Get Some Rest

After watching game four, it seems to me that this series is now going to go seven games. I don’t see the Lakers losing another home game, but I don’t see the Nuggets losing game six in Denver, either.

These teams are even—in almost every sense of the word. But despite what we saw in game four, the Lakers are more talented, have home court, and have Kobe. That should be enough to move on, but there’s a classic "what if" here.

What if the Lakers two stars, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, are really as tired as they look? Think about what life has been like since the Lakers made it to the NBA Finals last year. Both Kobe and Pau went straight to their National teams, both of which made it to the gold medal round. Then both guys went straight back to training camp, and now find themselves in a grueling playoff series (which is coming after a seven game series with Houston).

Kobe was so tired in game four, Phil Jackson took him out at the start of the fourth (I think he had to), and then didn’t put him back in for six minutes. Kobe said after game three that it was the most fatigued he had ever been after a game, and that he couldn’t feel his legs. Gasol has been so tired in this series that he has missed back-to-back free throws in the fourth quarter—twice. He is averaging 40+ minutes a game for the Denver series.

If you need more evidence, take a look at the rebounds from game four: Denver 58, and the Lakers 40. Rebounding is almost always based on effort, energy, and hustle—and the Lakers are normally a great rebounding team.

The only way to solve this problem is for the bench to play better, and give both guys some much needed rest during the remaining games. This won’t be easy. Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic looked lost in Denver, and both Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar have struggled too. The series format—which calls for games every other day—doesn’t help either.

So it’s time to answer the bell. Guys who haven’t been playing are going to need to start. And the guys who have been playing should get as much rest as they can between games. I think the Lakers are in control, but like a boxer ahead on points late in a fight, it’s time to stick and move.

Comments

[rob]

A 7 game series is not waht the lakers need, if they win this series then have to play Orlando instead of Cleveland and are as tired as you say how will they contain Dwight Howard and all those shooters?

[Steve]

Hey John,
Great work as usual!

I would come out stronger with this line up:
Kobe, Jordan, Lamar, Drew & Pau - give the Nuggets hell for the firsy 5-7 minutes, then sit Jordan & Lamar or Drew & bring Trevor & Derek in, then they can still have Lamar, Drew & Jordan off the bench.

[Mohammed]

I hate to be the one saying I told you so but J.R. Smith got the game I was looking for. I think he is good for one game and that should be it. The Lakers should feel good the rest of the series. They took all Denver had to give to so far and the series is at 2-2. The Nuggets, especially Jones, Martin and J.R. went a little overboard but this is playoff basketball. Lakers need to toughen it up. By the way, the worst play so far in the playoffs is still the Rafer Alston slap on Eddie House's head.

[Jammer]

Everybody are saying the Lakers have the better talent. Talent alone is not going to help them win the Western Finals or beyond. Need to mix in some intensity, hustle and aggressiveness. Our biggies don't have it and the Nuggets do have it. Houston and Denver do not have the same talent as the Lakers, but they give the Lakers fits with their intensity. Maybe as a team the Lakers are over rated. Fisher, Lamar, Sasha, Walton have disappeared. And Phil is playing with Bynum's head.
Time to give Farmar, Brown and Powell more playing time. They are not the most taleted but they hustle and they are tough.
Phil has the players punching a time clock. Each player has a script. They have a time slot when they go in and they have a certain amount of minutes. Would JR Roberts score 24 pts under Phil's substitution system? When is the last time anybody on the Bench Mob score 24 pts?

Go Lakers!

[John Albert Rudoff]

Ref: Nicole

Take 3: I hope that you have settled your dispute with your fiancee'.
As for Leslie at prestige.com:

This is John from Venice, and I was once known as Joh from Bel-Air where I won a September 1992 Huge call of the day t-shirt from farmboy funwear, some night show that been moved to the afternoon on the border radio sporrts station, XTRA.

Now it is 2009. In between many interesting events have happened. I was 27 then, and on 17 June 2009, I'll be 44. I would love to hear your story sometime Leslie, you know where I klive at 611 Brooks Ave. in Venice, or as we call it, the 90291. Meanwhile, I've got two blank tapes, and time. Suggestions. . .

John Albert Rudoff
567-59-1796
C1753959 exp. 2010
Medicinal Marijuana Liscence expires 21 June 2009.

[Balu]

Come on john, of all the people in the world,at least you should know whats going on out there. NBA is taking the lakers to the seventh game and then on to the finals, so they can make money. Whoever watches the games, I mean people like you John and dont see whats going on, I totally believe are on NBA's payroll.

[Peter kruse]

John in sd steve in la Just wishin we can meet Cleveland now the magic scares me abit. Ps thanks for the wclassic tics Viking pete

[Cheap Air Jordans]

What a great blog! It's a pity that i can't find your rrs address. If you can offer rrs subscription service, i can track your blog easier!