April 26th, 2013 at 10:12 PM
By Brandon Duran
After a 120-89 loss to the Spurs in game three at home, the Los Angeles Lakers are in danger of being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round for the first time since the 2006-2007 season. The 31-point difference in the score made it the worst loss in Lakers playoff history.
As a result of a comedic amount of injuries that the Lakers have sustained this season, Los Angeles fielded a cast that wasn’t fit to compete with the Spurs.
Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris, the beneficiaries of injuries to Steve Nash and Steve Blake, played tremendously well considering the circumstances. Goudelock gave the Lakers a boost offensively with 20 points off 8-of-17 shots. Morris finished with 24 points, 6 assists, and 2 rebounds.
Dwight Howard posted a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Howard was restricted by the combination of San Antonio big men and the referees for the second straight game. The Lakers’ center was hacked all night but no calls were made.
The Lakers came out trying to get Pau Gasol and Howard involved. At least one of the two big men touched the ball on each of the first nine Lakers possessions. Gasol earned his eighth career triple double with 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Read more... Join the Conversation... April 26th, 2013 at 1:54 PM
By Brandon Duran
The Los Angeles Lakers have had some bad luck this season. Dealing with injuries has been an issue all year and the playoffs have been no different.
Starting PG Steve Nash has been battling a right hip/hamstring injury for the better part of the past month and the pain is so intense that he received two epidurals and a cortisone shot yesterday. Nash is a game-time decision, but his participation in the contest may actually hurt the Lakers. Offensively, an injured Nash is still the best option Los Angeles has at point guard, but his injury presents too much of a liability on defense, especially against a player of the caliber of Tony Parker.
The Lakers will also be without their backcourt-backups, Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks. Blake strained his right hamstring late in Wednesday’s loss in San Antonio and Meeks sprained his ankle in game one on Sunday. Both will sit out tonight.
Los Angeles, a team that began the year with four Hall of Famers in its starting lineup, will be forced to play Chris Duhon, Darius Morris, and Andrew Goudelock, for significant minutes on Friday. The three players have played 820 minutes, 683 minutes, and 6 minutes respectively this season. Duhon has had five career postseason starts and Goudelock and Morris have yet to start a playoff game.
Read more... Join the Conversation... April 24th, 2013 at 9:41 PM
By Brandon Duran
The Los Angeles Lakers had no answer for Tony Parker Wednesday night, resulting in a 102-91 loss to San Antonio. The Spurs point guard took advantage of the Lakers’ un-athletic guards on his way to 28 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds.
Los Angeles tightened up all facets of their game in game two but still could not manage to keep up with the superior Spurs.
The Lakers got some help from their bench, which scored 24 points, but injuries began to take their toll on the starters. Steve Nash had 9 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds but he was walking gingerly throughout the second half.
Steve Blake had another off shooting night but came up with big buckets when the Lakers needed one, finishing with 16 points, 2 assists, and 6 rebounds. Blake was taken out of the game with about six minutes left in the game and was diagnosed with a right hip strain.
Pau Gasol also struggled from the field, going 5-for-14 with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Dwight Howard had trouble dealing with the referees as they called a tight game. Howard had 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks but also committed 5 turnovers.
Read more... Join the Conversation... April 24th, 2013 at 2:01 PM
By Brandon Duran
The Los Angeles Lakers got some good news this morning when they learned that PF Jordan Hill has been cleared to play in tonight’s game against San Antonio. It is unclear if Mike D’Antoni will play Hill, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip in late-January, but when he eventually enters the game he will backup both Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard.
However, Hill’s return won’t have that great of an impact against San Antonio. Hill will take some rebounds away from San Antonio and score a few points around the basket, but what Hill brings to the table for LA isn’t what’s preventing them from beating the Spurs.
The Lakers will not be able to beat San Antonio tonight unless they correct four problems from game one.
1. Perimeter/Bench scoring. Now that the Lakers are playing without Kobe Bryant, they have not been able to score from the outside. Steve Blake has played well in the past few games and Lakers fans can count on Steve Nash but bench players like Antawn Jamison, Darius Morris, and Jodie Meeks must score and shoot efficiently.
Read more... Join the Conversation... April 22nd, 2013 at 3:54 PM
By Brandon DuranEveryone knows that it’s a mental challenge to play with Kobe Bryant but no one knew that it would be just as tough to play without him.
Kobe Bryant was lost for the season a week and a half ago when he tore his Achilles tendon late in a win over Golden State.
Against his will, Bryant will sit for all remaining games and the next 6-9 months. However, apparently the Mamba cannot turn his basketball mind off and he’s been getting his basketball fix by live-tweeting games.
Until this season, Bryant had not been a user of Twitter but decided to join the online social networking service in January as he wanted a better way to interact with fans.
The 34-year old did just that Sunday afternoon. When his teammates took the floor to take on the San Antonio Spurs in the first game of the opening series of the postseason, Bryant took to his computer to share his thoughts.
As the Lakers struggled throughout the contest, the Black Mamba criticized, coached, and encouraged his team in 140 characters or less.
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