Whatever is left of Kobe Bryant will ultimately result in dividing some of his most loyal fans. The news that a rotator cuff injury will probably prematurely end another season – third straight – for Kobe brings joy to no one. Not the league, not the fans, opponents or those covering basketball. Bryant is simply […]
Kobe Bryant and the Matrix of Leadership
Kobe Bryant is one of the most talented players the league has ever seen and he has used his skills to repeatedly reach the mountaintop. Mind you, his basketball skills alone did not suffice in his ascension into the pantheon of greatness. He also had to morph into a leader. The leadership component often goes […]
State of the Lakers: April 13
Will Kobe be ready for the season opener next season? Lakers trainer Gary Vitti: “That’s the plan” — Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 13, 2013 The Los Angeles Lakers have won five of their past six games to solidify their hold on the final spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. Their victory over the […]
April 6 State of the Lakers
With the victory over the Memphis Grizzlies (51-25) last night, the Los Angeles Lakers (40-36) are undefeated in the last seven days. They’ve won three games in a row during the stretch and it’s helped solidify their grip on the final Western Conference playoff spot for the moment. The string of victories started on March […]
Lakers fall versus Bucks: 3-on-3
With the Los Angeles Lakers losing against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, the Forum Blue and Gold staff broke the game down in this latest installment of 3-on-3. 1. What’s the biggest takeaway from the game in Milwaukee? J.M. Poulard: Sadly, Laker fans might recognize tonight’s team all too well. It’s the one they’ve seen for […]
Preview and Chat: The Golden State Warriors
Records: Lakers 12-14 (11th in the West). Warriors 18-9 (5th in the West) Offensive ratings: Lakers 106.6 (5th in NBA), Warriors 104.9 (7th in NBA) Defensive ratings: Lakers 102.2 (15th in NBA), Warriors 102.0 (14th in NBA) Projected starting lineups: Lakers: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Devin Ebanks, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard Warriors: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, […]
Kobe’s New Potential Nemesis…
If you’ve followed the career of Kobe Bryant, you’ve seen him have a multitude of so-called rivals at the shooting guard position, all of which he’s outlasted and obviously bested at one point or another. The “rivalry” with Tracy McGrady was fun and it’s a shame that it didn’t last longer, and Vince Carter also […]
The Ever Efficient Kobe Bryant
Prior to the start of the regular season, I predicted that Kobe Bryant would have his most efficient ever season shooting the ball. His health will probably be a concern until he retires given the toll his 17-year career has taken on his body and thus it stands to reason that his physical skills will […]
The Other Kobe-LeBron Debate
For the past few seasons, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have been the two biggest names in basketball and thus have been endlessly compared to each other. The conversation is about to take a new turn as people in the media and fans alike have begun to stir the narrative in a different direction as […]
The Other Guys: At #7…
Typically, when sports shows present montages of teams that were fortunate enough to win a championship, the underlying message that usually gets thrown out to the fans is that this group of people reached the mountaintop through blood, sweat and tears. Obviously, the message is often lost on those that rather concentrate on the contributions […]