Laker Blues…
As a quasi-Laker fan I'm happy to celebrate the dominance that LA has enjoyed over the past couple of seasons. I enjoy watching Kobe Bryant reaching even higher than we thought the top of his game reached. I enjoy watching Phil Jackson play the NBA the same way a cat plays with a mouse before she eats it. Always seemingly in control and never panicked.
Whether you follow the Lakers the way I do, you're a die-hard fan or anything in between, you have to be more than a little concerned with the current Laker funk. I know it's only two games but this current Laker stew that's being cooked stinks of failure and complacency. The only player excelling since Gasol's hamstring injury is Lamar Odom. This is great for Lamar but seemingly horrendous for the Lakers as no one else seems willing to step up from the bench crew.
Jordan Farmar had a nice scoring night against an average Dallas squad but apart from that there's no spark from the bench at all. Sasha Vujacic, Derek Fisher and Josh Powell are just horrible to watch. (With the exception of Fisher's defense... I can handle that!)
They make me cringe when they shoot the ball these days and they make it look like they've been sitting out of Basketball for a year.
Sasha and Derek putting their heads together is like watching two hippos try to walk a tight rope. It's going to end badly...
There's no underestimating the value of Pau Gasol in this equation. Now I'm not saying he's the "hardest" guy in the League but I certainly think the inside-outside game that he is a catalyst of, certainly holds the Lakers in better stead.
As for Kobe, well it's easy to consider the finger injury, the knee injury, the elbow injury etc. The only trouble is, Kobe still continues to shoot tough fall-away jump shots during the 4th quarter of close games. Surely his brain isn't injured too?
It's the Milwaukee Bucks that visit the Lakers tonight in LA and after only emerging victorious by one point in overtime last meeting, the Lakers are vulnerable at best. It kicks off an interesting week for the Lake Show with a visit to San Antonio, Dallas and then back home to attempt to avenge their latest loss to the Clippers.
Milwaukee present a definitive challenge to LA. The Bucks have a good presence inside and the Bogut vs Bynum match-up will be great to watch. I'm most excited to see if Phil will give Shannon Brown significant minutes guarding Brandon Jennings. I think Brown's mixture of speed and strength will provide the perfect counter. Either way it will be entertaining! I'm predicting a triple double for Lamar Odom also... I see 14p, 16r and 10a for the lanky number 7.
Jennings could destroy the Lakers... or provide the perfect opportunity for Shannon Brown to arrive.
Buckle up no matter who you are, as when the Lakers experience the Blues, it seems everyone has a lot more to talk about.
1, 2, 3 times a Laker…
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently buried in a 14 of 16 home stretch and their next three games are tantalizing. The Lake Show's next potential scalp is the much improved and co-division leading Phoenix Suns. A three day rest should enable Andrew Bynum to return and possibly Pau Gasol, although the latter is unlikely. The Lakers then travel to Colorado to face the "home dominant" Nuggets. A great test for the Lakers and potentially a great opportunity for Denver to springboard out of their current mini-funk. The following game is back at the Staples Center against those pesky Houston Rockets.
Will Trevor Ariza bring a special surprise back to L.A. to trade for his Championship ring?
All of these games are intriguing match-ups and all will provide ample entertainment in Los Angeles and Colorado respectively.
Best Passing Big Man?
With Vlade Divac getting his number 21 raised to the rafters by the Sacramento Kings in March this year, (and ESPN trotting out another Vlade article today), I thought I'd have a little rant. Not about Vlade, I quite like the goofy, beaded Serb. I just smile and shake my head when some compliments become so mainstream. This from a photo caption of Divac in a circa-1991 Lakers uniform:
"One of the greatest passing big men of all-time"
Back in the early 90's this was a valid statement, because very few players over 6'10" could pass very well at all. There were certainly even fewer that possessed any extended vision or creativity. But as the 90's came and went, media aplenty have used this term to describe the modern "plus six foot tenner". It's becoming a little diluted...
Ryan and I have often joked about this subject. So I thought I'd compile a list of all the players that I distinctly remember being referred to as "one of the best passing big men" in either commentary or print.
It's a fun list, in no particular order..
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Vlade Divac
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Luc Longley
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Arvydas Sabonis
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Hakeem Olajuwon
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Kevin Garnett
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David Robinson
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Zydrunas Ilgauskas
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Bill Walton
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Pau Gasol
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Anthony Mason
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Boris Diaw
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Brad Miller
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Shaquille O'Neal
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Yao Ming
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Chris Webber
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Tim Duncan
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Toni Kukoc
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Clifford Robinson
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Travis Knight (No, I'm not kidding!)
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Juwan Howard
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Kendrick Perkins
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Andrew Bogut
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Charles Oakley
I'm sure there's more that I can't recall right now. It used to be a great compliment, but these days anyone who is over 6'10" and happens to throw a few good passes is all of a sudden considered to be one of the "best passing big men" of all-time. I guess the game evolves but at some point you've got to find a new "buzz term".
And just for good measure, here is the only image of Travis Knight that you're likely to ever see on twosidesofthehoop.com
Travis Knight (Photo courtesy: lebasketbawl.com)
Hall & (V)Oates
I read an article today on ESPN.com and was astounded by what Pau Gasol has achieved in Basketball to date. From 2003 to 2009 Pau has climbed every Basketball mountain, achieving Olympic Gold, an NBA Championship and a Eurobasket Championship. I had defended him when he'd had his less than glorious moments in the 2008 NBA Finals, and had asked him to lift during the 2009 Playoffs. I then congratulated him on his efforts once the Lakers had clinched the NBA title in June. I guess we've all known that Pau is an extremely talented big man in the NBA but I'm not sure too many people "really" took notice of him until he reached the Lake Show. Then of course, the LA media seemed to want him to be "great" immediately to get the Lakers over the line.
When I read the headline on ESPN suggesting Pau may be ready for the Hall of Fame, due to his accomplishments on the FIBA stage, my neck hair immediately stood up. Not becuase I was excited but more because I was sick of hearing Hall of Fame talk. Since Michael Jordan's "entertaining" speech, (yes, I said it) most of the Basketball media has been hell bent on slamming the great one. I personally enjoyed the speech and I'm still giggling/excited at the prospect of a 50-year-old MJ getting around an NBA court. It conjures up images of Sherman Klump's Dad in the movie "The Nutty Professor".
But I'm getting off the point...
In my opinion, it's all well and good to speculate on sports. There's no doubting that. Heck, it's safe to say Vegas does pretty well out of sports junkies desire to "guess" the outcome of sporting matchups daily. But I think we should draw the line when it comes to the Hall of Fame until players have actually hung up their kicks and given the game away.
Pau has achieved a great deal in his Basketball life and is an incredible talent. But please people, leave the Hall of Fame talk for now... it's getting very stale. Besides, I'm sure Pau would like another crack at the Celtics before anyone gets too trigger-happy with the compliments. It's safe to say he has some un-finished business to attend to in Bean Town.
Pau Gasol... like Erick Sermon.. a green-eyed bandit.
49-40
That was the score when Orlando's soul was broken and the curtains were drawn on their 2009 season. The LA Lakers were in the middle of an 18-0 run that snapped the neck of the rabbit and set the top hat on fire in Orlando last night. The only smoke and mirrors present were from Orlando's smoldering three point percentage and their pending offseason of tough questions.
Now this won't just be a Kobe love-fest, but the man played one of the best games of Basketball you're likely to see for a very long time. Bryant did everything last night on his way to leading his team in every sense of the word, to the promised land. It's undisputed now, he is one of the greats of all time.
The Lakers were served incredibly also by Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza. These three guys made big play after big play and it's safe to say they have guaranteed Dwight Howard a championship somewhere down the road. Dwight got nothing easy, similar to Gasol last year. The Celtics crowded, pushed and shoved Gasol into a corner in the 2008 Finals. This year it was Howard's turn. While showing flashes of brilliance, Howard rarely got in a groove offensively and was subsequently "handled" by the swarming defense of Los Angeles. These moments are where champions can be created. Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard remained on the Magic bench to soak in the defeat, a bold move. One would assume that the lasting smell of Finals failure will provoke a strong Eastern Conference title defence next year.
Speaking of which, where do the Magic sit now? Is this just a lucky year? I respect them as a unit and would say the term "lucky" is an insult to them. I give them their due kudos for making it as far as they did, but what happens if there's no Turkoglu next season? He was an integral part of their success and will surely have the opportunity to make some serious money this offseason. It's also safe to say that Rafer Alston and Jameer Nelson cannot co-exist, so there's plenty of questions in Magic Town.
The Lakers have housekeeping of their own to take care of. With Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza both out of contract, it will make the Lakers a hot topic for a while yet. Even Kobe Bryant has an out clause for this year and next... but that's just crazy talk.
Phil Jackson said he would "smoke a cigar" and "toast Red Auerbach" after the game. A classy gesture and a deserved reward for the winningest coach in NBA history. Another mantle that leaves him immune to the constant criticism thrown his way of late.
Overall a great result for Kobe, Phil Jackson and all of the Lakers fans out there. It's a pity the Los Angeles fans' had to start torching cars and acting the fool but heck, it happens most years.
Lakers in 5. Good times.
Say goodbye to Hollywood…
Yes, I said it.
The NBA has left the city of Los Angeles for season 08/09.
I believe the Orlando Magic will win their first ever NBA Finals game but it'll be celebrated like Sam Perkins' birthday in 1996... with the series already over. (Sorry Seattle fans... it's not like you need any extra pain!)
With the most mainstream statistic in the NBA hanging perilously over their heads, the Magic will be desperate not to go down 0-3 on Tuesday night. No team has ever recovered and of all the teams that we've seen in that hole, I don't rate Orlando high enough to rebound back. One thing is for certain however...
I now respect the Orlando Magic.
Game 2 was a gutsy performance. After being embarrassed in Game 1, the Magic came out and made a real contest of it. Some would argue that the only reason Orlando were close was because of Rashard Lewis, and they may be right. But you can't deny Dwight Howard's passing was brilliant, Rafer played really well and Turkoglu hit some clutch shots.
Personally, I would've gone to Turk to win it at the end of regulation. The play Orlando drew up was nice though. The screen Lewis layed on Kobe Bryant to get Lee open was beautiful to watch, even for a devout Kobe fan. And to think this game had two non-calls regarding basket interference. Weird.
Surely Turkoglu or Lewis was the smartest option, especially on the road. I also think Orlando are missing Anthony Johnson's toughness. Sounds crazy to suggest they need their 3rd string point guard I know, but 0-2 is the current situation here. Lose the next one and you might as well bring back Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott. Even Scott Skiles has been bored since April. I think back to Overtime when the Magic turned the ball over on a dish from JJ Redick! Rafer Alston was on the court at this time but I'm not sure a team wants Redick driving and dishing in OT... NBA Finals... Game 2! Put Johnson in the game in my humble opinion.
Orlando had their chances, and came up short. Los Angeles also had their chances, and came up short... one less time than Orlando. The referee's were VERY tough to read. It seemed Gasol was allowed to shove Howard as he jumped on quite a few rebound attempts and get away with it. It makes me wonder though, how hard would you need to shove that guy to move him? Is it possible D12 was "flopping" on rebounds??
However I look at it, it was a gutsy performance. Two blowouts and it wouldn't have been worth watching any more.
The way it stands though is simple. The best road team in the NBA this year is about to go to Orlando. A 3-0 lead is possible but not probable. A 3-1 lead and a chance to close it out in Orlando is the most obvious of scenarios. While the Lakers have played well to warrant that lead, the Magic will be flying back rueing missed opportunties.
If the Orlando forget the smoke and mirrors on Tuesday night, this series is over.
Say goodbye to Hollywood...
The Magicians in 6
The Magic will taste victory in six games. Part of my predicition could be my complete dislike of Kobe, but the majority is based in the regular season.
I will grant you that Jameer Nelson was a large part of the regular season sweep that the Magic put on the Lakers, as Los Angeles struggle with quick point guards like Tom Cruise struggles with hetrosexuality. However, if you take out the fact that the Magic have two excellent perimeter defenders in Pietrus and Lee to somewhat slow Kobe, I think the elephant in the room that no one is talking about is Phil Jackson.
Phil has been more MIA than Kim Jong-Il's humility. He hasn't made a single reasonable adjustment in-game or between games for what seems like years. Perhaps Tex Winter did more behind the scenes than we ever thought? The simple answer to the Howard problem is to put Gasol on him and draw quick fouls, but I don't think Jackson will go that way, and as a result we will see more 20-3 Howard/Bynum rebounding advantages, and that's just too much to give up. Plus the Magic's strategy of letting a superstar get their points and stopping everyone else worked on a much better player and team in LeBron and Cleveland.
Magic in six.
Emphatic…
It's the only word to describe the Lakers performance tonight. A simply devastating display that started with too many turnovers but then blossomed into beautiful team Basketball that had Denver fans heading home early.
Pau Gasol got what he asked for with more touches inside, and he made the right move nearly every time. The Lakers would be crazy not to ride the Gasol/Kobe train all the way to a street parade/riot.
Pau made jumpers, hooks, dunks and layups almost uncontested for the most part. "Sure, he hits them when he's open" I hear people think, but it's how he got so open that was the most impressive/disappointing. The movement off the ball and the horrible defensive effort by the Nuggets paved the way for a second half butchery not seen since the Lakers tossed the Celtics' salad in Game 6 last June.
It was as if the Nuggets, who have been complimented with being "front-runners" this postseason, just couldn't get up for the big game. They had small moments of brilliance including an 8-0 run in the third. The damage however had already been done.
Carmello didn't show up tonight and George Karl didn't help by benching his superstar earlier and for longer than normal in the third. Carmello didn't re-appear until early in the 4th. Some Denver fans must still be in shock.
Kobe Bryant performed at the highest level tonight. Scoring when needed and in bunches, he also led the game with 10 assists. His 9 of 9 from the charity stripe was also key, with the remainder of the Lakers combining for.. wait, 100%. Free throw shooting had plagued the Lakers during this Playoffs but hitting 24 of 24 from the line to accompany 57% from the field and the reason for the 27 point annihilation starts to become apparent.
The tone was defnitely set early by Trevor Ariza who hit three triples in the first quarter and ended the half with 13 points. Pau and Kobe took over in the third and fourth quarters. A few punctuation marks from Luke Walton and Lamar Odom tucked the Nuggets in bed for the offseason.
A great win but more importantly a great team win by the Lakers. Kobe was still "doin' work" when he needed to but it all came in the flow of the offense.
If Orlando wins tomorrow, the Lakers will have home court advantage for the Finals. If the Cavaliers win, the Lakers get a rest. Even if Cleveland comes back to win the East, I would be very surprised if the Lakers don't win it all now.
Plenty of people would see it differently.
60% of the time…
Well, well, well... after most of the dust has settled and most of the smoke has cleared we see the landscape about to take shape.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic are both only one win away from the Big Dance. A great result for LA who for a moment there were looking like going down 4-2.
While nothing is yet guaranteed, (especially with LBJ still alive and kicking) I think it is highly likely the two leaders of both series will advance.
Note: If there's a prayer that eliminates Orlando from the series in 7 games... Trust I'll be reciting it before my next two nights sleep!
As amazing as Pau and Lamar Odom were in Game 5, it will only be even more amazing if they do it for two straight games, especially in Denver. Our conversation the other day about lack of killer instinct comes to mind.
As for the Cavaliers great escape last night. Well, if it weren't for LeBron... blah, blah, blah. It's safe to say that LeBron has his eyes set on being the G.O.A.T. Some of his postseason antics this year have been simply unprecedented. He has me believing, albeit slightly, that Cleveland can still make the NBA Finals. This may all be snuffed out on Saturday night however.
I did read the following stat, which gave me some confidence...
"About 60% of teams that have fallen into the 3-1 hole have lost in 5 games"
Not entirely sure of it's sources credibility but if true, there may be a glimmer of hope for Cleveland.
So with Nike's marketing crew reciting the same prayer as I am, I leave you with a Jerry Springer-esque final thought...
Lakers vs Cleveland...
If you hate Kobe, then you'll love to see him fall short again against the man who is taking his mantle before his eyes. If you love Kobe, then you'll love to see him win a title without Shaq. If you hate LeBron, then you'll love to see him keep waiting for and "witnessing" true greatness. And if you hate Lebron then... well, I'm not sure why you're watching Basketball.
Go Lakers! Go Cavs!
60% of the time, it works... every time.
Seven’s the key number here…
Just so the heading makes sense, yes, I agree both series' look like going seven. I'm probably the last to jump on this train but hey, I'm on, I have a ticket and I'll enjoy the show.
As for Kobe, ok, so the three's appear to have been bad judgement. If he makes them however, we are all in awe and the Black Mamba has again struck. You know he thinks every one is going in, so hard to comprehend what's going through Kobe's mind at times. If you remove the three's from the equation and he has a respectable 8 for 16 game, .500 from the field and a healthy 12 for 13 from the charity stripe. So apart from the three's, I see a relatively competent offensive performance from Kobe and employees 16 and 17 respectively.
(Note: I'm intentionally not mentioning the Lakers' bench performance tonight. It speaks for itself and you don't always need to be hand fed ammunition!)
The facts are clear and history will show a simply horrible performance by the Lakers. The 20 point loss or thereabouts looks horrible but history doesn't generally remember individual game margins, just Championship series' results.
Now Ryan, to say professional NBA athletes don't try on the offensive boards because they don't get as many shots as another guy is ridiculous! I fail to see where you come from with that. This is not a social pickup game on a Sunday afternoon. These guys are paid millions of dollars to do a job. Any job in life has the same situations.
You've got Phil the Chairman of the Board, Kobe the CEO, Pau the Managing Director and Sasha Vujacic and DJ MBenga the odd-couple janitors. There's certain things that get done by certain people, that's life.
The real problem to me, and I must agree with Michael Wilbon here, is that apart from Kobe, the Lakers appear to have litle to no killer instinct. You could buzz cut Pau's hair "Jackass" style and he wouldn't want to fight you. I rate Aziza's toughness and even Fisher for an old veteran, but Fisher's biggest play this series has been a shoving match with KMart on a jumpall. Can someone tell me why Fisher was the only one T'd on that play?? Anyway... No matter how tough you are or pretend to be... there has to be backup of good play.
Example: JR Smith is an immature, disruptive turd of a player and one I wouldn't want on my team, much like Sasha Vujacic in a lot of ways. We've seen Sasha piss every Laker player, coach and fan off with some brainless plays during these Playoffs. Smith's technical at the end of the 3rd quarter in Game 3 could be seen as the same sort of crime except for one thing... he made the damn shot!!
I was listening to Bill Simmons' "BS Report" last night and heard him talking about a scenario involving a Ron Artest for Lamar Odom deal. I know we're in the middle of a great Playoffs but regardless of where the Lakers finish this run, I am salivating at the thought of Ron wearing a purple and gold #73 next season. Toughness issue? Fixed.
Ok... focus Paul.. get back to the point.
Denver is faced with undoubtably their biggest game in franchise history on Wednesday night. If the Nuggets can take that game... Whoa! It could be lights out for LA and a long off season of which only seven or eight of the current Lakers return to fight another day. Maybe a reality show could take shape..?
I'm picturing something very similar to Dave Chappelle's parody of Diddy's "Making the Band". Sasha would have to fetch Kobe a sugar cookie from Venice Beach or Kobe would shut down the studio. And just for the record, the five greatest big men of all-time would probably be; Bynum... Bynum... Bynum, Bynum, Bynum.
For the record I'm genuinely excited regarding the coming NBA Finals, as long as the Orlando Magic have no part of it.
Tomorrow is huge for the Cleveland Cavaliers.