No dance partner yet
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Join us for Purple, Gold, and Blue today at 11 am. Our guest is Eric Neel of ESPN.com. Click the widget on the side of the page, or go straight to our show page at Now Live.com.
It was a landscape altering night around the Western Conference, but none of it had much to do with the "one-seeded" Lakers (visual aid at left). After polishing off the Nuggets in Denver on Monday, the Lakers took Tuesday off to reflect on a job well done in Round 1. They wanted a sweep, they got a sweep, thanks to contributions from the big guns such as Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant to supporting players such as Luke Walton, and even a little defense from Vlad Radmanovic.
All told, it puts Bryant past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal was sent to Miami, part of a long, often grueling path to rebuilding that seems to stretch a lot deeper into history than it actually does. When the Lakers will kick off Round 2 is an open question after Houston spanked Utah Wednesday night to send the series back to Salt Lake for Game 6 on Friday, with the Jazz up 3-2.
The other Western Conference semifinal is set, now that San Antonio polished off Phoenix and New Orleans sent Dallas packing, both series ending in a surprisingly tidy five games and setting the stage for a summer of intrigue. Start with the coaching situation in the desert, where Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum is reporting that Mike D'Antoni won't be back next year. Call it irreconcilable differences between a coach and GM who don't see the game through the same prism, and aren't afraid to debate their points. Or maybe the Suns just have the wrong model.
Ironically, one place D'Antoni could land is Dallas, where the speculation is rampant that Avery Johnson will be allowed to/encouraged to/made to walk. Perhaps he's hoping Mark Cuban will pull the trigger, since things have grown uncomfortable for Johnson in Dallas (by the way, for USC fans, the link contains a great quote referencing former Trojans star Harold Miner). Not that Josh Howard's partying (as well as his "pot interviews") have helped, nor a grinding style and some of Dallas' more famous failures for which Johnson bears some responsibility.
And let's not forget, too, that New Orleans is a really good team.
How all this shakes out could have a lot to do with the coaching situation in Toronto, where Sam Mitchell's job security is in question. He has some security based on a fairly hefty contract extension, but even Mitchell concedes a chain reaction is possible.
Speaking of coaches, Larry Brown says he wasn't a very good one in New York. No argument here.
At SportsHubLA, David Neiman asks a question on the mind of many basketball fans:
Are the Lakers really that good, or was Denver really a No. 8 seed, despite having 50 wins? It’s difficult to say. On the one hand, LA looked fantastic — the Lakers moved the ball well, the scoring was well distributed (Kobe, Pau, LO, bench), Luke Walton had what could be a vitally important resurgence, and they plain dominated the Nuggets. On the other hand, Denver completely collapsed on the floor and off it. Well before Game 4, things were in fact over in this series.
Avery and D'antoni have hung the sign outside their door.
"Gone fishing"
Bing and Satchmo sing a tribute to them that makes ME want to go fishing.
But not the Lakers, no fishing for them, they have work to do, and a title to win.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWDa88K53D4
"Gone fishing, ...do wop dee doo, doodle ee doo, gone fishing" - Fatty's singing and wants to go fishing. Who wants to go with me?
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | April 30, 2008 at 12:44 PM
If Lakers play Utah will Ak47 guard Kobe?
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | April 30, 2008 at 12:46 PM
Fairweather Fatty,
Yeah, that article on Karl Malone certainly didn't shine the kindest light on him. Not cool.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | April 30, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Edwin Gueco"I am full blooded bandwagoner during the playoffs, it playoffs time baby, i
nclude my name in every bandwagon that you can think of"
NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!
FATTY:"Unless you want to honor KL again?"
NO, No never kind sir I promise. I learned my lesson
d@mnit! One heart attack is quite enough sir.
You practically gave me and Edwin a stroke. LOL!
EXHELODRVR:"Is that the official award for Laker Tom, or was that just leaked out?"
LOL! Just for that you will be the next honoree EX.
JohnnyP:"Please write everything you are inspired to write."
JohnnyP. sir I would gladly share a foxhole with you
anytime! Thank you!
Exhelodrvr:"Always remember, the difference between a$$-kissing and brown nosing is depth perception."
THAT'S IT. STOP THE PRESSES. POST OF THE MONTH
GIVE THE MAN THE PRIZE NO ONE ELSE NEEDS
COMPETE. THIS MAY WIN POST OF THE YEAR.
You done good EX.
Posted by: Mamba24 | April 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM
It's official.
Avery got fired from Dallas.. wow...
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3375306
Sam Mitchell and Mike D are about to go as well.
Guess that COY award really is a curse!
Posted by: coolhair | April 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Avery Johnson is gone.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | April 30, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Vlad Radmanovic a Defensive Stopper?
Maybe a stopper made from Serbia. It is made of rubber and full of holes, haha, a little fake on a blink of an eye, his guard has just passed him by. It does not mean there is no more room for improvement. If Coop or Coach Howland can help them this summer, I'm sure they can convert Vladimir and Pau into an AC Green type of a player. Right now, they are soft because that was their orientation in the European basketball games, it is the finesse type of a player of sweet shooting and fundamental moves but not stick on your face. I am still very optimistic with Vlad that he will soon explode and help us win convincingly. In the Nuggets series, his shots need a little adjustments. Perhaps, there are unsettled nerves out there and very tentative with his rainbow shots. What he needs is more focus, more practice until the shots becomes automatic. Remember one of the first euro players, Petrovic who died in car crash, I think Vlad can match his point production.
Luke Walton finally got back his game. This is how he played before the injury last year. He makes the right decisions, avoids those fancy passing and grab for the defensive rebounds. Again, his defense needs a little more aggressiveness without fouls by anticipating movement of feet of his guards, preventing the receipt of ball on shooters and putting his body in front of slashers, of course it hurts when you get hit by boozer or Deron. In the next series, if he can slow down AK, that will be a great contribution.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | April 30, 2008 at 12:56 PM
OK, can I officially begin the countdown to why the Lakers-Celtics finals will be the greatest Finals ever?
1 - It's the FREAKING LAKERS AND CELTICS.
2 - Lakers vs. KG. How fitting, right? We smacked him down in the WCF the last time he had a good team around him, now we get to smack him down in the Finals, when he's that much closer to his goal? How sweet will that be, after he dissed us this summer? The fact that not trading for him turned out to be even better (Gasol + Bynum > KG) doesn't matter - he picked Beantown over us. Game over. KG is dead to me, and I'm going to enjoy haunting him the rest of his career, reminding him that he made a bad choice when he decided to put on the hated green.
3. Kobe vs. Ray Allen - OK, I don't care what either of them say in press conferences. Kobe is going to RELISH burying jumpers and dunking over the guy who talked trash about him being a selfish player. I'm going to relish seeing Ray exposed for the overrated, soft, whiney player he really is.
4. Remembering how much better the Showtime Lakers were than the 80s Celtics - Even now, we have a better bench - Mitch is pulling heists like getting us Gasol for Baltic, $500 in cash and two exemptions, Byron Scott is COY, Kurt Rambis is assistant to Phil, Mychal is on the air talking smack, Norm Nixon is on FSN breaking it down... not to mention Magic mixing it up with Charles and the boys on TNT and Kareem playing Yoda to Bynum. The only former Celtic who has had a mildly successful career after they stopped playing was BBJesus, and even he screwed up the Pacers eventually.
5. We know we're better than them already. We swept a 50-win team, and they've already dropped two to a team that lost 12 more games than the Warriors. They play dirty, they try to physically intimidate their opponents, they think they have to hulk around and look intense... freaking posers. Act like you've been there before - wait, none of you ever have. Never mind.
God, I hate the Celtics. Beating them like a rented mule is going to be sweeeeeet.
Posted by: SBPimp | April 30, 2008 at 12:58 PM
I'm very proud, though not deserving, to have just been tapped for the Edwin Gueco honor roll. Thanks!!
Yes, I'm also for all bandwagons during the playoffs. I want a special position when we start the Second Coming of the Three-Peat bandwagon. I have been trying to make echoes in that wide open plain for while.
Ouch! That Malone elbow pain thing is an extension of his character, eh? The mailman is a little less of a "male" and a "man" than we thought. How about the "failman?"
Seriously, even if he were a Laker again, I just could not cheer for someone like that. That kind of behavior needs to be shamed and shunned.
GO LAKERS!!
Posted by: JohnnyP | April 30, 2008 at 01:01 PM
Mamba24 - maybe we should start the "JW thanks for
the constructive criticism" bandwagon...
Cuban is a tool playing fantasy basketball with a real team. His level of immaturity is so high, and when you combine that with having more money than you know what to do with, you get the implosion we are now witnessing.
Let's just all thank God we are Lakers fans, because nothing else will do! Bring on the Greenie Weenies (oh - I guess we need to go through a couple more rounds in the west first, right?!)
BTW - can someone please refresh my memory? I know we didn't have Drew/Trevor/Pau for the 2nd game against the Lepercons this season, but what about the first? For the life of me I can't remember.....
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | April 30, 2008 at 01:13 PM
Oh man, do I have a lot to say about the Suns demise this year, but It'll have to wait until later. Until then, I thought I'd pass along a link to the video of the 'Ali G'esque Costas Live round table about blogs. It features Will Leitch of Deadspin, Buzz Bissinger of 'REAL HARD BOOKS LIKE FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS' and Cleveland Browns WR Braylon Edwards (?). Bissinger couldn't wait to go on the offensive, using abolutisms to denigrate ALL blogs and their writers. Say what you will about Deadspin, but Leitch was standing in for all bloggers, good and bad, as another in a long line of MSM representatives used the worst aspects of the blogosphere to attack the entire medium. When I think of blogs, I think of examples like this one or some of the political blogs that have done a much better job of researching the political issues of the day than most of the MSM. I could twist Bissinger's examples and read from numerous columns by writers like Simers and Jay Mariotti to show how mean spirited and poorly written many of the columns in major daily newspapers are. Irrational screeds like Bissinger's help reinforce the decisions by vindictive people like Mark Cuban to disenfranchise legitimate writers who blog, freelancers who work their butt off building a new media paradigm and the average Joe who may not write like W.C. Heinz but has spent a lifetime of hardcore sports viewing to have more than a shred of original insight and analysis. There's room in the marketplace of ideas for the K Bros, gossipy humorists like Leitch and even the worst trolls who have nothing to offer but negativity and blight. The day of the exclusivity of the 4th Estate is over and done with and the sooner that Luddites like Buzz Bissinger realize that, the sooner we can work to build a much better blogosphere. Here's the link:
http://deadspin.com/385770/bissinger-vs-leitch#viewcomments
Oh, and eat it Suns fans - where are your snarky posts today, huh?
Posted by: Tully Moxness | April 30, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Paul Pierce - Don't throw up gang signs on national T.V., even your hood must have shown you better than that.
K.G. maybe we should name you "Special K" because your're untouchable. NO way they toss Amare last year and you get a way with that one. NBA -where amazing happens"
Avery Johnson: Another roach bites the dust. Cuban has to point fingers somewhere.
PHX SONS... Need to get-a-way? ding! Southwest Air has great deals for you.
Posted by: lakerfaze | April 30, 2008 at 01:25 PM
charles,
"Definitely not the "Chink" on the Armour. One of the guardian vets...''
LOL. Not a "Chink" off the old block, either.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | April 30, 2008 at 01:41 PM
Wes,
are you from Carson or Long Beach? If you arent you really need to shutup about it...
There are at least 5 students from Carson that I know that go to the Univ. of Mich., Ann Arbor.
Gang signs anywhere can get you in trouble, but please, you dont know what you are talking about.
Get the whole bus shot up?
I think you sound like an out-of-touch, bus-driver, who over-generalizes where gang activity really is and how it is acted on.
Stop acting like you know what you dont know...
There are people on the blog who will regulate that kind of talk!
Posted by: Korey | April 30, 2008 at 02:17 PM
Is anybody else a little choked up about the Lakers not getting the chance to be Busted by the suns again this year?
Posted by: J.D. Hastings | April 30, 2008 at 03:32 PM
Congrats Laker Tom!
I hope you enjoy your day today!
Posted by: Caliphilosopher | April 30, 2008 at 04:02 PM
jamf posted:
"Fatty - I bet Amare would have been able to play all the way through the playoffs to the Finals if they would have won. Funny how now that they got bounced, his knee needs resting....."
Posted by: justanothermambafan | April 30, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Amare's a quick understudy to Shaq. Wait 'til next year when both of them claim more injuries when they're at the bottom of the Pacific Division. And not wanting to represent in the Olympics is Amare's immature way of copping out. Him the focus on offense, PLEASE, he can't even take control of a quarter, no less a game. I ain't got no pity for sore losers!
Posted by: | April 30, 2008 at 04:05 PM
Damn that Laker Tom, Damn!
Every time he posts, I always say, "I was just going to say that."
Mamba, good choice. Laker Tom is the anchor and supreme optimist on the blog. Always see's the good in everything.
GHF for sure. But always supports his take with solid Glass full, and over flowing facts?
The only GHE thing that has ever come out of Tom's comments has to do with the Celtics.
Laker Tom - See you on the blog!
Fatty - Always jealous of Laker Tom, always! lol
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | April 30, 2008 at 08:25 PM
Congrats Laker om...Well Deserved accolades
Waiting Sucks..Lets go Utah..Lets get this thing rocking
Kobesbaaaad(and he is)
Posted by: Kobesbad | April 30, 2008 at 11:15 PM
It's always great to a great player like Larry Bird say those things about KOBE not having won any MVP...
Man... what happened to this league....STERN... wake up!
Posted by: dice8up | May 01, 2008 at 06:20 AM
Listen to the Suns' excuses
Stoudemire said
"If you're going to play a certain way in the playoffs, you've got to play that way during the whole season"
Nash said
"I think moreso than the strategy, it was just [getting] used to it. It got me a little out of sorts -- it was my own fault -- and I think it probably, as a team, we were going with something we weren't real familiar with when it really counted, and that probably was difficult for us."
Ummm. Championship teams make adjustments and take advantage of mismatches in the playoffs. I guess the suns just arent champions
The lakers fed Gasol in game one without any problems, then went back to kobe in other games. The lakers can do it, SA can do it, why cant phoenix?
Posted by: Jeremy R | May 01, 2008 at 01:31 PM
*________________________*
The Dawn of The 4th Dynasty
Begins BandWagon
*________________________*
01 HmrHed – Driver & Owner
02 Mamba24 – There For Dynasties 2 & 3
03 Toad– Director of Dynasty Banner Hanging
04 Keifo – Willed the Lakers to Dynasty 3
05 Benjamin – Willed the Lakers to Dynasty 4.
06 SamLL – Director of Dynasty # 5
07 LongTimeLakerFan – Dynasty Historian
08 Jon K. - Troll Exterminator
09 VMAN - The Isaac Newton of Dynasty Calculators
10 SHEKOBE – As good as the He Kobe
11 DC – Stands for Dynasty Captain
12 TWOODY – Was at all 14 Laker victory celebrations
13 Mamba24Fan4Life – Made Kobe change # from 8 to 24.
14 JustAnotherMambaFan – Discovered Kobe Bryant
15 Jamie Sweet – Fond Forum Memories Historian
16 KobesBad – Put the swerve in Kobes game
17 Dave M. – Helped Lakers steal Kareem from the Bucks
18 Xodus – Traveled 2000 miles to see a game.
19 LakerTom – Willed the 72 Lakers to 33 wins in a row.
20. FLOYD - Rode shotgun with Jerry West, James Worthy,
21 JesterGuru – Devised the strategy for the Sweep of Denver
Posted by: Mamba24 | April 30, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Mamba,
Put me down for this bandwagon plz.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | May 01, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Does Avery Johnson really deserve to be fired? maybe it was time but personally I feel he's the scapegoat for whoever made the dumb Jason Kidd trade...
Same in phoenix - Steve Kerr makes a dumb trade and the coaches get the blame.
I get it if there are really better people to coach the teams as they are now made up or if the teams are tuning them out.But to blame them for the failure of teams that werent that good in the first place or wihtout a full season after a major trade..its just GM's passing the buck
Posted by: Kiwi | April 30, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Kiwi,
I believe it is the GM and agree it is quality of team.
Amare complained about midseason change and did not have full season do play together.
Well neither did the Lakers as they changed pieces various times. Kwame/Bynum and Kwame plus others for Gasol with Bynum injured. Lots of adjustments and more not listed but Lakers did find way to play together.
With the depth the Lakers can switch styles and still run triangle is testament to GM moves made.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | May 01, 2008 at 05:21 PM
PHX SONS... Need to get-a-way? ding! Southwest Air has great deals for you.
Posted by: lakerfaze | April 30, 2008 at 01:25 PM
LOL
Great Post!!!!!!!
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | May 01, 2008 at 05:50 PM
Charles said “Knock knock!”
Bozz said “Who’s there?”
Charles said “Tennis”
Justanothamambafromanothemotha said “Tennis who?”
Ten is a long amount of minutes to wait for a post, but damn the next round opponents?
Tomtom-Crash! waWaWA!
Posted by: Charles | April 30, 2008 at 09:34 AM
I was waiting for two more wins to answer.
Tennis who?
Ten is the number of wins for championship.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | May 01, 2008 at 05:56 PM