04/24/24
May 05, 2011
Mavericks Take 2-0 Lead Over Lakers: The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 93-81 Tuesday night, taking a 2-0 lead in their playoff series back to Dallas. The Lakers were held to only 32 points after halftime. Lakers forward Ron Artest, recent recipient of the league's citizenship award, was ejected for clotheslining Mavericks guard J.J. Barea in garbage time.
posted by rcade to basketball at 08:37 AM - 15 comments
Yup. I picked the wrong night to forget the Mavericks were playing.
posted by rcade at 09:18 AM on May 05, 2011
Thought it interesting that in post-game Barkley and Kenny Smith indicated that three minutes before the clothesline Barkley had said Artest was going to do something "stupid." And, rcade, given the way he played doesn't Barea deserves to have his name spelled correctly?
posted by graymatters at 09:21 AM on May 05, 2011
You make a good point, Greymatters.
posted by rcade at 09:34 AM on May 05, 2011
The "sandbagging" Lakers have the Mavs right where they want them now.
Dude... High five?
posted by tron7 at 10:24 AM on May 05, 2011
Great minds think alike, and some times even lesser ones. But I see you beat me by almost 8 hours so you can have all the credit, if there is any credit to be had.
posted by graymatters at 10:33 AM on May 05, 2011
Artest clotheslining in garbage time, Bynum complaining he doesn't see the ball enough (now I've heard everything!), Kobe looking and playing tired, Gasol being Gasol - when they quit the act they'll really be potent!
posted by cixelsyd at 10:49 AM on May 05, 2011
You think Bynum gets enough touches? From Truehoop:
Andrew Bynum didn't get many opportunities in Game 1, and Game 2 wasn't much different. Bynum was on the floor for 78 possessions and had a touch on just 15 of them (19.2 percent), despite shooting 8-of-11 and scoring 18 points. In the second half, Bynum totaled just three touches on 33 offensive possessions, excluding offensive rebounds.
posted by tron7 at 12:38 PM on May 05, 2011
You think Bynum gets enough touches?
Certainly not. There's only 1 player on the Lakers who gets his share of touches (enough said there).
My amazement is Bynum actually wanting the ball more. Lakers have been trying to get him to be more assertive for years without success, I believe it's now natural not to give him the ball unless he's completely uncovered.
No limit to how dangerous the Lakers would be if Bynum established himself offensively on a consistant basis .....
posted by cixelsyd at 01:28 PM on May 05, 2011
Yes I know my sandbagging comment is going to haunt me. This series is far from over and frankly I won't say the Laker play is not making me nervous, but I have seen this before from the Lakers.
I see Phil Jackson is sitting on the bench watching Blake, who every time he touches the ball either shoots an air ball, or makes a bad pass leading to a turnover, and yet does not make a substitution, in a close game that for most teams was a must win scenario. There has been a curious lack of coaching, and shooting from a team that has proven themselves to be pretty good when they want to be.
Typical Laker basketball, they can look as bad as any team in the league one minute then suddenly appear unbeatable. It may be over for them, but in the next game if I had to put money on it, I would bet the Lakers. Funny I would think they would be a big underdog on the road playing a team that just beat them twice at home, but the Vegas line now is only 2.5 points and by game time the Lakers will probably be favored since a lot of people who put their money on the line seem to feel the Lakers are the Lakers and have seen this movie before.
posted by Atheist at 04:16 PM on May 05, 2011
I know this reeks of conspiracy theory but I tend to follow the money. The NBA has a history of corrupt officiating and game playing. Of course a lot will argue and never accept any evidence but if the Mavs or Thunder play against the Bulls or Hawks in the finals then of course everyone can jump all over it and say I am crazy. Then again usually what happens is what is good for the league and a Mavs - Hawks finals will get lousy ratings. Of course if it just turns out that it winds up being Lakers / Heat or Celtics I will also be crazy for thinking what I think even though everything IMO points to it.
posted by Atheist at 04:50 PM on May 05, 2011
Artest suspended for game 3. Frankly, I think this only helps the Lakers.
posted by graymatters at 08:05 PM on May 05, 2011
Of course a lot will argue
Nah, I'll just ignore you. It's not worth talking basketball with someone who's not even a fan.
posted by tron7 at 12:26 AM on May 06, 2011
Oh but I am a basketball fan.
posted by Atheist at 04:19 PM on May 06, 2011
The "sandbagging" continues.
It's about time Dirk gets some love. Classy guy, team player.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:30 AM on May 07, 2011
The "sandbagging" Lakers have the Mavs right where they want them now.