Kobe Bryant

al soccer fans (is there such a thing?) tune in just to watch Ronaldo or any other soccer player.

Kobe Bryant?  LeBron James? Though Kobe apparently is doing quite well as Yao Ming's replacement in China, he's about five more consecutive titles away from erasing his tarnished 2004.

Continue reading "With All Due Respect, Tiger, Federer ..."

10) They were spotted in Kobe's escalade at an 'N and Out drive-through. And yes, they both got "animal style."

9) When on road trips in Denver, Kobe's got Artest covered for booty calls.

Continue reading "Top 10 Reasons Kobe and Artest will work out"

and Laker fandom have a considerable dislike for Kobe Bryant. Even with his renaissance this season as a world champion.

The rape allegations. The feud with Shaquille O'Neal, with many people believing an arrogant and selfish Bryant drove O'Neal out of town and coach Phil Jackson into retirement in 2004.

Continue reading "In Taking an A for an A, Lakers Become ..."

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.

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

By winning his fourth NBA championship and his first Finals MVP trophy, Kobe Bryant elevated himself to legend status. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Winning an NBA championship is kind of like graduation. You work all year to accumulate points and once it's done, you get to enjoy a big celebration in June.

Continue reading "KOBE EARNS MASTER'S DEGREE IN LEADERSHIP"

the lead to 15, 75-60, before the Lakers went on an improbable 15-0 run behind Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to steal an 89-84 win.

"This is what makes champions,"' a 21-year-old Bryant was quoted as saying. "We watched Game 7s growing up all the time, and to finally play in one is a real thrill."

Continue reading "Ranking the Top 5 Los Angeles Laker ..."

ith dominating wins.

The championship signature was not only the team backbone play of Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, but the big-time clutch shots of Derek Fisher, the 3-pt. dagger to take Orlando to OT, and another 3-pt. shot in OT, off a great feed from Bryant to help seal the deal, and open up a 3-1 series lead in Game 4.

Continue reading "Congratulations, Los Angeles Lakers, ..."

Ok, sure LeBron and Kobe are the 2 best players on the planet, but why this rivalry all of a sudden?  Yes, it's good promotion for the league, however, the 2 have never played really meaningful g

Continue reading "Why LeBron vs Kobe?"

was about to watch its 2-0 series disappear as a YES HE'S TIRED Kobe Bryant was trying and failing to finish the game against the Magic on Thursday night. If anyone doubts Bryant's fatigue, go back and look at his brick on a wide-open 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter.

Continue reading "The Fisher King"

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.

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

nd to the 2008 NBA Finals would've provided Los Angeles the impetus to get tougher this time out.

Kobe Bryant, not James, has come to resemble the true No. 23 -- the one that led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships -- in the last few games of the'09 playoffs. His teammates seemingly have made the commitment to play on both ends of the floor.

Continue reading "How Will Lakers Handle Prosperity? ..."

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.

Continue reading "Lakers Beware The Willis Reed Curse ..."

Or is it dilemmi? Either way.

As the entire NBA world eagerly awaits the potential match-up of Kobe and LeBron in this year's finals, they also can't help observe it's getting increasingly difficult for them to get there. The Magic and Nuggets are hitting their strides at the right time, with bench players stepping up at crucial moments, Van Panic and Karl making good coaching moves, and both team's point guards acting as the leaders they can be. Even if the current and future MJ's of our time average 50 a game for the rest of the playoffs, it won't matter. That's not how you reach the Golden Summit (Yes, I just used "Golden Summit" as an analogy for the Finals. Deal with it. I like it.).

Continue reading "Kobe and LeBron facing similar dilemmas"

You never hear the term "Final 4" applied to the NBA conference finalists. That marketing marker is applied to collegiate March Madness.

But this exhilarating post-season, the L.A. Nuggets are in a dead heat with the Denver Lakers, as of midway of Game 3, Western Conference final.

Continue reading "NBA Final 4 Rock Equally Hard -- ..."

The pressure on Kobe Bryant now is being exerted in two cities: Denver and Cleveland.

LeBron James added to the enormous weight already on the sturdy shoulders of the Black Mamba on Friday night with his oh-no-he-didn't 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Orlando Magic 96-95 to even their Eastern Conference Finals series at one game apiece.

Continue reading "Kobe or LeBron: Was Jerry West right?"

The only way the Rockets are going to beat the Lakers is if Ron Artest literally KILLS Kobe Bryant. That's the only way. Lakers take Game 7 in a blowout.

The Nuggets are going to lose to the

Continue reading "Top 10 Things Mark Cuban MEANT TO ..."

Steroids has officially gone postal.

The list of all-star players who have been revealed to be using steroids: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Alex Rodriguez, now.......MANNY RAMIREZ.

Continue reading "Manny being Manny: The Latest twist ..."

If Kobe Bryant expects to win a championship this June, he needs to trust his teammates more. If he doesn't, the Lakers will not only struggle to win the Finals, they may have trouble even getting there. Last night's loss to the Houston Rockets, putting them down 1-0 in the series, is to me, enough cause for concern. Phil Jackson needs to sit down Kobe and tell him the same thing he told Jordan: trust your teammates more.

Continue reading "Memo to Kobe: Be like Mike"

Say Swine Flu keeps spreading. Say it gets worse, like "Outbreak" worse, and the majority of people in the US get it, including LeBron James. I still don't think I could beat him one-on-one. Even if it was first to score. Or if we played "PIG." Remember when Jordan had the flu in the '88 playoffs, and he dropped 47 against the Knicks, AT the Garden??? We spectators/bloggers/sports fans seriously over-estimate the flu. If LeBron had swine flu, not only would he stuff me like a Quizno's Torpedo, he would still be able to beat the following athletes/teams:

Continue reading "LeBron could beat me with Swine Flu"

This is easiest Question for MVP in awhile. My only confusion is why is WADE so Strongly mentioned?  Wade is a great player and had an amazing season but if you look back to recent history whe

Continue reading "MVP Chatter!! Lebron Kobe Wade?"

I'm a Kobe fan. Huge Kobe fan. He's practically my generation's MJ. Nothing against MJ, I just never saw him play much. I went to the United Center once, when I was seven, and all I remember is Scottie Pippen's crew-cut and cotton candy. Also, I'm from D.C., so the fact that MJ ruined the entire development and chemistry of an up-and-coming Washington Wizards team, just so he could milk a little more limelight, doesn't really sit well.

Continue reading "Why Lakers fans should worry about ..."

No matter what deficiencies that lineup has, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher can compensate for it. We may never see that lineup, let's hope Phil Jackson at least gives it a chance in a game.

Continue reading "New Lakers Team? Odom to Remain a Starter?"

The Los Angeles Lakers have sent Vladimir Radmonovic to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown. I am not a huge fan of the trade. I like Vlad's game and with Bynum out we need all the height we can get, Vlad is 6'10 and can play the 3 or the 4 position. The obvious benefit is that this summer the Lakers will have more cap room to resign Trevor Ariza and possibly Lamar Odom as well if he takes a bit of a discount. I don't see much playing time for Morrison or Brown with the team, whereas I believe Vlad could have still helped. I thought at first this may be a pre-cursor to another deal but it looks like Morrison and Brown will stay.

Continue reading "Lakers Send Vlad to Charlotte"

because Radmanovic should have been a very useful player for the Lakers, providing floor space for Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, and bringing high-percentage shooting from downtown as well as the free throw stripe. If Luke Walton, Trevor Ariza, and Radmanovic were considered Los Angeles' trio of small forwards, I'd rank Radmanovic either first or second out of the set. Ariza's probably a better all-around player, but I'd definitely take Radmanovic over Walton, who oddly enough, is the one who gets the bulk of the minutes.

Continue reading "Radmanovic trade a mistake for Lakers"

Without him they're second -- again. Kobe Bryant is, without a doubt, the premier basketball player in the universe, but Pau Gasol is his only reliable partner in crime.

Bynum made for a dangerous third option, and role that will now have to be occupied by the enigmatic, headache-inducing Lamar Odom. 

Continue reading "NBA Power Rankings"

The Lakers travel to Boston tonight to take on the Celtics in Boston for the first time since... well... all Lakers fans know where I am going. It was a game Laker nation had marked on the schedule as

Continue reading "Lakers-Celtics"

Andrew Bynum has left tonight's game against the Grizzlies with a right knee injury after Kobe Bryant fell on his knee. X-Rays are negative but an MRI is scheduled for tomorrow in New York. Thi

Continue reading "Bynum Goes Down with Knee Injury"

Five straight double-doubles from the Lakers big man, and no I'm not talking about Pau Gasol. Lakers center Andrew Bynum looks to be over coming any mental blocks left over from last year's injury. Ov

Continue reading "If Bynum Keeps this up... Lookout!"

never thought we would have this discussion: Who is the next Michael Jordan? Everyone keeps saying Kobe Bryant or LeBron James is the next Michael Jordan. They will never touch his status.

Continue reading "The Boston Celtics: The Next Michael Jordan"

I know there's a long way to go this season, but I'm over 90 percent confident that Kobe Bryant will again go to war against Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett in June.

I'll tell you why. On Boston's side, their team defense is as tenacious and relentless as ever, and offensively, their ball movement my even be superior to last year. Ray Allen looks to be in phenomenal physical condition, and shows no signs of slowing down. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett seem a little banged up at times, but they are both warriors, and minor aches and pains can't truly slow them down.

Continue reading "We're headed for a Lakers/Celtics ..."

a matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference Farmar dropped in 14 points in his return. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 22, Trevor Ariza had 17, Pau Gasol 16, and Andrew Bynum 15 in

Continue reading "Farmar Returns with a Bang"

42 points, then 23 points, a typical back to back for Kobe Bryant, only this time it wasn't Kobe leading the Lakers in scoring. It was young center Andrew Bynum. Obviously you do not want to get over excited about two games, but hopefully this is a sign of something from young Bynum. Today will tell more when he goes up against Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. Even though Bynum's big games came against low ranked teams, if he can build some confidence from these games and carry it on, it will make the Lakers that much better.

Continue reading "Bynum Picking it up, LO too?"

It is only fitting that the maiden voyage of this blog be the same day as a marquee matchup, the Lakers against the Cavs.  It is a homegame for the Lakeshow, but the Lakers have lost two straight.  This is a big game.  A victory will make their prior two losses meaningless, but a loss could send them into a Celtics-esque tailspin.  The Lakers lost those last two games to other top-tier teams, the Spurs and the Magic.  They were both very winnable, decided in the last minute of the game.  Those are heartbreakers.  If the Lakers hope to win, they need Pau on top of his game, Bynum to man-up (I'm having frightening visions of LeBron slicing through the lane like a knife through butter), and someone else (Fish, Trevor, Sasha, Lamar, i.e.) has to step up.  For God's sake, Trevor, stop walking with the ball!  I love you dearly, Trevor, but your excessive travelling is hurting the team! 

Continue reading "Big Game: Lakers vs. Cavs"

I have an idea for tonight's game between the Lakers and the Cavs, instead of spending all night comparing Kobe and LeBron, let's just sit back and enjoy watching the two best players in the NBA play.

Continue reading "Kobe vs. LeBron"

re NBA in scoring, and he's in good company...

Granger trails only Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant -- the league's top three players. Though it goes Wade, LeBron, and Kobe in active scoring, if I were listing the best players in order it would be (1) Kobe, (2) LeBron, and (3) Wade. But that's a different discussion for another time. As for Granger, his 25.9 point per game average is incredibly impressive, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Continue reading "The NBA's most pleasant surprises"

7 of his 20 pts. came in the final three minutes.

As usual, Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 27 pts., w/9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Lamar Odom surprised with back-to-back 3-pt. shots in the final quarter.

Continue reading "Christmas Gift: Lakers 92, Celtics 83"

last year's and possibly this year's #2 seed, the New Orleans Hornets.

As perennial prime pistol Kobe Bryant noted, the Lakers match up especially well against the Hornets.

Team D was key as it will have to be to defeat upper echelon teams, and especially if they meet their born-again nemesis the Celtics in the Finals -- admittedly quite a was off. Those Celtics are cruisin' along at a monster 27-2, while the Lakers improved their West-leading record to 23-5.

Continue reading "Lakers Sting Hornets 100-87"

Anyone happen to catch that Laker-Mavs game last night?

Anyone else notice another game the Lakers were trailing in and somehow come out with a win?

Yeah, I know they were at home and Dallas is a team that no one really knows what to expect from, but they were on a five game winning streak coming in.

Continue reading "Lakers Roundup"

Through four games Lakers fans are already counting the days to this years finals.  I being a Lakers fan am excited about this season.  We have Andrew Bynum to provide the size that left us&

Continue reading "Lakers too soft to win it all"

One of the things that bothers me most in sports is when superstars switch teams. This especially bugs me when it comes to the NBA, and it happens more and more as the years go on. Think about some of the best players of all time Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Bill Russell to name a few, they never switched teams. You can pretty much count Michael Jordan in that group too, most people do not even count his years in Washington.

Continue reading "Superstars Being Traded"

They pressure you on defense, they get steals and they run the floor.

Kobe Bryant can be more relaxed now and doesn't need to go all out on all 82 games this season for the Lakers to be one of the top 3 teams in the west. This is important because he will be able to save a lot of energy for the playoffs. We need to remember that this is a long season, and it's easy to wear down specially when you have to carry the team. Kobe while being the best player in the league for a while, and one of the best ever to play the game, is no MJ. Michael Jordan had the mental toughness to do anything he wanted, and that's why he is the best ever. In those finals against the Jazz when he had to be carried out of the bus because he had no energy and he was really sick, he found a way to kick ass in the game. I think someone could have shot Jordan on both legs before the game and he would still mentalize himself that nothing could stop him and drop 45 points on game 7 of the finals anyways. There is no one else that can do that, and that's why having this great team will help Kobe take over in the playoffs and give the Lakers the ring this season. 

Continue reading "Impressive Lakers will end with the ..."

gainst a team playing their second game in a back to back, what do you do? It's always nice to have Kobe Bryant as an option. Bryant scored 14 of his game high 33 points in the fourth quarter t

Continue reading "That's Just Kobe Being Kobe"

This should help to keep Kobe Bryant around as well as Bryant can opt out after this season. He knows that having a good center can help him reach that ultimate goal of another championship. Ke

Continue reading "Bynum signs extension"

Lakers looked pretty good on opening night defeating Portland. Kobe had good across the board numbers with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists, including a nice scoring streak in the second half. Pau Gasol scored all 15 of his points in the first half.

Continue reading "Opening Night"

There are still a lot of people out there who feel like Kobe Bryant still does not have enough support to win it all.

Bynum being healthy changes this team, more important than on offense Bynum gives them that defensive presence in the middle that was lacking at the end of last season. If he can block shots, rebound, and put in a few offensive boards that contribution alone should be enough. Kobe is going to continue to be the best player in the game and with a versatile big like Pau Gasol contributing for a full year this team is going to be tough to beat.

Continue reading "Lakers Preview"

p> 

In the greatest gold-medal game in the history of men's basketball in the Olympic Games, Kobe Bryant proved beyond any reasonable doubt that he is the best player in the world.

When Spain got to within two points at 91-89 with about eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, the United States, a team loaded with a number of all-stars, called on No. 10 to close the game and all

Continue reading "KOBE SAVES TEAM USA, LOOKS AHEAD TO LONDON IN 2012"

Nobody expected another blow-out over Spain, but the Spanish team did hang around and push the United States to the limit, perhaps more than anticipated.

Kobe and LeBron were in early foul trouble, and D Wade was the most conspicuous spark for our U.S. team in the 1st half.

Continue reading "USA Guts Out Gold, Beats Spain 118-107, ..."

shoot the lights out( any one know Ray Allens cell number?) 

# 2- Not enough tough big men. Kobe Bryant was on Mike and Mike last week and he said the one thing about international ball is that they are more physical. This years team features a lot of Finesss players but not enough bangers to scare some international guys named Shaucdwqkdjwkqel. When the USA team lost in the 2006 World Basketball championships to Greece thier low post players Elton Brand and Dwight Howard combined for ten points. I also remember Tim Duncan not showing up or even being a factor in the 04' Olympics. But how can that be? One would think that the USA would have much stronger and physical teams than the Euro's. Anyone would think that a guy like Amare, Duncan, and Howard would have thier way down low againt any international team but that just hasn't been the case as the guards have really taken the load for the USA team in recent years and the big men just continue to struggle. I can not really so why big men struggle in international ball but maybe its because the USA offense is designed around guard play or maybe, in the words of Kobe, the international players are just more physical and are really puttin to the USA big men. This years team features Howard again who is much stronger and older than in 06 but from there you dont really have any physical big men.( Lets not forget Howard is also a bit banged up at the moment) Chirs Bosh and Carlos Boozer are also on the team but both those guys I see as shooting big men who play face up to the basket for the most part. I just do not see Boozer and Bosh pushing people around and dunking it in slavadasha's face. So which players would be worthy big men from the USA. I love Howard offcourse but I think he needs some help. I will give you three names who I think would be tougher, more physical, and better defenders and rebounders that would really improve the USA team down low; Tyson Chandler, Kevin Garnett, Emeka Okafur.

Continue reading "More Like a Night Mare"

t reared his ugly fat head and sprouted some venemous verses towards his former sidekick, Kobe Bryant.

Shaquille O'Neal, the 35-year-old former purple and gold Daddy, went on stage at a New York nightclub and went B.I.G. on us. The Diesel grabbed the mic and took shots at Bryant. The Big Cactus rapped about how Kobe couldn't win without him. He said that, "I'm a horse. Kobe ratted me out. That's why I'm getting a divorce." And he repeatedly asked the question, "Kobe, tell me how my ass taste?"

Continue reading "SHAQ AND KOBE...AND THE RIFT GOES ON"

A few weeks ago, I wrote that the 2008 NBA Finals will come down to Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.

I was only half right.

Through five games, the Finals have been all about Bryant and Paul Pierce. Bryant may not be playing at optimum level by his and our standards, but the reigning MVP has managed to keep his Lakers in the series despite averaging less (down from 30.6 to 26.4) and shooting poorly (from 48.8 to 42.4).

Continue reading "THE TRUTH ABOUT THE NBA FINALS"

of Johnny Cash's "One Piece at a Time"...

"We'll win it one game at a time,

Cuz' Kobe Bryant is in his prime,

And he's coming out to terrorize Bean Town,

We're gonna win another ring

Continue reading "Move over "I Love L.A."?"

s bandwagon.  Not to be a diehard fan but to root for them in this NBA Finals.  I figured Kobe Bryant was ready to take that final step in becoming an all-time great and win his first Shaq-less title.  Now, four games into the NBA Finals, with the Lakers down 3-1 after blowing a 24 point lead in game 4, I am ready to end this Kobe talk until further notice.  And that could be never again.

Continue reading "The Black Mamba? How about the Gardner Snake"

It wasn't pretty, but SuperKobe (36 pts.), young gun Vujacic (20 pts.), and a tougher Gasol (only 9 pts., but 5 down the stretch, and 12 rebounds)  produced an 87-81 Lakers victory over the visiting Celtics. The Lakers were only 21-34 at the charity stripe, or the winning margin would have been greater.

Continue reading "Lakers Pull Out Ragged Game 3 of Finals"

That putback dunk by Kevin Garnet said it all. This game was very competitive. Celts win 98-88. I like watching it and I wouldne mind seeing it again but with a little more Kobe. I dont know what happ

Continue reading "Boston Celtics Take Game 1"

eltics in your head and break down all the matchups, the fate of the series will be in the hands of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.

I've always believed that to win an NBA title, your best player has to be at his absolute best when it matters most. When you review past Finals MVPs, it's going to look like a Hall of Fame induction speech.

Continue reading "NBA FINALS: BLACK MAMBA VS. THE BIG TICKET"

Advantage: Derek Fisher

Shooting Guard ( Kobe Bryant vs. Ray Allen) I love this matchup for the NBA Finals. I believe it will be a fiery series with these two superstars. Kobe has been incredibly impressive thus far in the playoffs, so expect no less from him. He is the MVP who also has 3 rings. Kobe’s game will be on point and he needs to he won’t hesitate to drop fifty n the opposing team 50 if he needs to. Ray Ray has not been that productive in the playoffs. He is also probably a little worn out after chasing Richard Hamilton around screens all of the Pistons/Celtics series. That does not mean he won’t come out in this series shooting the lights out. Kobe drive to win will be hard to for the Celtics to overcome.

Continue reading "Lakers vs Celtics Matchups"

As Kobe and the gang put the finishing touches on their astounding 4-1 series victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, I began to wonder "Could Detroit or Boston really beat L.A.?"

Continue reading "Kobe and the Lakers; are the finals over already?"

Kobe Bryant can feel it. He can see it. He can almost taste it.

Like a true Black Mamba, Bryant senses that his prey, the San Antonio Spurs, are weak, wounded and ready to be taken out. The Lakers took a 3-1 series lead Tuesday night in San Antonio thanks to Bryant and can close out the Spurs Thursday night at Staples Center.

Continue reading "LAKERS, KOBE ONE WIN AWAY FROM NBA FINALS"

Tonight they will open their series, and the new-look Lakers are led by familiar faces, Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher. These two will try to lead the Lakers back to the NBA finals. In terms of match-ups it should be a very interesting series. Both have low post threats in Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan, and both have swingman who can create havoc in

Continue reading "Lakers-Spurs: A Preview"

hey, don't forget about Barry!) are better than the Lakers bench.  Kobe Bryant will do his thing as usual, but I think the deciding factor is going to be Lamar Odom!  If Lamar can bring it, the Lakers have a great chance of winning the series... but of course, it'll go either six or seven...

Continue reading "And so it begins!!!"

A player who can put a team on his shoulders on offense and carry them to victory. A player like Kobe Bryant.

There are only a handful of players like Bryant in the NBA - a true game-changer with a killer instinct. The Cleveland Cavaliers have that player in swingman LeBron James. The San Antonio Spurs have center Tim Duncan. And the New Orleans Hornets have point guard Chris Paul. The other player I would consider in this class is Dwyane Wade of the Miami (the 2006 version). It's no surprise that the Cavs, Spurs, and Hornets are all still alive in the playoffs.

Continue reading "LAKERS: BRING ON CP3 AND HORNETS ..."

Kobe Bryant finally has the hardware to validate his status as the world's best basketball player.

When Shaquille O'Neal branded Bryant "the best player in the game" back in the 2001 playoffs, it has only been spoken but never printed that Kobe is the most valuable player in the league. Now, it's official. When the King, David Stern, handed Bryant the Maurice Podoloff trophy Wednesday night before the Lakers dismantled the Jazz in Game 2, the moment felt more like an overdue coronation. The MVP trophy finally landed in the capable hands of the best player in the game rather than the best team player.

Continue reading "M.V.P. STANDS FOR K.O.B.E."

ll, I give credit to the Hawks for not throwing in the towel.) 

Oh, yeah, congratulations to Kobe Bryant... I may still dislike him, but hey, an honor is an honor.  So, Mr. Bryant,

Continue reading "2nd Round starts tomorrow..."

But I gotta admit one thing here... I still don't like Kobe Bryant... and I still haven't forgiven him... for those three (count 'em, three) airballs he threw up in a playoff game against Utah

Continue reading "Still haven't forgiven Kobe!"

Kobe Bryant

Why he’s the MVP:  He is Kobe, that’s why.  This guy can take over any game and win it by himself.  He has matured this year and has become a better team leader.  I often see him giving the younger guys on his team some advice.  He went from wanting out of LA to being the leader we all waited for him to become after Shaq left.  He is an assassin and I wouldn’t want anyone else in the world right now if I had one shot to win a game.

Continue reading "Tight NBA MVP Race? Not In My Eyes"

 

If Kobe Bryant is not named MVP this season then there is something seriously wrong with the voting process.

After his 41-point masterpiece against Phoenix in Shaquille O'Neal's Suns debut last Wednesday, I saw a player who is on a mission. I saw a player who has dropped the "hot dog" off his plate and has become more efficient on offense and equally determined on defense. The Kobester looks totally zoned in on winning another NBA title!

Continue reading "KOBE IS PLAYING LIKE AN MVP"

We have been waiting for this moment for months.  No, I’m not talking about the Jason Kidd trade to go through (which it did today).  I am talking to about the second half of the NBA season to begin.  The first three and a half months can be such a drag, and usually are but in the second half, everything picks up.  It is a two-month stretch run to the playoffs.  This is the time when teams like San Antonio and Detroit flip their switch on and look to be playing their best when the playoffs begin.  The flurry of trades that have gone on in the last two or three weeks has just made the second half that much more interesting.  The NBA season is about 20 games too long and it kills ratings but now is the time to jump on the bandwagon.  These next couple months of the regular season and the playoffs are going to be some of the best basketball since the ‘80’s.  The NBA, where exciting happens.

Continue reading "The NBA, Where Only the Second Half ..."

acle, however, is the diagnosis on Kobe's injured right pinky.

"Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has been diagnosed with a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint of the small finger of this right hand, it was announced today. The damage occurred when Bryant dislocated the finger in the Lakers’ game at New Jersey on February 5, and was aggravated in last night’s game at Minnesota."

Continue reading "WILL LAKERS' FORTITUDE & FORTUNES ..."

 Thank the basketball gods, Kobe found a better pinkie-taping arrangement.

After 2 games of anemic point production with his ring finger taped to the dislocated pinkie on his right hand, he and presumably the Lakers trainer, came up with tape support that separated the fingers, so he'd have a more natural touch again, despite the injury.

Continue reading "LAKERS OUT-ENSORCEL MAGIC, 117-113"

Later, the feuds with Kobe Bryant were quite depressing. The year that the team lost both Phil Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal was one of the low points in the team’s history. I remember feeling very pessimistic about the future… Well, Phil Jackson returned but Shaq did not. I remember that first pre-season game that Phil came back to us. Lucky to be in attendance, I was part of the standing ovation that rejoiced in his homecoming.

Continue reading "Shed a Tear for Shaq"

uture hall of fame inductee.  Turning in unremarkable outcomes in recent seasons, players like Kobe Bryant garner more headlines for what they say then what they do. No one seems that excited about Phil Jackson anymore and the team is more of a tourist attraction now. “Real” fans have a tough time getting decent tickets to the games since they are a place for celebrities and wanna-bes to be seen as part of the fake L.A. scene.  (Fake L.A. scene as in the one that the transplants come here and try to make, not the one that really exists!) Only one of them, well actually two are real Los Angeles Lakers fans. 

Continue reading "Lakers? Clippers?"

I can still remember where I was when Kobe Bryant was accused of hurting that young woman in Colorado. I believe that was the beginning of the end. While I kept an open mind at first, I eventually soured to the whole thing. This young star had lost some of his luster in my mind. After things blew over and he started bad-mouthing Shaquille O’Neal and Phil Jackson my attitude toward him was tainted further. This is not endemic to Los Angeles either; other players have made mockeries of the teams that pay them millions. Now don’t get me wrong – I can totally appreciate trying to get the most salary from your employer. I am also a staunch proponent to speaking up when you think something is wrong. But honestly, some of these NBA divas go too far! I guess when I hear complaints about one of the best centers to ever play the game and a hall of fame caliber coach; I have to scratch my head.

Continue reading "Hope for the NBA?"