.485

If you’re wondering why the Lakers can’t get over the .500 hump, look no further then their biggest problem, coming from their biggest man, Dwight Howard.  He’s shooting .485 from the free throw line.  Called “free” for a reason.  Called “charity stripe” for that same reason.  Yet big Dwight, who runs up and down the floor so lackadaisically, just can’t seem to put it together.  Imaging how frustrating it is to make a stop on the defensive end, come down with the ball, get it to the big guy who gets fouled, is sent to the line, and misses both free throws.  And its not happening once a game, he went 3 for 14 from the line yesterday. I mean talk about demoralizing to the rest of the team.  You can see it in Kobe’s body language.  You can even see it in Nash’s body language.  Missing freethrows has gotten contagious.  I bet you didn’t know that Howard made 67% of his freethrows in his rookie year? Howard is a perfect headcase.  You knew in the first quarter that he wasn’t gonna have a decent/respectable day from the line.  You can see it in his eyes.  Try to focus for pete’s sake.  We’re not asking for much, just 50%.  Just run up and down the court with energy.  You have bad hands. That’s why people don’t pass you the ball often.  You goaltend at least 1 shot a game.  I’m frustrated.  What good is it going to do for the Lakers to make the first round of the playoffs. So we can all watch them get swept by the Thunder?  I’m predicting that they’re not going to make the playoffs so we don’t have to worry about it.  The Lakers should’ve traded Howard before the deadline.  Big mistake by Jimmy Buss. Then again, so was hiring D’antoni.

SAY GOODBYE TO THESE LAKERS

Deja vu all over again…Los Angeles Lakers blew another 4th quarter lead tonight, just like they did in game 2.  Instead of being up 3 games to 1, the Lakers just kissed their season and hopes of a Championship… GOODBYE.  I blame Kobe for game 2′s loss.  I blame the team for this one.  Changing of the guard, well that happened last year when the Lake Show got swept by Dallas. This was just a reminder for all those Angelinos that thought that the Lakers were going to pull this series out.  There’s something toxic, cancerous about this Lakers team. It reminds me of Shaq’s last year.  Andrew Bynum was dominating the 1st half. 2nd half, M.I.A.  Blame the others for not getting the ball to him. Blame Bynum for not getting open. Blame Mike Brown for not drawing up plays for Bynum.  Pau Gasol, I’m done defending this guy. Step aside Dirk Nowitzki, here’s the posterboy for softness.  Ramon Session, disappointing is all I can say. Lakers bench, what bench? Kobe Bryant, Kobe Bryant… Too many errors, too many mistakes, too many bad shots too, too many turnovers. How easy was it for Westbrook and Durant to score? GEEZ, James Harden looked like a superstar. The Lakers are gonna get blasted next game.  I promise you that they will lose by double digits. As for the offseason, now would be the time for Jimbo Buss to make a name for himself.  Put everyone on the block.  Get some heart on this team. To have 3 all-stars on 1 team and no get past the second round for the 2nd year in a row is a joke. If this same team returns next year, you can expect another playoff torching.  Buss should call Sterling and maybe join the two teams.

Los Angeles Lakers Keep Rolling

If you thought that the Lakers just didn’t have enough this year to compete, you weren’t the only one.  Then something happened: they traded for pg in Ramon Sessions, got PF Jordan Hill, dumped the crap off their payroll (i.e. Luke Walton and Jason Kapono) and then willed their way to 3rd place in the West.  Now they’ve beaten the Denver Nuggets twice…handily and are on their way to Denver to steal at least one of the next two games.  The Lakers are the only team with 2 legitimate 7 footers that can go drop 20+ points and grab 10+ boards a game.  We all know about Kobe.  Their only glaring weakness is the bench.  I’m concerned about Ron, I mean Metta World Idiot coming back and ruining their flow. Wish the league suspended him for the entire playoffs.  Either way, if you’re looking for some playoff action, head over to Ticket Liquidator where they have the best seats for the best prices.

LAKERS COOL OFF HEAT

  Just 1 week after Dwayne Wade broke Kobe Bryant’s nose and gave him a concussion in an All-star game, Kobe Bryant punched the entire Heat team right in the mouth.  In what everyone (including myself) thought was going to be a beat-down by the Lebron led Heat, turned out to be quite the opposite.  Bryant came out storming, with 16 points in the first quarter alone. He finished the game with 33.  The big men also dominated, with each Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol posting double-doubles.  I’m not gonna say it but I’m beginning to see Ron Artest, err Metta World Peace showing flashes of his Sacramento and Houston years when he was averaging close to 20 points again. Don’t count this Lakers team out. Everyone has been giving the crown to the Clippers and not giving the Lake Show a chance.  Don’t look now but they have the 4th best record in the West with plenty of time to move past the Clips.  Second half of the season should be sick.

IT’S GONNA BE A LONG SHORTENED SEASON

As I’m watching the Los Angeles Lakers crumble again late in a game (this time against the Milwaukee Bucks), I can’t help but wonder what a nasty squad this is.  How they beat the Clippers 3 days ago befuddles me? They come off a big win against LAC and with 3 days rest, play like shit against a Bucks’ squad that’s missing their all-star center Bogut. The Lakers made Mike Dunleavy look like Jordan.  While the Lakers were clinging to a 8 point deficit, it seemed like the Bucks were handing the game to them, missing one shot after another.  But the problems was that the Lakers couldn’t hit either.  Ron Artest missed 3-pointer after 3-pointer.  Kobe Bryant did the same. I don’t think the Lakers dropped the ball into post once in the 4th quarter, and I’m not kidding.  Mike Brown, whose hire was a HUGE mistake by the Lakers, needs to man up.  This is not Cleveland where the gameplan was “do your thang Lebron.”  This is LA with an over-the-hill Kobe and a nasty drop-off after the first 3 options. The only way the Lakers will make a playoff run with this team is if they keep dropping the ball in the post.  Their outside shooters are horrendous.  Watching them lose tonight was just the icing on the cake.  They’ve won 1 road game all year.  That is ridiculous! If the playoffs were to start today, they’d be watching them from their homes. The Lakers are a lost cause.  They don’t need to trade Bynum and Gasol, they need to get rid of Kobe.  I’m sorry for saying that but if there’s 1 thing worse than a has been, it’s someone who doesn’t know that they are one.  Tell me you wouldn’t rather see Dwight and D-Will on the Lakers rather than this nasty squad? D-Will, Dwight and Gasol? Looks a lot better than what the Lakers put on the court tonight. Oh well, game on tomorrow against surging Timberwolves.  I wonder if Rubio is going to light up Fish? OK, I don’t really wonder.

BIG SHAQ RETIRES; SAD DAY FOR THE NBA

Shaquille O’Neil put the Orlando Magic on the map.  He brought prominence back to the Los Angeles Lakers.  He popped Dwayne Wade’s cherry in Miami.  With that said, the last few years of his career were plagued with injuries, mostly from his weight and lack of conditioning.  Sad to say, if Shaq wasn’t going to take care of his body, he should’ve retired years ago.  That seems to be the classic trend with superstars in sports, hanging around 1 year too long. Going back to Shaq’s career, he got swept out of the finals twice in Orlando.  Those were the days that Hakeem Olaujuwon used to dominate the paint.  It took a couple years for him to get his act together in LA, but when he finally did, he netted 3 Championships in a row and a sad finals defeat at the hands of the Detroit Pistons.  If the Kobe-Shaq fued never blew up, both these guys would’ve had a little more hardware hanging on their mantle. As for the run in Miami, we all know it driven by vengeance.  The spite that brewed inside of him after the Lakers chose, I mean traded him away of Lamar Odom and some scraps. The bottom line is, Shaq was one of the most dominant big men in the league.  Not by skill, but by brute force. He was too strong, too big for the league.  His only move was the dunk. With that said, he was still unstoppable. All three of these teams should, must retire his jersey.  Send the big guy off in style.  He deserves it, he put them either on or back on the map. We’re gonna miss you big fella.  The last of the true centers is gone.

MIKE BROWN TO COACH LAKERS: BAD MOVE

It seems that ex-Clevland Cavaliers head coach Mike is going to try to lead the Lakers to teh promised land next year.  I have one think to say, BAD MOVE… Out of all the coaching choices out there, the Lakers picked probably the worst one.  Let me tell you what Mike Brown’s gameplan was when he was coaching the Cavs… give the ball to Lebron and stay out of his way. The Lakers passed on Jeff Van Gundy, Brian Shaw, Rick Adelman and a handful of other coaches.  The only person worse would have been Mike Dunleavy.  I know what’s gonna happen next year, Kobe is gonna score over 30 a game and piss off the rest of the team.  I give Brown till the all-star break before he loses complete control of his team. Ron Artest and co. are gonna run circles around this guy. He’s gonna wish he was back at ESPN studios breaking down film.  I guess the days of high powered coaches are done, no more Rileys and Jacksons.  A new era has begun with the Lakers, and I see nothing but trouble ahead.

PAU GASOL SUCKS

I’m not gonna sugar coat it.  Gasol single handedly blew this game for the Lakers.  Turnover after turnover and then fouling Dirk Nowitzki and putting them on the line about 35 feet away from the basket when you’re up by 1 point? What the F!@# is wrong with this guy? And the sad part is that after making mistake after mistake, all Gasol did was make that stupid face like “where’s the foul?” I don’t wanna blame Europeans for being soft because Nowitzki punked Gasol tonight.  I have a suggestion for Phil Jackson and the Lakers… start Odom for Game 2.  I know, you’re probably thinking that I’m panicking.  But that’s not true. Gasol has been playing like a bitch all year.  Don’t let his 15-11-7 on the night fool you.  All that matters is what happens in the 4th quarter and in this case, Gasol GASUCKED!!! I do think that the refs should’ve called a foul on Jason Kidd at the end of the game.  You gotta call it both ways. Don’t worry Lakers fans, they’re still gonna beat the Mavs, it’s just gonna take 1 game longer.  I still have the Lakers in 6. Time to bring out the MAMBA!

NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE

What was always the more interesting of the 2 conferences is turning out to be a bore.  But before we turn the page on the Western Conference playoffs, here are my picks for the first round:

Memphis Grizzlies v. San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs have amassed the best record in the West and for good reason.  I’m a little concerned with the Ginobli injury but playing against a young and inexperienced Memphis team is the perfect anecdote. With OJ Mayo regressing, I don’t think Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol can lead them past the Spurs for a whole series.  Look for the Grizz to steal a game or 2 but the Spurs should coast through this seriers

New Orleans Hornets v. Los Angeles Lakers: The surging Lakers all of a sudden have run into a wall.  Injuries to Bynum and an irate Bryant, this team looks like the lost their flow.  But let’s not forget, they’re the Lakers, they come with a lot of baggage and drama, but at the end of the day, they’re good, they’re stacked, they’re experienced.  The series with the Hornets might go to 6 but the Lakers should pull it out.

Dallas Mavericks v. Portland Trail Blazers: Can someone say upset special? True the Mavs have Dirk and Terry but is anyone ever afraid of them.  There’s something about Lamarcus Alridge and the Blazers that you don’t wanna mess with.  I’m not saying the Mavs don’t stand a chance, but if they blow home court, I don’t think they’re gonna be able to pull off a win in Portland.

Oklahoma City Thunder v. Denver Nuggets: The Thuggets have been playing better without Carmelo, but it’s time to come back down to reality. The Thunder are legit contenders to win the West and have the best chance to upend the Lakers.  The addition of Perkins (and his big mouth) have given this team a true force in the middle.  Watch for these guys to sweep the Nuggets. Sorry J.R. Smith, you know I hate it when you lose (that’s call online sarcasm).

Enjoy round 1!!!

Lakers Let One Slip Away… Or Did They?

Just when you thought the Lakers were gonna run the table (sans the loss to the Heat) they go ahead and give up an easy one the Nuggets, at Staples.  The rule is this: the more you let a team hang around, the more they start believing that they can win. I’m mean, there’s no one outside Colorado that would ever pick the Nuggets over the Lakers in a 7 game series but anybody can win 1 game. This definitely hurts the Lakers chances of getting the #1 seed in the Western Conference, but is it a bad thing?  If the Lakers pass the Spurs (which at this point seems like it’s not gonna happen), they’d have to face the Thunder in a 2nd round playoff matchup and then the Spurs. We all know that the only team that scares the Lakers are the Thunder.  If the playoffs start today, the Lakers would face the Mavs in the 2nd round and either the Thunder or the Spurs. So 2nd is not such a bad thing for now.  As for the Nuggets, tell me they’re not a 10x better team without Carmelo??? I’m just saying…