Lakers dominate the Rockets to win Game 7
Written by Keeyo on May 17th, 2009
By Broderick Turner
3:08 PM PDT, May 17, 2009
Lakers fans can rest easy, at least for today.
The Lakers will continue their march toward an NBA championship, their Western Conference semifinals series against a tougher-than-expected Houston Rockets team that pushed L.A. to seven games now over.
The Lakers built a 28-point lead en route to an 89-70 victory over the Rockets in the deciding Game 7 this afternoon at Staples Center.
The Lakers move on to the conference finals to play the Denver Nuggets, who have been resting since Wednesday night after they eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the other Western Conference semifinal series.
The Lakers were 3-1 against the Nuggets during the regular season.
Like they did in Game 5 here, the Lakers came out strong and never let the Rockets get into the game.
Unlike they did in Game 6, when the Rockets played hard in winning easily to tie the series at 3-3, Houston never seemed to have a chance in this one.
The Lakers held the Rockets to 25% shooting in the first half, 36.8% for the game.
Aaron Brooks, such a pest for the Lakers, had just 13 points on four-for-13 shooting. Luis Scola had 11 points and Ron Artest had only seven.
Pau Gasol was a beast for the Lakers, his double-double a big reason for the victory.
Gasol had 21 points and 18 rebounds. He left with 3:34 remaining in the game to a standing ovation.
Andrew Bynum tied his playoff career high with 14 points on six-for-seven shooting.
Trevor Ariza had 15 points and Kobe Bryant finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
The Lakers are 3-1 in Game 7s under Coach Phil Jackson.
Houston Coach Rick Adelman has yet to beat Jackson in a playoff series, losing when he was in Portland, Sacramento and now Houston.
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The third quarter really just trudged along this afternoon, the Lakers having taken control of Game 7 in the first half, seemingly breaking the Houston Rockets’ spirit in the process.
By the end of the third, a quarter in which the Staples Center crowd had little to cheer about because their team was rolling along, the Lakers maintained a 69-50 lead over the Rockets.
Four of the Lakers starters had scored in double figures by the end of the third.
Gasol was solid, producing a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds through three quarters.
Bynum tied his playoff career high with 14 points. Trevor Ariza had 15 points and five rebounds. Bryant had 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
There was one moment then the Rockets made a move, when they scored the first basket of the third quarter, slicing their once 25-point deficit to 18 points, 51-33.
That was a fleeting moment. The Lakers put the clamps back on defense.
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The Lakers were hoping Bynum would be a force today.
Bynum was in the second quarter, as was Gasol, in helping the Lakers open 51-31 lead at halftime.
Bynum had six of his eight first-half points in the second quarter.
Gasol had six of his 11 points and seven of his 12 rebounds in the second quarter.
The Lakers got off to another good start in the second quarter, outscoring the Rockets, 7-2, to open a 29-15 lead on a Lamar Odom three-pointer.
That forced the Rockets to call a timeout with 8:29 left in the half.
Bynum was more active in the second quarter. And it was more than his scoring that helped the Lakers open a 25-point lead in the second.
Bynum helped on defense, bottling up Aaron Brooks on a drive, forcing the Rockets guard into a turnover.
Bynum played good defense on Luis Scola and then ran the court, getting fouled down low.
Bynum even showed a physical presence.
He scored down low and then ran over Brooks, pushing him down with an elbow. Bynum was called for a technical foul on the play.
But at least he was awake.
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It was the kind of start to Game 7 that the Lakers had hoped for.
They were cool, poised and under control. They didn’t force the issue. They were active. They played solid defense.
Because of that, the Lakers scored eight unanswered points to open the game and forced the Rockets to call a timeout with 9:32 left in the first quarter.
By the end of the first, the Lakers had control, opening a 22-12 lead over the Houston Rockets in the finale of their Western Conference semifinal series this afternoon at Staples Center.
The Lakers’ defense was tough, holding the Rockets to 25% shooting (five for 20).
Trevor Ariza led the Lakers with nine first-quarter points.
The Rockets missed their first two shots and turned the ball over twice to open the game.
Pau Gasol stepped out and blocked a shot by Luis Scola, who had burned him for 24 points in Game 6.
The Rockets eventually missed their first 12 shots.
They didn’t score their first points until there was 6:53 left in the first, on two free throws by Aaron Brooks.
They didn’t make their first field goal until there was 4:44 left in the first, a layup by Chuck Hayes.
By that time, the Rockets trailed, 13-4.
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The Lakers were about to play their 102nd game of the 2008-09 season, the most important one so far.
It was Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, the Lakers against the Houston Rockets, the winner advancing to the conference finals to face the Denver Nuggets, the loser going home.
Yes, the Lakers know there is a sense of urgency for today’s game at Staples Center.
“I don’t think I’m going to have to encourage that,” Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said before the game. “I think that’s going to be a given.
“What I’d like to do is try and continue to have them be poised and under control so that they don’t make decisions that aren’t good or over commit to things that aren’t necessary or play the game at a speed that they are not capable of playing it at.”
The Lakers don’t want a fast-paced game, but they do want the score in the 100s.
That’s the way it has been for the Lakers during their eight preseason games, 82 regular-season games and 11 playoff games. They hope it’s the same way in the seventh game of this best-of-seven series that’s tied at 3-3.
The Lakers will be somewhat limited because Lamar Odom still has a bruised back. Andrew Bynum will continue to start.
Houston, on the other hand, would prefer that the scores be in the 80s or 90s at best.
The Rockets will be without center Yao Ming, who was lost to a broke left foot in Game 3.
“I think they know how they have to play,” Jackson said about his team. “The interesting thing is who is going to prevail. Who’s going to find the ability to play their rhythm of the game?”
source: LAtimes.com
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