Playing in Utah? Sounds like fun! and other Wednesday practice nuggets
The Lakers put in a healthy day's work ahead of their flight to Salt Lake City this afternoon for tomorrow's Game 3. From our standpoint, there wasn't much to see since instead of being let in for the tail end of practice, players were brought to us in the media room before PJ and Kobe were later made available on the floor. No surprise, most of the chatter centered around what guarantees to be a hostile reception for the purple and gold tomorrow. Not that Lamar Odom is too concerned. Personally, he digs this sort of thing.
"I expect it to be fun. For us. Playing in a hostile environment is going to remind me of home. I'm from Queens, so I'd play tournaments in Brooklyn and all over, and there's gonna be talking and in your face. But that's what we live for," he said.
Yeah, but that's a different kind of fun than going to Six Flags or sitting down to watch 30 Rock.
"It's competitive. It's a little different than a good game of Monopoly, or something like that. It's a different kind of competition, you know? Somebody telling you that they hate your guts, and then you can make a spin move and make them go "Ahhhhhh!" in the same breath? You know? That's the rush that you get from playing on the road."
Odom then brought it back, as he often does, to his upbringing back in NYC. "I was probably like nine years old when I played in my first basketball tournament, playing 15 and under. Getting beat, getting beat up. Now to be playing at the professional level, a lot of people that I've played against, played with, that want to see me get this done at this level, as far as the playoffs, and trying to play for a championship. It's a great position to be in, and I do it with a lot of pride."
Good stuff. Reminds me of my hoops upbringing, playing 7th and 8th grade basketball in suburban St. Louis. Basically the same thing, I figure.
Kobe, at this point famous for his love of playing in hostile environments, echoed LO's sentiments. "It's a challenge, being in a tough atmosphere where everybody is pulling against you. It's relaxing. It's fun," he said. "The more they boo me, the more they heckle me, the more they relax me and the more I play better."
"You would think they'd know that by now."
Don't look for Jazz fans to get the memo before tomorrow's tip, though it would be a really interesting tactic to see if they could throw Kobe off his game by being really supportive and polite. The weirdness might just do the trick, because I can tell you from talking to guys around the league that Jazz fans have a well earned reputation for being incredibly abusive. Add in that all 20 thousand or so in the house seem to sit about four inches from the court, and the burly factor rises.
One guy who would know? Derek Fisher. Returning to Utah last year, he was greeted with some most tasteless, cruel heckling from certain fans at EnergySolutions. I'm talking about fans covering one eye and reportedly chanting "Cancer" in reference to Fish's then-infant daughter, whose illness prompted Fisher to exit his contract with the Jazz and facilitate a move to a city where she could get better care.
Time has passed, but those incidents are still a topic of conversation. Fish, though, believes the ugliness of last year is in the past. The Q and A on that topic:
"I think it's transitioned from more of a "personal" boo to a "you're on the Lakers" boo. I think people have had time to deal with my not being on the team, and my family transition away from Utah. I think all that's behind everybody for the most part. Everybody knows the story, and knows the deal. Now it's Jazz-Lakers, so there's always been that basketball hatred from one team to another, and it'll definitely be there tomorrow."
Did some of those "personal" boos that you talked about stick with you for a little bit? Because obviously some of the things you heard were pretty cruel.
"The first time (we were there), yeah. It was shocking and caught me off guard, and was disappointing, but between the first time we went back (last season) to the second time, there was a huge difference just in the way I saw it, the way I felt it. I think I had come to grips myself with the fact that there wasn't anything else that I was going to be able to say or do, and even better, I don't have to feel obligated to try and convince somebody of the reasons why we made the decision we made. So I think once I got to a place where I was okay with it, it didn't really matter how other people responded."
How long did that take?
"I think that game was good for me personally, just to have that experience and understand that our world is not created in a way where you can please everybody, you can do things that are going to be what everybody likes for you to say or do. So I think it was good for me to have that experience. And it probably took a couple weeks after that to really gain some understanding in terms of me looking at myself and what I was feeling, and then from there, it's been really smooth in terms of feeling comfortable with what has happened and why it happened and that life really has moved on in a major way."
The best news, of course, is that Fish reports that his baby girl is "doing great," making all of her medical checkpoints, and they're optimistic as a family that Tatum will, knock on wood, continue to stay healthy.
On Andrew Bynum, Phil Jackson chalked up his struggles after a strong first quarter to fatigue, and noted the coaching staff is trying to get him to expend a little less energy in his pregame routine. Regarding reports that Bynum is still feeling pain, it's something that the team knows about, and is obviously watching carefully. Nothing, though, seems to be wrong in a capital W sense.
"Some of it is the brace. Wearing the brace, the inhibiting of the brace in the motion. I think it's all capable of working (itself) out, but he did not work very much on the court today at all."
Asked if he thinks his issues are related more to the aforementioned fatigue more than pain or the brace, though, Jackson was quick to reply. "Yes."
VIDEO:
Phil Jackson, talking about playing in Utah, continuing to build, and the need to get Pau Gasol more touches inside. All this comes up about 2/3 of the way through, when I asked him about LA taking advantage of the mismatches he creates on the offensive side of the ball, whether being guarded by Carlos Boozer or Paul Millsap.
Kobe Bryant, on playing in Utah, Trevor Ariza's improvement as a shooter (something he helped him with):
Pau Gasol, on Game 2 and what needs to happen in Game 3:
BK
KamBros,
This is not meant to belabor the thread discussion. I was just curious about the blog demographic you mentioned.
Do I understand you correctly to say there are research numbers that suggest a substantial number of visitors come to read your reports without clicking through to peruse the always entertaining posters du jour? Or is it that they just don't post after clicking through?
I have no agenda in asking. Just wondering if that distinction is charted. The fact that this is posted on a new thread is totally coincidental.
Posted by: VMan | April 22, 2009 at 04:38 PM
It is important to get Pau touches in the inside when he has had advantages over Boozer and Millsap. Don't always make him post up every time, best way for domination is for passing to get him very close to the basket.
Pau so far in the series is averaging 21ppg with an impressive 72.7% from the field with only 11 shot attempts in both Game 1 and 2. Have to get the ball to him.
That being said, BALL MOVEMENT and getting open looks for even remains the key.
Posted by: Kobeblitz | April 22, 2009 at 04:41 PM
WOT UP WITH THE CLEVELAND TEAM AND THEIR COURTSIDE ANTICS?????
It looks so tacky.
It does not even look like a professional sport.
It look like Harlem Globe Trottters doing their thang.
It is sooooo dang cheesy.
It has become a circus show and in poor taste.
I thought LeBron was classy but now I beg to differ.
This makes LeBron the King of Clowns and not King James the NBA playa.
Didn't the East team during NBA all star introduction dance their way into the court and lost to the West..
Well then more power to Cleveland and I hope they dance their way to the finals only to LOSE to the Lakers!!
I can't even imagine Kobe and the gang clownig around, just does not fit the character.
Can you imagine Laker team doing the same? nevaha!!
Posted by: WOT UP | April 22, 2009 at 04:52 PM
Yep, the more time Cleveland spends with their warm-up routine, the less they're practicing shooting, free throws, one one one moves, timing, etc.
Keep up the great work.
Posted by: Benjamin | April 22, 2009 at 04:57 PM
Will someone post up a video of Ariza's Kobe-move three in the first half of Game 2?
Posted by: LakerHaze | April 22, 2009 at 05:03 PM
I'm sure the K Bros have way more accurate metrics but here's what I was able to find using alexa.
Total # of global internet users: 1,596,270,108
.25% of those users visited the latimes website yesterday: 3990675
.3% of latimes visitors visit the lakersblog: 11972
So, just shy of 12,000 users visited the blog yesterday. Very fuzzy numbers but that seems to be the ballpark.
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 22, 2009 at 05:18 PM
I'm not exactly sure who this quote was derived from recently, but it was meant for the late Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas and I believe the same can be applied to Derek Fisher.
The quote was "If you didn't like Harry, you didn't like anybody." Insert "Derek" instead of Harry, and I don't think anyone of us would object.
And on a side note, that light from one of the cameras during Kobes' interview made his Adam's Apple really stand out. I couldn't focus on anything he was saying cause the lighting made it look like he bad a huge rock or something in his throat.
Posted by: Rob | April 22, 2009 at 05:23 PM
I agree whole heartily with John Holingers analysis and will predict in a hard fought series the Cavs will take the finals over the L.A. in a fully entertaining 7 game series.Possibly breaking up this Laker team..Kobe will be angry if purple/gold lose.The demise of the Lake-show,we will see.
Posted by: Skip Bayless | April 22, 2009 at 05:31 PM
VMan: "Do I understand you correctly to say there are research numbers that suggest a substantial number of visitors come to read your reports without clicking through to peruse the always entertaining posters du jour? Or is it that they just don't post after clicking through?"
Why visitors click on a blog post (vs staying the main page) is impossible to determine without a survey. For visitors who don't post, the assumption is that they want to read the rest of the article (that appears after the jump). Are you suggesting that there's a large percentage of visitors who don't comment but come here JUST to read the comments? Wow. Is there a mutiny brewing here? Listen, I've seen the ugly side of internet celebrity. Be afraid.
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 22, 2009 at 05:43 PM
WOT UP,
I went to a Cavs game (against the Clippers) at The Q this year.
It was a bit bizarre. It's almost like a circus more than a basketball game, but, hey, it's Cleveland, people really don't know how to do stuff with class and dignity out here.
However! There is a point that I want to make. You know Cleveland's huge home court advantage? I'm become convinced it is at least partially due to one factor: The Jumbotron.
Cleveland fans are relatively enthusiastic, but they're not like Boston, Portland, or Utah fans. However, they've got one thing I've never seen anywhere else: A completely insane jumbotron manager.
I've spoken to several people about this and all concur: The jumbotron at The Q seems like it is run by a couple college kids on hallucinagenic mushrooms.
It is completely chaotic and makes no sense.
I mean, someone will hit a jump shot and they'll show a big frog on the screen. A block shot will be followed by a "Three Stooges" clip and then explosions and then a shot of the court and then a fan and then a person on a bicycle and then cheerleaders and then an image of Bugs Bunny and then an image of a hot dog... and so forth.
It is almost completely random and relatively disturbing to the uninitiated.
I think the Cavs are just used to it and visiting teams look up and become completely disorientated.
So, the key to beating the Cavs in Cleveland is simple: Don't look at the jumbotron.
Just don't look up at the jumbotron.
Okay?
What do we play for? RINGS!!!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | April 22, 2009 at 05:45 PM
vman-
While I can't say for sure where people navigate once once the site (like whether they read the comments) I can tell you with certainty that the vast- and I mean overwhelming- number of people who click on the blog do not leave comments. I'm sure many click on the posts, read them and read the comments (I know I often do on other sites, though I very rarely leave them myself, something I think is pretty common among blog/web readers), but there's really no way of knowing based on our data.
Hope that helps clarify.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | April 22, 2009 at 05:53 PM
Watching the games on FSN sure adds a lot to the games.
As much up-and-down we play, I can't see any team taking us in 7 games, we just have too much depth. Shortening the rotation will stabilize our performance.
Baywood
Posted by: Baywood | April 22, 2009 at 05:57 PM
I only read the posts and sometimes post myself - I almost never read the Kam Bros offerings. So let's start the survey.
Posted by: Otis | April 22, 2009 at 06:07 PM
This may be a little uncalled for but what are the parades like? During the 3-peat I was living in San Diego and wasn't old enough to drive so the thought of going to the parade never really seemed to cross my mind.
This year I can't wait. I need the parade, we need to win. Is it usually on a weekend or a weekday? Is it just a bunch of people standing on Figueroa? Where do they set the stage up?
Sorry for the rookie questions but I'm pretty pumped to go. Hopefully I don't have work or something.
Lamar = Finals MVP
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | April 22, 2009 at 06:30 PM
Otis,
>>> I only read the posts and sometimes post myself -
>>> I almost never read the Kam Bros offerings.
>>> So let's start the survey.
LMAO, Otis. You couldn’t resist, could you? It’s funny but I actually do skip some of the KamBros articles because I have already read all the links the night before. Just like NBA players, LA Times Bloggers were much hungrier when they were rookies. Now that they are rock stars of the blogging world with their own intern, the post-game threads don’t get uploaded as quickly. But, man, those ten new threads every day fly in like rockets.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | April 22, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Laker Tom,
"Just like NBA players, LA Times Bloggers were much hungrier when they were rookies. Now that they are rock stars of the blogging world with their own intern, the post-game threads don’t get uploaded as quickly. But, man, those ten new threads every day fly in like rockets."
You figured it out. The reason the postgame reports take longer to write now than during our first season has nothing to do with the audio and video components we've added, which take longer to download and process. It's because we're "less hungry."
AK
Posted by: Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky | April 22, 2009 at 06:43 PM
Otis: "I only read the posts and sometimes post myself - I almost never read the Kam Bros offerings. So let's start the survey."
Wrong people to survey. If there are 12000 people who visit this blog daily, then they'd have to survey the 11900 or so who DON'T comment. Which would also mean that the commenting community represents about 1% of the traffic the blog gets. Again, my metrics could be wrong.
Why don't we take the survey a step further and find out whose comments visitors come here to read specifically?
Posted by: lakers_sth | April 22, 2009 at 06:49 PM
AK,
It's the tacos you get for the press meal.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | April 22, 2009 at 07:08 PM
K Bros,
While the comments aren't handled in exactly the way I would prefer, I like your posts; both the analysis and the off-the-wall references/lead-ins. I say the more the better, and overall you do a great job.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | April 22, 2009 at 07:11 PM
Bynum has started blocking shots.
This is the first good sign for me. The next big hurdle Bynum has to get past is 4th quarter conditioning.
This team is genetically programmed to have Bynum in the middle, at center, controlling his position in crunch time. Until this happens we'll not be at our best. I love the Gasol - Odom combination, but we need Bynum in the middle; Bynum to be the fear inspiring monstrosity that he’s meant to be if we plan on bringing the rings back to Laker fingers.
Play Bynum even if he’s playing poorly, I say. He’s got less than a month.
Wes
Posted by: wesjoenixon | April 22, 2009 at 07:22 PM
I admit that I was an avid reader of the Laker blog for about two years before I finally commented. The main reason I was reluctant to comment was because I didn't want it to appear like I was jumping on the Bandwagon. I have been a Laker fan for years, and I can now express my point of viewon the blog.
Posted by: coachD | April 22, 2009 at 07:32 PM
Laker Vs. Cavs?
I sincerely clearly, hereby dearly, entirely fearlessly, boldly, coldly, totally wholly soberly and under controllably, believe that the Lakers will take the Cavs when meet in the finals.
So there.
Wes
Posted by: wesjoenixon | April 22, 2009 at 07:42 PM
"I agree whole heartily with John Holingers analysis and will predict in a hard fought series the Cavs will take the finals over the L.A. in a fully entertaining 7 game series.Possibly breaking up this Laker team..Kobe will be angry if purple/gold lose.The demise of the Lake-show,we will see.
Posted by: Skip Bayless"
LOL...I'm glad 'Skip Bayless' cares enough to comment on the Lakers Blog. Though I would think that as a nationally syndicated sports writer his grammar would be better.
Classic!
Posted by: Chris | April 22, 2009 at 07:50 PM
AK,
I know. I was just teasing you. I think you and Brian have done a great job strategizing how to position the blog and it is only going to become more and more successful. I wish you all the success in the world, even if it means more trolls from other teams’ blogs.
As I’ve told you guys before when we disagreed about the no Lakers colors, excessive links that slow page loads, poor pagination schemes, and now multiple threads, none of that is why we all come here to get our Lakers fix instead of going to Lakers.com.
For those of us who post regularly and, I suspect, for many of the those who read regularly, we come here because of the dynamic interactive Lakers community and experience you guys have created. In many ways, it is a work of creative art.
It’s the synergism of your writing skills, sense of humor, and knowledge of your audience. And the power of the LA Times. And like any good reality show, it definitely includes the “Whack Jobs” who actually think up, write, and post those crazy insane comments.
The LA Times Lakers Blog. No place else on the web like it. Leading the parade.
JMNSHBO!
DNFTT!
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | April 22, 2009 at 07:58 PM
BK. Laker sth
Thanks for the input.
STH, as I said, I have no agenda (or delusion for that matter) in asking this. Just interested in the overall, online wild west show.
Since a click is required to get to comments, I thought it might show up that way in research. Obviously, The Lakers, The Times, AK/BK are the main attractions under this Big Top.
Posted by: Vman | April 22, 2009 at 08:37 PM
Sooooooooo many people are concerned about how the Lakers won their first two games at home, but when you watch all the other series, it could be worse. Other than Cleveland, every other higher seeded team has lost a game on their homecourt with the Heat winning in Atlanta tonight, Magic evening their series with Sixers after the Sixers stole game 1 and possibly the Hornets winning game 2 in Denver in the late game tonight. Boston almost went down 2-0 to the Bulls and Dallas/SA are even.
Regardless of how the Lakers won, they took care of business on their home floor and no one in the universe outside of Utah(slim chance)believes that the Jazz are going to win the next 4 out of 5. Just about all the analysts on different sports networks today commented that they're more impressed with the Cavs pounding an over the hill, backed into the playoffs, have no business being the postseason Detroit Pistons. While the Lakers are pounding the rugged Utah Jazz who as Kobe put it "is not a true 8 seed." Comparing what the Lakers are doing with what the Cavs are doing is ridiculous and a complete joke. It seems that all these so called experts and sportswriters have amnesia or are part of the whole "We Are Witnesses" promotion for LeBron and his merry men. Seriously, the Pistons bigs Wallace and McDyess are strictly jump shooters and give very little to no post presence and I'd say that their most exciting and perhaps their best player comes off their bench in Will Bynum. Rip seems to have gotten old overnight, Prince is timid and inconsistent and Stuckey doesn't have a jump shot. The Jazz, though shorthanded has the mercurial Deron Williams as their floor leader and a cast of players that play tough and hard for their hardened and seasoned Coach, Jerry Sloan.
I expect the Lakers to put all this talk to rest. I'm sure there'll be a lot of flip floppin' with all these sports pundits when the Lakers get the job done. I'm aware that a lot of sports people are taking the Lakers over the Cavs in the finals, but I don't believe that most of them want the Lakers to win it all.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | April 22, 2009 at 08:39 PM
vman,
Roughly 10% of all people who read the internet actually take the time to respond in areas where responses are facilitated.
That makes people like us fairly rare.
Posted by: Pig Miller | April 22, 2009 at 08:49 PM
Got to admit, I go on this site and read the comments and ak/bk's post pretty much everyday but do not post. Don't want to get flame for some comment or grammar. That's how it is in clublexus.com hahaha.
Posted by: bangdangvn | April 22, 2009 at 08:53 PM
Lakers_sth/Vman:
The oldtimers are planting the seed of revolution huh!
How about an experiment in the 2nd round where we can have a blog without posters? I'm sure that will attract more hits because it will just be AK/BK giving the news and threads. This is like Hugo Chavez doing all the talking, I'm sure the foreign posters in Oaxaca, Mexico will be interested in basketball.
I was just wondering why CNN media are now interested with interaction with the public because that is what sizzles nowadays - the opinions from the public sells and make it more realistic than just one monogamous writer. A fan's opinion whether grammatically twisted or correct comes from the heart of passionate fans educated by the late Chick. It bleeds purple and gold and as Mamba24 said, if they only have one lung they will use it in cheering for the Lakers.
I wonder what happened to our foreign bloggers like tsphere, chris of norway, miguelinho, jaworski, kiwi and many more. They seldom post, are they just reading this blog? No, they get tired of posting without any reason or direction. Maybe, They are tired of being used and their opinions being abused in multiple threads.
Just my 2 cents OK.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | April 22, 2009 at 09:04 PM
Wes,
Bynum's shot blocking ability was back in the 1st game against Utah (the last regular season game) where he blocked 3 shots. Only reason he didn't block any in Game 1 was for his foul trouble.
What Bynum needs to do is to become more aware like he was when Bron was in town. He came out for help defense and LBJ couldn't get into the rack as much and forced jumpers in Kobe's face. That's why I was critical of him last game when he wasn't aware as much and Deron Wiliams drove to the hoop or was fouled by Fish/Shannon since Bynum stayed closely to his man (Boozer/Collins) rather than helping out those two guards.
Other than that Bynum is fine. He should have scored more points than 10 in one quarter though. He's not a choker like Sasha/Jordan is and is showing signs of being a playmaker.
Posted by: Kobeblitz | April 22, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Why is everyone comparing the Lakers & Cavs in the first round?
Last year Lakers swept a 50-win team while a sub-.500 team took the Cs to 7. That started the talk the Lakers were better than the Cs. (which admittedly I began to buy myself)
I think every Championship year for the Spurs started with a loss on their home court in the first round.
First round predicts nothing.
I'm fine with Farmar, Luke, Sasha playing minutes. Now's the time to play them, see if they can somehow get it in gear. Lakers may need them later.
Play Bynum until he fouls out, or learns not to. Get his conditioning back again.
Jazz aren't winning this series. Now's the time to play with the rotations, something you can't afford to do later on.
And I agree with whoever said earlier to bring back Mbenga in case the refs continue to go whistle-crazy on our bigs.
Posted by: Scott | April 22, 2009 at 09:27 PM
Is it narcissistic to think that people come here to read comments? Perhaps. But I know how often I have read, "come here to read, first time poster" or in some cases, "I agree with most of your posts Faith, first time poster" etc. (Actually I don't mean that to be me-centric, but it has occurred before.)
Look I'm not saying that the K Bros isn't a large reason why this is what it is, but in my personal experience and opinion, I come here for Lakertom, Edwin Gueco, mamba24, justanothermambafan, P Ang, Zen, etc...all the vets of the blog and its fairly new posters. They make this place entertaining for me. Their thoughts and their opinions both informative and entertaining. That's why I'm here.
That's not to say I don't find the K Bros writing entertaining and informative. It is and they are. But this blog is more than that.
Posted by: Faith | April 22, 2009 at 09:33 PM
I've only posted a comment once but i do visit this blog regularly to read the comments. i can still remember the time there was a 'start farmar' bandwagon. i wonder what happened to that. anyone's still on it? australia loves the lakers oi oi oi!
Posted by: ranulfo | April 22, 2009 at 10:50 PM
Ah, good survery. Ok, I only come on here to read my own comments. On the rare occassion that I post them. And then I just read them over and over and over again. I'll be back tomorrow to read this one again. I'm pretty sure it will have aged like fine wine.
Posted by: dave m | April 22, 2009 at 11:16 PM
p.s., Can I change survery to survey? It'll read better.
Posted by: dave m | April 22, 2009 at 11:19 PM
I seldom post but a daily reader of the blog. Ive been reading this blog since it started but won't leave any comments.
Go Canucks Go Lakers
Posted by: PipoY | April 22, 2009 at 11:53 PM
I've been reading the blog religiously now since i believe the "Smush Parker era" (to think he was our STARTING point guard! and we wonder why kobe seems to have aged...) This is my first post, and i want to say, that i believe anonymous readers like myself, not only come to the Lakers blog for the great info from the k BROS but for also the comments from the blogging vets (laker tom, Faith, mamba24, and yes even jon k.) This site is a great community of Laker fans and a place we can ALL support and share our opinions about our beloved LAKERS!
Posted by: TheTruth21 | April 23, 2009 at 12:20 AM
re reading vs comments- most of the blogs i read (truehoop, freedarko, blazersedge) the original and interesting commentary is in the blog, not the comments.
I think that this blog is fairly unique in that we have constructed a community of people who can post on the blog and expect to take part in a dialogue instead of merely being scrolled past, if the reader gets that far.
i can understand that people weaned on other blogs don't expect and therefore do not avail themselves of the general blog discussion, they read the k bros quality insights and move along.
Frankly, i was once one of them, and really just started reading the rest of the posts when i was looking for links to watch the games online- then i started noticing that a lot of the commentary that was being written was frankly better than what i could expect from 'professional' analysts like bresnahan and plashke. nothing against them, but this blog has a dialogue that really gets to the whole shebang.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE LOVE
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: phred | April 23, 2009 at 12:34 AM
i am also a first time poster. read the blog everyday. not to undermine the great kam bros writing skills, but i do often just read the comments. let's go lakers!
from the Philippines with love.
Posted by: j.law2423 | April 23, 2009 at 12:58 AM
Hey Lakers,
Don't sweat it over the Jazz, the Blazers will be there waiting to end your title hopes in the next round.............
Posted by: bloodylimey | April 23, 2009 at 01:06 AM
I typically read some comments and probably wouldn't check out the place as much were it not for them.
The bloggers are savvy followers with inside information much like traditional media types whereas blog comments come from more typical "guys on the street." I like to know what they think too.
I just read comments for a few months before my first post a few years ago.
And when I'm not posting regularly I'm usually still reading the blog a bit.
It's the best way to keep up with everything Lakers. I could search espn, latimes, la daily news, nba.com, etc. for lakers stories.
Or I can just come here.
I do miss Extra! Extra! with all the Lakers related news of the day.
I miss longer comment threads too. They generated more interesting discussion, particularly after it wasn't Mike T and his 30 posts versus 7 other people and their 150 posts. That was pretty unreadable.
A blog without comments is pretty much masturbation.
Posted by: Benjamin | April 23, 2009 at 01:09 AM
Ranulfo...What part of OZ are you in?..Im in SA......
As for our team.....I think that brace is playing some games with the brain of Bynum....I hope not but it has to be some sort of distraction...I know his fitness will get better game by game,but it would be like being the king of pop and having to dance while only wearing 1 glove...You know what i mean?.
A solid game would help that....Stay away from never-land...
You cant stop Deron but we can defend the rest...lets get it done...
Posted by: Thirty2 | April 23, 2009 at 01:23 AM
i have been here since the smushcalade era.. i have commented at least a dozen times. i have witness mike teniente's unfathomable belief in the hands of kwame "i can throw a cake but i can't catch a pass" brown, tom's game breakdown, mamba's roll call (which i used to see my name i hope to see again), jon k's love for the clippers and the undying faith of faith.
i am happy that i am here; i read the post daily.
Posted by: isang | April 23, 2009 at 04:16 AM
WOT UP,
I think all this is proof that Lebron, great as he is as a player, is very consciously trying to imitate Shaq by bluffing people with his outrageous personality. He doesn't have the verbal facility and wit of Shaq, so he's trying another tack. It indicates what we already know because Lebron himself has told us: his ambition isn't to be the best basketball player on earth, it's to be the first sports billionaire. What he does in his pre-game rituals is an integral part of his long-term marketing plan. And he knows that players like Kobe and Wade will be admired but not adulated for their "personality" the way Shaq has been over the years.
Kobe's accomplishment is incredible because it's 90% talent and skill and 10% marketing savvy (which he doesn't lack, of course, but it isn't his main driving force). And Kobe is adulated, but as an athlete rather than an entertainer.
Some of this may have to do with size as well. Shaq and Lebron have such a considerable size advantage in their respective positions that they can relax a little bit on the skill and commitment side. By doing so they can be clowns without its seeming entirely inconsistent.
Of course in a year like this that also creates the kind of drama we traditionally associate with wrestling. Which is why everyone wants to see a Lakers-Cavs finals. The extravagant personality vs. the guy who is focused on his strength alone.
On another note, it's also worth noting that this is the first time in NBA history that a team winning 65 games hasn't been top seed. When you think that Cleveland reached 67 in the east, with a wild majority of sub .500 teams, I think the odds have to go to the Lakers as to which is the better team. The only problem is the nasty issue of home court advantage (obtained by having a majority of weak opponents)... and of course the jumbotron edge!
Posted by: tsphere | April 23, 2009 at 04:36 AM
I used to post more here.. but prefer to read now a days.... I leave the posting/commenting to LakerTom, Edwin, mamba24, Faith, justanother.. and the vets... :)
But surely, there is not a day that I don't come to visit this blog and read...
chow..
Posted by: dice8up | April 23, 2009 at 04:57 AM
Yeah, and MikeT was defending Kwame "the Great" Brown...
By the way, where is NEVER?
Posted by: dice8up | April 23, 2009 at 05:00 AM
I feel like I should make a post today. I guess I might represent some of the aforementioned internet people that read the blog every day AND I read the comments.
I like the comments because we have some very knowledgeable posters on this site that put out information about the game that is very in-depth at times. I appreciate the stuff that people post like KobeBlitz, Mamba24, Lakers_sth, EdwinGueco.
I rarely post because I come here to read up on my Lakers. Joining the fray and posting isn't part of what drives me. Though I will jump in at times.
Just a summary here, I read this blog every single day and most times more than once a day. I visit this blog more than any other place on the internet except for the MSN front page.
Thanks for all the work you put into it Kam Bros. Brian, Best of luck on your 3rd year of marriage too!
Posted by: JohnnyV | April 23, 2009 at 06:25 AM
Faith,
You mean you didn't come here for Mike T? LOL
;-)
Posted by: zen | April 23, 2009 at 06:48 AM
Sorry K Bros.
You do a great job..I get busy at work sometimes and when I do jump back to the blog, it gets tiring going back and forth seeing if a new thread was started just so you can have a conversation..And then people never see your comments because they moved to the new thread and then your comments need to be reposted or they are lost forever.
But I guess this is just me!
Posted by: zen | April 23, 2009 at 06:57 AM
The Lake Show will win a highly contesting game tonight in Salt Lake.....The victory will be by 5 pts or less....Kobe will take on more of the scoring load, Pau will be Pau, and Andrew will have his best game of playoffs....I still think the Laker will win it in 5 .......
LAKERS 2009 NBA CHAMPS!! Believe IT!!
Posted by: PL | April 23, 2009 at 07:03 AM