Doc outcoached Phil in the 4th tonight

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

Doc pulled all the right strings in the fourth. Kept the bench in the game when they were providing energy, getting buckets, building the lead, doing all the things they had to do.

Phil kept on playing Odom when he was killing The Lakers, giving up rebounds, getting burned by Baby Chief (that spin movie gets that nickname) all over the court. Mbenga and Walton right there on the bench would have given better effort, rebounding, smarts.

Doc called a couple timeouts at the right time. Phil, as his is apt, refused to call timeouts when The C's went on runs, waiting way too long.

Doc pulled KG back from going back in the game when he knew we had to keep it going with the bench (and KG respects Doc to have team first). Phil never even made the effort to sub.

Doc was willing to adjust. Phil wasn't. That made a huge difference in the 4th quarter and won us the game.

[Roy Hobbs]

Doc's decision to stick with the bench was brilliant.  I think we sometimes have a tendency to go away from our "hot hand" at times, but not tonight. 

[Who]

I don't think there was anything that Phil could or should have done differently.

Maybe go with Josh Powell for two minutes against BBD to give Odom a breather ... but I doubt that makes a substantial difference.

The loss of Andrew Bynum was a huge blow that limited Phil's options considerably. He is the guy that gave LA the dimension they lacked in the second half + they lack depth outside of their top six guys so when one goes, they don't have many useful options, especially not for one of the Bynum/Gasol/Kobe troika.

[misha]

Doc's decision to stick with the bench was brilliant.  I think we sometimes have a tendency to go away from our "hot hand" at times, but not tonight. 

+ 100 Not every coach would do that. Reminded me what Alvin Gentry did in game 4 in WCF.

[Fafnir]

I don't think there was anything that Phil could or should have done differently.

Maybe go with Josh Powell for two minutes against BBD to give Odom a breather ... but I doubt that makes a substantial difference.

The loss of Andrew Bynum was a huge blow that limited Phil's options considerably. He is the guy that gave LA the dimension they lacked in the second half + they lack depth outside of their top six guys so when one goes, they don't have many useful options, especially not for one of the Bynum/Gasol/Kobe troika.

If Bynum can't give them 24-28 good minutes the Lakers are in serious trouble.

They'll have to play Mbenga, Walton, or slide Ron Ron to the 4.

[bobdelt]

PJ went for the kill. He skipped Kobe's and Gasol's break because he thought they'd kill our bench. But we kicked ass instead leaving them tired.

The crowd was huge, lakers got tired. Bynum out allowed big baby to pound Odom.

If Bynum is out the rest of the series we bring this home trophy home.... YEAH!!!!!!

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

I don't think there was anything that Phil could or should have done differently.

Maybe go with Josh Powell for two minutes against BBD to give Odom a breather ... but I doubt that makes a substantial difference.

The loss of Andrew Bynum was a huge blow that limited Phil's options considerably. He is the guy that gave LA the dimension they lacked in the second half + they lack depth outside of their top six guys so when one goes, they don't have many useful options, especially not for one of the Bynum/Gasol/Kobe troika.

To a degree...Odom was killing them tonight. Didn't rebound, didn't play D. Walton would have been better at that point. Mbenga, someone. I agree, without Bynum available it limits what he can do but I thought his refusal to make a change really hurt The Lakers. And, as I said, I know he likes to let his players play but there were a few times when our bench was rolling that he really should have called a timeout, kill the momentum, adjust his defense, get on Odom for not rebounding and not playing the defensive scheme.

[Who]

I don't think there was anything that Phil could or should have done differently.

Maybe go with Josh Powell for two minutes against BBD to give Odom a breather ... but I doubt that makes a substantial difference.

The loss of Andrew Bynum was a huge blow that limited Phil's options considerably. He is the guy that gave LA the dimension they lacked in the second half + they lack depth outside of their top six guys so when one goes, they don't have many useful options, especially not for one of the Bynum/Gasol/Kobe troika.

If Bynum can't give them 24-28 good minutes the Lakers are in serious trouble.

They'll have to play Mbenga, Walton, or slide Ron Ron to the 4.

I think they need 20 minutes of solid play from Bynum to have a shot at winning a game against the Celtics.

About 25 minutes of good play to be on an even scale with the Celtics

And high 20s to low thirties of good-to-very good play to have an advantage versus the Celtics.

[Edgar]

doc didnt outcoach noone

Bynum outteamed la.

[twinbree]

I so badly want Doc to start a winning finals streak against this phony zen master.

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

doc didnt outcoach noone

Bynum outteamed la.

And facing that trouble Phil didn't adapt.

Doc did a good job keeping the bench in.

For all the flack he gets at times I think this game is a time to give Doc some love.

[bobdelt]

I don't think there was anything that Phil could or should have done differently.

Maybe go with Josh Powell for two minutes against BBD to give Odom a breather ... but I doubt that makes a substantial difference.

The loss of Andrew Bynum was a huge blow that limited Phil's options considerably. He is the guy that gave LA the dimension they lacked in the second half + they lack depth outside of their top six guys so when one goes, they don't have many useful options, especially not for one of the Bynum/Gasol/Kobe troika.

He could have used some time outs to kill momentum. Didn't do it. He didnt give guys their normal rest. Kobe sits the exact same times every game, except tonight.

Also, the triangle works great during the course of a season and during the game, but there are times, at the end of a Finals game, when you need a set play to get Kobe the ball, and they didnt do it.

PJ made plenty of mistakes

[tenn_smoothie]

some guys i just hate as players or coaches - some i hate personally ............

like phil "smug-arrogant-condescending-rude-i'm above all of you" jackson who just flat refused to answer a simple question about the lakers defense in the post game press conference.

what a total azzzzzzzzz.

[RJ87]

doc didnt outcoach noone

Bynum outteamed la.

*Pretentious English major alert*
so by using a double negative, you really mean "Doc Outcoached everyone"??

[Who]

Luke Walton would not have been a better option. He is an inferior defender and an inferior rebounder relative to Odom and an even worse matchup versus for a strong physical beast like Glen Davis. Luke Walton is an adequate matchup against limited perimeter orientated power forwards but he should never be pitted against a physical big like Davis.

DJ Mbenga isn't even an NBA caliber player. That is like Boston putting Patrick O'Bryant in the fourth quarter of a Finals game and expecting him to be a difference maker. Mbenga is a liability defensively + offensively + is a subpar rebounder. If the Lakers want to get Mbenga some minutes, the best way is to use him against Perkins because that is the matchup that he'll do best with (limited responsibilities defensively and allowed to stay around the rim defensively = won't hurt you as much as he will against others).

The Lakers best matchup on their bench (out of their low level backup bigs) against Glen Davis is Josh Powell. He is not  as strong as Davis but he's a high energy player who can play solid physical basketball defensively + on the backboards + and is quick enough to cover BBD's jumper.

Never liked Ron Artest as a power forward. He regularly hurts his teams whenever he has played the position in the past ... but he would be a decent option here too. His lack of rebounding relative to the position/opponent is the major problem, that's what has killed his team in the past when he's played the four spot.