Time to Step it Up!
“Bad decisions led Derek Fisher taking bad shots and Shannon Brown driving right at Chris Andersen at the rim. Sasha Vujacic had his 3-pointer blocked with Pau Gasol posted on Linas Kleiza, while Fisher launching a contested 3 with Gasol having J.R. Smith posted inside in the fourth quarter.”
“In Game 3, the Lakers must have the patience to wait for Gasol to establish position and call for the ball, and the guards must use a pass fake before the entry to avoid deflections. Gasol’s frustration with his guards was evident. He only too nine shots in Game 2, so look for more of an emphasis to get Gasol the ball in the half-court offense.”
“Defensively, the Lakers have to quickly flood toward Carmelo Anthony when he catches the ball. They cannot allow him a running start to the basket. Look for renewed defensive aggressiveness toward Anthony in Game 3, with Trevor Ariza, Walton and Bryant denying hard, and extra defenders flying Carmelo’s way when he catches. Andrew Bynum and Odom must make more of a total commitment to this rotation; they must get there faster. Just a hand in the face isn’t enough. And it may be time to put Anthony on his back if he continues to live at the rim.”
“Odom must be more assertive offensively in Game 3. The Lakers will need his scoring with Denver gang tackling Bryant on every possession.
When Ariza got taken down in Game 2 and Gasol got shoved into the baseline seats, the Lakers did very little to respond. That new found toughness they showed during the regular season is now being tested.”
via ESPN
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