From: DY
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 9:33 AM
To: Steve
Subject: Game 4 1987 Finals
Dude,
Overall it actually was a pretty poorly played game in the first half, I don't think I remember it being so turnover ridden and awkward. Terrible shots, the Lakers weren't getting into their patented fast break (I think they said fast break during the broadcast like 52894884 times) and the Celtics were running and getting transition baskets. Seeing them run the clumsy, oafish fast break was like watching an overweight teenager with vertigo play hopscotch... and yet it was somehow effective. Looking back, the Celtics didn't really have the horses to run like that. They started 5 and pretty much played each of those 5 guys the entire game. Seemed like a big coaching error...
Also as much as I love those old Lakers teams, the entire team weighs a
combined 450lbs... I don't they could stand the physical Lakers of today. Certainly Bynum would have some trouble with Kareem, but he was 40 years old at the time of this game. And if you put Ariza on Worthy, LO on AC... hmm maybe this is a discussion for later in the season...
Bullets:
It was nice to see the young, strong, Coach Riley. It's that Riley that I prefer to remember, the one who helmed the blitzkrieging fast break offense of the Lakers. Not the bickering, coat-tail-riding, inventor of brawlsketball style he made famous in New York (emulated by anyone playing against a team with superior talent).
Ainge made attempted a pass in the second quarter that looked like he was literally trying to throw the ball out of the building. I think it landed in the 10th row. He was the least athletic player I have ever seen, but he lit the Lakers up in this game.
How come no one ever does the full blown sky-hook? Kareem would post up on the right side, spin baseline, and hook it and it was almost like a free-throw it was so dependable. Everyone knew exactly where it was going and yet no one could come close to stopping it. Why can't anyone figure that shot out in this day and age?
Greg Kite's takedown of Worthy, made me so upset that 21 years later, I
literally jumped up and yelled when I saw it. For some reason I thought it was Dennis Johnson who pulled him to the ground, but it was Kite who lowballed him. Awful thug play reminiscent of PJ Brown, Perkins, and Posey last year.
James Brown was the sideline reporter!!! A fresh faced new kid in the
media, was 80lbs lighter and 20 years younger... He was good at it too!
Young sideline reports should take notes.
Did you see the hook shot from full court at the end of the first half by Magic? It bounced in and out and no one really made a big deal about it. He was so good at the time, people almost expected a shot like that to fall for him.
Worthy was a FREAK athlete at the time. Same goes for Mychal Thompson.
Just incredible athletes for that day.
Coop gets called for a technical when he shoves McHale. I rewound that
section and it was McHale who was trying to pull Cooper down on that play (classic McHale cheap shot), Coop reacted and got called for the T. I HATE MCHALE AS MUCH TODAY AS I DID 20 YEARS AGO! How do they pay that guy in Minnesota ? He openly makes a trade that helps his REAL team and they continue to pay him. How embarrassing must it be to be the owner of the T-wolves and go to an NBA executive meeting. Do they all hang around in a group and giggle at him as he walks by?
I like how Worthy responds later by rocking McHale to sleep and then
flushing one right in his face. That was awesome.
McHale late in the game pushing AC around, and Byron Scott comes in to
defend his teammate. The more I think about it, AC being celibate (I had to look up the spelling...) in the pre-AIDS 80s on the most popular team in sports was the single most unbelievable thing to happen since biblical miracles. It is like going back to the exact point where the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and finding a house completely untouched. Seriously, fighting the urges against an onslaught of women like that must have been like hitting a bullseye on a dartboard from 60 feet in a hurricane. I just don't know how he did it, and I can't believe we didn't nickname him black Jesus.
The Magic hook shot on the inbounds play looks to me like a broken play.
They got a mismatch on the other side with Worthy against a smaller player and it looked like they wanted to get it to him on the baseline and for him to post up shoot it, or kick it out to the wing. But then Magic was just Magic.
--DY
_____
From: Steve
Subject: RE: Game 4 1987 Finals
To: DY
Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 10:25 AM
First of all, Robin refused to bet me on the outcome of this game. Do you believe that? Some Celtics fan.
I don't think I've seen this game since it originally aired back in '87. Seen the baby sky hook replayed about a zillion times, but I forgot about all the skirmishes. That Greg Kite is a real son of a bitch. And a funny lookin' son of a bitch at that. What was going on with all the mustaches in 1987? Kite. Bird. Rambis. Even Michael....excuse me - I mean “Mychal” Thompson was rockin' the 'stache in the 80s.
Kareem looked horrible in this game. I don't remember him making a single shot, but every time they showed the scoring tally, there was his name among the game leaders. Where did those points come from? Did I black out during his scoring barrage? I agree that the sky hook was a thing of beauty during Kareem's career, but it seemed like every time he touched the ball in this game, he would turn and throw up that hook and it would just clang off the rim. And God forbid Kareem ever pass the ball during this game, even knowing that he didn't have the hook going for him. Granted the man was about 67 years old at the time, but he just looked awful. I loved the play where Kareem had a turnover and cherry picked at the offensive end of the court for what seemed like about 15 minutes until the Lakers came running back on what turned into a 4 on 1. Kareem set a pick on Dennis Johnson and was surprisingly praised for making a smart play by the horribly un-objective former Celtic Tommy Heinsohn. Guess they didn't notice that Kareem failed to run the floor...or jog the floor...or even walk the floor to go back and play a little defense after the sloppy turnover. He was obviously being judged and praised on his career accomplishments during this game and not on the game itself.
(By the way, Heinsohn was a former Celtics player and Celtics coach and he would eventually go on to be a member of the Celtics broadcast team. So I ask the question - Who the hell put this CBS broadcast team together during the 80s? Whatever happened to assembling a broadcast team with a little bit of objectivity? Why didn't they just hire a couple of guys from Southie to do the game instead? "Aah, that was a wicked haahd foul by Kite. Huge play! Huuuuge play!!")
At any rate, Magic was more consistent with the hook shot in this game. Speaking of the Magic Man, how unbelievable was he? He made every type of shot possible - right and left handed! Hook shots, jumpers, lay-ups, threes, free throws. You name it. The only thing he didn't do was dunk. And I don't recall Magic ever being much of a dunker. For all the flash and glitz he had, dunking was just never his style.
This wasn't exactly Bird's best game ever. He was known to be a helluva passer in his career, but he threw a few passes in this game that were more than a little suspect that went out of bounds completely untouched.
Did you see Bill Walton celebrating on the sideline, giving Greg Kite a very awkward high ten after a Celtics fast break bucket? The first thing I wondered was "okay, so how old is little Luke when this game was going on and what was he doing at the time?"
You're right about the size of the Lakers. They all looked so much smaller than I remembered. Coop and Scott looked like children. And I don't know what happened to Magic. I think sometime during the 90s, the current Magic Johnson ate the 80s Magic Johnson.
The only thing I wish we had while watching this game was the radio broadcast of Chick Hearn and Keith Erickson. That's the way we used to watch these games - with the television muted and a radio blaring Chickie Baby. I miss the old 80s Lakers, but there's a lot to love about these current Lakers too.
_____
From: DY
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:36 AM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: Game 4 1987 Finals
Dude, and about the white short shorts by the Celtics? There was one point in the game on an inbounds play where the camera was behind a Celtic player and I totally saw his jock strap... not good times... AWFUL times...
As for the time that 90s Magic ate 80s Magic? I think they called that "The Magic Hour"...
--DY
_____
From: Steve
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:46 AM
To: DY
Subject: RE: Game 4 1987 Finals
You're right! Forgot to mention the shorts! At one point, Bird was getting ready to throw an inbounds pass. Just before the ref handed him the ball, he hiked those suckers so far up his torso it made me cringe. Yikes! No way he was ever able to have children after that masochistic punishment. Between the shorts, the mustaches, and the hairdos, these guys hardly looked like world class athletes. I suppose we're gonna refrain from even mentioning the inordinate number of white dudes on the Celtics. I haven't seen this much black on white since the US Team ran roughshod through the Olympics in China this past summer. I couldn't tell if they were showing a basketball game or the annual GM meetings. There were a few guys on the Celtics bench in warm-ups that never got in the game that had to have been the team's accountants...
_____
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Lakers vs. Blazers - October 28, 2008
I remember thinking to myself several years ago at the very beginning of the Lakers’ Shaq-Kobe Three-peat era to relish every moment and never take for granted the notion that my team was a serious contender for the title – not just for one year, but for the next couple of years. Well guess what? Strap on your seatbelts ‘cause here we go again.
Man! That was a fun game! Oh sure, it was a little sloppy here and there. But I think we were all a bit rusty last night as we opened the new season, weren’t we? I know even I fumbled with the remote once or twice trying to rewind for highlight plays during the game. So I can’t fault Kobe and company for looking a little out of rhythm last night. From opening tip to the final buzzer this game wasn’t even close. Even when the Blazers pulled to within 8 points, the game was never really in doubt – though Doug Collins voice went up about three octaves with every Blazer hoop during that stretch. How good is this team when Walton is your 11th guy off the bench, relegated to a few minutes of garbage time and the only ‘touches’ Chris Mihm will likely get this season are during pre-game warm-ups? This team is scary deep and extremely loaded.
No doubt the biggest mistake in the game was when Priscilla or Godzilla or whatever the hell his name is threw his shoulder into Kobe and then walked up to him and tried to stick his chest in Kobe’s grill. What the hell was this guy thinking? Why didn’t he just tell Kobe “You suck at basketball” and then go hit on Kobe’s wife afterwards? Why would anyone do anything to upset Kobe within the 48-minute timeframe of an NBA basketball game? There was a TV show in the 70s hosted by Chuck Connors called Thrill Seekers. It was about people who would do outlandish and crazy shit just to do outlandish crazy shit. After that bonehead move in last night’s game, I was fully expecting Chuck Connors to come out onto the court and begin talking about the dangers of the events as they unfolded. Of course, that would’ve been a little creepy, what with Chuck Connors being dead and all. Anyway, Godzilla you are a stupid, stupid man…
So, good stuff all around last night. Hard to believe last night’s game marked the unofficial one-year anniversary of a time when the Lakers lost on opening night to a mediocre Rockets team and the fans were still wondering whether Kobe or Andrew Bynum would be traded. Kobe was booed that night and later I would eventually go on to call him an a-hole in this very space. My how times have changed. Oh, Kobe’s still an a-hole, but at least the reigning MVP is still wearing the purple and gold and that’s just the way we like it.
Man! That was a fun game! Oh sure, it was a little sloppy here and there. But I think we were all a bit rusty last night as we opened the new season, weren’t we? I know even I fumbled with the remote once or twice trying to rewind for highlight plays during the game. So I can’t fault Kobe and company for looking a little out of rhythm last night. From opening tip to the final buzzer this game wasn’t even close. Even when the Blazers pulled to within 8 points, the game was never really in doubt – though Doug Collins voice went up about three octaves with every Blazer hoop during that stretch. How good is this team when Walton is your 11th guy off the bench, relegated to a few minutes of garbage time and the only ‘touches’ Chris Mihm will likely get this season are during pre-game warm-ups? This team is scary deep and extremely loaded.
No doubt the biggest mistake in the game was when Priscilla or Godzilla or whatever the hell his name is threw his shoulder into Kobe and then walked up to him and tried to stick his chest in Kobe’s grill. What the hell was this guy thinking? Why didn’t he just tell Kobe “You suck at basketball” and then go hit on Kobe’s wife afterwards? Why would anyone do anything to upset Kobe within the 48-minute timeframe of an NBA basketball game? There was a TV show in the 70s hosted by Chuck Connors called Thrill Seekers. It was about people who would do outlandish and crazy shit just to do outlandish crazy shit. After that bonehead move in last night’s game, I was fully expecting Chuck Connors to come out onto the court and begin talking about the dangers of the events as they unfolded. Of course, that would’ve been a little creepy, what with Chuck Connors being dead and all. Anyway, Godzilla you are a stupid, stupid man…
So, good stuff all around last night. Hard to believe last night’s game marked the unofficial one-year anniversary of a time when the Lakers lost on opening night to a mediocre Rockets team and the fans were still wondering whether Kobe or Andrew Bynum would be traded. Kobe was booed that night and later I would eventually go on to call him an a-hole in this very space. My how times have changed. Oh, Kobe’s still an a-hole, but at least the reigning MVP is still wearing the purple and gold and that’s just the way we like it.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Lakers v. Celtics - Preview
From: DY
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 5:29 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I hate the sports guy:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080530
I can't figure out if this is a reverse jinx or a straight up jinx, but I hate the Sports Guy so much right now, I wish he had to go watch Sex and the City. Strong words I know but still...
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
I’m trying to get Robin to get into the spirit of these Finals. Again, not a basketball fan. However, she made a comment about how it’s hard to get into the series knowing that the Lakers are the better team and the Celtics are probably going to lose. How’s that for another jinx!?
The Boston sports fans are in cahoots on this thing. It’s like they all got together at some top secret location (probably a Dunkin’ Donuts somewhere) and developed a single game plan on how to root for their Celtics in this series. And that game plan is the “We don’t stand a chance, double reverse hexing jinx plan.”
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:46 AM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I really really cannot stand Celtics fans bullshit talk right now:
1) Blatantly jinxing or reverse jinxing
2) How the Lakers fans are "front runners" just like Kobe??? What the hell is that? KG and Ray Allen aren't front runners because they've been with the same team for so long right? I was up in Central cali for the long weekend and saw a guy in a brand spanking new KG jersey that still had the creases in it from being folded up in a box. I wanted to run him over with my car.
3) Saying that Gasol was a slimy steal of a trade because West was a GM at Memphis a year BEFORE the trade happened. He didn't sign the trade, that other idiot did. That's FLAT OUT BULLSHIT! WHO SIGNED THE EFFING PAPERS FOR THE KG TRADE???? KEVIN EFFIING DIRTY CHEAP SHOT CLOTHESLINE MCHALE!!! HE WAS THE ACTUAL EFFING GM OF THAT TRADE!!!
I think I need to calm down...
From: Steve
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:00 PM
To: DYSubject:
RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
What does “front runners” mean? Is that the same as being fair weather fans? If anyone accuses Lakers fans of being fair weather fans, that’s completely absurd. Anyone who knows the least bit about sports knows that of all the professional teams in L.A., no team owns L.A. fans like the Lakers do. No L.A. team (and probably very few teams in any town in any sport) enjoys the devoted loyalty that the Lakers do from their fans.
This has been a Lakers town since a 20-year old Magic Johnson took the floor at the Forum back in 1979-80 and it will remain the Lakers’ town for many, many years. Unless the Dodgers, Angels or Kings rip off about 6 or 7 titles in the next 10 years, nothing’s changing around here.
I loved how the owner of the Celtics said “We’re 8 and 2” when talking about the Celtics versus Lakers in the Finals over the years, only to have Jerry West (I think it was West?) point out that they also failed to make the playoffs in 12 of the last 21 years since they played in the Finals.
Sweet.
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
I just went back and read the chat session from SGs column.
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=20902
You’re right. Very frustrating to read some of those things. I’m sure we’ll feel better in a few weeks. Although, I agree with everything written about the Lakers car flags. Somehow, that’s always seemed disingenuous to me. This coming from a guy, by the way, who rocks a Dodgers and Patriots flag from a 20’ flagpole in front of his home on the days of big games.
I work with a guy (Lakers fan) who predicts the Lakers in 6. I say no way. It’s gotta be 5 or 7. There’s no way, with the 2-3-2 format the Lakers win 2 out of 3 games held in Boston. They win 1 of 2 OR 2 of 4 in beantown, but not 2 of 3. If the Lakers steal 1 of the first 2 in Boston and win a squeaker in game 3 at home, it’s over in 5 – with a couple of 10+ point victories in games 4 and 5. Otherwise, I’m saying Lakers in 7 for this series.
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 2:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Re: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard
If we win, I'm thinking the same thing, we're really banking a lot on Gasol. Honestly I think this thing could go 7 games. I think the Lakers best shot at stealing it is taking the first game. Check out this analysis of the type of defense that the Celtics played against Kobe in the first two meetings (yes without Gasol) but I think the game plan is frighteningly sound and will be employed this time. Who knows how Gasol changes this, he better have a monster game against Perkins and KG...
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-261/When-the-Celtics-Played-the-Lakers.html?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2
Really great article but VERY long.
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
If the Celtics’ game plan involves laying off Kobe, forcing him to hit perimeter shots, I’ll take those odds. Just because it ‘worked’ in the regular season for two games separated by three months – that don’t mean squat. Kobe’s not going to be cold for an entire freakin’ series. He’s not Manu Ginobili for Christ’s sake. Kobe’s the best player in this series AND, I might add, the most experienced player on either team at this level of the playoffs. He smells blood in the water and he will not be denied this opportunity to win a championship after getting this close. Especially, knowing how hard these opportunities are to come by (see the last 4 years).
And another thing, if Doc Rivers is devising a game plan around Kobe Bryant, he’s making the worst coaching mistake of his life, not to mention the fact that he’s wasting his time. He needs to forget about any plan that involves Kobe and focus on things his team can actually have a shot at controlling and might be effective with. You can’t call for a plan that makes him shoot perimeter shots and you can’t try to beat him up (one of the toughest dudes in the league). You just have to let him be Kobe and hope you can contain the rest of the team. Focus on taking a Gasol or an Odom out of games for the entire series. That’s your only chance. After 12 years of watching Kobe run roughshod over this league, I would hope that even Doc Rivers can recognize that there is no effective game plan for stopping Kobe.
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 3:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I do agree that Kobe is the best player in the game right now, however sometimes he gets into the whole Mano a mano thing. If he gets caught up in embarrassing Ray Allen (which he DEFINITELY can do) he's going to bring the whole team game down. He's so easily tempted by the opposition to take every shot. Odom and Gasol stop moving without the ball and our offense becomes easier to slow down. If he does what's made the Lakers successful up until now, we are in good hands. If he gets sucked into dominating the one on one game with Allen, we may be in for a long series.
YES every game of the series is a GOTW...
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 5:29 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I hate the sports guy:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080530
I can't figure out if this is a reverse jinx or a straight up jinx, but I hate the Sports Guy so much right now, I wish he had to go watch Sex and the City. Strong words I know but still...
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
I’m trying to get Robin to get into the spirit of these Finals. Again, not a basketball fan. However, she made a comment about how it’s hard to get into the series knowing that the Lakers are the better team and the Celtics are probably going to lose. How’s that for another jinx!?
The Boston sports fans are in cahoots on this thing. It’s like they all got together at some top secret location (probably a Dunkin’ Donuts somewhere) and developed a single game plan on how to root for their Celtics in this series. And that game plan is the “We don’t stand a chance, double reverse hexing jinx plan.”
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 11:46 AM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I really really cannot stand Celtics fans bullshit talk right now:
1) Blatantly jinxing or reverse jinxing
2) How the Lakers fans are "front runners" just like Kobe??? What the hell is that? KG and Ray Allen aren't front runners because they've been with the same team for so long right? I was up in Central cali for the long weekend and saw a guy in a brand spanking new KG jersey that still had the creases in it from being folded up in a box. I wanted to run him over with my car.
3) Saying that Gasol was a slimy steal of a trade because West was a GM at Memphis a year BEFORE the trade happened. He didn't sign the trade, that other idiot did. That's FLAT OUT BULLSHIT! WHO SIGNED THE EFFING PAPERS FOR THE KG TRADE???? KEVIN EFFIING DIRTY CHEAP SHOT CLOTHESLINE MCHALE!!! HE WAS THE ACTUAL EFFING GM OF THAT TRADE!!!
I think I need to calm down...
From: Steve
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:00 PM
To: DYSubject:
RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
What does “front runners” mean? Is that the same as being fair weather fans? If anyone accuses Lakers fans of being fair weather fans, that’s completely absurd. Anyone who knows the least bit about sports knows that of all the professional teams in L.A., no team owns L.A. fans like the Lakers do. No L.A. team (and probably very few teams in any town in any sport) enjoys the devoted loyalty that the Lakers do from their fans.
This has been a Lakers town since a 20-year old Magic Johnson took the floor at the Forum back in 1979-80 and it will remain the Lakers’ town for many, many years. Unless the Dodgers, Angels or Kings rip off about 6 or 7 titles in the next 10 years, nothing’s changing around here.
I loved how the owner of the Celtics said “We’re 8 and 2” when talking about the Celtics versus Lakers in the Finals over the years, only to have Jerry West (I think it was West?) point out that they also failed to make the playoffs in 12 of the last 21 years since they played in the Finals.
Sweet.
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
I just went back and read the chat session from SGs column.
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=20902
You’re right. Very frustrating to read some of those things. I’m sure we’ll feel better in a few weeks. Although, I agree with everything written about the Lakers car flags. Somehow, that’s always seemed disingenuous to me. This coming from a guy, by the way, who rocks a Dodgers and Patriots flag from a 20’ flagpole in front of his home on the days of big games.
I work with a guy (Lakers fan) who predicts the Lakers in 6. I say no way. It’s gotta be 5 or 7. There’s no way, with the 2-3-2 format the Lakers win 2 out of 3 games held in Boston. They win 1 of 2 OR 2 of 4 in beantown, but not 2 of 3. If the Lakers steal 1 of the first 2 in Boston and win a squeaker in game 3 at home, it’s over in 5 – with a couple of 10+ point victories in games 4 and 5. Otherwise, I’m saying Lakers in 7 for this series.
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 2:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: Re: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard
If we win, I'm thinking the same thing, we're really banking a lot on Gasol. Honestly I think this thing could go 7 games. I think the Lakers best shot at stealing it is taking the first game. Check out this analysis of the type of defense that the Celtics played against Kobe in the first two meetings (yes without Gasol) but I think the game plan is frighteningly sound and will be employed this time. Who knows how Gasol changes this, he better have a monster game against Perkins and KG...
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-32-261/When-the-Celtics-Played-the-Lakers.html?lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2
Really great article but VERY long.
From: Steve
To: DY
Subject: RE: Reverse Jinxing bastard
Steve wrote:
If the Celtics’ game plan involves laying off Kobe, forcing him to hit perimeter shots, I’ll take those odds. Just because it ‘worked’ in the regular season for two games separated by three months – that don’t mean squat. Kobe’s not going to be cold for an entire freakin’ series. He’s not Manu Ginobili for Christ’s sake. Kobe’s the best player in this series AND, I might add, the most experienced player on either team at this level of the playoffs. He smells blood in the water and he will not be denied this opportunity to win a championship after getting this close. Especially, knowing how hard these opportunities are to come by (see the last 4 years).
And another thing, if Doc Rivers is devising a game plan around Kobe Bryant, he’s making the worst coaching mistake of his life, not to mention the fact that he’s wasting his time. He needs to forget about any plan that involves Kobe and focus on things his team can actually have a shot at controlling and might be effective with. You can’t call for a plan that makes him shoot perimeter shots and you can’t try to beat him up (one of the toughest dudes in the league). You just have to let him be Kobe and hope you can contain the rest of the team. Focus on taking a Gasol or an Odom out of games for the entire series. That’s your only chance. After 12 years of watching Kobe run roughshod over this league, I would hope that even Doc Rivers can recognize that there is no effective game plan for stopping Kobe.
From: DY
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 3:26 PM
To: Steve
Subject: RE: FW: Reverse Jinxing bastard
I do agree that Kobe is the best player in the game right now, however sometimes he gets into the whole Mano a mano thing. If he gets caught up in embarrassing Ray Allen (which he DEFINITELY can do) he's going to bring the whole team game down. He's so easily tempted by the opposition to take every shot. Odom and Gasol stop moving without the ball and our offense becomes easier to slow down. If he does what's made the Lakers successful up until now, we are in good hands. If he gets sucked into dominating the one on one game with Allen, we may be in for a long series.
YES every game of the series is a GOTW...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Lakers vs. Suns - February 20, 2008
It’s pretty rare that a regular season game in any sport has the hype that came with this one. It’s even rarelier….more rare-er…whatever, that the game would live up to that hype. But this one sure did. Boy oh boy, what a freakin’ game! I was all geeked up for this one the minute I tuned in and saw the players going through their pre-game warm-up routine. That nervousness that comes with watching playoff basketball was with me the entire game. I’m surprised I didn’t wake the kids after a couple of the more exciting plays. Kobe’s dunk at the end of the 1st quarter as time was expiring, which from now on shall be known simply as “The Statement Dunk of 2008,” had me rewinding the DVR to show Robin, who, by the way, doesn’t particularly care for basketball and can’t stand Kobe, but still was able to work up an obligatory “wow.” (God love her).
This game was packed with huuuuge plays. Kobe blocking a dunk, Gasol filling the middle to finish a fast break with a time-out inducing slam dunk (only to get mauled by a creepy Sasha Vujavic), Kobe later breaking up a Nash-to-Shaq alley oop attempt, Farmar nailing threes, Odom driving the lane and dunking. You name it. This game had it. The Suns had their share of big time plays too. After all, if they hadn’t, this game would’ve been nothing more than a replay of Tuesday night’s laugher against the Hawks (poor Mike Bibby). Anyway, Nash was his usual self, scoring and passing with relative ease. Grant Hill had a great game. Stoudamire was out of his mind and had himself a game. Even the Big Fella started to crank it up late in the going, which I have to say, made me feel less than comfortable, to put it mildly.
I really, really hope these teams play each other in the playoffs. It could potentially be one of the greatest series EVER. Imagine how much more exciting these battles will be when Shaq is up to speed with his new teammates and with his conditioning and Andrew Bynum is back into the fold for the Lakers. Holy cow – that’ll be a show worth watching. I only hope the knot on Raja Bell’s head has subsided by then. Yikes. The biggest blow in the game for either side was Shaq’s elbow hitting Raja Bell, causing a lump the size of a small child on the back of Bell’s head. When it happened, he looked like he was out cold. Even when he went to the locker and came back to the bench several minutes later he looked like he wasn’t sure who he was, let alone where he was. I think that blow would’ve killed a normal sized man.
Well, this was a statement game to say the least. And a statement the Lakers made, punctuated of course by the Statement Dunk of 2008. Put some ice on that lump, Raja - we’ll see you in the playoffs!
This game was packed with huuuuge plays. Kobe blocking a dunk, Gasol filling the middle to finish a fast break with a time-out inducing slam dunk (only to get mauled by a creepy Sasha Vujavic), Kobe later breaking up a Nash-to-Shaq alley oop attempt, Farmar nailing threes, Odom driving the lane and dunking. You name it. This game had it. The Suns had their share of big time plays too. After all, if they hadn’t, this game would’ve been nothing more than a replay of Tuesday night’s laugher against the Hawks (poor Mike Bibby). Anyway, Nash was his usual self, scoring and passing with relative ease. Grant Hill had a great game. Stoudamire was out of his mind and had himself a game. Even the Big Fella started to crank it up late in the going, which I have to say, made me feel less than comfortable, to put it mildly.
I really, really hope these teams play each other in the playoffs. It could potentially be one of the greatest series EVER. Imagine how much more exciting these battles will be when Shaq is up to speed with his new teammates and with his conditioning and Andrew Bynum is back into the fold for the Lakers. Holy cow – that’ll be a show worth watching. I only hope the knot on Raja Bell’s head has subsided by then. Yikes. The biggest blow in the game for either side was Shaq’s elbow hitting Raja Bell, causing a lump the size of a small child on the back of Bell’s head. When it happened, he looked like he was out cold. Even when he went to the locker and came back to the bench several minutes later he looked like he wasn’t sure who he was, let alone where he was. I think that blow would’ve killed a normal sized man.
Well, this was a statement game to say the least. And a statement the Lakers made, punctuated of course by the Statement Dunk of 2008. Put some ice on that lump, Raja - we’ll see you in the playoffs!
Lakers vs. Suns - February 20, 2008
Biggest game of recent memory for these reasons:
1) Winner claims Pacific division #1 spot
2) Possible ramifications for home court advantage in the playoffs
3) Lakers vs the team that has bounced them from the playoffs in the last 2 seasons
4) If the Lakers lost they would be tied with the Suns in the season series, win and they have the advantage
5) Shaq's first game with the Suns
6) Shaq vs Kobe
7) Revamped Lakers vs Revamped Suns
First I have to comment on the whole Shaq going to the Suns thing. For the record this the 4th team in his career. Again he's feeling "recharged" and dedicated to working on getting into basketball shape because of his new team. I really used to like this Shaq but consider this... makes 20million a year (the highest salary possible that won't be matched for YEARS because his deal was done before the new collective bargaining agreement). Why does he need motiviation or to be recharged or whatever horse crap? I'm sure that's the kind of thing that bugged Kobe and it bugs me too. Kobe works his freaking butt off at all times.
Now while this was a big game, it's also an indicator of what kinds of strategies these teams could employ in the playoffs. Let's start with the bad news and good news for the match-ups.
Bad News
1) Shaq didn't look too bad. I mean that high screen and roll may not work as well with him in there, but that lob over the top alley-oop (the only successful one that worked for them) looked really natural for both Shaq and Nash.
2) Shaq isn't even really in shape yet and he had some decent minutes. With a couple of months of dedicated Diesel, he could transform into 2006 Shaq who won a title with Wade.
3) Shaq is still a good passer. He had that great behind the head dish to Stoudamire that led to a dunk.
4) Not having Shawn Marion made the Suns happier somehow. The morale on that team is very high right now and that's a big difference.
5) The game was close and the Lakers were definitely firing on all cylinders hitting open shots, making the extra pass, everything that we needed, if we had an off night it would have been a different story
6) We had trouble getting defensive stands... a lot of the good defense we had waer lucky steals on bad passes from the Suns who were just getting used to each other...
Good News
1) Gasol isn't afraid of Shaq and proved it by taking a couple of tough charges!
2) Not having Marion means no one guards Odom, who had an off night but should be able to score at will normally against this team
3) Shaq nearly killed his own teammate and best defender Raja Bell with a 365lb elbow to the back of the head... I was a little scared at the time that he wasn't getting up. (They said that in the locker room he forgot why he was there or what happened... yikes!)
4) The Lakers proved they can run with the Suns and still play a better half-court game. This team is so well balanced with the perfect blend of unselfish players, veterans and young talent that they can do ANYTHING.
5) Kobe's pinky allowed him to get 41 points...
6) And this is the best news... WE WON AND WE DIDN'T EVEN START BYNUM!!! (insert evil genius cackling laugh here)
He had a bunch of great plays and dunks (even one where he reverse slammed it in transition in the middle of 3 people) but the play of the game had to be Kobe's statement "eff you" dunk with 2 seconds remaining in the1st quarter.
I want to stand on the top of a mountain and yell at the top of my lungs "I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!"
1) Winner claims Pacific division #1 spot
2) Possible ramifications for home court advantage in the playoffs
3) Lakers vs the team that has bounced them from the playoffs in the last 2 seasons
4) If the Lakers lost they would be tied with the Suns in the season series, win and they have the advantage
5) Shaq's first game with the Suns
6) Shaq vs Kobe
7) Revamped Lakers vs Revamped Suns
First I have to comment on the whole Shaq going to the Suns thing. For the record this the 4th team in his career. Again he's feeling "recharged" and dedicated to working on getting into basketball shape because of his new team. I really used to like this Shaq but consider this... makes 20million a year (the highest salary possible that won't be matched for YEARS because his deal was done before the new collective bargaining agreement). Why does he need motiviation or to be recharged or whatever horse crap? I'm sure that's the kind of thing that bugged Kobe and it bugs me too. Kobe works his freaking butt off at all times.
Now while this was a big game, it's also an indicator of what kinds of strategies these teams could employ in the playoffs. Let's start with the bad news and good news for the match-ups.
Bad News
1) Shaq didn't look too bad. I mean that high screen and roll may not work as well with him in there, but that lob over the top alley-oop (the only successful one that worked for them) looked really natural for both Shaq and Nash.
2) Shaq isn't even really in shape yet and he had some decent minutes. With a couple of months of dedicated Diesel, he could transform into 2006 Shaq who won a title with Wade.
3) Shaq is still a good passer. He had that great behind the head dish to Stoudamire that led to a dunk.
4) Not having Shawn Marion made the Suns happier somehow. The morale on that team is very high right now and that's a big difference.
5) The game was close and the Lakers were definitely firing on all cylinders hitting open shots, making the extra pass, everything that we needed, if we had an off night it would have been a different story
6) We had trouble getting defensive stands... a lot of the good defense we had waer lucky steals on bad passes from the Suns who were just getting used to each other...
Good News
1) Gasol isn't afraid of Shaq and proved it by taking a couple of tough charges!
2) Not having Marion means no one guards Odom, who had an off night but should be able to score at will normally against this team
3) Shaq nearly killed his own teammate and best defender Raja Bell with a 365lb elbow to the back of the head... I was a little scared at the time that he wasn't getting up. (They said that in the locker room he forgot why he was there or what happened... yikes!)
4) The Lakers proved they can run with the Suns and still play a better half-court game. This team is so well balanced with the perfect blend of unselfish players, veterans and young talent that they can do ANYTHING.
5) Kobe's pinky allowed him to get 41 points...
6) And this is the best news... WE WON AND WE DIDN'T EVEN START BYNUM!!! (insert evil genius cackling laugh here)
He had a bunch of great plays and dunks (even one where he reverse slammed it in transition in the middle of 3 people) but the play of the game had to be Kobe's statement "eff you" dunk with 2 seconds remaining in the1st quarter.
I want to stand on the top of a mountain and yell at the top of my lungs "I LOVE THIS TEAM!!!"
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Lakers vs. Nets - February 5, 2008
24 and 12.
Did you read what I just wrote? 24 and 12!! What a debut! I’m in love. In love I tell you. I was hoping Gasol would maybe, just maybe, get 15 points and 5 or 10 boards in his first game. But instead, he stepped right into the Lakers lineup and contributed as though he’d been wearing the purple and gold for years. Yep. The boys looked good last night. And here’s the best part. It should only get better from here on out. Gasol’s certainly not going to go for 24 every game, but Kobe’s not exactly going to get 6 every game either. Even if Bynum doesn’t play the way he did before his injury, when he returns, the Lakers stand to be in way better shape than they were a month ago.
What an unbelievable season we’ve had so far. Let’s recap, shall we?
Kobe hints at wanting to be traded.
Kobe demands to be traded.
Buss implies Kobe is trade-able for the right price.
Kobe is booed on opening night and calls the fans idiots (okay – I embellish a bit about the idiot thing)
The team starts very mediocre, as does Andrew Bynum.
The Lakers make news by beating teams that suck (something they struggled with last year)
Bynum sells his soul to the Devil and becomes the West Coast version of Dwight Howard.
The Lakers go on a tear, with Andrew Bynum fans driving the all-of-a-sudden very crowded bandwagon.
Bynum suffers a knee injury with some made-up name and a collective gasp from the fans in Los Angeles can be heard as far away as San Antonio.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak must've mysteriously obtained incriminating photos of Memphis Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace because...
...The Grizzlies trade Pau Gasol to the Lakers for Kwame Brown and a song.
Due to excessive weight, both axels on the bandwagon snap and all four wheels explode.
I’m going to make an effort to remember how I feel right now. The way I feel this week. The way it feels the moment this team turned the corner and jumped back into elite status. This must be how Kobe feels right now. This must be why Kobe’s got such a huge smile these past few days. I’m not making predictions and I certainly don’t want to jinx anything, but if this is the beginning of the Lakers’ third dynasty in the last 25 years, I’m going to make every effort to remember this time in Lakers' history.
Did you read what I just wrote? 24 and 12!! What a debut! I’m in love. In love I tell you. I was hoping Gasol would maybe, just maybe, get 15 points and 5 or 10 boards in his first game. But instead, he stepped right into the Lakers lineup and contributed as though he’d been wearing the purple and gold for years. Yep. The boys looked good last night. And here’s the best part. It should only get better from here on out. Gasol’s certainly not going to go for 24 every game, but Kobe’s not exactly going to get 6 every game either. Even if Bynum doesn’t play the way he did before his injury, when he returns, the Lakers stand to be in way better shape than they were a month ago.
What an unbelievable season we’ve had so far. Let’s recap, shall we?
Kobe hints at wanting to be traded.
Kobe demands to be traded.
Buss implies Kobe is trade-able for the right price.
Kobe is booed on opening night and calls the fans idiots (okay – I embellish a bit about the idiot thing)
The team starts very mediocre, as does Andrew Bynum.
The Lakers make news by beating teams that suck (something they struggled with last year)
Bynum sells his soul to the Devil and becomes the West Coast version of Dwight Howard.
The Lakers go on a tear, with Andrew Bynum fans driving the all-of-a-sudden very crowded bandwagon.
Bynum suffers a knee injury with some made-up name and a collective gasp from the fans in Los Angeles can be heard as far away as San Antonio.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak must've mysteriously obtained incriminating photos of Memphis Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace because...
...The Grizzlies trade Pau Gasol to the Lakers for Kwame Brown and a song.
Due to excessive weight, both axels on the bandwagon snap and all four wheels explode.
I’m going to make an effort to remember how I feel right now. The way I feel this week. The way it feels the moment this team turned the corner and jumped back into elite status. This must be how Kobe feels right now. This must be why Kobe’s got such a huge smile these past few days. I’m not making predictions and I certainly don’t want to jinx anything, but if this is the beginning of the Lakers’ third dynasty in the last 25 years, I’m going to make every effort to remember this time in Lakers' history.
Lakers vs. Nets - February 5, 2008
Symmetry is beautiful when it surrounds your favorite team and the greatest rivalry of any team in any sport. When I heard about the Gasol trade from my fellow blogger Steve, I was flabbergasted... I have never used that word but it's exactly what I was, how I felt, and almost sounded like my actual response. It was more of something like "Flubbaguahgwha?" Getting Gasol for Kwame was like getting a brand new Ferrari vs being punched in the testicles by Mike Tyson. Losing Kwame was the definition of addition by subtraction, which is a phrase I only use for healthy bowel movements and is also a nice metaphor for what transpired...
Anyways I digress, the symmetry aspect comes in when you consider that Kevin McHale (The evil gollum Celtic bastard disguised as the T-Wolves GM) makes a ludicrous trade sending KG to the Celtics (his real team) for a bag of basketballs and someone named Jefferson and making the Celtics instantly into a title team. Karma-wise this is just about as fair as me hiring Mark McGuire (the good old steroids days one) for our company softball team. The world was not IN BALANCE... Kobe upon hearing the trade and seeing Gasol's Pau"er" for himself he declared that he had seen the light and there was a god. I'm saying that there is a balance to the universe and this is how it corrected itself. So lopsided and manipulated was that bastard trade of the aforementioned evil gollum, retribution was swift and angry. Jerry West still has some ties even if he's not officially the GM anymore of the Griz and I think he pulled a McHale to help out his old team. The Logo is still the greatest Laker and he proved it here.
This gives us the result of a possible starting lineup of:
Fisher (rejuvinated and launching those high arcing 3s from 2 feet behind his head)
Kobe
Lamar Odom
Pau Gasol
Andrew Bynum
With Farmar, Ariza, Walton, Turiaf, Radman, Vujacic (The Machine), and Mihm coming off the bench...
I would contend that this lineup is better than the Kobe-Shaq Lakers (especially since this onedoes not have Rick Fox prominently involved). We're WAAAAAY deeper now, and two 7footers are tougher to deal with than one Shaq, even in his youth he had a hard time with Duncan and Robinson. That's exactly what you have with Bynum and Gasol. The average height of this team is a little over 6'8", when most teams in the NBA are about 6'6". That doesn't sound like a lot but when you add the length of those long arms, it's a big size advantage. Last time I checked it's easier to play basketball when you're taller. We have big guys who can shoot outside and we also have post guys, this is a VERY versatile team who can make matchup problems for any team, including the rarely used All-White-dude lineup of Farmar, Vujacic, Walton, Gasol and Mihm... In fact that worries me, if we are headed for a karmic union of the Lakers and Celtics, are we the bizarro-white-dude Celtics of old?
So Gasol came in and cleaned house in his first game, just letting it come to him. He's a natural for the triangle with his passing and great footwork in the post as well as being able to step out and take jumpers, he's like a less angry, whiter, slightly less athletic but just as determined KG... Great game, Fish continues on fire from behind the 3 point line. People talked about his soft D but he did a decent job. Great that we can bring Turiaf off the bench and play some minutes at the big spots. God, I love this team!
Laker Nation get on your feet!!!!!!
Since I was late in posting this, I just found out that Shaq went to the Suns... this should be interesting for their run and gun offense. But you never know when the real Shaq turns up it could be interesting. All I know is if it comes down to it, Bynum won't be backing down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPRqhNK6g6g
Anyways I digress, the symmetry aspect comes in when you consider that Kevin McHale (The evil gollum Celtic bastard disguised as the T-Wolves GM) makes a ludicrous trade sending KG to the Celtics (his real team) for a bag of basketballs and someone named Jefferson and making the Celtics instantly into a title team. Karma-wise this is just about as fair as me hiring Mark McGuire (the good old steroids days one) for our company softball team. The world was not IN BALANCE... Kobe upon hearing the trade and seeing Gasol's Pau"er" for himself he declared that he had seen the light and there was a god. I'm saying that there is a balance to the universe and this is how it corrected itself. So lopsided and manipulated was that bastard trade of the aforementioned evil gollum, retribution was swift and angry. Jerry West still has some ties even if he's not officially the GM anymore of the Griz and I think he pulled a McHale to help out his old team. The Logo is still the greatest Laker and he proved it here.
This gives us the result of a possible starting lineup of:
Fisher (rejuvinated and launching those high arcing 3s from 2 feet behind his head)
Kobe
Lamar Odom
Pau Gasol
Andrew Bynum
With Farmar, Ariza, Walton, Turiaf, Radman, Vujacic (The Machine), and Mihm coming off the bench...
I would contend that this lineup is better than the Kobe-Shaq Lakers (especially since this onedoes not have Rick Fox prominently involved). We're WAAAAAY deeper now, and two 7footers are tougher to deal with than one Shaq, even in his youth he had a hard time with Duncan and Robinson. That's exactly what you have with Bynum and Gasol. The average height of this team is a little over 6'8", when most teams in the NBA are about 6'6". That doesn't sound like a lot but when you add the length of those long arms, it's a big size advantage. Last time I checked it's easier to play basketball when you're taller. We have big guys who can shoot outside and we also have post guys, this is a VERY versatile team who can make matchup problems for any team, including the rarely used All-White-dude lineup of Farmar, Vujacic, Walton, Gasol and Mihm... In fact that worries me, if we are headed for a karmic union of the Lakers and Celtics, are we the bizarro-white-dude Celtics of old?
So Gasol came in and cleaned house in his first game, just letting it come to him. He's a natural for the triangle with his passing and great footwork in the post as well as being able to step out and take jumpers, he's like a less angry, whiter, slightly less athletic but just as determined KG... Great game, Fish continues on fire from behind the 3 point line. People talked about his soft D but he did a decent job. Great that we can bring Turiaf off the bench and play some minutes at the big spots. God, I love this team!
Laker Nation get on your feet!!!!!!
Since I was late in posting this, I just found out that Shaq went to the Suns... this should be interesting for their run and gun offense. But you never know when the real Shaq turns up it could be interesting. All I know is if it comes down to it, Bynum won't be backing down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPRqhNK6g6g
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