If I owned the Lakers, I would fire Jackson
After looking closely at what happened in game 4, you couldn't convince me now that Jackson didn't try to give the game away. When the Celtics started making their run (down 72-61 with 3:28 to go in the third), look at Jackson's substitutions:
Trevor Ariza enters the game for Vladimir Radmanovic
Sasha Vujacic enters the game for Lamar Odom
Jordan Farmar enters the game for Derek Fisher
The only one I agree with is Ariza, who's been looking great. Farmar and Vujacic were having horrid nights (2-15 combined shooting). The thing is, Fisher was on (4-5 shooting in the game) and he's a veteran with tons of championship experience, just what you want, right? Not according to Phil, and this is where the part about trying to give the game away comes in. When did Fisher come back in?
2:10 88-83 Derek Fisher enters the game for Lamar Odom
That's right. Jackson waited until the game was essentially over to put Fisher in (as well as Radmanovic, I'll get to that). About a minute later he hit a long jumper, BTW.
What was the Lakers lineup to start the 4th?
Ronny Turiaf
Sasha Vujacic
Jordan Farmar
Kobe Bryant
Lamar Odom
Three of those guys are just a cut above D-League! That line-up didn't change until Phil brought Gasol back in with 6:05 left.
Again, he was sure not to bring the other two starters back until when? When there was 2:10 and the Lakers were down 5 and the game was really out of reach.
If you don't think he was trying to give the game away, why didn't Ariza play in the 4th at all? Look at his stats for the game:
6 pts. (2-2 field goals), 5 rebs. (3 off.), 1 steal, 1 block - 9 min
The Lakers were left to die in the fourth with their two stars and 3 guys who are one step above D-Leaugue! Foul trouble had nothing to do with it either. Gasol had two fouls at the start of the 4th, Fisher had two and Radmanovic had three.
This isn't incompetence. The fact that Fisher, Radmanovic, and Odom were ALL taken out when the Celtics started their run and Fisher and Radmanovic never came back in until the game was out of reach shows malicious intent, there's no doubt in mind.
If you think I'm crazy, compare the results above to the rest of the series:
Derek Fisher averaged 8.33 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3
Pau Gasol averaged 8.66 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3
Vladimir Radmanovic averaged 4 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3 (he played 9 minutes in the fourth in game 2 when the Lakers made their furious rally, foul trouble kept him out in games 1 and 2)
Why would Jackson do this?
Trevor Ariza enters the game for Vladimir Radmanovic
Sasha Vujacic enters the game for Lamar Odom
Jordan Farmar enters the game for Derek Fisher
The only one I agree with is Ariza, who's been looking great. Farmar and Vujacic were having horrid nights (2-15 combined shooting). The thing is, Fisher was on (4-5 shooting in the game) and he's a veteran with tons of championship experience, just what you want, right? Not according to Phil, and this is where the part about trying to give the game away comes in. When did Fisher come back in?
2:10 88-83 Derek Fisher enters the game for Lamar Odom
That's right. Jackson waited until the game was essentially over to put Fisher in (as well as Radmanovic, I'll get to that). About a minute later he hit a long jumper, BTW.
What was the Lakers lineup to start the 4th?
Ronny Turiaf
Sasha Vujacic
Jordan Farmar
Kobe Bryant
Lamar Odom
Three of those guys are just a cut above D-League! That line-up didn't change until Phil brought Gasol back in with 6:05 left.
Again, he was sure not to bring the other two starters back until when? When there was 2:10 and the Lakers were down 5 and the game was really out of reach.
If you don't think he was trying to give the game away, why didn't Ariza play in the 4th at all? Look at his stats for the game:
6 pts. (2-2 field goals), 5 rebs. (3 off.), 1 steal, 1 block - 9 min
The Lakers were left to die in the fourth with their two stars and 3 guys who are one step above D-Leaugue! Foul trouble had nothing to do with it either. Gasol had two fouls at the start of the 4th, Fisher had two and Radmanovic had three.
This isn't incompetence. The fact that Fisher, Radmanovic, and Odom were ALL taken out when the Celtics started their run and Fisher and Radmanovic never came back in until the game was out of reach shows malicious intent, there's no doubt in mind.
If you think I'm crazy, compare the results above to the rest of the series:
Derek Fisher averaged 8.33 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3
Pau Gasol averaged 8.66 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3
Vladimir Radmanovic averaged 4 minutes in the 4th in games 1-3 (he played 9 minutes in the fourth in game 2 when the Lakers made their furious rally, foul trouble kept him out in games 1 and 2)
Why would Jackson do this?
