KG Choked This Game Away

[crownsy]

Before we all crucify KG, remember what type of player he is. He's a guy who, from all accounts, has a very structured pre-game ritual.  His strength is his intensity and when you play 11 minutes in the first half I'm sure it throws him off his normal game ritual.

I'm sure he's kicking himself at this point but being a similar type person (very structured) I can completely understand how he was taken out of his game yesterday. That said, I'm sure he'll have a monster game back in Boston.  Go Celts!

KG has been saying since game 2 that he planned to play better.  Hasn't happened yet.   He plays decent in game 3, Celtics win, but he doesn't.  He plays well offensively in game 5, Celtics win, but he doesn't.   I wouldn't say he choked, but I am really starting to get worried if he doesn't step up in game 6.

decent in game three? he destroyed them defensivly on the block...and he scored 6 huge points in the paint in the late 4th...not sure what else he could have done that game.

[BballTim]

We lost because of:

- Rondo

- Foul trouble (KG, PJ, Ray, Pierce)

- Missed free-throws from Kevin

- Numerous easy lay-ups by little Farmar

- Steal by Bryant late in the game

I really think we need to get a better PG next year.  Too late for this year.  But there's no reason not to consider next year.  Rondo is a huge liability on the offense.  Like someone said earlier, it's like playing 4 against 5 on offense. 

Rondo has trade value.  Maybe we can package him off with one of our other role players to get a veteran PG who can hit the outside shot. 

  Aside from the fact that Rondo will be better next year, he was playing much better before he sprained his ankle. I don't pay too much attention to van Gundy or Jackson, but what were they saying about Rondo's shooting killing the Celts during game 2 when he was 1-4 with 16 assists?

[jbhdva]

Yes, I'll agree he should have made those FTs, but its real rare that he misses those, remember those clutch FTs he had in Boston vs. Detroit. Garnett was not there offensively because he was playing defense the entire game. Without Perk, it's his duty (or has taken upon himself) to guard both Gasol and Odom.  Gasol had his way with Garnett last night, because Garnett didn't want to foul out of the game and couldn't be physical with him. I've heard some people that Gasol played better than Garnett last night...that's true stats and number-wise. I still think Garnett had a pretty good solid game, but he has to make his FTs. There were some calls that didn't go our way, like the hammering of Pierce underneath the basket when he got the offensive board...that was just unbelievable and not to mention the hammering of P.J. Brown more than 5 times.

Honestly, I gave L.A. this game anyways and said I wouldn't be surprised if they won it, on their home floor...however; this was a desperation game for them and they still couldn't keep a gigantic lead on their home floor. What they did that really won them the game, I think was winning the 3rd Quarter, something they haven't done at all in this series.

We can whine about the non-calls and the alleged "crooked" steal by Kobe Bryant, but they still had a pretty good game but L.A.s scoring kept it out of reach. Frustrating, but not devastating.

Hopefully we'll see more Leon Powe and some Big Baby Davis who I think can handle Gasol, if he doesn't flop around like he usually does. I still think Gasol flopped on two or three calls that put Garnett in foul trouble.

Game 6 will be much better, I just feel it. Too bad I have to work late on Tuesdays and I won't get to see it. L.A. lack of keeping leads barely worked in L.A. but it will not work in Beantown!

ONE OTHER NOTE: Kudos to Sam Cassell for not only making some shots, but for throwing Sasha Vujacic on the floor to show him just how tough this team really is! I don't think that was a flop by Sasha but a toss-his-ass to the ground throw by Sam. He should have got a flagrant, but Sasha flops so much, it's like the "boy who cried wolf" thing. Thanks Sam. He showed them what to expect in Boston in Game 6.

[Kwhit10]

Yea was glad Sam threw Sasha on the floor, wasn't surprised Sasha tried milking the fall too.

[ScalPal]

KG missed a couple big FTs in game 6 agaisnt DET luckily they couldnt make big shots and then Pierce got the "bouncer" FT to go in.

KG is not clutch he's too hyped up and cant do things when he has to calm down and just knock down a shot.

KG missed a couple Rebs we had to have and missed a bunny tip in, he was right he was GARBAGE.

Go to Hack a Kevin down the stretch if you're the Lakers.

Oh and Doc play Powe more than 5 minutes he's a big body who plays very physical. And is slow like PJ, PJ plays hard but gets very slow after lots of minutes.

[TitleMaster]

He missed his help on defense.  (Perkins)

And that's a part of the whole point. KG, if not a great post-up scorer, is suppose to be a defensive presence in the middle. The only problem is that Perks is the true enforcer and doesn't back down on anyone but has 1/2 of KG's quickness and natural talent. The difference is that Perks makes up for it with his weight training and hard work.

And that's why I always bring up my dream team comparison, if it were Olajuwon and Pierce, instead of KG and Pierce, would Odom and Gasol have even had a game? I think not, inside-outside dominance by the Dream/Truth duo with an easy win provided the support of Posey, House, and Cassell.

[wdleehi]

He missed his help on defense.  (Perkins)

And that's a part of the whole point. KG, if not a great post-up scorer, is suppose to be a defensive presence in the middle. The only problem is that Perks is the true enforcer and doesn't back down on anyone but has 1/2 of KG's quickness and natural talent. The difference is that Perks makes up for it with his weight training and hard work.

And that's why I always bring up my dream team comparison, if it were Olajuwon and Pierce, instead of KG and Pierce, would Odom and Gasol have even had a game? I think not, inside-outside dominance by the Dream/Truth duo with an easy win provided the support of Posey, House, and Cassell.

Even Olajuwan can only guard one man.  he had help in the form of Thorpe and Horry. 

[CelticsPrideKG]

He missed his help on defense.  (Perkins)

And that's a part of the whole point. KG, if not a great post-up scorer, is suppose to be a defensive presence in the middle. The only problem is that Perks is the true enforcer and doesn't back down on anyone but has 1/2 of KG's quickness and natural talent. The difference is that Perks makes up for it with his weight training and hard work.

And that's why I always bring up my dream team comparison, if it were Olajuwon and Pierce, instead of KG and Pierce, would Odom and Gasol have even had a game? I think not, inside-outside dominance by the Dream/Truth duo with an easy win provided the support of Posey, House, and Cassell.

You can't be serious.  You're talking about 2 legitimate offensive weapons the Lakers have to go to on the inside - Garnett is still one man, he can only realistically guard one man and hope to help out on the second.  Asking him to defend both is asking for what happened last night - quick foul trouble (as much as I think there was only 1 real foul out of the first 3 called).

[TitleMaster]

Garnett is still one man, he can only realistically guard one man and hope to help out on the second.

Brown and Powe are also defenders. Realize, our other bigs are solid players. This isn't Mutumbo from the '02 series who was completely ineffective. Since Perks outworked everyone else, it made KG look like a greater defender than he actually was.

If you want to see a great defender, watch this clip where Olajuwon completely dominated Robinson and the Spurs...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sx5lSt4f4m0

[wdleehi]

Garnett is still one man, he can only realistically guard one man and hope to help out on the second.

Brown and Powe are also defenders. Realize, our other bigs are solid players. This isn't Mutumbo from the '02 series who was completely ineffective. Since Perks outworked everyone else, it made KG look like a greater defender than he actually was.

If you want to see a great defender, watch this clip where Olajuwon completely dominated Robinson and the Spurs...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sx5lSt4f4m0

Perk didn't defend both guys. 


But he did a great job (just like KG) making the guy he was on less effective, which combined, made the Lakers much more ineffective. 


Neither PJ nor Powe have matched up well defensively unless Perk and KG had done a good job at the start of the game. 

[hpantazo]

KG missed a couple big FTs in game 6 agaisnt DET luckily they couldnt make big shots and then Pierce got the "bouncer" FT to go in.

 

KG missed a couple Rebs we had to have and missed a bunny tip in, he was right he was GARBAGE.

Go to Hack a Kevin down the stretch if you're the Lakers.

Oh and Doc play Powe more than 5 minutes he's a big body who plays very physical. And is slow like PJ, PJ plays hard but gets very slow after lots of minutes.

they should listen to Tommy and tell KG some good jokes during crunch time to loosen him up

[Who]

He missed his help on defense.  (Perkins)

And that's a part of the whole point. KG, if not a great post-up scorer, is suppose to be a defensive presence in the middle. The only problem is that Perks is the true enforcer and doesn't back down on anyone but has 1/2 of KG's quickness and natural talent. The difference is that Perks makes up for it with his weight training and hard work.

And that's why I always bring up my dream team comparison, if it were Olajuwon and Pierce, instead of KG and Pierce, would Odom and Gasol have even had a game? I think not, inside-outside dominance by the Dream/Truth duo with an easy win provided the support of Posey, House, and Cassell.

Even Olajuwan can only guard one man.  he had help in the form of Thorpe and Horry. 

Olajuwon is a much better player defensively and offensively. This series would have ended in a sweep if KG was replaced with Olajuwon. Hakeem would have tore their interior defense apart.

As for KG .... he didn't have a good defensive game by his standards. Perk would have hidden that. Kevin plays better defense with Perk in but that's very simple, it's the same as it's always been with KG, he played his best defense in Minnesota when Ervin Johnson was in the game. KG likes having a big muscluar guy who'll protect the rim because it allows Kevin to go play help defense all over the court and use his length and quickness to it's greatest effect (Kevin's help defense is his best asset defensively). That's to key to Kevin's defense having a guy like that next to him. So it was always going to be more difficult for Kevin against LA. That said, I don't believe Perk's absence caused Kevin's below par defense (for him) as much as KG having a below par game caused his defensive effort (plus both Gasol and Odom attacked for the majority of the game, it's easy to look good when the other guys are passive). KG will come back in Game Six and have a larger defenesive impact on the game.

[TitleMaster]

This series would have ended in a sweep if KG was replaced with Olajuwon. Hakeem would have tore their interior defense apart.

Yes! Finally, an Olajuwon fan (or just speaking the truth)!

That's why I'd attached the youtube clip.

The truth is that Hakeem's primary perimeter defensive sidekick for the Rockets was Maxwell more than either Thorpe, Drexler, or Horry, though I have nothing against those fine players.

If we had Olajuwon instead place of KG, neither Ilgauskas, Wallace, Odom, or Gasol would have had much of a playoff series. Heck, HO gave McHale, Parish, Robinson, Ewing, and Shaq, all HOF big guys, a hard time, nevermind the aforementioned above-average big men.

It would effectively had made the series, Kobe/Fisher vs the Celtics, in other words, a four game sweep with 50-60 points per contest between HO-PP. I don't see a double team of Gasol and Odom being able to contain the Dream Shake since Mason-Ewing couldn't do it.

[Bankshot]

Garnett is still one man, he can only realistically guard one man and hope to help out on the second.

Brown and Powe are also defenders. Realize, our other bigs are solid players. This isn't Mutumbo from the '02 series who was completely ineffective. Since Perks outworked everyone else, it made KG look like a greater defender than he actually was.

If you want to see a great defender, watch this clip where Olajuwon completely dominated Robinson and the Spurs...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sx5lSt4f4m0

Perk didn't defend both guys. 


But he did a great job (just like KG) making the guy he was on less effective, which combined, made the Lakers much more ineffective. 


Neither PJ nor Powe have matched up well defensively unless Perk and KG had done a good job at the start of the game. 

Well if we no longer match up well defensively insdie, how the heck are we going to beat the Lakers now?   I'm getting really nervous now.

[wdleehi]

Garnett is still one man, he can only realistically guard one man and hope to help out on the second.

Brown and Powe are also defenders. Realize, our other bigs are solid players. This isn't Mutumbo from the '02 series who was completely ineffective. Since Perks outworked everyone else, it made KG look like a greater defender than he actually was.

If you want to see a great defender, watch this clip where Olajuwon completely dominated Robinson and the Spurs...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sx5lSt4f4m0

Perk didn't defend both guys. 


But he did a great job (just like KG) making the guy he was on less effective, which combined, made the Lakers much more ineffective. 


Neither PJ nor Powe have matched up well defensively unless Perk and KG had done a good job at the start of the game. 

Well if we no longer match up well defensively insdie, how the heck are we going to beat the Lakers now?   I'm getting really nervous now.

I think you have to put KG on Odom and take him out.  Let PJ do what he can against Gasol.  Keep up the work on Kobe. 



Let the energy of the crowd carry the guys through.