Game 2 will feature an official MVP

GAME ON! LET US PRAY:

DEAR GOD, Please bless and protect our Los Angeles Lakers from hurt, harm, danger and injury. Help them to utilize their skills and talents to get the job done tonight against their opponents. Protect their bodies against injury. May every bone, muscle, joint, ligament, tendon, etc. be covered and protected by You. Give them an extra ounce of strength tonight that they may endure the increased physicality of the Utah Jazz. Allow them to walk in restraint and to not retaliate against their opponents as the game wears on. Above all, let our Lakers model true sportsmanship and respect for the game and their opponents when on the court at all times.

For our soldiers who are injured (BYNUM/ARIZA), bless them and heal them. Bless their doctors with insight and clarity to effectively discern and diagnose the best treatment for their injuries. Lead our injured soldiers into perfect healing and full recovery. And, in Your time and Your season, return them to our Lakers Squad for Your Glory.

WE THANK YOU IN ADVANCE...AMEN!

GAME DAY good Mornin', Laaaaker Nation

Tonight's a coronation celebration and a must win game in the balance.

Anyone got stats on % of home games won on MVP ceremony night?

LAKER FANS THE ONLY PERSON MISSING FROM KOBE BRYANTS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THE ONE AND ONLY CHICK HEARN THE GREATEST BASKETBALL ANNOUNCER OF ALL TIME I MISS HIM.

Morning Charles and everybody,

With all the debate about whether or not or how much Kobe's game has changed on-court this season, and whether that's due to his teammates improving or him improving them, I see the major change being siomething else entirely. It was all about his off-the-court behavior.

Let's face it: His much debated assist numbers, his scoring and his rebounding are all either down or about the same as previous seasons.

While it's true he's been, perhaps, more efficient between the lines, hasn't the real change occured with Kobe's willingness to accept his teammates and his maturation as a family man?

The only thing I was waiting for before I could fully embrace the Mamba as a changed man was for him to sublimate his own ego enough to admit he was wrong about last summer (as was I, btw, when I agreed with everything he said).

Well, check. What I saw at the presser was a humble man who meant it when he said he was honored and wanted nothing more than to share the credit.

If you read his face and body, his line about "not wanting to admit" Kupchak deserved credit for all his moves was purely rough delivery, not a backhanded slap. Afterall, Kobe is not a man used to humility, so I can let him off the hook for less than perfect phrasing.

So let's forget the chicken or the egg arguments. This award isn't really about what he did on the court this year to make his teammates better. Even the success of the team has so much more to do with the growth and maturity Kobe showed off it, and his willingness to embrace his cohorts as "brothers."

amen!

Mamba24 sighting!!!

Game day!

Lamar is going to be a professional glass-cleaner today. 18/16 for LO. I hope that Kobe drops an MVP triple-double on the Jazz. The Lakers will be fired up, and so will the Staples Center. Lakers fans: it's time to earn that sixth-man award.

Go Lake Show!

ON THIS JOYOUS DAY FOR THE GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYER ON EARTH
I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A HAND OF FRIENDSHIP AND APOLOGY TO J.W.WEATHERMAN.
COME BACK TO THE BLOG MY BROTHER. YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS UNLIKE MINE, ARE VALUABLE
AND NEEDED. I PROVIDE COMIC RELIEF, BUT YOU PROVIDE SERIOUS COMMENTARY. SO IF THERE
IS ANYTHING THAT I SAID THAT CAUSED YOU TO LEAVE I SINCERLY APOLOGIZE AND ASK THAT
YOU COME BACK AND JOIN YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF LAKER NATION.

Well that's it except..........
KOBE BEAN BRYANT - MVP - WELL I'LL BE %%$#^&*((()**&&^&^^^^^^%%
MVP, MVP ,MVP YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

Finally I never bragged or boasted before but I have to pat myself on the back
If you check the Blog for May 1 or 2 I told you that KOBE had won the MVP and the
vote was not even close. That's it......LOVE YOU LAKER BLOGGERS

The word of the day from MR. Fatty's neighborhood is "Focus"

Boys and girls, repeat after me, say focus.

Here's to hoping the Lakers and us bloggers can 'focus' on tonights game with all the MVP excitement in the air.

The haters are clearly focused and exploding with jealousy over Kobe's MVP Award. (Mr Fatty is enjoying them losing it)

If they can 'focus', then so can we.

Its a beautiful day in the blogging neighborhood.

Mr. Fatty

Welcome back Mr Mamba. Hope you're rested, it's going to be a thrill ride from here.

Today and the days to come are the antidote for whatever ails us all.

If you can't get happy 'round this storybook season, you've picked the wrong form of entertainment.

Xodus,

"Calm down, man. Tex clearly asked Kobe about the offense as a joke, the same way Luke asked about Kobe getting his teammates gifts. Kobe used to hate playing in the triangle back in 02, 03 and 04.

You take perceived slights to Kobe way to personally."

Actually You should calm down............I am just suggesting that a cursory history of Tex will tell you his love affair with the triangle............Tex's attempt at satire which by definition uses "wit" to masquerade some truth about your subject.............could have been responded to with the same "wit" by Kobe using satire but also a little truth.

You take perceived slights at Tex way too personally..LOL

Mamba24

Most Valuable Blogger! MVB! MVB! MVB!

Right on, Utzworld!

FROM BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA

HAPPY DAY!! GUYS,

BONJOUR MES AMIS,

WHOEVER COMPLAINS ABOUT MY CAPS: SORRY= I CANNOT CHANGE FOR YOU PERIOD

NOW, IT WILL BE BETTER TO ENJOY THE MVP FIESTA AFTER THE GAME. KOBE KNOWS BEST= WIN#2= SAME FOCUS, SAME DEFENSE, AND SAME LOVE=TACOS=UNFORGETTABLE DAY!!!

WE TRUST OUR TEAM TO CONTINUE THE SAME PATH TONIGHT=GET MORE REBOUNDS

WIN#2, WIN#2, WIN#2

SEE U LATER

BLESSINGS AND LOVE TO OUR TEAM AND TO ALL

SHEKOBE

Would you?

Would you trade Andrew Bynum for the number one pick in this year's draft?

Think about it. Bynum is a bit redundant with Pau there and we could get a franchise point guard to run with our big three. Then use the money we would have given Bynum on Elton Brand. What of it?

Wes

Thats a very good article at SportsHubLA by David Neiman about Kobe and the Others, never read it before...

http://tinyurl.com/5gjeus

Anybody heard any Ariza updates. Is he practicing?

Mamba24

Could we coax a ROLL CALL from you this GAME DAY?

Many of us have asked JWW to return, and he has said that if he did it would be under another name. But he had an issue with the general ambience of the blog, not you personally. He lamented the "old days" where all the discussion was simply X's and O's and analytical. He did not realize the overwhelming majority of us here appreciate that, but also relish in the humor and energy brought to the blog by folks like yourself. I would venture to say that justanothermambafan and myself, among others, were also in JWW's crosshairs.........I am not a "baller" so I refrain from X's and O's discussions as I do not feel comfortable getting into the trenches like that, but I do know I am here to express a love for the Lakers and an enthusiasm and excitement about this team and the great season we're wittnessing.

Some of us have attempted to keep the Roll Call tradition going in your absence, but today is GAME DAY, you are here, we need your rousing energy. Some of us have done well and others not so well (I am in that category) with Roll Call, but on GAME DAY, your Roll Call is essential tto tonight's victory.

Thank You Mamba24 for all you bring to the blog!

11 TO 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To: exhelodrvr, Xodus, wondahbap

It seems like we have a communication problem. Perhaps I can clear my point up. My point to AK was in line with
what Faith said which was about "Kobe making his
teammates better." Are y'all arguing that Kobe's
increased leadership skills is *NOT* about Kobe passing
the ball instead of shooting?

I would never argue that Kobe's
leadership skills haven't gotten better. To be honest
they must, since before he was the child and he was
playing with men. i.e. late 20's to early 30's.

However, let's take a look at leadership. What sort of leadership skills *could* Kobe have employed to make
Smush, Kwame, or Brian Cook better? What should
Kobe have done to be a better leader to Lamar when
he had an injured shoulder?

I would suspect that NONE of you have an adequate
answer for those questions because I can't think of
any. However, since I don't know much I'll listen to
what you have to say.

Why don't y'all compare Kobe's leadership skills to
Shaq's? Who did Shaq mentor on the Lakers? Who
has D-Wade mentored? Did MJ do a good job of
mentoring Kwame with the Wizards?

My perception is this: There has been a knock on Kobe
because he shot the ball a lot over the last 2 years. Not
because he didn't take anyone out to dinner. Not
because he didn't mentor anyone. Just because he shot
the ball a lot and the Lakers didn't win.

So why don't y'all address *why* he shot the ball so much?

Good Morning charles
Charles you know you are now and will always be the
MVB!

RespectMyAuthoritah "Right on, Utzworld!"

RespectMyAuthoritah where the hell you been man!
Now the Band really is back together.!!!

JESTERGURU I'm still working on that it will be soon. and thanks for everything man.

VMAN I've heard that the MVP has the power to cure.
look ma I can type on a computer again, it's a miracle!! LOL! Thanks Bro.

utzworld THE BANNER HOLDER I'm siting my @ss down as you asked sir, and thank
you for what is this the second or third time? LOL! Thank you Brother.

JustAnotherMambaFan Thanks for keeping the Mamba's in line. If I didn't know better I
would swear that this place is a real and true family.

LAKER BLOG THANK YOU!!! OR AS MJ SAID WHEN
HE RETURNED FROM RETIREMENT............
I'M BACK!!!!

hobbittimage,

I know why Kobe shot the ball so much. In 05-06 we had one of the worst rosters to ever win 45 games and Kobe had to score 35 a night for us to win.

In 06-07 he started the season playing the same way he did this season until everyone got hurt and he had to score.

The change in Kobe is in his demeanor. He's more willing to let the game come to him rather than taking over immediately if things go wrong.

But really, I think we should all defer to the people who have known and played with Kobe for years. Fish came into the league with Kobe, Shaw has known Kobe since he was a young boy and Walton has played with him since 2004.

If all those guys say there's been a marked change in Kobe's attittude, I don't see how people who've never met the man can say there hasn't been a change for the better in Kobe.

FROM BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA

HI GUYS,

KOBE IS ALWAYS KOBE PERIOD

SIMPLY LAST TWO SEASONS, HE CARRIED THE LOAD BY HIMSELF. THIS SEASON, THE REST OFTHE TEAM MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND NEWCOMERS SHOWING SOME PASSION AND TOGETHER, THEY ARE EMBRACING THE SAME GOAL: CHAMPIONSHIP=FIESTA NEVER ENDS.

THE JAZZS THINK THEY CAN STEAL ONE TONIGHT, GUYS, LET'S PUT THE POSITIVE ENERGY FOR THE GAME =WIN#2

BESOS

SHEKOBE

Hey y'all. Show's about to start. Click over if you can.

BK

Trading Bynum, again? Com' on guys....

Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. If they put him on the blocks now that would be a red flag that he's damaged goods. And we'd be hard pressed to get much. We have to ride this out.

Yeah, Mamba's roll call in the hizzouse!

NOW it's game day. Go Lakers!