One missing ingredient

MISERY LOVES COMPANY.

ARTICLE FROM FOXSPORTS.COM (RANDY HILL) FOR YOU SHAQ LOVERS:

Shaq's running out of steam

The defending champions aren't dead, but it certainly seems like a fine time to gather their next of kin.

Who can save the Miami Heat from the perils of their 0-2, opening-round playoff predicament with the Chicago Bulls? Let's go with Shaquille O'Neal, the guy who always seems to be saving himself for moments like these.

When a few extra pounds suggest a rigorous off-season training commitment, Shaq has a better idea. When an injury that requires surgery can be accomplished during the summer, O'Neal would prefer that the team's best interests be assuaged during the team's time; why bother with training camp when the regular season can be used for recovery or reaching a suitable fitness level?

So, now that he's become proficient at saving himself for the playoffs, it's time for Shaq to drag his teammates and coach out of the first-round fire.

Unfortunately, O'Neal may not have the requisite team-saving juice at age 35. That's because he's only worked hard enough to turn his enormous potential into a seemingly glorious return of four NBA titles and historical status as one of the greatest centers in league history.

But he could have accomplished so much more.

If Shaq had approached the game with the same thirst for greatness that drives former teammate Kobe Bryant, the achievements would have been ridiculous. Instead, he settled for being a liability at the free-throw line, a frequently disinterested defender and an embarrassingly mediocre rebounder.

Ironically, his refusal to stay fit rarely was an issue in Los Angeles, where genuflecting media buddies preferred to cast Kobe as No. 1 on the selfish list. And instead of taking a reasonable amount of luxury-tax-saving loot so the Lakers might rebuild around their two stars, O'Neal insisted on remaining in the $25 million-plus-per-season roster.

His prevailing philosophy was to feed and pay the big dog if you want the big dog to rebound and defend.

Now, with superstar teammate Dwyane Wade attempting to carry the Heat on one good shoulder, a dominant effort from O'Neal may be required for Miami to survive.

Sure, we have that 0-2 Heat survival precedent. Last year, they returned from Dallas in the same Finals hole and were dragged out by Wade. In three consecutive home games, the eventual series MVP scored 42, 36 and 43 points.

Shaq pitched in by averaging 17 points and — more importantly — 12 rebounds.

In the first two losses at Chicago, he averaged a pitiful 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 turnovers.

But the Wade of 2006 attacked the rim and had the attendant cache to force referees to make calls in his favor. He averaged more than 10 free throws per game in last year's playoffs, including seven games with 15 or more attempts.

Perhaps Wade can gut it out enough for Miami to grind its way back into this series. But he needs more help from O'Neal, who looked doomed during the first five Heat possessions in Game 2.

On the first possession, he missed from point-blank range, but was bailed out on a phantom foul call against Ben Wallace. The next four possessions included a missed dunk, an offensive foul, a turnover from Wade on a screen-roll set and an O'Neal travel.

Much of the problem was created by the Bulls' double-team, which arrived the moment Shaq put the ball on the floor. The tactic is not exactly unusual. But Miami could do a superior job of exploiting this two-timing by creating motion off the ball. Instead of positioning shooters in specific and friendly spots, a down-screen and pop, for example, would make it harder for the Bulls to continue designed double-teaming rolls.

O'Neal, a superb passer out of the post, will find the open shooters or the screeners when they turn back to the ball.

It's just too bad he never found the motivation to turn himself into the greatest center of all-time.

BK,

"Discipline.

I'm not talking about simply remembering who is supposed to step out on the pick and roll. "

What a letdown. I thought you were going to post about spanking the Laker Girls.

tha show,

Thanks for the post!

My sentiments mirror those of Randy Hill. It's ashame that Shaq was dominant but not a true "winner" in the sense of alll the things Hill outlined in the article. Sure, Shaq was dominant in his prime. He won three titles here while dominant, then one lucky one last year on the shoulders of D Wade. He would have NEVER won another here in LA. NEVER. His impressive 4 titles in 6 finals appearances is a thing to marvel, but just imagine what he could have done!

Before Wilt died, he said Shaq was the closest to a person who could potentially surpass Wilt in his mind (which would be a huge thing considering Wilt's enormous ego). I agree. Shaq could have surpassed Wilt Chamberlin as the greatest to ever play. Unfortunately, Shaq was seduced by his own talents and his even larger pocketbook.

Instead of winning 10 titles, Shaq won 4. Still, I give him props for the talent that he was, but I know he could have been so much more!

BK, good analysis! The Lakers can wiggle back into this if they're not too defeated in their minds.

I'm hoping for the best tonight.

If nothing else, running a deliberate offense, and hustling back on defense, will slow down the pace of the game, which will benefit the Lakers. It won't help them win, but it won't be a disastrous a loss.

" "No half-steppin'!" Odom said loudly as he prowled the locker room early Tuesday night. Yet when Odom left to go lift weights, Brown spoke up from the training room — and cracked so many jokes that Luke Walton could only shake his head. " (Kevin Ding)

"Odom didn't point fingers, but it's not hard to find potential targets. Former starters Smush Parker and Vladimir Radmanovic have seen their minutes dwindle but have become aloof and detached. " (Rich Hammond)

Dont you just wish you could reach out and give these guys a good slap in the head? They just dont get it. seriously someone needs to wake these morons up and in a hurry. I wish Shaw and Bryant would take each one into a backroom somewhere and beat some sense into them.

Where in the hell is the seriousness that this game deserves? Wheres the Game face of the 80's. Each game I look at thier faces to see some Anger and all I see are smiles and laughing . Which just pisses me off more. Where the hell is the Passion? I want to see some serious Basketball tonight! I want to see each one of these guys knock someone down or get in someones face tonight. Show some Damn toughness for once this season. What the hell is it going to take to band these guys together? Bring the Damn Hammer tonight Guys and Show some Fight PLEASE!

tha show

Thanks, man. Exactly what I was thinking. But you know, Kobe-haters/Shaq-lovers they don't want to see the truth if it's not convinent. It's so easy to point finger on Kobe, especcialy now when he don't have a good team around.

Don't help on NASH!

Fake the double if he beats his man, take a step toward Nash, but play the pass!

If he shoots and scores, so be it.

That would be my defensive strategy tonight.

Let's make Nash score 30.

LakerLore, very nice insite. kobe, as team leader, needs to get these guys to take things seriously. my only conclusion is that nobody on the roster respects kobe. i said in my previous blog that kobe's like that kid in grade school who's really smart, but pisses everyone off. kobe's good what what he does (scoring), but that's it. kobe's not a winner nor is he a leader. kobe wanted to be the man, so now he needs to man up. get his boys to play hard for 48 minutes or get management to rid of the slugs on the team. i bet deep down inside, kobe wants shaq back. at least all of the pressure was on shaq and all kobe had to do was score the ball. kobe had it way too easy his first 6 seasons. so good, kobe thought he could do it all. well, 3 years later, lakers are a .500 team and an embarrasement, but hey, kobe scored 10 games with 50+ points, and he's a 2-time scoring champ........all-star MVP to boot.

Tim-4-Show, please get you head out of kobe's A$$. Shaq not a winner? what are you kidding? Shaq took 3 different teams to the NBA finals (oh one of those teams happens to be the lakers). what has kobe "me first, but i'm in great shape" byant done for the lakers on his own? three embarassing years. Year one, worst record in team history. Year Two, quits in Game 7 in a 1st round loss; but hay, he the scoring champ. Year Three, to be determined, but not looking good; but hay, kobe's a 2-time scoring champ and an all-star MVP to boot.

A big trade is unlikely going to happen unless Odom is involved because Kwame "Stone Hands" Brown is going to have surgery in the offseason. Not good when you want to use him as trade bait.

KLoo4 is a apologist for the mediocre players Lakers.

He want's kobe to teack Kwame how to dunk, how to catch, how to rebound.

Kobe needs to teach Parker how to defend better.

Kobe needs to teach Lamar how to be more agressive.

Kobe needs to help Walton get more atletic and less slow footed.

Kobe is responsible of bynum lazyness.

Kobe is even responsible for injuries of Vla, Evans and all the others.
He should advise them properly how to avoid those injuries.

Kobe have to be blamed for that rebound last year against Phoenix. With a better leader, brown would have being motivated to catch that ball.

As a matter of fact kobe is even guilty of Phil mismaneament, of his complacence and "whatever will be, will be" posture.

Even Cupcake and Jim Buss bad players slection are Kobe fault.

Yes, let's fault kobe. If he play hard and like a superstar is bad for the team. If he doesn't play like a superstar, also he is guilty, as last year against Phoenix.

Yea. kobe is the ultimate reason why all the lakers players don't develop enough.

My friend. Sing another song. Look for other excuses for your dudes. kwame, Odom, Walton, Smush, whichever is that one.

well I have 5 starter for tonight game with lamar,luke,turiaf,bynum and kobe

kobe must guard nash lamar to marion luke to raja bell turiaf on amare,and

bynum over kurt thomas.

try to punish the suns inside with bynum turiaf and odom move the ball

faster and with patience come back faster on defense and for god sake

someone just like brian cook,evans,or kwam give a hard foul to barbosa let

them now that this so easy not in our house.

KL0044,
You obviously don't follow basketball or know anything about the sport for that manner. Given the drastic gap of talent Kobe has had to work with, he has done an amazing job. For the Lakers to even make the playoffs, Kobe has to deliever an outworldly performance. That says a lot. It says that his teamates are a bunch of stiffs who can't shoot or guard their own shadow. Do you really think a younger Shaq could do what Kobe is doing now, given the exact same roster Kobe has? Remember, the 3 second rule and handcheck rules have made this game more about perimeter play rather than power play. You talk about Shaq taking the pressure off Kobe and about Kobe having it easy. Well it goes both ways b/c Shaq has always had it easy too (Kobe, Penny, and Wade). Now the pressure is on Kobe, and the rest of the players have to score according to your logic right? But who the hell is that? Do you not see the likes of Luke, Lamar, Smush, and Evans miss wide open shots created by Kobe? Is it Kobe's fault that his teammates can't shoot? Every sporstwriter in America would agree that the job Kobe has done is beyond amazing. And if you can't admit that, then you are blinded by hate. Is it that mysterious to see that the level of talent he has sucks? And last time I checked, Shaq's Heat aren't doing to hot against the Bulls are they?

Jim Buss,
Get rid of your boy-toy Andrew Bynum. Your pride and stubborness clouts your assesment on Andrew and his potential. Your pride and stubonerness will ultimately lead the Lakers demise. Oh wait, too late for that. I'm telling you, Andrew is going to be the next Kwame Brown.

Ex-

Sorry. Can't go near that one (haha).

BK

KL0044,

Kobe is not a "ME" first individual. Why would he care about personal stats in his 11 year in the NBA? That is not what drives Kobe. No 11-year veteran is driven by just being the scoring champ. He could care less, and I'm tired of people using that excuse for Kobe. He was perceived as a "ME" first player in his first couple years in the NBA, and it's never left. You guys need to get over that. Kobe wants to win. You are ignorant if you feel that is what drives Kobe Bryant. Winning is what drives Kobe Bryant.

Also, last time I checked, Kobe is an athletic shooting guard. What do you expect him to do? Be a Steve Nash? Kobe is built to be the scorer, not the point guard assist guy. It would be like turning Shaq into just a passer and nothing else. You need too take advantage of his strengh and his strength is scoring. Kobe still hasn't found that fine line between scoring and when to pass out of the double team, mainly because his teammates can't hit shots. The Lakers are struggling to score due to injuries, so all Phoenix has to do is double and triple Kobe and get rid of his lanes.

The Lakers need a second scoring option. Lamar is like a 3rd scoring option, and Walton is like a 5th scoring option.

This has nothing to do with Kobe Bryant and everything to do with injuries, and the bad contracts created by trading Shaq.

I'm really tired of the "mythology" being circulated by trolls like KLM or KLF or WTF, whatever.

If a team loses, it loses as a TEAM. If they start winning, all of a sudden Kobe's a leader. We saw the most blatant example of this early this season. The Lakers were 26-13, and every article talked about Kobe's "leadership" and "growth". Now their losing, and all of a sudden he's some sort of cancer. Ugh. The cockroaches really come out when the lights go out.

My point is, when they win, they ALL win, when they lose they ALL lose. It's just about execution and practice. It's about playing basketball and getting better. There is no magic ingredient, or venomous poison either way. Somehow, when the Lakers lose, it's some sort of open season on attacking Kobe's character.

I don't agree when it goes the other way. Like I said, it happened earlier this season with Kobe. But we saw this with Michael Jordan - as soon as he started winning with Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson. Before that, when his teams were getting bounced from the playoffs, he was a "Gunner" with a capital G. Now, with better teammates, all of a sudden he's a
"Winner" and some kind of deity. Well he's not. And he wasn't. His TEAM functioned like a machine, and they executed. The TEAM is what it's about.

So stop with the nonsensical attacks on how the "intangibles" are missing. The only reason trolls start pointing to those is because they know a negative can't be proven. It's the lazy, easy scapegoat. Like I said, I won't go the other way and start proclaiming Kobe a god when the Lakers start winning, which they will soon enough.

It's about basketball as a team, dummies.

KL,
"kobe, as team leader, needs to get these guys to take things seriously"

This is the playoffs. If they can't take those games seriously, it is a personal flaw, not a Kobe flaw. This isn't about them respecting Kobe, this is about their personal integrity.

Case in point is Kwame Brown. He didn't take the playoffs seriously in Washington. And that was under MJ.

So stop blaming Kobe.

BK, you are right on. Discipline. How often have we seen this team play 2 good quarters in a game, and prove they can beat teams, only to lose focus and disciplne and toss it away in the fourth (see: game one). They can't beat Phoenix 4 times, but they beat them twice, and challenge them in the others.

Versus last years the injuries are big. Luke and Lamar and Kwame are not at their best at all, and that should not be ignored at all, escpecially in planning for next year. But disciplne and focus and toughness are all lacking, and there is no excuse for that.

Here is a modest proposal. Since the Laker point guards can't keep Canada and Brazil in front of them, why play them at all? Play Luke, Kobe, Lamar, Rony and Kwame. If Nash is going to get into the lane anyway, why not greet with with 3 long bodies whe he gets there, Kwame, Rony and Lamar? Luke can't move anyway, so he can stick with the 3 point shooters when the guards drive, and maybe we can get some boards.

In the offseason look for a guard with some toughness and a 3 point shot and a big man who will defend.

NEXT STEP TO THE 2007 NBA FINALS

RAH RAH "KOBE MASTER" BELL AND THE ONLY TRUE SHOWTIME

VS.

LUKE "PROOF OF A BILL WALTON CLIMAX IN A VW BUS DURING THAT 1976 DEAD SHOW IN FRISCO" AND HIS SLOWTIME LAKERS

6.5 HOURS

jorema, would you like some cheese with your wine? kobe put us here, so take like like a man (woman)?

fkillah, this is what i know. as a laker fan, we need to take it like a man. kobe put us here because he wanted to secure his INDIVIDUAL legacy and he's a jerk. that's why nobody decent wants to play in LA. JRose the last man on the PHX team would rather stay with the Suns than be a starter in LA. What about Webber and Ejones? Why would some vet want to play for king kobra (mamba) kobe and be made a fool. look around on this thread. we're sitting here fighting, picking sides. this is kobe? he made shaq out to be some lazy bum, same to Malone? tell me why someone would want to come here and play with kobe "me, me" byant.

zen, you're make excuses for kobe. excuses are like Assholes, everyone has one and they all stink. let see, LJames is a forward, but he gets all of the other guys involved. my bet is kobe will not win another NBA championship in LA. Maybe someday kobe can join Ljames in Clevland and ride his coattail as a "shooting" guard.

Kobe and Phil are tired of this current team.
Read new York times colum:

New York Times-sports
by Howard beck
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 25 — A relentless, pounding anxiety permeates the Los Angeles Lakers’ training center. Phil Jackson senses it. Mitch Kupchak feels it. Kobe Bryant exudes it.

It would be there even if the Lakers were not down 2-0 to the Phoenix Suns in a first-round playoff series, which they are. It would be there even if they had not just absorbed a 126-98 rout in Phoenix on Tuesday, which they did. And it will be there even if the Lakers win Thursday’s Game 3 at Staples Center.

The problem goes to the heart of who the Lakers are and what they hope to be and the one player who can get them there: Kobe Bryant.

It has been five years since the Lakers raised a championship banner (a painful drought by their standards), and three years since they won a playoff series.

They have perhaps the greatest player in the game in Bryant and a Hall of Fame coach in Jackson. But they had a lackluster 42-40 season and appear headed for a second consecutive first-round exit from the playoffs.

These would be small concerns if not for the nagging questions that tug at Lakers officials day and night: How much longer can Bryant play at an otherworldly level before his skills erode? Can the Lakers squeeze in another parade or two before it happens? How long can the notoriously impatient Bryant wait for his young teammates to develop?

“He’s antsy,” Kupchak, the Lakers’ general manager, said. “And we recognize that we’ve got a talented and gifted guy that could get us to that level. We don’t want to waste that.”

Bryant is just 28 but, as he often says, it is not the age but the mileage that counts. Bryant, who entered the N.B.A. as a teen prodigy, just completed his 11th pro season. He has logged 128 playoff games — the equivalent of another season and a half. He will be 30 when he starts his 13th N.B.A. season in the fall of 2008.

For comparison’s sake, Michael Jordan played just 13 seasons at an elite level, not counting the season and a half he sat out to play baseball. Jordan was older when he entered the league, but, like Bryant, he taxed his body with a high-flying, high-impact approach to the game.

Lakers officials quietly speak of the shrinking window for returning to contender status before Bryant begins to decline. That he has had to overextend himself, averaging more than 30 points a game the last two seasons just to get them to the playoffs, does not help.

Since the moment the Lakers exiled Shaquille O’Neal to Miami in July 2004, the franchise has been defined by Bryant’s otherworldly talents. When Jackson returned in 2005, after a one-year sabbatical, expectations were instantly raised.

The talent level, however, has not been. After Bryant, the Lakers have just one All-Star-caliber player, the often-injured forward Lamar Odom. Their most promising prospect, center Andrew Bynum, is only 19.

The hope is that Bynum blossoms into a dominant low-post player while Bryant is still in his prime. Until then, the roster remains sorely lacking in star power. Luke Walton, a third-year pro, is a terrific role player. Jordan Farmar, the rookie point guard, has shown some promise.

Two weeks ago, Jackson himself wondered aloud if the team made a mistake by standing pat last summer after the Lakers’ spirited seven-game series against the Suns.

Bryant’s patience is showing signs of wear. He has noted several times in the past week that “we’re not the most talented team in the world.” The frustration was evident in his taut expression on the bench Tuesday night, and in his piercing stare as he emerged from the training room after Wednesday’s practice.

“I think now is the time,” Bryant said.

“We’ve had three years here where we’re trying to do some things. This upcoming summer and next season, this is really the time to start pushing a little bit and get to that contender level.”

Bryant feels an urgency that he did not five years ago, when he and O’Neal alternately feuded and dominated on the way to three consecutive title. His championship teammates have all moved on or retired.

There are times when Bryant seems wistful for that veteran cast as he prods, encourages and occasionally berates his young teammates. There is indeed a window, Bryant acknowledges, but said, “I don’t know what that window is.”

The Lakers’ effort to rebuild on the fly, without salary-cap space, has brought uneven results. Two years ago, they traded the swingman Caron Butler to Washington (where he has become an All-Star) for the enigmatic and frequently injured center Kwame Brown. Last summer, they signed the veteran shooting specialist Vladimir Radmanovic to a five-year, $30 million contract.

In January, Brown was accused of grabbing a stranger’s $190 birthday cake and throwing it outside of a Hermosa Beach club. In February, Radmanovic was fined $500,000 by the team after he separated his shoulder in a snowboarding accident and then lied about it.

The Lakers’ best shot at improving quickly would be to trade Odom or Bynum. But team officials consider those two players untouchable. Attempts to acquire the Nets All-Star Jason Kidd in February reportedly failed because the Lakers refused to include Bynum.

“He’s not in our plans to trade,” Kupchak said. “It’s one of those deals where you kind of don’t know what you have. You hate to do something too soon.”

Jackson has his own window. He has one year left on the three-year, $30 million contract he signed in 2005. His agent has opened negotiations on an extension with the team owner, Jerry Buss. Those talks will certainly take into account whether the Lakers have any hope of making a major move in the next few years.

“They’re paying me a championship salary to do what?” Jackson said. “Not to get to the playoffs — to get somewhere in the playoffs. I have accountability in that direction, too.”

The question remains one of acquiring or developing elite talent, and soon.

“They’ve got some decisions to make, if they want to build a contender now, or if you want to hold onto these pieces for five years from now,” Bryant said. “They got some tough choices.”

According to KL0044, Kobe is responsible for the breakup of the Lakers championship squad. He's also responsible for the fact that some of the current players are just plain awful. He's been traveling through time to the future to obtain schematics for gene manipulation devices, coming back to the present to build them, and then going back in time before the sub-par Lakers were born and messing with their parents while they slept in order to make sure that they would never produce children capable of playing basketball at the NBA level. Along with this, he is also responsible for Jeanie Buss beating Jim Buss over the head with a whiffle ball bat during their childhood, which is why Jimmy seems to be mildly retarded.

Some of KL0044's other theories, you might not hear about much:

- Kobe is directly responsible for the Great Depression. As previously mentioned, he is able to travel through time. He thought it would be hilarious to mess with the stock market which eventually caused it to crash.
- Kobe was the cause of the Martian Invasion of 3054. He no longer appreciated having Adolf Hitler XXXII out of power in New New Germany, so he promised the Martians a spot next to Shaq's floating head at the Hometown Buffet Museum. Yes, it's all you can eat there, too.
- Kobe caused K-Fed and Brittney to break up. He's also the father of K-Fed. He also is the father of Rosie O'Donnell and Bruce Willis.
- Kobe was the shooter on the grassy knoll.
- Kobe introduced John Lennon and Yoko.
- Kobe made George Lucas write Episodes I, II & III.
- Kobe converted Tom Cruise to Scientology.
- Kobe invented the Butterfly Ballot.
- Kobe trained the 9/11 pilots.
- Kobe gave Kenny G his first saxaphone.
- You know all that porn that you downloaded that somehow got deleted? Yeah, that was Kobe.

There're many more things that KL0044 blames Kobe for, but I've got a lot to research. I'll post more of my findings later.

As much as I'd like to see the Lakers play with heart and passion, it might be a good thing to lose. I could see this team being blown up and us coming away with some top free agents if the situation looks that dire. The Buss' might put some guys on the block and hopefully get something good in return, since there are many good free agents on the block this year.

As for those newbie suns fans, your team isn't close to being capable of winning a championship. Talk all you want, but at least we tasted the champagne. It'll be a LONG time before you even know what the Finals are all about.
The window's closing fast, don't get your fingers caught. My prediction? The Suns are going to revamp after next years failure to reach the Finals again.

ROFL, the Suns aren't even close to being SHOWTIME, you don't know what that is young Suns.

KL0044

I know you.
You helped shaq in some business regarding music.

Since you miss the parties and gifts coming from your big p-atronator, you come here to cry foul.

Shaq said in Miami that he doesn't like Los Angeles fans. Wao! Dummie!.
Even with that statement you still talking goodies about your daddy Shaq.

Hasta la vista baby.

Yes, let me drink some more wine .

Butler,

Was that supposed to be funny?

Are you ten years old?

What a lame post!

Anyways… Show some pride tonight Lakers! Compete damn it, that’s all I ask!

I have a wierd feeling about this year playoffs - Lakers will face Miami in the finals...if they can come out of the first round alive.

Mark my words...

Kobe Apologist, you make a good point about winning being a function of the TEAM. i blame kobe for the makup of the team, not that it's his fault the team is losing. it's obious that kobe wants to win. my beef with kobe is that he put laker mgmt in a position to have to decide to pick either kobe or shaq. shaq brings intanibles which create an enviornment for winning (Orlando, LA and now Miami). I can't say the same for kobe. sure i'm hard on him, but that's what fans do. i want kobe to make me eat crow. so far, i get to dish it out. kobe wanted to be the "man" so now he has to man up and take responsibility, that's all my friend.

exhelodrvr, good post.

KL0044,

Lebron is not your typical guard/forward. His strengh is his passing and athletic ability. Of course he is going to get others involved - because that is his strengh! He has been that way since Junior High. Also, Lebron hasn't gotten anywhere either.

I'm not making excuses for anyone. I'm just trying to point out the facts. Kobe is a scorer, who everyone thinks should be Nash. Lebron is a good passer who is trying to learn to score better like Kobe. If Lebron does that, then he will be great.

You make it sound like anyone can be Kobe or that anyone can be Lebron or that anyone can be Nash. It's just not reality. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I think it's pretty obvious that Kobe is an althetic scorer. One of the best ever. So why should he be a passer like Lebron or Nash? Again, one in a million basketball players can see the court like Steve Nash. One in a million basketball players can score like Kobe. One in a million are athletic and can pass like Lebron.

Those 3 players have their own unique skill set and they should be taken advantage of. A few years ago, Phoenix had talks with Kobe when he was a free agent. They would have had Nash, Amare, and Kobe on the same team if Kobe chose to sign. That team would be on it's second championship by now. Why? Because Kobe would have had Nash to set him up AND Kobe would have had the players around him to score. That team would have been amazing.

KL004,
I believe the expression is “ Opinions are like assholes…”

And I think we’re all here to express our opinions. It just so happens that yours seem to posses a lot of hate for Kobe.

KL0044,
Brian Cook extended his contract. Vlade signed with the Lakers over the Clippers when the Clippers offered the same amount of money. Webber's decision to join the Pistons came after much thought. Among Webber's short list of teams he would have liked to play for, the Lakers were in the running. Ultimately, he thought that the Pistons were closer to winning a championship than the Lakers (which I agree). Of course Jalen would rather be a Sun right now, than a Laker. I liked Shaq before, but when he left he called the Lakers fans fake. Moreover, he screamed at Jerry Buss during games asking for a huge contract extension. Then he gets traded, and gives back 25 million dollars in salary to the Heat. He has been bitter ever since and has always taken wise cracks at Kobe, the fans, and the Lakers organization. As a Laker fan, I don't appreciate that. If we had taken Shaq over Kobe, I can assure you that we would not even be in the playoffs. If you want to blame someone, blame management for not surronding Kobe with the proper talent he needs to win a ring. Kobe gives it his all, and he earns every single penny in his paycheck. Given Shaq's age, eroding skills, lackluster play during regular season, and his injury prone body, the Lakers made one correct decision in choosing Kobe over Shaq. Period.

jorema,

BEST LAKERS ARTICLE I'VE READ ALL YEAR!

THANKS.

glad to know phil & kobe are wondering the same things i am.

c'mon lake show!

generic_one,

All your statements are correct except one thing angy_laker is the one who caused the break up of Britney & K-fed.

Laker fans,

This is how the game is going to end:

Kobe: 82 pts (wow!) keep shooting more & more & more, 0 rebounds, 1 assist (he doesn’t have a choice because he’s going out of bounds).

Odom: 4 pts (both follow-up points from Kobe’s missed shots), rebounds (who cares), assists (who cares Kobe passed it to himself anyways).

Kwame: 1 point (split from the foul-line), rebounds (ask Lamar), assist (ask Kobe).

Smush: 3 points & this is what his thinking the entire game: Damn it Kobe, for once can you at least look at the open man instead of the ring? Oh wow! Loose ball… I’ll get my chance at last oh but there’s only 2 seconds on the clock… Screw you Mamba or whatever you call yourself, this is mine… swoshhhh!!! 3 points. Eat my shorts!!!

Farmar: Who am I? Nope, I can’t stop this Nash guy… damn 5 fouls… again!

Walton: Where’s my daddy? They’re saying mean things to me.

P. Jackson: Oh well… I told them to trade this guy but instead they took the “other” guy.

KLF-

The fact that Shaq is gone may be largely due to Kobe's influence. That, and the "pay me my money!" rant in Hawaii by Shaq.

BUT, the makeup of team? That's management's fault. Who they got back for Shaq? That's management's fault. No support for Kobe or Phil? That's management's fault. They haven't signed a free agent, not because of Kobe, but because they don't have the money. Bad management. But like Phil and Kobe have hinted, they can change that if they make some smart moves this summer.

Also I'M GUARANTEEING A LAKERS WIN TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have placed my bet with my uncle in Vegas. Money Line Lakers, f the spread!

zen said: "I think it's pretty obvious that Kobe is an althetic scorer. One of the best ever."

zen, you make very good points and i agree with you 99.99%. I don't think Mr. Bryant is the "best ever"; pretty darn good........the best i've seen (only in terms of scoring) since MJ. My beef with kobe is now he's in charge. I'd like him to do more to shore up his weaknesses. i don't think kobe's the kind guy who'll admit shortcoming, so if kobe won't do that, how is the laker team to grow? kobe is the defacto GM now, so kobe, along with mgmt, need to figure out how to find complementary player to play along side of kobe. my personal view (and what the hell do i know, i'm a stupid water cooler fan), is that good players in the league don't trust or like kobe. these other players (webber, Ejones, JRose to name a few) would rather play for a TEAM rather than play for KOBE.

KL0044

I really don't like feeding trolls like you but I will indullge myself once. You really think you are beter than Randy Hill?

I don't know how you manage to look yourself in the mirror and honestly ask, am I making sense? You pathetically keep on repeating and repeating your anti-Kobe rants and hoping someone answers your juvenile posts. Really, if you need respect and attention, have some sense. You don't like Kobe, fine. We already know your bias. You are not going to convince anyone here.

Get a life man (or whatever you are).

NOTE for SMUSH,

- Bring a chess board buddy because YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PLAY (he! he! he!) tonight.

- If for some odd reason they decided to put you in... run back & fort in the court pretending you're directing the traffic BUT DON"T PASS THE BALL TO KOBE because you're not going to get it back.

- Or just tell them you're sick "I have a Kobenitis or something,, ",

The Lakers will prevail tonight!

Just need to try our best

I don't really mind about an upset to the series anymore,
as long as the Lakers show that they can beat the Suns
in a game

Trade proposal.

Telfair for Smush

Both are equally as bad, but Telfair of "Its not my gun" fame is faster than Nash, Barbosa, and Tony Parker combined. Should be released from Attica just in time for next years playoffs.

Also I propose we throw in the trade "I haven't got a Kloo - 44". I know he is brain damaged with selective memory issues, "Kobe ran Shaq out town" and "the Holocaust never happened" and if it did "Kobe caused it" but if Boston wants Smush, they will have to take the good with the bad.

what's missing? heart is. nobody's motivated to play and even to coach.
damn, our team is a dip s*** now.

fkillah, great points. as a business person making money, i would have picked kobe over shaq. i'd be pissed too at the climate in the laker org. shaq brought the lakers back to championship form, the kobe/laker mgmt gave him a "fu#k you very much" attitude. my gut tells me that that's the kind of person kobe is. LO called kobe out by saying there's no comradarie in the locker room. why is it every team kobe's been on, there's always some beef with players. kobe had a beef with atkins. atkins called out kobe as being the defacto "GM", then in the offseason, atkins disappears.

kobe has not proven to me that he's a winner. great scorer, i concede.

Lakergurl, thanks for the attention. my life is complete. i am bias. i don't like kobe becuase he put himself above winning and now i get to listen to a bunch of whiners about why the lakers suck. i knew this would happen post shaq. Ray Allen called out kobe. after 2-3 years of loosing and being embarassed, kobe will ask for a trade. i would really like for kobe to prove me wrong.......please bring the lakers back to championship form (i'm being serious about this).

Smush is garbage

Who is on the don't play William Parker bandwagon (he doesn't deserve a nickname)

This game will be decided in the first quarter. I mean the Laker's body language will tell me whether I should watch the entire game or not. Sure I would be depressed if I was a Laker. But if they show fire, then I will watch. I don't see anly fire or ENERGY I'm turning off my tv. The series is not over. They still have to loose twice and win four. That's very dooable. Phil is here for this reason. The Lakers do match up good with this team when healthy, but can they exploit their height and contain Barbosa? Shut down passing lanes and try to clutter the lane a little better. Go into the post with Lamar 35%, Kobe 35%, Luke 20% Brown 10 %? Just throw the damn ball inside and stick to Nash who is going to creat fast breaks after a Lakers basket. Farmar has to be concientious of Nash right after the Lakers score.

I can promise everyone on this blog right now..Phil Jackson will put Smush Parker in the game tonight..and then he'll take him out after 4 or 6 minutes..he's done that the past 2 games anyways..if the Lakers can't find themselves playing together as a "TEAM" then they won't have a chance..team basketball is always a good thing..I hope Kobe goes into one of those SUPER HUMAN modes tonight..the Lakers will need him for the entire 48 minutes..until tonight I'll be praying

KLOOless44-
Blah blah blah. Blah blah blah. You sound like a f%cking broken record and your points are still invalid. Let me say it to you one more time. SHAQ HAS NOT WON ANY RING ON HIS OWN. WITHOUT KOBE BRYANT OR DWAYNE WADE, SHAQ STILL WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A RING!!! Prove to me that I'm wrong. Shaq has done NOTHING on his own. He has been blessed to play with great players. I'll give you this, Kobe would not have a ring at this point if not for Shaq. Dwayne Wade, probably not either. But your beloved fat-ass Shaq could never do it on his own because his work ethic stinks and he has always needed other people on his teams to do the heavy lifting and then take the credit. I mean, come on. How hard is it to dunk the ball when you're 7 feet tall and weigh 350 pounds? One of the greatest centers of all time? Not even close.

Does anyone see how Dwight Howard dunks even when a person is in his way. He can dunk over people, why can't Kwame?

Separated at Birth: STEVE NASH and ANNIE LENNOX?

MEMO TO P: PLEASE start: Kobe, LO, Farmar,Roni,and Mo Evans. PLEASE no more telling them to slow the game down, they are only slowing our OWN game down. PLEASE tell them to take open shots (AAAAAAAALLLLL of them). PLEASE tell them to stop Barbosa (fouls be damned). PLEASE do not play SMUSH at all. PLEASE let Kobe take any shot he thinks he can sink. PLEASE tell them to stay aware of the shot clock.

We all know the LAKERS ARE A MUCH BETTER TEAM than what we saw on Tuesday. Let them go and play balls out basketball. Could the results be any worse than what we have seen so far?

I was very positive with our Lakers that they will get a W today until I heard Jim Buss being interviewed by Money Smith and Petros. This guy has no idea of what the problems are? He thinks the only problem is PG and nothing else, he likes the development of farmar and bynum. He blamed the injuries just like the way you hear Cupcake's reason out. He could be a ckone of Mitch Kupchak, who kept on saying they just need few pieces. I don'tthink t here will be KG or JO pursuit but status quo with the exception our free agents. They will surely sign pretty boy Luke and Chris Mihm the two great hopes of Laker future. Whoaaaa!

Well, I think we're going to have more problems in off season with Jim/Mitch on the driver seat.

I wonder AK/BK if you can invite Jim Buss to have a Q&A with the bloggers in the off season. Every blogger will be entitled to discuss one topic idea and one question to ask? You and BK will be the moderator. Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak have vague ideas on what Laker fans think of them, or probably the reason why he went to the radio like Cupcake was to repair the image as suggested by their PR consultant. Well, anyway if that idea is push through we would like to have an online audience with the top management. We can be constructive in our approach and see how they respond to fan perceptions.

I wonder if they have any notions at all of the ff:

1. PJ will quit when he sees a status quo roster;
2. Kobe will demand for trade when PJ call it quits;
3. Fans will boycott season tickets and the games when they find out that there is nothing to cheer in this team.

After the last game i came to the conclusion that we seriously need an overhaul of this team. Can we please trade Bynum, Radman or Cook, Mihm or Kwame, and Sasha for Jermaine O'Neal or KG?? By the time Baby Bynum is ready (if that happens at all) to be a dominant force in the game Kobe will be retired and opening Starbucks and high priced apartments in Orange County...

if our starting 5 was Farmar, Kobe, Lamar, O'Neal or KG, and Mihm or Kwame - with Luke, Mo, Shammond and Ronny coming off the bench we'd be pretty tough to handle... and maybe grab a couple rings before "old man kobe" retires...

where are you basketball gods? and what have we done to incur your wrath????

NEXT STEP TO THE 2007 NBA FINALS

BORIS "I KILLED THA lakers LAST SEASON, NOW I DO IT AGAIN, OUI?" DEEWOW AND THE SUNS SIDE OF THE FORCE

VS.

KOBE "I'LL TAKE 50 SHOTS AND STILL LOSE" BRYANT AND HIS FADED GLORIES

2 HOURS

I'm watching BK on NBATV

BK,

Congrats on the NBA TV interview!

I'm watching right now as I type! You look great, you have that newly married "glow".

BK
NBATV
Great interview and good sense of humor!
Good Job

BK "Nothing is simple with Kwame catching the Ball" LOL

BK
I am impressed. You did our Blog proud. One of the best interviews on NBATV. No Nonsense, No Sales, "Just the Facts Mam"
Baywood

Vote for MVB "Most Valuable Blogger"
I'll keep the score
Baywood

MVB: Tim-4-Show. Especially since he lived in Seattle, where I live now. Homecourt advantage, so to speak.

Fatty, LOL. Why do you call yourself fatty?

LM, spoken like a true fool. your head is so far up kobe's ass. like i said before, i guess shaq's the luckiest guy in the world taking 3 teams to the NBA finals. hum, i guess it was a lucky bounce to make it into the second round in shaq's entire career (excluding his rookie year). let me guess, kobe's the unluckiest guy in the world post-shaq to have done jack except win individual accolades. kobe's scoring ability is fools gold. no matter what you kobe-lovers (dare i say laker-haters) say, b-ball is a TEAM sport. it takes 5 guys (strike that 5 men) working in unison. those 5 guys have to WANT to play for each other. you're telling me that this laker squad is giving their all? i guess kobe's not a fault right? isn't kid kobe the leader and the face of the franchise? i thought kobe could do it all on is own? isn't kobe the greatest player of all time........but wait, kobe hasn't done jack shit without shaq. kobe's had 3 seasons without shaq and he's managed to lead the laker org to the worst record in franchise history and a 1st round bust (not to mention quiting in Game 7). Let's see what kobe does at the at tip off. whatever he does, you kobe apologist will make an excuse for him. oh did i also mention that kobe is motivating his team by calling them out the day before a do-or-die game. saying the team has no "talent" (was kobe refering to the entire team including himself). why in the world would anyone say that? that's a dumbass comment. that's a great way to get your guys motivated. i guess i'm the fool.

well, fella and ladies, i'm out. I'll be watching the game hoping the lakers will put up a fight. i'd rather not see dumb suns fans walking around with brooms. yo don't forget to chant "kobe MVP" when kobe's on the free throw line. it'll get him juiced up for 50...........50 shots that is. i'm out

KLdouble ZERO (zero for short),

I had typed up and submitted a response but evidently there was an error when I hit submit. I'm on a different computer, so I can't really post as much or as quickly than normal.

When I say winner, I don't mean winning. I mean Character, a winning attitude. Shaq does not, and has RARELY had this trait. You don't have to be a superstar to be a winner, nor does your team actually have to win.

Go back to my post, I said nothing about Kobe. You're the one obesseed with Kobe. I'm a Lakers fan. Sure, I'm a Kobe fan, just like I was a Shaq fan... even when he was at LSU. I was very upset the Olympic Comittee left him off the original dream team, he belonged there! Just because he was a junior meant he would not get to be on the team.

Regardless, I will say it again, Shaq's career accomplishments are impressive, no doubt. 4 titles, 6 NBA finals appearances, 3 Finals MVPs. No doubt the guy was great.

As great as he was, he could have been the greatest of all time, but he's waaaaaaaay short of that mark. it's not even close. he's not even the MDE like he claims, though he was the most dominant during several years of his prime.

Shaq was content with being a superstar. He was content with winning 50 games a year and being competitive. It wasn't until PJ that he actually started to string together some titles, and of course, I'm very happy that he was a part of that, can you dig it?

But he is no winner, not in the sense I meant it. He has never really pushed himself, sure maybe here or there, but over all this time, he's not much different than he was when he entered the league. Shaq could have been the MDE instead of just talking about it.

I could have put up with that, if not for the other poor examples he was setting. One of the problems the Lakers have now is they have guys with Shaq like mentalities without the skill or ability of Shaq. We have too many guys who just don't have a winner mentality. Maybe it's a rarer quality now a days, but seriously, we need to get some guys who will play with passion, and will actually strive to get 100% of their potential out of the themselves. If we're not winning titles, I can live with it IF, IF we have guys like that (but with guys like that, you're probably going to be a contender).

As for MVB, I've always said LakerTom is the MVB. I still say that, though we have some darned good bloggers on here!

LOL generic_one....you forgot:

Kobe's responsible for spam mails (especially the penis enlargement ones)
Kobe's responsible for US Basketball sucking.
Kobe's responsible for global warming.
Kobe's responsible for the high gas prices.
Kobe's responsible for women going through PMS.
Kobe's responsible for steroids in baseball.

The man needs to stop overachieving lol.

Inspired blog topic BK. I see you're proficient at multi-tasking, marriage and Lakers lol, jk. Seriously though the only problem with that discipline thing is that to be disciplined you'd need to know what that is to begin with. Not working on your game in the offseason, does not help imo...because that requires discipline. If anything, I think in this game PJ has got to lay down the law. Stink, well then you're sitting. Like defense, I'm not sure discipline is something you can get on the fly, much like my "mentality" idea lol. But there's always hope lol.

Empty suit. Satellite tracking via predator drone has identified Kobe Bryant wearing Lakers uniform #24; thought to have worn #8 (still checking with
NASCAR).
You can run (or in the NBA walk and palm the ball); but, you can't hide
(or play much defense).

I would just like to see some effort tonight, and some smart play.

Oh yeah, and a win.

Thanks, Baywood. The goal whenever one of us does live tv or radio is to not do something really stupid first, then hopefully sound intelligent. Glad to do the blog proud.

BK

MVB " Most Valuable Blogger"
Faith 1
Tim-4 Show 1

Already Voted:
Baywood, generic-one

How the lakers play tonight is very important. I hope I am wrong but I think the lakers players have quit on Phil Jackson. I think some of them are tired of kobe and phil's bs. I think they are just hoping summer vacation comes real quick. What do you all think about if the players have quit on phil jackson.

MVB " Most Valuable Blogger"
Faith 1
LakerTom 1
Tim-4 Show 1

Already Voted:
Baywood, generic-one, Tim-4 Show

Lakers' season is over already.

Tim-4-Show

Excellent post my man. You make some great points. Keep on Bloggin'

I only hope to be mentioned in the same sentence with Laker Tom aka Mr. MVB on this blog one of these days.

Peace. Out.

Hen1040 -

Great point. I agree with you 100%. You can just about see the looks of disgust and quit on the faces of Kobe's 'supporting cast' teammates. They may be hopin for summer vacation, but then again, hopefully some of those stiffs will be using their summer vacation time looking for a new city to live in - and a new team to play on.

I’ve been away for a month or so…I see my Lakers are in trouble…
I saw game 2 the other night and now I have one thing to say to them:

Even in our darkest hour,
Even in our saddest day,
If we must live to see another day
As a man, as a player, as a Laker…

I just want to say:

If destiny has decide,
If we have to lose tonight,
Let’s not cry in vain,
Let’s not show tears of regret,

Let’s show the world we didn’t go down without trying!!!

Because we will not fail without a thunder,
We will not go down without a FIGHT!!
WE ARE THE LAKERS!
The proudest players on the basketball earth!!
And even if they are better, more talented or deeper…

Let’s make a statement today:

Even if we are down until the last minute of this game,

WE SHALL NEVER SURRENDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laker from the South,

OVER

And

OUT

(I ll post this aagain at the beginning of the game!)

NEXT STEP TO THE 2007 NBA FINALS

BLACK JESUS AND THE ONLY TRUE SHOWTIME

VS.

KOBE "SHAQ! COME BACK, PLEASE! I DIDNT MEAN IT!" BRYANT AND HIS SLOWTIMES

.5 HOURS

Trade Bynum for some value. He'll be a good center, but not a great one. We need to move now to take advantage of his potential. Lamar also needs to go. Timing is everything in this league, and Lamar has terrible timing. The reason Kobe and D-Wade are so good is because they recognize pivotal moments during a game. They know when to turn on the jets -- and they have the ability to do it. Reggie Miller was like that. Lamar does not step up during key moments of the game. He misses important free throws, he can't finish, he gets rattled easily. There are salesman and there are closers. Lamar's a salesman. Kobe is a closer.

15 minutes to the game, let's go Lakers!

TROGLODYTE

Your right. I really do hope we make a overhaul for next year and some of them get some new addresses next year. But the bad part about it is if they have quit it could linger into next season. The state of the Lakers is F'd up right now. They are capped out. They are trying to hold onto bynum and hopeing he develops into the next kareem. the last three offseason moves have not brought them anything. I mean when you have your biggest offseason acquisition is on the inactive list and not hurt. Kwame for butler is just a laugher. Aaron Mckie has been getting paid for scoring two baskets in two years. Man let me stop before I throw up. The Lakers have turned into the clippers right before my eyes. I never wound have thunk it!!

cant believe PJ deactivated Vldimir AGAIN... in place of shammond...

PJ has the ego the size of jupiter... what is he trying to prove? is he slapping radmanovich still?? comeon hes theonly you havent used yet... EXPERIEMENT on him!

Its time for a DNP coach's decision for Parker. If just for general principle. Sadly, we also probably need to take a flagrant foul the next time Barbosa goe to the rim. We HAVE to send a message, NOT IN OUR HOUSE!

Should be a fun game to watch..hopefully Barbosa gets laid out or Nash..I want this to be a contact game now..grrr

GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can we keep it up? Go Lakers!!!