Are the Lakers the worst of the elite teams at holding leads

KOBEhastheMAGIC · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1585

? I think we are. I don't think I ever feel comfortable with a lead with this team. Up by 30 against NO I knew we would lose the elad and the game would be within 4 in the fourth quarter. It's an expectation. It's what this team does. It can never be easy. We had a 7 point lead with a few minutes remaining. Then poof...it's down to 1 with a minute remaining.

The last regular season game against Utah we were dominating all game. They never seemed to have a chance. Then boom, 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter....it's down to 6.

How many times have had double digit leads to start the fourth quarter disppaear? We were up 11 on the Cavs to end the 3rd then boom a few minutes into the fourth we are magically down by 5.

It's disgusting and frustrating that this team lacks a killer instinct. I mean look at tonight. We had just lost 2 in a row and were in jeopardy of being on the brink of elimination and this is the effort they put out?

We are clearly the superior team and we are only up 1 in the fourth quarter with a minute to go in danger of going down 2-3 in the series?

We had a chance to send a message to the Jazz, to crush their spirit on the way to an easy end to the series in game 6. And this is how we defend our home court? This is how we have to win a game? With luck?

Disgusting.
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KOBEhastheMAGIC · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1585

And you can bet that the Jazz now all the confidence in the world. They know they can win on their homecourt and they know that they can compete with us here in a game 7 and anything can happen.

Had we blown them out tonight like we were suppossed to this series would have been done.
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Kobe Byant has brought the Lakers three championships, 4 Finals in 5 years, carried an absolutely pathetic team to the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference twice and almost upset the so-called MVP, and has given us countless thrills and memories. If you are not a Kobe fan, then you are not a Laker fan, period.

Joe_Blow · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1822

First, forget the regular season... it's playoff time.

Second, have we even relinquished a lead yet in the playoffs? I suspect we've relinquished leads "less" than any other team in the playoffs.

Third, the Jazz aren't about to quit, especially after playing in a tough series against an opponent that never quit. These guys ain't chicken little, they're a good, tough club that doesn't quit.
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d33pzone · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 976

I think we did a good job of that in the Denver series, particularly game three. The difference is you have to kill teams now, and even if you try to kill a team, sometimes it doesn't work because they don't want to die.

Laker Walt · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 11

KOBEhastheMAGIC · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1585

Laker Walt · Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 11

KOBEhastheMAGIC · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1585

I expect us to dominate them at home in a pivotal game after dropping 2 in a row. We would be facing elimination if we had lost and we play this kind of game?

Turnovers, poor execution, no defense....up only 1 with a minute remaining.

Unacceptable from a number 1 seed and suppossed contender.
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Kobe Byant has brought the Lakers three championships, 4 Finals in 5 years, carried an absolutely pathetic team to the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference twice and almost upset the so-called MVP, and has given us countless thrills and memories. If you are not a Kobe fan, then you are not a Laker fan, period.

leftymo · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 4:15 am Post subject:

I don't know how you can say this.

(referring to the topic).

The worst at holding leads?

Celtics haven't won a game on the road, and they had double digit leads in some of them against a sub 500 playoff team!

Cleveland had a double digit lead yesterday in Boston.

LA has never trailed after the early going against the Jazz at home. That means they've never blown a lead.

It was Utah that blew its 10 point lead to go into Overtime...

San Antonio lost its lead in NO, oh pretty much every game in New Orleans...

So Worst? Uh, they might be in the top 1-2 at NOT blowing leads!!!

strikemode14 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:06 am Post subject:

the lakers are 7-2 in the playoffs..I think that's all that is needed to be said.

unlike the c's who can't even win a road game against atlanta.
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melo061 · Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 3100

Hopefully the Club Laker moderators also realize you are nothing but a troll masquerading as a laker fan.
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KOBEhastheMAGIC · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 1585

What does not being able tin on the road have to do with holding leads? The Celtics had one game where they lost a big lead late.

The Spurs never had a big lead in NO

Cleveland is no where near elite and Utah isn't elite either.

The Lakers are an elite team...at least i would like to think so...and yet our MO seems to be build big leads and then completely give up on good execution and defense and then simply survive the erst of the way.

I don't like it and it will come back to bite us soon.
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Kobe Byant has brought the Lakers three championships, 4 Finals in 5 years, carried an absolutely pathetic team to the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference twice and almost upset the so-called MVP, and has given us countless thrills and memories. If you are not a Kobe fan, then you are not a Laker fan, period.

John3:16 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:21 am Post subject:

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LAL818 · Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Posts: 1782

Wow OP...

That was one of the best Dee_J impressions I've seen in awhile.

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Joe_Blow · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 1822

Utah is a "better" team this year with the addition of Korver.

Utah had the "best" home record.

Utah had the "best" record, post all-star.

L.A. was 3 more games "elite" than Utah in the regular season.

L.A. is 1 more game "elite" than Utah in this series.

I can't believe anyone would believe we'd just blow out teams in rounds 2 & 3 given the uber-talent in the WC this year.

More important, "elite" teams don't blowout quality opponents again and again and again. That Laker squad that went 15-1 in the playoffs was not the rule, they were the exception... one of the best teams the league has seen.

Instead, "elite" teams find a way to consistently win TIGHT games. They come out on top, more often than not, in the tough fought battles.
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Darth Bynumite · Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 2156 Location: London, England

We are bad at holding leads because we play bad defense and turn the ball over alot. If he could cancel that out, we would never lose leads. I always find that when I real physical gut like Mbenga or Turiaf is on the floor, we go on a run. Since we don't have Bynum, they need to be used more for physicality.
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Azn Pinoy · Joined: 30 Jun 2007 Posts: 2092

We're also the best at coming back from deficits.

puffyusaf#2 · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject:

WOW...... I guess the Lakers are the worst at scoring too hell they did lose 2 games already this playoffs
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Mo Rings · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1188 Location: West Hills

A little secret for our less than knowledgeable folks. It is the playoffs. There is only one message to send. Win by at least 1 point.
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lakrp&g · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 42

for some reason, whenever we are up, we go on a series of turnover streaks.... also, sometimes we fall into one on one basketball where we just take a shot without getting any passing going. As i have said before, if you had to choose one thing to improve on

LIMIT TURNOVERS

OCHO

lunatic4jc · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 12:16 am Post subject:

well it's partly because phil goes to the bench for stretches whenever we have a big lead.. let's say we have a 15 point lead and phil goes to the bench for 5 minutes.. the opponent goes on a 6-0 run.. 9 point lead.. our starters come back in but they're not in rhythm and the lead continues to chip away..

and phil hardly calls a timeout.. he waits for the other team to go on a 10-0 run THEN he calls a timeout
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Senor Mortgage · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 473

The playoffs, like the regular season, is just a series of runs. The key to winning is to limit the opponents runs while taking advantage of the ones you get.

FabFourLakers · Joined: 26 Jul 2003 Posts: 8050 Location: Irvine, CA

your showing a lack of respect of our opponents...Jazz went to the WCF last year for a reason....and they were only 3 wins behind us this year so we're not leaps and bounds ahead of them...and last time i checked, we WON game 5....u make it seem like we lost! Jazz never blew us out in any of their home games, in fact, they barely scratched out wins against us.....THEY should be the ones worried because they have been unable to put us away in convincing fashion....

this is the playoffs man, games are gonna be tight...and if u were expecting a sweep or a quick series...ur dead wrong...Utah is coached by one of the greatest coaches of all time in Jerry Sloan....they have a very good system and an efficient offense, they will always be in the mix....not to mention they have the best home record in the LEAGUE...
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