NBA BeatDown FastBreak 05.09.08: Orlando, Lakers, Spurs, Celtics All Win At Home
Posted by BL Anderson on 05.09.2008
Kobe > LeBron. If you don't like it, write your congressman.
NBA BeatDown FastBreak 05.09.08
Hello everyone I'm BL Anderson and this is the BeatDown FastBreak, where we'll cover the playoff action from 05.07 and 05.08, where every home team won the games that they were supposed to win. Also in this one, we'll look at why LeBron is now LeCrybaby, and why the Spurs CAN come back! YES THEY CAN!
BL's Take: There were two major storylines to this game:
The first was that Chauncey Billups went down in the first quarter, and is questionable for game 4. Without Billups, the Pistons could not run their offense efficiently, and therefore they faltered and got blown out. Orlando would have won this game anyways, but Billups could have potentially kept the game a little closer.
The second story is Rashard Lewis, who has been inconsistent for the duration of the playoffs until tonight, where he lit Detroit up from inside the 3-pt line and beyond the arch. Lewis is a difficult match-up for most power forwards because of the way that he stretches the defense. Lewis is 6-10, and can post you, take you to the basket, and obviously can knock down the long ball. This is difficult for most PF's in the NBA to defend, as typically the ideal PF is a strong, post defender or post up/rebound guy. So Lewis is a versatile threat, similar to Dirk Nowitzki in the amount of shots that he can hit from long range.
Even if Chauncey Billups DOES play in game 4, what will his effectiveness be with that injury? Furthermore, I expect Orlando to tie the series at two apiece, whether Billups is healthy or not.
BL's Take: On the night that Kobe Bryant is presented with the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player award, he meets his playoff average in PPG, and shows the world why he's the best there is that plays this game. The Jazz are a tough team, but the fluidity of the Lakers offense is too much for the Jazz stingy defense to even handle. Lamar Odom was also a big-time factor with 19 points and 16 rebounds to go with 2 blocks on 7-10 shooting. You have got to respect the Lakers, and their ability to find open shots, and Kobe's ability to dominate the flow of a game, and that is why is the MVP. Some people have come out and said that he is being rewarded for his entire body of work, but when you just look at the impact that Kobe has had this year, and not just on the PER or the stat sheet, but in wins and losses for the Lakers, that is where you will get the real story: I have been saying this to myself and some of my coworkers all swason, but Kobe is the best player on the planet right now, barring none, and is comparible in my ernest opinion, to Michael Jordan in his prime. The Lakers are going to the Western Conference Finals.
The Jazz are a great team; they play good defense, and have lots of good role players that play their game effectively. Carlos Boozer MUST play more than 24 minutes in game 3 if the Jazz hope to take that one. Otherwise, we may be looking at another sweep for the Lakers, who turned Denver out big time, and now have their sights set on a much tougher and more well-rounded Jazz squad.
BL's Take: LeBron had a better game than he did in game 1, obviously it wasn't enough to overcome the all-for-one and one-for-all Boston Celtics in this contest. The thing that is bothering me the most about LeBron's performance this series is that he is just jacking stuff up, just settling for jumpers, and is whining an inordinate amount to the officials. A little whining is understandable, but it's just about every other play he tries to convince one of the stripes that he got fouled; maybe he is upset because he isn't getting the superstar treatment; whatever the case, he needs to do what he did in the Wizards series, suck it up, and take care of business. There is just one small problem with that: he can't. Because the Wizards big three PALES in comparison to this big three. As stated before, the Cavs don't have a chance against the Celtics. As a matter of factly, if it wasn't for Big Z stepping up and doing what he does best (hit midrange J's), the Cavs would be getting blown the hell out instead of playing these close games. Again, I'm not hating on the LeBron, who is the most athletic player in the world today, but he just needs to do what he does if he hopes not to get swept. The Hawks match-up was much tougher than the Cavaliers match-up, and that is being proven.
I do think that LeBron will play better in Cleveland; but this goes back to the MVP debate: LeBron is succumbing to the pressure of playing a team worthy of the name ‘Celtics', instead of attempting to perform the way that got him to the dance in the first place. Kobe > LeBron, and no one could convince me otherwise at this point. Let the hateful comments from upset Cleveland fans…commence!
BL's Take: The Spurs made a couple of adjustments in this one to start out, starting Manu Ginobili in place of Michael Finley, and Kurt Thomas in place of Fabricio Oberto, and it paid off, especially in the case of Ginobili,, who dominated this game along with his backcourt mate. This was a tale of 3 guards who were dominating the shit out of the game, and when it came right down to it, the Spurs prevailed on their home floor, just like they are supposed to.
Duncan had a double-double, as did David West for the Hornets, but West was more of a factor offensively. Peja Stojakovic was NOT a factor for the Hornets (2-7 FG) and that hurt the Hornets badly. Chris Paul is amazing as a point guard, but it goes back to the old adage that no one player can get the job done in the playoffs; your supporting cast has to be there, and in the case of the Hornets for this game, with the exception of David West, they just weren't.
Listen...I am looking for qualified readers to be in the BeatDown Q & A. And I'll do it with anybody who is 1) a die-hard fan of the NBA and 2) a regular column reader. You can email me at the link below. Get in touch! Be a part of the column! It'll be great!
That's all for me. I'll be back in a couple of days with another BeatDown FastBreak.
