Jackson sabotaged the Lakers in game 4!

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)

You might think that I'm just bitter because I lost a bet but if you examine the information above, you'll agree that it's inexplicable.

This is not a conspiracy theory. I'm proposing that one man (Jackson) acted alone to sabotage his team. (One man acting alone is never a conspiracy). There's plenty of evidence for it.

I'd say if this went to court there be a great chance for a conviction. A conviction for what? Jackson sabotaging his team.

Even if you can ignore everything and somehow call what Jackson did normal (which it clearly isn't). The kicker is Fisher and the fact that he kept him out of the game until it was basically out of reach. It's like he was waiting for the Celtics to take control before he put him in. Fisher, the one guy besides Kobe with extensive championship experience. Fisher, a streaky shooter who was dead on in this game. Fisher, one of the best players at controlling tempo and settling his team down. It's too unbelievable.

Why would Jackson do this?

Look at what he did for no apparent reason:

He kept Gasol out for half of the fourth.
He kept Fisher and Radmanovic out for the first 10 minutes of the fourth.
He kept Ariza (who was red hot offensively and defensively) out for the entire fourth.

He played Turiaf for 6 minutes, Farmar for 10 minutes, and Vujajic for 12 minutes in the fourth. These three went a combined 3-16 from the field in game 4. Just off games you say? These three have shot a combined 41% in the series.

This was first class sabotage. He most hate Kobe or something (maybe he knows he was really guilty, I don't know). To leave Kobe and Odom on the floor with Turiaf and an ice cold Vujajic and Farmar was like feeding them to the wolves.

Can you imagine the difference if it was Fisher, Radmanovic/Ariza, Gasol, Bryant, Odom for the entire fourth as it should have been? None of those guys were in foul trouble.

The Lakers would have won, I'm sure of that. Wow!

Another thing, I said out of these five:

Ronny Turiaf
Sasha Vujacic
Jordan Farmar
Kobe Bryant
Lamar Odom

The first three are a cut above D-league.

Let's look at their PERs for the last two seasons:

Farmar's PER last season: 10.79, PER this season: 15.43
Vujacic's PER last season: 11.67, PER this season: 15.06
Turiaf's PER last season: 15.54, PER this season: 15.05

They're all average players at best, their numbers for this season were up outside of Turiaf but that means that this season may have just been an aberration and they may slide downhill.

You throw three players like this on the court in the fourth quarter of a very close finals game and you're asking for trouble. One of them at a time might be OK depending on how they're playing but they were all playing awful at the same time.

The fact is, there was no reason for any of them to be on the court and they were all ice cold. The signs to this game being sabotaged are everywhere.

or.. maybe Phil Jackson is over-rated and the Lakers choked?

festeringZit said:

or.. maybe Phil Jackson is over-rated and the Lakers choked?

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Tell em what hes won johnny!

oh boy

i think it was Kent Desourmeiux's Fault

gtc08 said:

oh boy

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If you're gonna brush my claims off then just explain your opinions about why Fisher missed the first ten minutes of the fourth when he was hot?

I think you'll come back with something like "He sucks" or "Phil didn't want to play him" but check his numbers for the game: 13 pts, 4-5 fg, 5-6 ft, 3 asts, in 25 min. and check his average min. for the fourth quarters in games 1-3: 8.33 minutes.

SeeNoEvilHearNoEvil said:

If you're gonna brush my claims off then just explain your opinions about why Fisher missed the first ten minutes of the fourth when he was hot?

I think you'll come back with something like "He sucks" or "Phil didn't want to play him" but check his numbers for the game: 13 pts, 4-5 fg, 5-6 ft, 3 asts, in 25 min. and check his average min. for the fourth quarters in games 1-3: 8.33 minutes.

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from what ive seen, phil has gotten complacent and forgets about players. doc sticks to a rotation, is making key changes, and is simply out coaching phil. i rolled my eyes when you said vujicic, farmar, and turiaf were a cut above d-league and that phil jackson was purposely throwing the game.

SeeNoEvilHearNoEvil said:

If you're gonna brush my claims off then just explain your opinions about why Fisher missed the first ten minutes of the fourth when he was hot?

Click to expand...

Uh, maybe Jackson subscribes to the "due" theory? ;

Also known as the "blown his load" law of basketball.

7550

Yep, Phil Jackson wanted the Lakers to lose. About time someone comes on here with knowledge of the game. Thank God you are here.

Kobe Bryant has a cracked hoof.

not necessarily agreeing with you but I've always said that Jackson was mucho overrated. The guy won his rings with 4 of the greatest players of all time. Then when he left LA the first time, I noticed he didnt take a coaching job anywhere else as he didnt want to get exposed. This yr was his first real test and hes shitting the bed.

BradtheBloke said:

not necessarily agreeing with you but I've always said that Jackson was mucho overrated. The guy won his rings with 4 of the greatest players of all time. Then when he left LA the first time, I noticed he didnt take a coaching job anywhere else as he didnt want to get exposed. This yr was his first real test and hes shitting the bed.

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Really the only job he could've had was the Knicks. My question with LA was could they win scoring 85-90 points? Outside of SA, no one in the west makes them.

I appreciate the analysis you made of the rotations Jackson put out in the 2nd half. But, it's just a sign of him losing his touch on the game than handing it over to boston.

PJ took a team who started Kwame Brown and Smush Parker to 2 straight playoffs in the West.

The man is the best coach in the NBA.

Valid points. But for your star player to shoot 6 for 27. So called best player since Jordan. Some argue he is almost or right there with Jordan. And Phil gets the blame. Now the odom substitution made sense he has been horrid the whole serious. Also did anybody think that he was thinking defense with his subs. Since the only game the lakers won was played in th 80s.

Those so-called D-leaguers play better defense than Gasol and Lamar.

-Slim- said:

Kobe Bryant has a cracked hoof.

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:Carcajada:

Phil was in a fight with his girlfriend/wife who happens to be the daughter of the owner, he threw the game to get back at her. I thought everyone had figured it out by now.


:smoker2::smoker2: