Sun. 5/8 - Lakers @ Mavs - Game 4 - Predictions & Comments

The start of the comeback.

Not gonna see this game. I have a great Mom and don't wanna take away from her day. Catch y'all here for game 5 tho.

I really hope I am wrong about this, but I sense a blowout in this game. Prove me wrong ladies and prove that you are champions.

My Internet went down again after Game 3. I'm blaming it on TWC though. LOL.

Yeah, this sucks, but it's not over until one of these teams wins four games. Whatever happens, I just want the Lakers to put up a fight, win or lose. Go Lakers, always and forever.

not going to torture myself for this one. I actually cannot because I gotta work on monday and the game is 3 a.m. where I live...I did it for game 3 but cannot for game 4. I would be especially pissed if they lose.

still hoping for a W...a sweep is totally embarassing and we would immediately become the laughing stock of the NBA. No doubt about it.

Heavier Than Heaven wrote:The start of the comeback.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing. I don't feel worried, anxious, nothing. It's almost weird. Coming back from being down 0-3 will happen eventually and I have the feeling we will witness it here.

don't get swept.

Still gonna watch... I have to... Just hope they win and don't get swept.. Get it back to LA and go from there..

So no one wants a sweep... what then? Lakers win then blow game 5 at home? Is that better than a sweep?... I'd rather they not come back and end it tomorrow. If they win tomorrow for the sake of pride take it to game 6 at least... but it's all on Gasol. I'm hanging everything on this guy... he's really quit and is just going thru the motions... there is no excuse for that and no one should forgive him. He's making way too much money to get any sympathy from me. I will not forget this ever and he is no longer a favorite of mine. Regardless of the outcome this team is done and should be broken up piece by piece while they are still marketable individuals...

All signs point to a Mavericks sweep in this series.

The Lakers are 0-4 since 2003 in elimination games on the road, with an average margin of defeat of 23 points. The Lakers are now 6-10 in their past 16 games, and many of those losses were the result of 4th quarter meltdowns. The Lakers have also performed excessively poorly in recent early Sunday games, which is unfortunately the scheduled time for Game 4. Recent and older Lakers history both suggest a Lakers loss in Game 4.

Additionally, teams that fell behind 0-3 in a playoff series despite having home court advantage are only 5-10 on the road in Game 4. Clearly a team that goes down 0-3 despite having home court advantage becomes extremely discouraged at this point and even extending the series one more game has been historically difficult.

Based on the body language and the attitude of the Lakers in game 3, it's clear they are discouraged and most of them seem ready to give up. Much like in the Detroit series, most players on this team have accepted that they cannot beat the Mavericks, and unless Kobe and Fisher can somehow spark hope and motivation in their teammates (especially Gasol), they will go down in Game 4.

The Lakers have been outscored 82-55 in the 4th quarter, Dirk has shot 56% for the series while averaging 27 PTS and 10 REB, and the Mavericks have been unbelievably clutch especially in crunch time. The only hope the Lakers have of winning is to slow down Dirk, and enter the 4th quarter with a 15+ point lead. If that doesn't happen, it's over for the Lakers.

We'll find out tomorrow if the Lakers can buck all the trends and historical statistics, but it's honestly looking very doubtful especially with Gasol as nothing more than a shell of his former self.

i don't want to watch this game but i know i will.

please don't get swept!!!

I feel like there was a death in my family, and I hate this feeling...

I think we might be planning a get together to watch game 4 at LA Live as a way of supporting the team. Maybe a CL thing? I'm sure some would come just to kill me.... but if this is the Last Laker game of the season and the end of a great career for Phil Jackson, I think it's worth doing something about it.

If they win, I'll be right back there at LA Live for the next one...

RushDelivery wrote:All signs point to a Mavericks sweep in this series.

Great post! I'm also a monthly contributor to Campaign for Liberty...

^Posting a picture to bypass the swear filter? Classy.

has Phil mentioned anything about who is going to be in the starting lineup?

Yeah, has LA won a single game this season in this time slot?

I can't believe a team filled with their core players all older than Kobe are running circles around us...


Kidd, Terry, Dirk, Marion, and Peja are all OLDER than Kobe and they are running circles around us... wth is going on?

When did Peja go back into a time machine? He didn't even play in NO and Toronto cut him loose and he was sucking in Dallas and then all of a sudden when he plays us...it's like Sacramento Peja again

chingy248 wrote:When did Peja go back into a time machine? He didn't even play in NO and Toronto cut him loose and he was sucking in Dallas and then all of a sudden when he plays us...it's like Sacramento Peja again

...Just for old time's sake?

its not even the Sacramento Peja...this one has been clutch.

leftymo wrote:Yeah, has LA won a single game this season in this time slot?

The road games in SA and OKC during the 17-1 run in the regular season, if I'm not mistaken, but of course the Lakers were playing much better back then.

UGH I'm wide awake @ 4am already raging about the game. WIN DAMMIT WIN DO EEEETTTTTTT YOU CAN DOOO EEEETTTT