In the past, whenever I’ve kept a running diary of games, it’s always turned into a blowout. Always always always.
That, and it’s pretty impossible to take coherent notes, because I’ve got rampant ADD issues and half the time, when I actually focus on one game for two-and-a-half hours, there’s sort of a sensory overload. (This why it’s impossible for me to “live blog” anything without sounding like a bumbling idiot. “Um... Kobe scored. Lakers look good so far!”) But for tonight’s Lakers-Thunder game, I’m going to take the chance. In part because this has been my favorite series of the playoffs so far, and also because Game 5 is probably going to decide this series. Win in L.A. tonight, and Oklahoma City has a legitimate chance of knocking off the defending champs. But it has to happen tonight.
Because the Lakers–even after that drubbing they endured in Oklahoma City on Saturday night–might get caught sleeping in a game 5. In a potential seventh game on national TV this Sunday? No chance. But tonight in L.A., in front of a crowd that’ll be quick to panic at the first sign of trouble, the Lakers could be had.
If Oklahoma City’s going to win this series, they need to win one game on the road, and tonight’s their best chance to steal one. It lacks the cache of a Game 7, but that’s the point. Because the Lakers might take this game lightly, Oklahoma City’s got a chance to win.
And with a win tonight, they immediately become the favorites to win the series in game 6. That alone makes this game a no-brainer candidate for a running diary. And yes, I know this is a blatant ripoff of Bill Simmons. But remember, he owes me one. So without further ado...
10:55 PM (EST) – Well, this can’t be good... The Thunder with an ice-cold 0-7 start, but Doug Collins cautions, “One of things about this Thunder team is, they haven’t been rattled in these spots so far in this series.” That begins this sequence...
10:55 – Missed reverse layup from Thabo Sefolosha
10:57 – 22 foot jumper from Russell Westbrook… Misses the rim entirely.
11:00 – Kobe strips Kevin Durant at the three point line.
11:00 – Kobe’s steal leads to an Andrew Bynum dunk on the other end.
11:01 – Jeff Green gets his shot blocked by Pau Gasol, and... Well Doug, don’t know about you, but I think they look a bit rattled.
11:05 – Oklahoma City is now 0-13 and, halfway through the first quarter, the Lakers lead 14-1. Hopefully we haven’t jinxed this game with a running diary, but this does NOT bode well.
11:07 – Well we’re five minutes in... Time for a report on Kobe’s finger, right?
On the sidelines, Craig Sager says he asked Kobe whether he regretted not getting more rest during the regular season, to which the star responded:
"I try to play every game I can. All 82. There are families out there that pay good money to see me play. I owe it to them."
Do you think Stern paid for that quote, or was there a third party to make it less obvious? To, you know, “wash the money” a little bit. Like, David Stern gives Kia Motors some cash, and they turn around and “sponsor” Kobe for a day.
If not money laundering from the NBA and David Stern… How could anyone say something so contrived, willfully inane, and transparently designed to shape his image? ... Oh, wait. It’s Kobe.
11:19 – After the first quarter, the Lakers are shooting 70% from the field, and leading by 15. Headed into the break, even Ron Artest hit a three. Yes, THAT Ron Artest, the same guy who was 3-23 coming into tonight. Been that kinda night for Oklahoma City so far.
11:21 – And remember: Whatever happens tonight, the Lakers 2010 title hopes are closely intertwined with the performance and reliability of Ron Artest. POUND IT!
11:25 – The Thunder starts the second quarter 0-6. Since the Lakers’ second unit includes Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Luke Walton, they’ve yet to capitalize. As we go to timeout, neither team is winning, one team’s just losing more.
11:32 – Scotty Brooks in a timeout: “We do not CHASE the ball, we GUARD the ball, and we STOP the ball.” And I understand that Scotty was probably the best coach in basketball this year, but for right now, let’s focus on SHOOTING the ball.
Good offense leads to good defense, especially with a young team like OKC.
(Side-note: How long till everyone just starts referring to this team as OKC? Their team name sucks (“Thunder”), and their city’s name takes too long to say, AND has the unpleasant stink of Clay Bennett. But OKC? Sounds kind of cool and futuristic, just like this team. Ya know?)
11:32 – Serge Ibaka has the ball taken out of his hands by Jordan Farmar. Yes, Jordan Famar outmuscled Serge Ibaka. Mark this down under “Signs that OKC is completely f’ing doomed tonight.”
11:35 – Kobe goes up-and-under for a layup past Durant, continuing a theme for the night of generally effortless offense for Kobe. If they needed it, he could go for 40 tonight.
Also: So much for the whole “Kevin Durant, Kobe Stopper” storyline...
11:41 – TNT brings us a live look-in to Dallas’ blowout victory over San Antonio. The win from Dallas was to be expected, but also of note, Caron Butler has 32 points for the Mavs. And as a staunch Caron supporter, I feel partially vindicated after the internet beating he took in the days since Dallas’ lost in San Antonio on Sunday (here, here, and here, for starters).
Listen: Caron may not be Paul Pierce, but he’s not the albatross that he’s been billed as the past few days. Having watched most of his career the past four years, there’s no question if I was a playoff team, I’d want Caron on my side. And who’s better as a second scoring option for Dallas? If he’s struggling, should Caron just not shoot? What do people expect?
Sorry, but pinning the Dallas collapse on Caron Butler sounds a lot more convenient than, “Uh... Maybe we were all wrong about Dallas.” And in any case, I’m glad he got back on track tonight.
11:47 – Ahem. “Just Wright stars Queen Latifah as Leslie Wright, a straight shooting physical therapist who gets the gig of a lifetime working with NBA All-Star Scott McKnight (Common). All is going well until Leslie finds herself falling for Scott, forcing her to choose between the gig of a lifetime and the tug-of-war inside her heart.”
Without saying too much, just know that this film’s previews are the exact opposite of TNT’s Leverage promos. It would be impossible to show this preview too much, and yes, I will produce a full review after the film opens in theaters on May 14. It’s like Basketball Wives mixed with Last Holiday. Romance, mixed with the glamour of the NBA, mixed with pure sass from the First Lady of Hip-Hop.
“You better be packin’ somethin in that wallet, ‘cause I’m not one of those salad-eatin’ chicks.”
AWW, GO ‘HEAD GIRL!
11:51 – Oh, look... They’re still playing the game.
And Westbrook gets a steal and goes in for an uncontested dunk!
...Lakers lead 50-32.
11:55 – “When Sefolosha’s out there guarding Kobe, you better hope that Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and Green are making their shots… Because on offense, Thabo’s Swiss in every sense of the word. Impotent, invisibile, generally useless. You name it.” – Doug Collins.
(He actually said the first part... But he meant the second.)
Halftime score: Lakers 55, Thunder 34. This diary was a terrible idea.
HALFTIME
12:04 – But hey, at least we’ve got Inside the NBA for the halftime show. Here’s Barkley on the Cavs’ chances beating the Celtics: “I’ll bet anything I GOT! All my money, all my houses, all my cars.”
[CUT TO JORDAN, MICHAEL, and HIGGINS, ROD]
- MJ: “Charles wants to let it ride on the Cavs... Bet it all. Heh heh. Oh, Chuck...”
- Higgins: “Michael, we were talking about the draft...”
- MJ: (chewing finger nails) “Rob, what do you think? The Celtics have a chance, right?”
- Higgins: “Uh, it’s Rod, sir...”
- MJ: (stands up, gesturing wildly) “I mean Finley, KG, Paul Pierce... Those young cats can play. Do they still have PJ Brown?”
- Higgins: “Sir, if you’re talking about gambling, I think that’s ille...”
- MJ: “Gambling? Who said anything about gambling? Boy, this just me and Chuck...”
- Higgins: “Right, but...”
- MJ: “I think they can do it. Boston. Yeah. I like it. Boy, I tell ya. I can’t wait to see the look on Chuck’s face when I take all his possessions and set his cars on fire. (laughing) Bet’s a bet, right? I can do what I want with ‘em. He never could win a championship...”
- Higgins: “Right, well...“MJ: (chuckling louder) “Man... Wait ‘till we get Oak in on this.” (calling to outer office) “Hey OAK! Looks like Chuck’s gonna need Tiger’s spare bedroom again. He better change the sheets!”
Higgins: “We’ll talk about the draft tomorrow.
[HIGGINS, ROD exits]
[JORDAN, MICHAEL lights cigar, smiles]
[JORDAN, MICHAEL falls asleep with cigar in his mouth]
12:07 – LeBron James has style, son! Or does he? Fake Scoop Jackson reports below:
Dog. Elbow patches? Elbow patches. We over here talkin’ bout elbow patches.
Someone get Hov on line one. He needs to talk to his boy... Streets is Watching and we’re not Feelin’ It. Bron’s trying to Change the Game with some cardigans. But he needs to Stick to the Script. Oh, You Don’t Know? You’re Guilty Until Proven Innocent in Uncle Scoop’s court.
Can’t see ‘em comin down my eyes, so I gotta let the blog cry.
Jigga What, Jigga Who?
Elbow patches. S. M. H.
12:16 – Coming back from break, we see the first half stats. The Lakers are shooting 65% and while OKC is at 26%, with just two fast-break points. And it’s not even been the greatest performance from L.A. They’ve played fine, but more, Oklahoma City just looks flat across the board, and it’s snowballed to where at this point, nobody on their side can do anything right.
Over the past few days, a number of people said we should stop thinking of the Thunder as a young team, and start thinking of them as a good team. Me? I’m not ready yet, and games like tonight prove my point. From the midpoint of the first quarter on, you got the feeling that the Thunder were doomed. Not really a reflection on the coaching staff or even the quality of the players, except to say that unless the opponent leaves the door wide open (like L.A. in game 1) they don’t have what it takes to tighten the screws and make a game of it if they’re down 15 on the road.
Tonight, L.A. hasn’t slammed the door shut so much as they pushed it gently in the right direction, and the Thunder got out of the way. That’s their youth. Things went bad, and suddenly, they forgot why the series was tied in the first place, and started looking like amateurs.
12:20 – Right on cue, Westbrook on the fast break. Bobbles the ball into in the hands of two Lakers, and then on the other end, Gasol hits a turnaround and-one. It’s official: The Thunder are getting curb stomped.
12:22 – Another Artest three. “I cry for Mike. I cry for Mike, I cry for Mike, I cry for Mike.”
"You in my prayers / I know you in heaven, I hope to see you next year."
(Did... Did Ron Artest say he wants to die in 2010?)
12:23 – Well Sefolosha just proved Collins’ point from earlier. With a three-on-two fastbreak, Jeff Green attacked the defense and dished to an open Sefolosha, streaking toward the basket, who made the savvy extra-pass to... Nobody, actually. And then technically, Ron Artest. Nothing like hitting the invisible trailer, amiright?!
12:30 – It’s now 71-44, Lakers leading. Kobe guarding Russell Westbrook, as he’s done all night, and laying off him. Way off him. Like five feet. But still, Westbrook can’t hit the jumpers, and with the added space, Kobe can him keep out of the lane. We’ll get to this in a second.
12:34 – Lakers just went up by 30. Might be time to wrap this up soon…
12:36 – Ron Artest hits a leaning 22-footer with Thabo Sefalosha in his face. Again, it’s been that kind of night for Oklahoma City. Doug Collins says, almost in disbelief, “Artest even making jumpshots tonight!” Don’t worry, I’m never doing a running diary again.
Always always always, I curse these things. Really, my apologies to NBA fans everywhere. We all deserved better. Nobody should be forced to watch Adam Morrison in the fourth quarter of a playoff game. But beyond the obvious missteps from me tonight, let’s talk about what this game might mean in the larger context.
There are four takeaways, I think.
Kobe on Westbrook changed everything. For all the fanfare accompanying Kevin Durant this postseason, it’s been Russell Westbrook that’s murdered L.A. so far. Or murdered Derek Fisher, to be exact. But now, five games in, the Lakers may have found an answer to that problem. Because while Westbrook’s strength and speed meant that Fisher didn’t stand a chance stopping his penetration, Kobe’s big enough to keep Westbrook from getting where he wants to go on the court.
Particularly when Kobe’s conceding three or four feet to Westbrook and daring him to shoot, stopping Westbrook becomes a lot more realistic. And suddenly, Oklahoma City’s offensive buzzsaw becomes a blunt instrument of a point guard, unsure whether to use all this extra space to pass, shoot, or force penetration. When that happens, the Thunder don’t stand a chance unless Kevin Durant takes control all by himself, something that we still haven’t seen for an entire game against this Lakers defense.
None of which is to say Westbrook can’t get things going... Like I said earlier, the Thunder are a young team, and easily susceptible to negative momentum. For instance, Westbrook had been shooting 55% before tonight’s struggles. That’s because he’s had things going for him in every game. Tonight, when things weren’t going his way and the Lakers threw some different looks at him, he wilted under the pressure. But don’t be surprised if he comes back with a huge game 6.
Neither Jeff Green and Andrew Bynum can be counted on for seven games in a playoff series. That’s just the way it is. For Green, that’ll probably change, and for Bynum, it’s probably a lost cause. But as far this year’s concerned, the implications are the same. When Bynum plays well for L.A., that team’s pretty unstoppable, especially against Oklahoma City. He had 21 points and 11 rebounds tonight, and that freed up Pau Gasol to dominate, as well. When that happens, L.A. wins.
As for Green, he’s been struggling for the entire series, and it’s killing his team. When Green stretches the floor with a few threes, it opens things up for Westbrook and Kevin Durant to do damage going toward the basket and in the midrange game. But so far, Jeff Green’s shooting has been below 30% for the series, and he’s been essentially invisible for OKC.
Basically, Oklahoma City’s biggest X-factor has non-existent, while Bynum’s actually been pretty decent so far. That’s not the difference in the series, but it’s a definitely a factor.
The Lakers looked great from start-to-finish tonight. A complete game in every sense. That’s a first for them this postseason. If they do it 13 more times, they’ll win the title. Of course, if we’re placing bets on “Teams Most Likely to Get Complacent After A Blowout Victory,” the Lakers’ odds are off the board in Vegas.
Kobe and Durant. Kobe hasn’t been KOBE so far this series, but let’s just say after tonight, the Oklahoma City Thunder can go back to the drawing board as far as stopping him.
As perfect as it’d be for media looking to slobber over the leagues newest star (read: Me), Durant’s not containing Kobe on defense. And honestly, at this point the only way the Thunder have a chance of pulling off the upset is if Durant stops guarding Kobe, and fights fire with fire by killing L.A. on the other end. So far he’s had some spurts of brilliance, but nothing sustained.
After game 5, we ask: How can the Thunder beat the Lakers? The same way we always thought they would: with an out-of-this-world, coming-of-age, moment-of-truth performance from Durant. Russell Westbrook will bounce back, and Jeff Green may even come back from the dead, but tonight’s game was instructive. The Lakers are just a better team. For Oklahoma City to have a realistic shot at winning this weekend, Kevin Durant needs to come out of his shell, and take his game to another level on the biggest stage possible.
We know it’s there with him, but will he find it in 2010? Let’s hope so.
