Inbound Inability

The Lakers took a 2-1 series lead over the Nuggets after their game three win in the Western Conference Finals...

I judge wisely, as if nothin ever surprise me
Loungin, between two pillars of ivory...

-We all lamented the Game One inability to do a simple basketball play of throwing the ball inbounds. One of the biggest cries was why was Anthony Carter throwing the ball in when KMart is your best inbound player. We got our chance in Game Three and the result was the same: a hastily thrown pass that was picked off by Trevor Ariza. KMart's pass was actually worse than AC's; it more resembled a Jorge DeLaRosa hanging curve rather than an inbounds. We can go over the play(s) 1000 times: don't telegraph your pass, fake a throw, throw it into the backcourt, call (another) timeout. But the bottom line is these guys are professional basketball players, the coaches coach basketball for a living. An inbounds pass is one of the most basic things in the game if executed properly (see: James, LeBron receive an inbounds and score with one second).

-George Karl used a stellar non-existant word in his post game conference: "teamness". Try that in your next big meeting with your boss.

-The team picked a bad night to have their worse 3 point night of the year. Many of the looks they were getting were open and the clanks were filling the Pepsi Center. JR Smith, Chauncey, and Melo weren't do any favors for the home team score with some of those heaves. Especially frustrating was Melo's attempts, because those possesions would be better served with him driving and trying to create or drawing a foul. Way too many transtition threes for Chauncey and JR. Yes, if they fall they are huge crowd igniters and momentum starters, but when they miss, they don't do any good when the Lakers sprint back the other way and set up in the halfcourt.

-The look in Melo's face and body language after he fouled out was the eeriest look and feeling I've seen on him in his Denver years. Was it anger, doubt, bewilderment, "someone's gonna pay", heartbreak, or was he pondering if that guy really should've won American Idol?

-One of the few 3s made was by JR on one of his patented circus shots at the 3rd Quarter buzzer, giving the Nugs an eight point lead. However, he went Brandon Marshall after the shot and said some unkind things to get T'ed up. Trash talk? Must've been more like toxic waste talk to get the technical in that situation. AC's attempt to play Brandon Stokely was too late, as whatever JR said to rugged enough to deserve a T over the crowd noise. In effect, that was the beginning of a horrid 0-9 start on offense to start the 4th while the Lakers made their move.

-The Lakers had a 28-11 FT advantage in the 2nd half, the refs seemingly not calling the game consistent on both ends (witness Birdman's dunk attempt in the 4th where he was hacked from every angle and no call). However the Lakers were selling the fouls, flopping and playing to the Nuggets' contact. Luke Walton may have had the biggest when Melo hooked him on a drive and Walton flew to the ground resulting in Melo's 5th PF and a changed defensive and perhaps a more cautious offensive Melo.

-Yeah, and that #24 guy in purple was pretty good. The "Kobe sucks" chants from the crowd probably didn't rattle that dude. I just some idiot blogger who knows a little hoops, but I can unequivocally say that he doesn't suck.

RELATED: Ice Cube - "Who's The Mack" - "He's talking shit and you crack a smile, when he tell you that he can go buck wild"