Kobe Leads LAL Back to the Playoffs

First, the tired insult. I rarely comment on spelling, but in three different posts in this thread tonight, he's misspelled the word. At that point, I felt compelled to point that out.

My team? Well, I'm flexible because neither Kansas City nor Pittsburgh have one. So I go where the Jayhawks are -- Celtics (Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz), Cavs (Drew Gooden, Scot Pollard), Bulls (Kirk Hinrich), Sonics (Nick Collison), Spurs (Jacque Vaughn), Heat (Wayne Simien), etc. But it's not so much rooting for the teams, per say, as I am rooting for the Jayhawks who have moved on.

In other words, I'm very fickle, very bandwagon when it comes to the NBA.

Felt bad for one of my best friends who saw the Blazers lose twice in the finals in three years, so I still root for them to turn it around someday with him in mind. It also helps that Kevin Pritchard, one of the "Miracles" on KU's 1988 title team with Danny Manning, is the GM. I've followed the Blazers for years.

Always loved the Charlotte Hornets, in large part because of Muggsy Bogues. He was my favorite player until the day he retired. Always liked the Jordan Bulls. Liked the Knicks, too, because John Starks was a favorite for years. Also loved to watch the Payton-Kemp Sonics. I wanted to see Reggie Miller go out with a ring before he retired, because I loved to watch him shoot, and those Pacers teams with Rik Smits were fun to watch. Of late, I love to catch the Suns and Mavs whenever they're on TV, I love to watch them play.

As for bashing on Kobe, look, the guy's probably got more natural talent than anyone else in the NBA. But you don't get MVPs for leading a team to the seventh seed in the West. The team around him isn't his fault, but I remember flying to Chicago to catch Mario Lemieux's comeback on Jan. 20, 2000. At the United Center, that "72" addition under the NBA champs banner pops at you in the upper deck. To lose only 10 games in a regular season ... wow. You've got to really want it each time you walk on the court.

And then I think about Kobe, who some people celebrate because against all odds, he got the Lakers ... a No. 7 seed in the West, not to mention exactly one victory against a team with a winning record since the All-Star Break. How is that possible for a team with someone like Kobe? And that's why I'm bashing him around some. I expect more from Kobe, I want to see more from Kobe. I loved that amazing 50-point streak he had, just like we loved to see Jordan drop 55 on the Knicks at MSG. But at some point, you want to see him carry that team to something more.

OK, it's official, I'm babbling now. But Piotr, I hope I've answered your question.

 

Absolutely you have, Oz. Thanks for taking the time when you could have just called me a little pissant and told me where to stick my dumb questions.

I hate when people rip Kobe for breaking up the Lakers, while ignoring Shaq's role. PCLoadLetter's post earlier in this thread said all the facts of that better than I could, though. And as for Kobe not wanting it every night . . . this is criticism he brought on himself with the game at sacramento three years ago, and the Game 7 against the Suns last year. But I do give him credit now for not getting frustrated every single night while having to depend on the dreck teammates that surround him.

I agree that Kobe is not the MVP. And they had too many losses this season to inferior, non-playoff teams for me to think absolute full potential was reached. They played well early with a favorable schedule, then were exposed down the stretch. But I don't think anyone can carry that Lakers team to a top-four seed in this year's West. It's just too stacked.

Put another way: which of the six teams above the Lakers would you drop? Even Denver has two stars who must be accounted for by opponents.

As for the series: here was a moment when I would have liked to see the Lakers stand up. When the ball was going out o bounds and Raja Bell was pulling this dickhead soccer move of screeing off the Laker in pursuit (can't remember who; wasn't Kobe or Odom) until the Laker had dive over him in an attempt to get the ball.

I guess I was raised on the 1980s like the 1984 Finals turning on Bird and McHale throwing Rambis on a layup attempt, but to me, Game 1, you're the underdog: make a statement. Dude tries to screen like that - especially one of the biggest mouths on the Suns, who is at best their seventh option - throw him into the front row. Push him right in his back, start it up. Let them now you'll be in their grill for the whole series. Because the way the Suns play, if you don't make them think they might get hurt every time they try to do something arrogant, they're gonna stomp you.

Yeah, that's crappy basketball. But these are the playoffs, and these guys have been shooting off their mouths since last year. Fading in the fourth quarter shows you don't have the gumption to stand up for yourselves and your franchise.

 

Nah, that's not my style. I'm always good for debate on here, so long as it's not the mean-spirited type we saw from DyePack and others in the past. Though I must admit, it kind of hurt to say that I follow the Blazers. But having gone through summers with the Bucs and Royals, it's not like they could be any worse, right?

 

Ok, just went through the game tape (2nd half). Here's what I saw:


* Kobe was quite fatigued in the 4th quarter. He has to find a way to expend less energy

* Lamar Odom was huge in the 3rd, when Kobe was taking some breaks. He was also good in the 4th, but had some key TO's. He is a key for LAL

* Steve Nash is an MVP because he knows when to score and when to distribute. If he wanted to, he could average 25+, easy. Probably more like 30 in that offense, but that's not his game. He only shoots when the D 'forces' him to or his team is cold

* Kobe has to learn not to force things when he's cold. It was obvious that he was waiting for the 4th to assert himself after the half. It's a good plan, but once you realize your shot is off you have to go to "Plan B." Kobe's stubbornness - a strength - is also his biggest weakness

* Amare Stoudemire has improved immensely from being 'just' an athlete. His motor is incredible

* Kwame Brown played some good defense, man-to-man. Not great help defense, but good straight-up defense

* The Lakers will have, maybe, one more chance as good as yesterday to get a game in this series. Yesterday was the best chance they will have in PHX.

* Mark Jackson will be employed as an analyst as long as he wants. He is terrific

* Nobody - save perhaps the Mavs - can run with the Suns. That's why this is such a bad matchup for the Lakers. You can't play how you don't practice. As much as Kobe and LAL likes to score and eschew defense, PHX practices this day-in and day-out; you can't beat them at this game. I have a feeling we might see another blowout in the final game because going against a team which is just flat-out better at doing what you want to do saps your will, especially over a long series