Is the legendary Michael Teniente actually back or is this another hoax?

It's not quite Laker Nation without the infamous Michael T.

GO LAKERS!

Fire

Forget all my inquiries about the ESPN True Hoop Link. I switched to our PC and I can view it now...

Posted by: Charles | April 03, 2008 at 10:17 AM

greek_dude,

>>>if the lakers beat the spurs and the hornets, they would
>>> have the tiebreaker over both, so they only need to tie
>>>them to get 1st

Almost, but not quite. Currently, New Orleans only has 22
losses and the Lakers have 24. Thus even if the Lakers
win all 8 of their remaining games, New Orleans could lose
to the Lakers, win their other remaining games and still take
first place in the West.

Here's what New Orleans have remaining:
New York
Golden State
Utah
@Minnesota
@Lakers
@Sacramento
Clippers
@Dallas

If the Lakers hope to get 1st place back, they not only
have to take care of business themselves, but they have
to hope that one of those lower seeds like Dallas or Golden
State will be fighting so hard just to MAKE the playoffs
that they'll beat the Hornets.

The Hornets are playing VERY well right now. I'd like
to see a Lakers-Hornets Western Conference Finals. If
the Lakers have Bynum back, I think we'd see the Lakers
in the finals. Without Bynum, it's a harder task, but still
possible.

FATTY:"If we don't get them all back? It might be a job for Dr. Kervokian. (For us bloggers)"

LMAOF Touche! NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S THAT FATTY WIT THAT IS OFTEN IMITATED
BUT NEVER DUPLICATED. D@MMMMMMMNNNN
It's good to have you back Fatty.

Fire,

Do you see bling bling at the AZ blog at all?

Later man...

No Name Poster,

No!!! I'm having flashbacks!

The Lakers should shoot for the 3 seed. Personally I believe the biggest mental hump facing the Lakers in the playoffs this year is not a team, but getting out the first round. I think once they make it out of the first round, theyll be in better shape. Right now the Rockets look pretty comfortable at the 6.

1 v 8 Hornets play Warriors/Nuggets- NO advances
4 v 5 Suns play Jazz - Phoenix advances
2 v 7 Spurs play Mavericks - Dal advances?
3 v Lakers play Rockets - LAL advances

I think that Dallas may be able to knock off SA in the playoffs. There will be an interesting element to the seriers. Remember the Spurs havent won back to back titles. The Mavs have Dirk back, and then theres the Jason Kidd v Tony Parker element, plus all the long playoff history. I think the Mavs can steal the series from SA in Tim Donaughty fashion.

IF that happens the Lakers would face Houston, Dallas, and then either the Hornets or Phoenix with home court.

Perhaps it's time that Dr. Buss accepts the reality that Vitti just ain't got the healing chops we need anymore. When Dirk can easily bounce back from what looked like a season ender but our guys end up out for MONTHS, you've got to start thinkin' bout change.

Penberthy, Jon K, & Lake Show,

I also have been looking at Critt's stats lately, great game by him even though it was against the NYK.
Maybe Mitch can wave his magic wand and bring him back after a few years of seasoning. (i know, i know, pipe dream!)

Kobe's post game interview: Kobe-Gasol-Bynum: the "ah, ah, UGH" punch

http://www.nba.com/lakers/multimedia/0708video.html

Somewhere, somehow, Pat Riley is scheming of a way to wrest the Lakers head coaching gig from Phil Jackson. I can feel it.

Here is an example of holds Lebron James and Kobe Bryant to a diffrent standart:

over the last 6-7 games Lebron has been averaging 25 points 6 rebounds and 7 assists very impressive numbers

while kobe has been averaging 36.5 with 9 rebounds and 7.5 assists

now if the tables where turned and those would be Lebron's numbers you would hear a million people come our and say that Lebron is better than kobe and he is having the best season ever
when Kobe does it nobody says anything thats why Kobe almost never wins the player of the month awards
double standards all the time i remember a month when Kobe averaged 38 on 58% shooting and Steve Nash won it with 18 points 11 assists averages.

There has never been a player in the history of this game who has been hated and underappriciated more than Kobey Bryant.

Tim-4-Show,
"Korey,

I'm sorry, but I'll take 43% from downtown ALL DAY."

43% isnt 43% in 30 attempts. It's 43% in 3/4 attempts a game for one person.

When that person plays mucho minutes and starts hanging out 6/7 shots a game then it's different. And when everybody is taking 3/4/5 3ptrs a game and everybody isnt shooting 43% then that's how we get down by 15.

IT'S obvious man. Too obvious.

Let's just all agree 20 3ptrs a game is cool. 25-30 is bordering on out of line. 30+ is ridiculous.

McGarnagle,
"You have lost it. Those 2 games will probably cost the Lakers 1 or 2 spots and home court. Given how close these teams are that could be the difference between winning and losing a series. Do you really think PJ threw a couple of games to make a point?"

I never said he THREW the games, but I do believe that if players arent listening to him that as a coach you say fine, do it your way.

And when you fail miserably, do it my way.

It's more important to play our best in the West, then to acquire a good seed.

If the team can remember the embarrassment of losing losing to weak teams, that will be more beneficial than getting bad habits that will cost us later.

Hey, the guys has 9 rings. I trust his strategy.

hobbitmage,
"We will need confident shooters to win a championship
*this* year. We are going to need: Vlade, Sasha, Farmar,
Lamar, Fisher & Kobe to hit 3's."

Actually, we need smart players now and in the long term.

We need players who can adjust to the team's needs.

When we have big men, your role is to jack up open 3s.

When we are shorthanded, we need players who use discretion in shot selection and attack the basket to help make up for our lack of post-game.

If all we have our niche players, then we need new players.

There will be situations where our bigs get in foul trouble, somebody gets hurt, or whatever in the playoffs.

Our guys need to learn how to adjust to adversity and situations positively, not just by "doing more of what you do".

Farmar has done a good job of retooling himself. Good job Farm.

Same for Ronny a bit.

Maybe trading Javaris to Memphis was Mitch's alternative to sending Javaris to the D-League. The Lakers will call him up when he is ready!

LTLF,
"Sasha will go back to the 10-15 minute range for the rest
of the season and the playoffs (barring further injury)."
Exactly. And then, he'll be fine as a niche player who comes in and shoots 3s when open.

But if you are a player who wants to be a better player, you dont waste your opportunites. When you get more minutes, you expand your game and be more responsible with shot discretion and game play.

"At this point in his career, Sasha shouldn't be called on to take 17 shots"
That's why he shouldnt be doing things like that!

Bench players go back to the bench, when the get starters minutes and they still act like a bench player.

It's unfortunate that Sasha couldnt take advantage of this opportunity.

However, he has a good role on the team as is so maybe next year he expands his game to more than unconscious 3pt chucking and shooting.

Let me reiterate, I like Sasha's role on the team.

Typo, should be:
"Obviously 3s aren' the only factor in winning/losing, that would be shortsighted."

Lakers Legacy,

I think it was a mistake to send Criit to Memphis. Mitch should have sent Farmar as part of the deal and keep Critt who has unlimited potential.

Perhaps Mitch could do his magic again and get Critt back for Luke!!

CBuck

"at this point, i'll take a med student, a dude who isn't a doctor but stayed at a Holiday Inn last night or any of the actors from Grey's Anatomy over Vitti"

Very funny, and very clever. Great line, "Holiday Inn".

Man who cares about the MVP, its not important.

What happened to last years MVP? got kicked out in the first round.

All that matters is that the lakers win the tittle, then kobe could hold up that finals MVP, as the season's MVP whether it be paul or lebron are watching at home.

Go Lakers...

First of all, people like Chad Ford need to consider systems as well.. if Paul was on the lakers with Phil as his coach, he wouldn't be a ball dominant PG. Phil wants everyone of his players to be a playmaker and that's the point of the triangle and why it is successful over the long run. Is Paul a better playmaker than Kobe? of course. Paul in a PG-driven system with BScott shines. Likewise Kobe in the triangle shines. You can't simply switch and compare.

For example, Jason Kidd in the triangle was a stupid idea.. he can't shoot and is only successful in run and gun. That's not happening with the lakers. Thank God that trade did not happen.

Also, Kobe with any sort of bigmen, i.e. someone who can catch and finish, cannot be doubted. Heck, he and Mihm looked good when Mihm was healthy few years ago.. people underestimate Kobe too much because of a few bad games here and there as far as balance goes. Kobe with West and Chandler would be just fine in any system.

Anyway, I'm tired of the MVP talk. It means nothing in the end.. I'm sure Nash and Nowitzki know a little bit about that.

Perhaps it's time that Dr. Buss accepts the reality that Vitti just ain't got the healing chops we need anymore. When Dirk can easily bounce back from what looked like a season ender but our guys end up out for MONTHS, you've got to start thinkin' bout change.

Posted by: utzworld THE BANNER HOLDER | April 03, 2008 at 01:06 PM

I really don't see enough to crucify Vitti. I am all for alternative stuff and modern technoligy. I just think we need a team Dr specialst like the Dodgers have in Dr Jobe.
Also I agree a real determination on the severity of an injury cannot be obtained from TV or video replay. But since that is all we have then from what I saw from the replays someone posted I think Pau'sd injury was worse.
I saw Dirk fall on hisfoot outstreched which caused a jambed type sprain with no twist causing more ligament damage. On Pau's injury his ankle twisted and his sprain was more damaged because of that and more ligament damage. So I don't know which was worse but based on that I think Pau's injury was worse.

On the trainer I mthink he is being blamed too much as I have posted before that the final treatment is determined by the player. Like Kobe was told he should get surgery but he the patient refused.

On the other hand Kobe does go to his own specialists (like in Colorado) and has his own personal trainer so there is room to question why.
=============================================
Penberthy, Jon K, & Lake Show,

I also have been looking at Critt's stats lately, great game by him even though it was against the NYK.
Maybe Mitch can wave his magic wand and bring him back after a few years of seasoning. (i know, i know, pipe dream!)

Posted by: Lakers Legacy | April 03, 2008 at 01:14 PM

Dam must be a popular pipe as I stated over and over that I hope we can get Crit back. Dreaming real hard since Mitch did say he follows players that have been cut or traded and see if they can be gotten. That is what really got my dream going. Now just hoping for reality and not a dream. HOPING!

Korey,

>>>It's unfortunate that Sasha couldnt take advantage of
>>>this opportunity.

Actually, I think it's pretty fortunate that Sasha demonstrated
his limitations in other facets of the game.

If Sasha had taken the increased minutes and gone out
and gotten 3 or 4 assists per game and slashed to the
hoop for layups every third or fourth possession, then
there would be 5 or 6 teams offering him a full MLE this
summer.

With Sasha showing himself as just a good outside shooting and defending role-player, the Lakers
can probably re-sign him for much less. And then maybe
he can improve in some of those skills and become a major
asset to the Lakers without breaking the bank.

I could see Sasha growing into a Ginobili-esque player,
or developing into someone like Matt Bullard who's never
much more than a shooting specialist.

Korey,

As for the 3-point controversy, since we've got Gasol back
now, it's a moot point. I'll make one more comment on the
topic and then I'll let it drop. What you are viewing as a
CAUSE is actually a SYMPTOM. Co-occurrence does not
imply cause and effect.

Let me suggest an analogy. Hopefully you'll appreciate
my choice of representation at least.

The Lakers without Gasol or Bynum is like you with the Flu.
You've got a headache and fever and you're barfing a lot.
You pick out one of the symptoms, let's say the barfing, and
you say "This barfing is causing me not to be healthy. If I would
stop this barfing, then I'd be healthier."

So too much 3-point shooting is like barfing.

It's really the flu that's the cause, while the barf is one effect. Even if you stopped barfing, you would still have
the headache and the fever that the flu was causing,
and you would not be healthy.

Someone else might pick out the "fever" symptom and
say "If Kobe would pass to his teammates more, then they'd
weather being without Gasol and Bynum better".

Someone else might pick out the "headache" symptom
and say "If Phil Jackson would pick the right players for
the right situations, then they might weather being without
Gasol and Bynum better."

But the real cause of the 50-50 play isn't the 3-pointers or
Kobe's taking more or less shots or Phil Jackson's coaching,
it's being without their best two post players.

And now that Gasol's back (and hopefully Bynum's on
the way), the Lakers can get back to playing a more
balanced game... and you can stop barfing.