all hoped would happen but still something to see.

 

Stephen A. Smith says LeBron might get swept by KD and the Rockets

“Without Luka and AR, the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t getting past 5 games. It might be a sweep”

(Via firsttake )

 

i thought it would be a 5-game series with us getting a surprise win in one of the first two games, too. wrong!!

 

Didn't have Smart in those OKC matchups
Not that we beat them fully healthy but he's the f***ing key piece of the defense along with a 41 yo Lebron. Expected nope but that what you're seeing. Lakers unlike the beginning of the year when LeBron was hurt and then ramping up have two legit guys who opposing players have a real tough time against

Rui is dumb as rocks doesn't move on rebounds but has these games where he's seem to be locked in with the defense as well

 

I mean, he's right. He just meant to say that the Lakers aren't *letting* it get past 5 games.

 

btw, we won so who cares but...wtf was that foul on smart for...boxing out?

 

Well, sir, the Rockets were behind, and it was a HARD box out.

 

Imagine making all that scratch and being so wrong about the Lakers, over and over and over again.
He and Barkley should do a podcast together.

 

I almost picked up both my small dogs and threw them out the window after that awful call!
Sometimes, I think you could literally be blind in one eye, and have 50% effectiveness out of the other and still do a better job than some of these refs they find.

 

even the typically anti-laker announcers were like..."i...think...that's boxing out?"

 

Now, imagine Smart on SGA. He will foul out mid 2nd quarter, or play 15mins. a game

 

Yea...Marcus is boxing out, Rocket behind him (Jabari?) climbs on his back: foul on Marcus. WTF?

Imagine Luka and AR back and we still play defense like this. It's like a completely different team right now.