tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23010314256938085062024-02-08T05:08:06.027-08:00lakermancrushflyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-39064525278803690252009-01-07T07:39:00.000-08:002009-01-07T07:45:48.349-08:00Liveblogging -- Hornets @ Lakers, 1st QuarterHere's my attempt at liveblogging the game last night... I only did the first quarter, because I was getting behind on the game and a bit annoyed at how the Lakers were playing. Third quarter would've been better, but the 4th quarter would've been painful.<br /><br />:::LAL::: After Chandler is called for stealing the opening tip, the Lakers open with Fisher deep in the post on Paul, where he uglies up two shots and doesn’t score.<br />:::NOH::: An 18’ fadeaway jumper from West, posting up on Pau, misses badly.<br />:::LAL:::A crossover by Kobe gets Peja’s attention, leaving VladRad wide open for a 3 that misses short.<br />:::NOH::: Paul gets a high pick, and after VladRad collapses it’s Peja’s turn to miss a jumper.<br />:::LAL::: Bynum gets the ball deep in the post, but misses a jump hook in the lane.<br />:::NOH::: West tries the 18’ jumper over Pau again, and hits it. (2-0)<br />:::LAL::: Pau gets the ball in the low post on West, and his baseline turnaround jumper somehow catches backboard.<br />:::NOH::: In semi-transition, Paul misses a 20’ jumper over Fisher.<br />:::LAL::: A Kobe move draws Paul over, and a Fisher drive and pass gets Bynum two free throws; he hits one. (2-1)<br />:::NOH::: Two off-ball screens manage to get Butler a leaning, contested shot. He misses.<br />:::LAL::: Two off-ball screens get Vlad wide open for a handoff from Bynum in the post, but he bricks the resulting layup.<br />:::NOH::: In transition, Peja (Vlad’s man) hits an open 18’ jumper. (4-1)<br />:::LAL::: Paul doubles Pau in the low post, giving Fish an open three that he buries. (4-4)<br />:::NOH::: Butler’s drive on Vlad is blocked by Bynum right to Chandler, who dunks it. (6-4)<br />:::LAL::: Chandler fouls Bynum, non-shooting. Pau makes a move in the post without the ball, and Paul picks up a steal.<br />:::NOH::: In transition, West gets a mildly contested 16’ jumper that he misses.<br />:::LAL::: Fisher passes up a three, and Kobe is left to crossover on Butler and hit a fadeaway 19’ jumper. (6-6)<br />:::NOH::: Chandler is fouled putting back a missed three by Butler, and somehow makes both free throws. (8-6)<br />:::LAL::: An off-ball screen gets Pau open for a 13’ fadeaway that he misses.<br />:::NOH::: Paul gets a high pick from Chandler, and Bynum doesn’t leave the paint so Paul is open from 15’ and converts. (10-6)<br />:::LAL::: A nice head-fake and drive by Pau leads to a wide open three by Fish. (10-9)<br />:::NOH::: More Paul/Chandler pick and roll, Fish stays with Paul and Bynum get caught between, and Chandler finishes the alleyoop. (12-9)<br />:::LAL::: Pau gets it in the post late in the clock, and his jump hook barely catches rim.<br />:::NOH::: Bynum gets switched onto West, who drives it right at him and hits a 9’ runner. (14-9)<br />:::LAL::: Bynum makes a nice drop step from the low post, but misses the lefty jump hook from 6’.<br />:::NOH::: West on Bynum in the post, and he hits a nice 16’ fadeaway. (16-9)<br />:::LAL::: Kobe gets a high pick and hits a driving shot in the lane. Foul, and one. (16-12)<br />:::NOH::: Two open shots from Paul pick-and-rolls: a missed 15’ jumper by Butler and a Paul three. (19-12)<br />:::LAL::: Kobe dances free for a 15’ jumper. (19-14)<br />:::NOH::: Paul pick-and-roll, Paul floater from 5’. (21-14)<br />:::LAL::: Kobe faces up from 20’ straightaway, and misses a jumper. <br />:::NOH::: Chandler bumps Fish on a moving screen and picks up his second foul.<br />:::LAL::: Odom in, and his offball screen gets Vlad an open 15’ jumper, which he almost makes. <br />:::NOH::: Paul pick-and-roll with Eli, and Paul hits an 8’ runner. (23-14)<br />:::LAL::: Eli closes lazily on Odom, then fouls him on a driving layup. Odom makes one, misses one. (23-15)<br />:::NOH::: Armstrong drives into Gasol and gets an iffy call, then makes one of two FTs. (24-15)<br />:::LAL::: Paul starts to cheat towards Kobe before he has the ball, and the pass instead to a just-checked-in Sasha leads to corner three, swish. (24-18)<br />:::NOH::: A defensive three call gives Peja a free throw. Paul shoots over Sasha, easily, from 17’. (27-18)<br />:::LAL::: Posey fouls Kobe up top, then again after the whistle leading to an odd T; Kobe makes two of the three free throws. (27-20)<br />:::NOH::: Sasha fouls Paul on a 20’ jumper after scrambling around a high screen. Two made FTs. (29-20)<br />:::LAL::: Bynum rebounds a Kobe missed jumper, and after the reset Sasha comes off a pick for a 21’ jumper. (29-22)<br />:::NOH::: Paul pick-and-roll, and Sasha gets called trying to hold the screener, Armstrong. 1-2 FTs. (30-22)<br />:::LAL::: Lamar gets space from Eli for a 20’ jumper, and he hits it. (30-24)<br />:::NOH::: Paul/Armstrong pick-and-roll, and Armstrong throws up an awkward runner. <br />:::LAL::: Lamar 2-for-1 drives on Armstrong and gets bodied, no call and the 13’ runner is short.<br />:::NOH::: Sasha picks up his third foul cheaply, playing Paul too close up top. Paul hits both FTs. (32-24) <br />:::LAL::: Lamar drives right at and around Eli and lays it in on the left side. (32-26)<br />:::NOH::: VladRad clownishly goes into the crowd on a steal attempt, but Peja misses the resulting wide-open, last second 17’ jumper.flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-76598250851897782022008-11-25T10:52:00.000-08:002008-11-25T11:20:58.756-08:00Who's Not Honoring Me Now? (i)OK, let's get this bloggy started right, let's get this bloggy started quickly.<br /><br />We've had a few weeks to digest all the comings and goings around the league, so it's prediction time, but that'll be another post. Time to find out Who's Not Honoring Me Now -- I'd guess that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV69HoILMsY">numnut</a> Marty Burns, but no, Marc Stein is this week's designated <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/28/56095738_15d318e014.jpg?v=0">Hater</a>.<br /><br />Laker Rankings:<br />(1) - <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/nba0809.htm">Sagarin</a><br />(1) - <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/powerranking">Hollinger/ESPN</a><br />(2) - <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/powerranking">Stein/ESPN</a><br />(1) - <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/marty_burns/11/24/power.rankings/index.html">Burns/SI</a><br />(1) - <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/BDL-NBA-Power-Rankings-Nuggets-rising-Raptors-?urn=nba,124199">Ball Don't Lie/Yahoo</a><br />(1) - <a href="http://www.covers.com/sports/power-ranking/nba-power-ranking.aspx">Murphy/Covers</a><br /><br />So, the Celtics have lost at INDIANA and at home DENVER -- two teams that will struggle to make the playoffs, and the Lakers layed an egg at home to a hot-shooting and certain contender Detroit team. Somehow, that was enough for Stein to put the Lakers at #2.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Sagarin index has the Lakers with a larger point lead over the #2 spot (Cavs) than the homecourt advantage factor, meaning the Lakers should be favored in any game, home or away.<br /><br />Pretty easy schedule so far, and nothing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk7QqnLpcEA">daunting</a> coming on the schedule, so mainly the Lakers just need to stay focused, <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Lakers-get-to-work-on-toughening-soft-defense?urn=nba,124599">especially on defense</a>. Here's something not-at-all surprising: The Lakers are 4-3 at home against the spread (yawn, we're up 18, let's relax, stop playing D, and let Sasha jack up some shots), and 4-1 ATS on the road. So color me worried that we'll see a setback in one of these next 3 home games (Nets, Mavericks, Raptors).flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-44483389263277704242008-11-12T10:24:00.000-08:002008-11-12T10:33:06.630-08:00Old Dog; New TricksThe Lakers diagnosed their problem last year (and playing Boston tight in the finals means there wasn't that many problems) and decided it was defense. Good on them.<br /><br />"The new rules in the NBA game that have been adopted in the last what four or five years - I think Shaquille [O'Neal] called then the 'Shaq rules to stop me from scoring'. Those rules have changed our game," <a href="http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10424">said Jackson </a>before the Lakers' home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. "Now you can load up a side and you can do things that change the game. Last year we experimented with it at times but we didn't whole-heartedly adapt what other team's have been taking advantage of with the new rules situation."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=438">Others</a> have <a href="http://www.cybersportsusa.com/hooptactics/sosdefense/SOSdefault.asp">dissected</a> the SOS D better than I can, but what I'll add is that a new challenge offers the side benefit of engrossing the players and elevates playing D. Derek Fisher, Vlad, Gasol and others are, as individual players, below average on D, so spending a lot of time getting them prepared can only help. "The thing that we want to do is be a great defensive team consistently. Offensively we believe we can score with anybody," said Bryant. "Defensively is where we really want to make our mark on the season."$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-25804189332117840852008-10-24T00:39:00.000-07:002008-10-24T00:40:41.997-07:00right vibe ...<a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/vujacic-bryant-says-2203418-court-one">s</a><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/vujacic-bryant-says-2203418-court-one">asha and kobe have the right idea</a><br /><br />this kobe thing is rubbing off like genital herpes. *ouch*Samuel Lemonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-75998679104569947712008-09-11T10:13:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:16:37.849-07:00Basketball PoliticsI've seen footage of Obama and he's not bad. He plays like a 40 year who hasn't played much in the past 10 years, but when he did, he had game. He beat Stuart Scott 1 on 1, for what that's worth.<br /><br />Now, Sarah Palin:<br /><br /><em>Sarah Palin's Wasilla High School girls basketball team was considered a Cinderella story when it won the 1982 Alaska state championship. "But we had been second in the state the year before," remembered Heyde Hackel, one of Palin's teammates, "so we never thought of ourselves as Cinderella." Considering the kind of girls we're talking about, athletes who ran stack plays and traveled Alaska in buses and airplanes and always qualified for the state tournament, that seems pretty obvious. Of all the things they were used to in sports, being underestimated wasn't one of them.<br /></em><br /><em>"I can't imagine where I'd be without the opportunities provided to me in sports. Sports taught me that gender isn't an issue; in fact, when people talk about me being the first female governor, I'm a little absent from that discussion, because I've never thought of gender as an issue. In sports, you learn self-discipline, healthy competition, to be gracious in victory and defeat, and the importance of being part of a team and understanding what part you play on that team. You all work together to reach a goal, and I think all of those factors come into play in my role as governor."<br /></em><br /><em>Palin didn't play basketball exclusively, said two of her Wasilla High teammates interviewed for this column. She ran the hurdles and relays on the track team, which Palin's father coached. She was a setter on the junior high volleyball team. She ran cross country and played softball in a summer league.<br /></em><br /><em>But basketball brought the most success, and Palin was a force on the court, said Hackel, Wasilla's 6-2 center. "She might not have showed up in the stats as far as rebounds and scoring, but that's because she was known for her defense and assists and real unselfish team play."<br />Even in junior high, the girls talked basketball and dreamed of glory days to come, said Jackie Conn, who shared backcourt duties with Palin.<br /></em><br /><em>"Back in eighth grade, Sarah and I were talking to a teacher during lunch hour and saying our 11th- and 12-grade years would be our best," Conn said. "The state championship was a highlight, but so was the time we spent together on the long bus rides or the airplane trips to some of our games. We had a lot of time together. But it was great because we were good friends and teammates. It was just a bunch of good girls having fun together playing sports." </em>$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-69774821966599125042008-08-24T12:34:00.000-07:002008-08-24T13:02:43.397-07:00Your 2008-09 Los Angeles LakersIs it too early to talk about the upcoming season? Now that those pesky Olympics are out of the way, let's project the rotation:<br /><br />PG - Derek Fisher<br />SG - Kobe Bryant<br />SF - Lamar Odom<br />PF - Pau Gasol<br />C - Andrew Bynum<br /><br />6 - Jordan Farmar<br />7 - Sasha Vujacic<br />8 - Trevor Ariza<br />9 - Vladamir Radmanovic<br />10- Luke Walton<br />11- Chris Mihm<br />12- Sun Yue<br />13- Josh Powell<br />14- Joe Crawford<br />15- Coby Karl<br />16- Dwayne Mitchell<br /><br />I'd be worried about size off the bench if anyone else in the West had enough to make it an issue. I wonder how much Mihm will play... will he get Turiaf's minutes, or will Josh Powell step into that role?<br /><br />What will we get out of Sun Yue this year? Will Coby even be on the roster come October? Will Ariza come back to play significant minutes off the bench? Will Luke stop sucking? Will Bynum start to decline after he turns old enough to drink legally a few days before the season opens?<br /><br />And, let me get Sony started. What about Phil? Has the game passed him by? Is he watching tapes from the finals and realizing that perhaps a good team defensive scheme will be important this year?flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-67414702344131199932008-08-23T10:46:00.000-07:002008-08-23T10:57:18.418-07:00The Big RestraineePhoenix Suns savior Shaquille O'Neal just got served with a <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/08/22/20080822oneal0823.html">restraining order</a>:<br /><blockquote><p>NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has been ordered to steer clear of an Atlanta-area woman who took out a restraining order Thursday.</p> <p>Fulton County Superior Court Judge Richard Hicks granted Alexis Miller's request Thursday after reviewing her allegations that the basketball player stalked her, threatened her with bodily harm and made harassing phone calls in which he breathed heavily into the phone before hanging up.</p><p>...<br /></p><p>The court affidavit quotes an e-mail from O'Neal as saying, "I dnt no who the [expletive] u think u dealin wit u will neva be heard from one phone call is I gotta make now try me. Sho me."</p></blockquote><p></p>Shaq continues to prove, every day in every way, that trading him was the right thing to do. Maybe we should've gotten more, but you can't fault the concept. Congrats Suns, he's your problem now. With Wade back healthy, it's a tossup between the Heat and Suns as to who will win more games next year.flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-79078156402940615772008-08-19T10:55:00.000-07:002008-08-19T10:58:39.168-07:00Kobe Bryant, PatriotKobe <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121901828943748251.html?mod=djemEditorialPage">shocks</a> Chris Collinsworth by (*gasp*) showing pride in his country:<br /><br /><blockquote>Assorted TV commentators keep opining that the Olympics are all about the brotherhood of man, rather than national ambition or patriotism. But don't tell that to the fanatically nationalist Chinese -- or to Kobe Bryant, the NBA star who is playing with Team USA in Beijing.<br /><br />In an interview Friday on NBC, the world's most famous basketball player told Chris Collinsworth how he got "goosebumps" when he received his Olympics uniform. "I actually just looked at it for a while. I just held it there and I laid it across my bed and I just stared at it for a few minutes; just because as a kid growing up this is the ultimate, ultimate in basketball." The Los Angeles Laker went on to call the U.S. "the greatest country in the world. It has given us so many great opportunities, and it's just a sense of pride that you have; that you say, 'You know what? Our country is the best.'"<br /><br />Mr. Collinsworth seemed either startled or impressed by such sentiment, and asked, "Is that a cool thing to say in this day and age? That you love your country, and that you're fighting for the red, white and blue? It seems sort of like a day gone by."<br /><br />To which Mr. Bryant replied: "No, it's a cool thing for me to say. I feel great about it, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I mean, this is a tremendous honor."<br /><br />Cynics will claim that this is merely about marketing, with Mr. Bryant hoping to use the Games to burnish his public image. On the other hand, he and his rich teammates on the basketball squad are giving up their offseason to play for nothing save possible medals. Mr. Bryant has also been an enthusiastic spectator for other U.S. Olympians, waving the Stars and Stripes at various events.<br /><br />To the kind of Americans who consider themselves primarily "citizens of the world," nationalism at the Olympics is déclassé, even embarrassing. We're with Kobe.</blockquote>flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-9760865975630674972008-07-24T17:36:00.001-07:002008-07-24T17:48:41.801-07:00I Saw The Short-Shorts And All I Got Was This Lousy T-ShirtThe Basketbawful Worsties of 07-08 are pretty awesome. Long, but worth it. Who can forget such worst moments as:<br /><br />- Bulls fans chanting for Kobe<br />- Lakers wearing short-shorts<br />- Smush Parker losing an NBA spot over a $12 parking fee<br />- Webber returing to the Warriors ("I was actually upset he was taking minutes from Austin Croshere.")<br /><br /><a href="http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/07/2007-08-nba-worsties-part-1.html">Part 1</a><br /><a href="http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/07/2007-08-nba-worsties-part-2.html">Part 2</a><br /><a href="http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/07/2007-08-nba-worsties-part-3.html">Part 3</a><br /><a href="http://basketbawful.blogspot.com/2008/07/2007-08-nba-worsties-part-4.html">Part 4</a><br /><br /><br />/ "We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads." - Vlade DivacflyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-82821462470231760722008-07-19T05:36:00.000-07:002008-07-19T05:53:17.834-07:00Lamar or the New Improved Bill ArtestHe's just a bill, yes he's only a bill and he's playing up near capital hill (Sac, get it? heh)<br /><br />I've been the Lamar fanboy since he was a Clipper. I love his game, but if Bynum and Gasol play the big man tandem, I have to believe the piece missing is the lock down swingman, introducing William "Ron Ron" Artest. Between Bill and Kobe they could cause more chaos than Heath Ledger's Joker (*spoiler*). Ron can also pour in some buckets, and you'd have to think Kobe would be even MORE inspired facing one of the best defenders during practice. I frigging LOVE Lamar, but since we should have expectations of repeating as WC Chmamps it would be silly to not consider adding the elements to beat a team like the Celtics. Still, I would be happy standing pat and seeing how this team functions with Drew at C and everyone else playing their natural position. But what makes me feel like a change will come is that Artest fills the most obvious gap, and Phil Jackson has proven he can manage even more eccentric personalities.<br /><br />My heart says keep LO. My head says if we can get Artest and a vet like Kenny Thomas then it makes too much sense addressing our weak links.<br /><br />Also,side note...Turiaf is no longer a Laker after getting overpaid by the Warriors. He's going to be a fan favorite up here and I'm glad he got paid. I'll miss the dude. His spirit will always keep him a L4L.<br /><br />When do the Olympics start?Samuel Lemonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-44901046943632135692008-05-28T14:35:00.000-07:002008-05-28T14:36:14.708-07:00Miss South Carolina, your time is up<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers28-2008may28,0,6223480.column?page=2&track=rss">Jackson's response</a>: "Derek went off a little bit this year on a -- moment in which he has exercised his leadership and talked in generalities about the variety of -- you, know, when you have kids, you know, you may have one kid that you raise this way, another kid that you may have to raise a different way. Then he looked at a group of guys -- even when you have dogs and you have a pitbull and you may have this -- somebody may have a lap dog, you raise them differently because he realized this group of kids were too young to relate to having kids.<br /><a href="http://bs.serving-sys.com/BurstingPipe/BannerRedirect.asp?FlightID=472617&Page=&PluID=0&Pos=575" target="_blank"></a><br /><a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/trb.latimes/sports;rs=10017;rs=50023;tk=11587;ptype=s;slug=la-sp-simers28-2008may28;rg=ur;ref=latimescom;pos=1;sz=300x250;tile=5;ord=45639706?" target="_blank"></a>"So eventually we got our own group of dogs," Jackson continued, and there was more, but sorry, Miss South Carolina, your time is up.</p>$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-83902878611053765782008-05-26T10:01:00.000-07:002008-05-26T10:15:16.740-07:00Trapped In The Closet, Part 7Game 3: Well, we knew that was coming. Role players at home, etc., etc.<br /><br />In other news, did you know?<br /><br />A) Kevin Johnson (former Cal Bear, former Sun, owner of one of the greatest playoff <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifx_gRF-ouU">dunks</a> of all time) is running for <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/breton/story/964557.html">mayor of Sacramento</a><br /><br />B) He's close -- <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/961386.html">down 7 points with 29% undecided</a><br /><br />C) He'd be closer if not for rumors of <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/951761.html">some RKellyish behavior</a>flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-51007896499954787162008-05-24T11:09:00.000-07:002008-05-24T11:11:12.588-07:00Laker Mancrush<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NtM6litPFSM&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NtM6litPFSM&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-92157715858659597482008-05-24T01:59:00.000-07:002008-05-24T02:29:50.335-07:00Let Them PlayIt seemed like the refs took a page from the Bad News Bears <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075718/quotes">fanatics.</a> (let them play)<br /><br />They swallowed the whistles, and let two teams, and two incredibly well coached teams duke it out. <br /><br />You could almost smell the offensive and defensive counters between Jax and Pop. It came down to execution and the depth of the Lakes just seemed to suffocate the Spurs whenever they attempted a deep breath. Kobe played his role to perfection, but there were just some obvious moments where Phil threw in triangle nuances that either got Odom into the paint about 3 ft. from the basket or some other play capitalizing a role players strength. It just continually clicked. <br /><br />Side note: Ginobli has been given every excuse in the book...his ankle...his shooting hand's fingernail....ehem...since when do the champs make excuses (about finger nails). I recall Kobe has only 4 fingers on his shooting hand, and had been playing this way for months. <br /><br />With the Spurs I can only assume game 3 will be disconnected and unique. It will be there for the Lakers, but you have to beat the champs to be the champs. I have faith in our<br />resolve, belief, and consistency. And our depth, especially with the recent Ariza siting!Samuel Lemonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-32981877047247562622008-05-20T08:54:00.000-07:002008-05-20T09:35:52.468-07:00<ul><li>Chris Paul going coast to coast just makes a defense helpless. Why didn't he press the action like that in the middle of the quarter? Did Jennaro Pargo put NO on its back and carry them or did he lose the game by hogging the ball? I was shocked that so many Spurs role players came up big on the road, that doesn't happen much. </li><li><a href="http://accuscore.com/option,com_acc_nba_game_preview/Itemid,219/game_id,1301/">Accuscore says </a>that if the Spurs and Lakers played 10,000 games, the Lakers would win 6,330. The average score would be Lakers 101.5 Spurs 96.6. The Spurs would blow out the Lakers 17.4% of the time and be blown out 39% of the time. </li><li>Accuscore forecasts Kobe to average 33pts on 43% shooting and 13 FTs a game, plust 7 assists and 7 Rebounds. Jordan Farmar will score 4.2 pts per game. </li><li>Do you realize that N.O. and the Spurs each <a href="http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=338">scored exactly 645 points </a>in the series? That's a close series. </li><li>How does CP generate gaudy assits numbers? <a href="http://myespn.go.com/nba/truehoop">Generous scoring</a> (2d item): ""West received the ball from Paul at the right free throw line extended at the 4:40 mark. West pump faked Oberto off of his feet, took four dribbles, made a spin move into the paint, came to a jump stop, did an up and under move and then shot a jump hook." Assist.</li></ul><p>I love this Spurs - Laker series for its excitement. But I am very afraid that San Antonio is better. Their D takes away preferred offensive sets well. We'll see if Gasol can comfortably settle into the high post and <a href="http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=332">initiate the triangle</a>. San Antonio also defends against the three very well. </p><p>On the other hand, the Spurs will carve up the Lakers D. Who guards Duncan, Lamar or Gasol? Straight up and get in foul trouble? Or send double teams, scrambling after the Spurs passing around well spaced shooters with their slow rotation. Then its up to the Spur three point shooters or Manu and Parker to drive against the Lakers rotating D for baskets at the rim. And with the D chasing the ball and drivers, it gives Duncan and Thomas opportunities to rebound. The Lakers best defense is to score 110 points. </p><p>Our best hope is context: the Spurs played 2 tough series (Parker looks worn out) and must open at Staples less than 48 hours after walking off the court. The Lakers can blow them out in Game 1, squeak by in Game 2 and then they won't lose 4 out of 5 like New Orleans. If the Lakers lose one of the first two, I think the Spurs find their sea legs and get on course for the finals. </p>$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-51207174923706991882008-05-14T11:11:00.001-07:002008-05-14T11:30:59.228-07:00NBA ... Where Creepy HappensI starting thinking about tonight's game 5 against the Jazz, which began to just make me sick. Not sick like angered, but definitely a little vomit in the mouth sick. Maybe it was last night's Courvousier and my Sugar Free RedBull breakfast, but there is just something nauseating about the Jazz. Could it be the <a href="http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/resources/2008/05/jazzfansscary.jpg">fans</a>? Could be.<br /><br />***Spoiler Alert --- View link first ***<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Things wrong with that photo (w/ help from <a href="http://deadspin.com/390345/the-jazz-have-some-truly-charming-fans">Deadspin </a>comments)<br />1. The tie over the t-shirt over the black collared dress shirt. Classy!<br />2. The doll, it's wearing a mask. This leads me to believe the guy brought in a blowup man doll and a mask. Not sexy.<br />3. The guy on the left conducting his own porn shoot. When guys with dolls go wild!<br />4. They are not in Colorado.<br />5. How fucking hard is it to Spell Kobe!?!? It took him two tries.<br />6. The photo is obviously doctored. The left side of the photo including Kobe contains a Laker fan, an Asian, and a Black guy. Clearly not in Utah.Samuel Lemonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-58038792277195324522008-05-10T12:05:00.000-07:002008-05-10T12:10:08.641-07:00Two Great Tastes That Taste Great TogetherI don't have much to say about that game 3 loss other than: we knew that was coming. Hopefully the Lakers will be ready in game 4 to get past the pushing and hacking, and just play their game. A few fewer turnovers and a couple of made freethrows down the stretch and we STILL would've won.<br /><br />Anyway: on the lighter side of the news, there's <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/05/10/coach.knicks/index.html?eref=si_nba">this</a>. <br /><br />Mike D'Antoni, new coach of the Knicks. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!<br /><br />He. He he. (phew) (catches breath)<br /><br />HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-88458906158635522362008-05-08T12:17:00.000-07:002008-05-08T12:29:36.204-07:00high basketball IQBryant <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-080508">said</a>: "<em>We have a high basketball IQ, collectively. That's why I believe we'll be playing in June. Because we all think the game extremely well.</em> "<br /><br />Man, don't you miss Nick "<a href="http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3-143/Nick-Van-Exel-as-a-Spur.html">1-2-3-Cancun</a>" Van Exel, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/06/23/gallery.nbafashion/samakiwalker.draft.jpg">Samaki Walker</a>, <a href="http://www.kwamebrownsucks.com/">Kwame Brown</a>, Caron Butler, Kareem Rush, Von Wafer, Devean George, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2007-11-29-4154206970_x.htm">Smush</a> <a href="http://www.smushparker.org/">Parker</a>? Low IQ, chuck & duck basketball was a Staples Center, er, staple. <br /><br />At least we have Vlad "WTF" Radmonovich to remind us.$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-44597329659311018252008-05-03T11:00:00.000-07:002008-05-03T11:33:20.094-07:00You Like Me! You Really Like Me!<b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-kobe3-2008may03,0,6643435.story">M-V-P !!!</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.nba.com/features/player_rankings.html">M-V-P !!!</a></b><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.nbaobsessed.com/kobe-bryant-for-mvp/">M-V-P !!!</a></b><br /><br />This is <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060414">two years too late</a>, but finally Kobe is getting his props. Do you think people are noticing that <a href="http://www.nba.com/history/awards_mvp.html">2-time MVP Steve Nash</a> is a defensive liability? And certainly the NBA was a little stung when Dirk had to come back <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/newsevents/2007/05/11/slam.jpg">from vacation</a> to receive his MVP trophy (named after some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Podoloff">jew lawyer</a>, go figure; no offense -- some of my best friends are <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450">jews</a> and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363">lawyers</a>).<br /><br />So it's about time. Lebron and CP3 are great, and deserve to be all-NBA, but will either of them be within sniffing distance of All-NBA Defense 1st Team? To be fair to Paul, he deserves it more than Nash did two years ago, but now he'll have to bide his time because this is the first of three in the next four years (ala Magic) for Kobe. He's 29, and the prime of an NBA career is 28-32. The rest of the West should be scared.<br /><br />I think if we'd set some pre-season goals, they'd have looked like this:<br /><br />Standard Goals:<br />1) Keep Kobe a Laker (check)<br />2) Improve the backcourt (check)<br />3) Sign or trade for some championship-caliber talent (check)<br />4) Win 46 games (check)<br />5) Make the playoffs (check)<br />6) Make it past the first round (check)<br /><br />Stretch Goals:<br />1) Win the Pacific Division (check)<br />2) Unload Kwame for something more valuable than a bacon-wrapped hotdog (check)<br />3) Get home-court advantage in the 1st round (check)<br />4) Win the #1 seed in the Western Conference (check)<br />5) Kobe MVP (check)<br />6) Make it past the 2nd Round (incomplete)<br />7) Win the Western Conference (incomplete)<br />8) 2008 NBA Champions (incomplete)<br />9) Kobe All-NBA 1st Team (incomplete)<br />10)Kobe All-NBA Defense (incomplete)<br />11)Bynum Most Improved (nope)<br />12)Phil Coach Of The Year (nope)<br /><br />If I were the Lakers manager, I'd say they deserve a promotion and a big raise. Work well with others, can-do attitude, exhibit leadership skills, etc. <br /><br />But now I have a big assignment for you: go beat the Jazz in 5 games. You're the MVP Kobe, go get it done.flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-34604198933590412472008-04-30T11:47:00.000-07:002008-04-30T12:34:57.854-07:00What I Did on My Spring Break...As the Lakers take a week off of basketball I guess we have some time on our hands to reflect what's happening around the league.<br /><br />Apparently DeShawn Stevenson feels the needs to be the Roddy Rowdy Piper to Lebron's Hulkamania. <a href="http://www.collectiblesofthegame.com/images/P/RP-16b.jpg"></a> This is going to work out well...<a href="http://www.collectiblesofthegame.com/images/P/RP-16b.jpg">in his dreams</a>. Since 99% of all Wizards fans are pleading with DeShizzle to STFU and stop poking a lion (or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Treadwell#Death">whispering to a bear</a>, same analogy, same result), it would be hard for one to believe you could alienate the 1% of the fans left. <a href="http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2008/04/deshawn_goes_vick.html">done and done</a>.<br /><br />Turns out Karl Malone really loves kids...no...I mean it...<a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/274/story/334471.html">He REALLY loves kids</a>. yuk.<br /><br />And guess who David Stern loves...<a href="http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/basketball/nba/specials/preview/2007/10/29/experts.predictions/tx.celtics.jpg">The Celtics</a> of course. I'm not really upset that the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/senior-house/www/history/roast/steer-roast2001-2.jpg">hullabaloo </a>between the Celtics and Hawks didn't wind up in suspensions. But I did find it funny that our fearless leader decided to not use his stern (yup, i said it) judgment in handing out penalties. Players did move toward the action reminiscent of last years Suns, and KG definitely did <a href="http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j284/kdbailey593/kg.jpg">shove a ref</a>. I guess the Celtics bloated egos getting popped was punishment enough. After all, you have to feel bad getting punked by a guy named Zaza (<a href="http://api.ning.com/files/1uifLWOMLzftfXtv9j8YfHBcZY9We2gD1g8hR7esix4_/HaWKs_Pachulia_wallpaper.jpg">this one's for the real fans out there!</a>).<br /><br />Spring break is over next week, and on a serious note we can use this time to heal. I don't believe in the "<a href="http://www.lkjh.org/bike/california/la/topanga/f0299.jpg">getting rusty with too much rest</a>" theory. I'm happy if the Jazz/Rockets go 7 and we have time to work on our game plan(s). I'm sure we'll use our well deserved time wisely. I'm really hoping for the Celtics/Lakers finals. I can't wait to see Jeebus Shuttleworth pout his way to a ringless exit, after all he is a <a href="http://bestof.provocateuse.com/images/photos/ray_allen_99.jpg">sensative guy</a>.Samuel Lemonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145089625830624450noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-85073834085940294722008-04-27T08:25:00.000-07:002008-04-27T08:40:46.005-07:00We Made Them Eat Their ParentsI know this series isn't over, but... when you have one of your star players yelling at the coach "don't just sit there!" and then later saying that the entire team quit, well, it doesn't look good.<br /><br />The Good Guys played much better defense, but frankly didn't shoot all that well, especially from the free throw line. That could've been a 30+ point win.<br /><br />So, since I'm a jerk, I like to go see what the good folks posting on the Denver Post website have to say:<br /><blockquote><br />"this team is a "F" joke...your playoffs lives are at stake and this is how you respond especially @ home...I will not be staying up late here on the east coast watching this ******* on monday"<br /><br />"Still all four MC, GK, Carmelo, and AC need to be put in a sack and thrown off the bridge."<br /><br />"okay, here's the upside. if LA sweeps, 100% guaranteed that George Karl gets fired."<br /><br />and my favorite: "Just goes to prove that a surplus of tats does not a basketball team make."</blockquote><br />Oh, the tears of unfathomable sadness, mmm, yummy!<br /><br /><img src="http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/8422/southparktearlickyf6.gif">flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-27605648137866576612008-04-22T20:41:00.000-07:002008-04-22T20:52:12.870-07:00Phoenix SpursI am very happy to watch this series because Shaq-Duncan is fun. The teams are well matched. The coaches are good and their adjustments clever. The players exciting and sound. And most of all, T<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089530/">wo men enter, one man leave</a>. $9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-66091575034985129942008-04-22T15:23:00.000-07:002008-04-22T15:24:08.856-07:00I love THE 405.Bryant continued on Monday to compliment Mitch Kupchak, saying the Lakers' general manager had gone from an "F to an A-plus," and also added some colorful texture to his thoughts on the franchise.<br /><br />"I love our team here," Bryant said. "I love what we're doing here. We have a great relationship, we have great chemistry. We have all the pieces in here to make a run for a long time. I've always wanted to be here, but I just felt like I was in a position where I didn't really have a choice," Bryant said of the tumult last year. "They wanted to go in an opposite direction. My legs aren't as young as they used to be. But I love the weather, I love my '63 drop-top Impala. I love the 405 and I love my guys."$9,000,000,000 Write Offhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14455548811771787363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-8098195250827889402008-04-16T22:35:00.000-07:002008-04-17T19:31:22.713-07:00First in the Pacific, First in the West, First in the Hearts of Their CountrymenLet me start with a word that David Mamet claims to have coined: <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Unbefuckinglievable</span><br /><br />I don't think any of us expected the #1 seed, but here we are. Someone send flowers to Ron Artest and JR Smith. Or, scratch JR, we'll deliver those in person in the first round. And then a HUGE win on Sunday; I know they didn't have Ginobili, but that second half was a paddlin' like the Spurs took out the school canoe.<br /><br />Best of all, we got the exact playoff matchup across the board that I was hoping for. Have you seen the bottom half of the bracket? That very easily could've been us playing the Suns first round, Spurs second round. Now? Nuggets->Jazz->Spurs->Celtics, The Laker Championship Ladder. A tall task, but not impossible by any stretch.<br /><br />So what do you think about these matchups? Let's ignore the East for the first two rounds, although the Wizards-Cavs series should be watchable.<br /><br />THE KOBE BRACKET<br />Lakers (1) vs. Nuggets (8)<br />Frankly the Lakers should sweep, but the Nuggets shoot their way into one win, and the Lakers throw one away on one of those 4-for-17 Kobe nights where no one picks up the slack. Gotta gotta gotta win the first two at home. Game 1 Sunday at Noon. No jinx, Lakers 4-2.<br /><br />Jazz (4) vs. Rockets (5)<br />Rockets have home court advantage. They also have someone named Carl Landry getting significant minutes. I'm selfishly rooting for the Rockets, but only if I don't have to watch them play. I do like Deron Williams, but I'll get to enjoy him driving right around Fish for six or so games next round. Jazz 4-1.<br /><br />THE MANU BRACKET<br />Hornets (2) vs. Mavs (7)<br />Did the Lakers do the Hornets a favor in a way by showing them 'playoff intensity' the other day? If that helps them not be shell-shocked in game 1, they win the series. If the blow game 1 to a fired up Mavs team, Mavs win the series. Which, Mavs 4-2.<br /><br />Spurs (3) vs. Suns (6)<br />Yee-ha. This oughta be fun. Will Horry be healthy enough to clothesline Steve Nash? I fucking hope so. These teams hate each other, which probably means the Suns will play like bitches and lose when a flop isn't called at some critical moment. ESPN and I certainly wouldn't mind the Lakers getting the Suns in the West finals, but, Spurs 4-3.flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2301031425693808506.post-74741769365756870202008-04-12T10:25:00.000-07:002008-04-12T12:54:29.011-07:00I Like The Fear<a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-07364048861183007 visible" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/P5h53D0agL4&hl=en"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/P5h53D0agL4&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/P5h53D0agL4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />I do declare, that was quite a lovely evening of basketball.<br /><br />First, I get home in time to see the Suns game out of reach early in the 4th, which meant that a win by the Lakers would clinch the Division. <span style="font-style: italic;">Nooooiice</span>.<br /><br />Second, as I'm getting ready to leave, Sony calls and convinces me to watch that hilarious hockey check by VladRad on Tyson Chandler. Great to see him fired up, but the adrenaline didn't seem to do much for his outside shot.<br /><br />Third, I played a very entertaining 3 hours of basketball down in the Mont. With 16 guys we played rotating winners/losers court 4-on-4, and my team never lost despite having a 10-year-old as our fourth. There is some pretty decent talent there mind you -- mostly in the 21-29 age group, including a few guys that play on the Ohlone college squad. In the fifth game the one loudmouth <a href="http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/new_line_cinema/harold___kumar_go_to_white_castle/_group_photos/christopher_meloni10.jpg">hick</a> in a gym full of otherwise classy, no-argue players, rolls his ankle untouched on some ridiculous fading 3-point turnaround jumper. It wasn't too bad, but he threw a hissy fit and basically challenged my teammate to a fight, claiming he was pushed. The best part: the remaining 15 of us all told him to go home an not come back. Oh yeah, then we ran full with subs and my team won a 20-min. timed game by 2. <span style="font-style: italic;">Nooooiice</span>.<br /><br />Was there something else? Oh yeah, Fourth: I get home well after midnight, sore but satisfied (no homo), and get to watch that great Laker win over the Big Easy CP3s. Someone 'ruined' the outcome for me, so that 3rd quarter only stung a little. But a salve was at hand: that dunk (above) by Kobe was incredible -- the slo-mo really does it justice. And speaking of justice, that clinches the division and moves the Lakers to the #2 spot and a potential 1st-round match-up with our <a href="http://www.jonco48.com/blog/bitch_20in_20heat.jpg">bitches</a> the Mavs. What do you think, Stu? <span style="font-style: italic;">Nooooiice</span>.<br /><br />So did the MVP race just turn back in our favor? I'm still not buying it. If the players or coaches or GMs voted, Kobe would win in a landslide. And yes I know that a couple LA Times 'informal poll of voters' has him winning, but the '<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=journalism">journalists</a>' that vote are lard-ass haters extraordinaire (this not an opinion, but a verifiable fact). And as we've seen in the difference in Obama vote totals in open caucuses vs. balloting, there is something about the privacy of a voting booth that clarifies the mind and allows the voter to proceed with complete irrationality and unfettered bias. Also, most of the writers are white, and <a href="http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/4-assists/">white people do love assists</a>.<br /><br />Never mind that CP3 is sort of a defensive liability -- sure he gets some nice steals, but so does Baron Davis, and so did Smush Parker. Can anyone seriously watch last night's game and think, wow those two superstars really battled it out? You mean Kobe and Pargo? And since stats can't tell the whole story, it should come down to the intangibles of Leadership, Indomitable Will, and, I don't know, how about <a href="http://www.poster.com.pl/swierzy/apocalypse-now.jpg">Which Player Strikes The Most Fear Into The Hearts Of His Opponents</a>? (Answer: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. And KG second.)<br /><br /><a style="left: 0px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-07364048861183007 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3vmpM2FGzU&hl=en"></a><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3vmpM2FGzU&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j3vmpM2FGzU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />If it comes down to this "who is most valuable to his team" nonsense, I might have to go with Lebron James. That Cavs team wouldn't win 20 games without Lebron. But is anyone worried about them on the playoffs? Or the Hornets? It is to laugh. There are three and only three contenders for the championship right now: Celtics, Spurs, and Your Los Angeles Lakers. You feel that fear? It's because we're close.flyEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09037001802816609066noreply@blogger.com4