. .
Shaq uses his favorite move to gain position
in game 2 of the Western Conf. Finals.. .

GAME TWO THOUGHTS

Reno Lady

The refs did everything they could to bail the Lakers out in the 4th quarter but the Kings did everything they needed to do to win that game and they deserved to win it. Kobe sat out the last minute or two because the Zen Disaster knew the game was over and there was no sense wearing Kobe out any further since he wasn't doing his normal Mighty Mouse imitation ("Here I come to save the day"). I have no doubt that Kobe had been sick prior to the game because as the game progressed he seemed to have less energy - but he also seemed to be pouting and whining a lot more too. Maybe all those things were tied into one another? Maybe because things weren't going his way?

I just love it when, no matter what the Kings do, there are those same small-minded naysayers we've had to put up with the last 4 years. Remember when we said "the Kings will make it to the WCF in a couple of years" and "they" pooh-poohed the idea? Just like the scoffed at our saying Webber would re-sign?

Finally...

The Case of the Tainted Cheeseburger by Kobe Bryant.

"It was a dark, rainy Monday in Sacramento and I had a lot of time on my hands. Having become tired of watching MJ highlights and practicing my imitation of them, I looked around for something of interest to do because everyone knows it's boring as Lower Merion High School in downtown Cowtown. So I did what any good Laker associated with Shaq does - I ate. I ate and I ate and I ate and somewhere along the line I started to not feel too good. Aha, I thought, perhaps a little cheesecake will make that queasy feeling go away, so I ate some of that too. But I was so wrong....instead of going away that queasy feeling got worse and worse and the next thing I know I spending more time in the bathroom than my wife does putting on her false eyeslashes."

According to the Bee today, the Hyatt says there's no way anyone would have a clue as to where a certain meal was being delivered and that the last inspection the Hyatt kitchen got was very, very good. Methinks Kobe just overdid it and made some poor choices about WHAT to eat, not where to eat.

Triple B

I dont even think a game where CWebb scores 30+ pts, grabs 15+ boards and even gets 9 assists would silence any doubters. Hell with CWebb's luck he could do that and we lose the game. Then his so called selfishness cost us the game, or his 30+ points didn't have a impact on the game[Walton and Bree were trying to say on Sat. that CWebb's stats were good...but didn't have a impact on the game. Yet every Shaq jam and Kobe Hanger did. Ugh...bias.]

The way CWebb is playing this series is perfectly fine...he is doing everything at the right time. In the post he is anticipating the flops, and finishing the plays. Also he isn't rushing his post moves as much as he has earlier.

The only guys not having a series to remember so far are Hedo and Scot. Hedo looked to be coming out of it and Scot just seems 'overwhelmed' by Snaq. But if our D keeps up on the other guys, and Bib and Bobby continue to abuse the Lakers backcourt..I don't see us losing.

Bonnie49erKIngs

Webber is a power forward with a wide variety of skills. But he's NOT a guard. He's not the quick shot maker like MJ or Kobe or heck, Bibby!

Also, remember that Adelman tells Webber NOT to take over games, to play within the system as a team. Webber taking over means his teammates step back and we become the Lakers but with only 1 star and a bunch of standbys. There are games that Webber can dominate, like that game in Detroit, but heck, that was the Pistons! Not the Lakers. And Webber got a ton of great play from the rest of the team as well in that game.

His highest scoring game of his career, we lost!

Now, let's not forget that the final miss by the Lakers on Monday was because of Webber's defense on Shaq. He also grabbed key rebounds down the stretch.

Only those new to the game would think offense is all there is to winning. Kind of like the way Mavs fans think.

SactoGreg

I like the fact that C Webb has been the "silent warrior" for lack of better terms, but I still would like to see him take over a game. I like the message that it would send to the Lakers at the PF position and as the leader of the Kings team. The thing I like most about him having a monster game is that I don't see the Kings falling into the same trap they used to, as Bonnie suggested. I think if C Webb were to have a big game, the others would still contribute in may other areas.

Some other Webber notables:

- His shooting percentage ranks ninth in the post season, at 49.1%.
- He has made more FG's than anyone else in the top 50 players at 106.
- His FT percentage is awful at 61%!
- 10th at blocks per game with a 1.82 average.
- Seventh place rebounder with an 11.3 RPG!
- 3.8 assists per game average.

Jeff

Oh did Shaq get four fouls the other day? How is that possible? How are the Lakers expected to be able to play ball with Shaq being called for fouls????

By the way, in two games he has been whistled for 6 fouls. Vlade (who is flopping all over the place taking advantage of poor Shaq) has 11 fouls in two games. Chris Webber has 8, Doug Christie has 11, Scot Pollard 6 (in 27 minutes!).

Fisher, Horry, Fox and even George are spending more times playing defense on their

butts than on their feet, and for the most part they are getting away with it and getting turnovers. Watching the Lakers play defense is like walking through China Town, looking at all the fish flopping around on the ground.

And if Vlade is fouling out of every game, then maybe, just maybe, Shaq should be getting called for fouls too....Don't ya think?

GHorsey

Shaq and Jackson's protests about officiating are bogus. The freethrow difference in game 2 was pretty minimal when you consider 8 of the Kings freethrows were intentional fouls in the 4th quarter to stop the clock and get possession back by the Lakers. Hardly any difference in the total number of FT attempts at all.

C-Webb made a great defensive play on ShaqSnaq. The shot was off to the right and a miss the moment it left his hand. Chris made a great defensive play when it mattered most at the END OF THE GAME. For those of you who want Chris to be that takeover guy in the 4th, remember this one point. While Chris struggles with but is capable of doing that, the overall strategy the Kings have employed all year is TEAM PLAY. Petrie's moves over the past 4 seasons, the coaching staff's play designs on defense and offense, the assembled personalities on this Kings team is all centered around unselfish, team basketball. What a refreshing concept, 12 guys sharing, passing, and helping out.

I see this whole approach as a great attempt to compete against the 2-star system, which is the Lakers. No one in the league matches against Shaq and there is no one on the horizon who will. Kobe and Shaq will get their 50-60 a game. But control the other three starters and Lakers bench and they can be beat. And we have the TEAM that can do that. If we abandon the team concept we have developed all season, we will have no chance to beat the Lakers and nether will any other NBA team (except the powerhouse Bulls, sorry couldn't resist).

Chris, keep putting up your 20 pts., 10 boards, 5 assists, and a couple of blocks a game. Don't change a thing, except maybe make a couple more of those tough shots in the paint (you to Vlade).

In last years playoffs, I don't recall the Lakers nearly so vocal about their opponents. They only start whining and complaining when they are threatened, trying to get any edge they can because they know they could easily lose. Certainly the Lakers can win this series, the stats and history are on their side. But we are the biggest threat to their success since two years ago. They know it and we know it.

I can only go by what the Kings have accomplished this year. Best regular season record, despite a tougher schedule in comparison to the Lakers (more road back to backs and longer travel, timing of games). The ONLY team to not lose three in a row. Road wins in two playoff series after splits in the first two at home. They are resilient in the face of adversity all year long. They have come out on top against every challenge thrown at them. Win or lose in this series, they have earned the respect of a lot of fans and belong here. The have earned it. And they are the biggest, and really only threat to a Lakers threepeat, which is why the Lakers are talking so much. The more they talk, the more happy I am because they are worried and trying to get every little angle they can going for them, because deep down they know they can very easily lose to the Kings this year, in this series.

GO KINGS. One at a time, let's get a win. I would not be surprised to win this thing in 6 games. But all we need to focus on is Friday night, and eating the right food at the right venues.