Getting statted up: Ginobili had 4 third quarter turnovers, Parker 2 as the Lakers for the first time this season showed signs that they can play lockdown defense against a contender in a crucial part of the game. It is a Phil jackson signature to finish quarters strong, especially third quarters, and the Lakers did […]
News
Preview and Chat: San Antonio Spurs
Spurs Point differential: +9.2 The Lakers are going to have to keep these guys under 100 points if they are going to give themselves a chance. The Spurs and the Lakers have almost identical offensive ratings, so this one comes down to the Lakers playing above board defense and the Bynum/Brown duo showing up enough […]
Entry Pass
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall” -Confucius The uneven play of a young but talented team is a frustration that can sometimes be hard to bear. You see the potential and the flashes of continuity. Sometimes, as happened last Wednesday, you see that potential manifest itself […]
Preview and Chat: The Atlanta Hawks
The Reverse Ewing. Most of you are probably familiar with ESPN.com’s Bill “The Sports Guy” Simmons, who coined the phrase “the Ewing theory” for when a team overachieves without its star. He based it on those Riley-coached Knicks of the 90s, who had some good games sans Ewing. And while the evidence is anecdotal, I […]
The Switch
At one point during last night’s Laker loss, color commentator Stu Lantz said he didn’t want to see the Lakers playing zone for too long because it sends a message to the team you don’t trust their man-to-man defense. I thought that sounded like a pretty good message to send, especially watching how the Lakers […]
Preview and Chat: The New Orleans Hornets
Man, Byron Scott had a sweet stroke. I was inclined not to like Byron Scott when he came to the Lakers because he was traded for personal favorite Norm Nixon (the guy I wanted to model my game after, as much as a fifth grader could in the YMCA league). But Scott could shoot, providing […]
Day to Day
Kobe’s “moderate†ankle sprain from last night’s solid win over Indiana has him listed as day-to-day — but, then again, aren’t we all? The Lakers should be fine for a game or two without Kobe, and I’m not going to worry unless he misses the game against San Antonio Sunday. Kwame Brown had his best […]
Preview and Chat: The Indiana Pacers
What Laker has the best +/- number this season? When you ask what player is most often on the court when the Lakers are doing well, the standard answer is Kobe. But so far the guy leading the way this season is Kwame Brown — the Lakers are +11.7 (per 48 minutes) when he is […]
Preview and Chat: The Los Angeles Clippers
Slowing Kobe. All eyes will be on Bryant after his version of “The Closer†on TNT Thursday. And remember, the last time he faced the Clippers Kobe put up 20 in the first quarter. The Clippers in that game, and likely tonight, went with Quinton Ross on Kobe, the Lakers countered by posting Kobe up […]
Fast Break Thoughts
Um, maybe that Kobe guy is pretty good. Some random thoughts on that and more from last night. • Apparently, ESPN.com’s Scoop Jackson or his editor did not get the Colin Cowherd memo. Scoop’s column yesterday was written from the perspective of the new NBA basketball, even calling it the “Orange Roundie.†A clever idea […]