Posts Tagged ‘Victory’
The 14-times champion of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers got their 46th victory of the season by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 111-108. The Lakers struggled during different parts of the game, especially when their intensity and defense were not at its best. The Timberwolves started playing their game, while the Lakers let them play comfortable, given them chances to control the ball. But, even with the lack of energy, the Lakers played to win, being always close to the wolves in the score; in fact the major lead of the Lakers was of 6 points, whereas 5pts was the longest for their opponents.
In the first quarter of the game, both teams were equally managing the actions, but at the end of the period the score ended 29-26, favoring of Los Angeles by a dunk of Ariza. In the second phase, the Lakers kept ruling, but just for 3:17 minutes more, as Minnesota tied the game and overtook the lead by two points with 2:51 left. However, near the final minute the Lakers tied the score 50-50 and finished with an advantage of four points at halftime.
In the second half of the match, things got rough for LA, as their defense was looking very sloppy before the Timberwolves big shots. At the end of the third quarter the higher score was for Minnesota, who was playing more demandingly on the defense, which give them an advantage of two points (80-78).
Nonetheless, Odom, Bryant and Gasol came in strong for the last 12 minutes, giving the Lakers a more secure basketball, with a better execution in the flow of the offense and a healthier defense. Kobe Bryant gave the team a sweet relieve by scoring the last 4 free throws for the triumph of 111-108.
Even with this win Coach Phil Jackson was disappointed about his men’s performances: “Our intensity level is not where it’s supposed to be, that’s the difference… We can’t let a team get started the way they got started. They started feeling good about the way they were playing rather than our defense dictating things.”
The best scorers for the Lakers were: Kobe Bryant with 28 points, seven assists and 6 rebounds; Lamar Odom achieved a double-double with 25pts and 14 rebounds; also with 25 points, the Spaniard Paul Gasol, had 5 assists and 5 boards. For Minnesota, all of the starters finished with double digits, although the best scorers were Ryan Gomes and Sebastian Telfair, who scored 20pts each; then followed, with 19, by Craig Smith, who went in to substitute Gomes and Miller during 1st and 3rd quarter respectively.
With this result the Lakers have currently the best record in the league, with a total of 46 wins and only 10 loses, and is one of the favorites to win the title 2008-09. The next game of the Lakers will be against the Oklahoma Thunders on February 24th at Oklahoma City. On the other hand, the Timberwolves are in 11th place of the Eastern Conference, holding a record of 18-37; while their next game will be also on the 24th, but facing the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre.
One more time the Lakers stand out summing a new victory to their history and present season success streak. Right now the LA team is in second place in the NBA league standings with a record 20-3 and great possibilities of reaching the Boston Celtics, who are leading the board. On this opportunity, the Lakers met the Timberwolves, who defeated with s 98-86 final score. Although the Californians are enjoying a good winner streak, the emotion and the spectacular tricks have been some of the characteristics absent on their last matches as well as in the last one, before Minnesota, when at the start of the meeting boredom was another member in the field. But the dullness lasted until Kobe Bryant, captain of the Lakers and one of the most complete players on the league, took control over the game with the energy and skills that has distinguished him along his career and made him worthy of several titles; such as: 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player, All-Star Game MVP in which he has participated 10 consecutive times, this are just a few honors among many others. While Bryant accomplished the 26 points in the match, the spectators cheered up and the LA Lakers shined with such a glitter that blinded their rivals; all left was to take advantage of the happening to win. At the middle of the encounter, the duel kept tough and uneven, which woke up the Lakers that with the support of Luke Walton and Jordan Farmar advanced widely in the scoreboard. The 8 points advantage, gave the Californian the strength and motivation necessary to command and domain the game. From that moment on Lakers showed unstoppable thanks to the valuable contributions by Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom on defense.
The other two players that kept present helping their team during the whole match were the Spaniard Pau Gasol, who counts with great experience due to his participation in different international basketball tournaments and the Dominican Trevor Ariza. While Gasol was responsible for 18 points, 11 rebounds, six assistances and a double-double that turned out to be vital for the triumph against Timberwolves, Ariza collaborated with 14 points that gave the team an impulse to finish victorious.
This is the thirteenth success for the LA Lakers from the last 14 matches played as locals, pushing them upper every time closer to Boston’s team. At the moment the distance between the two clubs is as short as three points, a difference that doubtless will make the Lakers give all they got to surpass it. But to achieve it they now very well, they must keep working harder and harder, never low their guard and lose points to reduce their advantage.