• My late-night television watching while up with the baby this week — The Sopranos and Sports Night DVDs. If you didn’t catch Sports Night (from Aaron Sorkin, the guy who wrote West Wing for television and A Few Good Men the movie) do yourself a favor and rend the DVD’s, this was a creative and funny show that never got the recognition it deserved. (That’s all the TV talk, I’m no Jon and this isn’t Dodger Thoughts.)
• We’ve talked about this before, that the current Lakers, with Phil as the coach, are and should be modeled after the 91-93 Chicago Bulls. Kobe as Jordan, Odom as Pippen are the obvious calls. So what about Kwame as Cartwright? The bigger problem is finding a Horrace Grant. Also, we need a BJ Armstrong/Paxon at the point.
• Friend of this site Broken Cowboy has a good look at Kobe, both the myth and reality, in a new column on his site. I like his use of mythical comparisons because I’ve always though that Kobe is a classic Greek mythological character in the sense that his greatest streghth — his force of will and determination — can also be his downfall.
• The blog that has consistently done the best writing on Kobe, and much of the NBA this season, is FreeDarko, who also talked recently about the game seven questions.
• Apparently the entire Canadian national tourism budget has been blown on ads to run during the NBA playoffs. They’re not bad, but there’s a beach volleyball scene — is that really the best sport to promote Canada with? That long beach volleyball season they have?
• My thought about the firing of Rick Adelman: That’s fine, but who are you going to get that’s better? Adelman is no slouch, and to fire a quality coach and then go looking to see if anyone better is out there could backfire. Tom over at SactownRoyalty is all over the changes coming to the team up north.
• In a discussion I was having in the comments at Blog-A-Bull (about the idea of getting Chris Duhon), one fan suggested Darius Songaila might be a good fit in the triangle — a four who can shoot from the outside. Not much of a rebounder, but he stikes me as a decent fit, the question is the cost.
• The Clippers are more athletic than the Lakers, they can play at a faster pace and still hang with the Suns. But the Suns had 97 possessions in the last game (using the Hollinger estimation), which was too fast for LA. Plus, as the Lakers found, pace is irrelevant if you can’t defend in the half court.
• And part of stopping the Suns in the half court is defending the three ball, which the Clippers found challenging and Clipper Blog detailed.
• I expect a better showing tonight from the Clippers — maybe not Dallas in game two improved, but improved none the less. The question Dunleavy has to figure out is does he want to go small. Chris Kaman was -25 in game one and got torched by the swingmen who play center for the Suns. If the pace is up, if the Clippers aren’t going to pound the ball inside, then Kamen is a liablilty in this series. More Maggette, less Kaman.
• Great breakdown of the Clippers/Suns series has been done by Kevin Pelton over at SI.com.
• The Seeger Sessions, the latest Bruce Sprinsteen release, is brilliant.
Tom says
Sports Night was brilliant. I’d get the DVDs if I hadn’t already seen all the episodes at least twice. Any good extras?
Kurt says
Not much in the way of extras, just the episodes. I had seen them all before but hadn’t watched an episode for a year or so until last night.
John R says
If Kobe goes through with the number change, and he remains a Laker his whole career, AND he fails to win another championship, do they retire 8 or 24? These are the burning questions of the day.
PKLakersFAN says
John R. has to be 8, don’t you think? Especially considering the 3 titles, 62, 81, and the Slam dunk title.
Or maybe they retire both numbers?
Gatinho says
You would think the burning questions of the day would concern the Clippers and how they respond in game 2?
John R says
Well for me it is, but this is a Laker blog. And since the Lakers have a crappy pick, no cap space and little trade bait lined up for next year, lets talk about something fun.
8 or 24 in the rafters? And what about Shaq, should they retire his jersey? I say no considering the way he left and how in doing so he placed the curse of Shaq on the Lakers dooming them to many years of first round exits at best. 10 years later it finally looks like the Magic might be putting something together. Lets just hope Kobe doesn’t end up like Penny or Grant Hill or TMac or…
Michael says
Kobe wil switch back to #8 before he retires in order to sell a zillion more jerseys on the way out. Then #8 can go down as the most-sold retired jersey ever.
By the way, this is a Lakers blog, but I am sure that most of us have some sort of interest in the Clippers. Kurt even gives them a mention in the subtitle.
I really thought Kaman would be a difference maker for the Clips. He should provide the shot blocking that the Lakers lacked. I am surprised to hear that he may be a liability. Also, the Clips backcourt should do much better slowing down Nash. If they can’t do it then I have to ask, who can? Is there a guard that the Lakers can get this offseason that would have helped them win game seven?
notreallyimportant says
One thing to be said about playoff hockey is are the incredible games that regularly go to several OTs.
John (Vancouver) says
The other thing to be said about it is now with the new salary cap structure, there’s so much parity that it’s pretty boring and meaningless to me now. The game is much better with the improved rules, but there’s no more “appeal.” The last team that is really entertaining to watch to me are the Sharks.
Basketball has been the better post season so far this year.
Kurt says
I used to watch a lot of hockey, but I have to say the year off really put out my fire for the sport. Well, that and the Kings going in the tank didn’t help. But there is nothing quite like an overtime NHL playoff game.
Kurt says
Michael, if Kamen plays like he did in game 2 he’s not a liablity. If he is asked to cover a Sun out on the perimeter he is, but he can counteract that with strong play inside and an offensive rebounding presence that slows the Suns. He was -25 in game one, +23 in game 2,
Plus, just 90 possessions in game 2. A much better pace for the Clips. I still think LA wins that series.
Tony says
I don’t think modeling the Lakers after the old Bulls teams is a good idea.
The league has changed too much, the rules have changed, and the players have dramatically changed. Back when the Bulls reigned, the perimeter game was more physical and 7ft players played like 7ft players not like guards.
Plus, Odom doesn’t have the energy level to assume the role of a Scottie Pippen.
I do think it’s time to find a big Euro Center who can set picks, take up space, pass, and hit jump shots. And I believe this type of player is somewhere out there in this league.
How many Boris Diau’s are sitting on benches or underperforming because they are stuck on some piece of crap franchise? Probably more than we all think. How many skilled pg’s are stuck on the bench because bonehead coach doesn’t understand the game?
There are players out there to be had but the gm must do his homework.
notreallyimportant says
Yeah, we could really do with a young Sabonis.