Am I the only one that cracks up whenever people give Kobe way more credit than he should get on defense? This includes his undeserved First Team all D nod last year, constant praise about how he locks people down whenever a star happens to go cold, and DIME's claim that he "shut AI down" last night when anyone who watched the game knows that it's not true.

Now that's not to take anything away from Kobe defensive tenacity for most of this year, because it really has been top notch compared to the way he was D'ing up in the post-Shaq years, but come on with the un-deserved praise...I mean give it to him when Mamba earns it, but don't constantly be on his you know what about his defense because that's what the guys on ESPN who see 5 out of 82 Laker games every year choose to harp about.

The Lakers played a typical Lakers game, and Kobe did what he had to do at the end. I don't believe Kobe is the most clutch player in the NBA anymore, but he's definitely at the top of the list and his takeover in the last two or so minutes of the game proved that. #24 played a very solid game putting up 25 on 10-19 shooting, with 8 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. I tend to get on Kobe's case a lot because I hate the way idiotic Kobe fans are blind to all his wrongs, but he's actually playing really nice ball. You wouldn't be able to tell by the Lakers record, but this is arguably the best "all around Kobe" we've seen in a very long time. D.Fish and Lamar gave the Lakers 20 and 17 respectively, and Vlad Rad chipped in with 21 points at a point where he was seemingly hitting everything he wanted from this one particular spot on the right side behind the three point line. Farmar, Bynum, and Ariza had quiet games which is a shame given that this is our young nucleus and anytime they don't play serious ball you get mental images of this type of performance when Kobe isn't there to bail them out at the end.

AI dropped 51 points on 18-27 shooting, which is kind of bad considering he had 49 of said points in the first three quarters despite the fact that he played most if not all of the fourth. Melo chipped in with 26 on 10-23 shooting, and Marcus Camby put up 20 rebounds (to be expected since Bynum wasn't up to stuff and he's our big time rebounder) but no points. This team just doesn't have it, and anyone saying they'll contend in the West is out of their minds.

I was always under the impression that people got way too excited when AI and Melo joined forces, and this game is just another example of that. Allen Iverson is a straight up beast, and Melo is great offensively, but neither is that dominant guy that will carry you to a title in the way Duncan or Shaq would. I can't say it's all defensively related because Shaq wasn't exactly a defensive monster in his prime, but they just lack that special something. I love Camby though, he's been the man since back in the Knick days. Bottom line is if you're a Nuggets fan, I'd expect to finish somewhere in the same area as the Lakers because both teams are pretty far away from that title run.

Speaking of the Knicks, did they really not tell Starbury his father had to be rushed to the hospital? I mean, are you kidding me with that BS? Say what you want about Steph, but you don't mess around with a man's family. Every single person who took part in that stupid little thing oughta feel ashamed of themselves, and I wouldn't blame Steph if he took a very long time in coming back to that circus in New York.

Five bucks says Jason Kidd goes nowhere. I mean seriously, what in god's name can the Cavs give up to get Kidd? And before you crazy Laker fans start licking your lips, what exactly are you going to trade for Kidd? Bynum is going nowhere, and no one else on the Lakers aside from Kobe is going to draw any interest from New Jersey. 

If the Spurs continue to win games minus the Big Fundamental, are we going to start hearing about how he's "overrated" and how the Spurs are a good team without him? Bet money that's what Kobe lovers are going to scream when you compare the dominance of Tim Duncan versus that of Kobe.

Is there any doubt who the early season favorite for MVP should be? Minus Lebron James the Cavs may as well be the Wolves.

I wasn't around for the Sean Taylor situation, but let me just ask one thing...Where are the apologies from all the people who were sure that it was Sean's past catching up with him? I mean isn't this the part where you admit you were wrong, that he probably was changing his life for the better like EVERYONE is saying, and that what happened to him could've happened to anyone?

Feels good to be back.