I normally don't do this, obviously, but I just watched the Spurs vs Lakers game and I wanted to give some of my thoughts and insight on the game. I was doing various things while I watched the game, so I didn't have a chance to chart anything, and while I would like to do it for the next game, it is vaguely late so I'm not certain yet. I'll start with my four most disappointing things for the Lakers this game/things they need to improve to have a chance in this series.
1. I thought (as most probably would) the Lakers were hurt the most by missing wide open jumpers.
2. I was very disappointed with their rebounding.
3. This should actually be the highest one.. The coaching by Coach D'antoni. I think the Lakers should improve this by trading him for either Phil Jackson or Gregg Popvich.. I kid, I kid. (sort of)
4. While this should also technically be higher.. And normally it would be... The fourth biggest problem for the Lakers was their passing. Way too many careless turnovers. 18 to 9 was the overall turnover margin. Hard to win a game when you're effectively spotting the other team around 9 points. Probably at least 4 or 5 were simply awful passes that were simply not the right decision.
I didn't think that Nash quite had his legs back (which is understandable) and that probably helped him to shoot 6 of 15 from the field. He and Gasol probably missed more than a half dozen wide-(enough for a semi)-open jumpers. Another couple days to rest should help them a little bit.
I thought that Gasol's and Nash's jumpers had decent enough arc to them, but on the other side, Tim Duncan (while he still has a great low post game) was flat-lining long shot after long shot, assuming it continues, then that will be a decent advantage for the Lakers.
The Lakers actually shot a better % from the field overall then the Spurs, something I wouldn't have guessed. The Spurs got a few easy (passer and cutter created) layups, but otherwise it was actually (generally) decent defense by the Lakers. While, as I said, I was not charting this game, I thought that the Lakers were probably beating the Spurs on offense in the area of 3 to 2 (3 good possessions to 2 good ones, or various other combinations..), and on defense 5 to 3 (Where the Lakers might have contested 3 shots on defense and let one layup slip by {undefended}, while the Spurs were giving up two open jumpers but had two contested shots). Having an offensive and defensive advantage in the area of 6 to 4 per 10 possessions is not a game that a team will lose very often.
If one of these two teams playing had to pick him up, then I think the Lakers should have been the team to pick up Tracy McGrady, because they could have seriously used him in that game. I don't know what happened to Earl Clark this game, but he was practically invisible. He will need to step it up for the Lakers to win game 2. The Lakers bench was reallllly bad this game. Since Jodie Meeks is a little injured now, I think they should give Earl Clark more minutes.
Since you've got the 1's seeds going tonight, the playoffs quite possibly will not officially start (in some people's books) until possibly Wednesday. Since the Clippers and Nets will quite possibly take care of business at home as well. And the Tuesday matchups are somewhat heavy on the favorites. So I kind of think that (though hopefully there will be more drama than this) the playoffs will finally begin, with someone getting a road win, when the Lakers beat the Spurs Wednesday night.
Two more things the Lakers need to change.
1. While I already talked about this a little, the Lakers have to improve their rebounding in game 2. (they should be dominating it) The trio of Howard, Gasol, and Artest should be humiliating the trio of Duncan, Leonard, and Splitter. Also, just in case no one noticed this.. There were a ton of rebounds this game, and by the end of the 1st half, you could tell that the winner was going to be the team that controlled the glass and didn't commit as many turnovers (the team with more possessions overall would win), however the Lakers seemed to be playing in safe mode despite consistently being down 6-12 points. The Lakers would send (maybe!) Howard to the glass, while everyone else just jogged back.. What the heck was that?? Are the Lakers simply happy to be in the playoffs and they'll go ahead and fold up now? I don't think so... But.. That was disturbing for their chances in this series.
To change it, I think the Lakers (especially if they fall behind by 8 or more) need to be sending everyone but Nash and possibly Blake towards the hoop. So what if you give up the occasional fast break layup, the Lakers needed to be showing effort and getting rebounds, not retreating to 'stop the fast break'. (righhhht)
2. The final thing the Lakers need to change.. Steve Nash has to become the floor general on Wednesday. He didn't have a horrible game today, a bad shooting performance, 3 assists 1 turnover overall (though it was an ugly and unnecessary TO).
... Just thought of another thing. There was quite a bit of iso for Howard and Gasol.. I didn't like that very much.. I might upload a better play, imho, at some point... Thanks for reading.
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