Lakers Fail to Close Out Nuggets in Game 5

OK, fine. I was wrong.

I predicted a 4-1 series win for the Los Angeles Lakers, but JaVale Mcgee and Andre Miller of the Denver Nuggets had a different idea of how the first reound series would go.

A furious fourth quarter rally and Kobe Bryant's 43 points weren't enough to lift the Lakers in their fifth game against Nuggets, losing 102-99 in Los Angeles.

McGee and Miller punished the Lakers inside with drives and dunks in the fourth quarter, even pushing the Nuggets' lead to 15 in the 8-minute mark. As I watched the game, I was really frustrated how the Lakers failed to get key stops, particualrly preventing Miller from going to the hoop, in the final quarter. Miller scored 10 of his 24 points in that stretch.

And get me going about Andrew Bynum's statement about "easy" close-out games:

"Close-out games are actually kind of easy," Bynum said. "Teams tend to fold if you come out and play hard in the beginning, so we want to come out and establish an early lead and protect it."

Sheesh.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers Fail in Game 3 against Nuggets

Argh, I knew it.

I had an inkling that the Los Angeles Lakers would drop Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff match-up against the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers were vulnerable in Denver in the regular season and I was somewhat anticipating some sort of struggle in the series swing to the Mile High City. I've even blogged about what the Lakers should do to win Game 3, but things didn't pan out-- the Lakers lost 99-84.

Let me revisit those three keys I mentioned:

• Avoid the speed trap - Honestly, I think the game was lost in the first quarter. The Lakers gave up 30 points to their 14 points and let the Nuggets run like madmen. By the time second quarter rolled in, the Lakers found themselves in a 41-17 hole and were never able to catch up.
• Take care of the ball - You know who took care of the ball? The Denver Nuggets. They only had 5 turnovers for the game and forced the Lakers to 15 turnovers.
• Bynum bash - Andrew Bynum finished with 18 points, but in the critical first half, he had ZERO. 'Nuff said.

I wasn't expecting a sweep, but I do expect the Lakers to learn from this game and win Games 4 and 5.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Keys to a Lakers Win on Game 3

After pretty good performances in Games 1 and 2, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to go up 3-0 against the Denver Nuggets in their first round playoff series.

If the Lakers are to put the Nugs on the brink, here are some points I think are needed to make that happen:

• Avoid the speed trap - It's no secret: the Nuggets are at their best when they run with the ball and give everyone a chance to score in transition. Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson is starting to play better and slash through the Lakers' defense. The Lakers must put the brakes on Lawson (and the whole Denver team, for that matter) by playing more grind-it-out hoops.
• Take care of the ball - What feeds the Denver fast attack? Turnovers. The Lakers were extra sloppy with the ball against the Nuggets and if they can avoid turning the ball over, this will limit the Nuggets' opportunities in running.
• Bynum bash - In the regular season, the Lakers leading scorer against the Nuggets was Andrew Bynum. It's crucial to keep the big guy involved in the offense and keep him committed to playing heavy D.

The Lakers are up 2-0 and if they can keep focus and not get too relaxed, Game 3 will be a cinch.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew Bynum Swats Nuggets in Game 1

The BIG story for Game 1 for the Los Angeles Lakers' win against the Denver Nuggets was Andrew Bynum.

Bynum recorded a rare triple double: 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 blocks. It was the last statistic that really made the difference for the team. Bynum altered plenty of shots (I read in ESPN that Bynum affected around 20+ shots in the game) and was a factor in slowing down the fast-paced Denver offense.

Think about it for a moment: the Nuggets close to 48% field goal percentage in the regular season and in Game 1, they only shot 35%. The main reason for that would be Bynum's affected shot attempts (whether blocked or made the shooter alter his shot).

If the Bynum keeps this up, this is going to be a short series.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Lessons from Derrick Rose's Season Ending Injury

After the first few games of the NBA playoffs, one thing is on my mind: playoff strategy in giving playing time to NBA superstars.

The NBA is a business and it has the responsibility for giving the basketball fans what they want-- and that is a competitive game with the superstars on them. Teams, therefore, should do their best to win games (*cough*Bobcats Tank*cough*). If that means putting the team's best players and stars on the floor during the games, especially in the playoffs.

In the case of the Chicago Bulls, coach Tom Thibideau insisted on playing Derrick Rose in the final minutes of their series opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, even though the game was going into Chicago's favor. In the final minute of the game, Rose tore his ACL and would be out for the rest of the post-season.

We all know tickets prices for the Los Angeles Lakers are some of the most expensive in the NBA and it gets harder to buy tickets when the playoffs come. (If you're looking to find floor seats to the Lakers, good luck-- they're all probably sold out.) So you'd expect the team, particularly Lakers coach Mike Brown to maximize Kobe Bryant to playoff victory.

In the NBA's shortened season, that is going to dangerous territory.

Kobe missed seven games late in the regular season and I think the Lakers should be cautious in playing him 38-40 minutes a game in the playoffs. The better move looks like relying on Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol on the post (like giving them around 30+ field goal attempts per game) and giving Kobe around 32-35 minutes per game.

I'm not saying the Lakers should stifle Kobe, but rather save enough of his energy to go deep in the playoffs. NBA folks know the conditioning regimen that Kobe is going through, but 16 seasons and over 1,300 games (regular and post-season) should get folks scared a bit.


Technorati: NBA

Lakers 2012 NBA Playoffs First Round Preview

It's hard to believe that the 2012 NBA Playoffs is already next week. It's probably because of the compressed 66-game season and the Los Angeles Lakers have only had their first Metta World Peace incident just last week.

The Lakers are sitting comfortably at third place in the Western Conference, following the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. The team was able to finalize their seeding in their win against the Thunder last week (the infamouse World Peace elbow game).

The Lakers' first round opponent is still to be determined as the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks have yet to lock-up their respective playoff positions. So for this 2012 NBA Playoffs first round preview for the Lakers, I'll take a look at both potential opponents.

Denver Nuggets

The Lakers have a 3-1 advantage over the Nuggets in their regular season match-up and this is looks good for the Lakers on paper.

The Nuggets don't have the size to go up against the Lakers' frontline tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and it doesn't help that the Nugs sent Nene to the Washington Wizards last February for the less intimidating Javale McGee.

Nuggets forwards Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington will get minutes trying to stretch the floor (Harrington has averaged 20+ in the teams' last two meetings), and they may fare even better with World Peace suspended for six games in the playoffs.

But what the Lakers need to worry more about is the Nuggets backcourt. Ty Lawson and Andre Miller have run circles around the Lakers' point guards and this means Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake have to step up their games.

The Nuggets have the NBA's best-scoring offense and team assists per game, and this means that they play at a fast rate and share the ball. Personally, I these metrics will take a hit in the playoffs as I foresee the Lakers to tighten the screws on defense come playoff time.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have to demonstrate their championship mettle this season against the Lakers (the Mavs were swept by the Lakers in the regular season). This bodes very well for the the Lakers.

The players that killed the Lakers last season (J.J. Barea and Tyson Chandler) have left the Mavericks and this will put a lot more weight on the shoulders of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry to lead the Mavs.

Unfortunately for the Mavs trio, it will be an uphill climb, which is more like scaling a high wall. The Lakers will use their size advantage to frustrate their optential opponents and clog the lanes to prevent the slashing to the hoop. The only chance the Mavs have is if their outside shooting floats in the 50% range.

I am not the only one who thinks the Dallas Mavericks will not repeat as NBA champs this season and I think the Lakers will avenge their defeat, should the two teams meet in the first round.

Prediction: Lakers in 6


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Ramon Sessions: Point Guard Problem Solver?

New Laker Ramon Sessions was pretty OK in his team debut:  7 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds. This solid stat line came off a 19-minute stint off the bench.

But one important stat to look at is his +/- number for that game: +8. That number is the second highest for a Laker (after Andrew Bynum with +15).

This is very encouraging, considering that the Lakers won by 5 points, which is quite slim. Sessions demonstrated what people thought he could bring to the lumbering Lakers offense: forays to the hoop, finding the right guys (although he did have 3 turnovers), and putting pressure on the opponents guards.

It's easy to say that the Sessions pick-up is a godsend to the Lakers-- the team has been abused by spitfire point guards in the past and the inability to break down defenses with guard penetrations has caused the team some problems. But let's stop and think about it.

What the Lakers lost in Derek Fisher are the obvious intangibles: taking charges, making clutch baskets, and leadership in the locker room. These magnify one glaring thing Sessions doesn't have: Experience. It also is important to note that Sessions has yet to play in a playoff game in his young career and for a Los Angeles Lakers team that's jockeying for a Top 3 spot in the Western Conference, this could be a potential issue.

I'll tell the Laker faithful to have guarded optimism about Ramon Sessions. He's a quick fix, but I hope he'll shine in the Playoffs.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Should the Lakers Stand Pat? Absolutely!

With the hoopla surrounding the 2012 NBA All-Star Game to be over in the next 24 hours, it's a good time to look at the Los Angeles Lakers in the season's midpoint.

As the team's roster stands, a lot of people from experts (ESPN.com) to oddsmakers (online sportsbook click here) pick the Lakers as reaching the play-offs, but a second-round finish at best. A championship is quite a reach, considering the play of the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder (which kicked the Lakers' butts before the All-Star break).

Now the big question is what kind of roster tweak should the team make, if at all? Many folks (including myself) still think that the core of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum can compete to reclaim the NBA championship, but there are a lot of voices that echo the opposite: The Lakers must make a deal.

But come on people, what deal out there makes sense? The team obviously can't get a player the same value for, say, Pau Gasol and there are very few players in the Lakers roster that other team wants. Players outside of the Lakers' Big 3 are either too old or too raw.

Dwight Howard would be a great addition to the team, but the team put itself in a bad trading position after Gasol's performance dipped and traded away Lamar Odom.

Here's my message to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak: Don't pull the trigger. Give this team some time to come together under Mike Brown's system.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Are The Lakers Showcasing Andrew Bynum?

Andrew Bynum has been a beast since returning from his suspension and he's putting impressive numbers. In five games in the season so far, he has averaged 19.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 2 blocks a game.

Let's look at how major those numbers are. In Bynum's last couple of seasons, he has gotten around 7-8 field goal attempts a game, and has gotten to the free throw stripe four times per game. Now, he's getting 14 field goal attempts and 7 free throw attempts per game. That's almost doubling what he has done, with the same efficiency.

It's no accident that Bynum is getting those numbers. The Lakers' coaching is giving more emphasis on Bynum's role and Mike Brown has been calling more plays on the low blocks and allotting more playing time for the 24-year old.

So, are the Los Angeles Lakers showcasing Andrew Bynum?

If you ask me, I'd say yes to that.

The team is showcasing Bynum to show the everyone in the league that Bynum is a legit equivalent to Dwight Howard (20.3 ppg, 15.9 rpg, 2.6bpg) and a Howard-Bynum trade would be a fair swap. 

Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard to The Lakers, Part 2

A week into the 2011-2012 NBA season and the Los Angeles Lakers are a .500 team. While that seems pretty forgivable in the post-lockout context, it's quite unacceptable given the team's talent and history.

The Lakers are considered contenders, but not favorites to win the NBA crown. I feel they need a legitimate presence on both ends to improve their chances to a title. Enter Dwight Howard.

I outlined in a previous post how the Lakers could get Dwight Howard in a three-team trade with the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets. But we all know how the Lakers were screwed by the NBA in the botched Chris Paul trade. Things are also a little more complicated with a key trade piece in Lamar Odom actually getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks before the season started.

I've come up with a few other scenarios where the Lakers could get Howard using ESPN's Trade Machine.

Scenario 1:

• Los Angeles Lakers get Dwight Howard and Chris Duhon
• Orlando Magic get Andrew Bynum, Derrick Caracter and Matt Barnes

In this trade scenario, the Lakers would be offering the emerging Bynum and expiring contracts to the Magic. Also, the Lakers would be absorbing Duhon's 3-year contract.

Secnario 2:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu
• Magic get Bynum, Metta World Peace, and Matt Barnes

This is not too different from the first scenario, except the Lakers would be taking in a bigger contract in Hedo Turkoglu and giving up better talent in World Peace. This seems to make more sense, but any trade involving World Peace is a reach.

Scenario 3:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Luis Scola
• Magic get Andrew Bynum, Kevin Martin, and Jordan Hill
• Houston Rockets get Pau Gasol and Hedo Turkoglu

This is a little more complicated and it involves the Houston Rockets, one of the principals of the failed Chris Paul trade. It's been said that the Rockets have their eye on Pau Gasol and this trade gets it done. The Lakers get to replace their starting frontline with new pieces completely.

Scenario 4:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Mehmet Okur
• Magic get Andrew Bynum, Anthony Morrow, and Jordan Farmar
• New Jersey Nets get Pau Gasol, Hedo Turkoglu, and Chris Duhon

This now involves teams that are in Howard's wish list and solves a lot of the teams' needs. The Nets get a better supporting cast with Deron Williams after losing out on the Dwight Howard Sweepstakes and the Magic get to shed their unwanted contracts. The Lakers get the best center in the league.

The scenarios are just,well, scenarios and this could change as the trade deadline in March.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Bynum's Back!

So this is what the Los Angeles Lakers were missing.

Andrew Bynum returned from a four-game suspension to power the Lakers over the Denver Nuggets and he played big. Bynum scored a team-high 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, along with a pair of blocked shots.

Coach Mike Brown said that he wasn't going to ease Bynum in and was stayed true to his word. He allotted 32 minutes of playing time for the returning big man and this had effect on the Lakers prior rotation in their firs four games. This meant Josh McRoberts slid down to the bench and Troy Murphy barely played.

But Bynum's dominance offset the McRoberts/Murphy combo, especially in the low blocks. Whether it was dunking the ball over the Nuggets or altering shots, it's clear that the Lakers are indeed better with Bynum on the floor. To wit: Bynum had a +11 +/- stat with the Lakers winning by only 3 points.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Worse: Kobe Injured

Kobe Bryant. Injured.

Those are two words Los Angeles Lakers fans are dreading and those two words have managed to become a tough reality.

In the first preseason game for the Lakers, Kobe was blocked by DeAndre Jordan and Kobe fell hard on the ground. He used his shooting arm to break his fall, but in the process, injured his right wrist. Here's the play:

Kobe Bryant injured on opening night is not a good thing for the team as Andrew Bynum is also out five games due to a league-imposed suspension. With those two out, you're looking to replace 40 points worth of offense and the team's best interior and perimeter defenders.

This looks bad, real bad for the Lakers.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

New Lakers Signings Shore-up Frontline

For a while, the Los Angeles Lakers' frontline was becoming a mess. There was uncertainty in the tenure of Andrew Bynum as a Laker and the departure of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom in a trade that left the versatile frontline into a reed-thin shadow.

But since then, only Odom was traded and Gasol and Bynum remain. The loss of Odom is mitigated by two new free agent signings: Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy.

Josh McRoberts is a solid power forward that gets makes the hustle plays and does above average defense. He's pretty adept in deflecting passes in the paint and blocking shots. In limited minutes, he produces on a decent level. His glaring weaknesses are his limited offensive game and inability to get more offensive boards. I see him getting 15-20 minutes a game backing up Gasol.

Troy Murphy's game is more specialized than McRoberts. For a big man, he has developed a long range shooting game that you'd normally find in small forwards and he rebounds at a very good rate. If he's healthy enough to log 20 minutes a game, I'm expecting him to contribute on the three-point shooting and quality minutes backing up Bynum.

That said, both those players have very different games and skills compared to Odom. In Mike Brown's system, those two can be big contributors in the Lakers' pursuit of a championship.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard to LA: Will It Work?

With the NBA rumor mill churning again, fans are speculating what deals their teams will make. As a Laker fan, I have my eye on the big free agent prize: Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard.

If the Los Angeles Lakers were to get Dwight Howard, it would be through a blockbuster trade simply because the team doesn't have salary cap space. (In case you've forgotten, the Lakers have a league-high $91 million payroll).

Which trades make sense?

First, I propose this trade:

• The Los Angeles Lakers get Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu
• The Orlando Magic get Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.

It makes sense for both teams because the Lakers get the prized center and give enough talent back to the Magic. What also makes it appealing is that the Magic are rid of Turkoglu's albatross of a contract (3 years left with around $11 million per year).

I also have this trade idea:

• The Los Angeles Lakers get Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, and Trevor Ariza
• The Orlando Magic get Andrew Bynum and Chris Paul
• The New Orleans Hornets get Pau Gasol, Jameer Nelson, and Steve Blake

This is obviously harder to pull off because the Lakers lose their backup point guard and give up their frontline in one fell swoop. However, this becomes more attractive for the Magic and Hornets because they get All-Stars in this trade.

So, what do you think of these trade ideas?

Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Mike Brown: The Lakers' New Coach

Image via Wikipedia

So much for fixing the Los Angeles Lakers.

The team announced that the new coach will be Mike Brown, the former Cleveland Cavaliers coach who (mis)handled LeBron James in five seasons.

I thought Brian Shaw would have been a better hire, to ensure continuity from the Phil Jackson era. The Lakers' management seems to like to go to a completely new direction. Jim Buss (son of team owner Dr. Jerry Buss) made the decision to hire and I think he's crafting the team the way he sees it.

The initial negative fan reaction from the Mike Brown hire and the spite sent towards Jim Buss is understandable-- Mike Brown, with all due respect, is a far cry from Phil Jackson. Jim Buss, for his part, is doing his darned best not to look like Don Sterling 2.0.

What do I think of the hiring?

It's clearly all about the immediate future for the Lakers. Brown's contract coincides with the expiration of the contracts of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. (I think Andrew Bynum will get an extension and Lamar Odom will be dealt in the next few years.) Brown is meant to extract the best defensive effort from that bunch while the window for championships are still open.



Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Weak 4th Quarter Doomed Lakers in Game 1 vs. Mavs

The Los Angeles Lakers as chokers? Choking has not been a work associated with the Lakers and this is bad time to attract that label.

The Lakers lost against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their second round match-up because the couldn't close. It's as simple as that.

Whether it's Kobe Bryant's missed three in the dying seconds, the careless fouls that led to Dirk Nowitzki shooting freebies, or the costly turnovers that let the door open for the Mavs in the final minute. These make a good study for closing games in a weak manner.

As a fan, I was expecting the Lakers to learn from their mistakes against the New Orleans Hornets in the previous series. The team did play well in the first thirty minutes of the game and were on their way to a comfy home win but the lead crumbled. By the time the fourth quarter started, momentum had shifted to the Mavs.

In the final quarter, the Lakers only managed 16 points on seven field goals. Seven! This output is the worst fourth quarter the Lakers have had in the 2011 NBA playoffs. Someone kick me in the shin right now.

But this is still a seven-game series. The Lakers have more opportunities to give Andrew Bynum more involvement in the offense, put Ron Artest back into the flow, and Pau Gasol to find his spine back.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

LA Lakers-Dallas Mavericks Match-up Preview

Image via Wikipedia

I'm very much looking forward to the second round match-up of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Why? Mainly because it the Mavs are a team that the Lakers haven't met in their previous championship runs.

But how do the teams stack up against each other? Here are my key points for the playoff series:

• Mavs must pick their poison in defending Kobe - Kobe Bryant has had success against the Mavs in the past and this series will continue that trend. In the perimeter defensive roles, Dallas can throw Jason Kidd, DeShawn Stevenson, and Shawn Marion to defend Kobe. The Matrix can probably make it hard for Kobe, but that means leaving Ron Artest against smaller defenders inside. In the Hornets series, Artest showed that he can produce in the paint.
• Dirk will prowl the perimeter - Did you see how Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol crowd the lane in the Hornets series? The same will happen in this round and this means that Mavs All-Star Dirk Nowitzki will dwell in the perimeter to get his baskets.
• Sixth Man battles - The series also features two of the last three winners of the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award: Lamar Odom of the Lakers and Jason Terry of the Mavericks. While both have different playing styles, each of them are expected to bring offensive spark off the bench. Which sixth man will help his team more?
• Euro Big Men - I'm also looking forward to the match-up of the two best European players in the league right now: Gasol and Nowtizki. I expect Pau to cover Dirk a few times in the game (I expect Odom to defend Dirk from the outside). Looking at the NBA Statscube, Dirk has struggled a bit when Pau Gasol is on the floor.
• Mark Cuban versus Phil Jackson - Apart from the battles that will be fought on the basketball court, I'm expecting some zinging happening outside. The outspoken owner of the Mavs has history against the Lakers coach and I'm sure we'll read a lot of quotables from the two.

If the Lakers continue to play solid defense and make it hard on the Dirk Nowitzki it will be a short series. As I've mentioned in my second round NBA Playoffs predictions, I'm expecting the Lakers to win in 6.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

What We've Learned about the Lakers-Hornets Match-up So Far

The first round match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Hornets is knotted at 2-2 as of this writing and many people are surprised. Except for me.

I predicted that the Lakers will need six games to eliminate the pesky hornets. Why? Because the Lakers have struggled in the first round of the playoffs in the last five years. Their record of 16-11 in the first round of the NBA playoffs since 2006 says something about the team's slow start in the post-season.

Another thing we're seeing right now is the Lakers' inability to contain top flight point guards.One only needs to look at how Tony Parker, Mike Bibby, Steve Nash, and Chris Paul run around the Lakers' defense. Paul has been superb in this first round, reminding point guards everywhere that playing the Lakers will make you look Hall of Fame-worthy.

One thing I've been surprised with is the Lakers' vulnerability with injuries four games into the playoffs. Andrew Bynum had his customary injury scare, but Kobe Bryant has been bothered by a bum ankle. If the Lakers are to win it all this year, they have to overcome health issues, apart from the strong opponents.

Finally, NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom has shone flashes, but he hasn't been as effective against the smallish Hornets frontline. The same can be said against Pau Gasol. In the last four games, the two Lakers forwards have been very disappointing across the board, considering that they are capable of doing much more damage.

Game 5 will be a couple of hours from now and we shall see if the Lakers will bounce back.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

Do The Lakers Need to Rest Kobe?

Kobe Bryant was scared $#@-less.

Kobe feared that he would be done for the season when he sprained his ankle awkwardly in very crucial game against the Dallas Mavericks a couple of days ago. Kobe went out, but went back in and thankfully not in a wheelchair *cough*Paul Piece*cough*. Kobe seems to be good enough even though he's hurt the same ankle in a previous game.

But from the start of the season, there has been a recurring theme for the Los Angeles Lakers: keep Kobe fresh for the playoffs. And Phil Jackson seems to subscribe to that notion as he cut Kobe's minutes significantly. To put this in perspective, Kobe's playing time this season is his lowest since becoming a starter for the Lakers in his entire career. This seems to support the idea that with Kobe's age and mileage, a three-peat would be realizable once he's in top condition.

With the playoffs looming in the horizon and the Lakers just games away from the Mavericks for the #2 spot in the Western Conference, resting Kobe now would be crazy.

But think about it, the Lakers have fifteen games left, and after their game against the Orlando Magic, the team will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trailblazers, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers. All of these teams, with the exception of the Blazers, are lottery-bound.


Maybe it's time for the Lakers to rest him in that stretch. The Lakers match-up well against the upcoming teams and they can afford to play through Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the post.

But knowing Kobe, he's a warrior. He'll play through this. So I suggest avoiding low-cut shoes to prevent turning his ankle in the coming games.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers

The World is Right Again

The Los Angeles Lakers are winning and the "Superfriends" featuring the Miami Heat are losing.

Ah, the world is right again.

After dominating the San Antonio Spurs in the Alamo, the Lakers are officially on a roll. The Lakers are the hottest team in the NBA right now (sorry Chicago Bulls), with a seven-game winning streak. This streak is the longest active streak in the league right now.

Have the Lakers flipped the switch? I think so. I've been seeing the inspired play from Andrew Bynum on the defensive end in the last seven games. He has averaged 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in that stretch, including a 17 rebound-6 blocks beauty of game against the Charlotte Bobcats. Another noteworthy improvement is Ron Artest, who upped his scoring average by 30% and his steals average by 50% in the winning streak

The Miami Heat is a different story. The self-proclaimed "Superfriends" team of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh has been on a four-game slide. But the team has gotten unwanted attention for "CryGate"-- the story where Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said that several Heat players were in tears after losing to the Chicago Bulls. While I understand the frustration of losing, but crying for a loss in the regular season? Come on!

We've seen the likes of Derek Fisher cry after a loss. But that happened in a playoff game, a stage where the stakes are obviously higher. The Heat come off as literal cry babies with this story. The Heat players must be dumbfounded by the amount of heat/hate their getting, but I guess should have expected that teams would want to kick their asses. Just ask the Lakers-- I've seen a lot of teams play bust out their "A" games when they play the Lakers.

Still, I have nothing to complain about. The Lakers are winning again and that's what important for a fan like me.


Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers