Thursday, December 29, 2005
Bad Loss
No way in the world this game should have been lost. Memphis fought back but there were several questionable calls that allowed them to prevail. . . .an obvious missed call as the ball bounced off Damon Stoudamire's knee, Kobe's molestation on the final shot attempt .. . . .I could go on but what's the point?
Someone has to step up and be the wingman for Kobe here. Either step up or get shipped out. You can't expect Kobe to pass if there is no one that is a) confident enough to look for their own offense, and b) consistent enough to be a number 2 option. Lamar shows signs every blue moon. Kwame has improved since his injury but there's still a 50% chance that when he touches the ball, a turnover will occur. Smush Parker and Devean George are starting to look like our next two options. Smush isn't aggressive enough in penetrating. Devean still has a pretty limited game off the dribble. So now we're at Chris Mihm. He's got some decent game but he needs to be stronger, be an enforcer, know when to dunk a rebound and when to catch a rebound, and for Lakers sakes stop committing fouls.
What did Brian Cook do to get zero minutes last night????
Someone has to step up and be the wingman for Kobe here. Either step up or get shipped out. You can't expect Kobe to pass if there is no one that is a) confident enough to look for their own offense, and b) consistent enough to be a number 2 option. Lamar shows signs every blue moon. Kwame has improved since his injury but there's still a 50% chance that when he touches the ball, a turnover will occur. Smush Parker and Devean George are starting to look like our next two options. Smush isn't aggressive enough in penetrating. Devean still has a pretty limited game off the dribble. So now we're at Chris Mihm. He's got some decent game but he needs to be stronger, be an enforcer, know when to dunk a rebound and when to catch a rebound, and for Lakers sakes stop committing fouls.
What did Brian Cook do to get zero minutes last night????
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
ESPN.com - NBA - Turiaf scores nine in first game since heart surgery
ESPN.com - NBA - Turiaf scores nine in first game since heart surgery: "BOISE, Idaho -- Former Gonzaga star Ronny Turiaf had nine points and five rebounds in his first game with the Yakama Sun Kings. They lost 120-111 Monday night at Boise."
Monday, December 26, 2005
Loss Thoughts
We played a decent game tonite for it being a back to back. Still, this is a game we should have won. We came out flat in the second half, and were forced to rely entirely too much on three point offense and defense to pull back into it. Late offensive rebounds by the wizards killed us also.
Tough game coming up against Memphis. It's the first in Staples Center after splitting the previous two in Memphis, both by double digits.
Lamar Odom is starting to work his way into my favor (as if that matters). Initially, I just didn't feel like he fit in with the Lakers nor did I feel he wanted to but the past three weeks or so, it seems like he's getting to where we need him to be. He's not putting his game on the sideburner. Let's hope Smush can maintain his output and we get a step up from the bench.
Tough game coming up against Memphis. It's the first in Staples Center after splitting the previous two in Memphis, both by double digits.
Lamar Odom is starting to work his way into my favor (as if that matters). Initially, I just didn't feel like he fit in with the Lakers nor did I feel he wanted to but the past three weeks or so, it seems like he's getting to where we need him to be. He's not putting his game on the sideburner. Let's hope Smush can maintain his output and we get a step up from the bench.
Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, National Basketball Association, Miami Heat - CBS SportsLine.com
For instance, following the lackluster win, O'Neal of course heard the question "why didn't you shake Kobe's hand? You shook everyone else's?" "Why do you refuse to even look at him?"
His answer, a great one, was dead silence. He no doubt realizes there are much more pertinent issues in his own house that need addressing.
I rarely agree with anything Tony Mejia has to say. In fact, I question how exactly he became the basketball expert for cbs.sportsline.com. But this time around, he makes sense. That's the most I can bring myself to say about him.
His answer, a great one, was dead silence. He no doubt realizes there are much more pertinent issues in his own house that need addressing.
I rarely agree with anything Tony Mejia has to say. In fact, I question how exactly he became the basketball expert for cbs.sportsline.com. But this time around, he makes sense. That's the most I can bring myself to say about him.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
ESPN.com - NBA - Report: Jackson thinks Kobe, Shaq will work it out
ESPN.com - NBA - Report: Jackson thinks Kobe, Shaq will work it out: "'They will. That'll happen,' Jackson told the Los Angeles Daily News on Saturday. 'We've all been through this in this game where we've had rivalries with players. Maybe not as intense or as close as Kobe and Shaq's, maybe not teammates."
Saturday, December 24, 2005
That Playin Attitude
Lakers were victorious last night 104 - 88 over the Orlando Magic. I was impressed with their first half finish. I was sitting at my favorite Innebriation Vocational Institute when I noticed my need for restroom facilities. At this point it was 39 - 37 Orlando with about three minutes left in the half. After paying my tab both in the restroom and at the bar, I returned to my table to find that the score was now 54 - 40 as the Lakers had reeled off a 17 - 1 run. These are the things playoff teams do....
These Lakers are starting to get a swagger about themselves. A stagger that shows they respect themselves, they don't expect to lose or fail. This kind of thought process is necessary for winning teams to be competitive, for them to stay in games even if their 'A' game is leaning more towards a 'C' game. Let's hope they bring this with them tomorrow againt the Heat
These Lakers are starting to get a swagger about themselves. A stagger that shows they respect themselves, they don't expect to lose or fail. This kind of thought process is necessary for winning teams to be competitive, for them to stay in games even if their 'A' game is leaning more towards a 'C' game. Let's hope they bring this with them tomorrow againt the Heat
ESPN.com - NBA - Lakers' Profit out 4-6 months after Achilles surgery
ESPN.com - NBA - Lakers' Profit out 4-6 months after Achilles surgery: "EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers swingman Laron Profit had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles' tendon in his left foot Friday."
This seriously messes with our depth. Laron had been handling his own off the bench. I would think that this may force us to work some kind of deal before the trade deadline in order to get our depth back.
This seriously messes with our depth. Laron had been handling his own off the bench. I would think that this may force us to work some kind of deal before the trade deadline in order to get our depth back.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
ESPN.com - NBA - Rovell: Kobe gets signature shoe
ESPN.com - NBA - Rovell: Kobe gets signature shoe: "Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is finally getting his own Nike signature shoe, exactly halfway into a five-year, $45 million deal with the shoe and apparel giant."
ESPN.com - NBA - Lakers' draft pick Turiaf to sign with CBA squad
ESPN.com - NBA - Lakers' draft pick Turiaf to sign with CBA squad: "YAKIMA, Wash. -- Ronny Turiaf, the former Gonzaga Bulldogs star who had open-heart surgery just over six months ago, has signed a contract to play for the Yakama Sun Kings as part of his rehabilitation."
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Historic 62
"'I've seen a few 60-point ballgames in my time, but none of them had been done by the third quarter... his 30-point third quarter was incredible.'"
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Sixty Two - For really?
I knew something was going on last night when my wife uncharacteristically decided she wanted to come with me to watch the game. She rarely goes to the sports bar, after all she's not a sports fan. But alas, she went...and she drank. She rarely drinks, after all she's not a drinker.
So there we were. Me feeling a little weird with my wife actually with me at the bar. Her having a grand time with wine and one of her workout partners. Suddenly I notice something about the evening. Kobe's got 15 in the first quarter. Getting nervous because that can only mean the rest of the team isn't contributing. 32 at halftime and a nine point advantage. He's got 60% of our points. But my nervousness subsided when right before halftime, I saw something in Kobe's eyes that said tonite would be special indeed.
Kobe was discussing a call with the ref as they were headed to half time. Suddenly, Jason Terry of the Mavericks steps between Kobe and the ref, with his back to Kobe and starts a conversation with the ref. Yes, very rude. Kobe's face went from disbelief, to 'for really, who is this Jason Terry kid think he is', to a smirk saying your rudeness will be reaped tenfold. Kobe walked away with Jason still yapping, a smirk on Kobe Bean's face left that dangerous 'I'm kinda pissed by that' look on his face.
30 points later, Jason Terry wasn't doing much talking
So there we were. Me feeling a little weird with my wife actually with me at the bar. Her having a grand time with wine and one of her workout partners. Suddenly I notice something about the evening. Kobe's got 15 in the first quarter. Getting nervous because that can only mean the rest of the team isn't contributing. 32 at halftime and a nine point advantage. He's got 60% of our points. But my nervousness subsided when right before halftime, I saw something in Kobe's eyes that said tonite would be special indeed.
Kobe was discussing a call with the ref as they were headed to half time. Suddenly, Jason Terry of the Mavericks steps between Kobe and the ref, with his back to Kobe and starts a conversation with the ref. Yes, very rude. Kobe's face went from disbelief, to 'for really, who is this Jason Terry kid think he is', to a smirk saying your rudeness will be reaped tenfold. Kobe walked away with Jason still yapping, a smirk on Kobe Bean's face left that dangerous 'I'm kinda pissed by that' look on his face.
30 points later, Jason Terry wasn't doing much talking
Monday, December 19, 2005
ESPN.com - NBA - Shaq says Buss making excuses for siding with Kobe
ESPN.com - NBA - Shaq says Buss making excuses for siding with Kobe
I find it absolutely hilarious now. This big excuse of a man is still refusing to be 'the man'. Buss states that he thinks he made the right decision. That's it. And here comes the big ego with he's not an honest businessman.....uh...what?
Then to top it off he starts spouting off the number of Finals MVp awards he won...."How many years was Phil there? And how many years we went to the Finals? ... And how many points did I average and how many times was I the MVP?" You forgot one question, how many years was Kobe there and how many times did he bail you out of games where if you had made your flippin' free throws we all could have gone to be earlier? I'm sure you just overlooked that question Shaquille.
Really, why does the media still talk to this guy? Finally after his rant he says, "I don't take it personally. I haven't said nothing this year, but I am not going to let someone say something about me and then not come back." Uh, again, what did Buss say other than he feels he made the right decision. Big Idiot, it sounds like the only thing you are doing is taking this personally!
I find it absolutely hilarious now. This big excuse of a man is still refusing to be 'the man'. Buss states that he thinks he made the right decision. That's it. And here comes the big ego with he's not an honest businessman.....uh...what?
Then to top it off he starts spouting off the number of Finals MVp awards he won...."How many years was Phil there? And how many years we went to the Finals? ... And how many points did I average and how many times was I the MVP?" You forgot one question, how many years was Kobe there and how many times did he bail you out of games where if you had made your flippin' free throws we all could have gone to be earlier? I'm sure you just overlooked that question Shaquille.
Really, why does the media still talk to this guy? Finally after his rant he says, "I don't take it personally. I haven't said nothing this year, but I am not going to let someone say something about me and then not come back." Uh, again, what did Buss say other than he feels he made the right decision. Big Idiot, it sounds like the only thing you are doing is taking this personally!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
On Another Note
Am the only purple and golder who finds the lack of information at Lakers.com depressing? They don't update daily as shown by today still showing the score of Friday night's loss despite the big win in big D last night. I never really find any info there that is not readily available on any generic sports site. It's really sad that this site represents one of the greatest franchises in sports history.
Great win over Dallas
The Lakers waltzed into Dallas last night and emerged with a 109 -106 victory over the stunned Mavericks. Who would have thought Kwame Brown would have his best night to date as a Laker? 6/6 for 12 points, and he was able to catch entry passes.. . . with his hands! Seriously, Kwame had a great game and gave us what we were hoping to get from him in the first couple of weeks of the season.
Lamar Odom showed the same aggressiveness he has shown on this recent road trip that has been making this guy writing a little more accepting of the big L.O. L.O. finished with 15 pts, 11 rebs, and 5 assists.
Smush Parker had his second consecutive down game with a 5 point effort. To his credit, there were some ticky tack calls in the first half that cost him quite a bit of playing time.
And oh yeah, Bean dropped 43 including a 3000 ft 3 pointer with hands in his face as the shot clock expired late in the fourth quarter that milked the soul from Mavericks for all intent and purpose.
This was a game we were supposed to lose. The experts say we just wanted to make a good showing. I must admit the current road trip has given me renewed hope in what's happening with this team. 4 -1 on a six game road trip. That total equals the number of wins we have at home all season(4 -5)!!!
Lamar Odom showed the same aggressiveness he has shown on this recent road trip that has been making this guy writing a little more accepting of the big L.O. L.O. finished with 15 pts, 11 rebs, and 5 assists.
Smush Parker had his second consecutive down game with a 5 point effort. To his credit, there were some ticky tack calls in the first half that cost him quite a bit of playing time.
And oh yeah, Bean dropped 43 including a 3000 ft 3 pointer with hands in his face as the shot clock expired late in the fourth quarter that milked the soul from Mavericks for all intent and purpose.
This was a game we were supposed to lose. The experts say we just wanted to make a good showing. I must admit the current road trip has given me renewed hope in what's happening with this team. 4 -1 on a six game road trip. That total equals the number of wins we have at home all season(4 -5)!!!
Monday, December 12, 2005
.500
Well, last week proved to be the most successful week of the season with some dominating wins (though against arguably sub par teams) and only a single loss. The most telling trend from last week's performance was the balance in all facets of the game. In our loss, Kobe had 35. I wonder how long before we can truly come together as a team and trust ourselves not to give the ball to Kobe due to our own lack of confidence.
Also, I hate to say it, but I am sort of glad the Kwame Brown is out. I never wish an injury on a player nor do I want him to stay injured. But not once has he shown that he deserves to be a starter on this team. His biggest problem? He can't catch...basketball is a pretty hard sport to thrive in iff'n you can't catch....
Also, I hate to say it, but I am sort of glad the Kwame Brown is out. I never wish an injury on a player nor do I want him to stay injured. But not once has he shown that he deserves to be a starter on this team. His biggest problem? He can't catch...basketball is a pretty hard sport to thrive in iff'n you can't catch....
