Thursday, March 30, 2006
The Stretch
Let's face it. The Kings, Lakers, Hornets, and Jazz aren't fighting each other for the last two playoff spots. Nope, not one bit. The Hornets and the Jazz are fighting the Kings for the eighth spot while the Lakers should be looking to wrestling that coveted 6th spot away from the Grizzlies, who by the way have lost two in a row.
Coveted 6th? Hell to the yeah! Who wouldn't want to meet up with Denver in the first round, currently 40-32, a third seed by way of winning their ridiculously week division. In fact, looking at straight up records, the Nuggets are only two games ahead of the Lakers, and down 0 - 2 head to head against the Lake Show this season.
So as we head down this stretch to Mid-April with thoughts of playoff packed arenas dancing in our heads, let's make sure we are looking at what's in front of us and not so much about who's behind us. Plus, Stoudemire or no Stoudemire, I don't think we want to see the Suns in the first round.
Coveted 6th? Hell to the yeah! Who wouldn't want to meet up with Denver in the first round, currently 40-32, a third seed by way of winning their ridiculously week division. In fact, looking at straight up records, the Nuggets are only two games ahead of the Lakers, and down 0 - 2 head to head against the Lake Show this season.
So as we head down this stretch to Mid-April with thoughts of playoff packed arenas dancing in our heads, let's make sure we are looking at what's in front of us and not so much about who's behind us. Plus, Stoudemire or no Stoudemire, I don't think we want to see the Suns in the first round.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Free Falling
Let's role play! You're the coach of a young team on what you hope to be a run to the playoffs. You're on your last extended road trip where you've already dropped a close decision in the first leg of a three game trip.
Your squad is up 11 with 4 or 5 minutes to go. You've been up the whole game but the home team is starting to make a final push. Your team's field goal shooting has considerably cooled down and your 15 point fourth quarter lead is no more. In fact, a minute and a half later your 11 point lead has been trimmed to 5. At what point do you call a timeout?
Your 5 point lead is now a one point deficit. Timeout seems like an option here as well, luckily there's a tv timeout...
Your 15 point fourth quarter lead, lost because you wanted your young, inexperienced, and not overly confident team to 'play through it' and now you sit with another loss, at .500, in the last seed for the playoffs, barely holding onto that spot. Phil Jackson is a mediocre coach.
Your squad is up 11 with 4 or 5 minutes to go. You've been up the whole game but the home team is starting to make a final push. Your team's field goal shooting has considerably cooled down and your 15 point fourth quarter lead is no more. In fact, a minute and a half later your 11 point lead has been trimmed to 5. At what point do you call a timeout?
Your 5 point lead is now a one point deficit. Timeout seems like an option here as well, luckily there's a tv timeout...
Your 15 point fourth quarter lead, lost because you wanted your young, inexperienced, and not overly confident team to 'play through it' and now you sit with another loss, at .500, in the last seed for the playoffs, barely holding onto that spot. Phil Jackson is a mediocre coach.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
29???
FOX Sports - NBA- Kobe's 29 power Lakers past Spurs
Kobe's 29 power Lakers past Spurs
When was the last time you saw that Kobe's 29 powered the Lakers? Big win. Confidence building. Not to mention winning against the top two teams in the league in the past week.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Downin' 40's
Article: Sports - Bryant above all in fourth quarter
That's a step away from his literary comments.....
"He knows the scoring is the major part of what he has to do for us, yet most of the time he's staying within the context, trying to help the guys get going, and then feeling out his game," Jackson said. "Before, I felt that Kobe at times played the game to how he felt his disposition. Now he's playing the game as a leader, and he has done a great job of it."
That's a step away from his literary comments.....
Monday, March 06, 2006
It's been nice Slava
Jim Jackson Signed, Medvedenko Released - Los Angeles Times
With an eye to the immediate future, the Lakers said goodbye to part of their past, signing free-agent swingman Jim Jackson and waiving injured forward Slava Medvedenko.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Jim Jackson
Phoenix has released him. Aaron McKie was to be the off the bench veteran we could have used. He's injured. I say look more at Jim Jackson than Penny Hardaway....but then again Mitch Kupchak is there so we'll probably end up bringing nothing in .....
Blazers??
Oddly enough, the Lakers this year seem to be on the Christmas list of any team knee deep in a losing streak. The loss, wait....embarassing loss, to the Charlotte Bobcats earlier this season ended what I believe was a double digit losing streak for the toddling Bobcats.
Last night's mockery ended a 6 game slide for the Blazers. The Clippers loss last week, yep they had lost 5 in a row before getting on the court with the Lakers. The Pacers 6 game nosedive at the end of January was swiftly corrected on Feb 1 with a 105 - 79 defeat of the Lakers.
Have I made my point yet?
Last night's mockery ended a 6 game slide for the Blazers. The Clippers loss last week, yep they had lost 5 in a row before getting on the court with the Lakers. The Pacers 6 game nosedive at the end of January was swiftly corrected on Feb 1 with a 105 - 79 defeat of the Lakers.
Have I made my point yet?
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Playoff Seeding
I know there is something to be said for winning your division. But more often than not, particularly in the NBA, teams are defined more by their conference than they are their division. I say, give the team a banner for winning their division but scrap the division winners get the top 3 seeds in each conference. It's a true shame that the Nuggets are currently the 3rd seed in the west with a record surpassed by all the playoff teams but the 8th seeded Lakers, and even then only by a game. Reward the teams that play well and not those that are benefitting from a particular weak division.
I mean, the Lakers have won plenty of Pacific Division titles but I never found myself buying a t-shirt that said something about it.....
I mean, the Lakers have won plenty of Pacific Division titles but I never found myself buying a t-shirt that said something about it.....
Nice Stats on Bean
Kobe is averaging 8 assists per game for his last four games, and 7.2 assists per game since the All-Star break. Maybe he was giving us a preview of things to come in the All-Star game when he kept giving McGrady the ball???
