Archive for December, 2010

These are supposed to be the salad days for Kobe Bryant. KB24 isn’t supposed to be competing for the scoring crown anymore. Not when he’s got a 20 and 10 guy named Pau Gasol on his squad. Bryant shouldn’t be defending the opponent’s best perimeter player late in games. Not when he’s got Ron Artest to do that dirty work. Kobe certainly shouldn’t be initiating the offense either. Not when he’s got a do-it-all sidekick named Lamar Odom. Truth be told, Bryant should be limiting his minutes, only stepping in and dominating when absolutely necessary. I’m here to tell you [...]

In this pivotal game, the adjustments Phil Jackson and Mike Dunleavy made were pivotal to the outcome of the series. Tied at 1-1 after Sam Perkins and the Lakers stole a game in Chicago, game 3 had to go to overtime to be decided, with two heavyweights dishing out their best shots.

Things aren’t going well for the Lakers but it’s not so bad that they’d lose to New Jersey. The Lake Show still can’t get over 100 points but 99 were enough to beat the Nets. Another sloppy performance left this one late until a 10-2 run closed the contest. Yawn… Maybe we can just blame this one on the early start time. Whatever the newest excuse, the Lakers still aren’t playing with any intensity. They’re honestly playing like a team with two rings in the rearview and an eye looking down the road instead of what’s right in front of [...]

Look, there is no shame in losing to the Bulls. For the record, I still contend that the best win the Lakers have had this season was the W over Chicago in Staples. The Bulls are nice and the squad is for real. However, there is much shame for the Lake Show as yet another lazy effort has resulted in a loss. Phil Jackson you do have a problem. Your team isn’t focused on anything except clocking out and going home. These Lakers are punching the clock without doing any work until the last 5 minutes on the job. They [...]

6 games, 10 days, no rest and plenty of stress. That’s what the Lakers can look forward to in the coming week. With the David Stern ratings bonanza that is Christmas day looming, the Lakers are looking to get back on track. This team is in a serious funk. They’re playing down to the competition and that doesn’t bode well when you look at the opponents on this road swing. Other than the Bulls, the Lakers face no other team on their travels with a winning record. Having already played four of the six they’ll face should provide some incentive. [...]

This is becoming an annual tradition. Next week, when the Lakers swing through the Nation’s Capital to take on the Washington Wizards, they’ll be honored by President Barack Obama. Unlike previous meetings, this one will not take place at the White House but will instead occur at a local Boys and Girls club. Last season the Lakers were looking for a little inspiration on a road trip and found it when they met President Obama. That visit inspired Shannon Brown to complete the hat trick of dunks. No telling what he’ll do to follow up this time around. Hopefully this [...]

Andrew Bynum can’t return soon enough. As it stands, the Lakers are down to Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as their only healthy options to play the 4 and 5 positions. Last night Kobe Bryant landed on the ankle of Derrick Caracter forcing the rookie to miss the entire second half and he’s now listed as day to day. Great news for LO and Pau as they prep for a nice week’s long trip on the road. What’s even more disconcerting is Kobe’s knack for knocking his big men out with leg injuries. Ask Bynum about that. While Caracter was [...]

As far as ugly wins go this one was Joy Behar topless in a thong. That’s what the Lakers are specializing in these days – winning ugly. Another listless three quarters left the Lake Show in a hole entering the fourth. If it weren’t for The Renegades this one would have been an L for sure. Shannon Brown continued his stellar play as he took over in the third quarter including a three-quarters court shot that took any remaining momentum from the Clippers at the horn. From there it was a back and forth battle in the fourth that set [...]

ESPN Los Angeles is reporting that Andrew Bynum is planning on making his season debut December 14th when the Lakers take on the Washington Wizards. Now, we all know how this process has gone thus far. Initially Bynum was only going to miss the preseason. Then he was thought to be ready by Thanksgiving. Now we’ve finally got a date locked in but that means little. The Lakers and Bynum have rightfully taken their time in getting the young seven-footer back to health. Given his inability to be healthy for the playoffs, it would seem ideal for Drew to get [...]

Phil Jackson needs to get a hold of his team. These Los Angeles Lakers are developing some bad habits. Derek Fisher called his teammates out early in the season after an embarrassing win against Minnesota. Now, who will do the same in the wake of last night’s arrogant showing against the Wizards? Just because all the media hype surrounds some mediocre team in Miami doesn’t mean other squads aren’t setting their sights on beating L.A. There have been far too many warnings and not nearly enough adjustments. This team continues to ignore the defensive commitment necessary to get this three-peat. [...]