Kobe Bryant Vs. Derrick Rose

Who is this season's MVP? Depends on who you ask.

For most pundits and NBA observers, it's the Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose.

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But if you ask me, it's the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant.

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At this point in time, the Bulls' and the Lakers' win-loss records are almost identical, with the Lakers just a game behind the Bulls. The Lakers are currently #2 in the Western Conference while the Bulls are perched at the top spot. NBA regular season MVP voters tend to favor players who have are on the top five teams in terms of standings, with special attention to impact and win productions. This is main reason I think Rose is tabbed as the MVP right now.

The Lakers have been hot since the All-Star break (14-1) and one of the key reasons is Kobe's consistent performance despite the nagging injuries. Stats-wise, Kobe has better numbers in points, rebounds, steals, and turnovers. Even in esoteric stats like ESPN's PER, Kobe is better than Rose.

Let's not close the books yet and hand over the MVP to Rose. Kobe has a clear case


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It's 2011 and the Lakers look like Chumps

Happy new year everyone! I took a short break during the holidays and it's good to be back to blogging again.

While the holidays was great time for touchy-feely moments, the last couple of weeks hasn't been good for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Since the week of December 20, 2010, the Lakers' record is 2-4. The defending champs are sporting a .333 winning percentage at a time when their competition (the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat in the East, plus the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs in the West) have compiled pretty good records. Given the high expectations for the team, the Lakers are looking more like chumps than champs.

What's ailing the team?

If you ask me it's a bit surprising that it's in the offensive end that the Lakers have shown lackluster effort. In the last six games, the Lakers have only averaged only 88.5 points. This is very far from their season average of almost 104 points per game.

The losses, the Lakers looked enamored with the outside shot-- preferring to look to shoot the three-ball than pound the ball in side. I wouldn't blame the Lakers completely for doing so because Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum have not been that dominating in the paint.

The play of Kobe Bryant has also not been up to par. Yes, he is scoring like Kobe Bryant of old, but his other numbers like rebounds, assists, and shooting percentage have been up and down. He can dominate any part of the game, but he can't seem to will the Lakers to victory in the last few games. I suggest Phil Jackson manage Kobe's minutes back into the 28-32 range and play Lamar Odom more.

Finally, (I know I'm going to make this sound a cliche), but the Lakers have not been putting the clamps on the defensive end, especially in the second half. To whit: in the last five games, the Lakers have allowed their opponents to score more in the second half than the first half.

If this trend creeps into the All-Star break, we're looking at the Lakers sporting a playoff exit ticket rather than a three-peat.


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L.A. Lakers First Quarter Report

After a quarter of the 2010-2011 season gone, how's the Los Angeles Lakers' chase for its historic three-peat?

If you ask me, it's not looking good.

A quarter into the season, the Lakers showed that its dream season will not go without the bumps and kinks.Yes, they are one of the top teams in the NBA in terms of offense, but over-all, their play is far from championship caliber.

But let's look at the bright spots first:

• The Killer B's - The Lakers have found a good consistent bench rotation in the Killer B's (Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, and Shannon Brown). Brown has been the offensive sparkplug off the bench, thanks to his much improved outside shooting. Barnes and Blake have done what is expected of them-- play good defense, make outside shots, and don't do too many mistakes. This group makes people forget about the Bench Mob of the past.
• Kobe's Minutes - Did you know that Kobe Bryant is playing five minutes less this season per game compared to the previous season? As of now, Kobe is playing 33.4 minutes per game, his lowest since the 1997-1998 season. Coach Phil Jackson knows that at age 32, Kobe Bryant needs close monitoring of minutes played. And it seems to have worked in the past: 32 is the age when Michael Jordan's minutes of the Chicago Bulls were reduced by Jackson.
• Lamar Odom - His tour of duty for the USA team at the World Championships may have improved Odom's offensive efficiency. Odom's scoring average is up by 50 percent and he is shooting less three balls for the season. Odom has emerged as a reliable third option for the Lakers for sure.
• Pau Gasol -  Not to take away anything from Kobe Bryant, but Pau Gasol has been the Lakers' MVP so far. In the absence of Andrew Bynum, Gasol has held the fort in the paint for the Lake Show, upping his rebounds and blocks numbers. There was a stretch at the start of the season where Gasol was a constant 20-10-5 threat. It's surprise that the Lakers went on an eight-game winning streak then.

Now for the bad:

• Big Man Woes - Outside of Gasol and Odom, the Lakers are thin in the middle. Andrew Bynum is still out, with Theo Ratliff joining him in sick bay. Derrick Caracter has been doing his best Ronny Turiaf impersonation as an undersized big, with no results.
• Team Defense - No doubt that the Lakers can out-shoot their opponents, but the team has shown little interest in the defensive end on a regular basis. The team did a pretty decent job in the first couple of weeks into the season, but struggled as of late.
• The Four Game Losing Streak- A first since the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol, the Lakers went from a unstoppable juggernaut to middle-of-the-pack contender during this swing. Yes, there were pretty bad breaks, but the team lost games it should have dominated over weaker opponents.
• Ron Artest - Can someone look for Artest's shrink? Ron-Ron has been an offensive disaster this season, with his shooting taking a huge dip. 36 percent shooting from the field and seven points for a starter are unacceptable numbers.
• Weak Schedule - Interesting thing about the Lakers's past 24 games: You will not find the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks, the Orlando Magic, the Boston Celtics, and the Miami Heat. If you ask me, the 17-7 record is a little inflated.

It's still early and the Lakers have shown they are capable of making a complete 180 when it matters. What I don't want to see is this becoming a trend going to the All-Star break.



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Fisher's Game-Winner: A Bad Omen for Road Trip?

Los Angeles Lakers point guard Derek Fisher is no stranger to clutch moments and with the way he masterfully sunk the Los Angeles Clippers with a high-arcing banker on the buzzer, it further established good reputation.


However, the Lakers aren't making a good reputation for themselves in the last couple of games, if you ask me. Yes, they were able to shake off that four-game losing streak and bounced back by stomping the mediocre Sacramento Kings, but the Lakers reverted to uninspiring (save for the buzzer beater) play against the Washington Wizards and Clippers.

Sounding a terrible sports cliche: Had the Lakers played better against the Clippers, then the buzzer beater wouldn't have been necessary.


Here's the problem I see: the Lakers are letting spitfire guards abuse them on the defensive end again. Against the Wizards, the Lakers allowed the backcourt combo or John Wall, Gilbert Arenas, and Nick Young a whopping 75 points. Eric Gordon of the Clippers nearly matched Kobe Bryant stat for stat in their game. Where's the backcourt
defense guys?



In the next six games, all on the road, the Lakers will be facing smallish Eastern Conference teams that rely on good guard play to win. Is the near loss a terrible omen for the Lakers in their Eastern Conference swing?




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Four. Game. Losing. Streak.

In the  last couple of weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers have been a bad NBA team.

So bad that there are four words that would summarize the poor results: four game losing streak.

This is the first four-game skid since Pau Gasol was acquired and a huge question mark on a team that supposedly was going to challenge history. Nobody's talking three-peat now because the Lakers are bad-- like Clippers bad.

The losses were against pedestrian playoff contenders: Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Houston Rockets. You can argue that only the game against the Pacers was played in Staples Center, but come on, we're talking about the Lakers here. These guys can and should win on the road with the best of them.

Why are the Lakers losing? Here are my four points:

• Offense - In the first dozen games of the season, the Lakers were leading the league in almost all offensive categories, particularly scoring. In the four losses, the Lakers failed to reach the 100-point plateau. The team shot between 31% and 45% in that period.
• The Killer B's - The trio of Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, and Shannon Brown was grounded in the losses. With the exception of the Houston game, no one among them scored in double figures.
• Defense - The Lakers have allowed all their opponents good scoring opportunities, as evidenced by the good shooting percentages. All opponents have shot almost 50% from the floor. Where's the "D" guys?
• Mental Toughness - From my observation, a lot of the games were lost in the last quarter. Are the Lakers losing their composure in the clutch?

The Lakers next face the Sacramento Kings. This should be easy, but given the poor play, I'm not getting ,y hopes that high.


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Damn You, Utah Jazz!

Damn you, Utah Jazz!

The Los Angeles Lakers have lost only three times so far this season and, as a fan, I feel the loss against the Utah Jazz hurt the most.

Why? Because I think the Lakers should have won that game. Period.

Yes, the Utah Jazz is a pretty competitive team and Utah is a hard place to play in, especially with the crowd having a "special" place for the Lakers. (The Lakers have been dominating the Jazz in the playoffs in recent years). But you don't lose a safe lead with two minutes to go and lose by a margin more than you lost.

The Lakers, leading the NBA in scoring, failed to score in the last 2:31 in what could have been a gritty victory against the NBA's "comeback kids." Instead, the Jazz wen on an 11-0 blitz and left the Lakers reeling. It also hurt that the shot-clock "malfunctioned" and gave the Jazz a slight edge. Was this home cooking? I don't know but the Jazz have always been comfortable playing in Salt Lake City.

As for the Lakers, this is a time to regroup and avoid another losing streak. Sheesh.


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Shannon Brown Keys Lakers Win Over Bucks

Two losses should be enough of a streak for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After losing games to Western Conference rivals Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, the Lakers made sure that they get out of Milwaukee winners. Shannon Brown had a hot fourth quarter and cemented his reputation as an improved three point shooter. He keyed the Lakers' 118-107 win over the Bucks.

How hot was Shannon Brown? He hit four three balls and scored 16 of his 21 points off the bench. His hot shooting helped stop a Bucks rally in the fourth quarter and kept the Bucks defense honest. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 31 points, but it was Brown that sealed the deal.

It's been said that Brown wanted to be a contender for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award. His performance as of late has been encouraging, but no Laker has ever won the Sixth Man of the Year award since its inception in the 1982-1983 season.


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Lakers Lose First Game of the Season

Los Angeles Lakers fans can now put the 82-0 dreams to rest, no thanks to the Denver Nuggets.

The Lakers faltered in the fourth quarter, scoring only 19 points and letting the Nuggets score 33. The 14-point swing is the reason the Lakers lost, 118-112. The game was well within the Lakers' grasp for three and a half quarters, until the Nuggets closed out the game on a 17-9 run.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points, but took 32 shots-- a ratio that often points to an imbalanced Lakers offense. The Nuggets were led by their star Carmelo Anthony, plus great contributions from the bench.

Notably ineffective in the offense was the Lakers' Lamar Odom. He missed all but one of his shots. The Renegades of the bench played their poorest game of the season, in my opinion.

The Lakers get a break before meeting the Phoenix Suns. Let's see if they will bounce back.


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The Lakers Renegades

Los Angeles Lakers bench (aka "The Renegades") feature from Fox Sports West:




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Pau Gasol's Triple-Double Leads Lakers Over Blazers

Well, the Los Angeles Lakers  took care for their first major test of the season.

The Lakers beat the Portland Traiblazers 121-96, with Pau Gasol netting a triple-double: 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. The game was pretty much decided by halftime, with the Lakers leading by 22 points, event with Kobe Bryant not playing his "A" game.

Lamar Odom again had a solid outing with 21 points and 12 rebounds. This is also one of the rare games where Odom leads the team in scoring and field-goal attempts. If you ask me, I like Odom's play this start of the season: double-doubles and all-around play.

The Lakers are now 7-0 and they are leading the league in the winning column. But I see another Western Conference Player of the Week recognition for Pau Gasol.



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Lakers Look Good in Stomping Grizzlies

There were a lot of positives in the Los Angeles Lakers' dominating 124-105 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

• First is another strong game from Pau Gasol. The reigning NBA Western Conference Player of the Week continued his string of 20-10-5, with 21 points, 13 boards, and 5 dimes. This performance came against his brother Marc in a tough battle in the paint.
• The next good point is Lamar Odom's all-around game. Although he missed another double-double, Odom was solid with 17 points, 8 rebounds, as well as 6 assists. For the game, Odom led the Lakers in minutes played.
• Speaking of minutes, Kobe Bryant was well-rested, needing only 25 minutes.Kobe was monster in the first half, scoring more than 20 points. If the game was a close game, we would have seen Kobe scoring at least 40 for the first time this season.
• And finally, the bench play was great. The 3-B's (Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown, and Steve Blake) combined for 39 points, and 5-8 from the three-point line. Also worth noting is that Barnes led the game in rebounds with 14.

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Pau Gasol is the First Western Conference Player of the Week of the Season

Kudos to Pau Gasol for being the first Western Conference Player of the Week for the 2010-2011 NBA Season.

His efforts has helped the Los Angeles Lakers start their title defense with a 3-game winning streak, plus taking the pressure off Kobe Bryant while the latter eases his knee back into form. Gasol averaged 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds. 5.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game in the past week, a stat line that really looks good for any conference.

If you ask me, I can live with Gasol coming up with these numbers on a regular basis. In his first seasons with the Lakers, he averaged around 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. A jump like this in his production is good, especially in the regular season where boredom and motivation sometimes escape NBA teams.

Who knows? With the way things are going for the Lakers and Pau Gasol, this could be a norm rather than an exception of a week.


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Steve Blake Shows His Mettle in Season Opener

As I've predicted in my last post, Steve Blake proved to be a vital cog for the Los Angeles Lakers in their season opener against the Houston Rockets.

While the stat line of 10 points, 3 assists and a steal won't wow anyone, Blake played quality minutes off the bench and made key plays. He also made three out of four three balls, with the last one delivering the win. Moreover, Blake had a +13 plus/minus stat, the highest of any Laker for the game.

To me, this is the type of shooting that works well in the Triangle Offense and the kind of spark off the bench that will make people forget about the Lakers former bench mob, particularly Jordan Farmar.

I'm sure Blake will have his share of struggles in the 82-game season, but the opener gives the Lakers faithful reason to be more optimistic.


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Los Angeles Lakers 2010-2011 Season Preview

The 2010-2011 NBA season is here and I'm also out of my off-season blogging break! :)

The Los Angeles Lakers are fresh off their second championship but they're far from fresh with the slew of issues they are facing this season. Here are the key factors that I think will be facing the Lakers in this new season, with the theme "Don't underestimate..."

• Don't underestimate Matt Barnes' short fuse - Is it me or Matt Barnes presents a bigger threat to derail the Lakers' chemistry this season compared to Ron Artest last year? Barnes is cut from the Rick Fox cloth of the 2000's but I think he could take the enforcer role a bit too far as the season wears on. I see him leading the league in technical fouls.
• Don't underestimate Kobe Bryant's knee rehab - One of the reasons most people think Kobe Bryant won't win this year's MVP plum is his bum right knee. We've seen how it can affect his play, especially in the moments he struggled against the Celtics in the 2010 Finals. I see him bouncing back, but don't hold your breath. I see him averaging 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal per game.
• Don't underestimate Steve Blake - New acquisition Steve Blake is the designated first point guard off the bench but I see him eating up a few starter moments from Derek Fisher in the games before the All-Star break. I think Phil Jackson will rest Fisher and keep him fresh for the late season and the deep playoff run.
• Don't underestimate the Western Conference - A lot of folks see the Lakers trampling over the Western Conference, but there are still some threats. Kevin Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder is the current up and coming team, while the Utah Jazz is a rejuvenated squad with Al Jefferson manning the middle and Deron Williams running the show. The dark horse is the aging San Antonio Spurs, who are banking on a healthier and more experienced team.
• Don't underestimate the heart of the champion - Las Vegas oddsmakers are tabbing the new look Miami Heat to win it all this season. With LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, this team is a virtual All-Star squad. This is the type of lineup you make up in NBA 2K11. But the Lakers have the rings and the resolve to get it done. Let's see if heart will trump pure talent.

On a final note, I do see the Lakers winning the Western Conference, with the following seedings:

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Utah Jazz
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. Oklahoma City Thunder
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Denver Nuggets
7. Houston Rockets
8. Memphis Grizzlies

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OKC Dominates LA

I used to like to like the Oklahoma City Thunder. They were my "pet team"-- teams you secondarily root for apart from your main team. To be honest, I rooted for them in the past because I knew they weren't serious contenders in the NBA.

But after they dominated the Los Angeles Lakers 91-75, I just think the Thunder has closed the gap between them and the Lakers. That also meant that the Thunder out-grew their "pet team" status and has been elevated to conference rival.

The Thunder held the Lakers to a dismal 47 points in the first three quarters. Kobe Bryant was locked down to 11 points and the rest of the starters for only 33 points. 33 points! The Thunder duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 49 points. Sheesh.

The game was a huge letdown for Lakers fans and a huge win for the Thunder. It's like seeing the little brother win against the big brother who always won in the past.


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Lakers Clamp Down Spurs

The Los Angeles Lakers trumped the San Antonio Spurs in what could be a potential first round playoff matchup.

The Lakers are atop the NBA's Western Conference and the Spurs are perched at the #7 seed. But with the loss, the Spurs are now clinging to a half-game lead over the #8 Portland Trailblazers.

Thanks to a strong second half, the Lakers turned a first half deficit into their seventh straight win. The Lakers held the Spurs to only 35 points in the second half while they scored 51. Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 24 points, and his two three pointers in the fourth quarter kept the Spurs at bay.

It didn't help that Tim Duncan, the Spurs' star, went 2 for 11 from the field. His shooting struggled seemed to have spread to the team as the Spurs missed 50 of their 80 shot attempts. Is the Big Fundamental running out of gas?

One person that seemed to have the motor running all game was Lamar Odom. L.O. had 19 points and 13 boards and he was aggressive on offense. He practically outscored the starting frontline of the Spurs. Way to go L.O.!

The Lakers are now going into playoff mode and that's good. Seven straight wins with 11 games to go. Let's go Lakers!


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Yes, Carl Landry, the Lakers are THAT Popular

The Los Angeles Lakers won over the NBA lottery-bound Sacramento Kings 106-99. But for me that wasn't the story.

I read the game recap article from the Yahoo! Sports website and found this quote from Kings forward Carl Landry. Here's what he had to say about the presence of Lakers fans in Sacramento in the sellout game:

“I almost thought we were playing in the Staples Center,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like that before. To see that many Lakers fans out there was kind if disappointing, but at the same time it was motivation for us.”

Carl Landry has been in the league for four season now and he was previously playing for the Houston Rockets and he was traded to the Kings last February. What I don't get is that given that he has been playing in the NBA's Western Conference and he's still surprised that there are Lakers fans in their home court.

I'm pretty sure that the Los Angeles is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, team in the league right now. The same way there's the New York Yankees in major league baseball, the NBA has the Lakers.

So news flash to Carl Landry: The Lakers are even more popular in Sacramento today because the Kings are just mediocre.


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Despite Stopping Losing Streak, Lakers Unimpressive

First of all, I'm glad I'm blogging again about a Los Angeles Lakers win. That three game losing streak was a pain in the a$$. It was disappointing, but the Lakers are in a funk.

Anyways, the game against the Toronto Raptors was a close shave, with the Lakers falling back in the first three quarters. The Raptors trio of Chris Bosh, Jarrett Jack, and Andrea Bargnani gave the Lakers the Lakers fits until the home team rallied in the fourth quarter. The game was tied via a Bosh three-ball with nine ticks left, but none other than Kobe Bryant made a jumper over two defenders. Despite leaving 1.9 seconds on the clock, the shot virtually sealed the win for the Lakers 109-107.

I was quite confident that the Lakers were going to win the game since they were back home and the Raptors aren't exactly the Cleveland Cavaliers. But a Kobe Bryant last second jumper for the win?!? Totally unacceptable.

Yeah, Andrew Bynum was big on the offensive end, but the Lakers frontline was again reverting back to its "soft-as-marshmallows" form by getting out-rebounded. Can someone explain to me how Amir Johnson, a Toronto forward generously listed as 6-9, and Jack, a short shooting guard, get more rebounds than Bynum?

I share Kobe Bryant's words after the game: the win against Toronto was garbage.


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Lakers Go 0-3 in East Road Trip

In the last three games, the Los Angeles Lakers looked more like poodles than dobermans in their Eastern road swing.

Here's a rundown of what transpired in games in Miami, Charlotte, and Orlando:

• 111-114 OT loss to the Miami Heat - Poor third quarter set-up a comeback in the fourth to force overtime. The Lakers put up a good fight but fade away late in OT, with Kobe Bryant committing a charge against Jermaine O'Neal.
• 83-98 loss against the Charlotte Bobcats - With the great Michael Jordan in attendance, the game showed additional proof that the Bobcats have the Lakers' number. The second of a back-to-back, the Lakers looked flat offensively. Starters Ron Artest and Derek Fisher combined for 5 points and 14% shooting.
• 94-96 loss to the Orlando Magic -The Lakers turned up the grittiness a couple of notches higher, but the Magic out-muscled the Lakers in a rematch of the 2009 NBA Finals. Similar to the Heat game, the Lakers made a run in the fourth quarter and had good breaks with Orlando missing free throws in the final minutes, but the team lost with Kobe failing to convert a jumper at the buzzer.

The three game losing streak is the Lakers' longest since the acquisition of Paul Gasol in 2008. Incidentally, Gasol played poorly against the Heat and Bobcats, but he came out of his stupor in the Magic game.

The way I see it, the Lakers were failing on two key areas: offensive execution and the defense. The Lakers averaged 14 turnovers and only 15 assists in the losing streak. A team assist/turnover ratio of 1.07 is a good indicator that the team is not executing properly. (To illustrate, the pitiful New Jersey Nets have an average 1.22 assists/turnover ratio).

For defense, in the last three games, the Lakers got out-rebounded on the defensive end by their opponents by an average of 7 more  rebounds per game. Moreover, their opponents averaged 3 more blocks. Finally, the Lakers' allowed their opponent better offensive opportunities as their opponents always had a better shooting percentage than them. (In the three games, the Lakers opponents averaged 48% from the field versus the Lakers' 41%)

Clearly, the Lakers are not playing up to par. This doesn't bode well as we are in the final quarter of the season.



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Kobe's Return: Mixed Results So Far

Two games after Kobe Bryant's return from injury, we've seen the best and worst situations.

In the game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Kobe was spectacular. He scored 32 points, made 13 baskets out of 19 attempts and was 3 of 4 from the three-point line. Most important of those treys was the game winning basket he made with 4 seconds left.

But in the next game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kobe was 9 out of 23, and made zero three-point field goals. He missed a potential game-tying three point shot with 25 seconds left. After that, the Los Angeles Lakers went downhill and succumbed to the Mavs.

You can argue that it was a back-to-back pair of games, but that's my point: Kobe doesn't have his legs yet after an 18-day leave from the game.  I'm sure there will be a lot of inconsistent performances from Kobe before the month ends. That means that three things must happen to make the transition easier:

1. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum should be more aggressive to relieve scoring pressure off Kobe
2. Defense must be top-notch
3. The back-up guards (Shannon Brown & Jordan Farmar) should step-up.

If you ask me, it could really be worse (see Tracy McGrady in New York). But to expect Kobe will miraculously be MVP-caliber at this juncture is wishful thinking.


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