The L.A. Lake Show

Ron Ron's New Jersey

2009-07-03T00:06:00.000-07:00

Everyone go out and get one.

The Off-Season

2009-07-02T00:40:00.000-07:00

Well, looking back at an amazing 08-09 season, I'm left in a state of euphoria and with one thing on my mind...

We need to keep this team together!

That means paying lamar, trevor, and shannon whatever it takes to ensure we have the same, fully-loaded roster next season. The Lakeshow was very fortunate in being able to withstand early season injuries to Vujacic, Farmar, and Bynum and although none of these players were able to reach the level they had been playing at prior to their injuries, they all made some contribution, especially Bynum, in the playoffs.

If healthy next year, I fully expect these guys to return to form and play at a level were accustomed to seeing. As laker fans we pray that Sasha will hit his open looks, Farmar will be creative on offense, and Bynum will get back his legs and explosion.

Looking into the off-season, even though every team seems to be improving, I feel that the lakers are best suited to improve internally rather than by adding a piece or two (which wont happen since were way over the cap to begin with). As long as our young players continue to improve well have a great shot at repeating.

The off-season just started and I'm already pumped up for next year. I hope whoever is reading this will follow me and J.A. Corral as we hopefully offer some input and a little humor throughout the off-season, pre-season, season, playoffs, and hopefully finals as the lakers seek to win their 16th title. Come join the ride!

THE FINALS

2008-05-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

No Foul

2008-05-28T01:03:00.001-07:00

Game 4 was too intense man, I almost couldn't watch it.

Final two seconds...

The Lakers were getting bad calls all game. The Spurs got 26 free throws compared to the Lakers' 19. Brent Barry was not in the act of shooting when Fish fouled him. An "on the floor" foul would have drawn two free throws, not three. The refs would never call a foul that late in the game. The Lakers' aggressiveness, tough-D, and luck helped them pull out a victory. They played hard all game and deserved to win. I'm looking foward to my man Koudsi's analysis of this series, so hopefully the Lake Show can close it out in Game 5.

Peace.

WHAT A GAME!

2008-05-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

The Lakers came to play tonight. They were aggressive, attacked the glass, attacked the rim, and attacked the Spurs. WE wanted this game more it seems and we took it. Unfortunately we missed some free throws (Pau). Kobe made a play where he rushed down the court looking to score a quick bucket and missed. I think that fisher did foul Barry, but that isn't going to be called at the end of the game. On top of that, the Lakers were sometimes unfairly refereed themselves, so i think things tend to even. Ill be back with more on the breakdown of the series, hopefully after game 5.

idiots and kobe bryant

2008-05-25T01:46:00.000-07:00

WCF: Game 1

2008-05-22T01:27:00.001-07:00

Intensity.....Integrity....Intelligence

Me Gasol. Me play basketball.

Reflections On The Jazz Series And More

2008-05-19T02:19:00.000-07:00

Boy oh boy the Lake Show has really been playing well and clicking on all cylinders. That was a tough Jazz team that i really thought was going to give us more trouble. The next round is going to be extremely difficult, but i think we can pull through and advance to the finals no matter who we play. First things first, lets get to what stood out in my opinion during the series:

Laker Defense: Although at times throughout the series it seemed to be terrible, overall it was pretty good. Everytime the jazz got the ball inside they were hounded and we forced them to miss many close shots. Also, we forced them into a lot of mistakes, especially in game 5, which led us into the break.

Laker Passing: I think we passed the ball extremely well throughout the series. It almost seemed like every shot we took was either a layup or a 3, and thats a good thing, and its also a reflection of our penetration and passing.

Reliance on Kobe: I really felt that at the end of games we relied on Kobe a little too much. I think thats what allowed the Jazz to get back in game 6 and really give us a scare. The Lakers are at their best when the ball is moving and the triangle is flowing, and as great as Kobe is, in crunch time we just have to play the way we play throughout the game with solid ball and player movement.
More to come later on. Leave some comments and tell us who you would want the lakers to face in the west finals!

Game 3

2008-05-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

LAKERS-JAZZ GAME 2 BREAKDOWN (LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK)

2008-05-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

It was almost a carbon copy of game 1. The Lakers jump out to a big lead, the Jazz come back, then the Lakers regain control. Another similarity was the Jazz's huge offensive rebounding edge which right now, is the only thing keeping them from getting blown out by 30.

This game was a perfect example of how the Jazz just simply cant guard the Lakers. Their offense is running on all cylinders and it doesn't look like its taking them much effort o get the shots they want.

Defensively, they can do a little better by not letting the ball get so close to the basket. In the second half especially, the Lakers allowed Williams to penetrate by driving or passing the ball and getting his teammates good looks.

The key to beating the Jazz is forcing them to take jumpers becuase the farther away you keep them from the basket, the more they choose to settle and play out of their offense. The Lakers have done a great job of this the past two games. The Jazz's poor shot selection is what's allowing the Lakers to get into transition and really hurt the Jazz by getting quick layups or drawing fouls. Could you imagine how many transition buckets the Lakers would have had if they were able to get a few more rebounds??

The Lakers shooting has been impeccable mainly because they're taking lay-ups or wide open threes. Their ball movement and player movement has been superb and its leading to the easy looks they get. They aren't settling and their patience is really paying off.

Hopefully they can continue this play (minus the rebounds) heading into the SLC. I think if the Lakers continue to force the Jazz into bad looks and move the ball the way they have been, the series should be short.

SHOWTIME

2008-05-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Watching game 2 last night, I thought to myself, wow, every game that the Los Angeles Lakers play is exciting as hell. Right, here, and now, on The LA Lake Show Blog, I am declaring that Showtime is back in Los Angeles. When I see the current squad I am reminded of the great showtime players from the 80's... that I have seen through youtube videos. Magic, Kareem, Big Game James, Byron Scott (wit da jump shot), Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper, The Thompsons, A.C. Green. There is so much history in this team and city. I am and will always be proud to be a Laker fan. I love the Los Angeles Lakers. I love the players. I love the jerseys. I love Jack. I love the Staples Center. I love Joel Meyers and Stu Lantz. I miss Chick Hearn. I love the people who hate the Lakers. I love the fans. I love that we all come together and root for our team, our city. I love Los Angeles.

2008-05-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Kobe.

WHAT STATS EXPERTS SAY ABOUT THE LAKERS-JAZZ SERIES

2008-05-06T22:35:00.001-07:00

There is a little competition goin on at espn between stat geeks and what their numbers say about who will win each series. So far their predictions have been fairly accurate. To see who they picked in the only series we care about (and the others) go here: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?page=Smackdown08
You'll find that stats really do tell us what teams are better and more efficient on both offense and defense. Im not a big stat guy when ranking players, but teams on the other hand can be accurately judged by statistics.

MVP MVP MVP!

2008-05-06T22:32:00.000-07:00

THE KOBSTER FINALLY GETS WHAT HAS ALLUDED HIM FOR THE PAST 12 years.
WE ALL KNEW IT WAS COMING. ITS JUST NICE TO ACTUALLY SEE IT HAPPEN.
HERE'S A LINK TO THE STORY : http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3384468
KOBE BABAY

TO EASE SOME OF THE PLAYOFF TENSION

2008-05-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Do you love Neil Diamond and warm fleece blankets? VladRad does. And doesn't everyone want to be like Vlade? If only he would do a commercial for the Lakers promoting his new instructional video: "So You Want to Snowboard?" (with Vladamir Radmanovic).

LAKERS-JAZZ BREAKDOWN: GAME 1

2008-05-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

That was a close one there. The Lake Show has really got to clean up on the glass. Granted they were playing hard D and contesting every shot - which makes it harder to rebound, but all the guys, especially Pau, have to step up and grab those boards!

The game really came down to defense. Much like the Denver series, at least in the first half, the Lakers were getting a lot of layups off nice feeds and on the fast break. They played great Defense throughout the game.

The difference between the first and second halves though was the Jazz offense. They were turning the ball over at a high rate which allowed the Lakers to get out on the break and get out to a big lead. The game got closer as the Jazz became more focused on keeping the ball. This became a huge advantage for them because it allowed them to get shots up, and it didn't really matter that they missed because Okur and Boozer were there to grab the rebounds. That's why they were able to keep it so close.

But the fact is, the Jazz had real trouble stopping the Lakers efficient offense and every possession seemed to end in a layup or a free throw the Lake Show. The Jazz on the other hand, even though they got too many layups for PhilJax's liking, were mainly forced to take contested jumpers which is why they shot only 39%.

With all the shots they had you would think that they should win the game, but the shots they took were just so much more difficult than the ones the Lakers took, and they didnt get to the line nearly as much. Hopefully the Lakers can continue to attack the basket as they did and Kobe can continue to dominate the game with and without the ball like he has done all season.

If the Lakers work to improve their rebounding, which i knew from the denver series was their biggest weakness- you can check John Hollinger's Team Stats and notice that the Laker Rank last - by a big margin- of all the teams left in the playoffs in Rebound Rate - and they bring the same energy and intensity that they did on the defensive endthen they should have a great chance in winning this series in a timely manner.

THE BANGER BROS.

2008-05-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Banger Bros consist of Ronny Turiaf and DJ Mbenga. This nickname was given to them by The L.A. Lake Show because they bang the shit out of the glass and bang the shit out of mad bitches. It's a shame we didn't get to see The B. Bros in the Denver series. DJ played some solid minutes in games 2 and 3 while Ronny almost died. Since the addition of DJ Mbenga to the Lakers he has contributed in many ways. First of all, he gives the Lakers a fierce inside presence. Second, he helps Lamar, Pau, and Ronny out with the rebounds and most importantly; he gives Coby Karl someone to talk too. Ronny and DJ are not to be messed with. They will hunt you down and beat you to death. They will take your dignity and smash it to pieces. They will smother you with their accents until you cant take anymore. They are THE BANGER BROS.

Don't deny them at villa either or they will walk away calmly.

LAKERS-JAZZ SERIES PREVIEW

2008-05-04T01:03:00.000-07:00

Round 2 is finally here and this is gonna be a tough challenge for the Lake Show. If we expect to win this series its gonna take a huge defensive effort because Utah has so many weapons who play unselfishly. They are like the Anti-Nuggets - they move the ball, set screens off the ball, finish with easy layups, and work hard on defense.

They also match up fairly well against the Lakers, having length at each position. I really think this series is going to come down to who plays the better defense, because both teams have an easy time scoring. Both teams are gonna play their guts out. So even though they are both used to getting layups, don't expect them to come easily.

Gasol will be more of a centerpiece in this series because the jazz don't have a great defensive big to guard him. Camby did a great job on Pau last series in 1 on 1 situations, i don't think the Jazz can contain him the way Denver did.

D-will has always been really tough for the Lakers to handle, expect him to have a big series. I really think its gonna come down to Boozer. If he gets hot and starts hitting that fade-away mid range jumper, then the lakers are in trouble.

I think if the Lakers come out and play tough D though, they'll have a really good chance of winning because their offense is just so efficient. Its hard to predict how many games this series will go, but i think the Jazz are gonna give the Lakers a run for their money. If i need to pick though, I would have to say Lakers in 6 maybe 7 because Utah is such a tough place to win in.

GRADES FOR ROUND 1 (starters)

2008-05-04T00:38:00.000-07:00

Derek: B
solid series overall. really stepped up in the third quarter of game 4 to put the series away. The guy's leadership and quality play has really rubbed off on this team. He did a good job of stopping Iverson's penetration throughout the series and forced him to make jump shots.

Kobe: A
He carried us in game 2 and the 4th quarter of game 4. Denver had no answer to his total offensive repertoire he put on display, shooting 50% from the field and really getting his teammates involved. He started the series off slowly, with a lackluster performance in game 1, but really showed why hes the MVP in the next 3 games and completely took over the series.

VladRad: C+
Offensively he was almost a non factor throughout the first 3 games, with the exception of a nice pass or two to Gasol. He really disappointed in his three point shooting, but its hard to blame him because he was working so hard defensively on Carmelo Anthony, and although he could have done better, did a relatively good job forcing him to hit contested shots whether from the outside or in the paint.

Lamar: B
The guy is a flat-out stud. He can do anything on the court, and do it well. His play in game 1 was phenominal, as he completely dominated the denver defense. He and Pau have really developed a nice two man slashing game with each other with both being excellent passers and finishers. He was in foul trouble for all of game 2, but continued to play terrifically, especially on the boards and on defense throughout the rest of the series.

Pau: A-
As much I loved Pau's performance in the series (especially game 1), I'm grading him harshly here with an A- because i feel had some trouble scoring on Camby 1 on 1. It seemed like every time he tried to go at him the ball was knocked loose from his hands or he got blocked. That doesn't take anything away from the fact that he averaged 22 points on the nuggets and finished everything around the basket. I just wish he would have been more aggressive with Camby and tried to take him more often.

Get Well, Ronny.

2008-04-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

Ronny came down with a case of tonsilitis and missed most of the Denver series. Thankfully, The Lake Show still swept. Imagine if we had his blocks, his energy, and his braids/beard on the court. It would be the biggest embarssment in all of NBA history. At least we'll see Ronny in action during the semi-finals. I'm looking foward to more Ronnyisms like this...

BEAT DAT DRUM SON
JCORRAL

BREAKING DOWN ROUND 1

2008-04-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

MAN, What a series for the lake show. We know that the Nuggets seemed to self implode really from game one of the series, but lets just see how and why it happened.

1. LAKER DEFENSE
The Lakers played great half-court defense throughout the series, stifling Denver's 1 on 1 attack by funneling Iverson and Anthony into the bigs, or by forcing them to take outside shots after dribbling the ball for an eternity. The fact is, the Nuggets just weren't sharing the ball and as a result became one dimensional. How can you expect guys like Carter, Camby, and Martin to be effective if they're never seeing the ball? The frustration of not being able to easily score against the Lakers in the halfcourt really took its toll on AI and Carmelo, and caused them to lose their cool.

2. LAKER OFFENSE
As they say everywhere across the globe, the best defense is a good offense. This was very noticeable in this series, as Denver played terrible one on one oriented offense while the Lakers picked apart the nugget "defense"- and they're lucky if it can be called that- with unbelievable passing and unselfish team play. The adage also rings true in a different sense. Everybody knows that the Nuggets love to score in transition, whether its a fast break, or a quick change of possession that leads to mismatches for deadly scorers like AI and Carmelo. The best way to defend against a team who loves to score off transition baskets, is to take and make good shots near the basket that don't create long rebound advantages for the opposition. Also, the Lakers didn't concern themselves with attacking the offensive glass, instead opting to run back and make sure Denver had no easy transition opportunities. The Lakers stuck to this game plan for the most part and that's why they were successful in their sweep.