Nice article on Shaq.
Wade needs to get Kobe in his 5 so he can get some advice on life after Shaq.
Still a month out for Bynum, but I like the way the kid is thinking. I can't wait to see how this team looks healthy, but I hope we don't rush him back for this playoff run. Our window is just opening and I'd like to ensure we're a healthy in the long term. After all, this is our center for the next decade.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Pop's Tart
Popovich on the Pau trade:
Man I love Gregg Popovich (agape not eros, so stop right there). He is always good for a speaking-his-mind quote, and he's usually right. If I wasn't a Laker fan, I'd be pissed at that trade too. See: Garnett to Boston for a box of spare parts.
"What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," said Popovich. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I'd like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade."
When told that Wallace had challenged executives to criticize the deal publicly, Popovich replied, "Well, there you go. I'm on the record."
Man I love Gregg Popovich (agape not eros, so stop right there). He is always good for a speaking-his-mind quote, and he's usually right. If I wasn't a Laker fan, I'd be pissed at that trade too. See: Garnett to Boston for a box of spare parts.
I'm Talkin' About The Road
4-2 on The Road Trip after a big win last night, with three to go. I asked for 6-3 trip before it started (actually 7-3 but for some reason I thought the Knick game was on the road) and that looks very possible:
- At Miami on Sunday, with the debut of Maid Marion
- Back-to-back at Charlotte on Monday, against a team that Isn't Very Good
- At Minnesota on Wednesday, an enigma team that shouldn't be taken lightly
Then All-Star weekend where Kobe is in theDunk Contest Skills Challenge Celebrity Game Shooting Stars Three-Point Shootout. Um, what?
So About Last Night: how about 36 for Kobe and 30 for Pau? I could get used to that. Pau is picking up the triangle faster than anyone I've ever seen, and is thriving in the pinch post, making some nifty passes. You see what he does to inferior talent, like abusing Adonal "He's So Well Spoken" Foyle. Once Bynum comes back and Pau is playing PFs, watch the fuck out.
One thing I really like about road games is hearing the road announcers. Not just because Joel Myers makes me want to puncture my eardrums, but to get a different perspective. Last night was classic: huge homers who couldn't believe a single foul call against the Magic. Howard picked up his 5th via a two-hand-check on a driving Kobe, and even after the replay they were acting like that was ticky-tack. On the plus side, my favorite so far is Steve Smith doing color in Atlanta: good player insight, funny... he should get picked up for national games.
- At Miami on Sunday, with the debut of Maid Marion
- Back-to-back at Charlotte on Monday, against a team that Isn't Very Good
- At Minnesota on Wednesday, an enigma team that shouldn't be taken lightly
Then All-Star weekend where Kobe is in the
So About Last Night: how about 36 for Kobe and 30 for Pau? I could get used to that. Pau is picking up the triangle faster than anyone I've ever seen, and is thriving in the pinch post, making some nifty passes. You see what he does to inferior talent, like abusing Adonal "He's So Well Spoken" Foyle. Once Bynum comes back and Pau is playing PFs, watch the fuck out.
One thing I really like about road games is hearing the road announcers. Not just because Joel Myers makes me want to puncture my eardrums, but to get a different perspective. Last night was classic: huge homers who couldn't believe a single foul call against the Magic. Howard picked up his 5th via a two-hand-check on a driving Kobe, and even after the replay they were acting like that was ticky-tack. On the plus side, my favorite so far is Steve Smith doing color in Atlanta: good player insight, funny... he should get picked up for national games.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
One Ugly Shot Deserves Another...(or Shaq's FT's vs. Marion's 3's)
So it's true. Shaq for Marion.
The knee-jerk reaction: lolwtf the suns just shot themselves in the foot.
The let it sink in reaction: Did they just trade their best defender for a slower, older, more beat up, less rebounding, can't defend the pick and roll player? Yup, they did. What am I missing?
The reaction from the reactions: I know something must be right in Laker land when Suns fans abandon their fandom as they watch their team "give up" the identity that made them lovable and nearly brought them a championship.
The I read too many hack sports writers today reaction: Does this really give the Suns a great shot at a title? Does Shaq really have one more push to bring this team to the finish line? Wait a second, this is the first time I've seen "He won't stop the fast break since he can be taking the ball out of bounds" line. Is that really a plus?
The I think I've got it now reaction: Kerr is the boss, D'Antoni is on the way out. The locker room chemistry must have been so bad that they needed Shaq to contribute to the reasons they hate Kobe. Good luck with that, don't you know everyone has a Kobe-man-crush!
and your reaction?
The knee-jerk reaction: lolwtf the suns just shot themselves in the foot.
The let it sink in reaction: Did they just trade their best defender for a slower, older, more beat up, less rebounding, can't defend the pick and roll player? Yup, they did. What am I missing?
The reaction from the reactions: I know something must be right in Laker land when Suns fans abandon their fandom as they watch their team "give up" the identity that made them lovable and nearly brought them a championship.
The I read too many hack sports writers today reaction: Does this really give the Suns a great shot at a title? Does Shaq really have one more push to bring this team to the finish line? Wait a second, this is the first time I've seen "He won't stop the fast break since he can be taking the ball out of bounds" line. Is that really a plus?
The I think I've got it now reaction: Kerr is the boss, D'Antoni is on the way out. The locker room chemistry must have been so bad that they needed Shaq to contribute to the reasons they hate Kobe. Good luck with that, don't you know everyone has a Kobe-man-crush!
and your reaction?
Monday, February 4, 2008
Easy Tiger
Let me the voice of caution here. Remember the last time Jax got a talented but soft European? Kuckoc? Slava? Jax can make players worse.
He just beats them up for what they don't do (play D, rebound), screws with their minutes and wrecks their confidence. If he doesn't change his way with Gasol, you're going to see a shell of the former player, a guy struggling to find flow in 20 minutes of action.
Plus, while Bynum had a great 20 games there, it helped that he was an afterthought for opponents. He got points off junk plays. Now he's getting a rep, and will become a point of emphasis for the good teams, especially in the playoffs, and he may not overcome all that newfound attention. That's why guys backslide all the time in this league, they can't take on determined, focused opposition.
Just sayin...
By the way, "Easy Tiger" does not mean what I think it means anymore
He just beats them up for what they don't do (play D, rebound), screws with their minutes and wrecks their confidence. If he doesn't change his way with Gasol, you're going to see a shell of the former player, a guy struggling to find flow in 20 minutes of action.
Plus, while Bynum had a great 20 games there, it helped that he was an afterthought for opponents. He got points off junk plays. Now he's getting a rep, and will become a point of emphasis for the good teams, especially in the playoffs, and he may not overcome all that newfound attention. That's why guys backslide all the time in this league, they can't take on determined, focused opposition.
Just sayin...
By the way, "Easy Tiger" does not mean what I think it means anymore
Friday, February 1, 2008
Boom, Pau Surprise!
I was in meetings all morning, away from my computer, but knew something was going down when I got several calls and text messages in the space of about 5 minutes.
Ladies and Gentleman, let me introduce your 2008 Championship Lakers:
PG - Derek Fisher
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Lamar Odom
PF - Pau Gasol
C - Andrew Bynum
B - Jordan Farmar
B - Luke Walton
B - Trevor Ariza
B - Ronny Turiaf
B - Vlad Radmanovic
B - Sasha Vujacic
B - Chris Mihm
B - Coby Karl
I do find it amusing that part of the trade was the rights to Gasol The Younger, so Memphis keeps their Gasol quotient the same. This is a banner day in more ways than one.
Plus, 2009 is more of the same... most everyone is under contract.
[Morning update: After looking into this deal further, I realized there is one additional winner: Aaron McKie! Because the Lakers didn't renounce their rights to him, they were able to sign him for the veteran minimum and include him in the trade to make the dollars match.
He was working as an unpaid assistant for Philly, so he has to resign, accept a paycheck for $750K, get then waived by Memphis before he can get back to coaching. Not a bad day's work.]
Ladies and Gentleman, let me introduce your 2008 Championship Lakers:
PG - Derek Fisher
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Lamar Odom
PF - Pau Gasol
C - Andrew Bynum
B - Jordan Farmar
B - Luke Walton
B - Trevor Ariza
B - Ronny Turiaf
B - Vlad Radmanovic
B - Sasha Vujacic
B - Chris Mihm
B - Coby Karl
I do find it amusing that part of the trade was the rights to Gasol The Younger, so Memphis keeps their Gasol quotient the same. This is a banner day in more ways than one.
Plus, 2009 is more of the same... most everyone is under contract.
[Morning update: After looking into this deal further, I realized there is one additional winner: Aaron McKie! Because the Lakers didn't renounce their rights to him, they were able to sign him for the veteran minimum and include him in the trade to make the dollars match.
He was working as an unpaid assistant for Philly, so he has to resign, accept a paycheck for $750K, get then waived by Memphis before he can get back to coaching. Not a bad day's work.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)