Comments on: NBA Playoffs: The Hornets stun the Lakers

By: davidly

davidly — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 22:57:49 +0000

Translation: If LA doesn’t play better, they’re gonna lose. Friggin’ rocket scientists!

By: aqzi

aqzi — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:43:54 +0000

Yeah, kinda a word twist. Opener of the playoffs, not the opener of a series.

By: fouldwimmerlaik

fouldwimmerlaik — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:49:08 +0000

I have been sitting in a dark corner of my parent’s basement since the game ended holding my “Kobe Bryant Action Figure – Playoff Edition” trying to convince myself this game was just a dream.

It wasn’t. But I am OK now. Go Lakers (sniffle).

By: chargerdillon

chargerdillon — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:37:10 +0000

If the Hornets shot that well and were defended against that poorly in every game, they would beat virtually any team in the NBA. Unfortunately for them this is a 7 game series.

By: omniusprime

omniusprime — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:06:06 +0000

No problem the Lakers lose game 1 and the Hornets will discover they’ve woken a sleeping giant. Rest assured Pau Gasol will come back next game with a vengeance and the Lakers are going to pound the ball into the middle with Gasol, Bynum and Odom taking care of business in the paint. No need to worry for Laker fans as Phil Jackson will figure out how to counter Paul’s offense. Getting Steve Blake back from the chickenpox will help the Killer B’s be killer again. Kobe Bryant is the greatest basketball player in the world and the Repeat World Champion Lakers will Threepeat this June!

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:01:57 +0000

yes…agree. only having 3 turnovers is excellent. gasol didnt show up, yeah, the hornets wanted it more. actually, i like this loss (Laker fan) because they need something like this to light the fire.

By: andyhr17

andyhr17 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:33:17 +0000

As much as I despise the Lakers and would love to see them get upset, this has to be attributed to a group of underdogs playing out of their minds vs. a lackadaisical veteran team playing well below their ability.

By: loungefly74

loungefly74 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:11:24 +0000

wow. those are some great points! i like the info provided! nice stats!
man…you said it.
c’mon, hnirobert3, usually, you make good points, but efueshe countered strong and made you sweat like Nixon. cause you said initially, “Pretty sure this would have never happened on a Michael Jordan led team.”…and than you said, “So we’re comparing Jordan’s 1st six years in the league (when he only had Pippen, Grant, etc. for 3 of those) to a present day Kobe (in his 11th season)? Apples and oranges.”…those 2 statements conflict each other! a career is a career! eh, no big deal…but the jordan comment was just out of place.

I love this: Please, no more historical revisionism, because the sooner that people realize that Michael Jordan was actually drafted in 1984, played that whole time and did not reach the Finals till 1991, the sooner people will realize that (1) Michael Jordan was not this perfect, ethereal being that never missed shots or had turnovers

that is gold!

By: hnirobert3

hnirobert3 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:13:51 +0000

So we’re comparing Jordan’s 1st six years in the league (when he only had Pippen, Grant, etc. for 3 of those) to a present day Kobe (in his 11th season)? Apples and oranges.

Jordan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kobe Bean Bryant

By: efueshe

efueshe — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:40:29 +0000

Is that why his 1984 got swept out of the playoffs in the first round in 1984 by the Bucks? What about when his 1986 and ’87 teams got swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics? What about when they lost in 5 games to the Pistons in 87, 6 in again to the Pistons in ’88 and in 7 games against them in 1989? Please, no more historical revisionism, because the sooner that people realize that Michael Jordan was actually drafted in 1984, played that whole time and did not reach the Finals till 1991, the sooner people will realize that (1) Michael Jordan was not this perfect, ethereal being that never missed shots or had turnovers and (2) what Kobe has done as the leader of this team is quite astonishing and this loss does not “prove” any conclusion that Jordan is better than Bryant.

By: passerby23

passerby23 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 04:27:13 +0000

Expect the Lakers to come back in Game 2 and pound the ball inside to Gasol and Bynum. Maybe the Lakers were reading their press that this would be a sweep. I think they’ll show up from now on, but still, Chris Paul is going to give them fits. The glaring weakness for the Lakers is the Hornets’ greatest asset.

By: efueshe

efueshe — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:58:42 +0000

Yes it says series, which round 2 vs. the Rockets was. If he said playoff opener then I would have made the mistake but as you can see in the quote he said series opener, therefore it was his mistake.

By: thekingdave

thekingdave — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:33:17 +0000

One would get mistaken? It says series in this recap and as you stated, the Rockets won game 1 of the conference semis at Staples in 2009.

By: efueshe

efueshe — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:28:09 +0000

OH! Now I see what you are saying but you can clearly see where one would get mistaken

By: efueshe

efueshe — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:25:05 +0000

Well he’s wrong because in 2009 the Lakers lost while being coached by Phil Jackson, at home, vs. the Rockets, in game 1.

By: aqzi

aqzi — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 03:08:39 +0000

It’s supposed to say that it’s the first time the Lakers coached by Phil Jackson lost a playoff opener at home.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/27494/paul-bests-kobe-as-hornets-take-game-1

“The New Orleans Hornets provided the second stunner of the day upsetting the Los Angeles Lakers to take a 1-0 series lead.

According to Elias, this is was the 16th time a team coached by Phil Jackson opened their postseason at home, but the first time the team lost. “

By: dysraw1

dysraw1 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:19:28 +0000

chris paul was brilliant, the question is can he he do it 3 more times

By: avermaver

avermaver — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:58:09 +0000

die Lakers die

By: efueshe

efueshe — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:23:39 +0000

“For the first time in the Phil Jackson era, the Lakers lost a series opener at home.” 2009 against the Rockets?? And the Lakers didn’t “forget that they have two of the best big men in the league”; Pau Gasol lofted around the perimeter for much of the game and lolly-gagged on transition defense. You quoted Phil Jackson but truly failed to mention his quote in context: Pau was not IN THE MIDDLE ENOUGH for anyone to take advantage of offensive skills vs. Okafor or Gray (SMH).

By: hnirobert3

hnirobert3 — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:12:41 +0000

Pretty sure this would have never happened on a Michael Jordan led team.