SPL - Lakers vs Mavericks (GP appearance)

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:42 pm

<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl01.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Bo Outlaw 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl02.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl03.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Gary Payton 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl04.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
The game started out soft for the Lakers and I was concerned. It was like the regular season, Dallas was all offense and no defense, Lakers were spotty offense and no defense. Dallas went up 34-25 after the first quarter. There was no energy on the court for the purple and gold, the heart and soul of that team was sitting on the bench in Ronny Turiaf. 
 
"I signed a contract with the Lakers and we have to get a physical and results are not in yet so they told me not to play," said Turiaf. 
 
Not playing didn't mean he didn't impact the game. On every play, he would jump out of his seat cheering on his teammates. As soon as a timeout was called, he would run to the guys to support them. He was the spark off the bench. 
 
"That’s just me," Turiaf said. "I see my teammates play, doing something good on defense and something good on offense, I’ll be the first one to get up and just try to cheer them on. Just try to make sure that they understand that they did something good. That’s just me. I don’t know why I wasn’t sitting down, I think I can’t just sit on the bench, I have to stand up. 
 
"I have a passion for people, I have a passion about basketball, that’s for sure. Whenever I see some of my teammates doing something good, I’m going to have to tell them because I think the need to be recognized for what you do on the court, they need to hear it so I’ll be the first one to tell them." 
 
They heard his message and in the first six minutes of the second quarter, Dallas only scored 4 points. It wasn't necessarily a lock-down on defense, but the Lakers were making hussle plays, keeping their hands up and playing with so much energy that it disrupted what Dallas was trying to do. Los Angeles outscored Dallas in that quarter 35-15, giving them a half-time score of 60-49, Lakers lead. 
 
I called it the scrub night because the guys that haven't seen a 'SportsCenter moment' since high school were making big plays. Eric Sandrin had two big dunks, one in the second quarter and one in the fourth. Both send the fans in a frenzy for the roster saying, "Who is he and where did he come from?" That's not to mention his 3 big blocks for the 6-8 guard. 
 
Sasha Vujacic also had a great night, actually scoring more points than turnovers for a change. He was getting no love from the refs, being knocked down repeatedly but still scored 12 points off 4 of 6 shooting, getting 4 assists and only picking up 1 turnover. 
 
Tony Bobbitt even got in the mix a bit with 6 points and 2 steals in only 8 minutes. 
 
The most glaring stat of the night is in the difference in assists, the Lakers had 31 while the Mavericks had only 8. Los Angeles was playing the team game and Dallas was lost. 
 
The Lakers did win the game by a final score of 115-101. Carlos Powell was the leading scorer with 18 points, Bynum lead in rebounds with 9, four of which were offensive. David Logan lead the way for Dallas with 30 points. 
 
 
More quotes from Turiaf: 
On Andrew Bynum: 
"He’s working hard and the sky is the limit and I don’t say that just because he’s standing right here looking at me. [laughs] I truly believe the sky is the limit, the Lakers made a great choice picking him and putting their faith in him because I don’t think he’s going to let him down." 
 
On the Lakers "bringing it" every night: 
"The Lakers were a great team before Ronny Turiaf or anybody else. Those guys, because of injuries and lack of playing together, did not accomplish the things that they would want to accomplish. Right now everybody is healthy and everybody wants to prove people wrong, you guys are going to see a different team. You can say, ya, they didn’t bring it every night but I think those guys, every night they went out there they tried to do their best. 
"I will try to be there for them and just try to make them go higher and if I can do that, I will be gladly happy to have my little towel on the sideline and be the cheerleader. I have no problem with that." 
 
What he needs to work on: 
"Overall game. I have to get stronger in my legs, I have to get a stronger upper body, I have to keep working on my post moves, I have to do everything. I’m not that good of a basketball player that I can say I only have to work on one thing. That’s not true, I need to work on a lot." 
 
Where to next? 
"I’m going to go back home to Spokane to pick up my stuff and hopefully move down there, stay down there and just work out." 
You mean move to LA? 
"No, I’m going to move to Minnesota. Come on man …. [laughs] 
I’m going to go down there, pick up my stuff and move back home here. Yeah, I feel like LA is my home now. Can I say that? LA is my house, my home, where I feel good." 
 
Turiaf is home. 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl05.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Started out with just Turiaf standing up to cheer for plays, then more and more guys started doing it. The guy can affect the game without even playing 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl06.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Bynum 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl07.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Carlos Powell and Sasha Vujacic 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl08.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Ramis talks to Bynum 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl09.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Smush Parker 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl10.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Sasha 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl11.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
Trevor Harvey had a very good game 
 
I'll have box scores up in a minute. I'm sorry I haven't been able to go to any games this week, I've been out of town at a meeting. I went after work last night and got the Lakers/Mavericks game. Analysis to come ... <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/banner-clutch.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p204.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showUserPublicProfile?gid=missmyzte>missmyzte</A> at: 7/16/05 1:48 pm

missmyzte · by **missmyzte** on Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:12 pm

<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl12.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
<img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/game/07-15_spl13.jpg" style="border:0;"/> 
 
<div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.mistilynn.com/banner-clutch.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

Zan the Fan · by **Zan the Fan** on Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:16 pm

Hmmmmmm...Bynum is no. 17? Fitting, since he can only dream of being half the player Shaq was he is fitted with half Shaq's old digits. 
 
<img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/cheers.gif ALT=":cheers"> When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before." 
-Jacob August Riis (1849-1914)

Blondie · by **Blondie** on Sat Jul 16, 2005 6:47 pm

cool report and pix Misti! <img src=http://www.sahoops.net/smilies/clap2.gif ALT=":clap2"> <div style="text-align:center"><img src="http://www.sahoops.net/jackie/blondie4spursbanner.jpg" style="border:0;"/></div>

SPL - Lakers vs Mavericks (GP appearance)