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Houston at Los Angeles

Fair Currently: Los Angeles, CA
Temp: 51° F
  • Game info: 3:30 pm EDT Sun May 17, 2009
  • TV: ABC

By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer May 16, 8:09 pm EDT

Preview | Box Score | Recap | Series Breakdown
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LOS ANGELES (AP)—The Western Conference semifinals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets appears to come down to a simple question.

Which Lakers team will show up for the decisive Game 7?

The one that blew out the undermanned Rockets by 40 points in Game 5 to set up what most everyone thought would be the clinching game? Or the one that quickly fell behind by double digits two nights later and lost by 15?

The Lakers, it seems, will be the ones who determine whether Sunday’s matinee at Staples Center is a feel-good story or a horror show.

The winner of this physical, sometimes-testy series will advance to the conference finals to face the Denver Nuggets, who’ve been resting since eliminating Dallas on Wednesday night.

Kobe Bryant(notes) admits it’s a mystery why the Lakers have been so wildly inconsistent against a team few expected would reach the second round, let alone push the top seed in the West to a Game 7.

“Yeah, that’s the million-dollar question,” Bryant said Saturday. “There’s a bunch of other teams in the past that went through the same thing for whatever reason. It’s just the emotions of an NBA season, I guess.”

Bryant expects to see “the team that won all those games this year. We’re continuing to evolve, too.

“I think the second half of that game in Houston we picked up our defensive intensity and saw kind of what we’re capable of by playing as hard as we did on the defensive end,” Bryant said. “Hopefully we’ll get off to a hot start.”

After being outmuscled by the now-sidelined Yao Ming(notes) in the opener at home, the Lakers dominated Games 2, 3 and 5. Los Angeles was twice embarrassed in Texas by a Rockets team that’s been without Tracy McGrady(notes) since February, backup center Dikembe Mutombo(notes) since the first round and Yao since he broke a bone in his left foot in Game 3 of this series. Chuck Hayes(notes), a 6-foot-6 forward who’s now the Rockets’ starting center, is a full foot shorter than Yao.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson acknowledged before Game 5 his team has a split personality.

“This team has a Jekyll and Hyde in it a little bit, I’ll admit that,” Jackson said. “They have a tendency to get on their heels at times as a basketball team, but they’ve always responded.”

It’s just that there’s no more room for error for a team that allows itself to be dominated in the paint one game and then does the dominating the next; lets Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks(notes) penetrate at will one night and then controls him the next time they meet; or sees the largely ineffective Andrew Bynum(notes) score 14 points in Game 5 and then zero in Game 6.

Bryant said there’s “a lot” of pressure on the Lakers. “But this is what we do so, we’re supposed to be here and as players you have to respond. If you’re going to be an NBA champion, you’ve got to be able to respond to situations like this.”

Going against popular opinion, Jackson thinks Game 7 will be about which Rockets team shows up.

“They’ve been the provocateur and they’ve been the one that has been the team that goes out and makes a decided difference in games,” Jackson said. “Their activity level was certainly much greater in games 4 and 6.”

A quick start will be important. The team leading after the first quarter has won all 12 of Houston’s postseason games.

“It’s going to be crazy,” Houston coach Rick Adelman said. “They’re going to come out and try to put a hit on us early. They’re going to try to attack us inside early. I know Kobe will be aggressive. It’s all about seeing how much we’ve grown. I think we’re ready to play.”

That said, “I’m not going to have a lot of patience,” Adelman added. “Guys off the bench, they have to perform. There’s no tomorrow in this situation.”

The Rockets have played loose in this series, and at times with more energy than the Lakers.

“I fully expect us to play a good game tomorrow,” Adelman said.

Luis Scola(notes), who had 24 points and 12 rebounds in Game 6, expects a close game.

“It’s not time for any mistakes. We’ve got to do everything right,” Scola said.

Yes, the Lakers are disappointed they didn’t take care of business earlier.

“Ain’t nothing we can do about it. Nothing. We just got to come out and play,” Bryant said.

Teammate Pau Gasol(notes) said the Lakers need to control Brooks, be aggressive and enjoy their home-court advantage.

“Game 7, playing at home, it’s something you deserve and earned in case of getting to this position,” he said. “It will be pressure, but at the same time we’re a good team to respond to that by playing hard, playing well and winning. That’s the bottom line.”

Updated May 16, 8:09 pm EDT
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Houston 53-29 2nd Southwest / 5th West 98.4 94.4 Road 20-21 Lost 1 6-4
Los Angeles 65-17 1st Pacific / 1st West 106.9 99.3 Home 36-5 Won 2 7-3

Notes

C Yao Ming scored 23 points on Wednesday, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. ... The Rockets were outscored, 30-14, in the final frame. ... G Kyle Lowry chipped in 15 points off the bench.

Apr 15, 11:31 pm EDT

Lakers coach Phil Jackson is breaking with his playoff tradition of wearing the most recent championship ring from his collection of nine NBA titles. "I'm tired of wearing that ring," he said about his 2002 bauble. "I've been wearing it for seven years now." ... G Jordan Farmar played despite tendinitis in his right pinky toe.

Apr 19, 10:25 pm EDT
NBA

661 Comments

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  1. <i>jrh1968</i>
    660. Posted by jrh1968 Tue May 19 11:21am EDT

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    BallBoy65; I am a Texan born and raised in Texas and Still living here. Is Texas Better than all the rest? No. Is it more stable than most at this time? Yes. You have the right to your opinion as it is our constitutional right. I apologize for assuming you are from CA and I knew a couple of Marines from Cleveland and they were good friends. Do Recruiters Lie? Yes I know firsthand. But If you think that all of those serving and those who have served walk around thinking we are some kind of Hero’s then your perception is all wrong. You want to bash the Congress and the Executive administration Fine. But when you try to trash talk what those men and women who are serving and have served have done for this country I have issues. Look you may have watched Braveheart to much or something but Long Shanks is not running the military and no son or daughter is Expendable as you put it. We served our country to protect those rights that you get to express here and everywhere you go each day. I appreciate those who care enough to offer thanks for the sacrifices we as veterans made but do not expect it. Do those serving in the ranks get to decide where we go and what we do? No. But we did and do our Job and protect the back of our comrades to the left and Right and we mourned those who did not come back. We did it to as a choice. Because we are “Stupid” as you put it I think not. Before this country entered Iraq I prayed for those sons and daughters as I listened to the people around this country and watched the poles say we need to go in. I said then we should not. However once committed we have to see it to the end or else all those sacrifices they made on the battlefield would be for nothing. The lives of those innocent civilians in Iraq would be at the mercy of the next Gang Lord. Was it about Oil I don’t know, but I do remember the majority of Americans before we entered Iraq for the second time asking for it which is something I bet you forgot. Am I better than you or any other American? No. I work hard and serve my country where I can but I do know this, I have a deeper respect for what this country and founding fathers tried to give each of us and what it stands for. They tried to gives us the freedom and the ability to make our dreams possible. So you want to trash the Government that’s fine but back off my brothers and sisters in arms. Semper Fi Texas
  2. lancemhemo
    659. Posted by lancemhemo Mon May 18 6:58pm EDT

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    i want to see the mvp lebron james and the cavaliers versus LA LAKERS in the finals
  3. BallBoy65
    658. Posted by BallBoy65 Mon May 18 5:20pm EDT

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    Texans, I'm noy from Cali, never been there. I have been to Texas though and had a good time. I don't hate the place Texas, I just hate the Texan attitude, which AmberScat67 exuded with pomp in her comment. Look, if you come into the comments screaming, "Wahoo, don't mess with Texas, y'all. We kick the rest of the sorry US's ass." I'm going to mess with you. All of you add-on commentators continue to prove my point. Texans are arrogant, militaristic, anti-patriots who put their state ahead of the rest of the union. It's that Lone Star @#$%headedness. The North spanked the South in the War Between the States, but Texas still wants to be thought of as separate. Obviously I'm not claiming to have special evidence against Bush, but anyone who doesn't receive a paycheck to think otherwise knows he (but more so, Chaney) is a war criminal and put Americans at risk with overkill methods. Hell, I don't even blame the Republicans on their own. I'm from Cleveland and I know from televised debates and capaigns that the Democratic Party paved the way for Bush to steal the 2004 election. The two parties are good cop/bad cop, the same. Like you said, Congress is to blame too, but the former administration did lie to Congress and going into Iraq was blood for oil and unnecessary and illegal given the lies that led Congress to authorize force. What I hate about the Texas attitude is that the same jingos who hate their Mexican neighbors for wanting to become Texans also despise the rest of America as less than Texan. Look, if you're going to be a Country Club about it, shut the hell up. If your message is, Texans are the best - come be a Texan. Not so bad. If your message is, Just leave us Texans alone. Okay. But if your message is, Texans are better than all other Americans and waaaaay better than all ferriners. Shove a nuke up your ass. And yes, Texas (the law) has messed with friends of mine, going way overboard to be the tough guy, so I won't pull any punches with Texans. When the law messes with me, I fight back and win, because I'm not doing the illegal sh!t, they are. And I prove my point in court. So when some idiot gives me the Wahoo Texas line, I say, to hell with Texas, meaning overblown Texans. If you want to say Texas is great. Fine, I won't even argue with you, but if you insist on claiming Texas has the best of everything, I'll challenge you. Hmmm, medical facilities...well, when they don't know what to do in Texas (or anywhere else in the world) they come to Cleveland for the best medical care in the world. We've got a hospital with a whole complex dedicated to international patients. Most of the US military is in Texas, huh? Somehow I doubt that literally the majority of all US military is in Texas, but if you mean more than anywhere else, okay, but I'm not bowing to you for saving my sorry ass from Iraqis who posed no threat to me or mine, or for spending tons of money on weapons and vehicles that aren't even up to specs. I feel bad for the kids who get killed because the military doesn't shield its vehicles properly and runs kids out to get shot at because they're expendable. A lot of kids get lied to by recruiters then some of them pay for their ignorance with their lives or health. That doesn't make what you do heroic. It's freaking sad and stupid. Wars can be avoided by greater strength than that exhibited by pulling a trigger and blowing off someone's head from hundreds of yards away or using robots to kill for you. The US military is the greatest threat to human freedom ever because it's developing the weapons that continue to dehumanize war, but not its casualties. You want my respect? Get your leadership to go into the Sudan and stop genocide of the bloodiest type. Don't start the killing and pull out. That is schoolyard bully bullsh!t. It's a world full of punks and the military builds none better. You dogs of war come home and become cops to find enemies in the cities and become warriors against your own, for money and false pride. The Texas attitude exemplifies that. Killing solves nada and makes things worse, period. You don't even know (or care) that you're in a moronic Crusade to cover piracy under the cloak of a War on Terror. War is terror.
  4. <i>jrh1968</i>
    657. Posted by jrh1968 Mon May 18 3:51pm EDT

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    joerockt; at least you caught it :-)
  5. joerockt
    656. Posted by joerockt Mon May 18 3:45pm EDT

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    jrh1968: "Your IQ is lower than my dogs because obviously are truly unedjucated."

    OH the irony.
  6. Johnny
    655. Posted by Johnny Mon May 18 3:39pm EDT

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    yay it took 7, but the awesome lakers finally prevailed...... they beat on a beat up team without their 2 stars. WTG Lakers good luck with Denver.... someone keep an eye on mr 24 make sure he behaves in Denver.
  7. <i>jrh1968</i>
    654. Posted by jrh1968 Mon May 18 2:41pm EDT

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    AmberScott67; I commend you on your effort but try not to sink to their level. If they have lived here in Texas for even a short while they would be of different opinion. The uneducated (for BallBoy65 who probably did not catch it) or at least have some common sense don’t really deserve the effort it takes to listen to them. I lived in their state (CA) for a while when serving this country and protecting their freedom and there is not enough money in the world to pay me to live there. I am proud to call Texas home and proud of my fellow Texans. I can tell you this that after Hurricane Ike hit us hard (and I live on the coast where it hit) we rolled up our sleeves and got to work and then helped each other and did not sit around waiting with our hands out saying "Woe is me". And if you say “Woe is me" is what you saw on TV that is only because that is what the Liberal media would have you believe. I lived the truth. Semper Fi Texans.
  8. <i>jrh1968</i>
    653. Posted by jrh1968 Mon May 18 2:39pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    AmberScott67; I commend you on your effort but try not to sink to their level. If they have lived here in Texas for even a short while they would be of different opinion. The uneducated (for BallBoy65 who probably did not catch it) or at least have some common sense don’t really deserve the effort it takes to listen to them. I lived in their state (CA) for a while when serving this country and protecting their freedom and there is not enough money in the world to pay me to live there. I am proud to call Texas home and proud of my fellow Texans. I can tell you this that after Hurricane Ike hit us hard (and I live on the coast where it hit) we rolled up our sleeves and got to work and then helped each other and did not sit around waiting with our hands out saying "Woe is me". And if you say “Woe is me" is what you saw on TV that is only because that is what the Liberal media would have you believe. I lived the truth. Semper Fi Texans.
  9. <i>jrh1968</i>
    652. Posted by jrh1968 Mon May 18 1:50pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    BallBoy65; all you proved in all your ranting is this; Your IQ is lower than my dogs because obviously are truly unedjucated. Get a High School diploma and then come and write some thing worth listening to. Semper Fi Texas
  10. Brandon K
    651. Posted by Brandon K Mon May 18 1:47pm EDT

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    The Denver Nuggets ain't really a team to @#$% wit either... I don't think it's gonna be that easy for the Lakers. But I ain't worried bout all that bull@#$%. My Cleveland Cavaliers will come out on top AGAIN in this series and pull ANOTHER SWEEP against the Orlando Magic.
  11. <i>shawn_hempel</i>
    650. Posted by shawn_hempel Mon May 18 1:45pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Ballboy65, have you ever even so much as SEEN the state of texas?? you want to accuse us of border killings, then give an example where texans have willingly opened fire on unarmed illegals. I have never seen kids or mentally retarded being killed on tv, perhaps you are recalling old home videos from when you were younger. Since when are you the authority on what makes a war criminal and can establish that someone is one "without a doubt"??????? are you so freakin stupid that you don't realise the entire war on terror in ALL fields of battle was APPROVED BY CONGRESS. if you want to label bush a war criminal, then you better be ready with about 500 more labels. Right now, Texas is one of few states anyone would feel comfortable living in... we aren't begging for money from the government, unemployment is higher than usual but still lower than national average. You are just some filthy Laker-loving Homo who has never seen Texas, never read a book about Texas, never seen anything on tv about Texas, and just in general knows absolutely nothing about life in Texas. By the way, what blood goes with oil?? do you even know what oil is?
    A couple extra things for you to try to sink into your meager brain, Texas is home to some of the best colleges in the united states, home to the majority of the US Military, and also plays host to some of the best medical centers IN THE WORLD, i think we have reason to be proud.....
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