Archive for November, 2010

Coach Nick goes through each three point basket (and then some) to illustrate how bad defensive intensity leads to confidence by the other team. If you let this Suns team pass the ball around like they’re playing against dummy defense, they will light it up in record numbers. Watch to find out who the Usual Suspects in this defensive malaise are.

What makes Kobe Bryant such a unique talent is his ability to single handedly set the tone for an entire game. Tonight, in the D, KB did just that. Bryant’s aggressive first half attack yielded 24 points and helped to give the Lake Show an insurmountable 14-point lead at the half. From there is was smooth sailing as the Lakers imposed their will on the Detroit Pistons, getting their second win in as many nights by a 103-90 score line. Don’t be fooled by the final tally. The Lakers’ bench played far too loose in the fourth allowing Detroit to [...]

Coming into the season all the talk was about how limited Kobe Bryant’s playing time would be. Now, all that talk is shifting to how much PT Pau Gasol is getting. Clocking nearly 40 minutes a night, including a couple of 44 minute outings, means Gasol could be gassed early on in the season. Those tired legs were on display in Denver as the Spaniard slumped his way to making just 6 of 17 shots but still managed to fill up the box with a healthy 17 points and 20 rebounds. Knowing that he’d need to be in prime condition for [...]

Since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Shannon Brown’s game has blown up like Al Gore at a buffet in Vegas after losing the election. Always known as a highflier, the Chi Town native is out to prove there’s more to his game than those NASA certified boosties. ShanWow first burst onto the scene by earning the trust of Phil Jackson due to his grasp on the Triangle and that patented defensive intensity. What came as a surprise was Shannon’s clutch shooting and composure under pressure. The former first round pick was beginning to bounce around the league at Quentin Richardson [...]

This much we do know; the Lakers are an unstoppable force on offense. Coming into tonight’s tilt in Milwaukee the Bucks were holding opponents to less than 90 points a game. That all changed when the Lake Show took the court.  31 from Kobe Bryant, 21 off the bench contributed by Shannon Brown (including a dominant fourth quarter) and another double-double from Pau Gasol was about all Milwaukee could handle. This much is also certain; the Lakers’ defensive lapses are all related to focus and effort. Yes, this team sorely misses the presence of Andrew Bynum in the middle. Brandon [...]

Sometimes the NBA schedule gives you a gift. For the Los Angeles Lakers, starting their three game road trip tonight in Milwaukee could be a blessing in disguise. Not that this will be a cake walk by any means. Instead, the Lake Show could be getting the perfect matchup to help and rectify some recent woes. While the Lakers enter the game as the highest scoring team in the NBA, the Bucks are currently the least scored-upon team in the league. Something has got to give. (Insert additional clichéd line here) Being that the Lakers two consecutive losses have come [...]

The Lakers will embark on their three game road swing without the services of reserve center Theo Ratliff. The L.A. Times reports that the veteran big man is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this morning. Ratliff has been inactive recently and while his numbers don’t reflect his effectiveness the number of minutes logged by both Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom do. With an already thin front line, rookie Derrick Caracter will be called into action more often now. There is no timetable established for Ratliff’s return. With Andrew Bynum still on the mend there is some [...]

Here’s your chance to finally understand the Triangle Offense, as Coach Nick compares the efficient, well oiled Lake Show Machine and whatever it is the Clippers try to do when they’re playing hot potato with the ball.

By now you know that Ron Artest is going to be raffling off his championship ring with the proceeds being donated to his mental health initiative Xcel University. What you might not be aware of is that Artest will be hosting three events – known as The Ring Series – with the final event being the raffle of his ring on Christmas Day. You can enter your name in the raffle and get info on the events, all of which will take place at L.A. Live’s The Conga Room, by going to Ron’s website. Last night, the series got underway [...]

We knew this was coming. Ray Charles saw the writing on the wall. David Stern’s desire to see an emotionless bunch of ballers just isn’t going to happen. Some things just can’t be controlled and no matter how many times Lamar Odom – or any ball player for that matter – gets hit with a technical foul they’re not going to stop screaming “And one!” after getting a hoop and a foul. While you can’t say that the costly call, which came with under a minute to play in last night’s game, was the direct cause of the Lakers’ loss. [...]