Lakers Lose to Bobcats, My Head Explodes
The Lakers were up 6 in overtime, but the Bobcats come back and win the game by 7 in double overtime. And how does that make you feel, you ask. Let me put it in eloquent terms, ” Rawwwhhrrrggg!!!!!”
Besides grunting in pain like an angry pirate, I also noticed an aberration that was the Laker winning machine. Pau Gasol stunk it up. He had 10 points on a horrendous 4-16 shooting night. He also “contributed” 3 turnovers and grabbed only 7 rebounds in 41 minutes. With Gasol playing badly, it’s like the machine was missing its entire transmission.
Talk about trap game. Right before the Lakers have to head on a long road trip, in comes the team from Charlotte. The Bobcats were younger, they were hungrier, and to their credit played tough defense. Of course, the last thing Gasol was probably expecting tonight was tough (Gasol probably has to prepare for battle against tough a day in advance, psyching himself out at the thought of being called soft), and he lost rebound after rebound and missed shot after shot.
Kobe played marvelously against eternal foe Raja Bell, schooling him for 38 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 53% shooting. I’ve always maintained that the Lakers are virtually impossible to beat when Kobe shoots over 50% from the field. Well, here’s a case in which that is not true. Of course, I didn’t expect Pau to shoot 16 shots and make only 25% of them.
Looking for more Laker big man fail? Look no further than Lamar Odom. 2-8 from the field, including his amazing layup that didn’t draw iron.
The silver lining in the game is the continued all-star play of Andrew Bynum. Tonight, he outplayed Emeka Okafor to 24 points and 14 rebounds while shooting an insane 10-14 from the field (71%).
It’s time the Lakers get back to the basics. Better team defense (it would have helped if Trevor Ariza didn’t get injured early in the game with a concussion), and hopefully at least 2 of their 3 big men show up.
A note on Bynum’s flagrant foul: Gerald Wallace flew into a Bynum elbow, damaging his ribs and barely being able to walk out of the game. He never came back. I really hope Wallace is OK, and didn’t do any serious damage to his ribs. But I’ll be seriously pissed if the NBA decides to suspend Bynum even 1 game.
Although Bynum didn’t make a serious play at the ball (which is why it was a flagrant), he also never made any strong physical motions to intentionally hurt Wallace. He never swung his elbow violently, or placed it obviously and maliciously in a strange position. I wouldn’t even be discussing this if the NBA front office hadn’t turned suspension-happy after the Ron Artest brawl in Detroit. But here I am, making the case for Bynum. The A-Train must be free to continue his all-star run!
There goes first in the NBA. It’s back to the Cavs.
Actually Boston is #1 according to espn.com.
“Justice was served”, Phil Jackson hit the nail on the target. I would be one bitter Laker-hater if they somehow won this game after the luck the Lakers had at the end of regulation. (7 missed FT’s in a row)
Also, I don’t care what anyone says, Fischer > Farmar. It will be nice having the guy that does not miss when it counts sit out while Farmar tries to fill his shoes.
Bynum will get suspended. The slow-mo replays were devastating. He can’t just throw his 300-lb body in there and hope for the best. He could have closed his eyes and done just as well at hitting Wallace.
I mean, I love the Lakers and all, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the NBA reviews the play (and watches Bynum move with force but no actual plan and no play on the ball) and suspends him. He shouldn’t have been in the game after fall. Refs didn’t call a Flagrant 2 because he didn’t go for the head. But it was bad.
Loved your post other than that point.
I think Bynum should be suspended too, it was unintentional, but very flagrant at the same time.
On a side note, anybody see House’s 8 for 9 3-pt performance? Sasha “quick-release” what??