Denver-Los Angeles: Western Conference Finals

A few thoughts on Game 2:

#1) Phil Jackson got completely outcoached. I don’t understand why teams who have the ability to exploit a size advantage decide to allow other coaches to dictate. At one point, Denver had a lineup of Chauncey-JR Smith-Melo-Kleiza-Anderson. The Lakers should have countered with a lineup of PG (whoever that is now, I don’t know) – Kobe – Ariza – Odom/Gasol- Bynum. I know Kleiza hit 4 3’s, but don’t you keep making him make 3’s. That Denver lineup could not defend the Lakers. It forces Denver to put Smith or Chauncey on Kobe (both of which he has had great success with) and forces Kleiza to defend someone in the paint… good luck. Bynum played some great interior d for the Lakers and was a force on the glass

#2) the Laker big men have no concept of how to defend a pick and roll. It’s unfathomable to me that year after year this burns the Lakers. Look, Pau, when your man screens the top of the key, you cheat. You hedge to the side of the screen and change the path of the recipient of the screen. You cannot let him dictate his first move after the screen. It’s unreal watching this. Get out in front, hedge and force him backwards or wide.

#3) Yes, the refs were horrible and in the end, the Lakers may have been on the short end of the stick of some calls, but whatever, they lost the game in the last 4 minutes of the 2nd quarter. They were up 53-41. The half ended with a score of 55-54. Pathetic. The Lakers were 4 minutes away from driving a stake through the hearts of the Nuggets. To outplay the Lakers in Game 1 and lose and then to be down 15 at halftime of Game 2… you may as well have simmed the last 24 minutes of the game, it would have been over. Instead, the Lakers allowed the Nuggets to come back & gain confidence and turn the series around.

#4) How was Kobe not even an option on the final play? I understand using him as a decoy… kind of, but at least try to get the ball to him. That was pathetic.

#5) HOW DOES TREVOR ARIZA SPEND THE FIRST 6 MINUTES OF THE 4th QUARTER ON THE BENCH WHILE LUKE WALTON PLAYS?!?!?!?!? This is unbelievable. Seriously. Walton can’t defend, was terrible on the offensive side of the ball and did I mention, he can’t defend. Meanwhile, Ariza was playing great and instead they just ignored him. Great job Phil. Remember when Doc Rivers took you to the woodshed in the Finals last year…. And Adelman last round? Well, if you lose to George Karl…