Lakers: Kobe has 28 Points, But Team Down at Half Against Warriors 74-55

The Golden State Warriors may as well be your classic western shooters from the O.K. Corral.  They came out gun-slinging from the get-go, and not in the usual way.  The Warriors attacked through Andrew Bogut early, who finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds through the first half.  The startling part is, he shot 7 of 8 from the field, with all of his points, except one free throw, were all in the paint.

Speaking of points in the paint, breaking into the second quarter, the Warriors were up 22 – 10 against the Lakers, with 11 fast break points of their own.  Their offense resembles a style very reminiscent of the early 1990’s Phoenix Suns or the mid-2000’s Phoenix Suns.  If anyone wants to watch what a “7-seconds or less” offense looks like, look no further than the Warriors.

Although the Lakers struggled on offense, Kobe Bryant did his best to keep them afloat.  He finished with 28 points at the half on 10 of 23 from the field.  However, he missed three consecutive free throws between two trips, which is very unusual for him.

Then again, going 1 of 14 from the last game is unusual for him.  Admittedly, he is doing remarkably well, hitting very tough fadeaway shots off of screens, with Klay Thompson in his face.  The fact that he has hit 10 field goals is a product of his talent level, not just luck.

He also has 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

The second leading scorer for the Lakers is Jordan Hill, who has 13 points and 9 rebounds, with most of the points coming from the offensive glass.  Boozer is struggling to hit from the field, and is shooting a Bryant-like 1 of 9, but at least hit a lay up to try and get himself going.

The second half is going to be a struggle for the Lakers, but there’s no way to catch up unless they pressure the guards more effectively and keep the ball away from the shooters.

Easier said than done.