I talked with Von Wafer after the game and what seemed like a brouhaha at half court was actually nothing. He was just trying to head over in LO's direction and security, who likely didn't recognize him in street clothes, wouldn't let him past. If there was even shouting, I imagine it was simply to be heard over the noise. He said it was no biggie and seemed quite surprised I even noticed. But as you all know, the K Brothers see what mere mortal reporters miss.

Also, in the locker room, Laron Profit may have had the best line to sum up the game: "It's like the NCAA times 5."

Oh, and I wanted to set everyone's minds at ease. About 20 minutes after the game, it may have felt like the Earth briefly spun backwards on its axis. No need to worry. It was simply T.J. Simers complimenting Devean George. Repeatedly.

AK

Hey y'all. How's it going? Just waiting for the action to start up. And happy birthday to Zen, by the way. I have a feeling I know what he asked for when he blew out the candles.

As I walked into Staples, I saw a guy with a pretty sweet Lakers tat on his shoulder. Which got me thinking. Now let me say off the bat, I ain't mad at Kobe for changing his number. As far as I'm concerned, a) Dude's earned the right to do whatever he wants with his jersey and b) It doesn't adversely affect my life in the slightest. But if you're a fan who got some kind of "Kobe-8" ink, how freaking pissed are you at the guy right now? I mean, what are you supposed to do with it? Yeah, you can turn into some kind of "8 X 3 = 24" design, but it's gonna be an obvious cover job (unless you're a prideful math teacher, I guess). There's gotta be at least a few people across the nation who are seriously bummed right now.

Also, how great would it have been if Kobe just changed his number to "9," just to play up the whole "nobody can tell if it's me or Laron Profit on the court" confusion?

First Quarter

By the way, the "hoarse parrot woman" from Friday night is back and right behind me again. I'll give her this. She's a fan. But the smelly reporter isn't here, so that's a plus. My eyes were practically watering from the stench.

Sweet pass from LO to Luke in the paint.

Now this is going to be interesting. Kobe's supporting cast has done a great job complimenting Kobe while he's been on the floor. Let's see what they can do while he's off the floor. I'm also glad the refs didn't fall for Nash's "fall" at the hands of Luke in transition. Academy Award material? Yes. Actual foul on Luke? No.

The Lakers really need to focus on controlling this pace better. As it stands, they're flirting rather heavily with playing "Suns Ball."

The refs are calling it rather tight today. The Lakers are going to have to put their kid gloves on and tread a little more lightly. I wonder if they're looking to cut down on the physicality after Friday's pair of skirmishes.

2 minutes left. Kobe and LO both on the bench. This would be a real test of potential storm weathering.

End of the first: Lakers, 25. Suns, 26. Considering Kobe and LO were both sitting for a stretch and the pace was mostly all Suns-centric, not too bad at all. But it's imperative that the Lakers get the tempo back to their taste. A track meet is a rather dicey proposition. At the same time, though, they gotta find a way to do it within the ref's standards for today, which appear to be on the conservative side. I really hope this doesn't turn into too big of a whistle-fest. Did any of you watch game 3 of Clips-Nuggets? Good lord, man! I think that game just ended an hour ago.

There's gonna be a rumble at Staples this afternoon and there's a lot of stake for the Lakers. A potential 3-1 lead over the Suns would make Phoenix sweat from more than the humidity coming back to the desert. But if it's all the same to Phil Jackson, he'll keep his own squad in need of lathering on the deodorant. He's telling the boys to stay tense and they're keeping nerves frayed. Of course, the team would probably play in traffic right now if PJ ordered it (FYI: He won't, so don't worry). The team might actually appreciate Phil ordering them to tank it today to stretch the series a little longer, because they're having a blast right now (FYI: He won't, so don't worry). Between the newly nutty Staples Center crowd and the chances for former castoffs like Kwame and Smush to strut their stuff, what's not to like? Kind of ironic, since that's actually an ingredient largely missing from the Suns' success formula of the past: Fun. By returning to a sense of normalcy, Phoenix remains confident they can get their groove back.

In Kobe Bryant's entire 10-year career, I don't think I've ever enjoyed three consecutive games of his more than this opening trio against Phoenix. But even if a back-to-back-to-back I dug more is simply escaping me at the moment, this I know for sure: In Kobe's entire 2005-2006 season, the Lakers have never looked more like a true team than during these same three games.

Coincidence?

No way in hell.

Kobe seems like an entirely different player right now. He's focused, but also relaxed. He's hard nosed, but approachable. He's completely aware of the stakes at hand, but giving up more control than he's ever willingly relinquished. And doing it with a vibe that feels unconditional. He either trusts his teammates to the nth degree right now or he's the greatest actor this side of DeNiro in his prime. I'm personally leaning towards "trust." But even if this whole thing's a sham, don't matter one bit. His teammates buy it, which is taking their play to a whole other level. His coaches buy it, which allows them to design a varied game plan. And most importantly, the Suns buy it, which is making them rather nervous. Now that Kobe's dictating tempo, but letting his fellow starters and the bench do damage as well, the Suns seem at a loss for answers. Kobe's empowered his teammates. They're playing with power. Funny how that happens sometimes.

It's kind of interesting. A Kobe vs. Nash match up (even though they're not truly going head to head) has naturally sparked more "who's the real MVP?" jabber. Makes sense, even though I'm sick of it. But as the series progresses and (in my mind) Kobe outplays Nash, I'm feeling more confident I was right not giving Kobe my "MVP vote that doesn't actually count for squat." These playoffs have validated my opinion that there's so much more Kobe can bring to the Lakers besides being the league's best pure talent. The benefits of Kobe's silly ridiculous skills were sometimes offset by a tendency to keep his teammates at bay. Not the case right now. And in my opinion, he's now proving how truly lethal he is. These three games are the potential beginning of a irrefutably MVP career.

Slowly and steadily... getting closer.

Got staying an iota of the "try to get it inside/we're not gonna stand around watching Kobe" plan, the Lakers came out on top 99-92 in a very spirited match against Phoenix. "Spirited," FYI, is often just a friendly way of saying "testy," which certainly describes the vibe. Between Luke Walton's flagrant, Kwame Brown's pro-rasslin' toss of Boris Diaw, plus Kobe and Steve Nash's constant jawing, two teams with no previous history aren't thrilled to be in each other's presence. Actually, the Suns aren't having much fun, period. The Lakers, however, are having a blast being around each other. And why wouldn't it be a love fest, since everybody's getting a chance for a pat on the back? Who's chipping in? Try, "roughly everybody."  Want a collector's item box score? When's the last time you saw Smush and Luke lead the team in scoring and attempts, respectively? Must be pissing Kobe off, right?

Not even.

And Kobe's eagerness to involve his teammates has been the story of the playoffs. Only a curmudgeon wouldn't like it. Phil Jackson's also getting major props for the collective output of his roster. PJ's known for playing head games with opponents, but the psychology he's used on his own squad's been the real difference. The Suns may not need a shrink, but they definitely could use a stint with a guru of sorts.  Somebody to provide some answers, because right now, they're a sparse commodity in D'Antoni country. And if they find said soothsayer, send the guy Chris Mihm's way. Dude would love to know when his ankle's gonna finally heal up.

AK's note: Last night's victory was not without a little input from Mom. Within two minutes of the game ending, the following email arrived: "They got a push from Smush!" Mom was obviously excited that her favorite Laker had a big game. When I told Smush about the email in the locker room, he seemed quite flattered. He asked me to tell her hello, thanks, and to continue the support. I emailed Mom the message when I got home from Staples and this morning found another email: "I love Smush. He is the future."

Clearly, our mother is enjoying the series thus far.

(Post From the Road- Gotta sneak 'em in when I can!)

Assuming reports are correct, Steve Nash will take home the MVP for the second consecutive year.  My understanding is that you guys aren't thrilled about that?  Maybe I've been reading too much into your comments?  I'm usually pretty perceptive about these things...

Anyway, what's interesting to me is that before the playoffs, people talked about the MVP as a way for Kobe to slam an exclamation point on his comeback and take his rightful place back among the brightest stars of the NBA galaxy.  But it was interesting how the debate was framed.  It was still generally "love him or hate him, Kobe deserves the MVP."  His backers pointed to the sheer ridiculousness of his offensive output this season as evidence that he just couldn't be denied.  But even had he won it, there still would have been lingering animosity from many, the way people feel when Barry Bonds would win MVP after MVP. 

Then the playoffs came, with the expectations that Kobe would go for 50+ a game and generally try to put the Suns on tilt.  Instead, he's become the ultimate team guy, as the Lakers have seemingly overnight evolved into the NBA's most balanced team.  He's getting in the face of guys who pick on his teammates.  He was barely able to get full sentences out of his mouth after Game 3, because he was so excited at the team's performance.  I'm thinking that this series, win or lose, has done more to resurrect Kobe's image than any hardware ever could. 

Opinions?

BK 

Just about to get started, people. And let me tell y'all, the media area is a freakin' cricus. Everyone network except that one All-Korean station seems to have a reporter here. And the Country Music Network. I don't see anyone with a ten gallon hat and a pad of paper.

As is the custom (24 years and counting), Jeffrey Osborne just did the National Anthem. Let me tell y'all something. Dude can make anyone feel pretty freakin' patriotic. I may actually enlist. Them is some pipes.

Just so everyone knows, I'm probably gonna chime in less and concentrate on updating your comments. Or at least make that the top priority.

It's already louder up in here than I've ever heard a Lakers game. And good,becuase the crowd ain't always enought of a factor.

First Quarter

Not a bad little job of knifing through the D by Kobe.

And, that just got interesting, huh? In the caetgoty of "people you don't expect to see in the middle of a brawl," Luke Walton is a pretty good candidate. And for the record, the refs got this right. Luke deserved the flagrant. And Diaw was a little unnecessarily chippy. And the funny thing was, I think Kobe inadvertantly caused the scrum by accidentally pushing Diaw into Smush, who fell, hence the chaos.

I'm not saying I didn't like Smush's reverse jam. I'm just saying, he'd have been cut on the spot if he missed it.

I'm not sure I've ever seen Steve Nash take that many steps. Although he's got the right idea. If you're gonna travel, get your money's worth.

On the jumbotron, they just showed highlights from a Lakers bowling night for kids with Cook and Smush. They just showed Smush roll. I'm pretty sure they cut away right before it ended up in the gutter. Ball was drifting very right.

They are doing a very nice job of getting Luke freed in the post for some easy buckets. Which is good, because they're unfortunately doing a terrible job guarding the three.

Tell ya, Smush may lack in perimeter D, but he's got to be one of the more athletic PG's out there. In terms of just athleticism. Guy can really get up there.

End of the first. Lakers, 31, Phoenix 27. Probably letting in a little more points than they'd like (especially around the arc), but I don't think the Lakers can be all that mad. It's going a little quicker than they'd like, and they're actually outscoring the Suns. If it's gonna move fast like that, it's a nice sign that they're ahead.

Lakers Bloggers-

Hey.  Two big games this weekend.  Massive.  Gargantuan.  No question, the kind of games you'd normally have two live blogs to from which to pick and choose.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, if that's what you'd rather have anyway) you only get one.  Some long planned, unchangeable, unavoidable, unbreakable travel plans with my fiance will keep me out of LA on Friday and Sunday.

So bring home a couple winners, and I'll be guaranteed a shot at Game Six... or better yet, take two at home and Game Five in Phoenix, and hopefully it'll set up a Lakers-Clippers Round Two that will create more buzz in Los Angeles than news of Brad Pitt leaving Angelina Jolie for Billy Bob Thornton.   

Okay.  Enough on programming notes, more on hoops.  Here's today's question.  Phil Jackson has developed a game plan that has managed to, paraphrasing PJ's own words, stymie and befuddle the Suns.  In Game One, the Lakers had a chance to steal the game with a better showing on D and a couple clutch shots.  Didn't happen.  Game Two was another story entirely- an often dominating performance forced Phoenix to play catch up, no fun for even fun-and-gun NBA teams. 

So here's the question.  You're Mike D'Antoni.  What adjustments do you make going into Game Three?  How would you break the Lakers D, or force the Lakers offense to play to your tempo.  Would you try to force the purple and gold to rely on Kobe?  Would you have to see a shrink just for thinking of that sort of strategy? 

And more importantly- because no Lakers fan wants to think of a good idea and give it away to the enemy- afterward, after removing your sombrero de D'Antoni, put on your PJ hat.  What adjustments should Jackson make in anticipation of D'Antoni's moves?   Or is it a question of, "You know what we're going to do, but we're betting you can't stop it?"

If cliches have taught us anything, it's that the playoffs are a chess match.  What moves are coming next?

BK

Know that groovy feeling after a long, grueling business trip is finished and you finally walk through your casa's front door? Well, that sums up the Lakers' mindset as they're back in Staples. And with that sense of comfort, they're hoping comes a W in tonight's pivotal game 3 against Phoenix. The overriding concept thus far has been "team," with the Lakers making a conscientious effort to work as a unit.  Yeah, there have been folks who've stood out. Lamar Odom's play has been sick and Shawn Marion is really sick of keeping track of his whereabouts. The whole thing's been noteworthy enough to capture the stat-riddled mind of John Hollinger. Kwame Brown's stepped it up, on and off the court. And really, you can go around the horn and find something nice to say about everyone logging minutes in L.A.'s rotation. It's easy (and likely quite accurate) to credit Phil Jackson for the united front's that been forged. But props must also go to Kobe Bryant for wholeheartedly buying in and trusting his boys. Ironically, as Kobe's become less compelled to pull out all the stops, the more the accolades keep piling on. 

photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty

This kid rules.

Question: If Magic wins an Oscar for producing this film, will he keep the trophy in

a) His home

b) The Lakers Offices in El Segundo

c) The Magic Johnson Foundation offices

d) His TGI Friday's

e) One of his Starbucks

f) One of his movie theaters

g) One of his Burger Kings

h) One of his co-owned banks

i) A business location to be acquired later

j) None of the above 

k) All of the above, with the golden man in a steady rotation


AK

All square in the desert!

NBA history made this a must win situation (unless one prefers 5% odds) and the Lakers responded accordingly, holding the Suns to double digits in a 99-93 victory. This being a game in the desert,  maybe it was the heat. Maybe it humidity. Maybe it was just some scorching Lakers D. But whatever the reason, Phoenix's scoring suffered a big time drought. The Suns' bench looked just as dehydrated, especially compared to the contributions from L.A.'s reserves, led by their skinniest player. Truth be told, everybody who stepped on the floor wearing a purple and gold uni brought something to the table, echoing the balanced/interior attack Phil Jackson's plotting. LO punished Shawn Marion, Kwame Brown had a couple thunder dunks, and Luke Walton did a bit of everything. But ironically, the equal opportunity O only accentuated what Kobe was capable of. Not bending to critics claiming he should shoot a bazillion times, Kobe made his mark while chucking within the system.  Hopefully, his 29,10 and 5 in the box score will leave the arm chair strategists too tongue tied to criticize. Granted, the night wasn't all fun and games. As Phoenix showed in the second half, they're always a threat to get back in the game. But the damage done Wednesday night may have been enough to sow some seeds of doubt into the minds of Nash and the boys.

As far as Kobe's new 24 goes, it may actually require a Jack Bauer interrogation to get the true story behind it. Bryant was keeping mum, but the odds makers would probably guess it's got something to do with his high school roots. They'll definitely predict it sells in the boatloads.

photo by Paul Connors/AP

We all know the, um... let's call them "daunting" odds teams face when they that go down 2-0 in a playoff series (they lose over 94% of the time).  So with that in mind, is tonight's game a must win?  I've said it is.  But are you guys willing to call it the same? 

Just curious.

As for the contest, it's simple.  Just like they do on the radio.  Pick the final score.  Except on Lakers Blog, unlike the radio, if you get it right you win absolutely nothing...

..nothing but Lakers Blog pride, that is!  Which is pretty freakin' valuable, if you ask me. 

BK

Since everybody's minds are on the game and nothing's getting done at the office anyway, why not throw out another item to keep productivity at a bare minimum? A gaggle of ESPN experts break down the Lakers-Suns past (game 1) and future (game 2).

So you never know. Maybe it's a typo and he actually won LVP. But probably not.

Okay, go ahead and vent.

Wednesday's known as "Hump Day" (and before the gutter mouths speak their filthy minds, it has to do with getting over a hump, not getting... ahem). And tonight's game 2 traditionally represents the hurdling of a significant hill for the team that's behind.  Fall to 0-2 and historically speaking, you're pretty much toast. But the Lakers are entering battle equipped with a plan, and the Suns ain't got a clue what it is. Obviously, L.A. will continue trying to take the run out of Phoenix's "run n' gun." But as far that gunning jazz goes, will or won't that responsibility fall into Kobe's lap? Some suspect Kobe will look to be more "mamba" from tip off tonight, and as far as the Suns are concerned, let it rain, bro. But no matter how nutty Bryant looks to go on Phoenix by his damn self, the contributions of his buddies remain a make or break issue. Shawn Marion's all around game creates instant mismatches against whoever he plays, so it's only fitting he'll spend the game trying to stop his versatility doppelganger, Lamar Odom. It's also safe to say the Suns will be keeping their eyes on Kwame Brown.

Okay. Kobe's decided next season he's gonna wear #24, his high school digits currently worn by Jim Jackson, a FA to be. But let's say the Lakers want to resign JJ, who says he's only returning if he gets to retain his number. You can only keep one guy. If you're the Lakers, who do you go with? Discuss amongst yourselves.

(photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

As BK and I have stated many times over the last couple weeks, we're both way sick of the whole MVP debate. Personally, I can't wait until they announce the winner and put this sucker to bed. Let it be Kobe. Let it be Nash. Let it be Anthony Grundy (whoever he is). I just don't care anymore. I totally understand everyone's passions when it comes to the subject, but at the same time, said subject is beyond played out. Sorry, but it's true.

But you know what hasn't been discussed enough? Bizarro World's version of the eventual trophy winner. The dude who brings the absolute least to the table. Try as you might, you just can't come up with a reason to put this guy on your NBA roster. Anyone's NBA roster. Hell, anyone's WNBA roster. He's just that worthless. After the smoke has cleared... After it's all said and done...

... Who's the NBA's Least Valuable Player?

Now before throwing out your winner, give it a little thought. You don't wanna award this honor to just anybody. For example, Lakers fans bitter over this year's mid-level exception usage might be tempted to throw Aaron McKie under the bus. And true, you can make a solid argument that the guy's been on the somewhat unproductive side. But McKie's lack of contribution was almost entirely due to injury (an odd, tough-to-heal ailment, to boot), as opposed to flat out sucking or racking up DNP-CD upon DNP-CD. He never really got a chance to be crappy. (For that matter, I don't also count rooks like the Clips' Yaroslav Koralev- or our boy Von- who weren't supposed to play and stuck to the script. You gotta at least fall behind the 8-ball before being dead weight.). Throw in the fact that McKie was likely a positive locker room/practice presence, and I don't feel the guy's deserving of such notoriety (although if you do, fair enough. This narrowing down process is hardly an exact science.).

Full steam ahead! That's what Lakers fans are saying as the team prepares for its second shot at Phoenix. But the Nation aren't the only people thinking in navigational terms. As far as the team's mindset goes, it's all about "stay the course." Despite the raging debates over Kobe's (relatively) low shot count in game one, don't expect a green light from Phil to chuck it 50 times on Wednesday. Which isn't to say PJ wouldn't like to see Kobe a bigger part of the action. But all in all, coach and athlete appear to be on the same page when it comes to interpreting the playbook. And speaking of players in the thick of things, Shawn Marion v. Lamar Odom should be a fun one to watch all series. What wouldn't be fun to watch (unless you're from the desert)? Kobe in a Suns uni.

For what it's worth, y'all weren't hallucinating when it looked like Kobe got hit in the head by Tim Thomas in Sunday's final seconds. Even the Bulls castaway admits, "my bad." Of course, he doesn't really need to, since Suns assistant coach Mike Iavaroni is also being honest.  Kinda sucks, but if it's any comfort, had Kobe have gotten away with one on Thomas, you wouldn't see #8 demanding they blow a whistle, either (Not quite sure why that would cheer anyone up, but we like to try here at Lakersblog.).

It's been reported that the Little General will be named Coach of the Year, but if ex-Laker John Celestand got to vote (and he better not, considering he's not even a writer and the K Brothers deserve a ballot before that dude, no offense), Phil Jackson would earn his check mark.

photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty

We are.

Why, you may ask? Because we met with mission control this morning and got a firm "yes" on a Dodgers blog for LATimes.com. The official start date is up in the air (hopefully, about a week from now), but we're excited and hope you guys will follow us as we blog our way through Dodger Stadium.

We also wanted to thank the blogging nation, as your rabid enthusiasm and loyal readership played a large part in making this happen. It's mucho, mucho appreciated. And just to clarify, the Lakersblog will not be shut down during the off season. It'll be updated every couple days or so for news, developments, trade rumors and miscellaneous K Brothers ramblings. In other words, two blogs going at once.

More news as it happens.

AK

Well, as yesterday's 107-102 playoff loss to the Suns proves, you can listen to the "experts" analyze an upcoming game to death and still have no clue how stuff's gonna play out. Even the folks who predicted the Suns being forced into a slower tempo still had no idea what else was in store: A game where Kobe Bryant felt like a part of the backdrop. Phil Jackson's plan was to feed the low post and keep everyone involved, an order Kobe followed to a "T" (and as some feel inclined to point out, "T" is the last letter in "fault"). Even more unpredictable among the naysayer crowd? Kobe's co-starters stepped it up after being invited to the party. From Lamar Odom's double double to Luke Walton's "Hey! 19" (a career high), the opening bell sidekicks made their mark in the box score. But there was room for developments even more oddball. Try "game hero Tim Thomas" on for size.

But even with such unpredictability on display, one part truly stood out as the "huh?" moment. When it came time for Kobe's patented "Take-Over-A-Game-En-Route-To-Glorious-Victory" plan, #8 just couldn't get it going.  Whether out of rhythm from hanging back too long or simply a victim of an off-day, Bryant finished 7-21 from the floor and with a very quiet 22 points. But here's the one  outcome even a moron could forecast: Kobe ain't worried about nothing. It's hard to blame him, considering the team's performance got an endorsement from The Captain himself. Of course, that doesn't mean Kobe didn't leave the arena needing an aspirin or seven. Hopefully, there's a less painful way to get the situation all knotted up come Wednesday.

Mow the lawn, clean the gutters, fix that leaky faucet.  Do whatever you have to do before 12:30 this afternoon.  Because it's on.  And we're not talking about practice, man.  We're talking about a game. 

A playoff game.

Perhaps one of the four Smush Parker has guaranteed the Lakers will win.  Hopefully his inner Nostradamus is more in tune than say, Ron Artest, who was, at least in Game One, a little off in his assertion that the Kings were the "team to beat."   For that to happen, the Lakers (particularly Smush) will have to tighten up the D on Phoenix's floppy haired Canadian point guard, because despite Phil's claim that it's a big man's game, the Suns won't be changing their style for the postseason.  Perhaps the plan of posting up everyone in the greater Los Angeles area on Phoenix's undersized frontline will do the trick.  Or maybe Jackson has other ideas.  It wouldn't surprise from a guy who has earned every penny of his $10 million this season. What is surprising, however, is the amount of love Mitch Kupchak's getting these days compared to when the season began.

While Smush can see the results of this series clearly, others are having more trouble reading the tea leaves.   Perhaps it's because, considering the year's struggles, it's hard to tell exactly what this team has become.  One thing that is obvious?  For the time being, Raja Bell does not have bigger fish to fry than Kobe Bryant, and he's ready for the challenge.  But fun as it might be to watch Kobe go for 65 a night in the postseason, a more equitable distribution of points is a better prescription for playoff success.  Jackson has emphasized it, and Bryant's decision making will be tested.  Maybe it was with this scenario in mind that Jackson picked Kobe's '06 reading material.  Good thing Bryant read it. 

Contributions will have to come from everywhere, including Luke Walton.  Could he be the X Factor we asked about?  For Phoenix, it just might be Boris Diaw. 

THE AWARDS SECTION:

Mark Heisler delivers his postseason votes, and explains why Steve Nash is the MVP.  Still, Kobe Bryant is getting plenty of love.  Does it matter if Kobe doesn't win these oddball categories?

BK and I are at Staples right now, doing a little scouting of the Lakers' potential second round opponents. Of course, the Lakers gotta get past Phoenix first in order to play either the Clips or Nugs. Obviously, Kobe's gotta play his game (and play it well) or this team ain't going no place. But even the sickest of players need a little help come playoff time, and Kobe's no exception. It's up to Bryant's teammates to bring it this series. Which brings us to the $1,000,000 question.

Of the entire supporting cast, who absolutely, positively, hands down, period needs to step it up the most?

Is it Kwame Brown, who reportedly will be fed early and often in order to exploit Phoenix's softer middle? Maybe it's Lamar Odom, whose versatility and quarterbacking plays a huge part of Kwame's ability to do his thing in the first place? Does it all come down to Smush sticking with Steve Nash? The Lakers' bench has been erratic all season. Will Devean George's playoff experience and triangular knowledge make him the second unit's all-important anchor? Or does that honor actually belong to Brian Cook, the most reliable scorer among the subs (unless you consider Chris Mihm even more dependable)? But lest we forget, the Lakers are the underdogs. When it comes to fighting big odds, encouragement never hurts. There's no better cheerleader in the league than Ronny Turiaf. Maybe it all comes down to the power of his enthusiasm and sideline dancing.

Then again, perhaps the mystery man is someone yet to be mentioned.

Give us the who and why. And while you're at, how about a prediction for the series. Who's the winner in how many games?

AK

This is Hollywood, right?  So it's only fitting that the first round matchup between the Lakers and Suns should have the kind of star power to make it the marquee series of the first round.  The man charged with containing L.A.'s biggest hoops celeb (if we have to explain who that is, you haven't been paying attention), is keyed up for the challenge, despite Ocho's 42.5 ppg average against Phoenix. 

As is his tradition, Hollywood has once again made its way into Phil Jackson's motivational bag of tricks.  He spliced clips of "Inside Man," starring frequent courtside visitor Denzel Washington, into game film to help reinforce their inside-out plan of attack.  The flick's bank heist plot isn't inappropriate either for a team with the confidence to think they can steal this series from Phoenix.  It'll take some thieving to extend Jackson's streak of first round perfection. 

And in grand Hollywood tradition, the playoffs could be a redemption for Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom after a season (and in Brown's case especially, a career) of choppy waters. 

With the Clippers favored in the first round and the Lakers underdogs, the traditional Hollywood script of Los Angeles hoops has been flipped this year, notes USA Today's David Leon Moore (here at Lakers Blog, we can flog a theme to death).   It may not stay that way if Sam Cassell ends up in purple and gold.  Of course, you won't find a bigger underdog than former Laker Tierre Brown, who'd kill for a Tinseltown scribe to give his journey a "happy ending" rewrite.

Your online paperboys have returned, though will be back on the road this morning, so there could be some delays in posting comments (the mothership is aware of our absence, and in theory has our back).

If the Lakers could throw unis AC Green, Vlade Divac (with or without his Marlboro's), and Kurt Rambis, they probably would, because they're planning on pounding the ball inside in their first round series against Phoenix and are optimistic about their chances.  Whatever the plan, the Lakers face some long odds in their attempt to knock off the Suns.  Then again, to paraphrase Pedro Martinez, the Lakers have been the Suns' daddy when it comes to the playoffs. The Lakers will need a little mojo of sorts, because according to Marc Stein, they're the 14th best team heading into the madness.

NBA postseason lacking some of the league's biggest names- KG, Yao, Paul Pierce, T-Mac, Paul Pierce, and A.I. are among the superstars who are free to break out the golf clubs early this year- Sure, Luke Walton will be in the mix, but the league could still use a Lakers-Clippers matchup in Round Two to help generate some buzz.  To make that happen, the Lakers will have to prove this guy and this guy wrong.  Still after overcoming the preseason projections of many (but not us, because we're Masters of Prognostication) there are people who think they can win, Mark Jackson for one, and a big reason is Phil Jackson, who has been teaching for all 82 games this season.

Considering the slow decline of Shaq and the strong play of Kwame and L.O., is it about time for people to reevaluate the Diesel trade? 

This is apparently what it would take to bring Starbury into town. Kobe probably shouldn't pack his bags just quite yet.

The header is a little forced, but it'll do. 

Phil Jackson got exactly what he wanted tonight- entry into the "softer" side of the playoff bracket, a chance to rest his star players, and a fracture free Luke Walton.  Kobe finished with 35 points on 13-26 from the field, but more importantly was able to sit after only 29 minutes on the court.  L.O. had a relatively quiet evening, but was also shut down early, a nice change for a guy averaging 40 minutes a night.  Solid games from Kwame Brown (19/8) and Brian Cook (5-5 from the field). 

Luke Walton was taken to the hospital after absorbing a Marc Jackson elbow to the face, but x-rays and CT scans were negative.  Not for his face. That was there, but there were no fractures in it. There's a chance he may play on Sunday. 

So it's on to Phoenix.  Don't know if it's been announced officially yet, but word on the street is Sunday, 12:30. 

NOTE ON THURSDAY'S EXTRA:  AK and I are going to be traveling, so there won't be a morning post tomorrow.  We'll contact the mothership and ask them to keep the comments current.

BK

Unfortunately, BK and I can't do a live blog tonight. But feel free to argue, cheer, root and holla amongst yourselves on this thread. We'll do our best to keep the comments running and updated.

Take care and bring home a win.

AK

Tonight the Lakers have an opportunity to determine their first round playoff fate.  Win, and they get Phoenix.  Lose, and it's San Antonio.  Which is a better deal for the purple and gold?  With that question in mind, the Brothers K play a little Point/Counterpoint.  First, AK. 

POINT- They should go out and win tonight, because momentum matters. But they're better off playing the Spurs.

Keep in mind, I'm basing this opinion on the premise that Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Shawn Marion and everyone else in a Suns uni is healthy. Should any of Phoenix's core players (especially Nash) compete at less than 100%, all bets could very well be off. But assuming they're in the pink, this is gonna be one tough series for the Lakers. Of all seven potential playoff opponents, none is a potentially worse pure match up. Yes, the Spurs are a better team. I don't love the L.A.'s odds against them, either. But I think the Lakers have more going for them against the Spurs, despite the greater talent discrepancy. Kwame Brown can actually give Tim Duncan fits in single coverage. San Antonio rolls at a much slower clip. As methodically as the Spurs often dismantle teams, a snail's pace against an outstanding squad suits the Lakers better than going helter skelter against a very good one. They've also won this season against a reasonably healthy Spurs. And throughout their recent playoff history against San Antonio, the Lakers have often gone into battle outgunned- or at the very least, not sporting a vastly superior team- and found themselves hooking up with Lady Luck (most recently, ".4"). Team "Kobe and the Boys" requires more good fortune than the threepeat and "four future HOF'ers" squads, but at least there's a track record. Purple and Gold fate is often a bitch from an Alamo perspective.

On the flip side, the Lakers' luck against the Suns has been nothing but rotten. Ever since the Diesel went to Miami and Nash arrived in the desert, the Lakers have come up short each contest (unless you consider the Nash-less win particularly significant, and I don't). Phoenix's game plan is the epitome of what the Lakers do poorly against: Runnin' and gunnin'. They lack the speed to keep up and their transition D is pretty spotty. Think about the trouble the Lakers had against Atlanta or the recently revived-and-sprinting Sonics. Those teams aren't even good, but beat L.A. by flying all over the place in messy fashion. The Suns practice controlled chaos. Nash is a master at dribble penetration, which often leaves Smush and Sasha lead footed. If he's feeling good and his team is on its game, I just don't know how the Lakers will keep up the pace. Sure, Kobe recently put up 51 against Bell, the Suns' version of Bruce Bowen. But the points (in that loss) came courtesy of 33 shots, more than LO, Kwame and Smush combined. And while Kobe sank them at an effective percentage, a one man show plays into the Suns' hands. Unless Kobe's gonna put 70-90 a night (and never say never, I guess), the Lakers must get heavy contributions from everyone, or they'll flat get outscored. The Suns may be the only team protected against Kobe's ability to take over a game. They're too good at trading baskets, especially if an opponent is coming from behind.

I've heard different methods for countering, but none really convince me. For example, the "Phoenix can't play a half court game" theory. Not true. You're better off forcing them into one, but it's hardly a picnic. The Suns are perfectly capable of running a half court set. Nash can run any offense and many of the new guys (Bell, James Jones, Brian Grant) spent recent years in slower paced offense. Hell, the simple "Nash stands around, then alley oops it to Marion" is tough to defend. There's also the "pound the ball inside to Kwame" theory. It makes sense, given that Kurt Thomas won't be playing and Kwame's bigger than Boris Diaw and more athletic than Grant. But here's what makes me nervous. As much as Kwame's progressed of late, he still struggles way too often making lay ups. Every miss is a potential Suns rebound. Every Suns rebound is a potential fast break. And every Suns fast break is potential bad news for the Lakers. I'm not saying Kwame can't do it, but he needs to step up big time. True, Phoenix's "All O, no D" pace is borderline impossible to ride to a title. But it need only succeed one round to beat the Lakers, so that's irrelevant. And yeah, no postseason back-to-back's give the Lakers more time to rest between 48 minute wind sprints. Unfortunately, the Suns get to nap, too. If both teams are fresh, Phoenix remains faster. And obviously, if control the tempo, you control games against Phoenix. But if it were that simple, they wouldn't have won the Pacific with relative ease.

Look, you guys know by now that my heart roots for the Lakers to succeed, so believe me, I get no joy whatsoever saying this. And there's no need to gloat if I turn out to be wrong. I'll be happier than anyone to declare myself a "know-nothing hack." I'll even make that the title of the post should the Lakers come out on top: "Know-Nothing Hack." And I'll even have a big, stupid grin on my face as I do it. Unfortunately, it's not what I see myself typing. 

AK

It's official.  With Sacramento's 111-105 win Tuesday night against Seattle, the Lakers officially control their own destiny.  Win tonight against New Orleans, and they'll draw Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs.  Should they prefer a slower paced game, they can find a way to lose (now forever known as "pulling a Clipper") and head to San Antonio.  Don't expect a letdown, as the Lakers are looking to win every game they can heading into the playoffs.  They'll be led by Kobe, Lamar Odom- whose understanding of the triangle has helped him come alive with a strong March and April, Devean George... and a bunch of dudes who have about as much NBA playoff experience as your blog hosts. 

One of those newbies is Andrew Bynum, who has quietly made his way through a solid rookie year, profiled here by Ross Siler of the Daily News. 

Okay, here's an update. Kobe fans love Speedy Claxton and Byron Scott (David West, Kevin Martin, ESPN's Marc Stein, or Yahoo's Steve Kerr?  Not so much.). 

The Lakers hit the floor again Tuesday afternoon in El Segundo still unsure of their playoff opponent, but with an increased level of anticipation.   Kobe, for one, has started entering "The Zone."  Just one man's opinion, but he's a little more intense these days than he was in November (and he was pretty intense then, too). 

He said he's not anticipating doing anything different tomorrow night, in terms of reduced minutes or a changed game plan, even if Sacramento loses tonight against Seattle.  "We still have got to go out there and play basketball.  This is what we do.  We enjoy playing the game.  I love playing the game.  There could be fans coming to watch us play who it might be their first time at Staples Center, it might be their last time at Staples Center, and we owe it to them to go out and play hard." 

Has he started looking past Wednesday towards the playoffs? 

"Not really.  Our motto all along has just been to take it one game at a time, so that's what we're going to do."

Nor did Kobe express a preference to play either San Antonio or Phoenix.

"We'll deal with it when we have to cross that bridge.  Right now, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves.  We still have a game to play.  We want to go out tomorrow night and execute well, play, and win again... In the playoffs, you've got to go out there and play great basketball anyway.  It doesn't matter who we play, whether it's Phoenix or San Antonio.  They're both great teams.  They pose different threats and different challenges, but those are two great teams."

Kobe said he's injury free, and to his credit, he refused to be baited into a war of words over Steve Nash and Raja Bell's absence from Sunday's game (and believe me, he was given more than one chance). 

"That's their business.  Whatever they do is their own concern, that's how they wanted to handle that situation.  It's really of no significance to us."

Does that mean they'd rather play the Lakers?  "Maybe.  But what they do is absolutely of no concern to us.  We've got a game to play tomorrow night." 

On Phil's consecutive playoff appearance streak, the improvement of this team over last, and Jackson in general:

"He's one of the greatest coaches, if not the greatest coach of all time.  End of discussion.  It's not even close." 

Is he the best coach Kobe has played for?  "It's not even close."

Then tune your car stereos, ghetto blasters, or whatever the online version of a dial is to ESPN Radio AM 710 Los Angeles at precisely 3:20 pm. I'll be a guest on the "Spanning So Cal" portion of "The Big Show with Steve Mason and John Ireland." Next week, BK takes his turn. The topic: Women's professional badminton season preview.

Kidding! I'm talking Lakers, for shizzle! I'll try my damnedest not to spend the entire time (which I don't think will be particularly long) lamenting Slava's absence. But no promises.

Hope you can check it out.

AK

With a win Wednesday night against the Hornets, the Lakers will guarantee a first round date with the Suns.  A loss, combined with a Sacramento victory tonight against Seattle at Arco means the Lakers will draw the Spurs.  Just in case it is Phoenix (and considering the wall NO/OKC has hit, that's a likely proposition), Phil Jackson is already laying the motivational groundwork to stack a chip or twelve on every Laker's shoulder.  Either way, L.A. will enter the playoffs as an underdog, a role that suits Kobe Bryant just fine.   Having locked up his first scoring title and with a good shot at still more notable single season achievements, Kobe will enter the playoffs on a roll, but according to Phil, "the featured guy" against Phoenix is Kwame Brown.  That means reduced minutes for Kobe.   

Just kidding.

The media loves to assign blame.  Today, however, the Register's Kevin Ding doles out some credit (including some big love for #8).  Along those lines, here's more MVP talk that will make you happy, and more that won't (including some big knocks on #8). ESPN votes on damn near everything.

It took a big late season run, but the Lakers have cracked Marc Stein's Top 10, just barely, and just in time for the playoffs.  No top 10 placement from Steve Kerr, however.  And if the Lakers Blog isn't enough to keep you distracted during your work day, this is. 

A fun recap of an Easter Sunday Staples doubleheader.  He's right about the food, but normally they have really killer waffles as well for Sunday games.  No such luck.  Guess the Easter Bunny ate them all. 

photo by Spencer Weiner/LAT

From Andrew Z, who posted this question at the end of last week:

"I have a question for everyone, and try to be as honest as possible.  Do you consider this season a success if the Lakers just make the playoffs?  Do they have to win a series?  Does the late season progress of Luke, LO, and Kwame make this year a success?  If you would have told me at the beginning of the year we would have this amount of wins, be in the playoffs, and those three guys would be playing at their current level, I would have asked "where do I sign up?" Just wondering if you all feel the same."

While some of you have already answered, AK and I thought it was a good question and didn't want it to get lost in the comments.  Now that the Lakers have clinched a berth (and with a couple days before their next game), now is as good a time as any for a little reflection. 

Phil has said a few times that the first time he saw this bunch play, he wondered if the could win 30 games.  He's revised that estimate upwards as the season has gone along.  Me?  I've done the opposite.  Before the season, I said they'd win 46, then and get bounced in the first round.  At midseason, when they were on a nice lil' winnin' streak, I bumped up those estimates to around 47 or 48.  Then the Lakers went into the tank and I wondered if they'd even finish .500, forcing me to go back and delete the earlier predictions from the site.  Now 45 wins is a strong possibility, and the playoff spot is locked up.  Considering the roster has less experience than a roomful of computer geeks at freshman orientation, it's hard to complain about those results.  Now the younger guys will get a taste of the postseason, which will be valuable for those who are still around when the rebuilding is complete.

Even better, it looks like Kwame Brown has the potential to be a consistent, solid NBA center, L.O. may have seen the triangle light bulb go off in his head, and best of all, Kobe and Phil haven't spent the year keying each other's car.  There may just be a workable nucleus in LA after all, a nice change from January when many felt the best plan was keep Kobe and ship out everyone not named Bynum ASAP. 

So what do you think?  Success or not?  Is it championships or bust (the George Steinbrenner approach to fandom)?  Will you take what you can get? 

Obviously, fans want the whole enchilada.  But putting aside the chest puffing, "NOTHING BUT A CHAMPIONSHIP IS ACCEPTABLE!" rhetoric for a moment, I would have to say that even if they're bounced in the first round, this was a successful season for the purple and gold.  Not enough to rest on their laurels, but successful nonetheless. 

As always, justify your answer. 

BK

Real quick, everyone has their taxes in, right?   

The Phoenix Suns rolled into Staples Center Sunday without Steve Nash and Raja Bell in uniform, so it was hard to take too many lessons away from the 109-89, playoff clinching beat down L.A. put on the Pacific Division champs (other than if for some reason Nash and Bell don't play in the playoffs, the Lakers are in great shape).  Still, having won 10 of 13, the Lakers may just be sending a message to the entire league in keeping Phil Jackson's playoff appearance streak intact.  With Kwame Brown, Lamar Odom, and Luke Walton playing well alongside Kobe, they're not quite a one man show anymore.

Phoenix, on the other hand, looked like they were, at least for one day (they're not, by the way).  The decision to sit Nash was a hot topic before, during, and after the game, especially since it's looking more and more like these teams will meet to open the playoffs.   Fortunately for Laker fans, the result may not be a foregone conclusion, especially if LA can pound Phoenix inside and slow the game down.  Easier said than done.  Even without the scraggly haired Canadian pushing the ball, Jackson still felt the Lakers got too wrapped up in Phoenix's style during the (highly successful) first quarter. 

With the Corey Maggette-less Clips limping towards the finish line while the Lakers collect wins, the debate begins again.  Which team is really L.A.'s best?   The playoffs will tell all.   

As for the MVP (are people still talking about that?), there still isn't a clear cut choice, at least among non-readers of this blog.   Although for JA Adande, Steve Nash's absence was enough to seal the deal in favor of the Phoenix point guard. 

Take a look at another 40+ box score from Kobe, then get out your letter writin' pens and go to work. 

Late Addition: Some of you guys have wondered aloud why Phil Jackson hasn't gotten more COY love. Well, the San Jose media is representing Zen Master.

photo by BRANIMIR KVARTUC/AP

Skeptics will say Phoenix didn't have Nash or Bell. That's true. But you can't blame the Lakers for that. They'll say this win doesn't truly measure what L.A. can do against Phoenix in the playoffs. Probably also true. But bottom line, the Lakers went out and took care of business, and via a very convincing victory, are now part of the postseason mix. Nothing the naysayers can yap about that. Kobe, LO, Kwame and Smush all hit double figures, leading a team that outboarded, outdimed, outscored, and generally outplayed the Suns.

Enjoy your Easter, Lakers fans. More to come tomorrow.

Hey everyone! Happy Easter! And before I further ruffle any more feathers among my bloggers, I'd like to say that this is indeed one exciting game. I am not bored nor even thinking about shadow puppetry.

First quarter

Magic just walked past and waved to a little kid calling out his name. That little dude's having himself a nice day of holiness, for sure.

Very nice move by Smush, knifing through traffic and past Barbosa to the hoop. And for those of you wondering, Smush appears to be done wearing the Yankees blazer 24/7. At least until they hit the playoffs, at any rate.

In both on and off court ways, the Kwame-Diaw match up is actually pretty interesting. Here's two guys both left for dead on the NBA scrap heap, both gaining newfound respect after a switch to center. Diaw's obviously the more versatile player, but Kwame's also much closer to a true center. But if they actually had time to talk during the game, they'd likely have a lot to talk about.

Great basket in the paint by Walton. It's really cool seeing Luke pretty consistently thriving in the triangle after such a ragged start. I've asked Luke about the tough beginnings, and he said he was way inside his own head too much and overly self-critical to the point of losing sleep. Finally, at the advice of Phil, he stopped thinking so much and just concentrated on playing his game and having fun. It bet it's a hell of a lot more enjoyable now.

That spinning lay up by Kobe, angling into a different direction while in the air. Need I even point out that was pretty sweet? Well, I just did, so I guess it's too late.

P.A. Announcer Lawrence Tanter just announced the under-90 taco giveaway. Frankly, I don't care who's not playing for the Suns. If you hold them under 90, that is some well earned Mexican food.

2 straight times, Phoenix forces the Lakers into a 24 second violation, grab the loose ball... and get rewarded by having play stopped and L.A getting a chance to set themselves instead of having to play transition D. That is hands down the dumbest rule in the NBA. Even dumber than next year's ban on tights. I'm not looking for Phoenix to gain an advantage or anything, but c'mon now. Someone explain to me the logic.

End of the first: Lakers, 35. Suns, 22. The Lakers have a definitive advantage with the Phoenix injuries and are doing the right thing pouncing on it. They've almost doubled the Suns' assists (9 to 5) and Kobe's having a field day with Bell on the sidelines. No complaines so far.

Welcome to the Easter version of "Live Blog." 

I'm full of Peeps, but ready to type.

I'm digging the old school Phoenix unis, back from the Larry Nance era, or thereabouts. 

Strong start for the Lakers.  It'll be interesting to see what comes out of this one.  No Nash, no Bell for Phoenix.  If the Lakers win, it'll be hard for them to take many lessons from the game, both from a morale and a scouting standpoint.  I asked Phil about that, and it seemed to me that they'd have preferred a full Phoenix squad, just so the preparation, etc. would more accurately reflect what they'll see in the playoffs.  Phil mentioned they haven't really had a chance to do that this season when it comes to the Suns. 

In the time it took me to type that, the Lakers have run out to a 16-1 lead.  They've brought the crowd into the game quickly, today.  Everyone's all hopped up on sugary Easter treats as it is, so a quick start is like adding fuel to the fire. 

Great, aggressive play from Kwame early.  Twice, he's gone strong to the hoop against Grant, twice he's burned him.  Grant is a big guy, and still pretty powerful, but doesn't have the quickness to keep up with Kwame in the post.  It's nice to see Brown recognize that and aggressively try to exploit it.

Good too to see them getting him involved early. 

And here it comes, the 2-7 seed preview! This should give folks an educated idea of who's gonna take this series. Well, yes and no, perhaps. True, the Lakers will be squaring off against the Phoenix Suns, the likeliest purple and gold postseason opponent. But word on the street is that uber PG Steve Nash and Kobe-annoyance Raja Bell will be getting the day off to rest some ouchies. Should they spend the day in street clothes, it's hard to give the Lakers beating Phoenix much weight as a predictor of anything come playoff time. Of course, if the Lakers lose to a Nash-less/Bell-less Suns, it's hard not to regard this game as an ugly look into the future. Either way, Phil Jackson will closely monitor Kwame Brown's success this afternoon. Despite some serious improvement this season, the Suns have consistently left him... burnt. (Behold the power of the bad pun!) Lamar Odom will also have his hands full guarding this guy.

The K Brothers are officially over the whole MVP thing. But the kids love it, so we keep listing reports. Nash (and Kwame, for that matter) gets some love in San Jose.  Kobe gets recognized on the east coast. And in the meantime, AK can't decide how to feel about being in agreement with Granny Simers.

Know what Kobe likes to do? Put up silly big points. A lot of guys in the NBA list that as a hobby, too.  But few do it while being as compelling a story as #8.

Finally, Mark Heisler's final Sunday rankings for the regular season. Sunrise, sunset.

Breaking News: Fox Sports was fined 100K for breaking FCC indecency rules by broadcasting last night's Lakers-Blazers game.

Okay, not true. But for a contest featuring back to back triple doubles and a record set, L.A.'s 110-99 victory was borderline torture to sit through. The Blazers were missing their starting 3-5 and the Lakers were simply missing any collective intensity, especially amongst the bench (the box score reveals an ugly 3-17 shooting for 7 points). But a few folks did indeed step up during the course of this nonsense. Kwame Brown took advantage of Portland's depleted front line, abusing his way towards 20 points and nine rebounds. And speaking of depleted front lines, even when Mihm returns (hopefully soon), Kwame won't be abandoning that starting center spot. Lamar Odom, who's been averaging 17, 9 and 6 since the All-Star break, cranked it up a serious notch, collecting his second straight trip-dub. The achievement mirrors LO's versatility, a trait the Lakers have been using to play him against forwards small and power(ful). Finally, there was Kobe Bryant, putting up 50 points and setting the Lakers single season scoring record. All in a day's work, right? Or at least part of the challenges Kobe and LO keep daring each other towards.  Unfortunately, the Hornets didn't do their part and beat the Jazz, so there was no playoff clinch to be had. Magic number? 1. And then audiences get treated to the first round's single greatest attraction.

Don't concentrate too hard on the final score in the Lakers 110-99 win over the Blazers Friday night.  It wasn't as easy as it looked.  L.A. rode big games from Kobe (50 points, 5 steals, 6 boards, 2 360 dunks, game leader in "MVP Chants Inspired"), Lamar Odom (second consecutive triple double- 16/12/12), and Kwame Brown (20/9) and it was good enough.  Still, while I'm sure they're happy to take home the win, I doubt they're all that psyched about how they got it, allowing a crapcrapular Blazers squad without two of their best players to push them for three and a half quarters. 

But hey, it's a win, right? 

More on the game tomorrow. 

BK

First Quarter

What up everyone? Sorry to join late. I had to watch the end of the "Hornets not coming through game." But not thirty seconds into sitting down do I see Kwame Brown go lefty for a monster dunk. Certainly a nice enough omen.

Theo Ratliff is one hell of a shot blocker, but there ain't nothing he can do against LO coming in that strong right at him. Throw in the fact that he's got the knees of a 75 year old man by now and he's really in trouble.

And with that hop, skip and a jump drive to the rack, Kobe has broken Elgin Baylor's single season scoring recrod for a Laker. Nicely done, Kobe. You people mark my words. This Kobe Bryant character may just have future in this league.

You wanna know why the Blazers are such a mess? Aside from the fact that Victor Khryapa is their starting small forward. Because they've talked this year about their impending youth movement involving guys like Bassy and Jarret Jack. And that's fine. Except two years ago, they were doing a youth movement thing by locking up Zach Randolph and Darius Miles to long term, expensive deals. So basically, they're dealing with a generation crisis of players maybe 2 years apart in age.

P.A. announcer Lawrence Tanter started to announce Martell Webster checking into the game and paused, as if he were about to fall asleep in mid sentence. I feel his pain.

I'm telling you right now, the Lakers could spot the Blazers six quarters without sacrificing tacos for the Staples faithful. I'd feel safe if the tacos were coming out of my pocket.

End of the first: Lakers, 36. Blazers, 18. LO's buzzer beating trey caps off a pretty ideal quarter. All's pretty quiet on the Western front. And that's just the way it should be. It would be pretty sweet if the Lakers managed to keep them under 40. Not even because it's a great achievement, but because it would be almost embarassing if they didn't.