[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Kobe is on fire and MWP cannot stop LeBron.  This is going to be a great game.

Anybody see Matt Barnes doing crab gestures to LeBron with his hands on that last play of the 1st quarter?  "It’s a crab-dribble".

1st quarter stats:

Kobe Bryant

• 18 points (8-10)
• 1 assist
• 1 rebound

LeBron James

• 10 points
• 3 rebounds
• 2 assists

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

 Lol

Kobe is really on a mission

[SupParticipant]

Kobe> Lb + D wade

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Pau Gasol is being down-right bullied.  First LeBron pushed him around and did whatever he wanted with him, now Juwan Howard?  Pau, you’re 7ft tall, take over this damn game and quit being so soft.

[KayjayParticipant]

Wow, if you so much as breath on Kobe its a foul.

[Future_Scout]

lebron james is something else. not often do u see a superstar does what he does, taking charges, boxing out, teammates first mentality, putting his head down to go challenge a shot 15 feet away etc…

[Future_Scout]

as a heat fan im glad to see the lakers aren’t feeding bynum more

[aamir543Participant]

Love what Erik Spolestra is doing here. He has 4 perimeter players out there meaing that Gasol or Bynum will have to go out to the perimeter to guard Battier. That’s one huge matchup problem they can take advantage of, expecially since James is strong enough to battle down low as a four. Gasol obviously has no on-ball defense skills, look for Mike Brown to pull one of his bigs and put Matt Barnes in, or bring a ton of help for Gasol, although it wouldn’t be a good idea to bring help for Shane Battier when Lebron James and D-Wade are also on the floor.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

This line-up is defensively suffocating.  Anthony, James, Battier, Wade, Chalmers.  The first thing that comes to mind is defense.

[McDunkin]

Lebron dont want it with Troy Murphy

 

[KayjayParticipant]

I want to say I don’t know who’s playing better, the Lakers, or the ref’s. But honestly to be a good team you have to be able to deal with calls like those.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

 If Artest played this hard in every game, the Lakers would be 2nd in the West.

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

Steve Blake is a smart player

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Wow.  James gets pushed in the back by Gasol.  No call.  Artest slaps JHoward’s arm.  No call.

Kobe is touched by Wade.  Foul.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Wade fouls out and his 5th and 6th fouls are two very ticky-tack.

A touch on Bryant and a clean block on Bynum and they call them fouls.

No Bosh.  No Wade.  LeBron has nobody to defer to now.

Kobe vs LeBron; what everyone has been waiting for.

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

I think there was contact on Bynum and would say it was a good foul. The one on Kobe wasn’t necessary for Wade.

[seniokasParticipant]

Clean block on Bynum ? Tey showed a replay and  it was clearly a foul.

Overall, it was a great game and I won’t agree with those who say that Heat got less calls or refering was bad. Referees did let tough physical fight and I like it, it’s not a bad thing to me it’s much better than lots of calls.

Lebron was incredible defensively, his activeness level was beyond roof, completely shut down Gasol who couldn’t do anything. Battier was great too, did the best he could or actually the best anyone in the world could defensively but Kobe is just from another world if he is hot it doesn’t matter if defender is all over him or somewhere else. Kobe did great job defensively on D-Wade as well.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 I’m a Sixers fan and I could care less who wins this game but it’s looking like the Lakers are going to win and I’m gonna tell you why from an objective view point.

First off I find it hilarious when Kobe and Fisher say that this game is no different from the rest and they weren’t going to be more motivated to play the Heat. What?  Why lie?  Kobe obviously was determined to show up Wade and James there was no hiding that.  Honestly he did, Kobe had the better game, but for him to lie and say it’s just another game is ridiculous.  Artest had his best game of the season probably and was focused on playing his best defense in years on James.

The Heat have no big men at all.  Bosh year, but even when he’s heatlhy he plays more like a small forward floating around in the mid range area, then a true big man banging in the post.  James is their best PG on offense in terms of playmaking, and facilitating, and on defense he’s probably their best on ball low post defender just to give you an idea of how valuable he is.  

The Lakers big men just controlled the paint and seriously outclassed the Heat down their by a far margin.  If Lebron doesn’t have the ability to guard big men this game would of been even uglier.  Bron is so strong, but by having to put him in the post of defense and not having him terrorizing the perimeter with his speed and instincts the Heat loss some valuable playmaking on the defensive perimeter.

And finally the refs are just ridiculous with the Kobe fouls.  I like Kobe but how are we ever going to see a rivalry develop when they won’t even let people play tough defense on Kobe?  Had they let Wade and Kobe go at it like they would of in the 90’s this game would of been amazing.  Does anybody remenber when Jordan use to go against the Celtics, Knicks, and Pistons?  Jordan use to get raped when he went into the lane.  And he just kept going harder. That’s what made him Jordan.  Kobe get’s protected way too much.  Let these legends play each other tough.

You can call a foul on Chalmers or Battier guarding Kobe nobody cares, but we wanna see Wade and Kobe go at IT!  These guys wanna be basketball immortals we wanna see blood dripping while they’re hitting jumpers.  The refs ruin any chance of some epic crapt like that happening again.  

Does anybody disagree or is it just me with the physical play?

[llperez]

"Wade fouls out and his 5th and 6th fouls are two very ticky-tack.

A touch on Bryant and a clean block on Bynum and they call them fouls."

lol, those were both clear as day fouls. He ran at kobe and body checked him. knocking him off balance. It was like he was frustrated and was intentionally committing a foul. ANd the very tip of his finger touched the basketball on the bynum play while the other 99% of his hand simultaneously got all forearm. Thats a foul every time although i give the refs credit cause thats hard to see live. But the replay showed the foul.

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

 Kudos to the Lakers and Kobe Bryant.

But them referee’s tucked their whistles when the call would go in the favor of the Heat.

[seniokasParticipant]

Agree with Mr. 19134 about physical play, I would also like it much more if they let be physical more often. Although, it’s not that it’s problem with Kobe, every star player in the league has that ”respect” from the referees – they can let themselves do some things that normal players can’t.

At the same time, I have to mention that Battier did put body on Kobe, and it was definetely a physical defense and there weren’t wrong calls on it. Like 2 minutes left he was all over Kobe who had to take rainbow three pointer and referees didn’t call anything, although they could because it’s on Kobe or when Battier when hit Kobe’s face in the first half no call.

Star players will always get more calls not only because they are stars but simply because it’s really hard to slow down them and players do foul them. And I wouldn’t say that refering was partial – they just let players play little more physicall than usually.

[aamir543Participant]

The shove on Bryant was questionable, but that’s one of those 50-50 calls. The foul on Bynum was obvious. He got his hand plain and simple. Not sure what Jeff Van Gundy was looking at though, lol.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 Star players should get the calls unless your the Heat playing in the Staples Center.  

Lebron played 43 minutes and only took 3 foul shots!  What?  One specific time with just under 2 minutes the Heat down 7 Lebron got the ball and Chalmers came to get the ball only to find James screaming at him to keep it moving and motioning him to keep going.  I loved that because James doesn’t do that enough, the Kobe came out of Bron on that play.  James proceeded to bring the ball up the court, cross up World Peace by feigning left then wrapping the ball behind his back to the right, then Bron continued into the lane where he was met by Bynum, James then put on a stutter move and took the ball up strong through the contact.  I thought should of been called a foul as Bynum played the ball really hard.  If it was the game would of been closer, it was after that play the Heat looked to be out of it when James got blocked and the Lakers got the ball back.  Had James of hit that shot or got the foul then the Heat would of gained a huge momentum boost.

And Wade fouled out of the game while only getting to the foul line once.  That’s craziness because we all know James and Wade live in the paint and take the ball up hard.

So how do wade and James in 74 minutes of action only go to the foul line 3 times and combine for 5 foul shots?

Kobe shot 7 foul shots that’s more then James and Wade combined!  That’s a huge discrepency.

And my problem is whether or not they were fouls on Kobe because they were.  But plays like Wades body check SHOULD have been let go.  Jordan used to get body checked on layups and not get a foul called because the game was so much more physical and it’s what made legends who they were by being able to take the hits and keep going.

If the NBA wants a rivalry they HAVE TO let them kind of fouls go.  They have to let a kind of bad blood build and have it play out on the court.  We’re not talking about Artest/Ben Wallace bad blood, we’re talking about Jordan/Starks.  We’re talking about Hakeem/Shaq.  Bird/Magic.  Russel/Wilt.  The kind where both players wanna up the other one and they’ll stop at nothing to get it done.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I find some of you guys hilarious… LeBron/Wade get more whistles than anybody, but y’all complaining? 

You can’t touch LeBron or Wade either.

 

[llperez]

and props to metta world peace. He aint stopping lebron nor is anyone else. BUt he played damn well and made shots and competed. Lakers are a whole different team at home this year. Now they need to transfer that to road success.

[Michael.S.Participant]

2-16 for the Heat bigs, thats laughable, they couldn’t finish under the rim with nobody in the general viscinity. They needed Bosh, in other words. Considering Wade’s very poor play and fouling out, LeBron’s below average game, and Bosh not being there, the Heat played pretty well and had a chance to win if they could have kept plugging away down 2. Kobe was unconscious, and we couldn’t see LeBron on him because he had to guard Pau, which sucked.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

The Lakers had a big free-throw edge, but the Heat got beat on the glass the for second  night in a row. Bosh isn’t a monster rebounder, but they missed his 8 boards.

Being thin in the front court is the only real weakness the Heat have.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

So you call 25 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks average?

Kobe has 33, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 0 steals, and 0 blocks.

I’m gonna just take a stab in the dark and say the Lebron had a better all around game.  Kobe scored 8 more points and shot better yes, but Gasol and Bynum also had a double double, the only person to have a double double on the Heat was Lebron.  

Bron lead the Heat in scoring, assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals.

Kobe lead the Lakers in scoring that’s all.

 

[Michael.S.Participant]

In terms of being efficient and on the offensive end, yes this was an average game for him. He shot 12-26 which isn’t great for him, being he is LeBron. On the defensive end, superb. He would be my pick for DPOY if I had a vote.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

LeBron was 4-13 when MWP was on him.

He always fills the stat sheet and put up better all-around numbers, but I thought Kobe outplayed him tonight.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

MWP really gave LeBron a run for his money.  Played him hard (as always) and did his thing on the offensive end.  If MWP could do this more consistently, the Lakers could be 2nd in the west.  

Back to back games the Heat get beat by a big team without Bosh.  First the Jazz with Jefferson, Millsap, Favors, and Kanter.  Now the Lakers with Bynum and Gasol (and Murphy if you want to include him).  

All of the heat Bosh gets for being "soft", his value is really showing now that he’s missing.  He’s a tough rebounder and defends/contests every shot.  Whether you like him or not, you have to respect how hard he plays and that LeBron/Wade pick-and-roll with Bosh is unstoppable.  Juwan Howard’s pick-and-roll was terrible.

[Mr. 19134Participant]

 I’m not saying Kobe didn’t outplay him but we take what Bron does on the court for granted like his stat sheet is still amazing.  And he still had a better all around game then Kobe like that’s just obvious.

 Yes Kobe put the game on ice at the end I’m not saying he didn’t, but let’s be honest dude had 1 assists and no steals or blocks like that’s just bad for a hall of fame talent.  Nobody is taking away Kobe’s scoring ability, but everything else….

And I’ve said before and I still believe that the Heat are better with Bron and Bosh then Bron and Wade.  Look at their record when it was just Bron and Bosh and now look at their record with just Bron and Wade.  It’s very clear who the 2 most important players to that team are.  

[KayjayParticipant]

A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. But putting any value on a win where the Heat had next to no post presence is laughable. Heat are one of the top NBA teams for a reason. Lakers caught em slippin tonight with no bosh like the Jazz did. Lets see everything come together in the next 5 weeks. 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Kobe didn’t have a great all-around game tonight, but it’s not like he isn’t averaging 29, 5 and 5 on the season. It’s not like he can’t fill a stat sheet. LeBron is a better all-around player as far as filling the stat sheet. I mean, he could get a tripe double and still have a bad game.

And even with Bosh, I still think the Lakers have a huge edge in the low post. They have that over most teams.

 

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

billyk

With that logic: Really, take away LeBron all of a sudden the Heat don’t seem that good.

You can’t use that kind of thought process.

[billykParticipant]

Really, take away Bynum all of a sudden the Lakers don’t seem so big…  

[billykParticipant]

 Unless you call McRoberts and Murphy bigs, then I could make a case that Haslem and Anthony play bigger than McRoberts and Murphy… if Bosh is playing this is a whe different game on both ends of the court..

[billykParticipant]

 The point I was trying to make if you take away a starting big from the Lakers team they ALSO wouldn’t seem so big…

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

@billyk

I still don’t really  understand your point. Even with Bosh, the Heat aren’t big in the low post. Was Bosh supposed to keep Bynum off the block or off of the glass?

[iguapops420Participant]

 Well, I think based on this thread it’s obvious the MR. 19134 is a classic MJ fan who thinks there is no one better but deep inside feels Kobe might be to close for comfort so he has to downgrade everything he does and compare it to Jordan by also making everything MJ did seem 10x better.

As far as fouls are concerned, this is honestly the first year I can remember in quite some time where Kobe has actually been getting to the line and getting "superstar calls". In fact, far too often in the past I have bitched about scrub players such as Kevin Martin and players of the mold get ticky tack calls while Kobe drives the lane over and over and can’t get a single thing. 

Lets get real, I think Indiana is the one who mentioned the fact the Wade and Bron can’t be touched defensively either without it being called a foul. Quite frankly, it’s laughable that this wasn’t mentioned before. After all, wasn’t it Wade himself who got to the line a record amount of times to win the NBA championship being bailed out time after time by the whistle. Thus getting the nickname "D-Whistle". 

[billykParticipant]

@IndianaBasketball, my point is if you subtract MIA best big they would be a small team… But if you subtract Bynum from the Lakers they would also be a small team.. Also if Bosh was playing I believe that would put Lebron on the perimeter were he is probaly the best overall perimeter defender in the league…

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