|
LOS ANGELES LAKERS BLOG
|
| |
May 16th, 2012
Recap: LA Lakers-OKC Thunder (90-119)
Westbrook had 27 points and nine assists, while Durant added 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder blasted the tired Lakers 119-90 Monday night in the starting game of the Western Conference semifinals.
For the second time in less than a 7 days, Kobe and the LA Lakers must figure out how to fight back after a humbling loss. Oklahoma City shot 46 percent, ending their streak of hitting 50 percent or better in their four previous games.
They outscored the Lakers on second-chance points, had a 25-8 edge in fast-break points and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds. The Thunder led by 15 at the half and by 30 after three quarters.
Russell Westbrook added 27 points and Kevin Durant had 25 as host Oklahoma City trampled Los Angeles in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
James Harden scored 17 points off the bench for the Thunder, who showed no signs of rustiness from an eight-day layoff after sweeping the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
Westbrook added nine assists and seven rebounds and Durant grabbed eight boards before each took a seat for the fourth quarter.
Andrew Bynum had 20 points and 14 rebounds and Kobe Bryant scored 20 points to pace the Lakers, who were playing two days after closing out Denver and wilted after a fast start. Metta World Peace finished with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter.
The Thunder seized control in the final 3 1/2 minutes of the second quarter, getting five points from Westbrook in a 9-2 spurt to take a 59-44 lead into halftime.
The Lakers had erased an 18-point deficit to beat the Thunder at the end of the regular season, but Oklahoma City opened the second half with a 9-0 blitz to ensure there would be no comeback. Durant scored 8 points and the Thunder hit their first seven shots in the first four minutes of the third quarter to build the lead to 77-48.
The lead peaked at 35 points for the Thunder, who buried 12 of 17 shots in the quarter to turn it into a 98-68 rout entering the final 12 minutes. World Peace and Harden got twisted up in the fourth quarter fighting for a rebound, but then absolutely nothing came of it.
It is not so much that there is room for progress, due to the fact it would be a bit haughty to proclaim that a 29 point win does not feed the basketball soul entirely. What it does mean though is that when LA tries to adjust, the Thunder will have options to counter the Lakers’ new strategies. Oklahoma City is in the lead, and now LA have to chase. Game 2 will be played Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
The Lakers will face the Thunder at the Los Angeles Staples Center this weekend. Great Seats at Great Prices are still in stock!
Tags: Lakers Vs Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma Thunder
Posted in
Andrew Bynum, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Lakers Recap, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, Pau Gasol, Thunder Vs Lakers |
No Comments »
May 5th, 2012
Preview: L.A. Lakers At Denver
When: 10:30 PM ET, Friday, May 4, 2012
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
THE STORY: The Denver Nuggets are hoping a variety of factors – the home crowd and mile-high altitude chief among them – will turn the moment in their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Staring at a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series, Denver will need to push the pace to exploit Los Angeles’ age and negate the Lakers’ overwhelming size advantage. Avoiding playing catch-up would also help the Nuggets, who have never led in the series.
You can still purchase Nuggets Vs Lakers Tickets for tonight.
ABOUT THE LAKERS: Bryant was magnificent through three quarters on his way to a 38-point performance in Game 2, giving him 69 points in the series. With Bynum dominating the inside, Los Angeles has a 1-2 punch that the Nuggets have been unable to slow down, much less stop. Coming off his triple-double in Game 1, the 7-foot Bynum followed up with a career playoff-high 27 points Tuesday night. The behemoth center has had his way against Denver, averaging a shade under 25 points and 12 rebounds in four regular-season meetings.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Behind point guard Ty Lawson, Denver finally got its running game untracked and managed to chop a 19-point deficit to four late in the fourth quarter. But the Nuggets also trailed by 17 early in Game 1 and cannot afford to play from behind, particularly since they were among the league’s weakest 3-point shooting teams during the regular season. Shooting guard Arron Afflalo needs to get untracked. He averaged 18.7 points in the final month of the season, but has a combined 20 points on 7-of-23 shooting in the series.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Los Angeles is 42-1 when winning the first two games of a postseason series.
2. Denver is 0-5 all time against the Lakers in the playoffs.
3. Bryant struggled mightily in both regular-season meetings in Denver, shooting 13 of 51 overall and 2 of 12 from behind the arc.
PREDICTION: Lakers 103, Nuggets 100.
Tags: Nuggets Vs Lakers
Posted in
Lakers Preview, Nuggets Vs Lakers |
No Comments »
April 22nd, 2012
Preview: Oklahoma City At L.A. Lakers
When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, April 22, 2012
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
We still have Thunder Vs Lakers Tickets in hand for todays game.
THE STORY: With just a few games left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder are still fighting for position in the West. The Thunder sit one-half game behind the San Antonio Spurs for the top spot while the Lakers sit in third, one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers. Kobe Bryant’s return from a seven-game absence was not much help for Los Angeles on Friday in a lopsided loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (46-17): Oklahoma City is a game back of San Antonio in the loss column and sits on the wrong side of the tiebreaker, so the No. 1 seed is getting closer to a long shot with three games left. Sunday marks the final road contest for the Thunder, who own the best road record in the West at 21-11. Oklahoma City has enjoyed a relatively easy slate in April, with only two of its last eight games against teams that have clinched playoff berths. Of course, the Thunder dropped both of those contests to the Clippers. They have yet to lose to the Lakers this season, taking a 100-85 decision at Staples Center on Feb. 23 and winning at home, 102-93, on March 29.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (40-24): Los Angeles has missed two opportunities to help out the Thunder in the last week, dropping a 112-91 decision at home to San Antonio on Tuesday and falling at the Spurs, 121-97, on Friday. Bryant, who had sat out due to a left shin bruise, went 7 for 12 from the floor for 18 points in 29 minutes. “I’m back now,” Bryant told reporters after the game. “It took me a half. The second half it felt like I was back in a good rhythm.” In Bryant’s absence, Los Angeles had gotten strong play from Metta World Peace in addition to Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. World Peace is averaging 16.3 points over the last nine games, up from his season average of 7.6.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Thunder have won in each of their last two trips to Staples Center.
2. Bryant has averaged 24.9 points in 55 career games against the Oklahoma City franchise.
3. Kevin Durant is at the same 24.9 points in 16 career games against the Lakers.
We have Lakers Playoff Tickets for all Lakers matchups
Tags: Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma Thunder, Staples Center
Posted in
Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, STAPLES Center, Thunder Vs Lakers |
No Comments »
April 17th, 2012
Preview: San Antonio At L.A. Lakers
When: 10:30 PM ET, Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
Spurs Vs Lakers Tickets for tonights game are still available.
After getting smoked by the Lakers 98-84 on April 11 at home, the San Antonio Spurs get their chance at revenge Tuesday in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant didn’t play in last week’s meeting because of a sore left shin and is not expected to play again Tuesday. Bryant shot at the team’s practice facility but is expected to miss his sixth consecutive game. The Lakers are 4-1 without him. San Antonio got to rest several starters in breezing to a 120-99 victory over Golden State on Monday.
ABOUT THE SPURS (43-16): San Antonio is back atop the Western Conference by percentage points over the Oklahoma City Thunder (44-17), but coach Gregg Popovich reiterated he is concerned first about his team’s health not its playoff position. “Trying to win is part of it, trying to stay healthy is part of it,” Popovich said. “That’s got to be our main concern, not positioning.” Spurs Tim Duncan played only 12 minutes. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili sat almost the entire second half.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (39-22): The Lakers have shown wherewithal to win without their franchise player. They beat the Spurs last week as Andrew Bynum had 30 rebounds, becoming the fifth Laker overall and first since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1978 to grab that many. Metta World Peace scored 26 points. “We have to be really disciplined with our execution, understand how unselfish they play and how well they move the ball,” Pau Gasol said of the Spurs. Ramon Sessions is probable with a sprained shoulder.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The teams meet for the third and final time Friday in San Antonio.
2. San Antonio will complete three games in three nights Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings.
3. The Spurs haven’t lost to the Warriors since Jan. 7, 2008.
Tags: Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Spurs Vs Lakers, Staples Center
Posted in
Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, STAPLES Center, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Spurs Vs Lakers |
No Comments »
April 9th, 2012
Preview: L.A. Lakers At New Orleans
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, April 9, 2012
Where: New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana
You can still purchase Hornets Vs Lakers Tickets for tonight’s game.
THE STORY: Kobe Bryant’s value to the Los Angeles Lakers was never more evident than in Saturday’s loss at Phoenix. With the league’s leading scorer sitting out his first game of the season, the Lakers offered little resistance and were waxed by the Suns 125-105. Los Angeles, which holds a half-game lead over the Clippers atop the Pacific Division, may be without Bryant again as it seeks to avoid a third straight loss when it visits the New Orleans Hornets on Monday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, KCAL (Los Angeles), CST (New Orleans)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (35-22): Bryant had played in 138 consecutive games before a painful left shin injury forced him to the bench. He will be re-evaluated Monday, but team trainer Gary Vitti said rest is the only remedy. Pau Gasol scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Andrew Bynum added 23 and 18 boards against the Suns. It was the fifth double-double in six games for Gasol, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds in a come-from-behind win over New Orleans on March 31.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (15-41): New Orleans also leaned on its inside game in a 99-90 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. Forward Jason Smith scored a career-high 26 points and snared 10 rebounds while center Chris Kaman went for 21 points and 10 boards. Kaman missed the last matchup with the Lakers, but had 21 points and 12 rebounds in an overtime home loss to Los Angeles on March 14. Eric Gordon, who just returned from injury, has averaged 15.9 points in his career against the Lakers.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Lakers have won four straight against the Hornets, but had to rally from 17 and 10 points down in the two victories this season.
2. Hornets guard Jarrett Jack, averaging 15.6 points per game, has missed three straight games with a sprained foot.
3. The Lakers allowed a season-high point total against the Suns and their bench was outscored 58-10.
PREDICTION: Lakers 90, Hornets 88
You can get tickets for all 2012 Lakers playoff games at the staples center as well as all road games.
Tags: kobe bryant, Lakers Vs Hornets, Lakers Vs Hornets Preview, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Arena, New Orleans Hornets, Pau Gasol
Posted in
Hornets Vs Lakers, Lakers Preview, Lakers Tickets, New Orleans Hornets |
No Comments »
Recent Posts
|
|
| |
|
