Spurs at Lakers Game 4 Sun 4/28 @ 7:00 PM EST

[Vitamike]

Spurs at Lakers Game 4

Game 4 San Antonio Spurs at LA Lakers Game 4 - Spurs lead 3-0
Sun 4/28 - 7:00 PM EST; Away TV FxSW; Home TV TWC SN; National TV ESPN

Post your game prediction here!

Well the injury bug has taken it toll and those who could give it a go gave it their all in Game 3 but it wasn't near enough as the Spurs totally outclass the Lakers and hand them their worst loss in Lakers Playoff History. That's a lot of games there boys to choose from and still we suffered through the worst on Friday night.

The King of Predictions contest between Sman and myself may come to an end here on Sunday and we will find the last man standing by games end and then again we may find ourselves battling in a Game 5.

Who knows what's in store for this Lakers squad. I'm sure collectively we have little hope but this season has been nothing as expected with that said, nobody expects this series to go beyond Sunday so maybe these guys show some pride and grind out at least one win before their season ends.......

Sman, once again PM your score prediction to retroram and I will do the same. You don't have to but that has always been the plan except we are sending them through to retro rather than DPWTV...

As far as the Lakers Post Season Contest....

Get your scores in, check to see if you hit bottom and change your avatar to the poopy diaper for posting tomorrow through the tip of Game 4.

Good luck Y'all and whoever gets the poopy diaper make RedRum proud and honor the commitment yourself as well.

Retro will have the game scores up soon enough...

Cheers!

~ Vita

 

[bluepigpen]

Lakers 93

Spurs 92

I will never not pick the Lakers, good , bad or ugly, they are my team. Give it your all till the whissle blows and the large lady sings. I do hear here gargling though.

 

[wlk3]

Sad... Lakers 96 Spurs 90

 

[trojanfan12]

Lakers 91

Spurs 89

 

[Sam Sportboy]

Man, how depressing..............here's the deal. My predict-o-meter must have blown a fuse so I am going to do something I never would do just to change tactics................
Fucking Spurs 100
Hurting Lakers 90
I am actually hoping to be wearing that avi come Monday morning.
Sam

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

Spurs 106
Lakers 99

after that disgusting effort last night, having the 3rd best player watching from the locker room, and teams' defensive woes being exposed yet again, closing it out with a L wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Big Red Slugs]

Only thing that can save the Lakers in Sunday's game is mercy from the Spurs. Pop showed no mercy at all last night, leaving in Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili while up 20 in the fourth.

I suspect the Lakers will make a spirited effort in the first half, then succumb to their bitter reality quickly in the third quarter.

Speaking of which, has anyone noticed a single adjustment or counter made by Mike D'Antoni yet at all? That's a serious question. We knew coming into the series that Pop was going to pack the paint and dare our shooters to beat them. Has anyone noticed a different approach to loading one side of the court in response to that? I haven't, not even an attempt that I can think of. Our offense is just an erratic mess, and I blame the lack of a coherent philosophy on the fact that D'Antoni just doesn't know how to coach interior post play. Not his fault per se, just not the right fit.

Of course, everyone will talk about the injuries but these guys are all NBA talent and we're getting throttled on basic coaching adjustment shit. Makes me look like I could coach an NBA team, and I certainly could/should not.

 

[Sam Sportboy]

Only thing that can save the Lakers in Sunday's game is mercy from the Spurs. Pop showed no mercy at all last night, leaving in Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili while up 20 in the fourth.

I suspect the Lakers will make a spirited effort in the first half, then succumb to their bitter reality quickly in the third quarter.

Speaking of which, has anyone noticed a single adjustment or counter made by Mike D'Antoni yet at all? That's a serious question. We knew coming into the series that Pop was going to pack the paint and dare our shooters to beat them. Has anyone noticed a different approach to loading one side of the court in response to that? I haven't, not even an attempt that I can think of. Our offense is just an erratic mess, and I blame the lack of a coherent philosophy on the fact that D'Antoni just doesn't know how to coach interior post play. Not his fault per se, just not the right fit.

Of course, everyone will talk about the injuries but these guys are all NBA talent and we're getting throttled on basic coaching adjustment shit. Makes me look like I could coach an NBA team, and I certainly could/should not.

You got my vote...............I'm not sure anything is gonna help if we can't at least look like we are trying to stop Parker. Dude is just making us look silly IMO.
Sam

 

[Retroram52]

BRS: I totally agree on Don'tknowi as again last evening he just did not make the necessary adjustments to give his players correct fit and thus a chance to stay with SA defensively or offensively. It appeared at one point in the third, the players gave up playing any organized defense and the Spurs poured it on.

I think the dysfunction goes all the way to Jim Buss or whoever is in charge and my disdain for him has been well-documented. I have been calling for a hostile takeover by his sister Jeannie who has way more basketball acumen than Jim ever hopes to have but I doubt that will happen. One of the posters last evening suggested that somebody that carries weight with the organization like say, Magic Johnson to take Jim aside and explain the whole sorted affair to him. I am not sure that may help either.

I suppose I am resigned to a stretch of rebuilding that may or may not take place beginning this off-season. It may be a long period of craziness and time will only reveal what is going to transpire.

 

[Retroram52]

Lakers 92 Spurs 90

 

[DimesD]

Retro. I second that. Early in the season, I thought D'antoni still had passion for the game and would eventually figure it out. But now sadly, he's just throwing up his hands like he did in NY. Except there, he had a guy who could throw the team on his back and willed the team to a win without any coaching interference.

There was an opportunity here with Goudelock, but D'antoni insists on using Morris to initiate the offense. That will always be a disaster because Morris isn't one to penetrate and get to the rim. Morris is a clock killer. He had some layups, but basically all of his in the paint finishes were in the final 5 minutes of the 4th down by a gazillion. he had 1 layup in the 1/2 court set previously (a blatant missed offensive foul gave him that layup) His other layup attempts were out of control. Given his history, his successes have been in garbage time type of play (aka summer league)

What the offense needs is a guy who has the threat of getting to the rim and finish. That threat has to be goudelock. AD in't the same dribble penetrator as Lin but he has the floater. Like Lin AD has the ability to change direction and isn't a straight ahead at 1 speed or a side-side type of player. His offensive repertoire allows the offense to be unpredictable. AD's slashing after faking the 3 gave Pau a few nice looks but Pau choked repeatedly. Not AD's fault.

Game 4 has to be Goudelock to lose. it's obvious that AD is the only guy to be able to put the team on his back and go like Parker does repetedly. Pau is content with dishing from the high post. Can't carry a team like that. Same with Howard. He needs somebody to get him the ball (note- Morris repeatedly swung the ball away from DH's post attempts. Not sure why. Maybe it's his nature to want to get cheap assist to 3-pt shooters) Bigs can't dominate if nobody gets them the ball.

All that said, winning against the Spurs will require a miracle. As it is, this team would struggle mightily to squeak out a 7 game series against Hornets/ Bobcats/Suns etc. Goudelock put the team on his back at one stretch of game 3. Give that responsibility to him, for the whole game. Maybe a miracle can happen.

 

[Retroram52]

I agree Dimes. Someone mentioned that the height of dysfunction this team has is sending players like Goudelock, who is the D-league MVP, down to the same league and keeping players like Chris Duhon and Darrius Morris, who collectively, can't duplicate offensiverly or defensively what Goudelock single-handedly accomplished last evening.

This is evidence of the dysfunction at the top. When you have screw-ups in personnel decisions, you have basically undermined the foundation of a team. I put the blame at Jim Buss's feet because it is well known that when Phil left, he gutted all assemblance of Phil's administration such as completely removing a scouting staff of nearly 15 people and reducing it to just 3 people. Another ridiculous move Jim did was give Phil's old office at the Staples Center complex to his younger brother who runs the soccer venture that his father owned. Now there is soccer players trapesing in and out of Staples mingling with basketball operations. It was suggested that this only contributes to chaos not reducing it.

These types of dysfunctional screw-ups you'd expect from perennial losers such as the pelicans or bobcats. Dr. Buss ran a very tight business organization that was and has for the most part been the creme-de la-creme. But now, this approach is being seriously eroded by Jim Buss because he is simply in over his head.

Goudelock is a serious candidate to rebuild around and we shall see how he responds tomorrow night. It is up to Buss, Kupchack, and whoever they have for a coach to figure out what and where they are taking this franchise. Like I said, I expect a long period of craziness to ensue as is being demonstrated by the consistent frustrated and exasperated expressions of Don'tknowi who, like a petulant 2-year old, throws up his hands in disgust and sits on the bench pouting just like last night.

 

[Cougar44]

Spurs 106
Lakers 99

after that disgusting effort last night, having the 3rd best player watching from the locker room, and teams' defensive woes being exposed yet again, closing it out with a L wouldn't surprise me.

Howdy Bam: both our teams? suck what revolting in our houses..

 

[Silas]

Lakers........98

Spurs.........97

 

[Vitamike]

Hey Dimes!!

Glad to see you over here bro! You're gonna like it here, this is pretty nice place.

 

[Big Red Slugs]

First of all, excellent posts there Retro and Dimes, a real joy to read those comments and insight. One thing I want to highlight:

There was an opportunity here with Goudelock, but D'antoni insists on using Morris to initiate the offense. That will always be a disaster because Morris isn't one to penetrate and get to the rim. Morris is a clock killer. He had some layups, but basically all of his in the paint finishes were in the final 5 minutes of the 4th down by a gazillion. he had 1 layup in the 1/2 court set previously (a blatant missed offensive foul gave him that layup) His other layup attempts were out of control. Given his history, his successes have been in garbage time type of play (aka summer league)

What the offense needs is a guy who has the threat of getting to the rim and finish. That threat has to be goudelock. AD in't the same dribble penetrator as Lin but he has the floater. Like Lin AD has the ability to change direction and isn't a straight ahead at 1 speed or a side-side type of player. His offensive repertoire allows the offense to be unpredictable. AD's slashing after faking the 3 gave Pau a few nice looks but Pau choked repeatedly. Not AD's fault.

The Lakers absolutely need the guards to penetrate more, and stop settling for threes on nearly every single possession, especially the first look at a three. Take a step in from the line like Fish used to do, make the extra pass, pump fake and drive, something. But it's like everyone has the green light to be strictly three-point specialist or something. Um, I'm getting tired of harping on D'Antoni, but you know that's him telling the guys it's okay to just put 'em up.

Anyways, the Lakers had a lot more success whenever Kobe was in rim attack mode as opposed to jump shooting mode. That was clear. And I don't care how many shots he takes going to the basket; he could go for a 100 FGA like that I'm cool with it. Similarly Steve Blake only started coming into his own late in the season when he started take the ball to the rim as well, instead of strictly settling. I kept waiting for Nash to do the same, he's a real maestro at it but never got that going at all.

But, to your point, I was so impressed last with AG (you kept putting AD btw) because he was doing exactly that -- not settling, and having the maturity and wherewithal to put the ball on the floor and penetrate. It was so refreshing to watch a Lakers guard actually do that. And surprise surprise, he had success!

 

[Big Red Slugs]

I'm not sure anything is gonna help if we can't at least look like we are trying to stop Parker. Dude is just making us look silly IMO.
Sam

Absolutely. I tend to overlook the defense in my posts, but it's certainly not because I don't think it's important. I gave up on expecting this team to rotate properly. At this point I'll just take what we can get from Howard being an extremely amazing helper from the weak side.

 

[jayviabay]

Lakers 96

Spurs 94

 

[jayviabay]

Now MWP is out for game 4, this is going to be a long, painful, game 4

 

[Silas]

The Lakers have one more game to play this season and then they will begin the process of trying to figure out how to resurrect this team.

I hope the Lakers can re-sign Howard and re-do the bench. Not sure how the Lakers will handle that given the fact they have horrible salary cap issues and Jim Buss is sitting in the Captain's seat.