Questions/Observations about the Lakers/Mavs game.

[WayOutWest]

Observations:

1.) The Mavs played terrible but where in striking distance in the 4th WITHOUT Dirk.
2.) Twan looks good playing point forward. I like Twans attitude, reminds me of NVE.
3.) Nash and Howard played very well, if they would have gotten a little help it could have gone the other way.
4.) Finely was a no show AGAIN.

Questions:

1.) Why doesn't Jamison get any plays run for him? There is nobody on the Lakers that can handle him. Kobe/Payton/Devean are too small to guard him in the post and Malone/Slava/Shaq are too slow to guard him on the perimeter. Same goes for Walker but Walker is mainly perimeter so I can understand that but Jamison looks like a waste playing for the Mavs. Outside of Dirk, Jamison would cause the biggest matchup problems for the Lakers until Fox comes back, even then I think Fox would get lit up if the offense ran through Jamison when the outside shoots aren't falling.

2.) What happend to Danny? Najera has no buisness guarding Shaq. He's not big enough, not strong enough and not tall enough. At least Fortson has the bulk and strenght to bother Shaq, Eddie is just useless so what gives with Danny? I didn't notice Danny do anyting that horrible other than not make a play on that Payton wide open layup.

3.) Despite all the big talk the Mavs didn't walk the big walk. The Mavs did NOT get blown out in this game but they sure acted like they did, what is with the loser mentality vs. the Lakers? They cut the lead to 8 in the 4th but still played like they were down 20. Does the choke from last year still linger? Does not having Dirk in the lineup bring the Mavs phycie down?

Nice game, I believe the Kings and Mavs will cause the biggest problems for the Lakers. The Kings and Mavs are not built like the Lakers and they're comfortable playing an uptempo game which is the ONLY way you will have a shot vs. LA, no team other than the 1986 Celtics or the 1988 Lakers could beat this years Lakers in a half court set. The new found Lakers fast break offense will get LA into trouble if they start getting away from Shaq and the half court set. The Lakers defense is not geared to handle an uptempo game for a long period of time.