Actually, Johnson and D'Antoni swaping jobs is the perfect solution. But these teams have not exhibited any ability to make an "outside the box" decision.

Mamba24 -- Take your time brotha -- just pop in once in a while and give this blog your energy. You are the energetic epicenter of this blog -- and no one can deny your influence. If I was a systems analyst, I'd throw my damn computer out the window. Anyway we all have our cross to bear.

Is this what we get for being the only team to sweep in the first round? We are cursed with the depressing malaise of debating "selfish". Answer me David Stern ... ANSWER ME. hahaha

I don't give a flying fudge nugget about what is "selfish" -- Just Win Baby! ... Just Win.

Re Bynum: I’ve been on record as saying, I don’t think we can win the prize without the Beast – I hope I’m dead wrong.

I’ll be spending an hour or so this weekend tabulating the results of the first annual "Win Nothing but Respect from Laker Nation Predictathon."

I appreciate the update on Bynum because it's been a long time since there's been definitive information. Too me, it has seemed like the Lakers have been keeping a cloaking device shrouded around the kid, but I'm happy to hear that he's progressing. I'm also glad everyone is being more cautious due to his career potential, than less so if a need was unfilled for the playoffs. If we didn't have Gasol I wonder if there would be unfair pressure to have him be "healthy enough to play."

AK/BK,

Is the quote referring to the first battle scene in 'Braveheart' right before the spears come up to fend off the charging calvary attack?

In any case, haven't posted before but thanks for the great work with the blog. I'm deprived of my Laker media living in NY but thanks to NBA League Pass, LA Times Sports Section, and of course your daily Extra! Extra!, I manage to still find about half an hour a day to spend on reading about my Lakers rather than working. MUCH APPRECIATED!!

Will

**Repost**
Forgive my repost from the end of prior thread but I want to make sure everyone gets the real story.

Edwin,

Thanks for the thoughtful post. I don't even know where to start? I am a long time visitor, but have only posted on a couple of occasions as I don't find it necessary to repeat what others have already said.

Laker Truth: See if I ever agree with you again. LOL

I guess first, who said anything even remotely hateful towords Mamba24? I didn't see one single hateful post. I always found his cheerleading funny and even enjoyed it on gameday. Is pointing out that his post are long and usually devoid of original content hateful? I don't see how. Did ANYONE say that mamba24 should stop posting? NOPE!

One of you even pulled out the "NAZI" card. What is up with that? Now that is getting towards hate.

I must admit I found the hysteria kinda funny. One person says someone posted hate, and 20 people say, stop it!
Stop what??? They must not have bothered to read the thread for themselves to find out that actually nothing hateful was said.

The word lemmings comes to mind.

Anyway......I'm rooting for the Jazz tonight so we can get a game Sunday and move past this nonsense to the much more important business of getting to the Spurs or Hornets in the WC finals.

Mamba24: I wish you comfort during your time of pain and trouble. I know we'll see you again.

Regards to all.

Welcome in Will in NY -- Are the Knicks going after Avery?

I'm hoping for A Sunday game, love the LAT article on how the triangle has morphed for PJ teams over the years. I'm with you Will in NY, I should be working right now, too. But the college can wait for it's equipment...I got Lakers on my mind. Besides, my minds got a mind of it's own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOXlUwFPsUQ
Stay sharp boys, heal those aches and pains and set the controls for the heart of the NBA Playoffs!

GO LAKERS!!!!

Good morning all! TGIF!!

Cmon, Dwayne don't deny your hitting that cougar!! bleehhhh

Here's a good LA Times graphic showing how the triangle has changed with Jordan to Kobe-Shaq to Kobe-Pau
http://tinyurl.com/4htw3r

I wonder if Sprewell is still involved in Sprewell Racing. :P

The rise and setting of the Suns. - page 2 ESPN

Long but good take on the Suns demise. Saw some of the same attitude in our FO. Thankfully, and hopefully they came to their senses.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=
simmons/080501

Tim-fo-sho
(borrowed that from Charles)

I've been resigned to fact AB is not coming back for some time.

My original thought we would not get past the WCF without him has now changed.

Lakers have become real students of the NBA Playoffs, are improving and shoring up some of their weaknesses.

Having homecourt is no guarantee of winning, but might be the advantage to get past them.

Having Ariza back will help clog the middle and with his ability to close quickly on shooters, will improve one of our weaknesses immensely.

Next round is going to be great to watch, can't wait.

HELLO LAKERS FANS WELCOME TO THE SECOND ROUND. WITH THE TEAM WE HAVE NOW WE CAN WIN WITHOUT ANDREW BYNUM THIS YEAR AND GIVE THE KID A CHANCE TO HEAL. WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO DO IS CHILL OUT SOME OF YOU SOUND DEPRESSED. HAVE FAITH IN THE TEAM THAT IS ON THE COURT. GO LAKERS

Fatty,

You mentioned home court. The only time a PJ team swept the opening round and didn't win it all (94), the Bulls did not have homecourt against the Knicks in game 7 and all games in that series were won on the home court.

Home court could prove the difference maker against a team like the Spurs.

Fairweather Fatty,

It's all OUR lingo to share brotha!!!

Suspension? Gasp! Holy Gee wiz!

http://www.nba.com/news/songaila_suspended_080502.html

"To get a suspension in this league. Its a matter of who does the hitting, and who is the hittie."

- Fatty's read between the lines comment of Stu Jackson

I can't say I blame you Will in NY

At least the SA/NO series starts on Saturday. Call me crazy, but I'm leaning toward NO -- I'm thinking of taking NO in 7 -- Is that crazy?

yea, i agree w/ the poster up above

the movie reference is from braveheart right? "hold...hold...hold..." as the calvary is rushing at them...haha

BTW, Whats the deal with Sprewell? Dayum, what do they athletes do with all their money, just str8t EFF it up???

I guess he wasn't lying when he said he needed to be able to feed his family!

Fairweather Fatty,

Thanks a ton for the Simmons article link. I think Simmons does a great job of showing how money ruined the Suns organization's chance of winning a title. How unbelievably frustrating, if you're a Suns fan that is. It wasn't just money though, it was horrible use of tactical potential in all those first round draft picks. Just... wow.

I really did enjoy that first year (04-05) watching the Suns torch the court even though I'll always be a bigger Laker fan than any other sports team fan.

my moneys on Charles!

i back him up with the reference being from Braveheart.

Mamba24 has spoken....Laker Truth and Andy gave their side....let's give Mamba24 a space to do what is best in the coming days. Everyone is entitled to a break!

Meanwhile, let's move on, who do we want to win tonight T-Mac Rockets or Deron Jazz. I will always go for the perceived easy path which will be the Rockets but being in West, nothing is easy, if they can go for 21 straight, then 14 W's will not be impossible for Alston and T-Mac. Whatever happens, we will compete. Conventional wisdom sides the Jazz. These have been results lately from Orlando, San Antonio, Hornets. Cleveland and last night, Pistons. Whoever is ahead at 3-2 or 3-1 would finish their series.

With regards to Bynum playing or not playing, again we are banking on rumors by that MVN story and Eric Pincus. Rumors are based on hearsay which are not facts. At this point even if Bynum say something to the press, with all the twists and turns of his injury it is hard to believe or accept. We will just bank on what is real - he plays like Agent Zero and then decides to sit down that's the only time, I believe he really can't play. In the Nugget series, Mbenga offered some strong showings, he could be potential 75% Bynum, right now Mbenga iis only 50% because he makes some T/O's. As long as he can defend on Boozer or Chandler or Duncan, hey Mbenga that's good enough, like your predecesssors: Mark Lansburger, Kurt Rambis and Mark Madsen. The name of the game is DEFENSE and let the big 3 do the offense. With all these rumors floating around about Socks, trust and truth are the casualties. Laker F/O is not saying anything, fine. What else can we add on the rumor?

Sure, right after my last post, the K-Bros post the answer (with a picture no less)!

D-Wade & Star Jones? Did anyone take that seriously? Seriously?!?!

C'MON!!!! Like Dwayne couldn't do 100x better than her? Whatever their connection is, it's not physical. He's just too much of a gentleman to knock her on national TV. I don't know what she's done other than being on 'The View' and being notable for losing a lot of weight, but he's definitely hooking up with honeys younger and finer than that!

If he isn't, I've lost all respect.

Good debate from Vlad and Kurt regarding DJ’s and Jordie’s ears.

Who has the funniest looking ones? And do they get in the way of their playing? lol

Select on Demand - Kurt Rambis

Guaranteed more stimulating than who's better Shaq or Dunk?

http://www.570klac.com/main.html

The triangle is an offense predicated on what Phil preaches as a coach. And what he puts into practice; to let his players have a lot of slack, so they can have a lot of responsibility. Hence the fact that he does not call time outs during lows in a game, only to let his players “figure it out.” The offense is actually a form of continuity, in which players need to understand that floor balance is crucial, so they can utilize their own individual skill. The offense is brilliant, without being too complicated. Most offense’s in today’s game are too controlling, forcing a player to do things, even when the defending team is taking it away. In the Triangle, triple post continuity offense, the offensive player reads the defense and acts according to instinct, not a set play or place. Most basketball watchers often forget the thought that a good offense is your best defense. In order to stop easy transition baskets it is imperative to have floor balance. In the triangle it is possible to have the 1, 2 or 3 position to be near half court at the end of an offensive possession. Furthermore, it is necessary to have at least one of the above near half court to curtail long lead outlets and leak out/cherry picking lay-ups. On the same token, because there is an integrated floor balance in the offense that helps stop transition; our players are in perfect offense rebounding position. It is not an accident that the Lakers are the best rebounding team in the league. And most importantly, the offense does not stifle creativity, it allows for player to be themselves. To players who have been playing in a system for too long, it hinders their ability to function in the triangle. Simply because, there are very few times in which a set play is called, where a player knows where to be when. The double screen on strong side and the single screen on the weak side come for the 2 guard is a set play that comes to mind. Phil usually starts the game or second half with that play. Another set play, is when the defense is over playing the weak side guard in a denial position, so to not let ball reversal happen. Phil counters this by using the normal wing entry and bring the post player up to the elbow to set a weak side ucla back screen on the over playing defender, usually resulting in a lob dunk to 24. Once again though, in the course of an offense set, this may occur naturally, because quite frankly the offense brings out basketball nature. Kobe often breaks the offense by creating his own weak side, using dribble entry, and having the post play or 5 come to set a screen for him, creating the two man game early, without strong side ball reversal. With Kobe 24, this is never a bad idea. That being said, the last set play Phil ever calls, is the strong side post entry to Gasol, Bynum, or what used to be the artist formerly know as O’Neal. In this situation the point position dribble entries to force the wing forward to the baseline. He enter the ball into the post, and the two non post players can run, off ball screens and rubs, or cut hard to the basketball and away from the ball creating isolation. I love the triangle, I love Phil, I love all of you for loving the Lakers, and most of all I love the Lakers. 12 more to go, I kind of want Utah to win tonight for selfish reason, it was September since I had to go with out the Lakers for this long. I am getting the shakes and withdrawals.

Hi LAL friends!
I am writing quick because I had a little break in the east coast work stuff.....

MAMBA24 - you are the man! I am sorry I didn't see any of the craziness until just now - I would have definitely joined in. But chin up and don't let some of the written words get you down and out...ever.

I think the long layoff between LAL playoff games, the tension, anxiousness and slow Laker news days killing all of us. If we can all calm down and hold off until game day - either Sunday or Tuesday - we will be one happy group of campers.

Come on folks - let's not get chippy or you might get suspended........

LET's GO LAKERS!!!!

Edwin,

The questions is, will Utah loose two in a row at home? --On the other hand if the Rockets win tonight, they'll have the Jazz in a headlock -- going home. This is a tough call. I'll take the Rockets -- just a hunch, with Skip to My Lou back in the lineup.

Christopher,

I agree -- Star Jones is just wrong! D Wade is in danger of losing his cred.