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Posted by: SPQR on Saturday, April 11, 2009 - 03:07 PM
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 Watching King Kobe jack up some very ridiculous shots in his patented attempt to take over the Portland game the other night, once couldn't help have mixed feelings. One was that Kobe was once again stepping up to the hot seat, trying to will and pull his team to victory as he has so many times. The other was that Kobe was not using the parts he now has to play with and was devolving into playing stupid ball which sealed the teams fate in a very close and hard fought game.
Watching Kobe ignore Pau and Lamar down low and insist on shooting over defenders from long range in what amounted to miracle attempts brought to mind Kobe's long ago infamous phrase, "I am tired of playing in his shadow," referring of course to Shaquille O'Neal.
One could, and should look at that phrase as the ultimate egoist sentence. While Kobe was tired of playing in Shaq's shadow, it also implicitly states he was tired of winning championships as Robin to Shaq's Batman. It meant that he would rather spread his wings, be the star, even if it was detrimental to the team and its chance for success.
Even seeing this statement for what it really implied, one could also understand it. Kobe was a great talent and he felt at this point in his career he wanted to lead a team of his own. The fact that he couldn't wait for father time to make Shaq pass the torch showed both how selfish and confident a player he was.
After Shaq left, Kobe found a measure of truth in the old adage, 'Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it.' Bereft of the easy scoring and immense attention the big man drew from opposing teams, and playing with a team gutted from alot of its championship components, Kobe indeed found himself a star, a leader; but of a very bad NBA team.
No championship or playoff glory awaited, just numbing, endless losses and humiliation at the hands of the leagues elite teams. Kobe found being the star, the leader of a winning team was not quite as easy as Shaq had made it look. It never is when your not 7 foot 350 pounds of cat quick talent and strength.
But if victories and championships did not follow in Kobe’s wake, other gratifications did. His long awaited scoring title arrived. Unencumbered by Shaq he could show the full width and breadth of his amazing game night after night. Forty and fifty point nights lite up the scoreboards and the highlights in fans living rooms almost every night on ESPN. The sixty and then the eighty point games were things of the surreal that made fellow players shake their heads in incredulity and fans talk of The Great Man in awestruck tones. Over time the team got better talent; Lamar came aboard, Sasha was drafted, Drew was taken, Fish resigned. Kobe could now be a leader of team that started winning again. Playoff success began again and a putative championship was now becoming reality, not just a dismal joke in the vicious, capricious hands of the NBA gods. His long overdue MVP was bestowed during a scintillating season where Kobe lead his team to the NBA finals.
But now, as the Kobe can finally see the Promised Land, there is another shadow to be played under. Not a overwhelming giant shadow like Shaq’s but the combined talents of two very good and once again larger players and more efficient scorers: Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
Thus is Kobe’s ultimate fate: To be the leader and best scoring option of bad to good teams that could not win a championship and to be the secondary scoring option of teams that were good enough to win titles-Shaq’s and now this one.
This of course is not what Kobe imagined for himself once Shaq left. He wanted to indeed follow in MJ’s footsteps and be the man in every way and lead his team to a championship and be the best scoring option.
But what Kobe has to realize is this: Along with transcendent talent, MJ was also supremely lucky in his career arc. He never had the fortune-and misfortune- to play with a Shaq or a tandem of Pau and Drew. He played on a defensive team populated by great players-but not great scorers. Rodman, Pippen, Grant and company helped MJ make the Bulls a machine while leaving him as the best scoring option on the team. Had he played with a Shaq, a Kareem, or Pau and Drew, this would not have been the case and his career and how he is viewed would have been much different than it is now.
Because of this quirk of fate, Kobe will never be able to take that run at MJ’s career. He would have needed similar teams as MJ’s Bulls to do so. Kobe, unlike MJ, now once again has to coexist with players who in fact can put the ball in the hole with more consistency than he can. They are not better or more talented, far from it, but their size and own considerable skill simply makes this a fact.
Unlike MJ, Kobe’s ultimate greatness won’t be measured by his scoring in leading his team to titles. His will be measured on how well he can suppress his ego and accommodate this new reality. His final greatness will now not be measured by his physical skill, of which we already know about, but by his personal strength in deciding not to try force feed an MJ career on team that is not like Jordan’s at all.
Last night, Kobe failed this personal test. He decided that despite the presence of Pau and Lamar down low, in a close game in a hostile environment, he would not play it smart but throw up prayers and ignore what now works best for us. For a star of this magnitude, considering all he has accomplished, not wholly surprising.
There will be other close games on the road, other times to get the ball to Drew, Pau and Lamar and let the offense play out like it should. It will be the ultimate verdict on Kobe’s leadership and personality when we see how he deals with these situations. Yes, we will often need Kobe to take over yet, and he will win us many games in the ways only he can. But this is not MJ’s team, and it is not the team Kobe has been used to playing with the last five years. This is a team that can win championships, just not quite the way Kobe had expected. If he comes to realize this and responds accordingly, he will indeed end his career as a great, great player.
You don't have to be Michael Jordan, or have his very fortunate career to carry that label.
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Posted by: Lakers4Kobe on Friday, April 10, 2009 - 06:26 AM
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It was an electric feeling in the Staples Centre on the 9th April, 2009. Everyone waited anxiously to see if he would return. Time passed and nothing happened. People began to wonder. Had the reports been true or were the fabrication? People started to lose hope. Then it happened. A black-and-white screen appeared on the jumbotron with the simple message: “Bynum’s baaack!” The cheers drowned out the arena. The starting line up was announced. At Point Guard, Derek Fisher. Shooting Guard, Kobe Bryant. Small Forward, Trevor Ariza. Power Forward, Pau Gasol. And starting at centre, Andrew Bynum. The crowd went insane and so marked the long awaited return of the 21 year old saviour. The boy turned man who bears the weight of expectation on his shoulders. It was up to him to prove his worth and by the end of the game the rest of the league was wetting its pants in fear.
For Bynum, this game must have been great. To be out there after two and a bit months of rehab, to show that he can still be the centre everyone wants him to be and, most importantly, to get rid of any mental doubts he had about himself. Bynum was not dominant in this game, but he more than held his own. 16 points and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes of action is nothing to complain about for a guy that’s missed 32 games. After the game, Laker fans were already planning their calendar around the finals.
But for this Laker team to now show its worth, it has to advance through one of the toughest Western Conferences in history. There are no breaks from here on out and the first test comes tonight against the Portland Trailblazers, a team notorious amongst Laker fans. It’s been seven years since the Lakers won in Portland, and perhaps tonight that will change. Bynum will have to hold his own against Greg Oden, another big man whose had to battle his own injury adversities. It will come down to who wants to win more. The Lakers will want to win to keep alive their chances of locking up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs and the Blazers will be looking for a victory to secure their position as the 4th seed and win a mental battle over LA.
Looking at the larger picture, the Lakers have set themselves on a whole different level to the rest of the Western Conference. They are 10.5 games ahead of the second seeded Nuggets, and many experts are already predicting them to win the title, even when Bynum was out. However, there is no easy road to the finals this year. As it stands, the Lakers are either going to play Dallas or Utah in the first round. Neither team will go down without a fight, and Dallas has been surging lately, something the Lakers will need to be aware of if they are to meet in the first round. But there is one thing the Lakers have now that people were hoping they wouldn’t get; Andrew Bynum. He will create havoc for any teams defense simply by having to guard two 7 footers at any one time. The matchup problems for other teams become numerous and Phil Jackson becomes the orchestrator of the beautiful symphony that is the Los Angeles Lakers.
Andrew Bynum’s return marks a new chapter for this Laker team. No longer can they blame any loss on Bynum’s absence and for the first time in what seems like an eternity, the entire team is healthy and playing well. If there was a better for this to happen than just before the playoffs, I don’t know it. Everything is falling into place and this team is prepping itself for what they hope is a championship run.
There are going to be times where we question the mettle of the team, times where we wonder if they are even trying or simply given up. Times where you want to tear out your hair (if you have any left by the end of this season) and throw your shoes at the TV. But I can guarantee you this, by the end of the Finals in June you will be in tears. Whether they are tears of joy or sorrow is yet to be decided, and as the time old adage states, only time will tell if these Lakers will be crowned 2009 champions of the world or runners up.
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Posted by: JonathanDavid_24 on Tuesday, April 07, 2009 - 11:07 AM
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The Lakers regular season is nearing a close soon, in the blink of an eye the playoffs will be upon us. Kobe Bryant hasn't particularly outdone himself this season to the point where he truly deserves the NBA Season MVP-repeat in the eyes of a majority of voters. This however is of no concern of Kobe, nor should even his most die-hard fans. The truth be told, LeBron has had a phenomenal season, his team is eye to eye record wise with the Lakers, and his team currently boasts an incredible 37-1 record at home. The best part is that the Lakers were the only team to walk out of Cleveland with a victory over LeBron & Co. In fact, going back to recall that game, Lamar Odom was spectacular, the Cavs had no answer for him. Truth be told, this is how it would be if the Lakers played the Cavs in the Finals this June.
Kobe would have many options such as taking over the game himself, differing to his teammates, a combo of the two, etc.
The one option that I at the top of my list but I'm afraid to declare worthy of using in the Finals if the Lakers make it this postseason
(knocks on wood). Lamar Odom has the ability to beat the Cavs with the help of Kobe & Co. If Odom can repeat his performance from earlier this season in Cleveland, the Lakers will me impossible to beat if they matched up against the Cavs. Odom can take his man off the dribble any time he wants, and can either finish around the rim, draw fouls, or dish to an open teammate. Mind you, I know Kobe can do this too, but the difference is that the Cavs expect this from him. Odom on the other hand, if he is able to do this as well, it would improve the Lakers immensely. LeBron must guard Kobe at all times if the Cavs want to have any chance of even slowing down Kobe. That leaves Odom free to roam around and take his man off the dribble and score at will. I saw an energized Odom in Cleveland, he was a monster on the boards, he scored at will....and the best part is that this was against a Cavs team at full-strength...
The Lakers on the other hand were lacking a HUGE difference-maker in Andrew Bynum.
Kobe was very ill that day too, the fade-away shot Kobe made in LeBron's face, that insanely high-arching shot was the dagger that helped us pull away with the win, and not just a small win, but a double-digit win. This must have told LeBron something, like...his team is in trouble if they meet the Lakers in the Finals... The Lakers with a healthy Kobe & Co....well that will be more than LeBron can handle.
But for argument's sake, LeBron & Co are very talented, probably the 3rd deepest team in the league...The Lakers being first & either the Magic or Celtics being 2nd deepest. Therefore the Lakers won't dare overlook anyone, not even the Thunder, Kobe has repeatedly stated his only goal and main focus this season is the championship. Everyone knows that the Lakers season has an unofficial motto...
"Win the Championship or this season was a total bust" Also, the Lakers offseason should be rather interesting, the free agents the Lakers can pick up if they offer players such as Odom, etc....would be pretty darn talented....but I personally believe Odom is one of the Lakers who keeps this team together and losing him would change this team in a way that we couldn't recover from.....The loss of Ronnie has already been forgotten and Josh Powell has done a decent job as his replacement...but Odom, he is irreplaceable......he is far too talented, has so much potential..it's sad to see him not live up to what he can do on a nightly basis...but maybe we're being too greedy since Odom has a very tough life outside of the NBA....his newborn died, that must have been something that he now lives with in agony, and it doesn't help that he has so much pressure to perform well with that on his mind......Kobe while on the trial years ago, was mentally tough on a level that I thought was unmatched....but that is not so, Odom lost a child, that is something that I believe is much tougher to swallow and stay sane and happy with in your life....I personally couldn't do it, it's too energy-draining....but Odom is such a warrior and he plays on, even though he can do so much more than he already has shown us, sometimes I just wish we'd cut him some slack.. But like most LTB fans, when he plays poorly on a consistent basis, I don't excuse that whatsoever, I demand that he be taken out of the game or that he differ to someone else more capable such as Kobe or Gasol...heck even Fish!!! lol
Ariza is the key guy this season, his defense, steals, blocks, offense, have really brought this team's talent level up a notch or two, I'm so thankful to God that he came back and showed us what we were missing last June....he has been nothing short of amazing.
The Lakers Mob Bench....or as some fans dubbed them recently
"Strench Bench" which I found to be hilarious.....but then it got old.....
we criticize our bench so much that it's like we're a broken record; sure we want our bench to be as good as last year, even better sure, but it's not happening for the time being....I can't say I'm pleased with their effort....I even joked about it earlier this season and said that maybe the entire bench is tanking it this season till playoffs....boy wouldn't that be something, the bench all of a sudden being the incredible tough force we envisioned at the beginning of the season. Sasha needs to cut his hair, it's blocking his view to the basket, or messing up his brain or something, his shot has been flat all season.....that injury he came back from shouldn't have taken his shot away completely like it seems at the moment......
Farmar is selfish and wants to be like Kobe, that's what many say, but I think he just isn't ready to start, and Phil probably treats him as if he should be starting, and that pressure could be too much for him to handle.....put simpler, Farmar is a choke-artist.....and a turnover machine....but he can improve....I wish sooner rather than later....the playoffs are almost here and we can't have any of his b.s in a critical playoff game....whether it's home or away.
All in all, I think the Lakers as a team need to put just a bit more effort into their daily/nightly performances, and that should get us over the hump this year.....If all goes well, Bynum should be back before the season ends, and maybe he'll show us a glimmer of what he'll be able to do come playoffs......(knocks on wood) The Championship-road looks gruesome, but if Kobe has anything to do with it, he'll use every amount of will-power left in his mind, soul, and body.....lets all hope & pray that things go our way this year, because last season is one that we all want to forget...it was so painful...ughh...just thinking about it is terrible....but that's good, because it showed us our weaknesses as a team, and this year, well gladly things are going much better.
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Posted by: SPQR on Saturday, April 04, 2009 - 05:45 PM
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In the vast plains of the Serengeti, the Water Buffalo make there annual migration. Treks of hundreds of brutal miles are required; spurred on by inexorable demands of survival, linked and slaved to the dry and rainy seasons, they must move if they are to survive. In doing so they are forced to travail hardships and predators.
With Cleveland’s loss to Washington and Orlando, the Los Angeles Lakers entered last night’s game with Houston with a renewed sense of purpose and mission thought dead in the last couple weeks now suddenly alive and tantalizingly within their grasp. Win this game and they are now only one game behind Cleveland for the best record in the NBA. One more game to make up to be the ruler of all they survey, east or west. Home court and a likely pass key to championship number 15.
In the long, hard seasons of survival, only the hardiest and strongest make it to the end and prosper; the weaker and less well built lag behind, falling to prey to the myriad predators who are part of every season, who look to capitalize and take out any of the weak. In their migration, the Water Buffalo must pass through these predators, must make a mad dash for safe haven, a place where they will find the comfort and safety to go on and not become just another victim to the harsh meritocracies of their existence. The great lead Bull has gone on for endless days against all competition. Youthful and built to last, he is nearing the end of his journey, rest and comfort on the horizon.
Once the score of the Cleveland and Orlando game was known, the tension in last nights game changed accordingly. From an end of the season meeting between to tired teams looking forward to the playoffs, it became a game of immense importance. Lose and the Lakers had passed on a golden opportunity to strike a gash, a meaningful cut in Cleveland. A chance to hobble them, to sprain one of their strong legs that had almost carried them to the home court advantage they so badly want and in truth desperately need. For Houston, it no a chance to hurt a hated and ancient foe who has so often ground their basketball hopes and dreams down like so much pulp and refuse. Detritus ripped through a seemingly endless stream of purple and gold greatness. A chance for a measure of revenge, even if once removed and handed to their surrogate of retribution in the east.
For the young, strong bull, the chief concern is an old predator of Africa. It has been seemingly around for eons and has always left blood and death in its wake. The lion is almost the only animal around who has the strength, speed, killing skill and courage to take a healthy bull down. He has been tailed now for weeks by a pride. It has been touch and go but in the last fortnight he has put ground between himself and them. The pride has laid back. They have moved at a leisurely pace keeping the bull in sight, pushing it ever so slowly, pressing, probing it for a weakness, looking for an accident to happen to it, a fatal mistake to be made, waiting for a chance to try a kill. The bull can now see the river in the far horizon it must cross to reach safety. It knows once it crosses that wet demarcation point, the lions have lost the race and cannot follow any longer, cannot get what they want. He looks back and sees the pride a ways back, tracing in his old muddy footsteps, like sleek ghosts. They are back, but not that far back. He thought in the last few days he lost them, put enough distance away to ensure the safety of his journey. But no, they still come. This pride is lead by a very unique lion. He knows its reputation. All the animals of the Serengeti do. He is fearless and daring in his pursuits. He is cunning personified. He never gives up and the bones of his victims over the last decade lay bleached on the plains, stark testament warning calling out to the living of his skill and acumen. He is a living lightening, he strikes like no other. He is death.All the bull has to do is push on a bit further and the race is won. He takes a last nibble of new rainy season sprouts, takes in a gulp of sustaining air and presses on faster than before. He feels the pressure of the pride and something stirs in his psyche, his gut tightens. He must not get caught now that his journey is so near completion. Eight short miles to go and he has won his race for survival. He shoves off on his massive, powerful haunches, legs now at a trot, a new nervousness filling his massive body. So close, just a little bit more to go.
With the stakes clear, a chance for home court for one team, a chance to end a dream for the other, the game is closely contested. The score vacillates back and forth. Both teams know the stakes and they play like it. For the Lakers, being at home seems to up their energy and level of execution on both sides of the floor. The Rockets respond in kind and at the end of the first half the team from Los Angeles clings to a very slim two point lead.
For the bull, the trip should be smooth. He knows the terrain, the landmarks, and the ways to get to safety. But now it has taken on an air of forbodding. He has made mistakes and now the very air he breaths seems laced with menace…and a vague, coppery ting of blood. His blood. At an old, long abandoned settlement named Washington, he stepped on a concrete block of long destroyed home. He fought to keep his balance but only succeeded in turning the small, skinny end of his leg. The twist brought to bear his massive weight on a joint in ways nature never intended and damage was done. He trots with a hobble now, slowed down by the bulk his leg can no longer adequately support. Further along, now feeling a panic that had not accompanied him previously on his trek he made a second mistake: At a watering hole named Orlando, the big buffalo, desperate for a respite from his thirst and distracted by the pain in his leg rushed to feel the succor of cold water. He did not notice the big male gator lurking below the surface. With a quick strike powerful jaws and inch long teeth raked the bulls shoulder as he jerked back just in time to avert a killing neck chokehold. Yet damage was done. A huge gash is opened and his thick red blood now stains the praire….and signals the pride of his weakness. The bull, now panicky, leaves the watering hole and begins to limp as fast as possible to wards the river, which though now much closer than before, somehow seems to be receding further away. Soon enough the master of the pride, the supreme hunter leads his tired but now hopeful pride to the hole. He sniffs the bulls blood and shakes his head. He knows his prey is now within his grasp. It is weakening and conversely this makes him and the pride stronger. He lets out a roar and takes off in a trot. His energy is renewed and he senses a real chance to make another in his long line of kills. The pride follows him, as always.
Going into the fourth quarter, the Lakers are ahead by a scant seven points. For them, a loss at home, this late in the year will finally consign them to second place, something they don’t want. They have trailed the Cavaliers for too many weeks, over too many miles to give up now. Now that Cleveland’s blood is on the ground and so close in their sights. Houston has to go. They are just an obstacle in the way of what they are really after. Houston tries to make its run, it is expected. A three pointer cuts the lead and one can sense a turning of the tide. Yet this team is not lead by a mere mortal. This Lakers team is lead by a very unique player. Every player knows his reputation. All the players in the leauge do. He is fearless and daring in his pursuits. He is cunning personified. He never gives up and the victories of his victims over the last decade lay in the losses they have suffered to him, written on the NBA record book, stark testament warning calling to the his future opponents of his skill and acumen. He is a living lightening, he strikes like no other. He is death. Kobe comes down the court. It is now or never: A win or a pitiless struggle to survive the fourth quarter. Another enervating, stamina draining game at a time when they least need it. Not when they have their goal in sight. Kobe won’t allow it. He spots up and shoots his own three. Every Laker, every fan, every Rocket knew the shot was true before it left his outstretched hand because this is Kobe Bryant. This is how you get the win and move on to your goal of catching Cleveland.
The bull is stumbling now. His blood is flowing onto the ground in great gouts, his own nervous heart betraying him, pumping his precious life’s fluids out, and leading the lions on to greater pursuit. He turns his head and the King of the Pride is just paces behind, the pride as always following his lead bringing up the rear. The King of the Pride moves with sleek grace, like no other lion can, a certain majesty in his hunt, making the bloody tableau playing out seem almost like art, like something sublime and beautiful. With six short miles to go, the bull can feel the Kings breath on him. He dares not turn round again. Another glance would be fatal. All he can do now is lower his head and run. The King and his pride have left him no other recourse. The King closes fast, ready to pounce. The game of cat and mouse, stalk and fall back is now past. There is nothing left for any of them but the chase; tired muscles straining for two different finishes, blood on the plain, lungs seared and screaming for oxygen. This is what the King of the Lions lives for, this is how the kill is made. This is how you get what you need to live.
Kobe comes down the court on offense again. Once more he takes the long shot, throws another dagger at Houston’s heart. Once again, the magic of the man, his ability to rise to the occasion bedazzles all who witness his legerdemain. They have seen it so many times before, but every time seems brand new, just as fresh and exciting as it was the first time so long ago. You could have turned of the tv before the ball went in and still knew what you would read in tomorrows paper. It was preordained. It is what Kobe does. He stood there, bathed in the golden glow of tv lights, soaked in the cheers of the exulting Lakers faithful, his arm extended, hand curled and left arrogantly in place for what seemed eternity. At this movement he looked like a new electronic god, captured for all of us to see, just him, all alone, his game, his moment, his victory. He is the leader of this team. He smells Cleveland’s blood. His keen eyes notice their staggered and limping gait. He will not give up the chase. He would not let Houston take away the pleasure of leading his team on this exquisite hunt. This is what the King of the Lakers lives for, this is how the kill is made. This is how he gets what he needs to live.
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Posted by: JXN on Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 12:05 PM
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If Andrew Bynum had never gotten hurt LAST year, Mitch Kupchak probably doesn’t push for the Pau Gasol trade so the Lakers don’t finish with the best record in the Western Conference, never make it to the NBA Finals and are still a couple seasons away from winning it all while Kobe Bryant can opt out of his contract next month when Phil Jackson might very well be titanium-hip high in mai tai’s in a matter of layovers.
It has been exactly 28 days of February and 29 days of March since we last saw Andrew Bynum vertical in shiny shorts, grinning, with a twinkle in his eye and obligatory piece of lint in his afro and a nation of Laker fans eagerly anticipates his recovery from injury THIS year.
That’s 57 days to be exact, 8.142 weeks to be even more so of a so-called 8 to 12 week rehab time frame. By the time I post this piece, there will be some Laker fans who will be able to give you hours, minutes and seconds since the last time we say Andrew Bynum play.
Do you remember?
In his last 35 minutes of NBA action, Andrew Bynum racked up 34 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks on 12 of 18 shooting. The Lakers had just beaten the Timberwolves on the road by double-digits. They were on their way to beating the Grizzlies by double digits on the road. We were already sizing up rings and dusting off rafter space for one more banner. Our kids were smarter, the wife never prettier and the car just flat out ran better.
What multi-industry bailout riddled, 12.5 million unemployment laden, $11 trillion national debt recession are you talking about?
Life was good.
But if Andrew Bynum had never gotten hurt LAST year, then we wouldn’t know that THIS year it took him . . .
. . . 32 minutes and 13 seconds to shoot his first free throw after officially returning to the NBA after his injury.
. . . 69 minutes and 39 seconds to hand out his second assist.
. . . 4 games to make his tenth basket of the season.
. . . 4 games to get his first double-digit rebounding stat.
. . . 6 games to get his first double-double, and a meager 11 points and 10 boards at that.
. . . 2 months and 2 weeks to score 20 points in a single game.
In fact, in his first official game of THIS season, Andrew Bynum committed 5 fouls in 28 minutes. The next game, he committed 4 fouls in 25 minutes. A game after that, he committed another 5 fouls in only 21 minutes. In those first three games, he shot a humbling 8 of 18.
In his first game against Dwight Howard THIS season, he totaled 3 points on 1 of 4 shooting with 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks with 2 turnovers and 5 personal fouls.
And, still, we were 14-1 headed into December and had yet to beat Boston in Boston and Cleveland in Cleveland.
But if Andrew Bynum had never gotten hurt LAST year, we wouldn’t have that information THIS year and we wouldn’t be expecting a quick fix for any perceived playoff problems that may or may not be existent because, well, eager, young, 7-foot-1 multi-millionaires aren’t the kind of people who take out the trash without being told to twice.
Which is exactly what it takes to win on the road in the NBA Finals.
Andrew Bynum in October of this season: 10 ppg, 6 rpg on 47% shooting which is what Chris Mihm posted as the Laker starter in 2006.
Andrew Bynum in January of this season: 17.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg on 59% shooting which is about what Shaquille O’Neal is posting as an NBA All Star.
When the Lakers do get back from their road trip, they will have 7 games left in the regular season. Eight days after that, they will have only 2 games left. The Lakers will probably open up playoffs 5 games after that. They will then be officially, at most, 4 games away from elimination at any given time.
Again, we’re counting days, minutes and seconds when we probably should be talking weeks and months. We’re holding our breath for Diesel when we probably only need a block, a few rebounds, a rotation here and there, if that. Throw in an alley-oop dunk for the kids at home. Some salt, pepper and paprika for the future all-star studded fulcrum that is our current injured center who has yet to make more than 8 free throws in a single NBA game.
Because if Andrew Bynum had never gotten hurt LAST year, then we wouldn’t have learned that championships are won by the players you have THIS year and not lost by the players you don’t.
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Posted by: SPQR on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 - 05:03 PM
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With the advent of the "What you can compare feat Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan" the endless speculation about who was better goes on and on. This arguement will doubtless go on long after we are all dead, with some new players added as they come along and show a simular type ability.
But the question is, do we overate both these men? The conversation about the two, contrasting and comparing eachs strengths weakness, the merits of their teamates and their accomplishments some how often devolves into the debate of which is the GOAT.
While it is legitimate to try measure the two best shooting gaurds of all time against each other and try to examine which had the prowess edge over the other, the oft taken for granted implication that the winner of two would automatically be considered the best player of all time is a huge fallacy.
I would use Kobe as a starting block to show how presumptious this really is. Kobe, as great as he has been, was not even the best player in the league or on his own team when he won his three rings. Shaquille O'Neal was. Anyone who watched those threepeat teams play could see very, very fast who was the straw that stirred that particular drink and who was the nightmare of opposing teams. Shaq won those three finals MVP's in the easiest fashion and it was not even close, not in any series.
As great as Kobe was, Shaq was even more so. He impacted the game on much higher and more deadly level than Kobe ever could. One could say that Kobe is better now than he was back then. But is that really true?
Yes his offensive arsenal is somewhat expanded, the jumper is better and he has more smarts, but back then Kobe could attack the rim with more more brio and he was so much better on the defensive end, given his young and energy. So to say Kobe is better now is not a given. Yes, better in some regards, but not as good in others.
Yes Kobe is clutch as can be, and he can take those last shots at the end of the game because you can't foul him like you could Shaq, but even these deficiencies is Shaq's game don't make up enough ground to make Kobe the bigger impact player over what Shaq brought to the team.
The fact is that back then, any sane GM would have taken Shaq over Kobe if given the choice. And any sane GM would right now take a in-his- prime Shaq over the Kobe of today.
One argument that Kobes fans can use is that pound for pound Kobe is better than Shaq. There may be merit in that and it may even be true, but it is actually sophistry. The very fact that at his size Shaq could do what he did and was not some slow, lumbering stiff was a big reason for his greatness. To take away Shaq's size would then enable one to say, "Well then I will take away Kobes speed or athleticism." Tit for tat.
The fact is Shaq was his size, and he had the ability to back that size up. He was what he was and in his prime he had more impact on a game than Kobe will ever have. Larry Birds Indiana Pacers rebuilt their whole NBA finals team simply because they knew they would be dealing with Shaq for years and they had no chance to beat him. This is not speculation on my part, but the actual thought process as layed out by Bird and then GM Donnie Walsh. I don't think any team would simply jettison their NBA finals team waiting for Kobe to retire or get old. It just does not happen with six foot six players, great as they are.
Since Shaq was indeed a higher impact player, it begs a further interesting question: does that not also hold true for MJ? Did MJ shoot for a higher percentage than Shaq's ungodly numbers? Did he clean up the boards at Shaq's fantastical rate? Did MJ completly destroy a teams offensive and defensive game plan as Isiah Thomas said Shaq did for EVERY SINGLE TEAM he played against. The answer to these questions is no.
If MJ played with an in his prime Shaq, do you think he would have been the main scorer on that team? Not with his shooting percentage vs Shaq's he wouldn't have been. No coach in his right mind would have said, "hey, I want MJ shooting instead of Shaq." With MJ playing Robin to Shaq's Batman as Kobe did, is he still the GOAT? No way. Those Bulls finals MVP's then become Shaq's, just like they were with the Lakers and MJ becomes that great gaurd who played second banana to the big man and not the MJ of legend we know today. See how circumstances can change history?
So once again, if you are looking at one player who you will take as a GM to dominate, would it be Shaq or MJ? Since we know (or at least impartial observers do) from history that Shaq had a bigger impact than Kobe, if your answer is you would take MJ, then mabye you have answered your question about whether you think Kobe or MJ is better, even if perhaps it is not the answer you want to give. If you say you would take Shaq then once again, how can one say MJ or Kobe are the GOAT?
The debate will always be endless between these two marvels, but people are way to quick to dismiss Kareem, Wilt, Magic, The Big O and others from consideration as the GOAT. It is both unfair and callow. If following the trial of Kobes career shows him not even to be the best player on his championship teams, nor better now than Shaq was then, how is he the goat? If Shaq would have been the main option even over the incandecsant MJ, how is he the GOAT now? The answer is neither can be.
MJ had a career blessed by the gods and this is why: He always wanted better players on his team, but had he been unfortunate enough to have a Shaq or Kareem on his team instead of Pippen, he would not be in the GOAT conversation anymore because he would have been only the secondary option and impact player on his own team. MJ was fortunate indeed in his career arc.
All these men are great players and those fortunate enough to see them from decades past right up through Wilt, Baylor, Oscar, Kareem, Magic, MJ, Kobe and Lebron are lucky indeed to have seen true, undiluted greatness on the hardwood. But anyone who says they know who the GOAT is by determining who is better between MJ and Kobe just ignores history and insults players who have earned their niche in NBA valhalla of great warriors-GOATS all.
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Posted by: SPQR on Sunday, March 15, 2009 - 07:46 PM
Lakers Blog
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The Lakers rebounded well from some more desultory games this week running the Texas triangle of Houston, San Antonio and Dallas and in doing so quieting the worrys Laker fans expressed in the last week while sending another immutable message that they are the owners of the Western Conferance. None of these three teams could manumit the west or even give hope that the Lakers stanglehold will ease or change in either the regular season or playoffs.
While the concerns about the team expressed on this forum in the last week were valid in the issues they brought up, the fact is none of the things that caused the losses were new to this team or will prevent them from their scheduled summer appointment in the NBA finals.
This team will never be a defense juggernaught. Its wins are predicated on these things: a huge front line that is athletic and versitile. No team has two big men like Lamar and Pau who can both pass the ball, rebound, shoot, drive to the basket and run. The advantage this gives us is extreme. When you throw in a third big who can do these things-Drew- you are a mismatch nightmare. When you back this up with The Great Man who can create and get any shot he wants, who can take over a game in the last quarter or last minute and drive it home to win in a close game it is almost too unfair. Down to Dallas by a few points with a 6 minutes to go? Not a problem when The Great Man can just decide to take over and pump those points in. Having troubles with Houston and Ron Artest is feeling cocky? Just let Kobe throw in 18 points in the last four minutes to show Houston what is up and make Artest understand that stuff does not wash with the Great Man and nor is not gaurding Ray Allen.
This team is the number one offense and rebounding unit in the league. It is their bread and butter and that will not go away. They just need to play stretches of reasonble defense as they have shown against San Antonio, Boston and Cleveland and let their strengths take them the rest of the way because though we aren't a great defensive team, no other squad can take away the things we do so well or put in crimp in the The Great Mans control of events.
Sometimes the bench plays well, sometimes it does not, but we have more things going for us than any other team and it will be so very hard to them to reverse a league long trend in a seven game series against us.
Some myths, long and hotly debated on here, have been exposed this season as well. This deals with the nature of our frontcourt. The first myth finally put to rest was the need for a sharpshooting forward to "create space" for Drew and Pau, and now Pau and Lamar to work well. The moments Phil reversed his course and jettisoned Vlad for Luke he admitted his mistake. When the offense continued to function well without the sharpshooters presence, the myth of this thinking was exposed. This is one topic that will never have to be debated on here again.
The next myth to go was the Luke Walton somehow possessed the smarts, the passing, the "magic" touch that would help facilitate the offense. With his magnamimous offer to come off the bench, Phil made a move very late in the year that he should have done alot sooner and of his own volition. With the play of Trevor Ariza in the starting lineup, and the effectivenss of the offense, it is apparent that Luke did not do any facilitating at all. What Phil and alot of fans did not take into account is that when you have players like Lamar, Pau, Kobe and Derek, all who understand the triangle, are smart and can pass, they don't need a forward who can't score or gaurd with them to facilitate anything. They can facilitate all they need on their own without Lukes or anyone elses help.
Sometimes fans and coaches-and yes that includes nine time championship coach Phil Jackson-think too much. They make a very simple thing much more complicated than need be. It is simple logic that in most cases you want your best players starting the game, setting the tone, playing the most minutes and finishing the game up unless events dictate another course of action. It is why on 99.99 percent of all football and basketball teams the best players are starting. When you have two players (now I am referring to the team with Drew playing on it) Lamar and Trevor who are both better than Luke, you do not start the third best option. It flies in the face of all logic. When you have such accomplished players as Fisher, Lamar, Pau and Kobe in the starting lineup, do you really think a player who is as limited as Luke Walton will add something or facilitate their success? Of course not. It was one of the reasons I (and quit a few others) got into endless debates on there about Trevor not starting over Luke. It is nice to see that Phil finally has gotten the message that is not so complicated as he once thought. START THE BEST PLAYERS. It is not so hard to figure out.
Interesting to notice that it took Trevor three games to get 26 points. I can't remember how the last time Luke got that manny and I bet you have to google him to find out. This shows you just how bad Luke really is. Trevors offensive game is still inchoate and in progess, for him to do this so soon speaks volumes on Lukes deficiencies. Sometimes when a bad player is in with a very good ones, one tends to not notice the things he can't do until someone with more ability is put in his stead. Then things that were hidden start to become apparent. The team runs better with Trevor starting simply because he-is-a-better-player.
The myth of Luke Walton somehow facilitating the offense is the second myth that has now been put to bed and should no longer be debated here. As so many have rightly observed over the years, Lukes physical limitations make him a bench player. It is what he is and what he always will be. His lack of ability more than makes up for and destroys the good he brings. The more he plays, the more he hurts you.
This of course brings up one of my favorite hobby horses, the eventual try at starting the big three. Unless Trevor tells Phil next year that he should start Lamar with Pau and Drew I doubt it will ever happen, lol. Phil has obviously shown that he does not want this to happen for whatever reasons he has. Of course this is the same Phil who felt that we needed a shooter for spacing and had to be forced to start Trevor by Luke himself. He is showing himself to be far from infallible when it comes to experimenting and doing the right moves with his front court talent. We have had our share of debates here about starting the big three and I have heard many theories as to why it would not work-just as I heard many theories as to why Vlad needed to start or how Luke made the startings better. Until the big three are honestly tried out together for a good stretch of real games, these theories remain just that-theories and not a valid reason for Phil not to try the big three. If one thing has been shown this year and we should learn and remember, reasons why things need to be done, or not done on the front court have been shown to be nothing but bogus once things happened on the court. The only way to truly know is to try them out. If Phil does not at least try the big three next year he just as negligent as he was in his stubborn insistance on playing Luke over a better player in Tevor Ariza.
On the MVP. This is a very hard decision to make. One hears so many different qualifiers on what makes the MVP. The one I hear most is: it is the person who is most valuable to his team. Who would be most missed by his team if lost. Under that criteria, I would say Dwayne Wade is the MVP. If you took him off his team they would not make the playoffs. End of story. If you took Kobe off the Lakers, I think they would make it. If Drew played, then I know they would. If you took Lebron off then I think they probably would not make it-but might. Right now Wade is playing out of his head. At two inchs shorter than Kobe he is scoring more (because he has to) but also rebounding more and getting more assists. It is phenominal to see what he is doing. There is no way to deny what he is doing or what he means to their playoff chances.
This being said, will he win it? Back in the day players on weak or bad teams could win the MVP. Kareem was one such player. There were others. In the last few years you couldn't. If you didn't have one of the elite teams, one of the best records, you cannot. Kobe, the first year he won the scoring title is the prime example of that. If anyone was the MVP that year it was Kobe. He got nothing for it. This makes me think that the race will come down to Lebron and Kobe. Fair? Not really, but it is how it seems to work now. It is interesting to note that Wade now, like Kobe back then will probably be penalized because he doesn't have enough good teamates.
Is Wade the best player? Well I watch The Great Man for 82 games and almost never see Lebron or Wade so I am of course by circumstance tendentions in what I feel. You have three marvelous athletes, all going to the hall of fame someday, all so mesmerizing and transcendant in their own unique ways. Yes Lebron rebounds and passes better than Kobe. Yes, Wade also seems to be better at these skills too. Yes both men have picked up on their defense and Kobe has slipped some. Yet the differences are miminal. To me the one thing that seperates them is this: Kobe can score at will almost every night when he has too. He can do it under pressure, game after game after game. He is a total assassin, who not only will step up to fill the roll, but loves it, begs for it, lives for it. He wants to eat your heart in every game and will always step up when it is hardest, when everyone one else expects to fail, when things are darkest. This is a very rare skill and mindset, you have to be bloodthirsty and have ice water in your veins to carry such a burden, and then make the end result so predictable and so often as The Great Man does. Wade possessess this ablility to a greater degree than Lebron, but he has not alchemized it to a fine poisonous art on the court yet, to breath in this heady mixture of arrogance, confidence and distain for losing that Kobe has made into second nature. To me this seperates three great and transendent players more than anything else.
Is Kobe the MVP this year? Would his talented team miss him more that less talented Miami or Cleveland would miss their leaders? No the Lakers wouldn't. If you go by this measure, should anyone but Wade win it? No.
But, is Kobe the most talented player in the league? Is he simply the best? Does he bring something the others can't? Is he the one all others fear, the one no one wants to play, the one who sends shivers down their spines just when they get the lead and begin to entertain thoughts of victory? Is he the assassin who peoples their dreams with nightmares of personal humiliation and another highlight film at their expense, looking slow, lost and just so beaten, just another mortal victim of the god of lightening and thunder disguised in purple and gold? It is he in the end, the past master of the dark art of turning defeat into victory, for sudden death from beyond the arc just when you thought you were safe, for bringing mere mortals to their knees in strict and utter obsience after another display of rengade fury that can't be bottled, contained or even stymied by the best defender. Just ask Ron Artest.
Yes, he is that player. And there is no other like him. He may not be the MVP but then he doesn't have to be. He is Kobe Bryant, The Great Man with all that it entails and all that the other players in league know him to be.
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Posted by: SPQR on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - 01:06 PM
Lakers Blog
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As the Lakers grind their way through the last part of the 2009 season the prospect of the winning the NBA championship stands in front of them like an elusive chimera to be grasped or once again slip so agonizingly through their fingers like an insubstantial mirage that one cannot get firm purchase on.
For many of the players on the team, the chance at that ring means vindication, success and the ultimate prize in the sport they play. For two members on the team it would mean so much more.
Throughout history and literature, great events have taken place when protagonists have been moved and inspired by the ghostly images and accomplishments of predecessors or rivals. Sometimes the motivation is so strong it can result in madness, as in the literary character of Captain Ahab in Moby Dick. Driven and haunted by an earlier encounter with the White Whale, Captain Ahab would stop at nothing to exact his revenge on his tormentor. If he destroyed ship and crew in his quest, so be it.
Men like Caesar and Pompey were driven in their quests to protect Rome and conquer new lands by the unequaled legacy of Alexander the Greats triumphs. His ghost always hung large over the generals of marshal Rome, fueling the conquests of Caesar and Pompey of Gaul and Pontus.
George W Bush, fueled by what he considered his fathers unfinished business in Iraq and the death threats leveled by his father’s foe was determined to see the end of Saddam Hussein long before he took the oath of office.
To exact revenge or to equal past brilliance is motivation that can lead to extraordinary pursuits by driven and determined men.
Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson are two such men who are haunted and driven by their own personal ghosts. One suspects neither will truly be happy with their legacies unless each can achieve an exorcism of sorts against these past specters.
Why does one coach, who has accomplished so much, continue on when the bank account is so full, his outside interests so varied and satisfying and his age and body betraying him? For Phil Jackson, there is one more mountain go climb, one last legendary ghost to put to final rest: Red Auerbach. Phil at this late game stage in his career stands one win away from surpassing Auerbach at the coach with the most championships. While he is a calm and stoic man, there is ample reason for him to feel strongly about that one last hurdle. Sharing may not be a bad thing, especially when you have won as much as Phil has, but sometimes it is who you share with that is the rub.
Yes they have a history and it is not a friendly one. Phil’s coach and mentor while he played for the Knicks was Red Holtzman. Phil has frequently paid tribute to Hotlzman as the man who shaped a lot of his thinking and coaching philosophy. Holtzman’s and Jacksons Knick teams were hated rivals with Auerback’s Celtics back in the late sixties and early seventies, dueling for supremacy and championships. Hotlzman made no bones about his antipathetic feelings for Auerbach, his methods and demeanor. He felt him both a poor loser and arrogant winner. Can their be much doubt that these intense feelings Holtzman had, hardened and set in the fiery crucible of championship competition were not passed on to his impressionable charge who competed against Boston on the court?
Leap forward many years. Here is a much different Phil Jackson; now a winner of nine rings as coach, surpassing his mentor in achievement and acclaim. Not without warrant is the coach proud of his vast accomplishments. Tied with his old foe Red Auerbach with nine rings to his credit, he could not help but look back at his career with pride. Yet for Red, it was only another chance to stick the needle in. Reaching across the breadth of they years, across the miles of a continent from the east coast to the west, dredging up the bitterness of pride and old rivalries, as Phil approached his record of championships he began to belittle the new king. He decried Phil’s record and said he had never built a team, never had to work for his rings. He said it often and he said it loud and he made sure the media reported his opinion. It is impossible for this not to sting even a man of Phil’s equanimity. It was a slap in the face to everything Phil accomplished.
So does one wonder why a man who has done it all, who is richer than Midas, who does not need to drag his ailing body through endless camps, practices and airplane flights, who must baby-sit overgrown kids with overweening egos continue on when he is one ring away from sticking a posthumous knife in his ancient enemy? When one more title will set him forever apart from the ghost who he has fought for well over thirty years now in one fashion or another? For Phil, it would be the ultimate victory and complete exorcism of his rival to win that last, surpassing championship with a team he helped to build refuting the last claim of that old man now buried but never forgotten.
For Kobe the ghosts are much more alive than visceral. He is driven by a rivalry with two great NBA players, both contemporaries. One an all time great- the other a figure of mythology.
Once a friend of one, now he competes with his legacy after a vicious falling out, always a friend of the other, yet he has always eyed him as a king, an absolute ruler he always wanted to supplant.
Kobe played Robin to Shaq’s batman. The dynamic duo was good enough to bring a three peat to life and terrorize the NBA landscape in their pursuit of history and glory. Not compatible by nature, they were a lesson in synchronicity of sweet music on the court they ruled. Once the good times stopped on the floor, their individual differences and mutual dislike quickly ended the collaboration. For Shaq-the batman of the duo-it was no big thing. For Kobe-the Robin-it left a ghost that he still battles to put to rest. While he won three rings, in his mind, and on the MVP trophies, they were Shaq’s rings. While it is no crime to be the second best player in the league, it was when the best was on your team and he led your team to those wins.
After Shaq left the Lakers, he went on to win another championship, throwing more salt on the wound. He can now make the claim, “I won a ring without Kobe Bryant.” He can say it and he has said it. For Kobe, this is intolerable. To rid himself of his Robin image, to show that he is what Shaq was, he too must lead his own team to championship glory. For a player who has it all, money, rings, adulation, the ghost of Shaq and a championship won but not led by him, still haunt and fuels his desire. One ring, one parade in LA with him as Batman is all it would take to put this ghost to rest and bury Robin for good.
The other ghost that drives The Great Man is something else entirely. It is the ghost of legend, a mountain so vast it dwarfs even Shaquille’s immense shadow. This ghost is truly the Colossus of Rhodes in the pantheon of NBA legends: Michael Jordan. He stands astride the NBA landscape of greats, looking down on all else, rightly or wrongly but certainly by acclaim, considered the singular avatar of greatness; the best there has ever been. The black hole of ghosts, so powerful it does not allow the light of other NBA stars to escape its pull or interfer with its brilliance. It is the place Kobe aspires to be.
Once when asked who he would want to play against in the ultimate game of one on one, Kobe responded, “Michael Jordan.” For a man who is so like Jordan, who aspires to be nothing short of the best, the answer was no surprise. His closest friends speak of Kobe’s obsession with the legend, how in fact he has done nothing short of play a career game against him through the years and dizzying array of accomplishments.
Despite all he has done it almost seems like Don Quixote tilting at implacable, impenetrable windmills, this mad quest to topple the king. Already the recipient of two championship losses that Jordan will never have, and three rings where he was not even the best player on his own team, the odds are stacked against him. Jordan’s legacy, with the softening glow and gentle massaging of times passage seems perfect now. Who remembers the first seven years of frustration? Did he lose to Detroit over and over in the playoffs? Did he ever miss a shot? Did he come back, old and slow a shadow of his former self? He is forever unbeatable, always young, the MVP who could not be stopped by any team, any game plan, any mere mortal. He could pluck rings as easily as fruit from a tree. Is he given the title of greatest by acclimation a bit too easily? Yes, but the perception is reality. That is how this thing works.
So is his joust with this ghost madness? The forlorn hope of a man who cannot achieve his greatest desire or accept less than first place?
Perhaps not. If anyone has the drive, the blinders in place, the will to say “damn to popular perception and all the experts with it”, it is Kobe. If one man has the audacity and confidence to say, “It is not to late, I am just beginning my assault”, it is Kobe. He is not one to fear ghosts, legends or even the great icon that is Michael Jordan. It is part and parcel of what he is and what makes him a force of nature, a man who will not abide being in second place, not to Shaq or to the man who is already more myth than human.
If Kobe can win some more rings. Say he can string together his own three peat, leading the way this time instead of following, could he not then say, “See, I can do as Jordan did! I could have been as he was given the same circumstances. I could have been undefeated as well and led the Bulls to six.”
If he can do this, would he not at least be able to sit comfortably at Jordan’s side on that high, high mountain peak and share equally that vista, enjoy that very same view from above? When dealing with Jordan, perhaps even the Great Man will be satisfied with that accommodation looking back on his own legacy long after his uniform is hung from Staples along side LA’s other basketball gods.
So as you watch the 2009 season wind down, remember, for the players, it is a chance renewed a spark at redemption and the ultimate prize. For two very rare men on this team, it is a chance to put two legendary ghosts to rest in one fell swoop. And for Kobe, a time to begin launching his climb to the mountain top and share a place with a third much larger thing, a man, a myth and an iconic American image, and in so doing, become a ghost for some future NBA great to compete against; perhaps a young boy who may have just received his first basketball this year, or is not even born. Or a young man in highschool, just done with ball practice or a pickup game, still in his sweats and now bathed in the glow of his tv and mesmerized by Kobes next twisting, turning, electric move to the hole for two more magical points and thinking just like that long ago boy Kobe watching MJ and thinking, "Someday I'll be better than he is!", only with vague, inchoate intimations in the deep recesses of his childs mind of the talent and career which someday will quicken the pulses and drop the jaws of his future oppenents and a whole new generation of fans.
It is how the legends of the future, both coaches and players, are inspired and made. It is how ghosts are laid to rest.
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Posted by: Lakers4Kobe on Saturday, March 07, 2009 - 01:59 AM
Lakers Blog
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So we come to the end of a small home stand and the start of what can be labelled as ‘the toughest, shortest road trip of the season.’ 3 games in 4 nights, starting in Portland on Monday night, then advancing to Houston on Wednesday night and San Antonio on Thursday night. To say the least, it will test the Lakers to their extremes, playing in arenas that are notoriously hostile towards them, especially in Portland and San Antonio. For the Lakers to come back home with 3 wins it will require an extreme amount of effort and focus on the defensive end, and no errant or stupid plays on offense, something the bench will need to take into consideration despite their excellent night against the Timberwolves.
So what is the key to beating these teams? Well lets have a look:
Portland: They’re missing Oden; we’re missing Bynum, so no advantage there. Pau will be against Pryzbilla, not the hardest ask in the world so he must take advantage of it. But there is that other guy in their frontcourt, LaMarcus Aldridge. This guy is a beast when given the chance and LO must stop him from getting hot, or else he will pay for it. LO has had a few bad games as of late, and if there is ever a time for him to pick it up, this is the game. I want to see him take to Aldridge hard and give him a hard foul or two to let him know who he’s dealing with. LO has the build to be a banger, now he just needs the mentality. He stood up to KG, and he came out on top. Let that be a lesson for him.
The backcourt is a whole different story. Nicholas Batum and Steve Blake aren’t exactly names that drive fear into the opponent, but there is one other guy that is starting to do so, Brandon Roy. This guy is turning into a beast and he’s putting himself in a position to lead this Blazers team to the playoffs this season and try to cause an upset. However, don’t expect him to have one of his big games against Kobe Bryant, who will make it his goal to shut him down. But to win this game, defense is the key and each player will have to pull his own weight to pull out the win in the arena the Lakers seem to have no success in, the Rose Garden. Let’s see if they can turn around the curse.
Houston: Talk about a team that has been hot lately, the Rockets have won 8 of their last 10 and for some reason, seem to be a much better team without McGrady as opposed to with him. I don’t know is this is a personnel issue or some character clash but Houston has improved dramatically since McGrady had micro fracture surgery, and people have come out to say he has played his last game as a Rocket.
A lot of this success has been the result of the improved play of Yao Ming, who’s been dominating teams as of late. He will be the main concern for the Lakers, and Gasol will have to play above the rim to win the duel with him. Perhaps sticking the much tougher DJ Mbenga on him when Gasol is resting might disrupt his play, but we will see what Phil does on the day.
Another concern for the Lakers will be Ron Artest. Either Kobe or Walton will start as the defender against him, something that presents two polar opposites. Kobe will be able to contain him, Walton won’t. I think in a game like this, Ariza should spend the majority of the time on Artest, while Walton spends more time against the second unit, but again, we will see what Phil does.
San Antonio: Without a doubt this will be the toughest game of the road trip. The Spurs are one of the best teams in the league and while people were willing to write them off as ‘over the hill’ at the start of the season, they have proven doubters wrong again and have played at such a high level, they’ve moved back into second place in the West, although they are still 8.5 games behind the Lakers, but that is a story for another time.
There are three players on this team to look out for: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. As of now, it seems like Ginobli won’t play in the game, but this is no excuse for the Lakers, as the spurs have a more than competent replacement in Roger Mason Jr, who burned the Lakers in their last meeting.
Tim Duncan will be guarded by Gasol, a difficult ask. Gasol has to have his best game of the road trip against Duncan and he has to shut him down. Duncan is the epitome of the consistent player and 99% of the time he will get you 20 points and 10 rebounds. If Gasol can hold Duncan to 10 points and 10 rebounds, it will be a solid effort from him. Odom can use the help defense to make life harder for Duncan, but he can’t lose sight of his own man to help out Gasol. It will be interesting to see how this matchup plays out.
Fisher will have the duty of guarding Tony Parker, which you would have to give to Parker. The guy is one of the best at driving into the lane and has one deadly teardrop. Fisher will have to focus intensely on defense to guard him and maybe switching to put Kobe on him could be interesting and slide Fisher over to guarding Mason. Either way, the pick and roll will have to be defended well in this game for the Lakers to win, but then again this is the Lakers, and the pick and roll seems to be the one play they can’t defend. Don’t ask why, I have no idea. They have the pieces to but they just can’t get it right. Not that they’re totally incompetent but they do struggle.
One of the biggest challenges for the Lakers will be playing in San Antonio at the AT&T Centre, an arena with a rich past between the Lakers and Spurs. From Fisher’s 0.4 to the Spurs eliminating the Lakers from the playoffs, there have been good and bad times for the Lakers in this arena, and hopefully Thursday will add another good memory and not a bad one.
This road trip will push the Lakers to their limits both physically and mentally. There are many challenges they will face and they will have to be prepared to come out and play Lakers basketball and run their opponents into the ground. The Lakers have the best offense in the league and their defense does seem to be improving. Hopefully they will utilise these to their advantage and beat these teams and come back home with a 3-0 road trip, setting themselves up nicely for home court advantage and in preparation for their 7 game road trip near the end of this month. If all goes well, the Lakers can wrap up the home court advantage at the end of this road trip, but there has to be a complete and total focus from the entire team. From Kobe to Morrison, every player will need to play their role and make sure they come away with 3 wins.
So what do you guys think? How will we fare in this upcoming road trip?
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Posted by: SPQR on Thursday, February 26, 2009 - 10:23 AM
Lakers Blog
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There has been lots of talk on this site and around the basketball world in general about who is better between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The very fact that this question is even asked at all is a testament to Kobe's ability when just a few short years ago we were all told that Michael is a one of kind athlete the like of which we may not see again, if ever, for decades to come.
Both players were marvelous, transcendant athletes who could do things on a constant basis that other great players may conjure up once a week on a great day. Both have that intense kill or be killed drive that all the greats have, regardless of the sport they play. Both have worked countless hours to add every shot and move to their bloated repertoires. They even talk and sound alike. The simularities between the two would create a very long list indeed if one wished to do so.
So what makes them different, what would give one the small edge over the other?
One person who probably has more insight than anyone is Phil Jackson. I have heard him asked many times, "Coach, who is better?" Everytime Phil has been equivical and measured in his response. He has never come out and made a pick, a wise and diplomatic move for someone who coached Michael and still coaches Kobe. But one thing he has brought up on more than one occasion is interesting and kind of gives you his real answer. It is not the usual suspects one may suspect: drive, a willingness to play defense, using your teamates to their best advantage, leadership, a better jump shot, more explosive moves to the hoop..etc. No, it is none of these things.
What he mentioned is a body part! Yes an actual physical difference between the two men that gave one the edge over the other. And that body part is the hands. I first heard Phil say this during his first tenure with the team several times and he said it again a couple weeks ago when he was once again asked the eternal question of who he thought was better.
He said that Michael had HUGE hands. That because of this, MJ could do whatever he wanted with the ball, anytime he liked. He said Kobe has much smaller hands and that has limited him from doing all the things MJ could do with the ball. He has never elaborated on what those things were but I wish he had. The inference though was clear. Because you have two almost equal skill levels and drives, the edge went to MJ because he simply had the better hands and could more things that Kobe physically could not.
Does this mean hands make the man? Does it make one player better than another if both are physically gifted and one has bigger hands? No it doesn't. I will give an example. Dr. J was another teriffic athlete who had huge mitts. But great as he was he never approximated Kobe or MJ's play. He never did develope a great jumper and defense was only a passing thought to him before the next offensive posession. He obviously just never took the time to work on his weaknessess like Kobe and MJ did but was content to be an limited though specatular offensive player who relied on his born athletic skills.
If MJ, as Phil seems to suggest, was the better man, it took both his huge hands and the work ethic he shared with Kobe to get that edge, slight as it may be. The work ethic and drive Kobe has, the hands he could do nothing about.
I do not mean this thread to rekindle the who is better debate. That has been done so much here. It is just a interesting view that was shared by the one man who knows both players better than anyone else and I thought I would pass it on to my fellow Laker fans. If you do want to debate that topic again or add any comments to it, be my guest. This is a sports forum, after all.
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