Re: Lakers Over Celts: Los Angeles 99- Boston 90

["Jim Meninno" <jim_meninno@hotmail.com>]

>From: Bill Cooper <wfcooper@tiac.net>

>In a weird sequence, Adrian Griffin picked up 4 fouls in about 1:00 towards 
>the end of the quarter, forcing him from the game.

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it.  This could have been the 
difference in the game.  As you noted, the Celtic offense struggled down the 
stretch, and missing Griffin for most of the 4th didn't help that.  More 
importantly, in crunch time Walker, Anderson and Potapenko all had to play 
no defense at all because of the foul situation (spare me the gratuitous 
jokes here, Kenny and Antoine HAVE been playing D this year).  In the last 
couple minutes, V would literally just stand there with his arms up and not 
even move when Shaq went around him.  I thought that had more to do with the 
Lakers' execution in crunch time than any "veteran poise" Cous and Tommy 
were crediting them with.  Having a few fouls to use on Shaq at the end 
couldn't have hurt.  But, it was aggresive defense that kept them in the 
game until then, so you sort of have to expect to be in foul trouble.

Jim
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