Slow news day
Biggest note from today's practice at the Garden? Cold. It was absolutely freezing in the arena today, as if they were trying to get the venue ready for a Bruins game. I picked a bad day to break out the short pants. Of course, that I can focus on the over-aggressive use of air conditioning gives an idea of how little of substance was going on. At this point, the players have answered just about every question there is to ask anywhere from one to seven thousand times, depending on the inquiry. Yesterday's issues are still today's- the Lakers need to improve their ball movement, find ways to get Kobe the ball in space rather than hoping he can create entirely off the dribble, and shore up the rebounding. Sunday is still a massive game for both teams, everybody in purple and gold still believes they can improve on Thursday's showing.
And, as they were yesterday, the Lakers were still a loose, happy lookin' bunch after practice. Phil Jackson said in his press conference that it's no accident. He's trying to make sure his players can enjoy the process. "This is sports, after all. These are fun and games. I kid the NBA about taking the fun out of the Finals, but this is still fun. We try to make this fun."
Along those lines, at the end of media availability, Jordan Farmar took the mic at one podium on the floor and announced to the crowd that the "show's over. Come back tomorrow, nine p.m." Players got a laugh when Ronny Turiaf was knocked on the head by a teammate's wayward shot from half court. They called Luke, Bill. But the line of the day might go to Kobe, when asked about guys on the team who wear his shoes (Vlad Rad, Ronny Turiaf, Pau Gasol, LO, DJ Mbenga, plus anyone I'm forgetting, minus anyone I'm improperly including):
"Well, they all have an interest in jumping over cars. It intrigues them, so they wear the shoes."
As an aside, I prefer to do my car jumping barefoot. It's more authentic.
Staying with Kobe for a moment, he reiterated his belief that in Game 1, he simply missed shots that he'd normally make. All that's required is a little tune-up on the jumper. "Just had to tweak a couple things here and there and see if I can't put the ball in the hole a little better tomorrow night. A couple mechanical things on the shot, release and arc. Things like that." For his part, Jackson noted that Kobe isn't the type of player who tends to have consecutive bad games. "He comes back and plays better. So we anticipate that's going to be a pattern."
Pau is another guy who needs to make a greater impact on the game, but unlike Kobe, there are more lingering doubts about his ability to do it against a stout Boston defense. No question, though, Gasol knows he needs to be part of a more effective post game Sunday night. "We talked about it a little bit. We want to make sure we establish a post presence and play inside out a little bit more. I think that's going to help our offense and hopefully also give me a little more in the lane and being aggressive, and force them to play a little defense on me. I think that should be interesting, hopefully; that would be great."
"They played tough on the post, and they did a good job trying to force us to go a different direction. When we had the ball in the wing they moved down into the post, so we had to swing the ball on the other side of the court and then not allow that post pass easily. Then we got away from it and then we started settling a little too much and then we got a little out of our normal execution. I guess that's what they did good."
LO said it's a question of playing to their strengths of ball movement, player movement, and sharing. "We'll fix it in the mind-set we'll have approaching this game. We have to get the ball from the strong side to the weak side, back to the strong side. Switch sides of the floor throughout the game to be successful offensively. They do a great job at loading up, using their size and their length to load up on the basketball. So if we switch sides of the floor with the ball, I think we'll be all right. Using our passing ability, making plays for each other, I think we'll be all right."
AUDIO: Good stuff from Fish, talking about the lack of satisfaction that comes from having a good game in a losing effort, what guys do on off days, handling the process of the playoffs from a media standpoint, and more.
- Derek Fisher: Download derek_fisher_6.7.mp3
- D-Fish, Part Deux: Download derek_fisher_6.7 II.mp3
BK
Good stuff. I didn't know that many players wear Kobe's shoes! Sasha wears a pair of Slovenian Machinaterz Mach II, shoes that are impossible to find in the States. Whatever suites him...
Posted by: ajax | June 07, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Fun ? FUN??
Yeah, I'm having fun.
GO LAKERS !!
Posted by: Happy Camper | June 07, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Everyone keeps reminding the NBA public about Andrew Byenumb.
Byenumb could benefit from interviewing Pierce once the series is over. He needs to learn toughness from someone like Paul, because even a little pop in the knee can be overcome if one is truly tough and gritty.
Thanks to Paul Pierce for providing a role model for all the kids out there who dream of playing in a Finals!
Posted by: BUTLER | June 07, 2008 at 12:16 PM
One thing kobee could do in the off-season is check out the Steve Nash Skills Academy, which is held every summer.
If kobee truly wants to achieve greatness on his own, he would do well to adopt the "team first" perspective that GNASH espouses. No more of this 26 shots to get 24 points.
kobee can bring up his efficiency and if possible, his mental approach to the game.
I'm sure Steve has room to take another prospect under his wing.
Posted by: BUTLER | June 07, 2008 at 12:21 PM
"the length of that long metal piece that holds the basket over the Garden court? That part of the stanchion is longer than in other gyms. According to the irrepressible Vujacic, that somehow makes it more difficult for depth perception."
Vujacic is equipped with 20/10 vision, 100 Megapixel Wide-Angle High-Definition Lens, 50x Zoom, Autofocus, & Infrared Capability. And you're telling me that he's having trouble with depth perception??? Machines these days, jeez.
Posted by: ajax | June 07, 2008 at 12:23 PM
The PHX SUNS welcome TERRY PORTER aboard as head coach!
I think kobee and PJ just had a little accident with their bowels.
SUNS to represent the WC in 2009 - and with some real coaching prowess from the pac division to combat Doc Rivers, instead of what's taking place now.
Posted by: BUTLER | June 07, 2008 at 12:34 PM
FROM PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.
HI GUYS,
THE SHOTS DID NOT GO DOWN LAST TIME FOR US AT THE OPENING. MYSTICALLY, I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THAT DAY.
UNBELIEVABLE, YOU IMAGINE, I WAS WATCHING THE GAME AN FELL ASPLEEP AT HALF TIME AND WOKE UP AT THE END OF THE GAME ABOUT 5:45 MINUTES LEFT. ANYWAY, IT'S STRANGE FOR ME.
WE CAME IN BOSTON FOR AT LEAST ONE GAME, RIGHT, SO NOW, WE HAVE A MUST- WIN ON SUNDAY. I COUNT ON PHIL, KOBE, FISHER, LUKE TO GIVE THEIR BEST FOR THAT GAME= NO REPEAT OF 2004
WE WANT EVERY PLAYER GIVE MORE ENERGY, AGGRESSIIVENESS, CONSISTENCY , PASSION, COMMITMENT FOR THAT GAME ON SUNDAY= WIN #1
WE URGE OUR TEAM TO PRACTICE MORE AND PATIENT TO GET THE JOB DONE. SHOW THE CELTICS WHO'S THE
2008LAKERS= UNPREDICTABLE TEAM WITH ONLY ONE MISSION SINCE THE TRAINING CAMP: THE O'BRIEN TROPHY= KEEP IT IN MIND ON SUNDAY.
THIS MORNING, I RECEIVED A BAD NEWS AND I WAS CHOKED. I PROMISE TO MYSELF TO TURN IT IN A GOOD ONE THIS WEEK. GUYS, EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALLRIGHT FOR OUR AND FOR US.
OUR TEAM HAS HEART AND SOUL AND WILL GIVE US THE BEST ON SUNDAY.
UN BESO A TODOS
HASTA MANANA
SHEKOBE PARA SIEMPRE
Posted by: SHEKOBE | June 07, 2008 at 09:23 AM
Posted by: SHEKOBE | June 07, 2008 at 12:36 PM
We in laker nation are all sending are hopes and prayers to both Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins for a safe, fast and speedy recovery.
Finals MVP is probably not too big an award for Pierce should the Celts prevail. His performance already has him in the upper echelon of Finals MVPs such as D-Wade, MJ and Tim Duncan.
Posted by: BUTLER | June 07, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Butler? Is that YOU? Your mom and I have been looking everywhere for you! You gave us quite a scare. The folks at the facility have been searching for you for days!
Oh, if you're wondering: Yes, I'm Butler's uncle. I'm also his dad. If that sounds weird, just imagine how Butler took the news when he found out. Poor kid. He's been a total wreck ever since. He started eating paint at a pretty young age, and it's really affected his ability to use logic and reason. But you can't blame him. All you can do, really, is just take it easy on him.
The doctors told us that it was really important for him to find good "hero" models. My sister, er, Butler's mom, thought the NBA would be a good place for him to look. I don't agree, but what do I know? She's ten years older than me, so I trust her judgment. Anyway, he really fell in love with Steve Nash, and we encouraged it. Now that Nash is out of the playoffs, Butler's having a terrible time. The doctors say that he's been weeping in his sleep. Poor kid.
Butler, I'm sure glad that I found you, kid! Come give Daddy a hug. Who's your favorite uncle? Ha! Kids these days. They're such a fickle bunch. Anyway, take good care of him on the blog. It takes him a long time to type out his posts with his three fingers.
Posted by: Butler's Uncle | June 07, 2008 at 12:59 PM
A slow news day is a good time to reflect on Game 1, how we all feel about it, and what the Lakers need to win Game 2. It's good that Phil and the team are still upbeat after their atrocious showing on Thursday. This is a resilient bunch, and that quality is exactly what's needed on Sunday.
Being tentative from the start is what decimated any hope of winning Game 1. The team played through it in the first half, but was overcome in the second half. Everyone's post-game comments to date indicates we should expect to see greater resolve and focus in Game 2.
Game 2 is a must-win for the Lakers. The Celtics are already cocky, and that will carry them through any meek attempt at adversity. Only a strong showing by the Lakers and complete domination will create doubt in the Celtics' minds. Yes, the Finals are about the mental game more than anything else. It is about will, confidence, focus, and energy. As straight physical matchups go, the Conference champions are pretty much even.
So, what do we fans contribute, especially in an away game? Loyalty and love for our team, as starters. Yes, we have the right to criticize, and I've done plenty of that. But expressions of hate towards the coach or any of the players contribute nothing. Regardless of the outcome of the finals, this Laker team has exceeded all early expectations. Life is a journey, and this is a season of accomplishment to be proud of.
I'm still astonished at the acknowledgment towards trolls like Butler. Trolls are to be starved, not fed. (Shaken, not stirred!) Please stop feeding his ego.
On that note, enjoy your Saturday, and bundle up your energy for Game 2. This is our team. This is our year. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 07, 2008 at 01:02 PM
HAVE TO HAND IT TO YOU BUTLER FOR:
1. You are relentless in your pursuit
2. That you enjoy needling just because
3. I have a feeling you go to sleep thinking about what you are going to write
4. Then every morning you can't wait to post while enjoying a fresh brew
SO I HAVE A SUSPICION:
1. Someone hurt your feelings and you want to feel vindicated
Or
2. Needling is one of you past times
Simply amusing.
Have a nice day!
Posted by: Have a nice day! | June 07, 2008 at 01:11 PM
How bout this Laker fans; put Ariza on Pierce right out of the gate and make PP's old a** chase that deer up and down the court and see how that knee is doing. Then we'll know if he was just a faker or not. Pierce would have to track either Kobe or Trevor and be guarded by either. I say call his bluff and get up in his grill to see what he's got. Double up on KG and force Ray Allen to beat us with long jumpers. Perkins can't score and Rondo isn't a great shooter either. We can live with whatever they contribute. I have a feeling KG is going to have to really step up for the Celtics to win. What say you Laker Nation?
Posted by: HawaiiD | June 07, 2008 at 01:26 PM
The Lakers have played 97 games to get to the Finals. If they'd rather play another 97 games to get to this point next year after not showing up when they're already here then that's on them. Boston is extremely beatable. But the team has to come out with a greater sense of purpose and urgency. Being relaxed is fine. Being passive is not.
NOW IS THE TIME.
btw - The Suns hiring Terry Porter is about as unbelievable as someone buying my $87 tix to Game 4 for $400 a piece. Both happened but I still can't figure out the reasoning. PHX just cemented their place in the middle of the pack.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 07, 2008 at 01:32 PM
butler's problem is he has no life outside the laker board. sorry dude, cali living is just great, i know how bitter and angry you must be to live in boston. i would be too if i lived there.
Posted by: rafa rules | June 07, 2008 at 01:38 PM
HawaiiD,
I'd like to see Ariza out there on PP too..and out a few breaks. I'm guessing PJ's concerned about his lack of game time play recently.
We're taking game 2.
LAKERS!
Posted by: sambosola | June 07, 2008 at 01:55 PM
Butlers Uncle! You found him!
I heard besides having three fingers, he has a sharply sloped forhead and knuckles that drag on the ground, which explains a lot. No offense meant, of course. I thought I saw him the other day - he was riding a bike and fell off, clutching his knee in agony. Two men came over and had to carry him away from the curb where he was and onto a park bench. It looked touch and go for a while, but then, miraculously, three minutes later he jumped up and ran back to his bike, almost as if it never happened!!! It was enough to induce cheers and clapping in all the moms who were at the park watching their little children. Truly inspiring and just an awesome, tear jerking moment.
Make sure you put a pull up on him just in case the weeping over Nash in his sleep turns to bed wetting as well.
Posted by: longtimelakerlover | June 07, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Butler,
"Thanks to Paul Pierce for providing a role model for all the kids out there who dream of playing in a Finals!"
If by that you mean exaggerating an injury to disrupt the rhythm of the opposing team, you're exactly right.
Posted by: laker hopeful | June 07, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Game 2 is near..and I would like to extend a thanks to those of you who didn't panic and belittle out Lakers for there showin (or lack of) Critique is ok..but we endured a lot to get here..Celtics cruised. I have no doubt we will shore up our defense and strategy then come out guns a blazing!
The NBA..were faking injuied happens
Posted by: lakeraholic | June 07, 2008 at 03:02 PM
An Open Letter To Phil Jackson From Jon K.,
Phil,
I think you're the greatest and I'm extremely happy that you're our coach.
You've seen it all and with your degree in Psychology you have a keen understanding of the human condition.
That's why I'd like to point out one little psychological tidbit that I encourage you to share with Kobe Bryant.
Phil, you saw the way Paul Pierce brokedown when he lightly sprained his knee. Those were tears of fear from that guy. He's mentally weak. That much is clear.
I've suffered more sprains than I can count in 30+ years of being an athlete. Never did I curl up into a fetal position and begin sobbing. Paul Pierce did. He's a house of cards waiting for a windstorm.
I know this system of personality analysis based upon the establishment of a person's biological clock called Bio-Chronology. It confirms the same thing. Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers are mentally weak. Break them down.
In the Kobe-Shaq Era, the Lakers would play a kind of Phil Jackson ball I affectionately called "Give Them Hope, And Then Take It Away."
So many times I watched the Lakers behind throughout the game into the middle of the third quarter, and then the Lakers would take over the game. Over and over again, I saw the panic our opponents' eyes as their lead dwindled and evaporated and then those teams, mentally broken, would destroy themselves, essentially handing us the victory.
And the next we played them, their mental toughness was already broken. We'd cruise to victory.
This is what we need to do against the Celtics. Let their hope have been given to them by their victory in Game One. Now, it is time to take it away.
Paul Pierce's lack of mental toughness was enough to uncontrollably cause him to collapse into a fetal position and cry like a child in front of millions of people. If that's the case, I'm sure the Zen Master can engineer a little Hannibal Lecteresque mind games to lead him into a self-defeating downwards spiral.
Let the mind games begin.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 07, 2008 at 03:02 PM
"the length of that long metal piece that holds the basket over the Garden court? That part of the stanchion is longer than in other gyms. According to the irrepressible Vujacic, that somehow makes it more difficult for depth perception."
Vujacic is equipped with 20/10 vision, 100 Megapixel Wide-Angle High-Definition Lens, 50x Zoom, Autofocus, & Infrared Capability. And you're telling me that he's having trouble with depth perception??? Machines these days, jeez.
Posted by: ajax
--------------------------------------------------
The funny thing is, he might be right.
15 or so years ago now there was a high school girl here in Maine who left quite a mark on our high school and some collegiate scoring records.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cindy_Blodgett
She never made it big in the WNBA (too slow/too short) but was an absolutely deadly mid range to 3 point range shooter.
One of the years she carried her high school team to the state championships, she was practicing her free throws here in the Bangor Auditorium where the state tourney is held every year.
She was struggling with her free throws, and asked the tourney staff to measure the height of the rims. They were about 3/4 of an inch shy of 10 feet. She was so proficient with her foul shooting that that 1 inch was causing her to miss in the Auditorium. It made for quite a sports headline at the time.
(Apologies if this ends up being posted multiple times. Typepad that LA Times uses and I are having issues right now.)
Posted by: MiloRambaldi | June 07, 2008 at 03:08 PM
Hi all!
Rick F: way to go friend - well said!
Game 2 is ours!
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: PsychedLakerGirl | June 07, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Must go up 3-2
If we go down 3-2 then we need to pitch 2 perfect games to win.
KOBE must show out and put all of his game on display and not just the array of jumpers.
He can get to the basket. It will just require more creativity.
If KOBE wants to solidify #2 shooting guard all time, he needs this series.
Next yr WILL NOT CUT IT.
I hope he can make it happen.
He needs to lift Lamar's play as well as the rest of the teams.
Posted by: Lakerbake | June 07, 2008 at 03:28 PM
Rick F,
you're right.
We need to punch them in the mouth tomorrow because they slapped us around in the regular season and overwhelmed us with our strongest squad to date also.
1 win will change this series and then we've got to sic some dogs on them in L.A.
Gotta go after game 2 with a ferocity and I don't wanna hear about we can't get to the basket.
Bullshit.
KOBE is possibly the most creative player in NBA history.
HE can find a way.
All that practicing and working out in the summer, it means nothing if KOBE DOES NOT SHOW OUT RIGHT NOW.
NO EXCUSES, this is the time.
Hey I love the guy's game and want him to make a stronger argument in his legacy.
The only way is to take the LAKERNATION to a CHAMPIONSHIP.
Put up or shut up. Love em' but gotta keep it real.
I backed him and agreed when he bitched about mgmt last year and now I gotta pull his card and say DO WHAT YOU DO RIGHT NOW!!
Posted by: Lakerbake | June 07, 2008 at 03:32 PM
I'm not worried, Laker Nation.
This is our year. I can feel it. The Celtics won the first game on their home court, which they're supposed to do. The Lakers played poorly and were right in the game until the end. They'll make the proper adjustments. That's what they've done all season long.
Starting tomorrow, the Lakers will rattle off four consecutive victories. The purple and gold confetti will fall in L.A. The trophy will be hoisted.
Lakers in five.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | June 07, 2008 at 03:40 PM
TIME TO GO ON A 4-GAME WIN STREAK…
And rip out the hearts of these despicable Celtics. I am so tired of hearing about Paul Pierce’s “gritty, inspiring” return from injury and smack about “angels in the dressing room.” Fans in Beantown are sure now that their Celtics are going to win the NBA Championship just as they were fully confident that their Patriots were going to win last year’s Super Bowl. And just as they were with their Patriots, the Boston faithful are once again going to see their hopes squashed and dreams demolished as the Lakers embark on a season-ending, 4-game, close-you-out dominating win streak starting Sunday.
You only have to look at known cheater Red Auerbach and convicted cheater Bill Belichick to understand why the rest of the sporting world hates Boston teams. I used have a store in Faneuil Hall and enjoyed visiting Boston and met lots of nice people but put a Celtics jersey, Red Sox hat, or Patriots hoodie on them and they transform into something sub-human. The problem is that these people just don’t know how to handle winning. They were much nicer human beings when the Lakers, Yankees, and the entire NFL was crushing them.
You have to wonder if there is anybody in Boston who sees this and realizes that the city needs to restore Babe’s curse and bend over for the Yankees, fire Bill Belichick and hire a coach with good character and integrity, and empty the wanna-be bandwagon that filled up this year with fair-weather Celtics fans that didn’t even know who Cornbread Maxwell was. Hope Jack makes the trip to Beantown Sunday and is ready to give the Boston players and fans another memorable choke sign. We ain’t coming back to Boston until next year.
Finally, to all those Lakers fans wanting to fire Phil or trade Pau, Lamar said it best: Chillax! There is nothing that can happen short of a rash of career-ending injuries that can prevent the Lakers from launching what may become the most dominant dynasty in NBA history. The combination of superstar Kobe Bryant and soon-to-be superstar Andrew Bynum, star players Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Derrick Fisher, and a great bench will rule the NBA.
We have come so far and have such a bright future that there is no reason whatsoever for Laker fans to be anything but elated and proud of this team, its front office, and the players. While I am 90% confident that we will win the championship this season, the worst thing that can happen is we wait for next year with Drew back to launch the dynasty. Remember this when a play or a call or a player or a move doesn’t work out. Seriously, who would rather be a Celtics fan right now rather than a Lakers fan. Let’s close these clowns out!
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Complex,
You can be my Andrew Bynum partner and wingman any day, brotha. Like me, you know that this series is really just a movie trailer about the prime time mega quintet hit feature that is going to explode into reality next year called “The Greatest Show on Earth” or “ShowTime 2” and starring the incomparable Kobe and DFish and the Triple Towers.
That was a awesome article about Drew. When I saw Drew in his suit at the end of the bench, I jumped up and screamed like a maniac yelling “Release the Beast” as my personal F-You to the hordes of those asshole fairweather fans wearing their green KG jerseys in the bar. I especially loved the quote from Drew about playing next year:
"It's definitely going to be special," he said. "It'll be my first time playing with Pau [Gasol]. I think once we get that combination going, I can't see anybody stopping us. I think we're going to try and chase the Bulls' record."
Andrew Bynum will end parity in the NBA in 2009. The Beast will be released!
Laker fans get your Drew fix right here: The Making of a Beast…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efsJwJxYEk
Your diatribe on “grits” was hilarious and reminds me of when I had my first experience with them at a restaurant in Atlanta. I was as surprised as you were when my client took a fork and stirred his grits and eggs together and then drowned them with ketchup and threw the entire thing like a salad with his fork and spoon. I couldn’t help myself but to start laughing. Needless to say, the guy decided I was not “worthy” enough to continue to be a client. Damn those grits. Cost me a big sale. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 03:50 PM
Porter to coach Suns -- I just laughed so hard a peed my pants. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Again the Suns show their complete disconnect from reality -- they had a chance to get Rambis and maybe get some legitimacy to rub off on their chimp outfit -- but alas the inmates are running the asylum -- I'm serious- chech out exclusive footage inside the Suns war room. HAHAHAHA
http://tinyurl.com/37hfv5
Posted by: HmrHed | June 07, 2008 at 04:03 PM
Our friends in Vegas have the Lakers favored to win on Sunday.
1-2 pts
One site even
Do you think they know Kobe will be stroking his shot tomorrow?
"You better believe it" as John Wayne would say.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | June 07, 2008 at 04:23 PM
I'm with you guys - 1 more "fire Phil' or "Pau sucks" comment and I'm going to jump through the screen & choke someone!! (I will do it - don't test me....) LOL!
We're in the 2008 FINALS - did you get the memo? The FINALS! That means PJ, Pau & company are doing something RIGHT. Man - I didn't think that needed explaining....
OK OK - no more grits stories!!! ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to say, my one & only grits story is me hearing about them, seeing them the same day I heard about them, wondering what the ?? they were, and not trying them - EVER - and that was about 15 years ago. Nasty looking stuff - who thought of that??! But BACON though - that's a different story LOL!
Game day tomorrow!
COMPLEX - you had BETTER be in that cave, man. No excuses. We lost game 1 'cuz of you - so you are now officially "on notice". Disobedience will NOT be tolerated.
JON K - you need to take one for the team & break into that bar & seat yourself in that lucky chair, soldier. No excuses! We'll take up a collection to bail you out (but after the game of course).
I can't wait! I have to believe that the "testing the harbor waters" is now complete and the LakeShow will come out better prepared to play OUR game on their par-kay floor (OMG that thing is awful). Being focused is one thing, but now knowing exactly what they're up against is another, and I think we'll see that difference in their approach to the game tomorrow.
LET'S GO LAKERS!!!!! CHEER FOR YOUR TEAM!!!!!
4 to O'Brien........
Posted by: justanothermambafan | June 07, 2008 at 04:38 PM
What a shame we dont have Bynum, eh?
One could take the position that since no further damage was found in the knee that a tougher Bynum could have been playing right now.
I'm just saying...
...that when he returns we'll be a bigger, stronger team.
We need to get bigger and stronger to dominate the way we want to dominate the next few years. Even with Bynum in the Mix I say we still need to add another big man since Mihm just can't be counted on anymore.
Here's a list of available players in both 2008 and 2009 and what kind of contracts they have. Since we're working with he mid level the restricted free agents probably wont do us any good since most teams would see matching a 5-6 million dollar contract a dooable thing.
2008 Free Agents:
The Big Dawgs (note: if you see player option, followed by... "50/50": that means we figure the odds at 50/50; if you see "unlikely", that means that the player is unlikely to opt-out, meaning the next season is too much money for them to turn down; if you see "likely", that means the money isn't enough, and they are likely to opt-out):
Baron Davis (player option, 50/50)
Corey Maggette (player option, possible)
Elton Brand (player option, unlikely)
Shawn Marion (player option, likely)
Ron Artest (player option for 08/09, 50/50)
Antawn Jamison
Gilbert Arenas (player option for 08/09, 50/50)
The Restricted Expiring Rookie Contracts (note: very unlikely to sign somewhere else, because they often sign an extension before their rookie contract totally expires; in 2008, though, several teams have failed to sign their rookies to extension, making for some very interesting dealings this off-season):
Josh Smith (restricted)
Josh Childress (restricted)
Emeka Okafor (restricted)
Ben Gordon (restricted)
Luol Deng (restricted)
JR Smith (restricted)
Andris Biedrins (restricted)
Shaun Livingston (restricted)
Stromile Swift (restricted)
Sebastian Telfair (restricted)
Nenad Krstic (restricted)
Trevor Ariza (restricted)
Andre Iguodala (restricted)
Kevin Martin (restricted, extension on way)
Young Filler Material, with some potential (The Chauncey Billups Grouping):
Matt Carroll
Andres Nocioni
Chris Duhon
Daniel Gibson
Eduardo Najera
Mickael Pietrus
Matt Barnes
Monta Ellis
Bonzi Wells
Kwame Brown
Jason Williams
Ricky Davis
Boki Nachbar
Antoine Wright
Beno Udrih
Fabricio Oberto
The "They're Still Around?" Group (a.k.a. The Detroit Pistons Bench):
Antonio McDyess
Lindsay Hunter
Ronald Murray
Joe Smith
Michael Finley
Sam Cassell
Alonzo Mourning
Penny Hardaway
Theo Ratliff
Jamaal Magliore
Chris Webber
Aaron McKie
Kevin Ollie
Steve Blake
Mikki Moore
Brent Barry
Robert Horry
Michael Finley
Kurt Thomas
Andray Blatche
2009 Free Agents:
The Big Dawgs:
Drew Gooden
Allen Iverson (almost certain to re-sign with Denver)
Rasheed Wallace
Baron Davis (if he does not exercise the opt out in 2008)
Elton Brand
Lamar Odom
Kobe Bryant (option)
Jason Kidd
Stephon Marbury
Jamal Crawford (player option for 09/10 and 10/11 - 50/50)
Eddy Curry (player option for 09/10, 10/11 - 50/50)
Hedo Turkoglu (player option for 09/10, unlikely)
Andre Miller
Steve Nash (player option, unlikely)
Grant Hill
Steve Francis
Ron Artest (can opt out in '08)
Mike Bibby
Carlos Boozer (player option for 09/10 unlikely)
Mehmet Okur (player option for 09/10 unlikely)
The Rookie Contracts:
Marvin Williams (restricted)
Raymond Felton (restricted)
Jason Maxiell (restricted)
Luther Head (restricted)
Danny Granger (restricted)
Andrew Bynum (restricted)
Hakim Warrick (restricted)
Andrew Bogut (restricted)
Charlie Villanueva (restricted)
Rashard McCants (restricted)
Chris Paul (restricted)
Nate Robinson (restricted)
David Lee (restricted)
Channing Frye (restricted)
Jarrett Jack (restricted)
Francisco "Paco" Garcia (restricted)
Deron Williams (restricted)
Young Filler Material, Given Up, With Potential:
Marquis Daniels (team option, unlikely to be picked up)
Desmond Mason
Chris Wilcox
They Still Living?
Eric Snow
Brevin Knight
Damon Stoudemire
Smush Parker
Juwan Howard
Antoine Walker (player option for 09/10, 10/11 - likely)
Jason Collins
Bobby Jackson
Malik Rose
Raef LaFrentz
Wally Szczerbiak
Wes
Posted by: | June 07, 2008 at 05:11 PM
Fairweather Fatty--
I think you'll find the real reason the Lakers may be favored for Sunday is Vegas' proximity to LA.
The oddsmakers will skew the point spread so it will be in their favor no matter which team is actually the stronger. Being so close to SoCal and the Laker betting will definately have an impact on the line.
Posted by: MiloRambaldi | June 07, 2008 at 05:12 PM
I think Pudgy Pierce needs to pay his acting coach more. That was a pretty good display - not quite Hollywood worthy, but a good fake none the less. However, he's no longer from Inglewood. With that "trick", he's proven he's a hated Greenie Weenie through & through, and LA disowns him. Freakin' tool. Go cry to your mommy. And btw - what drugs are you taking where you see angels? Are they allowed in the NBA? Maybe we need a pee test done on him...
Posted by: justanothermambafan | June 07, 2008 at 05:31 PM
justanothermambafan,
I wanted to talk to you about that lucky bar seat thing.
1. I spoke to someone who works at the bar and agreed to bribe them into letting me into the bar to watch the game. So, that's good.
2. Previous to Thursday's game, every time I had watched the Lakers play in the playoffs at that bar at that bar seat, the Lakers won. Everytime I was not in that bar in that bar seat, the Lakers lost. However, that was not the case on Thursday night.
So, the question I pose, is that still my lucky bar seat at my lucky bar?
Laker Nation! Where am I watching the game on Sunday?
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 07, 2008 at 05:33 PM
justanothermambafan,
Grits are good.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 07, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Butlers Uncle,
You rule. To whom do we owe credit for this gem. Come out from behind the Wizard's curtain and confess so we can rave over your wit and intelligence. Who's there?
After 5 ridiculous Butler posts, your post had me LMAO. Thanks.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Glad you found that post amusing, Tom. That Butler guy really pisses me off.
Lakers in five.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | June 07, 2008 at 06:01 PM
Hi Folks, It's tough to win in Boston, huh?
As long as the Lakers go to the line 15% more than the Celtics like they did in the first 3 series they have a chance. If not, like game 1, they have no chance. The Lakers are just not that good.
Posted by: Bear75233 | June 07, 2008 at 06:03 PM
Jon,
We are so ridiculously and similarly superstitious. I also sit in a specific seat in a sports bar to watch most games wearing my lucky purple Lakers shirt. After losing game 1, my wife asked if I was going to have that shirt laundered now that the Lakers lost. I told her to wait as that was a game day decision. So just like your lucky bar seat, I still haven’t decided if I am going to change shirts. Since my lucky seat survived 2 losses to Utah and 1 to San Antonio, I am going to stay with the lucky seat – but the shirt is still up in the air ‘till game day. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 06:06 PM
Greetings, all...
Cold Turkey ain't no joke! I'm an addict - there, step 1 complete.
Thursday's shoe throwing episode has set me back $3600. Ehfff-it! Championship attitude is priceless. The missus is moving in with her sister until the series is over, and (she thinks) she has set a price-cap on the replacement TV at $1500 - which is fine with me - can you say "Costco?" I bet that if I could just strike up a little Lakers Blog chit-chat with PsychedLakersGirl, I could leverage my buying power up another grand!
The shoe survived! The leather is somewhat scorched looking from the hot plasma, and there are a few plexiglass splinters embedded in the laces, but otherwise, it is ready to rock - just like the Lakers will be tomorrow.
Now, a little psycho-babble regarding the series:
Both teams will experience adversity. Both will experience fear.
Phil Jackson: F.E.A.R. "face everything and recover"
Doc Rivers: F.E.A.R. "f**k everything and run!"
Lakers in five! (Dammit!)
Posted by: karyanr | June 07, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Jon K - in that case, we need to change it up for the Finals. Wherever you were on Thursday - DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!!!!!! Maybe another bar, or your couch or something? Where else have you been when they've won? We need to think about this....
BTW - I don't even like the look of grits, so I don't think I'm going to try them. I'll stick with being "grit free". I'm feeling good about that...
Posted by: justanothermambafan | June 07, 2008 at 06:21 PM
From Boston Soap Opera to Hollywood response back to Broadway brings back the Zen talk rivalry with Pierce(d) my heart:
__________________________________
"If I'm not mistaken, I think Willis Reed missed a whole half or three quarters of the game and literally had to have a shot, a horse shot, three of four of them in his thigh to come back out and play," Jackson said.
"Paul got carried off and was back on his feet in a minute," Jackson added. "I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that time-out period he had or not, but he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"
_______________________________
That angel who visited him was Lucifer. Paul Pierce is thinking of Shakesperean character for Game 2 uttering:
"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them. To die: to sleep......"
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 07, 2008 at 06:34 PM
This guy used to hang around a lot at Culver Plaza Theaters, here are the latest words of Paul Pierced my Heart:
********************************************
\*****************
"Once those lights come on and the popcorn starts popping, I'll be ready," declared the Celtics' All-Star forward and captain
"Knowing my threshold of pain, to go out there and play shouldn't be a problem," said Pierce, who only planned to shoot free throws and walk through some plays on Saturday. "It should be something I should be able to do."
*********************************************
*********
Once those popcorn starts popping....haha! man that high drama, his knee could handle the pop just like the popcorn start popping. LMAO!
Knowing my threshold of pain....this guy just beat Reed and Isiah combined, his threshold of pain to be carried like Cleopatra and put on wheel chair....he can handle the threshold of pain in Game 2. LMAO A Leprechaun strikes again in 2008!!!!!
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 07, 2008 at 06:57 PM
Fairweather Fatty
MiloRambaldi
Good pick-up on the proximity to Vegas -- now with that in mind, the important thing to know is where did the line start not what it is now. I understand from second hand information that the line started at Boston +2 Thursday night (this is not official -- if someone actually knows what the line was late Thursday or early Friday please let me know).
What does that tell us? Vegas is not confident in the Celtics. Why? because if they were, they would have set the line at +6 or +8 and they would have been flooded with money on LA. But they didn't want that – probably because they are nervous that the Lakers will pull it out.
This is good news for us. Those guys don't build mega resorts by being wrong.
Posted by: HmrHed | June 07, 2008 at 06:59 PM
3RD POST ON THE HIGH DRAMA
These are new quotes from Paul Pierced my Heart from the Boston Globe Celtics Blog:
*********************************************************
The Celtics captain said he might pull a Brian Scalabrine and ride an exercise bike to stay loose when he's not on the court. He said he certainly won't have a problem staying motivated.
"I think it's going to be easy as far as handlling it mentally," he said. "Because once you step on that court, hear the crowd, you look up and you see posters of The Finals, I'm totally going to probably forget about it. From there on, my adrenaline will probably get going.
*******************************************************
Get out of my way Rocky, Governator....watch out Denzel I'm coming the lights are out and my adrenaline are boiling. LOL!
"Usually you tend to forget about injuries when you're on that court and you're playing for something special,'' Pierce added. "That's what you dream about all your life."
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 07, 2008 at 07:06 PM
BYNUM REMEMBERS SAME FEARS PIERCE DESCRIBED…
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2008-06-07-128694582_x.htm
But there were no angels or fake injury to save Drew from missing the rest of his breakout season. Love to hear Drew talk about how it hurts to see offensive rebounds and easy layups occur wouldn’t happen if he were able to play. Andrew Bynum ends parity in the NBA in 2009. Here is the excerpt of the portion of Brian Mahoney’s story for AP:
“Andrew Bynum never had the opportunity to return from a knee injury and help his team the way Paul Pierce did in Game 1.
And out of all the games the young center has missed, none hurt as much as the one Thursday night.
"Definitely want to be able to go out there and play, help your teammates out," Bynum said. "Not being able to do that kind of stinks, especially when you lose by a little bit like we did last time. You lose by like rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers ... people walking down getting layups and that's a big part of my job as a center. So it definitely hurts seeing your team struggle like that."
Bynum was averaging 13.1 points and shooting a league-leading 63.6 percent from the floor when he sprained his left knee on Jan. 13 in a game against Memphis. He was hurt when he landed on teammate Lamar Odom's foot while going for a rebound, and recently had surgery that has him on track to return in time for the start of next season.
Pierce also went down with a knee injury after a collision with a teammate on Thursday night, and Bynum recalls having the same fears Pierce described after the game.
"Right away just pain basically, you just lay out like we both did," he said. "And then after that you're just really concerned about it.
"You get the X-ray or the MRI the next day and it lets you know, and when it's bad the first thing that goes through your mind, is like, 'Wow.' It's like all this work I put in over the summer, especially for me, because I put in a lot more work than I normally do over the summer and I was coming back to hopefully have a successful season and it started off good but that ended a little too quickly.
Though Bynum didn't expect him to return, Pierce was able to come back less than two minutes later and lead the Celtics to a 98-88 victory. The Celtics' captain expects to play Sunday in Game 2, but Bynum hopes he'll be cautious.
"Hopefully he doesn't feel the pressure to come play and then ruin the rest of his career because he's trying to run on a hurt leg," Bynum said. "So I wish the best of luck to him."
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 07:22 PM
WATCHING FROM BENCH, WITH VISIONS OF LAKERS’ FUTURE
by Howard Beck for the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/sports/basketball/08nba.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
Another great article on Andrew Bynum with some great insights as to how he and the team feel about the Lakers too bright future. I especially loved the part where Mitch was asked how the team could afford all the stars by replying: “Don’t underestimate Dr. Buss’s desire to win.” Here is the Andrew portion of the article:
*******************
“A crisp championship banner and a sun-soaked parade await the Los Angeles Lakers if they can solve the Boston Celtics in the next two weeks. What awaits them next fall is nearly as enticing. The mere mention of it makes Lamar Odom’s eyes widen.
“We’re focused on the task at hand,” Odom said. “But we already know.”
The Lakers’ not-so-distant future looks like this: 7 feet by 7 feet by 6 feet 10 inches. Those are the heights of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Odom. Next season the three should form the longest, tallest, most imposing and versatile frontcourt in the N.B.A.
“Size matters,” Odom said, grinning.
A knee injury forced Bynum to be a spectator this spring. But he is on the mend and watching the finals with a mix of excitement and impatience As he watched the Lakers lose Game 1, 98-88, Bynum thought of the plays he could have made — a blocked shot here, a changed shot there, an easy dunk or two when the jumpers were not falling.
“That’s a big part of my job as a center, so it definitely hurts seeing your team struggle like that,” he said Saturday as the Lakers prepared for Game 2 on Sunday.
Bynum was averaging 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds when he went down with a subluxation of his patella tendon on Jan. 13. He recently had surgery on the knee but is expected to be fully recovered by the fall.
In the 12 games before his knee buckled, Bynum averaged 17 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. He was, in the words of the assistant coach Kurt Rambis, “playing the best basketball of his career.”
Bynum is only 20 years old, with less than three full seasons in the N.B.A. The coaching staff cautions that he still has much to learn. But his teammates have seen enough to let their imaginations run wild.
“Andrew was becoming an emerging superstar,” Odom said. “That’s my guy. And I can’t wait until he gets back on the court. Because watching him earlier this year was incredible.”
Bynum’s role in the team’s renaissance was both the most painful and the most significant. His ferocity in the paint lifted the Lakers back into contention — they were 25-11 when Bynum went down. His injury opened the door for the biggest trade of the season.
The Lakers had tried on a couple of occasions to acquire Gasol from Memphis before Bynum was injured. But Bynum was blossoming and the Lakers were surging.
“My feeling was to get the deal done, we’d have to break up our team,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.
The Grizzlies, he said, were asking for “one of our best players,” believed to be Odom. “So we kind of put it on hold,” he said.
When the Lakers lost five of their first eight games without Bynum, they asked again about Gasol’s availability. To their delight, the Grizzlies were no longer seeking a core player in return. Memphis dealt Gasol in exchange for salary-cap relief (Kwame Brown’s expiring contract), two first-round picks and the rights to center Marc Gasol, Pau’s brother.
Had Bynum never been injured, the Lakers might not have felt the need to make the trade. Gasol gave the Lakers a much-needed second option behind Kobe Bryant and lifted them into championship contention.
“I don’t know if we would have gotten here,” Kupchak said.
Gasol is more polished and a better scorer than Bynum. But Bynum is a more imposing defender and rebounder and he believes that, had he stayed healthy, the Lakers could still have made a run to the finals.
“With every game, I saw myself learning and having more fun out there and getting a little bit better,” Bynum said.
A healthy Bynum would allow Gasol to move back to power forward. Or, as Rambis suggested, one of them could come off the bench.
Jeff Van Gundy, the former coach and ABC analyst, recently declared the Lakers a budding dynasty because of Bryant, Gasol, Bynum and Odom. The challenge for Kupchak and the team owner, Jerry Buss, will be keeping them together. Bryant, Gasol and Odom will make close to $50 million next season. Bynum is eligible for an extension this summer and will surely seek the maximum starting salary, about $13 million.
Kupchak said there would be challenges in managing the payroll, but, he added, “Don’t underestimate Dr. Buss’s desire to win.”
Bynum gets regular tutoring from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Laker Hall of Famer, who has imparted lessons on footwork and “all those little tricks that he knows,” Bynum said. Abdul-Jabbar has also tried, and failed, to turn Bynum onto jazz.
“I’m too young,” Bynum said, chuckling.
He has plenty of time to figure it all out.
*******************
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 07:33 PM
LAKERS TO STAND PAT AT THE DRAFT?
by Preetom Bhattacharya for HoopsWorld
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=8984
Nice recap of Lakers roster situation and likely draft day moves. Basically, we draft another prospect to be stashed overseas like Marc Gasol and Sun Yue considering our great roster.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 07:42 PM
4th of the Series - High Threshold of Pain
http://tinyurl.com/3k6jtn
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 07, 2008 at 07:44 PM
( in a flava flav kinda way ) WoW........... I really dont care much for T.J Simers but his Chick article caught my eye enroute to here so I checked it out. I had so many thoughts and stupid ramblings to yap about on the "slow news day" thread.. but after reading about Marge and Chick and actually BEING one of those affected by him personally ( strange as it seems, I posted last night about rollin back n forth as a broke teen in a souped up bug from LA to Diego going to school catchin Laker games)
after reading it... Its kinda hard to follow it up with mindless rants..
I'll get together tomorrow night and celebrate Chick, Jim Mckay and Rick James!!!!
"Its a Celebration Biotches" - Dave Chappelle
Posted by: complex brotha | June 07, 2008 at 07:53 PM
It looks like we have taken back the blog from the trolls this evening. Actually some good stuff worth reading guys.
Except for my usual pregame rituals and prayers, wearing proper Lakers attire, I don't really believe in this superstitious stuff.
For me, I must have the correct Lakers warm up suit on. I have home and away colors.
When we have the other team facing elimination, I bring out the celebratory Kobe/Lakers championship leather jacket.
If we are facing elimination, like in the phx series last year, I bring out some of my most powerful stuff. I put on my 'Pump you up sneakers' - (Byron Scotts ) and give them about 20 pumps.
Right now, I'm wearing my game night pajama's - Lakers shorts and my Back to Back championship T shirt. (Makes me feel like a champion in the bed)
Of course like I said, I'm not superstitious, but just in case, I want all the bases covered.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | June 07, 2008 at 08:51 PM
This is good news for us. Those guys don't build mega resorts by being wrong.
Posted by: HmrHed | June 07, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Actually the build mega resorts by laying off the bets and collecting 10% either way.
Posted by: pslakerfan | June 07, 2008 at 08:58 PM
Hey Butler,
I recall Nash being the player throwing away passes, playing out of control, and pretty much stinking up the place against the Spurs. If he's so great, how come he couldn't integrate his play with the great Shaq? It seemed Kobe and Gasol meshed right away (right into the Finals). Now your team has a second tier coach and a second rate franchise and will never sniff a "Conference Championship" for another decade. You team is what we in the business call, SHORT TIMERS, and your time is up.
Posted by: Who are You | June 07, 2008 at 09:00 PM
Paul Pierce will win an Oscar.
Kobe Bryant will win Finals MVP.
Doc Rivers will make an entire town feel lifeless.
Phil Jackson will make the dead roll over in their cigar-studded cofins.
Lamar Odom will make Boston play him.
No one on Boston is the playah that Lamar is.
I miss Craig Sager.
He misses us, too.
Hours to tip off.
GO LAKERS!!!!!
Posted by: Jamie Sweet | June 07, 2008 at 09:01 PM
Laker Tom and Jon K,
I was afraid to launder my Kobe MVP t-shirt before Game 1, but my superstitious self has decided I'd better before Game 2. You guys are not alone in your quandaries.
PsychedLakerGirl,
I dedicate our Game 2 victory to you and those of your mindset in advance for being fans who never waver.
LakerBake,
Where you been? Welcome back.
The countdown to GAME TIME is on! This is our team. This is our year. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 07, 2008 at 09:11 PM
don't know if this has been posted yet... from newsday
"In the huddle before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, with the anticipated matchup with the Celtics only moments away, Kobe Bryant gathered his teammates for a speech that could have peeled paint off the walls in any version of the Boston Garden.
"We could play them seven times here and beat 'em!" Bryant shouted, according to several teammates and an arena official who overheard the screed. "We could play them on Mars or Pluto and beat 'em! We're the better team!"
-------
preach, kobe! ... now beat these jokers!
Posted by: CBuck | June 07, 2008 at 09:17 PM
SIDELINED BYNUM LOOKS TOWARD LAKERS' FUTURE
by Michael Lee for the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/07/AR2008060702210.html
Another NBA analyst looks at the Lakers future. Some nice quotes from Drew.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 07, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Odom sucks...he knows we need him more than ever to bring a championship home to LA. And all he does is grab six boards two less than Ray Allen, now thats pathetic.
He passes and doesn't cut. Its called "give and go" not give and watch.
Posted by: tradeodom | June 07, 2008 at 10:59 PM
when we talk about supertitions, i always tell myself that there shouldn't be any distractions when i watch the games; no one must change the channel; and concentrate as if your giving your energy to kobe, lamar and pau.. all of them. I do even I am a continent away.
Go LAKERS!
We believe.
We are going to win the NBA CHAMPIONSHIP!
Posted by: isang | June 08, 2008 at 12:11 AM
It Is Time For Gasol To Step Up
By J.A. Adande
ESPN.com
(Archive)
From the moment Pau Gasol arrived in Lakerland, championship dreams materialized for their fans. Now that the Finals are here, they're wondering if he's going to disappear.
They watched his effectiveness decline each series, from 22 points per game on 58 percent shooting against Denver, to 18 points and 56 percent against Utah to 13 points and 45 percent against San Antonio.
Check the comments on the Los Angeles Times' Lakers blog from Game 1, when Gasol had 15 points and eight rebounds, and you can feel the animosity growing.
LAKERS VERSUS CELTICS
NBA FINALS
Boston 1, L.A. Lakers 0
Game 2: Sun., 8:30 ET, at BOS
Full NBA Finals schedule
"It's okay to get contact, Pau. You're bound to at least draw the foul."
"Can somebody teach Pau how to box out?"
"No effort in rebounding, no consistent shot, no heart."
"Gasol go play for the Sparks."
"Looks like I'll have to gas up my Trade Pau Gasol Bandwagon."
Thanks to Boston's defense -- especially big men Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett -- one of the off-day buzzwords has been "physical." And if this were the word-association segment on the old Roy Firestone "Up Close" shows, that word wouldn't conjure up Gasol.
Even teammate Kobe Bryant said, "You run into Perkins and Pau in an alley, you're probably going to go Pau's direction."
The playoffs are about revelation, not transformation. Unless some stray gamma rays intended for David Banner mistakenly strike Gasol, he isn't going to turn into a rampaging brute. This is who he is, so might as well try to emphasize what he does well.
"I think his skill and everything that he does gives him a huge advantage in his length," Bryant said. "So it's not about us being tough or anything like that. You've just got to play a little bit harder."
A good game by Gasol is critical for the Lakers because when he's playing well he makes Lamar Odom better. Odom has flourished thanks to the attention defenses give Gasol, and often winds up with layups on give-and-go or post passes from the Lakers' Spanish center.
If Gasol stays on the move he also can get easy baskets on passes from Bryant when Bryant draws the defense's attention. In turn, Gasol can make life easier for Bryant if he is a scoring threat.
"We want to make sure we establish a post presence and play inside-out a little bit more," Gasol said. "I think that's going to help our offense and hopefully also get me a little more in the lane and being aggressive, and force them to play a little defense on me. I think that should be interesting. Hopefully. That would be great."
His voice trailed off and didn't sound that confident at the end there. Not exactly what Laker fans wanted to hear.
J.A. Adande is an ESPN.com senior writer and the author of "The Best Los Angeles Sports Arguments." Click here to e-mail J.A.
------------------
This, my fellow bloggers, including AK/BK (ESPECIALLY YOU TWO) need to explain this. This will wake all of you guys up tomorrow morning as you read in horror that the entire country will think that the LA Times Laker Blog does not support our Lakers, and does not support Pau Gasol. The comments of Trolls like Gunner, Butler, Troy et al, are ruining our blog. They have done us wrong. Thanks to failed reporting by Adande, and irresponsible oversight from AK/BK, the LA Times Laker blog has been portrayed incorrectly to the nation.
Good job guys.
Posted by: The Lake Show | June 08, 2008 at 01:55 AM
Game 2 will be ours. I just came back from my DeLorean and I can see a couple of you guys also can foretell the future. Nice to know there are other Lakers fans using our timetraveling abilities to see how we will win Game 2 and the championship.
It is already set in stone.
Game 2. Lakers win.
Posted by: David "Sasha" Whang | June 08, 2008 at 05:24 AM
It's Game Day!
Time for the Mamba to rip out the hearts of the Celtics and their fans.
Posted by: longtimelakerlover | June 08, 2008 at 06:24 AM
Today's Win Will Establish New Superstitions
I had to change my location after the first half. It was a mistake, I felt it.
After today's win, there will be new bar stools, new lucky shirts.
Because today Kobe answers.
The Future is today.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: Vman | June 08, 2008 at 06:52 AM
Ack! I hate this! I'm still angry about that stupid injury. We better win tonight or I'll kill someone.
I'm equaly shocked by the Sun's coaching hire. I mean nash and Amare can make any coach look pretty good, but still. This is not the guy to get anyone over the hump. Wow.
Ultimately these finals are about Kobe. Either he'll find a way to be effective and lead his team to vicorty or he won't. This is his time to show what he's really made of.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Cameron | June 08, 2008 at 07:44 AM
Good morning Laker family around the Globe,
My Kobe MVP t-shirt is in the wash to give the Lakers a "clean" sweep for the rest of the NBA Finals. My Lakers flag will be flying from my car as I head out for breakfast. I am ready for my team to avenge Celtic smugness, and decimate these Boston pretenders en route to returning the Championship trophy to Los Angeles.
All the player and coaches interviews since Thursday night's disappointment in Game 1 indicate that our team is refocused, re-energized, and clear on the mission at hand. These guys still have confidence in each other -- confidence nurtured during a season and post-season of unanticipated accomplishment.
Laker Nation is prepared to rise up and deliver on the promise.
Four more wins is all it takes. Mamba24, Charles, Laker Tom, Jon K, PsychedLakerGirl, Utzworld, Cousin Benjamin, Faith, and all our fellow Laker Faithful -- let's send all the positive energy we can muster into the Universe. This is our team. This is our year. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 08, 2008 at 07:57 AM
The Outlaw is present and accounted for, Mamba24. Looking forward to that game day roll call!
Lakers in five.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | June 08, 2008 at 07:58 AM
I have no problem with Adande using comments from this blog in his article or with the article itself. Pau needs to step it up. There's no question about that. What I have a problem with is that he didn't link to the blog when he named it.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 08, 2008 at 08:13 AM
Check out Jeanie Buss's new blog entry:
Jeanie's Journal
Friday, Jun 6
It’s too quiet here at Lakers headquarters. I don’t like the quiet. My instinct is to stare out the window that over looks the practice floor but I know the team is in Boston but somehow I still need to connect. I feel guilty because I committed the very sin I ask others to refuse – I walked away from the game last night with three minutes left to go and put my dog in my car and started driving in dead silence. There was no place to go but I couldn’t accept the thought of the Lakers losing game one.
It has been several months since I updated my journal. Comments and requests have been made to me and while I know I should write something during the season I just couldn’t find the inspiration until now. A friend of mine wrote me an email earlier today and it said:
“I just wanted to suggest that you write a new edition of Jeanie's Journal sometime Friday with some optimism heading into Game 2 of the NBA Finals to counter what I imagine are a lot of critical columns in Friday's newspapers and criticism on the radio talk shows.
The Internet gives you the opportunity to respond to the criticism and you should take advantage of that opportunity.
What is usually the hardest part of any writing is deciding how to begin whatever you are writing, so I want to suggest that you begin this journal entry by writing about how one of your favorite things about sports is the chance to avenge a loss and in this case, that chance is not too far away.”
My friend is right on – my favorite thing about sports is the opportunity after a setback to get back up and try again. This series is far from over and while logically I know that it didn’t stop me from turning my back on the game last night like is was the end. What is wrong with me? I committed to this Lakers team falling in love with them early in the season when Andrew Bynum came into his own and electrified the fans as well as his teammates. I was smitten with Jordan Farmar’s confidence and new yoga-fied body and mind. I asked myself if could I love Derek Fisher any more and found the answer was yes the way he rocked the retro short shorts back on December 30. Lamar Odom became an obsession for me and my girlfriends wondering why we hadn’t appreciated his fine talent all these years. Back in November Lamar was on the bench and was called on to go back into the game. I cheered, “Take your pants off Lamar [referring to the way they rip away their pants] and get in the game.” Well of course my girlfriends only heard the “take your pants off” part and that became our rallying cry and an equivalent to LET’S GO LAKERS. I even went so far as trying to get my fellow Lakers fans to stand up at the beginning of the game and not to sit down until the Lakers are on the scoreboard because that is what our bench does, unfortunately, that experiment didn’t go over well and the idea was scrapped.
I am sorry Lakers team – I let YOU down by turning my back. I am here for you and promise I will watch every minute that remains to be played in this series. No matter what happens I am so proud of your accomplishments this season – no one can take that away and I have a feeling this group of Lakers is going to be good for a looooooong time.
But remember, this series is not over and in about 48 hours from now there will be a chance to avenge that loss as well as the opportunity to come home and play three games in front of us, your fans who love you. TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF! May the best team win.
Posted by: lakers_sth | June 08, 2008 at 08:25 AM
FROM PALM BEACH, FL
BONJOUR GUYS,
TODAY IS THE DAY TO PUT ALL BOSTON EMOTIONS IN THE GRAVE. OUR TEAM HAS BEEN THE BEST TEAM IN THE PLAYOFF AND WE KNOW PHIL WILL MAKE THE ADJUSMENT NECESSARY TO WIN THAT FINAL GAME.
I EXPECT A SENSATIONAL FUN GAME LEADING BY KOBE. WE WILL WATCH AN HAPPY LAKERS KNOWING THEIR DESTINY AND SHOW THE CELTICS: DON'T MESS WITH THE 2008LAKERS PERIOD
GUYS, CONCENTRATE OUR POSITIVE ENERGY AND SEND TO OUR TEAM. WE DON'T NEED A REPEAT OF 2004.
LOVE TO OUR TEAM AND TO ALL
A CE SOIR
SHEKOBE POUR TOUJOURS
Posted by: SHEKOBE | June 08, 2008 at 08:54 AM
lakeshow
Adande is just a tool cherry picking what he wants, to prove his point.
I do find it odd that the K's allow so much spam trolling to go on at this site when many sports blogs don't allow it. A spamming troll, saying non-sensical ramblings, posting repeatedly, is NO DIFFERENT, than an alpha bot invading a site.
Its their blog, and they do a great job on many other things, which is why I'm here. But as you probably noticed, many have lessened their use of the site the last few day days.
Here we are in the finals, and trying to have good discussions about our Lakers, is next to impossible because of Spamming Trolls out of control and in fact are controlling the site, not the K's.
Just like children crying and screaming, demanding to control the room, the spamming trolls are allowed to scream without any blog discipline what-so-ever.
Another sensitive subject from us bloggers the LA Times refuses to respond to:
And why no Lakers colors on this site? The joke from other blogs is that the LA Times doesn't want to offend the trolls and Lakers haters.
When 100% of your customers want a choice of color and you refuse to accommodate them, it has to make you wonder about the blogs controllers and their desire to please and service its customers.
Like Henry Ford said, "Give them whatever color they want, as long as its black." Competition cured that sentiment.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | June 08, 2008 at 09:13 AM
justanothermambafan,
Yeah, I'm confused. I don't know where I should watch the game.
That much said, just to delve a little deeper into insanity. I felt kind of nervous before Game One. I don't feel that way today. I feel good about today's game.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 08, 2008 at 09:16 AM
pslakerfan --
I'm with you on the 10% or the "vig", but the house hopes for a split on any given day so they do not have to pay out more either way and they collect the vig. The line has to be accurate. Getting too much action on one side and being wrong is not mitigated by collecting the hard fee.
Posted by: HmrHed | June 08, 2008 at 09:18 AM
lakers_sth,
TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF!
Awesome.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | June 08, 2008 at 09:28 AM
from that list wes - arenas or artest would be awesome to bring on board. artest might take less money to win a championship. arenas seems to love everything about the lakers - so he might be willing to jump on board. i get the feeling all the top teams are going to try to add next year to keep up with the lakers. we may want to load up with one of these two and let fisher play a little less. with one of these two guys, it doesn't matter who the other teams add, our talent and chemistry will make us unbeatable no matter what.
Posted by: luke | June 08, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Interesting and saddening article by Plaschke this morning. I hope none of us here sink to the level of these sad sack boston fans -- yes, even as to TJ Simers.
I hope we all just feel blessed everyday for being alive and for being emotionally attached to one of the best teams in sports -- I mean come on, imagine if you were emotionally attached to the Clippers -- Yikes!
Just remember this stuff should never define us -- it should just be a healthy outlet.
Posted by: HmrHed | June 08, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Hey we lost to Utah the first 2 games at Utah and lost to the Spurs the first game in San Antonio. So the least Boston could do would be to win the first game in Boston . This is to be expected.
What makes it different from those other 2 series is that we lost the very first game of the series, leaving us behind in the series 0-1. And putting us in a position we've not been in before this post season. That's what's scary about it and that's why everyone was so upset about the loss I think.
But if the lakers respond to this loss like they have the other losses, we've nothing to worry about. This will just serve as a further test of character, because this time we don't have home court advantage so we're playing from behind this time.
And if they beat Boston as the road team they will definitely have shown the character of a champion.
Like most of us I was expecting a game 1 win. But when the lakers lost to Utah those 2 games did anyone think Utah was the better team? And when we lost game 3 in San Antonio did anyone think the Spurs were the better team? It turned out there was no question or doubt about it. You have to look at the series as a whole, once it's over.
All Boston has done is win their first home game of the series. If they had lost it, they would have performed worse than Utah and San Antonio did, and noone expected that. Remember how dominating home court was in the first 3 rounds? Only the Lakers were able to consistently win on the road of all the playoff teams.
We only have to win 1 in Boston, and let's get that one tonight. If we give them 1 in LA then we have to win 2 in Boston.
Go LA.
John
Posted by: john_in_houston | June 08, 2008 at 10:16 AM
=== LAKERS BLOG MAKES ESPN.COM!!! Adande Posts Comments ===
I'm serious. We've got the eyes of ESPN on the blog here are the posts:
"It's OK to get contact, Pau. You're bound to at least draw the foul."
"Can somebody teach Pau how to box out?"
"No effort in rebounding, no consistent shot, no heart."
"Gasol, go play for the Sparks."
"Looks like I'll have to gas up my Trade Pau Gasol Bandwagon."
Hmmmm.... I wonder who wrote those things!
I'll take all of 'em except the last one which is just crazy and I wonder who wrote that (JustaFake.eerrr..LakerFan? troy? whooo?!!!)
Anyway, good to see that we gettin' love on ESPN.com...
But, I'm on a mission to extinguish all uber-haters aka "Trade-Pau" spewers... That's just ridiculous!
Posted by: Korey | June 08, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Plasche's description of the blogger that threatened him in an email is Travis Bickle scary.
I'm guessing we've all wondered at times where some posts are coming from.
Interesting distinction he made between LA fans and Boston. Then again, as a TImes writer, he wouldn't get the threats here that a Boston writer might.
Which begs the question. Anyone here send anything like that e mail to a Celtics beat writer?
Posted by: Vman | June 08, 2008 at 10:26 AM
Fairweather Fatty,
>>> Here we are in the finals, and trying to have good discussions about our Lakers, is next to impossible because of Spamming Trolls
I believe that to fight off the trolls seeking to take over the blog, long-time posters such as you and I (and Laker Tom, Jon K, et al) must continue to post frequently and thoughtfully, as we always have. We dare not cede this space to the lunatic fringe and spammers. We are being tested, just as our team is.
For all the deserved criticism leveled at the LAT, they have given us the K-Brothers and the best sports blog in the country. We who post here provide the Purple & Gold coloration. We are Laker Nation, along with the many who stop by to read the comments, even if they choose not to post.
Yes, the trolls are annoying. I've been asking for days that we starve them, not feed them. Hopefully, the message will take hold. Meanwhile, the countdown to GAME TIME is on. Only the trolls and the Celtics should be worried. This is our team. This is our year. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | June 08, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Good Morning Laker Community!
For this game, we must do everything to help. Trinkets, chants, prayers, roll calls and battle cries!!!
It has been hard for me to be couped at home barely recovering yesterday and I feel this burst of energy for the team.
I will say this, ignoring the bad post's from the Laker doubters has also been challenging. I guess thats just how it is when people are envious and insecure about their team and themselves.
I dedicate this recovering energy and throw it right back at the blog. Strength in numbers. We shall win game 2, and let the series favor the Lakers after this game.
A shout for the Purple and Gold while we huddle before the crowd!
http://tinyurl.com/47uozh
Posted by: Charles | June 08, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Vman,
Did you notice that none of Plasche’s email assailants was old enough to have been a Celtics fan when Boston last won anything or even made the Finals. Yet they act like they bleed shamrock green but they are all bandwagoneers who will be leaving “Boston Garden” in the middle of the 4th quarter tonight sucking their green weenies and crying in their warm beer and trying to maintain some traces of hope that their despicable Celtics will not lose the series in LA and that this was not the last time they will see their team this year.
No parade in Beantown this year. Andrew Bynum ends parity in the NBA in 2009.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 08, 2008 at 11:39 AM