Lot of revisionist history goin on in here.
Almost lost in round 1?
Blazers did choke gm 7, Lakers also beat them down in Port in that huge February matchup, then jumped them 3-1 before takin their foot off the gas. They hadn't learned how to win yet.
The next year, they had. And it showed.
And 02?
They showed out while Kobe was dying tho.
They definitely almost lost in RD 1 in 2000. Anytime you have to go to a close out game to me that is almost losing. Then you factor in it came on the heels of blowing a 2-0 lead?
And they did not beat them down in that february matchup in portland. It was a 2 pt game with like a minute left.
Also, the lakers were getting waxed in games 3-4 in 02 against sac so im not sure they win game 2 even with a healthy kobe. They showed out when he was healthy too...
There's nothing revisionist about the 02 series with the Kings
The Lakers got destroyed on their home floor in game 3 (the largest beat down in the series) and were a Vlade Divac idiotic tip out away from being up 3-1. In that same game, the Kings scored 40 points in the first quarter and led by 14 at half (should have been 17, the refs counted a Samaki Walker 3 at the buzzer which was after the horn)
17 free throws in game 6 for Shaq in their win...
Poor Rick
"I feel sorry for our team, because they did everything they could to win the game,'' Sacramento coach Rick Adelman said. "It's a shame, a real shame. ... Our big guys get 20 fouls, and Shaq gets four. You tell me. Obviously, they got the game called the way they wanted to get it called. We tried to play through it ... but obviously, it was a huge change tonight over the last few games.''
Los Angeles went nearly six minutes without a field goal down the stretch in the fourth quarter, but made 18 free throws over the final 6:21 to hold off the Kings. Bryant made four free throws in the final 19.8 seconds for the Lakers, who shot a jaw-dropping 27 free throws in the fourth.
The Lakers shot 40 free throws to the Kings' 25.
Kobe wasn't just poisoned for 1 game? OK. We agree to disagree thereSo, they "almost" lost a series in which they won game 5 by 27 points?
I know you were 9 or 10 when that year happened and you're reading recaps or something online, but they did not almost blow that series. They didn't play well in their first two road playoff games, period. They won the 3 games in LA by 10, 24, and 27. They defended homecourt, easily.
I didn't mean beat down in terms of box score, they mentally beat them down. Both came in with the same record, the Blazers went into a tailspin after that game, and fell a full 8 games behind LA to close the year. I lived here in the Portland area, they were "beaten" from that game.
And Kobe wasn't poisoned for just one game man. Come on.
My point was no poison, no chance. At all. Just like 2001. Kobe ordering that burger gave them their best chance.
Fun facts for everyone.
Kings had shot more free throws than the Lakers thru 5 games.
Game 1, LA + 5
Game 2, Sac + 13
Game 3, Sac + 20
Game 4, LA + 1
Game 5, Sac + 10
Game 6, LA + 15 (with that huge 4th quarter, meaning for 3 quarters, the Kings had outshot LA at the line BY DOUBLE)
Game 7, LA + 3
Game 6 saw the Kings shoot more free throws for 40+ minutes, then get into the penalty halfway thru the quarter, not to mention multiple intentional fouls down the stretch.
Do the math. For the series, Kings were + 37 free throws going into Game 6, and then doubling up the Lakers going into the 4th quarter, which was even brought up by Walton/Snapper Jones during the live broadcast. But conspiracy dumb ***** go on and on about that 4th quarter.
*shrugs*
People see what they wanna see, and remember (or go back and read) what they want, years later.
Im reading recaps online now and the whole age thing. Alright im done.Kobe wasn't just poisoned for 1 game? OK. We agree to disagree thereSo, they "almost" lost a series in which they won game 5 by 27 points?
I know you were 9 or 10 when that year happened and you're reading recaps or something online, but they did not almost blow that series. They didn't play well in their first two road playoff games, period. They won the 3 games in LA by 10, 24, and 27. They defended homecourt, easily.
I didn't mean beat down in terms of box score, they mentally beat them down. Both came in with the same record, the Blazers went into a tailspin after that game, and fell a full 8 games behind LA to close the year. I lived here in the Portland area, they were "beaten" from that game.
And Kobe wasn't poisoned for just one game man. Come on.
My point was no poison, no chance. At all. Just like 2001. Kobe ordering that burger gave them their best chance.
Fun facts for everyone.
Kings had shot more free throws than the Lakers thru 5 games.
Game 1, LA + 5
Game 2, Sac + 13
Game 3, Sac + 20
Game 4, LA + 1
Game 5, Sac + 10
Game 6, LA + 15 (with that huge 4th quarter, meaning for 3 quarters, the Kings had outshot LA at the line BY DOUBLE)
Game 7, LA + 3
Game 6 saw the Kings shoot more free throws for 40+ minutes, then get into the penalty halfway thru the quarter, not to mention multiple intentional fouls down the stretch.
Do the math. For the series, Kings were + 37 free throws going into Game 6, and then doubling up the Lakers going into the 4th quarter, which was even brought up by Walton/Snapper Jones during the live broadcast. But conspiracy dumb ***** go on and on about that 4th quarter.
*shrugs*
People see what they wanna see, and remember (or go back and read) what they want, years later.
So you're telling me in game 2 and 3, Kings were getting favorable calls? Game 6 by far IMO was the worst officiated game of the series. There weren't moments in game 2 or 3 that had me thinking wtf like in game 6. It's not as black and white as listing free throw differential
If I recall correctly, Kings weren't hack a Shaqing down the stretch of game 6, I don't think they wanted Vlade and Webber to be intentionally fouling so that they would only have Lawrence ******* Funderburke guarding Shaq
Calling people dumb *****, great way to not taking things personal. I'm not a conspiracy theorist by any stretch but I do feel like game 6 was weird
Yeah I don't buy into any of those conspiracy theories
The podcast actually addresses both sides.
Webber slaps Shaq on the head as he tries to shoot over Divac. Easy call. There's a play where Peja steps out of bounds for a turnover early in the 4th, and the Kings are arguing about THAT, from 90 feet away. The Kings were already of the mindset, refs refs refs, and they were actually ahead in free throws, that's a mental ****** right there.
Nice breakdown CPThis is the breakdown I did 4 years ago. We had a thread on the series, someone posted game 6 in the thread via Youtube, and I broke down the entire 4th quarter, foul by foul.After I posted this, not one single person replied or countered a single play/call. Zero.Ok friends, I did what I asked all of you to do. Go back and watch the film, it's right here in this very thread, page 2.
Know why there were so many free throws? Anyone know? You get FOUR fouls a quarter, before free throws. FOUR. One problem. ALL FOUR of the Kings fouls to start the Q were shooting fouls = 8 free throws. That's why there were 27 free throws. I mentioned already, 3 intentional fouls, plus 1 clear path foul = 7 of the free throws. That leaves 20 free throws. If you have 4 fouls that are non shooting, that would take 14 fouls to be called. But that isn't what happened. They had exactly the 10 fouls, to give LA 20 free throws.
So let's go thru them.
11:33 Pollard. Walks into Shaq with his arms up. Walton even says, when you put your hands up that early, you are telling the ref you give up on the play. I marked this down as a clear foul, but after finishing the quarter, I will give this one a -- I could hear an argument either way on this. (it should be noted, Bibby and the Kings ALREADY are crying on this call, and at the time, they have shot more free throws then the Lakers by a two to one margin. Walton will later speak on that)
10:27 Webber. EASY call. Fouls on a fastbreak dunk attempt. No argument from anybody.
8:29 Divac Easy call, but I won't go all caps like the Webber. He is reaching, swinging, slapping, and he hits Shaq's hand. The argument here could be late whistle however, but the replay showed it was indeed a foul. Argue if you wish
7:37 Jackson Clear path foul, he was stopping an easy dunk. No argument, and guess what, you are now in the penalty. 4 fouls, free throws for all of them. THAT is why there was 27. If these are all reach ins or whatever, then there woulda been a lot less free throws in the quarter. But lemme guess, we all forgot that, right?
6:20 Funderburke. This is easily the lamest call. Push in the back, this is a call I could do with out. No Laker fan would say this was well deserved or anything. At least, Shaq missed a FT, best I can give you.
4:24 Webber, this is the part where Walton says the 2-1 free throw margin HAD been for the Kings, and now the Lakers have passed them. 3 and a half quarters in........but the refs fixed this game.Webber slaps Shaq on the head as he tries to shoot over Divac. Easy call.
2:56 Divac. Guess what? Divac fouls on this play. Why this important? Because Webber also had 5, and it SHOULD have been a foul on Webber. He fouls Horry first, but no call, and then Divac dives for the ball on top of Horry and gets called. The refs let Webber play, but didn't let Divac get away with it. Either way, SOMEBODY had to be called for a foul. This is at the 1:28:29 mark of the youtube vid.
2:16 Funderburke. EASY call. Jumps over the back of Shaq, to prevent entry pass. If this was foul number 1-4, no free throws, in the penalty, we shoot free throws. Timing is everything in fouls and foul shots.
1:54 Christie. This one is debateable, he will say he went straight up, but Kobe was rising up with Christie and Webber there, there was alot of contact on Christie and Kobe's part. This is a -- you can argue either way. This is the best one, Bibby crumbles to the floor crying.
1:37 Funderburke EASIEST call, Fox with the rebound, Funder clears him out, knocks Fox to the floor, easy call.
1:15 Hedo, we spoke on this. Dude fouled Fox like 3 times on this single play, argue all you want, something was getting called somewhere.
The next 3 fouls were all intentional, to stop the clock. = 6 more free throws.
There were 2 other calls that I thought SHOULD have been fouls on Sac that weren't called, At the 1:09 mark on the Youtube vid when Shaq makes a turnaround shot, Divac pushes him, but it doesn't get called, and the Shaq bucket under a minute, he gets hit but no call either.
That's every foul, every free throw. By all means, please dispute them, I would love to hear your arguments. All I have heard for years was crying and whining, well we have the tape right here in this thread, go thru it, tell me how "terrible" the calls are now. When the heat of the moment is over with. I came up with 2-3 possible shady calls, and even found 2 non calls. There's also a play earlier when Bobby Jackson isn't called for a carry, and the whole Laker bench jumps up at once yelling for it, Bobby then goes and scores.There's a play where Peja steps out of bounds for a turnover early in the 4th, and the Kings are arguing about THAT, from 90 feet away.The Kings were already of the mindset, refs refs refs, and they were actually ahead in free throws, that's a mental ****** right there.
So whatever, I gave every call right here to all of you on a platter, no need to argue now, just watch the tapes of those calls and go from there. Make sure to wait for the replays on some of them, they happen fast.
But the narrative that something was amiss lives on, forever probably. But no one will actually rewatch the game, and view the actual calls, like I did. *shrugs*
Damn shame he wasn't 100%
and the reason why I rocked the deuce deuce
