There was a few things that I couldn't help noticing lastnight when the Lakers took on the Jazz. Although the Lakers came away with a win, they could have easily lost the game because of a few things.
1. Sasha Shoots way to many three pointers even when he's in a serious slump like lastnight. he was 1-8 on shooting threes, which also begs the question how come he got so many minutes of playing time lastnight?
2. Even though the Lakers forced 18 total turnovers on the Jazz they did turnover the ball a total of 14 times themselves , 4 each by Gasol and Kobe. Now Kobe's T.O. are nothing new but Pau Gasol has turned the ball over numerous times throughout this series.
3. The lakers are geting killed on the boards. Offensive rebounds being the biggest problem. If the Lakers hope to win a championship this can't be a continuing trend.
4. Jordan Farmar continues to struggle when he gets playing time. Lastnight he went 2-5 from the field and 1-2 from three point range but didn't record even 1 assist. He also doesn't have a lick of defensive skill.
5. The Lakers can't continue to miss free throws. Even though as a team they shot 81% from the line, they still missed 8 free throws. 4 of those were missed by Kobe which is not something he does often but has struggled somewhat during this series. This is also something that can't continue if the Lakers make it to the Western Conference Finals or better yet the NBA finals.
Those are just some things that came to my attention. Their are some other things I think are important as well. But maybe not as important as these. Whether you agree or disagree that these things are factors that could affect the team, I look forward to your opinion.
This is the question, if there was just a few seconds left on the clock and you had one last shot at an NBA championship who would you want taking that shot Kobe or LeBron? Personaly I would want Kobe and here is my reason why. LeBron for all his greatness is not a good jump shooter. Now befor you Lebron lovers come in here and damn me to hell, yes I am aware that the stats say Lebron is more clutch this season. In my opinion stats are misleading and vary from season to season.
I am also aware that LeBron hit a clutch shot over Kobe to beat the Lakers this season. Like that has never happened to LeBron as well. Although I am sure all you LeBron lovers have selective memory and somehow do not remember it ever happening.
What I also know is what I see game in and game out and that is Kobe is just the best shooter in the NBA not named Ray Allen. He can hit it from down deep consistantly. The turn around fade away jumper is the best I seen since "Mike." He can drive past any defender in the game today. Heck put two or three on him and he'll still find a way to split them make the shot and get the foul.
He's also a much better free throw shooter and even better with the game on the line. So there is no question or doubt in my mind about who I would want taking that last shot to win it all. That person is the best player in the game as of today "Kobe Bryant."
LeBron is a great player who will only get better as time goes on. The young man has so much potential it's almost unreal. Some day he just "might" be he best who ever played. That remains to be seen, however Kobe is the best as of right now. Anyone who says different is either blinded by hatred or homerism and the two go hand and hand.
Here is what a few so called experts in sports from that four letter station have to say about who would they rather have right now on their team.
Note: in order to view this video you must click the bottom half of the imbeded code.
I am sure if you asked any other sports journalist and media guys/ladies and just overall sports junkies like me you would get the same answer from just about everyone of them. LeBron will have his day (although I don't think it will be in a Cav's uniform) and he will have everyone saying these same exact things about him. Until that time sit back and be witness to something great. Something we all as NBA fans should be enjoying.
Feel free to comment and voice your opinion but please keep it simple and do not disrespect anyone elses own opinion. There is no room for that here, if that is your intentions write you own blog and do it there.
When the Memphis Grizzlies traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers for the expiring contract of Kwame Brown and rookie gaurd Javaris Crittington many teams may have not agreed with that trade. None of them have come out and said the things that San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich said. "What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," Popovich told SI.com. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade." Sounds like sour grapes to me.
All this coming from a team that has bench players that could start for other teams. Does he feel threatened by the Lakers making such a trade? I for one think so, what other reason could he have for such a comment. In my honest opinion it makes him look like a bitter old man. The Spurs while still a very good team and the defending NBA champions just may feel that their strangle hold on the best in the West may be coming to an end.
I for one hope both the Lakers and the Spurs make it to the Western conf. finals and the Lakers either sweep the Spurs or just down right beat the #### out of them. The comment during that interview just shows that Popovich is a poor sport unlike some of his players. Get over it, the trade is made, the Lakers and eventualy the Grizzlies are and will be better teams because of it. Popovich's legacy as a coach is not in jepordy, so there is no reason for his bitterness. Unlesss that is he feels that just being a great coach who had some really great seasons isn't enough. Is it that he hoped to someday catch up to Phil Jackson and Red Aubach in the many championship titles they have one? Let's face it coach Popovich your team may have lot's of class but you are an ####!
The L.A. Lakers took on the Orlando Magic tonight but it was Kobe and Pau Gasol who stole the show. The new one-two punch combined to score 66 points and lead their team to victory. In just his third game with the Lakers Gasol has shown that his versitility has made it easy for him as well as his teamates to adapt to each other. Both he and Bryant ran the pick and roll with perfection and kept the Magic's star player Dwight Howard in foul trouble most of the game.
Adding Gasol has made the Lakers a very strong team and it will be interesting to watch them as the season continues. Bryant drove inside a number of occasions to slam home the high percentage bucket. Finishing the night with pretty impressive numbers 36 pts. 10 reb. 6 asst and a block. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said Gasol was the difference maker. "He did it all scoring, passing and keeping our big man in foul trouble. We couldn't contain him at all."
Howard had 19 pts and 11 boards however it wasn't enough as he had to play timid with all the fouls he acumulated throughout the game. Turkoglu also was in foul trouble during this game. Which was no doubt what hurt their chances of winning. Vet. PG Derrick Fisher also put up some solid numbers 14 pts. 7 asst. and Lamar Odom chipped in with 12 pts as the Lakers have now won four out of the last five games.
With the Pheonix Suns adding Shaq to their roster the Pacific division rivalry has just gotten more interesting. I have to give the nod to L.A. though as I feel Gasol will expose Shaq if Bynum isn't healthy enough to be in the lineup. However if he is and can help the Lakers by continuing were he left of there just might not be a better team in the West.
Kobe Bryant is arguably the best all around player in the NBA today. His defense is astounding, he has led the league two years in scoring. His ability to create shots and score on anyone is second to none.
But for the Lakers to be succesful this season isn't going to come down to whether Bryant can get others involved in the offense. It isn't going to come down to who can come off the bench and help. What it's going to come down to is whether or not Kobe can keep from turning the ball over so much.
As great of a player as he is, Kobe tends to lead the league in turnovers a game consistantly. Last night in a pre-season lost the the Golden state Warriors 111-110, Kobe's stats looked like this. 17pts- 5ast.- 5reb- 1stl. and 6to. that's half of what the whole Warriors team had for the game.
Now you would say that the rest of his stats look descent for the first pre-season game and I would say you are correct. Thing is if Kobe and the rest of the Lakers do not turn the ball over so much they would actually have beat the Warriors pretty soundly. Even though they only lost by one point with such a high number of turnovers (18 total for the whole team) against such elite teams in the regular season this would mean a blowout and not a one point deficit.
The question here is does Kobe handle the ball to much? Isn't that what a PG's job is? If you ask me I would say yes he does. So until the Lakers get someone in the backcourt to handle this responsibility this will continue to happen to Kobe. When he has the ball teams immediately double up on him. They don't wait for him to make a move then bring help he's to good for that. So when teams do this it's hard for him to find someone to get the ball to because lets face it the Lakers have some of the laziest players I have ever seen.
I'm as big a Kobe fan as anyone, but this is something that has annoyed me for years. Turnovers can kill a team, especialy when after a turnover it's hard to get back and play defense. You are not only physicaly out of position but you are mentaly disturbed when it happens. I still think the Lakers are a good team and will make the playoffs. How far they go well we will not know till that time comes. But you can be assured that if Kobe as an indivdual and the Lakers as a team continue to turn the ball over as much as they did lastnight and have for some years now, it will not be very far.
The perfect breakfast as I see it.
You’re sitting at the table and your son is on the cover of Wheaties, your mistress is on the cover of Playboy, and your wife is on the back of the milk carton.
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When the Memphis Grizzlies traded Pau Gasol to the Lakers for the expiring contract of Kwame Brown and rookie gaurd Javaris Crittington many teams may have not agreed with that trade. None of them have come out and said the things that San Antonio Spurs coach Greg Popovich said. "What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," Popovich told SI.com. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade." Sounds like sour grapes to me.
