When will we learn?

Many cocky Laker fans welcome the news of point guard Jameer Nelson's possible return to the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals that begin Thursday at Staples Center.

"His timing will be off. He'll only disrupt the playoff rotation the Magic have already established. He'll do more harm than good in the Orlando lineup," these Laker fans foolishly prattle.

Normally good arguments, except when it comes to L.A. in the NBA Finals.

May I present the Willis Reed Curse. For those too young to remember or too shattered to bring it back to their stream of consciousness, Reed was the center of the New York Knicks who hurt his right thigh muscle in Game 5 of the 1970 Finals against the Lakers.

Yes, the Knicks were once good even before Patrick Ewing and Pat Riley tried to physically beat up the rest of the league.

Continue reading "Lakers Beware The Willis Reed Curse With The Possible Return of Magic's Nelson"

Earlier in the NBA playoffs, a 25-point Los Angeles Lakers victory would have been a source of concern heading into the ensuing game.

Fortunately, the Lakers now have two things going for them following their 100-75 blowout of the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.

No. 1: Witness LeBron James.

Who?

You know, the Silent Chosen One? The one who stole what should've been a glorious week for the Magic after winning the Eastern Conference Finals in six games on Friday. Instead of praising Orlando for reaching for its second NBA Final in franchise history (Shaq, tell me how Magic bleep tastes), all the focus out east was on LeBron's "competitor" mentality that explained his absence of sportsmanship to the Magic and abandonment of his teammates during postgame interviews.

Continue reading "How Will Lakers Handle Prosperity? We're All Witnesses"

Lamar Odom's offense in the fourth quarter was a huge reason the Los Angeles Lakers escaped in overtime of the NBA Finals' Game 2.

Odom also was the reason they didn't put the game away a lot sooner.

The Lakers survived what has become the Orlando Magic's typical bounce-back game, winning 101-96 Sunday night to take a 2-0 series lead. You just knew the Magic weren't going to lie down after getting thrashed 100-75 in Game 1.

It was Odom who hit the game-clinching free throws with 22.1 seconds in the extra session to cap a 19-point performance.

Thanks, L.O. Now, apologize for making your team have to scrap for five extra minutes to avoid going to Orlando with the series tied at 1-1.

Oh sure, the stats look nice: 8-of-9 shooting, eight rebounds and three crucial blocks. He also scored L.A.'s first four baskets of the fourth quarter.

Continue reading "Lovin' Lamar Odom ... NOT"

What has transpired in the last two NBA Finals games has made it clear: Kobe Bryant is not the best closer in the league.

Not right now, anyway.

For the second consecutive game, the Los Angeles Lakers put the ball in Bryant's hands with a chance to beat the Orlando Magic and he failed to deliver.

On Sunday, Hedo Turkoglu stripped him of the ball with 0.6 seconds in regulation, and only the "Alley-Oops!" from Courtney Lee prevented the Magic from evening the series at one game apiece.

Tuesday night, it was Dwight Howard's turn to make Kobe look mortal. Superman saved Orlando by tapping the ball away from Kobe with 30 seconds left and Orlando ahead 104-102.  Pau Gasol valiantly dove on the floor to save the ball but couldn't get the ball to Bryant as Mickael Pietrus stole the ball and preserved the Magic's first-ever Finals win.

Continue reading "Two Strikes and Kobe's Out as the Closer"

Dear Derek Fisher,

I'm sorry. I never should have questioned your play in these playoffs.

After Thursday night's heroics that lifted your Los Angeles Lakers to the 99-91 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals and gave your team a seemingly insurrmountable 3-1 series lead, you have earned a Laker Benefit of the Doubt card. For life.

Like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, James Worthy, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Robert Horry, and George Mikan (though he was a bit before my time) all have. You're officially a Laker immortal.

To review: I have constantly hammered coach Phil Jackson for leaving you in the game when your defense has been what I considered subpar against the likes of Derron Williams, Aaron Brooks, Chauncey Billups and Rafer Alston.

Continue reading "The Fisher King"

If the Los Angeles Lakers need someone who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two, then Lamar Odom's their man.

Otherwise, opt for Trevor Ariza.

NBA Finals play-by-play announcer Mike Breen posed the question during Game 4 against Orlando on Thursday night: Which of the Lakers' free agents should be the higher priority in the offseason? Ariza or the Candy Man?

Sorry, Sammy Davis Jr.

To be fair, when the 6-foot-10 Odom is on his game, the Lakers are a dominant basketball team. He has the ability to grab a rebound and lead a fast break -- a rarity in the NBA. He's quick, he's proven to be a solid shot-blocker and he's capable of going strong to the basket.

Continue reading "Ariza or A Candy Man? Trevor's Looking Sweeter to Me"

Trying to separate the five best Los Angeles Laker championship teams (sorry, Minneapolis, I'm putting your rings aside because I have no concept of the NBA in its infancy) is kind of like the Octomom trying to pick her five favorite among her 14 children.

Oh, wait. I probably treasure the 10 L.A. titles more.

First, a tip of the cap to the current Purple and Gold, who won the franchise's 15th overall (and 10th in L.A., obviously) with their 99-86 victory over the worthy Orlando Magic on Sunday night for a 4-1 series triumph.

It was good to see this edition make good on its vow that it needed to be tested to bring out its best. Seven losses, including three to the pesky Houston Rockets, certainly toughened the Lakers.

But does the latest title even make the Lakers' top five?

Continue reading "Ranking the Top 5 Los Angeles Laker Championship Teams"

Even in victory, Kobe Bryant can't win.

In the days immediately following the Los Angeles Lakers' clinching of the 2008-09 NBA championship, two columnists were all to eager to try to undermine their accomplishments.

One writer said he couldn't be happy for the Lakers because winning does not make unlikable athletes likable. This is the same writer that gets paid to bash the Lakers if he so chooses, and he chooses often enough.

Another writer complained that L.A.'s post-championship celebration didn't appear genuine because he didn't think Bryant's teammates truly like him. This from an admitted Boston Celtics fan.

Yeah, and Kevin Garnett's "Anything Is Possible!" roar in the postgame celebration of last year's Boston title was completely spontaneous and had nothing to do with adidas' slogan, "Impossible Is Nothing."

Continue reading "Forget Jordan; Let's Compare Kobe to Jesus"

It started out as an extended family reunion -- not mine. It turned into an invaluable tale of the habits of the Nextel Cup groupie.

In four days, I saw first-hand rural America's loyalty to NASCAR.

Imagine, if you will, a summer vacation based on a celebration of family event: the baptism of my nephew, Blaise. The 5-month-old is the son of my wife's sister, Amanda, and her husband, Joe.

Joe hails from rural Nebraska, son of a farmer. He's the sixth of seven children -- five boys and two girls. Joe and Amanda were hosts to a family gathering at their four-bedroom home (with a basement). Four of  siblings and their families, as well as my family all communed there -- a head count of 20.

I knew I was about to partake in a weekend to which I'm not accustomed almost immediately. When all the guests arrived, the second task to be determined after sorting out sleeping arrangements was setting up stakes in Joe's backyard for horse shoes.

Continue reading "The Secret of NASCAR's Popularity Revealed"

Shaq can't even proclaim himself "The Big Trade."

The defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic trumped Los Angeles Laker ex Shaquille O'Neal's move from the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers when they acquired Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets.

Carter's relocation to Disney World seemingly would keep the Magic in control of the ever-increasing wild, wild east. Although, it is intriguing to imagine what The Big Change of Address (five teams in the career of the most dominant center of our generation? Hard to fathom) might do for King James -- His Royal Poor Sport -- and the Cavs if Shaq is properly motivated.

Yet, the biggest immediate threat to a potential Laker dynasty -- if properly healed -- comes from our Green "friends" in Boston.

Continue reading "Trading the Lakers' Enemies? I Don't Think So"

Those awaiting a statement from Manny Ramirez about his alleged performance-enhancing drug use when he returns to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night after serving a 50-game suspension probably should be tested themselves.

Manny was the artful dodger when questions of his suspension arose during his "rehab" stints at Triple-A Albuquerque and Class A Inland Empire. Heck, the Dodgers also sent a plethora of organizational personnel on his little league tour, ensuring his protection from the big, bad media.

That comes as no surprise, seeing how the Dodgers also saw fit to protect Manny from the wet grass at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque and the sunlight over Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernadino.

Ramirez skipped his final scheduled appearance for the Isotopes because rain earlier in the day left the outfield grass wet, and the Dodgers didn't want him to ... get a grass stain? Perhaps they feared that Major League Baseball officials would mistake the stain for another type of grass and slap him with a 100-game suspension for a second offense.

Continue reading "Don't Blame Manny; The Grass Was Wet"