The Lakers extended their record to 12-4 yesterday, excellent news, the only downside being the two losses to potential playoff teams. But in my view it isn't as big of a problem as it might seem. The loss to Denver wasn't great but the Lakers kept it close despite playing against an invigorated Denver team, sometimes losses happen. Then came Phoenix, who, in order to beat the defending champions, dropped 22 three pointers, the second most in NBA history, oh my. Even though the Suns dropped 22 shots "from downtown" the Lakers still managed to keep it close and if one or two three pointers fell for the Lakers in the last few minutes of the game it could have been a whole different story. The two teams that beat the Lakers this year had to score over 120 points. That's great news for the purple and gold but not so great for the rest of the league, especially with Lakers scoring a league high 112.2 points per game. To add further woe to coaches around the league, the Lakers are still waiting for the return of their defensive center, Andrew Bynum. With Bynums's return the Lakers will add a second 7 footer who will troll around the paint making sure no one trespasses on his turf.

It's good times for Laker land, everybody is playing most notably Pau and Lamar, but a special mention must go to the bench. The 'killer bees' (not sure on this nickname) Shannon Brown and Steve Blake are managing not only to hold onto leads but expand upon it. Brown has made an incredible shooting improvement this summer and the addition of Matt Barnes seems to have been an inspired choice. I can't really find fault with the Lakers at the moment except for maybe a few too many turnovers and some slack defense from time to time. Things are looking good and it will be interesting to watch the Lakers take on the Bulls tomorrow who will push the Lakers speed and see if the Lakers can control the tempo and execute their offense rather than run and gun with Chicago.

Let me know what you think, are there any key weaknesses that you see? Is there a player that you would like to see added in January? Did you also forget how good a passer Luke Walton is?

Ode to Artest

Trolling my way through the internet I came across a facebook group that is purely devoted to hating Ron Artest. I can understand some animosity to the rather eccentric Queens native forward, but hate seems a little strong. Can't we all just get along. Apparently not. The facebook page puts forward a case a Ron being nothing more than a violent thug that is, "detrimental to the world of basketball". Ok, so Ron has had some not so stellar points in his career,most notably the infamous brawl, but he is definitely not detrimental to the league. I find it difficult to hate Artest because, well, I think he's brilliant. Ron is a rather complicated man. He has a degree in mathematics, yes that's right a bachelors in mathematics. I can barely count to ten using my fingers, so I am instantly impressed. The brains are there, but Artest seems to be constantly battling with what can only be discribed as an insane little imp on his shoulder and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Are some of Ron Artest's actions questionable? Absolutely! But they are not malicious actions. His intesity may get the better of him at times but it also gives him character. From yelling "no soap, no soap" from the shower or having an iphone that Kevin Ding describes as "shattered" to yelling at reporters "acknowledge me"! or my
personal favorite conducting an interview of himself. That's right Ron Artest interviewed Ron Artest.
Maybe it's my twisted humor but I think these actions ar quite frankly hilarious.There is no vendetta or evil intent. Calling a former defensive player of the year detrimental to basketball is a little bit extreme.
I think Ron Artest brings humor to the Lakers, it's better than an interview with Pau, who, seems to be reading his answers from the book 'media for dummies'.

Ron is auctioning off his championship ring for charity, so there is a caring side. Can you guess the benifitting charity, that's right a charity for mental health. What else do you expect from a player who thanked his psychiatrist along with God and his parents for winning the championship.
I think we should all just lighten up and thank Ron for being Ron. Doing the crazy stuff so you don't have to!

No Complaints Here.

With the Lakers playing out of their minds right now it's fairly difficult to find anything to write about. Kobe got a triple double, Pau earned one today and Lamar, as MacMillan (Portland's coach) said, is "playing like an all-star". These are good times in Lakerland best described by Fisher "it's like disneyland".

The Lakers remain undefeated and every single player seems to be improving. There was even a rare sighting of the Slovenian Sasha Vujacic who recently got engaged to tennis star Maria Sharapova.

Ron Artest guarded Brandon Roy, who in Artest's words is more difficult to guard than Kobe (don't worry Ron's not quite sane at the best of times) kept Mr. Roy to a limited 8 points. Impress-much? I think so.

We can only hope that these trends continue making it even easier to be a Laker fan. This week will see a much more formidable Minnesota and an always bitter Denver trying to rock the Lakers' dream boat. If the Lakers keep their playing standard at it's current level, well you know what the means!

L.O. PoW

This week saw Pau Gasol be awarded the Western Conference Player of the Week award. Good news for Pau and the Lakers. Pau does deserve this award he has been outstanding the past three games. However a well earned award given to a Laker is not going to stop me from complaining. It may take a bit of digging but I'll find something and this time is no different.

So, with a little bit of digging, I found something to moan about. This time it's about Lamar or more accurately Lamar's absence in the consideration for player of the week. Other players were considered like Louis Scola(?) Montana Ellis(?) Brook Lopez(?) but Lamar was all but ignored despite his monstrous three games that have him averaging 17 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Those are some of the best numbers in the league and not even a consideration. I know! I can sense your disgust!

Now to try and curb my image of a grumpy old man, I'll try to say something positive. It's nice to see that L.O. is energized and stepping up to fill the void of Bynum. Also while writing this Lamar has just achieved 11,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists one of 29 players ever to do this. So, Lamar you have my consideration for Player of the Week(does that sound gay?)

They're back!

The first game cam and went and the Lakers scraped a win despite falling 15 points down at the half. No real surprise that the Lakers started in a seemingly distracted manner with the awesomely outrageous championship rings shining in their eyes. However the Lakers fought back in the third quarter leading to a final charge in the fourth.

The Laker bench provided their own momentum coming off the bench, with Blake and Shannon standing out. It's good to see the Lakers being able to rely on their bench to provide an offensive spark when called upon. If this continues then the Lakers will be very difficult to beat this season.

There was plenty of room for improvement with the Lakers missing open jump shots and lazy defense. Hopefully we can put it down to the distractions of receiving a ring that weighs more than my car.

But hey we got the win, job done.

The Land of the Rising Sun.

Two more days, that is all that is left between us and a brand new NBA season. Jam!
The Lakers will play Houston for their opener, or better known to Laker fans as ‘ring night’. It promises to have more diamonds then Kanye’s bottom row of teeth. This is the second year in a row that Houston has had to sit through ring night. I personally felt that it should have been the Celtics for the opening game by I’m still not allowed to draw up the NBA schedule and it’s not through a lack of asking. Damn you Stern.

Ok, back to reality it’s time to take a quick glance east and take a look at would-be challengers.

The Celtics added Shaq… hahahaha. Wait let’s take another pause...and another mocking…hahahahaha. Ok better…oh wait…hahahahaha! This does give the Celtics breathing room while Mr. Perkins heals up but don’t count on Shaq making significant contributions. Perhaps if Doc Rivers uses Shaq better than Cleveland did, the Celtics can tighten up defense which has always been a cornerstone of the team. The Celtics’ old age has a lot of critics ruling out Boston.
Orlando are always a strong contender with Vince looking ever more comfortable on offense and Dwight continually improving, it is hard to over look the Magic as possible finals opponents. If Dwight continues to remain a beast inside and all signs point to that being the case it will prove very difficult for teams deal with Orlando.

Coming out of the pan handle and further down to the tip of the state we arrive in Miami. Grabbing headlines and dreams of dynastic greatness, Pat Riley has put together a super team involving Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Lebron James. This indeed is free agent coup. The basketball world has been reeling from such of move leaving many wondering how the hell this happened. I don’t know and I don’t care. It happened, we’re just going to have to deal with the consequences. Obviously Miami has moved itself to instant contenders but if we scratch the surface a little bit there are some holes in the plan. There is no inside presence, Ilgauskas won’t be able to cope with teams like Boston or Orlando who have a string of bigs that like to pound the paint. There is no real team offensive depth, when the stars come off, the Heat’s bench don’t really have much fire power to go to. Opponents will seize this opportunity to make a run and in an 82 game season plus playoffs I think the lack of depth will show itself. Plus if injuries become a factor then Miami will really struggle. Defense will also be a major concern with Bosh at power forward his lack of defense and a tendency to sag off his man it will be difficult for Miami to deal with the likes of Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Rashard Lewis and my man Pau.
For me I think it is very likely that the Celtics will rise triumphant in the East don’t count on old age, their experience, skill level and bench depth will prove too much for other teams to deal with. Sorry Miami, it takes a lot more than three players to win a championship.

Quick side note, keep an eye on the Bulls this year they be I a good position to surprise and upset some of the bigger teams.

In other news it turns out that Gilbert Arenas faked an injury to give more playing time t a rookie. Hmm would you ever see Kobe faking an injury? The man would play in a wheel chair if they’d let him.

Celebration Hangover Time

I'm back, nanananana (insert batman theme here). If the NBA can take some time off, then I can too. Shouldn't I be able to take a break from the half an hour a day it takes me to do this. Phew! What a break!

Well, let's take a look, has anything happened?

Lamar won a gold medal at the World FIBA Championship, well dome Lamar. Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliffe, Derrick Caracter, Devin Ebanks, Drew Naymick and Trey Johnson have all joined the Lakers, welcome.

D.J. Mbenga, Jordan Farmar have left the Lakers, thanks guys, enjoy the rings.

Well, what has this done for the Champions I hear you cry out!

In my opinion and the only one that matters on this blog, is that the Lakers have addressed certain aspects and weaknesses present through the last season and made moves to hopefully quell these problems.

The Lakers biggest weakness was our stability and reliance coming off the bench. Bring in Mr. Blake, who is one of THE most under rated guards in the league. When Steve is given the green light he can light up the court. I first noticed Steve during a Laker game against the Clippers in the 08/09 season where Steve put up an 18 point game with 12 coming in the fourth quarter alone. Leading the Clippers to a rare victory against the Lakers. Playing what will probably be split minutes with Fisher, this remarkable talent will keep intensity and offensive momentum throughout the game. Something that was painfully noticeable last season. Plus add the athleticism, quickness supplied by Shannon and Ebanks it gives Phil more flexibility to adjust to opponents. Phil can shorten the line up and add speed when necessary, PERFECT!
Plus more defensive intensity has been added on the perimeter with Matt added to the roster. Phil is always preaching about defense, at least when he is not pretending to be a frog on a lily pad,(that's not even a joke).

It looks like the Lakers have become better on paper but this will take to time to come to fruition. The recent signings add some real depth to the bench a key component that wins championships. Ooooh was that a cheap shot and Miami, yes it most certainly was, we will get to that later though.

How are the Lakers looking over the past few weeks? Terrible. With a lack of court time and conditioning practice the Lakers are looking lethargic and out of shape. To best explain, Ron Artest gained 20 pounds in the two months off. The Lakers lost two pre season games, Phil is extremely unhappy with the players energy and thinks " the Lakers are not ready to play games that count just yet."

With Kobe recovering from knee surgery he has looked out of rhythm but seems to have much better movement, I wouldn't worry about Kobe, he'll be ready. Andrew Bynum is also recovering from surgery and won't be expected back until late November. Now, Bynum has been under criticism for delaying his surgery in order to go to the World Cup. Come on it's the World Cup and you're criticizing an athlete for going to one of the biggest sports events in the world, it happens every four years, cut him some slack. Plus Bynum doesn't even need to start playing for the Lakers until playoff time to earn his contract money. That is when we will need the 7 footer and coming back in November doesn't seem like such a problem. It will also give Bynum more time to work on his core strength training. No real problems here.

So all in all things are looking up for Laker land. Let's hope Phil can bring the team back to fitness and fluidity. If that is so, it should be a very good season for the Purple and Gold. The Lakers are in a good position to repeat their championship run. Good times may be in store yet again. Excellent news!

Tomorrow we will have a look at some other NBA teams that may want a parade of their own.

Tune in, same time, same place for more of the caped crusader. (Yes! Another batman reference!)

I've been silent recently. I've been silent for the entire NBA finals. I thought it would be best. You didn't need me rehashing the same old thing that any basketball fan was hearing every time he tuned into the basketball world.

But now it's time to break the silence, it's time to add one more voice, it's time to proclaim to the world that the Lakers are once again NBA CHAMPIONS!

This banner will hang a little higher, a little bigger and with a little more pride. Because the Purple and Gold snatched it from the clutches of their most bitter of rivals; the Boston Celtics.

Go out and celebrate Laker fans, it's been a long season and a long series but the faith and perseverance have paid off. Vengeance is ours and victory is for us to enjoy!

LAKERS!!!

Ok, I'm sorry, you're normally expecting a full rundown of the teams by now. I'm sorry I'm not going to provide it. It's been done to death already. Instead I'm just going to say: Kobe, Kobe Kobe! Oh wait PAU!!!!

Boston you've been warned, we're coming for you! Not just the championship but for you! I'm sorry but you must be punished for your sins. If you do not agree; Kobe will listen to your grievances. hahahahahahahahaha!

Bye bye Boston!

Oh, It's You Again...

Don't ever let it be said that the Lakers don't know how to put on a show and keep you on the edge of your seats. With the series teetering on the brink the Lakers brought it down right to the wire. Thank you Ron Ron! With so much expected of them you would think the Lakers would be edgy and nervous. You think they would win as quickly as possible. Not this LA team, there called Lake Show for a reason. Finding more than one way to be entertaining is just second nature to them. Whether it's las minute heroics or an offensive barrage, it's never boring.

Now the Lakers are back in the Finals and facing the Celtics. It doesn't get any more exciting than this. Who would have thought the Celtics would over come and make it to the finals?(I think I did, check the posts if you don't believe me!). Only one word comes to mind and that's VENGEANCE! Like Kobe said beating the Celtics in the NBA finals would be icing on the cake.

Not that I needed more reasons to hate the Celtics or hope that the Lakers would crush them but one more reason has made its self known. After the 2008 game 6 in Boston as the Lakers waded through the crowd in the team bus. The tactful gentlemanly Bostonians began to hurl rocks and push the bus. Talk about kicking someone when they're down. It's fine though, it's just more ammo for the arsenal. There was only one person on the team that wasn't there that night and they all vividly remember it. The player that wasn't there was Artest who doesn't really need a reason to hold a grudge.

"It was painful," Lakers forward Pau Gasol said. "It is a feeling that I want to keep in my mind for every single minute that I’m out there playing them."

We've waited all season for this, it's time.

Here We Go Again!

We may have lost two games in a row but don't let that get you down. We'll bounce back, Phoenix are a good team. Our defense will pick up again back in LA. If that doesn't cheer you up then I have some words that might.

President Obama was at it again, yes that's right he was once again declaring the Lakers as favorites. Plus he said Pau Gasol was the best big man in the league. Haven't we heard that some where before.

"I've got to go with the Lakers again," Obama said. "I think Gasol may be the best big man in the league right now. He's different from Dwight Howard, but he's (got) unbelievable footwork, speed, savvy, he's playing magnificently."
"Kobe is the fiercest competitor in the league and they've got what I continue to believe is the best coach in the NBA right now in Phil Jackson, so they're going to be formidable and I think it'll be a tough series. Boston's a veteran club, but the Lakers are looking pretty good."

You don't fool me Mr. President you're really a Laker fan at heart aren't you? It's ok, I don't blame you, I know all too well the allure of the Purple and Gold.

Western Conference Finals Game five is on it's way, what's that Mr. President? You're right we will crush them!

If Pau Were A Jedi?

He can't be stopped, drives to the lane it's a dunk, post him up he's scoring over you, double team him and he is shooting a fade away over you. Yes, you just can't stop Pau Gasol. Who did you think I was talking about? Oh, I bet you thought I was talking about number 24, I don't blame you, easy mistake. However, I was not. Instead I want people to take notice of Gasol and I want to talk about something that has been irking me a little. Pau is the best big man in the league, it's not just bias it's true. Some argue that Dwight Howard is, no, until Dwight gets the skill set and consistency that Pau has then we can consider him. Unbelievers (aka infidels) will mention Dwight's 'dominance' in the paint. Stop it, it is too subjective a description for it to make a valid argument. Let me give you some real evidence, when Pau was acquired, that same year, the Lakers were battling to get into the playoffs. Three months after the Gasol trade the Lakers were in the finals. Last year the Lakers played Orlando in the finals and won, with Pau having his way with Dwight, is that what dominant is? I could go on but I don't need to, I just thought it was time to stick up for my man Pau! (we're friends on facebook!)

Looks like Boston will be greeting us in the Finals. I like to think of Boston as Darth Vader, you know fat and ugly but pretty good with a lightsaber. The Lakers are Obi-wan fighting the evil. Darth Vader may have struck down Obi-wan (see 2008 NBA final) but remember what Obi-wan said, something about becoming more powerful blah blah blah. Well it's true, you may have got us Boston but we're back and we're coming for you!

It's Nothing Personal Phoenix

The Lakers hosted the Suns for the first game of the Western Conference finals and it was non stop Lakers the whole way through. Leaving the Suns wondering what happened, well Phoenix I'll fill you in, Kobe happened. Don't worry you're not the first and you surely won't be the last. It's just what the Mamba does, you shouldn't feel bad.

The reporters now have a definitive answer to their question they asked Kobe whether or not he holds a grudge against Phoenix for knocking the Lakers out of the playoffs two years in a row.

Does 40 points with 21 in the third quarter alone clarify things?

Lamar Odom also played well with 19 points and 19 rebounds. Pau, again deserves another mention for his slick passing and wonderfully skillful offense.

Only a day to wait for the next game let's hope that the Lakers can do the same thing once again to maintain home court advantage.

Phoenix; Nothing Rhymes With Your Name

Western Conference Finals time, the Lakers and Suns will be battling it out to advance to the NBA finals. It's time to check out who is doing what on both teams.

Point Guard

Phoenix

Steve Nash
Any talk of the best point guard in the league and Nash's name has to be mentioned. A great shooter with unnaturally good passing abilities, this Canadian can slice through a teams defense in numerous ways. His pick and roll attack with Stoudemire will be the main attack weapon for the Suns and Steve will have to be on fine form to keep the fast paced Suns playing their style of game.

Los Angeles

Derek Fisher
His shooting has become more and more reliable which isn't surprising considering that the Lakers are getting deeper and deeper into the playoffs where big plays are required. Fisher will have the unenviable task of guarding Mr. Nash and will rely on his strength to limit Nash. Nash is not as quick as guards like Westbrook so Derek's speed won't be exposed. Against Utah, Fisher did a good job containing Deron Williams and will look to continue that defensive intensity. Spreading the floor and putting a body on Steve will be Derek's mission in this series.

Match-up: I have to go with Steve on this because of his unrelenting skill this two time MVP has the experience and mentality to play well at this high level.

Shooting Guard

Phoenix
Jason Richardson
Richardson's game has been improving during the Suns' playoff run. With solid three point shooting he'll want to continue Phoenix's league best three pointing shooting percentage against the league's top three point defense team. Jason has the task of being the first person on the floor to be challenging Kobe. Not what you want, especially since Kobe has recently been hitting his stride.

Los Angeles

Kobe Bryant
Fresh from five consecutive games of thirty points or more, a well rested Kobe Bryant does nothing but set off alarm bells for Phoenix. Kobe is going to be clinical once again with no one on th Phoenix to match his athletic ability, Kobe will want to drive the lane and draw the double team. This will create space on the perimeter for Artest and Derek when he drives and give valuable space inside for Pau and Andrew when the double team comes.


Match-up: Improved game play doesn't quite cut it against the Player of the Decade.


Small Forward

Phoenix

Grant Hill
A reliable consistent player Grant's knowledge and experience helped him contain players like Manu. However Hill will be forced out onto the perimeter to stop Artest's improved three pointers. This will hinder Hill's ability to help against Kobe and it will be interesting to see if Phoenix choose to leave Artest open on the perimeter to try and prevent Kobe making baskets at will.


Los Angeles

Ron Artest
Being snubbed by the NBA all defensive teams doesn't mean he is not one of the best defenders in the league. It just means some people are a bit short sighted. Artest has been a defensive wall during the playoffs and will have a strength advantage against Grant Hill in the coming series. Artest will have a chance to make an offensive impact if he can hit his three and even in the low post. However once again Ron's main duty will be on the defensive end where we will probably see Phil switch Ron between players because of Phoenix's talented bench.

Match-up: Ron Ron is just a better player, here's to you Artest!


Power Forward

Phoenix

Amare Stoudemire
A strong season continues into the playoffs for Amare though his scoring has dipped he still remains very dangerous. However he will have to improve on the defensive end against Pau and Bynum who boast a height advantage. Combined with Nash, Stoudemire will be using the pick and roll offense primarily to attack the Lakers and if they can get easy looks and push the ball with Stoudemire at the head it will be very difficult for the Lakers to contain.

Los Angeles

Pau Gasol
I can not say enough good things about this man. He has been on fire in these playoffs with 65% shooting percentage the Lakers will be wanting, as with the past series, to get the ball into Pau who can put it in the bucket almost at will. If you thought his offense was improved so has his defense, limiting Carlos Boozer throughout the Utah series. Pau will be a huge piece of the puzzle for a Lakers victory.

Match-up: Pau is the best big man in the league, no debate just fact.


Center

Phoenix

Robin Lopez
Coming back from injury Lopez will want to fid his feet again. His main role will be to body up on Bynum and Gasol and try to limit their presence in the paint. It won't be easy since Lopez hasn't played since the end of March. He will undoubtedly have a tough time dealing with the length of LA.

Los Angeles

Andrew Bynum
With his knee worsening Andrew has decided opt for the what-would-Kobe-do? approach and play through the pain. Bynum's presence is a valuable asset for the Lakers and will be crucial for the Lakers in terms of controlling the game. Playing time will probably be limited to twelve to fourteen minute stretches but even that will prove valuable as the young center can be brutal down low. In any case when Bynum does need a rest the walking mismatch that is Lamar will be available.

Match-up: If both these players stay healthy enough to play my money is on Andrew. An incredibly under-rated post player with a size advantage, Bynum could prove to be very influential indeed.


Game Keys:

Phoenix will rely as they have done on their bench players, with an incredibly talented and deep bench Phoenix will want to get everybody involved to really put the pressure on LA. LA will have to impose their will with defense, keeping a body at all times on the Phoenix players to slow them down. In my opinion Lamar is a man that needs to shine this series. He will be crucial during times when the starters rest to help the second unit hold off the Suns.

Lakers:4-2

I've Got My Eye On You Boston!

Creepy picture!

Well the Lakers pushed the Jazz aside to advance to the Western Conference final in which they will face the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers won the last two games in Utah to complete the sweep. In the first game Utah clogged up the paint to try and limit the Laker big man and use a much faster tempo game to try and outrun the Lakers. However this caused a lot of Laker jump shooters to be open and lead to terrific perimeter shooting. This almost worked but Utah couldn't seem to deliver a killer blow and the Lakers scraped a one point win. The second game belonged to Kobe and Pau who made short work of the Jazz and combined for 65 points. It was the fifth consecutive time Kobe has scored more than thirty points. For me the man of the series has to be the scruffy Spaniard, Dr. Pau was clinical with 65% shooting, he continues to get better and better. This will continue against the Suns because once again Pau has an smaller inferior big man guarding him.

Other news around the league is the Celtics knocked Lebron and Cavaliers out of the playoffs. So for all those NBA fans wanting to see Kobe Vs Lebron playoff, it's just too damn bad. I've heard bandwagon fans saying that Laker fans were cheering for the Celtics to win so the Lakers wouldn't see Lebron in the final. I've never heard such a vile and base statement in my life. How dare they! I am both appalled and disgusted. Trust me, the Lakers don't care who we see in the finals, all it is is just another obstacle. Lebron, the Celtics it doesn't matter, they are just a means to an end. Lebron has to prove that he can actually make it to the finals before other fans can start calling Laker fans out about facing him. Maybe next year Cleveland, oh wait that's right, Lebron has his eyes set on other franchises to disappoint.

The Celtics have to face Orlando to complete their journey to the finals. I hope they do make it, not because I'm scared of Orlando (been there done that!) but because I want revenge. We haven't forgotten and it would just make our victory that much sweeter.

So before I go let me give you some advice Laker fans, if you see some Cavalier fans, wait excuse me they're not real, Lebron fans don't say a thing. That's right not a word, just look them in the eye shake your head and walk away. Don't be brought down to their level, leave that to me. Send them to a link here if they continue to argue, I'll be more than happy to deal with them.

Up next a positional breakdown followed by your local news.

Yeah, It's OK, But What Else Have You Got?

The Staples Center did not seem as if the semi-finals of the Western Conference were being played under its roof. The crowd, of course, was there in its multitude but maintained a rather reserved manner during large parts of the game. There was even someone missing in the first game, Jack was not in his usual spot, how bizarre. Compared to Oklahoma the crowd seemed almost silent. But it's nothing to worry about or even a bad thing, like the Lakers themselves the Staples Center crowd is an experienced one and used to going deep into the playoffs. So, with a beat up Utah coming to town wins were expected and wins were received. The Staples Center enjoyed the victories in a quiet contentment with an almost expectant demeanor. Laker fans have but one thing in mind and that's another ring on the finger's of their purple and gold armored knights. Once that victory is sealed then there will be cause for celebration, then there will be a parade no other NBA team could possibly even hope to receive, then you will see the fans explode in a passionate fury of Laker glory. Until then the Laker fans will be waiting with anticipation waiting to give the Lakers a boost when truly needed and not just gratuitous fan fare that lesser teams are used to.

Speaking about lesser teams, the Utah Jazz with their much reduced team, missing two starters and significantly undersized against the Lakers, struggled to deal with the skilled Laker front men. Pau, Bynum and Lamar cleaned the glass, shot with precision and protected the hoop. This was the key to the two victories for the Lakers, pounding the ball inside and suffocating the paint. Pau deserves a special mention for his continued outstanding play and in my opinion is one of the best performing players in the playoffs at the moment, PAU! There was that other guy Kobe who scored more than 30 points for the third consecutive time but who cares about what he does on the court, check this out!

Razz-A-Ma-Tazz it's the Jazz!

Round two and here it goes the Utah Jazz ready to slug it out. As I did with the First Round I have broken down each individual starting position. Let's get down to business.

Point Guard

Los Angeles

Derek Fisher
Fish has steadily become more productive on the offensive end during the past month and is starting to nail those threes. However his assignment will be tough when dealing with Deron Williams who is probably one of the best point guards in the league. Derek's ability to spread the floor on offense will be key to give the bigs in the paint some space to operate. Also that invaluable experience that can keep a team grounded during intense playoff games.

Utah

Deron Williams
Williams is an all round player, he passes with precision, has a great jump shot, and the strength to rebound effectively. His defense isn't too shabby either. It won't be the case that the Lakers contain Deron but rather make him slightly less effective. Williams will have to the job of getting his teammates going with his passsing and filling in the gaps with his shooing.

Match up: I have to give this to Deron he is just too good and will be a main focus of defensive pressure.

Shooting Guard

Los Angeles

Kobe Bryant
Kobe has been looking healthier and stronger as each games is played. His shot is starting to zero in, the elevation is back and the determination is still burning strong. Kobe is probably going to be switching on defense, helping teammates out against Deron, Carlos and his counter part shooting guard. Look for Kobe to be clinical and lethal as he will have the size advantage and experience in his favor.

Utah

Wesley Mathews
When you look at the defensive assignments and you see your detail has the number 24 you know it's going to be a long series, especially when you're a rookie. Wesley is now in the direct path of the only thing that Kobe cares about and that's another championship. Mathews will have to hustle and continue to prove that he needs to be guarded. This will keep Kobe on him and give the other players a little room without Mamba hands reaching in.

Match up: Come on it's Kobe against a rookie.

Small Forward

Los Angeles

Ron Artest
Well, this is simple, defense that's all that matters, stop the other team putting the ball in the bucket by being so close to them that siamese twins have more personal space. It's what he's here for and it's what he's been doing, holding Kevin Durant to a full five points below his regular season scoring average. It wouldn't hurt to have Artest display some of his offensive abilities a bit more.

Utah

CJ Miles
In Kirlenko's spot due to injury Miles won't have the defensive presence as Andre but will be able to spread the floor a little more with his much more potent three point shooting. The Lakers will have to be aware of his ability to cut to the basket that gave Denver problems.

Match up: Ron Artest's defensive ability will shine through once again.

Power Forward

Los Angeles

Pau Gasol
His efficiency on the offensive end is almost mind boggling and his length bothers players all across the ene-b-a. His defensive assignment will be tough considering he will have to contend the powerful boozer and punish Williams for trespassing in his territory. The Lakers will be using Pau to establish their presence in the paint and use it as an anchor for their offense. They will use Pau's length again to gain an advantage on the smaller Jazz.

Utah

Carlos Boozer
Mr. Boozer is going to have problems dealing with the length and quickness of Pau, Bynum and Lamar who can close out Boozer's jump shot and contest him at the rim. Deron will have to be good at finding an open Carlos to make use of his offensive abilities. On the defensive end Pau's length and skill set will make life very difficult for Boozer.

Match up: Pau with his length and abilities will get the better of Boozer who has previously struggled against the Lakers.

Center

Los Angeles

Anderew Bynum
If Bynum's injury doesn't prove to be limiting than Bynum will have a serious advantage against the undersized bigs of Utah. With his powerful post moves and ability to block shots, it will be defense that Phil will have his young center focusing on and it's defense where Andrew can make his biggest contributions.

Krylo Fesenko
Stepping into the injured Mehmet Okur's shoes, Fesenko will have to use his bigger body to give Utah some presence down low. Rebounds, rebounds and more rebounds to limit second chance opportunities that the Lakers will sure look to capitilize upon.

Match up: As long as Bynum doesn't have too many problems with his knee, Bynum will have the length, ability and strength to really dominate on the low post.


The Jazz will be relying heavily on Williams to drive and organize their offense. The familiar call of "Stockton to Malone" may be a thing of the past but what you will hear now is "Williams to Boozer" which is just as effective.

The Lakers will be turning their heads to Kobe and Pau to be the dynamic duo to drive the offense and close out games. Not a bad combination if you ask me.

Match up: Lakers 4-2

Pau In Your Face!

That scruffy Spaniard helped the Lakers move through the first round of the playoffs by tipping in a missed Kobe jump shot with 0.5 seconds left in the game, putting the Lakers up by one point to win the game.

The Jazz are the next opponent the Lakers face and as before I will have a starting lineup positional breakdown.

Now we can take a look to see the results of the first round and see how many I got right.

I picked Denver to win, whoops! Then I picked Phoenix over Portland 4-2 got that one nailed. Then I picked Dallas over San Antonio, though I almost did pick San Antonio I didn't. I got 1 out of 3 not so good, perhaps I can do better next time. Good thing I don't gamble.

Proud of You!

Well it's good to see the Lakers doing something useful, I guess.

Razzle Dazzle!

All doubts, all fears, all criticisms swept aside and left to suffer a miserable death in the gutter. The Lakers welcomed the Thunder back to LA with open arms and then crushed the life out of them. They didn't even have a chance. Right from the tip off the Lakers went 10-0 up and continued through the entire games to make the Thunder look like deers caught in the headlights.

The Lakers did everything right, defense, offense, hustling, passing, everything. It was a sight to see and it was the first time in a long time the Lakers looked like the NBA champions that they are. While everyone did a fantastic job two players stand out the most and that is Pau with his 25 point and 11 rebounds and Kobe Bryant who hustled and lead the team with ferocity. The Thunder were just never going to win this one.

The Lakers made it seem that the team that has boundless energy ready to always fight back look like they had nothing left in the tank.

"It was tough to fight back. Once we tried to, we didn't have any more energy left." Durant

Back we go to Oklahoma to see if this spark will carry into the Ford Center in front of the maniacal Oklahoma crowd.

My Man With A Plan

The Thunder are soon going to regret what they have just done. Phil among others does not like losing and when Phil says things like “We’re going to get this thing turned around tomorrow.” Good times are ahead for the purple and Gold and it's about time.

Phil has gone back and taken a good hard look at this series and has come up with his diagnosis.

“Oklahoma (City) is inconsiderate so much of our team speed that they’ll throw all five of their guys at the boards without defensive balance, and we’re unable to take advantage of it,” he said. “The same thing at the other end of the court. We can do a couple things about that, and we’ll take advantage of it."

Come on Lakers. it's game time!

Sigh...

Well apparently the Thunder want to continue past the first round and it seems like the Lakers are content for them to do so. Guess what happened again to the Lakers, that's right poor shooting an lackluster play. I think I've mentioned this before. Hopefully a return home will get our boys back into the groove and put us past these pesky kids. I'm too depressed to write anymore. I'm going to go sulk in my room.

You May Have Won This Battle

You've got to hand it to the Thunder, they don't stop. An impressive rally late in the game resulted in a come from behind win for Oklahoma. The Lakers controlled the game until the end of the third quarter and then suddenly went completely limp on offense. Kobe went 1 for 10 in the fourth quarter, very un-mamba like.

With a boisterous crowd unrelenting in their support for the home team, the Thunder used their aggressiveness and speed to etch out a win. The Thunder had 22 more free throws then the Lakers and swarmed the paint again which resulted in LA settling for jump shots which they refused to make.

It's no surprise that Oklahoma won this with so much energy behind them and well balanced team effort. However I doubt they've rattled the champs who will come be looking for blood and believe me when I tell you Kobe won't miss in the next fourth quarter. Ever heard of the phrase don't poke the sleeping bear, well Oklahoma are poking fairly viciously and in the next game we will see if they've awoken the beast.

Blowouts Just Aren't Our Style

No matter what happened in the game it's a win, say it again with me, it's a win. A win that sent the Los Angeles Lakers 2-0 up against the Thunder.

With lack luster offensive play LA scraped out a win in the dying seconds of the game. Never really panicking but not truly inspiring either. The Lakers did what they always do and made the game more difficult than it needed to be. That in itself is quite a talent. Instead of repeating a solid performance of pounding the ball inside to the big men, they felt quite content to float up soft layups and poor shots that helped the Thunder acquire 17 blocked shots. Despite a lull in the end of the second quarter LA's defense stayed tight and kept them in the ball game while Kobe pulled the Lakers kicking and screaming to the other end to put the ball in the basket and keep LA in the game.

Despite the flaws it was good to see Kobe doing what he does best and scoring points. He looked a lot less troubled by the injuries that would bring mere mortals to their knees. Kobe was able to slice through the defense pick his shots and his elevation on the jump shots seemed much improved. You honestly didn't think that Kobe was going to become on non factor for the Lakers did you? Well, 39 points argues otherwise.

"After 13 years," smirked Bryant, "you think they'd know better."

Now it will be off to Okalahoma where the Thunder will be looking to impress their fans. LA seems to play particularly well in hostile grounds so Oklahoma shouldn't take anything too lightly. Oh yeah there is another guy who plays well against adversity, what is his name again?

This Be The House Of Bynum!

There's one in the pocket, LA controlled Oklahoma to win the first game of the series. In any series Jackson has coached when he wins the first game he has always won the series.

It turns out that the warnings about Bynum were correct, who went out onto the court and established himself, making it perfectly clear whose court the Thunder were trespassing upon. An early warning sent by Bynum straight into Jeff Green's chest set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Lakers did an outstanding job making the Thunder feel as uncomfortable as possible and did it with Kobe severely out of rhythm resulting in a poor shooting night. Don't worry about Kobe it's still early, he'll be fine.

If the Lakers keep this type of play going the Thunder will be unceremoniously removed from the playoffs very quickly.

Keep that quiet confidence going Laker fans and hold your head up high, it's looking good.

In the Red Corner...

There is one bit of news about one certain player that Oklahoma will be having serious concerns over. That player's name is not Kobe, it's not even Pau but one Mr. Andrew Bynum. That's right, he's back and with his return the Lakers revert back to the nightmare match up team that haunts the NBA. Your boys are back.

As promised I've broken down each starting position and have done a comparison of the Lakers and Thunder.

Point Guard

Los Angeles

Derek Fisher
There has been a lot of criticism around the wily veteran, mainly about his speed and his defensive ability to stay in front of younger and faster guards. These criticisms do have validity but there are many more reasons to keep the old man on the court. The toughness, the leadership, the experience, all of these traits will be crucial in the games to come. Derek's role will be clear, close down the perimeter shooters and funnel the opposition into the two seven footers behind him. There is a reason that this man is co captain with the best player in the world and don't forget it.

Oklahoma City

Russel Westbrook
What Fisher has in age Westbrook has in youth. The young guard will be looking to use all his speed to get a jump on Fisher hoping he can create space for Durant. With the length of the Lakers he will probably be looking to dish inside rather than drive to the bucket himself. He's going to have to close down Fish on the perimeter and not fall asleep, like a lot of guards do, allowing Fish to get superior positioning to hit those dagger threes that he loves so much.

Match up: Fisher is the favorite here due solely to his experience, nobody can teach that.

Shooting Guard

Los Angeles

Kobe Bryant
Well, there isn't much to be said that hasn't been said before. One of the most prolific scorers of a generation Kobe is a danger to any opponent. If Kobe's injuries don't hamper him it is always a mighty chore to slow this man down. All eyes will be on him to be the fire burning under the Laker juggernaut.

Oklahoma City

Thabo Sefolosha
It will be this man's duties to do the near impossible, contain Kobe. However if there is one player out there suited for the job it's Thabo. Probably one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, Thabo has already given Bryant difficulties this year and was a main factor in Bryant's season high nine turnovers against the Thunder. But these are different times and a different Kobe, will lightening strike twice?

Match up: It has to go to Kobe the man's a voice of a generation or is that Kanye?

Small Forward

Los Angeles

Ron Artest
Ron's task will be to glue himself to Durant. Seems straight forward enough and I think Ron will be savoring the task, this is the reason he was brought to LA and this is his chance to prove that he is still the defensive force we all expect him to be.

Oklahoma City

Kevin Durant
Kevin has a mighty big task ahead of him. He his going to have to put the team on his shoulders and make a bold statement against the Lakers. With his recent scoring barrage big things are expected, can the young forward live up to the hype? Being in Artest's cross hairs it's not going to be easy but he does have the skills to challenge the champs, but one has to question his mentality.

Match up: I think we have to go with Durant in this one because the whole team will be looking to get Durant's offense going early, they need him to be on top form.

Power Forward

Los Angeles

Pau Gasol
The scruffy Spaniard is a huge offensive threat that very few can contain. He is an integral part of the offense and I think the Lakers will be using him to establish dominance down low from the get go. With his much improved defense Pau is vital to his team and has deserved his paycheck. His role is just to keep on going.

Oklahoma

Jeff Green
With a size disadvantage, Green will be looking to spread the floor and get Pau out of position. On the defensive end try to disrupt Pau and keep the ball out of Pau's hands, which will a mighty task indeed. His role will be to do anything he can to disrupt Pau's rhythm and keep him away from the low post.

Match up: It has to go Pau with his near endless offensive abilities Gasol is a major threat.

Center

Los Angeles

Andrew Bynum
He's back and itching to go. This young center wants to pick up where he keeps leaving off. His first real playoff run this man mountain's main concern will be defense, defense, defense. Bynum will look to establish his presence in the paint and attach himself to any ball that needs a home. Offensively he will be looking to clean the glass and put back missed shots with authority.

Oklahoma

Nenad Krstic
The lanky center will be trying to use his length to get those all important rebounds and block shots. Defense will be key for Nenad and for the Thunder. This young Serbian will try and spread the floor on the offensive end with his face up shooting and try to catch the slower Andrew Bynum flat footed.

Match up: Bynum edges Kristic out due to his superior low post abilities. It helps when Abdul-Jabaar is your training partner.

Bench

Los Angeles
With Lamar Odom ,the third best Laker, returning to the bench it's hard for any team to match that ability and depth. The bench should be looking to keep the energy going throughout the game and use their depth to expose the Thunder and rip open games.

Oklahoma
This bench will be hoping that it can exploit any complacency or lack luster play that the Lakers might show. If their is a chink in the armor they will have to pursue it with ferocity. This will be how they win the series.

Match up: The Lakers are too deep and talented on paper now they just have to live up to it.

Overall: This series is the Lakers' to lose and the Thunder will be more than happy to assist the defending champions in giving up their crown. The Lakers need to execute their offense, control the tempo and use their size on the inside. If the Lakers assume their respectful roles this series is a lock down. The Thunder will have to rally around Durant and bring the game to the Lakers to hope for an upset, stranger things have happened.

See you at game time!

Dance, Dance Little Puppet!

The Zen Master is weaving his wily webs once again, already probing the the mental stability of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Saying that Kevin Durant gets preferential treatment from the refs. Not an original claim, one that has been stated by Kevin Garnett before, but definitely a well timed one. Kevin Durant has already fired back falling straight into the trap, claiming that Phil was being disrespectful to his game. I think someone forgot to tell Kevin the more you kick and fight the tighter the grip becomes, silly Kevin.

Though Mr. Durant has the skill set, he needs to be aware of mental toughness, especially in playoff time. If he thinks Phil was disrespectful wait until he hears the words coming out of Artest's mouth, I'm reasonably assured he won't be whispering sweet nothings to the young star.

This makes you glad that our players especially Kobe can rise above all of this as Andy Kamenetzky from Espn remarked "Kobe Bryant wouldn't bat an eye in this situation. He'd just smile, offer up a reasonably clever one-liner, then go about his business, which is typically going out and destroying whatever team features said detractor. But he'd definitely go out of his way to portray indifference."
Kobe probably receives the most criticism out of anybody in the NBA so it is safe to say that if Durant is serious about establishing his presence in the league he's going to have to take several leaves out of Kobe's giant volume of books.

Hey! This Isn't About the Lakers!

You wanted it, you got it! Here it is the Western Conference Playoff rundown. I'll exclude the Lakers and Thunder for the moment because there will be a much more detailed article about that in the days to come. I can hear you shaking with glee.

I've been looking over the teams and the series match up and I've got to say this is going to be one tough playoff run for every team involved. It's going to be tricky to predict the winners here, but hey, I'll give it a go.

Denver and Utah will play each other in the first round. Two power houses that have no love loss between each other. This promises to be a gritty series with Denver using its muscle to try and deal with Utah but that doesn't mean Utah are weak, they will give as good as they get. What will be especially interesting will be the battle of the point guards, Deron Williams and Chauncey Billups. Deron has really shown himself this season and runs the offense with precision as well as being a scoring threat himself. Chauncey has come to Denver in a seamless transition and has demonstrated his maestro ability orchestrating the team. The keys for Utah will be tempo, they will have to push on the offensive end and slow Denver down on defense. Denver will have to use it's size and athletic ability down low. These two teams are very similar so it could really go any way. I'm going to go with Denver just because they have a slightly better interior game, with the likes of Nene and Andersen however we will see how well they do with their coach struggling with throat cancer, it could prove to be a distraction or an inspiration, we shall see.
Denver 4-3

Phoenix will take on Portland in this series. Again two teams that are not at all dissimilar both like a faster tempo, small lineup. I think Phoenix will be able to edge Portland slightly out of their game because they are a much faster, high scoring team. I just don't think Portland's defense will be able to stop the quick scoring pace of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Brandon Roy will continue to be a thorn in their side and it will be on his shoulders that Portland will win and he is more than capable of doing just that. Portland will have to take care of the ball, prevent turn overs and hustle back on transition defense, easier said than done. Phoenix will have to keep Amare moving on offense and not fall into the trap of focusing too much of their defense on Brandon Roy. I'm going to give this one to Phoenix because of the fluid offense they are able to produce.
Phoenix 4-2

Finally we have Dallas and San Antonio. This one is interesting because we just don't know what San Antonio team will show up. Will they be solid reliable vets using their potent basketball knowledge or will they be the slow old men staying up past their bed time. Dirk Nowitzki is going to provide a lot of problems for the Spurs spreading the floor where San Antonio would prefer to remain in zone defense. Tony Parker is going to have to go to his quickness to out pace Jason Kidd and Ginnobli will have to have his scoring hat on to provide the spark on offense. If those two get on a roll it will be extremely difficult for Dallas to keep up. Let's not forget Mr. Duncan whose post game will be very lucrative against the slack defense of Dirk. So, that job will probably fall to Haywood who is going to have to show all of his defensive prowess in dealing with Tim. Dallas will have to pick up its defensive intensity to contain and dishearten the Spurs, they are extremely vulnerable when they don't get into a rhythm. San Antonio will have to make sure their offense is oiled up and ready to go. In my opinion they should let Dirk do all of Dallas' work on offense and keep players like Caron Butler and Jason Kidd quiet. This will allow San Antonio to control the pace something that will help establish their rhythm. I'm going to go with Dallas, it was very close and I nearly went with San Antonio but I think the energy that Dallas will have will be the final victor.
Dallas 4-2

Lambs to the Slaughter

The Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. This is the first time The Thunder have made post season and I am sure they're eager to show what they can do. However, it's not always fun when th first team you have to play are the defending champions with eyes on repeating. On paper The Lakers should brush these youngins aside without too much difficulty but these kids have proven to be feisty. The Lakers' job is simple use their size and Oklahoma will surely crumble.

If the Lakers win against the Clippers and the Magic lose against Philadelphia then The Lakers will regain home court advantage over Orlando if they meet again in the Finals, which is not out of the realms of possibility.

Before the playoffs start I will give you a complete rundown of the Western Conference and maybe the Eastern one if they're lucky! Aswell as a position by position break down of the Lakers and Thunder. I know you're excited and brimming with anticipation but you're just going to have to wait!

Cheerio Laker fans!

Thou Art Blessed

The NBA world remains a balanced and harmonious place as the Lakers rightfully clinched the Western Conference number one seed. It is the third year in a row they have done so. This is excellent news and it is cause for much merriment!

We may have lost in Denver but that is ok, because we were without Mr. Bryant. Who, is being rested because of a swollen knee and his injured index finger is sore. We have nine days to rest him since the next few games this season don't matter to us at all. Very good news, because a well rested, healed Kobe is a very potent thing indeed. It's like sharpening our finest sword in anticipation for the battle ahead. It's going to be gritty but the Lakers will be ready.

Now we will just kick back and wait to see who will be the first up in the playoffs, could it be the Spurs or will it be Portland. My money is on the Spurs but who knows what will happen.

I dismiss thee to go be fruitful and celebrate!

Who Is This Guy?

That's it, that's all you need.

Now I'm Not One To Worry But...

Stressed? Yeah, a little bit. Worried? Very much so. The Lakers were pounded on by the Spurs recently adding to grey hairs amassing on all Lakers fans' heads from this season. I don't know what to do, the Lakers it seems are refusing to lay down the law. They are procrastinating to the point where it seems they will never establish dominance once and for all.

Are they just going to flip a switch in the post season and everything will be alright? Is it what PJ said that they have not been able to establish a rhythm in the season but will have a better chance when they are against a team for a seven game series? Well, there are no real answers at the moment we will just have to take each game as it comes and hope there is a fire burning some where deep inside our Lakers.

I'm Sorry Mr. Bryant, Did You Have Other Plans?

It's official, number 24 is keeping his rightful place amongst the Purple and Gold. Kobe Bryant has just signed a three year contract with the Lakers, it's not surprising but it is always nice to have that ink drying on the paper. I don't know about you but I can sleep better at night knowing that the legend is staying exactly where his destiny demands.

On another note the Lakers beat the Jazz who before losing this game were tied with two other teams for the second seed in the Western Conference, crazy huh? It is highly possible that the Lakers will play the Jazz during the playoff run and tonight we sent a message to all Western Conference teams by soundly beating Utah. The Lakers started strong but then conceded ground in the second and third quarter bringing the score line to just a four point difference. However in the fourth quarter Lamar happened and within minutes the Lakers had a nineteen point lead. The Jazz just couldn't compete with the long limbs of Gasol and Odom despite some inspired play making by Deron Williams. Seriously, the dude has laser precision passing. The Lakers played as a team and showed that when they set their defense up the offense just comes naturally.

It's good to see the Lakers executing on both ends of the floor something that plagued them on their recent road trip. Next up is San Antonio who are another playoff team looking to secure their position. I say bring them on, bring on everybody, come on NBA let's see what you've got!

Remember Me?

Hey Everybody! I know I'm sorry it's been a while in fact it has been over a week. I'm sorry I've been a little busy and I've had some internet issues, apparently if you don't pay them they cut you off! Who knew?

Unfortunately my blogging has been about as good as the Lakers recently. A five game road trip has once again ended in tears. The whole trip just seemed flat footed, we got a couple of wins but let's be honest we should have been aiming to win them all, especially at this point of the season. I've said it a few times already and I find myself once again repeating myself (I'm not even drunk yet), the Lakers need to start taking this seriously. Playoffs are too close for this amateur hour we can't just sit around and hope we repeat the championship we need to actually step forward and do it.

It's not all doom and gloom let's take a look at a few bright spots. The major thing I noticed was Phil's tinkering and adjusting of the rotation. Phil was keeping the bench playing a lot longer than he normally does and at points down the stretch the bench definitely stayed on the court longer than usual. Is this Phil feeling out the team from all angles while the games aren't really important? I think so, the playoff spot is secured and we are in a strong position for the number one seed. The more Phil can utilize all the players on the team the better he can coach them. We are a stronger team when the coach is aware of all aspects of the team and you can only find that out by trying different mixtures. A rut can be a very dangerous problem indeed, you know Denver are studying the tapes!

So let's hope that Phil knows what he was doing, I just don't know if ten championships is enough experience. I think we will just to have to hold our collective breath and wait and see.

You Said It Best.

I don't usually do this nor do I admit that I could not add a few points. However this article has everything that I could possibly say about the Lakers at the moment. Especially about Bynum and Lamar, if you don't believe me check the earlier blogs. Also this article is subtle but far more insightful than anybody or anything that you will read out there. Let me give you an introduction, this interview is with Craig Hodges, the shooting coach for the Lakers. I won't ruin anything for you, this man knows basketball and even more important knows the Lakers. Reread this as much as possible because otherwise you will miss lot of things. Now sit back, relax and learn!

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5002714

Lend Me Your Ears.

A message with purpose, a statement without words, a full hearted testimony of the desires and wants of the people. This is what the Lakers and their fans are reaching for and the ascension of this quest is nearing its arrival. A five game road trip starting in San Antonio is on the horizon and what greater stage can be laid before us to make a resounding statement that we shall be champions once again.

This is more than just an end of season road trip, this is the time, this is the place where we lay our fist with force upon the table and declare to the world, that we will not lay down and watch idly by, we will not be threatened or intimidated. We will draw a line in the sand and proclaim that the NBA championship will go through us.

The road is ahead of us Laker fans and we will walk the entire path with each footstep more assured than the last. This is our era, our time in history, this is our dynasty!

Who's Doing the Math? Seriously Who?

When watching a basketball game the one thing that really stands out to me is the amount of numbers that are flung all around the place. The commentators love to hurl a barrage of numbers here there and everywhere. They seem to have an endless supply and they have numbers for everything. The last Laker game the announcer gave us numbers for the percentage of Jordan Farmar's shooting when Kobe is on the floor compared to when Kobe is off the floor. Who is keeping track of this? Who cares?

Well,not to be one left out (I'm going to do what the cool kids do!) I felt that we should bring in some friendly numbers just because I can.

The Lakers are averaging 102.6 points per game this season 6th overall in the NBA. Opponents are averaging just 96.6 points a game 9th best in the NBA.

The last game against the Wizards the Lakers grabbed 69% of the rebounds, which really shows how the length can just dominate a game. It's the highest percentage of rebounds won by a Laker team since the introduction of the 24 second shot clock.

Now it's the rapid fire round, shooting percentage 45.9%, three point percentage 34.3%, free throw percentage 77%.

The length of the starting five is thirty three and a half feet. That's bigger than King Kong who clocks in at twenty five feet.

Until next time!

Who Do You Think You Are?

RANT


Professional journailists often like to veer toward sensationalism to get noticed and get people to read their tripe. We here at this humble blog don't like to wander down that road. We like to go down the path of well written, informative and down-right hilarious. We've yet to manage any of our aims but perfection is something we like to leave to Kobe. And it is on that matter I want your ears. A Rollingstone journalist called Matt Taibbi has just written an article stating that Kobe isn't the best player in the NBA. We've heard all that before but this buffoon has gone one further and said that Kobe is only the third best player. 3rd. Third. However, you write it it's ugly. Ugly. Wrong. Slanderous and just plain stupid.
There's no prizes for guessing that LeBron James is Taibbi's pick for best player but he's gone for Kevin Durant as the runner up. Now I know none of you will agree with this complete and utter crap being written and that I don't think I even need to begin listing the eighty-one billion reason as to why Taibbi is wrong but I feel we should let this award winning journalist know that he can't get away with this. We have to stand up for our hero.
I've tried to hunt down an email address for all hate mail to be sent to but Taibbi considers himself too much of a celebrity to let me have one but here's his blog addresses http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/taibbiunbound/ and http://taibbi.rssoundingboard.com/
send your hate mail there.

Fact Time Fun!

Here comes your second dose of Laker fact greatness, I'm not even sure that makes sense but I just don't care! Ok just to recap quickly I am providing a fact that proves Lakers are great so you can dazzle and amaze your friends and humiliate your enemies. Without further ado.

The silhouette on the NBA logo is the that of Jerry West.



Jerry West was a great Laker and is still heavily involved in the Laker franchise. Let's break it down shall we.

NBA=Great
Jerry West=Great Laker
Therefore;
Lakers=Great

It's just that easy!

The NBA chose a great LAKER to use as their symbol, a picture (or silhouette) is worth a thousand words!

If I were a betting man...

I'm feeling good, are you feeling good? Good. The Lakers are feeling good too, beating the Suns and the Warriors all the while Denver lost giving us some extra padding for that number one seed that is calling our name.

It's almost playoff time and that means we are getting to that time of the year when we get to see whose predictions were right (mine) and those predictions that were wrong (everyone who disagrees with me). So, just to have a little fun I'm going to map out the Lakers' Western Conference playoff run based on current seed positions.

First round and first up for the mighty Lakers we have Portland. The one we have to watch out for here is Brandon Roy (good name by the way) an incredible player who gives any defense problems, we need to be on him early. However, Roy's not armed with the best backup since Portland's starting big men are out for the season the Lakers are going to use their size to really pound on the Blazers and over a series that will be enough to break down Portland's defense, my prediction: 4-1 Lakers, I put the one in there because the Rose Garden has kryptonite under the floor boards.

Second Round, now we are at the point where I get to just make things up, I like this part. I've put Utah up next and here we have Mr. Boozer, however once again the matchups are going to prove our ace in the hole. The Lakers length really bother Utah and Lamar is a paticular thorn in their side. If the Lakers are playing to win then there is very little Utah can do, my prediction: 4-0 Lakers.

Third round and here comes Denver! It's a Western Conference finals rematch but this time Mr. Billups is around, but that's ok we've got Ron Ron. This is going to be the series to follow. Denver are not too pleased to have waited yet another year to see a trip to the finals and they've got a chip on their shoulder. The Lakers need to be ready to stand up and brawl it out (not literally Ron). The Nuggets aren't going to go away easily but we do have the deeper more talented bench. Lamar needs to really push himself on this one because he is the key to wearing down the Nuggets over the series. Energy and execution off the bench are key we can't afford to let Denver build momentum, they won't give it up easily. Our bench will win this for us, my prediction: 4-2 Lakers. Home court advantage is a wonderful thing.

Hey, look at that the Lakers are back in the finals, who would've guessed?
We'll have to wait and see who the East throw up as a road block but there are plenty of contenders wanting a piece of glory. All we can do is sit back and enjoy the show.

Fact Time Fun!

We here at Purple and Gold know what it is like to be there in the big bad world and to be up against the 'other' fans of the NBA. I feel it is important that Laker fans are armed against all types of Lakersoganists (yes it is a new word that I have created, it means Laker haters, another first at Purple and Gold, alright!). The articles that we write are designed to help people have a better understanding of Laker basketball with an insightful look into the general overtones of the Lakers. However, I think it is also important to have cold hard facts to throw in the face of all those doubters in the world. When an argument has reached a head and there is no convincing the stubborn idiot then a swift reliable fact is always a good way to end the conversation as the victor. That is why I have decided to implement a new theme to the blog. Twice a week I'm going to supply you, the reader, with a fact about the Lakers greatness to use how you see fit. So, to start it all off I will give you your first fact.

Kobe Bryant has as many game winning shots as the Nets have won games.

Kobe game winning shots this season = 7
Nets total games won this season = 7

Therefore Purple and Gold deduce, Kobe > Nets

What do you think Laker fans, is it more likely for Kobe to get another game winner or the Nets to win another game?
Can Kobe defeat the enitire New Jersey Nets by himself? Yes.

Basketball Diaries.....continued.

Ok, it's rant time, I've grown frustrated and annoyed, I know it's hard to believe but that is where I find myself. I was in a bar, once again, to find myself talking to a 'Lakers' fan. Finally I found an ally, or so I thought. The filth that was coming out of this guy's mouth was just despicable. He had the audacity to criticize Pau, for all that scruffy Spaniard has done for us, I was not about to hear these unjustified accusations. He was telling me that Pau, was a terrible player and that we should trade him. "Ok", I said, "who do you suppose that we should get to replace Pau?" His response typified his understanding of basketball and his basic reasoning skills. A quality point guard was his answer. I'm not even going to go into all the details of why this was a stupid response but I will give you the main reasons. The triangle offense doesn't require a traditional point guard to run it's offense. It relies on the guess what, the triangle, that is anchored in the low post. Also why give up one of the best big men in the league. Pau's too soft his constant cry, yes, Pau is too soft but everybody has some weakness you don't just trade someone and screw up a team just for one weakness, you won't have any players left if you do.

Then came his cries of the Lakers suck, hah! Yes, he actually said those words! My reply was, "Yes, I see how you can say that about the team with second best record in the NBA and the team at the top of the Western Conference, point well made, thanks for that." I couldn't take it anymore so I left. However, it didn't end there, during the game against the Raptors, he was text messaging me and I shall quote the exact words that were written.
"Lakers aint not goinga to win. Artest looka like Charlie Murphy. Im diein with lafter."
I ignored the spelling atrocities that weren't necessary, even in a text message,I also just ignored the message. Then at half time the next message was:
"Laker loosin. we goinga keep loosin game ovar. Lebron wins."
Now, this was just butchering the English language and that's just not right. Loose, means it's not tight, lose with one 'o' is the opposite of win, please to all those people that spell it like he did, get it right. Anybody with an education of a ten year should be able to get that right and if they don't, then it will be a word I'm sure they will become very familiar with in life. I'm not even sure what he meant by Lebron wins, we were playing Toronto! We won by the way.

Now Serving Number 17

It's no suprise that the Lakers are playing slack right now. No, a three game losing streak isn't good. No, being eight points down to the Raptors at half time isn't good. But worry not good people. All will be well. I'm sure of it and if I'm sure then you should be sure too (this is Tom writing by the way).

My favourite number just so happens to be the reason why. 17. There are 17 games left before the playoffs. Anything can happen in that time. Celtic fans will tell you we could lose all of them. Save your breath and let the deluded leprechauns dream. Bynum's jersey is also 17 and every game he plays he is becoming more and more dominant. Don't believe me, well, just keep watching.

Right now our heroes in purple and gold are coasting. We are all painfully aware of that. They don't have much to play for right now and every team raises their game against us. They'll play harder against us than anyone else. We are the Champions after all. So in the next 17 games, expect to see the Lakers up the ante as the business end of the season nears. Phil may try a few new combinations and plays. Some little niggles and strains will also be sorted and rested. When the playoffs arrive the boys will have their groove and be ready!

If that doesn't seem good enough and you want more right now, then let me draw your attention to this. Even though we lost against Orlando, it was a tough game. We played hard and lost against a good team. No harm in that. We didn't play our best but showed some metal. Good enough for me for the time being. Against Toronto, after a dismal first half and a half time rallying cry from Fish, we came out and played much better and won. Again, we didn't play that well but improved. Improved is good enough for the moment. Let's keep improving and in 17 games time, we'll be world beaters again. 17.

Charge!

A three game road trip against Eastern Conference teams ended in disaster with nothing but losses to teams that we should beat. This has left laker fans reeling in the wake of such an atrocity. I, as I'm sure many of you, feel that the Lakers should win every game they face, why not? We are the defending champions, we are a deep and talented team, then why all the losing? There are only excuses to be offered and to be honest excuses are not enough. The team has only themselves to blame. What is really going on is arrogance and complacency.

The Lakers have realized that they are incredibly talented and can stroll through games. They play when they want and still win, however there is a flip side to this, sometimes, I hate to say it, they lose. They lose not because they are the inferior team but they get out hustled, out worked and have no sense of urgency resulting in sub-par performances. This isn't good enough, playoffs are around the corner and it's time to start hitting our stride.

There is a difference in the Laker team this year than last year. Last year, though we did have a similar problem, we always rose to the tough occasions set out for us in regular season. We beat Boston and Cleveland last year, we put in the extra effort when it was required. This year it's just not the same, I've rarely seen the sense of determination that would flash up last year. Only when Kobe was injured did I see such a thing. Now, there are some reasons why, last year we got humiliated in the finals (it still hurts to think about it) and we had something to prove. This year we are champions, there's nothing to prove. All we have to do is get by and that is all we are doing. It is not something that Laker fans want to see, a great team just 'getting by'. We should be out crushing and destroying. Teams should fear our arrival like a coastal town being raided by Vikings. We should be looting and plundering all in our path!

It's time for the Lakers to rise and take what is rightfully theirs! The sleeping giant must awake before it's too late. Let out the battle cries! C'mon Laker fans it's time to get ready for the onslaught!

By the way have you seen Ron Artest's hair recently, what goes through that man's head?!

Please?

Dear Mr. Bryant,

Hey man, how's it going? I'm glad that your ankle is feeling better, hopefully that finger will get better too. I see LA is looking good this time of year, good weather, I'm not sure I can handle another Cleveland winter, man it's too cold!
Do you remember China last year? Good times, I can't believe we won gold it was great, you really pulled us out against Spain, thanks man.
Now the reason I'm writing to you is because I just want to ask you a favor, being good friends I don't think it's too far out of the question. So let me just get straight to the point, can I win the championship this year? Please? C'mon man, you've got four! Do you really need five? Shaq's too old man, I can't do everything by myself. We even got this Antawn guy but it's not enough. What more can I do? You just got to let me have it, every one is starting to talk, it's embarrassing, I just can't seem to pull it out! You won last year, it's time to pass the torch, it's the only way I can do it. What do you say?

Sincerely yours,

Lebron James




Dear Mr. James,

No.

Regards,

The Black Mamba

Calling Mr. Doom!

As I was watching the Laker game a few hours ago, I was left thinking, why is Lamar Odom not an all star? Now, before you start calling me names, insult my intelligence and just plain hurt my feelings, let's take some time to think about this. I'm not saying that he should be an all star, I'm asking the question why doesn't he play like an all star?

Lamar Odom is a damn good player, there's no denying it, he can do everything. He can legitimately play every position. Jerry West calls him a swiss army knife, Kareem talks about how he can get a rebound then run the whole floor and make a play. He has good ball handling, unselfish play, aswell as being athletic and strong enough to bang in the paint for boards. Since Christmas, he has been averaging a double double. When he needs to, he can score twenty points and on the flip side if he needs to, he can get twenty rebounds. Why doesn't he get more love? I'll tell you why, inconsistency. Lamar has not played with substantial consistency, he is known to almost disappear in games and whole series. This is not all star style play, the reason people vote for players to be are all stars is because they bring big numbers night in and night out (did you hear that Iverson). However, Lamar's two month stint this year is definitely all star quality and if he keeps it up for the rest of the year and carries it through to next year then he has to be considered as all star worthy.

Even if Lamar played like he is at the moment for the next year, would he ever get the nod? I'm not sure he would, I doubt that those barbarians and heathens that are not Laker fans wouldn't vote for yet another Laker to be an all star. They couldn't be expectd to appreciate such a complex player like Lamar, it's not their fault. He may get in with the coaches vote but he has to have that consistency. Perhaps to get some votes he should change his name to DOOM, you only have to change two letters around, I'd vote for that!

He has the quality let's see if he can bring the quantity (see what I did there), let's see if Lamar can rise up and take the praise that is rightfully his, I believe Lamar I believe!

Before I leave you let me give you another point to consider. Do you think Bynum in a few years will be a legitimate all star? I do, give him a couple of healthy seasons and I definitely think that he will be a regular all star. You heard it here first!