Farmer Farmar
Cultivating career games, Jordan Farmar is, while the Lakers harvest win after win.
Farmar, fresh off a 21 point game in Tuesday's win against Portland came back Thursday night with a career high 24, as the Lakers rolled over the Heat 106-88 at Staples. The second year PG's efforts were just part of yet another true group effort for the L.A., who led wire to wire for their tenth straight win. Kobe scored a little, at least by his standards (21 points), and distributed a lot (seven dimes), and his block of a Shawn Marion dunk attempt to end the third was one of the better highlights the Lakers have had this season, which is saying something since times are pretty rosy. But, as the box shows, the Lakers had contributions up and down the lineup. A quiet 13/11 for Pau Gasol. 13/11/6 for L.O. 9/11/4 for Luke Walton, and 12 points off the bench for Sasha. No wonder the Lakers are quickly becoming an aspirational model for the league's downtrodden.
The Lakers have, and continue to, refuse to put a date on Andrew Bynum's return, but that doesn't mean folks can't look ahead to what Gasol's adjustment to taking over the four might look like. While the Lakers aren't doing a lot of formal work to prepare him for the position change, some of their routines will help Gasol make the switch.
The Lakers will look to make it 11 straight tonight in Portland, where things are never easy. L.A. has lost four straight at the Rose Garden, but on the other hand, it's been a while since they brought a team this good into the building. Portland All Star Brandon Roy is likely to miss Friday's game (as he did Tuesday's) with an ankle sprain, thought the Blazers could have sharpshooter James Jones back in the lineup. Here are some handy little numbers to tuck in your pocket regarding the scrap.
Avery Johnson's decision to keep J. Kidd on the bench for the final seconds of Dallas' loss to S.A. last night raised some eyebrows.
Gordon Giricek could soon be a Sun. That likely depends on what Brent Barry decides to do. Phoenix could be fun, but the Spurs are still a strong player.
An interesting story about the power of blogs these days. We give it a month before it's a Law and Order storyline.
we will conquer you lakers! the suns are the bomb. theres 2-4 of us here now neat my ash....
Posted by: blingbling | February 29, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Ahhh, Kobe in the Rose Garden:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH-0gLhqpJg
Posted by: J. Walter Weatherman | February 29, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Thanks Charles...Very nice of you to say.
KOBE FOR MVP!!!
KOBE FOR MVP!!!
KOBE FOR MVP!!!
Posted by: DrewPauKobe | February 29, 2008 at 03:31 PM
J. Walter Weatherman,
Thanks for the link. I remember when that happened, Karl Malone was speechless... in all his years, he had never been in such a surreal environment.
Folks, Welcome to the World of Kobe... we're all just along for the ride!
Wooo.
Go Jester, Go!!!! Megaphones UNITE!
Posted by: Tim-4-Show | February 29, 2008 at 03:31 PM
Fish is a prideful guy, but I think the season has been wearing him down. We should lower his minutes toward the end of the season, perhaps have him start the first few minutes of games and use him when needed like the oldsters Ron Harper, AC Green and Brian Shaw during the Shaq/Kobe championship years.
Obviously, he's a terrific veteran and a great individual, and clutch, but we need to increase Jordan Farmar's minutes.
Posted by: jef | February 29, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Hey Charles!
Miriam Webster is a Australian gospel singer. And she's Awe Some. (Merriam Webster is the dictionary publisher; no person .)
cheers.
Posted by: gman | February 29, 2008 at 03:48 PM
Laker Tom are you a lawyer? LOL
Way to turn the argument with Korey into he agrees with you and the start Bynum group. Very impressive indeed! LOL!
Posted by: Fan of the Mamba | February 29, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Oh Wow!
I was just on ESPN reading Adande's responses to MVP questions. Unbelievable, Adande basically says he's going with Lebron because the Cavs lost 6 straight games without him. He's more valuable to his team than Kobe, cause Kobe has Bynum and now Gasol. Huh???
Are you kidding me. Steve Nash had Shawn Marion, Amare, barbosa, Dirk had Howard, Stackhouse, Terry, etc. and they still won MVP.
Man what a bunch of crap!
They don't want to give Kobe an MVP, and regardless of how he meets all the standards for the award they will not acknowledge that he's been the MVP for several seasons not just this one. I'll give the baseball writers their due. They hated Bonds but it didn't stop them from acknowledging his greatest (even if it was roid assisted).
Posted by: Fan of the Mamba | February 29, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Adande and the rest of these media fools have been just sipping haterade way too long when it comes to Kobe. What's funny is that when Lebron was asked who is the MVP so far this season, he said Kobe. I think Kobe has accepted that he may never win the MVP, but what matters most to him is winning titles. No other player gets MVP chants in other teams arenas like Kobe Bryant.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | February 29, 2008 at 03:55 PM
gman,
will check spelling next time!
peace!!!!!
Posted by: Charles | February 29, 2008 at 03:59 PM
Jordan Farmar is a great player, since his years at UCLA he's been a good leader, defender, and scorer. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Al | February 29, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Faith,
SOOOOOOOOO TRUE!
2006 - "His team isn't good enough!"
2007 - "He doesn't make his teammates better!" (smush, kwame, cook, etc)
2008 - "His team's too good!"
WHAT A JOKE!!!
I don't think the award should be given on reputation, but since it has been done that way for AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, how about giving it to the player everyone acknowledges is the BEST IN THE GAME!!! Should NBA history really reflect 0 MVPs for Kobe after 2 for Nash. OMG I just made myself sick typing that.
KOBE FOR MVP!!!
KOBE FOR MVP!!
KOBE FOR MVP!!!
Posted by: DrewPauKobe | February 29, 2008 at 01:35 PM
DrewPauKobe,
LOL. Man, that is a great post!!! Nash two MVP awards, Dirk MVP last year. Man, I just got sick typing that last sentence.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | February 29, 2008 at 04:08 PM
Nemaia,
You're probably right, Kobe will most likely never win MVP. It still sucks though!
I wish the players voted for MVP. Sportswriters, many whom never played a day of organized sports in their lives, shouldn't vote.
Posted by: Fan of the Mamba | February 29, 2008 at 04:18 PM
gman,
and research...
Posted by: Charles | February 29, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Fan of the Mamba,
First off, I am also a fan of the Mamba.
Ironically, I completed one year of law school at NYU with honors way back in the day after which I took a leave of absence to pursue other interests and never went back. Through the years, I have come to the opinion that most lawyers are worse than rookies -- below pond scum.
That was also my one year living on the left coast. As a die hard Yankee and Sabret's and John's Pizza fan, I loved New York and living and playing in the Village. Unfortunately, the few Laker games I saw were on really late (no league pass back then) and the next day's newspaper never had West coast news.
I played a lot in scrub games in the cage on West4th(before the real players show up) and NYU and local YMCA gyms. Strangest thing I ever came across were the rules for half court games: Winners out but nobody has to clear the ball to the sides or above the free throw line after a defensive rebound. Hell, the defense can even tip the rebound back in to score.
Needless to say, if you were a guard like I was, you either made your shots or did not play. Anybody else run into these rules back east? I mean guys there never even heard of checking the ball before inbounding it. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | February 29, 2008 at 04:43 PM
jon.
“Who's this guy?" (Lamar had the ball.)”
Reminds me of a Elvis Costello concert my wife and I went to a couple of years ago when EC did a cover of an old beetles song. There were two young girls sitting behind me. The first one said, “I think that was a Beetles song.” And you guessed it, the second girl actually said “Who are the Beetles?” Who said the ignorance isn’t bliss. LOL.
It’s going to be a sad day for Cleveland when LeBron opts out so he can chase his billions as a member of the Brooklyn Nets and his buddy Jay-Z. LeBron disrespects Cleveland and the Nets do the same to New Jersey. Only in the USA and the NBA. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | February 29, 2008 at 04:52 PM
Charles,
Always a pleasure to exchange posts with you. I was just teasing about you posting so much. Like you, I’m just another schmuck who still has to work to pay his mortgage and those astronomical medical bills for my wife’s win over cancer. And like you, I find a way to squeeze in the blog even in a busy working day. Man does not live on revenue alone. LOL. If I hadn’t pissed away so much money as a younger man, I would be on the beach in Hawaii volunteering myself to the KBros to screen blog posts for free. LOL.
Charles, I actually volunteered your name out of respect because you are always here and have a respectful personality and sense of equanimity that fits the role. Old timers like myself and Edwin and younger regulars like Tim and Jon are a little too Hillary and opinionated for what we need right now, which is a more Barack Obama type helping the KBros keep the blog smoothly humming and running 24/7 with fewer delays. You and Mamba were the natural candidates to nominate and since Mamba is being swamped by bandwagon fever, I selected you. However, you do sound like you are a little busy. Maybe, AK and BK would pay you to help out? As Chick would say, no harm, no foul.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | February 29, 2008 at 05:06 PM
Eric,
That is what has been happening to me for several weeks. My browser just freezes up with an hourglass when I try to go back to the blog after clicking on a link. Selecting to open the link in a new page eliminates most of this but once or twice a day I will get the same freeze when I refresh to see if there are any new posts.
AK/BK, is there any other bloggers having same problem?
And what about getting a helped to screen and post reponses when you guys aren't around. I know you wouldn't want KL helping you like this but it can't cost much to get a reliable person to supplement you guys. What do you think? Please respond. Thanks.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | February 29, 2008 at 05:12 PM
DrewPauKobe,
I know he's not ready. We are not second guessing them. I just want to send the message that they are also part of the Show. Wel, they are now fired up and will do the best they can.
I guess I have answered this concern in the succeeding thread.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | February 29, 2008 at 05:57 PM
LakerTom,
Your choice of Charles is unanimous with consent. So you shifted from experience to change, change to what? Scary, isn't it? You don't know where the future will bring us?, but for now, we are happy to listen with the rhetorics.
I just filled up gas and it's already 3.03 per gal(lowest), the US dollar is now $1.51 against Euro, the Dow Jones just down by 300 pts., Bernanke can't do anything to slow down the foreclosure fallouts....so listening to these politicians to entertain us more is just a wish upon star?
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | February 29, 2008 at 06:41 PM
I am definitely on board with the blog contingent in favor of signing Tyronn Lue. He would be a better fit on the current team than Coby Karl, as much as we all like Coby. Lue would offer insurance against injury to Fish of Farmar and as others have stated, he can defend the qick PGs that are in the West.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | February 29, 2008 at 06:42 PM
AK/BK,
The luxury tax question is very interesting.
Do you guys know of an estimate, or a way to calculate, how much more annual revenue Dr. Buss has to work with comparing:
a) a first round wash out
b) getting to finals
c) winning the championship
I'd love to see them be able to keep Lamar. I don't know as much as the people on this blog, but I was very surprised by the 'trade Lamar' sentiments I saw here.
Lamar's unwillngness to shoot when he was Kobe's partner becomes a huge asset when he is the 4th best on the team. Rodman used to turn away from wide open layups just to make the rather hilarious point that he didn't care if he scored for the Bulls.
I suspect with Lamar as the 4th option, the Lakes can make a run at best-team-ever over the next 2 years. There just don't seem to be many great small 3's in the League to exploit his supposed weakness. Shaq used to say he and Kobe would have 7 rings. Maybe Kobe will!
Posted by: Dwight | February 29, 2008 at 06:45 PM
LakerTom,
"Strangest thing I ever came across were the rules for half court games: Winners out but nobody has to clear the ball to the sides or above the free throw line after a defensive rebound. Hell, the defense can even tip the rebound back in to score. "
Sometimes those were the rules in the games on Navy bases (both coasts), but it wasn't the usual case. Maybe whoever started the first game of the day when that happened was from New York.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | February 29, 2008 at 07:04 PM
What's with the number 1 jersey?
Posted by: Juan R Molano | October 09, 2009 at 08:27 PM