I never get tired of reading about Ron Artest. He's so lovably crazy. I just wish he would start playing better, and soon. lol.
Here are some of the best parts:
-"He's the kind of guy, if you give him specific, exact directions, he'll follow them," Bryant says. "But they have to be exact. But once you give them to him, he'll follow them even if he has to run through a wall."
Don't give him any ideas.
-"Because once I get into that gym, that ball is like a drug. When you see that ball go into the basket, that's like one of the best drugs ever. I'm addicted, and I hope the state of California illegalizes it."
-Ron Ron is carrying a large bag of food for his lunch -- all vegan. But Ron Ron is not entirely vegan. "About 80 percent," he says. "I like pork chops."
-In the Lakers' locker room, reporters want to know if Ron Ron will reject the shots of President Barack Obama when the Lakers visit the White House on Dec. 13.
"Oh, absolutely!" he says. "I will lock down anybody anytime, even the president of the United States."
-I ask Jackson why he's playing Artest fewer minutes this season. "I'm not," Jackson says. "Ron overheard [substitute forward Matt Barnes] asking me for more playing time, so he's been raising his hand just to get Matt more time."
Why, Ron Ron?
"Because we're a team. I just want to win another title. Who cares about minutes? Who cares about points?"
-I think this is my favorite : "I overtrained swimming this week," he said on the way to the game. "So I'm going to be really tired tonight. Which is kinda how I like it."
Sorry?
"I can be too strong for some small forwards, so they don't want to go at me, so I get bored. So sometimes I overtrain on purpose before a game just to see if I can lock a guy down with only half my energy."
-Now, he's happier (mostly) and doesn't drink (mostly). After winning Game 7, Artest stayed up for 48 hours straight. At 4 a.m. that first night, cutting a record with Dr. Dre (don't ask), he saw singer Chris Brown and gave Brown the jersey he hadn't taken off the entire night.
But why?
"I don't know. I think I was drunk."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Hallway Series
Immediate reaction last night: DEREK FISHER!!!! holy shit. First buzzer beater of the season and it was scary and spectacular, just like they are supposed to be! I only watched the 4th quarter because I didn't want to sit in my room on my computer for 3 hours, but I'm so glad I tuned in at all. From what I've gathered, it was a pretty dismal performance with Shannon coming alive and bailing us out in the 3rd. Saw that ridiculous 57 foot buzzer beater too, he's so good at those! But yes, those last few minutes of the 4th: Lamar fouls out. Pau throws it away and I got really mad, even though I know he's exhausted. Kobe only has 4 points in the 4th but they are SO CLUTCH!!! And both off of huge steals on consecutive possessions by Ron. Huge huge huge. And THEN Kobe hit another jumper to take the lead, but the Clippers fouled him before (they had a foul to give) and the shot didn't count. It was gorgeous. And if that had cost us the game, I was going to scream bloody murder. Luckily, it didn't. Instead of the normal jumper to tie/win the game, D Fish got the ball and dribbled straight to the basket, laying it up AS TIME EXPIRED AND THE BACKBOARD FLASHED RED! My computer connection was preeetty good, but it was still hard to tell if it got off in time. Thank God it did- it was one of the closest calls I've ever seen. Holy shit, it was exciting!! My heart was racing for a good 20 minutes after the game ended.
I have this weird habit of plugging my ears and blocking out sound when I get nervous watching games... usually in the last few seconds, or minute. I think it's because I literally cannot take all the stimulation and stress out of nervousness, but I don't want to look away, so I take away one of my other senses instead haha. Don't remember when I started doing it, but it makes me feel calmer. My eyes were glued and my ears were plugged with my fingers for the last minute of the game. It really was almost too much to handle... those last five seconds felt impossible to keep watching. I wanted to blink or close my eyes or look away, but I would never forgive myself if I did. Sports fans need to man up when they watch their teams. I'm not one of those people that can turn the tv off and pace around. I. have. to. watch. Epic win or epic fail, I have to watch or I will feel like I didn't earn the right to celebrate what happened because I was too scared and didn't have enough faith in my team. That's also the main reason I try my hardest to watch every game, and to never turn it off unless we're down by 10 with 5 seconds left. What if I had missed Kobe's 81 points because it was a meaningless January game against the Raptors and we were down by 20 in the third? I live in fear of missing a life changing sports moment and consequently feeling like a bad fan.
Hahaha. I take this WAY too seriously, and I have way too much guilt mixed up in my sports allegiances, but whatever. That's the way it is.
Btw, Blake Griffin is amazing. I'd contemplate going to a Clippers game just because the tickets are cheaper and he is awesome.
I have this weird habit of plugging my ears and blocking out sound when I get nervous watching games... usually in the last few seconds, or minute. I think it's because I literally cannot take all the stimulation and stress out of nervousness, but I don't want to look away, so I take away one of my other senses instead haha. Don't remember when I started doing it, but it makes me feel calmer. My eyes were glued and my ears were plugged with my fingers for the last minute of the game. It really was almost too much to handle... those last five seconds felt impossible to keep watching. I wanted to blink or close my eyes or look away, but I would never forgive myself if I did. Sports fans need to man up when they watch their teams. I'm not one of those people that can turn the tv off and pace around. I. have. to. watch. Epic win or epic fail, I have to watch or I will feel like I didn't earn the right to celebrate what happened because I was too scared and didn't have enough faith in my team. That's also the main reason I try my hardest to watch every game, and to never turn it off unless we're down by 10 with 5 seconds left. What if I had missed Kobe's 81 points because it was a meaningless January game against the Raptors and we were down by 20 in the third? I live in fear of missing a life changing sports moment and consequently feeling like a bad fan.
Hahaha. I take this WAY too seriously, and I have way too much guilt mixed up in my sports allegiances, but whatever. That's the way it is.
Btw, Blake Griffin is amazing. I'd contemplate going to a Clippers game just because the tickets are cheaper and he is awesome.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
I taped the game last night and might watch it when I get home... an inpromptu dinner with old college friends prevented my original plan of going to Borders, Target and home to watch the game haha. I really like John Wall and wanted to see him in action! Excited to see Blake Griffin tonight too. As is the Mamba apparently: “I’m very curious to see him up close,” Kobe Bryant said about Griffin, whose Clippers face the Lakers on Wednesday night.
And I always enjoy when players I love compliment other players that I like: About Wall — who had 22 points, 14 assists and three blocks in a losing effort against the Lakers on Tuesday night — Bryant said: “He’s good. He’s fast. He’s crafty. I thought he shot the ball very well tonight.” Meanwhile, here’s Wall on Bryant: “That’s somebody that’s the greatest player in the game right now.”
Unfortunately, it was a Lakers game through and through. Even though Kobe had 32 points, Pau practically had a triple double with 21 points, 14 boards and 8 dimes and Lamar had another stellar game, the Wizards kept clawing their way back. I read that they'd be up by 19, then only up by 5 a couple minutes later. They ended up winning by 7, but Phil Jackson summed it up nicely: "They really sucked the joy out of winning that one didn't they." Hahaha classic Phil :) I love it.
And I always enjoy when players I love compliment other players that I like: About Wall — who had 22 points, 14 assists and three blocks in a losing effort against the Lakers on Tuesday night — Bryant said: “He’s good. He’s fast. He’s crafty. I thought he shot the ball very well tonight.” Meanwhile, here’s Wall on Bryant: “That’s somebody that’s the greatest player in the game right now.”
Unfortunately, it was a Lakers game through and through. Even though Kobe had 32 points, Pau practically had a triple double with 21 points, 14 boards and 8 dimes and Lamar had another stellar game, the Wizards kept clawing their way back. I read that they'd be up by 19, then only up by 5 a couple minutes later. They ended up winning by 7, but Phil Jackson summed it up nicely: "They really sucked the joy out of winning that one didn't they." Hahaha classic Phil :) I love it.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Broken, but in a good way.
The streak has been broken!! I got to see the last two minutes of the Lakers' wonderfully lopsided victory over the Kings on Friday night... sometimes blowouts can be boring, but in this case I thought it was wonderful. I had to work from 5-9 that night, hence missing most of the game (I feel like I say that a lot unfortunately...). But I'm really excited to see them play John Wall and the Wizards tonight! I really like John Wall. And I'm going after work to pick up Simmons' revised Book of Basketball, so maybe I'll write a review of his new Kobe chapter! I'm going to start working on an article for Lakers Nation to convince Lakers fans that The Sports Guy isn't so bad (even though he's a Celtics fan), so I could include that. I'm also working on a Kobe-Lebron article that will be ready before the Christmas game. It's based on a conversation I had with someone, but beefed up with more examples beyond the normal boring arguments.
Also, I know that no one will care and if you don't personally know me this will seem very out of place on a Lakers blog, but I was SO EXCITED for the Patriots win last night!!! I've been a diehard fan for about 11 years now and while it's never quite reached Lakers proportions, it's getting close. I love this team sooo much this year. It's full of rookies, undrafted no-names, short players...and they all play out of their minds every night because of the chip on their shoulder. Even Tom Brady still plays like no one believes in him, and that is why I love him. He gets so fired up during games and on the sidelines and works harder than almost anyone. I think that's why I like him, and Kobe, so much: their work ethic is off the charts and even though they are arguably the best at what they do, they work as if they've never won anything in their life. But yes. I love Wes and I love Danny Woodhead and Deion Branch and our wonderful rookie tight ends Gronkowski and Hernandez and I love Patrick Chung and Vince Wilfork and Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis... I feel like I have a different favorite guy after every play, but with Tom and Wes Welker as the constants. That's how I feel about the Lakers too, but with Kobe as the constant. Anyway, sorry for the Patriots digression, but I couldn't help myself. They're playing more like the rag tag teams of the early 2000s than a team of superstars and I love it. Everyone comes prepared, comes to work, and does their talking on the field. And I've also viewed the Jets and the Heat as kindred spirits this season. No wonder I hate them so much! haha.
Also, I know that no one will care and if you don't personally know me this will seem very out of place on a Lakers blog, but I was SO EXCITED for the Patriots win last night!!! I've been a diehard fan for about 11 years now and while it's never quite reached Lakers proportions, it's getting close. I love this team sooo much this year. It's full of rookies, undrafted no-names, short players...and they all play out of their minds every night because of the chip on their shoulder. Even Tom Brady still plays like no one believes in him, and that is why I love him. He gets so fired up during games and on the sidelines and works harder than almost anyone. I think that's why I like him, and Kobe, so much: their work ethic is off the charts and even though they are arguably the best at what they do, they work as if they've never won anything in their life. But yes. I love Wes and I love Danny Woodhead and Deion Branch and our wonderful rookie tight ends Gronkowski and Hernandez and I love Patrick Chung and Vince Wilfork and Ben-Jarvus Green-Ellis... I feel like I have a different favorite guy after every play, but with Tom and Wes Welker as the constants. That's how I feel about the Lakers too, but with Kobe as the constant. Anyway, sorry for the Patriots digression, but I couldn't help myself. They're playing more like the rag tag teams of the early 2000s than a team of superstars and I love it. Everyone comes prepared, comes to work, and does their talking on the field. And I've also viewed the Jets and the Heat as kindred spirits this season. No wonder I hate them so much! haha.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Disappointment
I can barely put my disappointment into words right now. I cannot believe that the Lakers have lost 4 in a row... all games that they should have and could have won btw. Kobe is going into one-on-one, shoot the lights out mode, Pau is tired from having to carry so much of the Lakers' weight on his back, the Killer B's are having growing pains, and Ron is wearing out his goodwill from last years' playoffs. Derek is Derek and Lamar is Lamar. Not much you can do about either of them I feel.
I'm just so frustrated with them!! I watched the game on my computer last night- funny story: used atdhe.net, which streamed via fox sports houston, which streamed via espn.co.uk!! wtf hahah. Tons of British commercials and adverts for "Jets-Patriots, Monday at midnight". Hilarious and awesome. But yeah, watched on my computer and they didn't look great, but they looked decent and then just threw the game away. I turned it off wtih 20 seconds to go, which I rarely do, but it was already a lost cause. And then I cried for a couple minutes, just sniffling and feeling my hot angry tears run down my cheeks. I was so angry, and sad, and extremely disappointed and frustrated. I felt let down. And while I respect Shane Battier as one of the only players in the NBA who can actually guard Kobe, he had no right to go off for all those shots late in the 4th. He's not a scorer, he's a defender!!! I started shouting at my computer "F*** YOU SHANE BATTIER!" It's easier to blame the other team than your own, even though it was mostly the Lakers own mistakes that killed them. And who the hell is Kevin Martin and why was he hitting SO. MANY. BASKETS.
UGH.
I hate when they lose. Sometimes it ruins my whole day. Luckily, I watched 6 eps of Parks and Rec on Netflix afterwards. I've just started season 2 and it is hilarious. It's hard to figure out when to panic and when to not over the Lakers. I know it's only December 2nd, so on one hand big whoop. But they're showing some serious flaws that need to be addressed asap and it is concerning me. They HAVE to beat the Kings tomorrow night. Jesus.
P.S. I was about to write some angry facebook statuses but realized that would be lame (I'm trying to move away from that) and that is what this blog is for anyway. Hah.
I'm just so frustrated with them!! I watched the game on my computer last night- funny story: used atdhe.net, which streamed via fox sports houston, which streamed via espn.co.uk!! wtf hahah. Tons of British commercials and adverts for "Jets-Patriots, Monday at midnight". Hilarious and awesome. But yeah, watched on my computer and they didn't look great, but they looked decent and then just threw the game away. I turned it off wtih 20 seconds to go, which I rarely do, but it was already a lost cause. And then I cried for a couple minutes, just sniffling and feeling my hot angry tears run down my cheeks. I was so angry, and sad, and extremely disappointed and frustrated. I felt let down. And while I respect Shane Battier as one of the only players in the NBA who can actually guard Kobe, he had no right to go off for all those shots late in the 4th. He's not a scorer, he's a defender!!! I started shouting at my computer "F*** YOU SHANE BATTIER!" It's easier to blame the other team than your own, even though it was mostly the Lakers own mistakes that killed them. And who the hell is Kevin Martin and why was he hitting SO. MANY. BASKETS.
UGH.
I hate when they lose. Sometimes it ruins my whole day. Luckily, I watched 6 eps of Parks and Rec on Netflix afterwards. I've just started season 2 and it is hilarious. It's hard to figure out when to panic and when to not over the Lakers. I know it's only December 2nd, so on one hand big whoop. But they're showing some serious flaws that need to be addressed asap and it is concerning me. They HAVE to beat the Kings tomorrow night. Jesus.
P.S. I was about to write some angry facebook statuses but realized that would be lame (I'm trying to move away from that) and that is what this blog is for anyway. Hah.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Power of Purple
I love reading about Bill Simmons and his kids: how he tries to brainwash them into liking sports, how he took his daughter to her first basketball game when she was 3, and how he's campaigning against her love of the color purple because he's afraid she'll grow up to be a Lakers fan. Granted, she was born and raised in LA and as he points out, he himself said that if you grow up somewhere with a team, THAT is your team. Apparently he's making an addendum that your parents' rooting interest can take precendence. I just love the "20 Rules for Being a True Sports Fan " article he came up with- it's one reason I'm so fanatical nowadays. But yes, even though I don't condone anti-Lakerdom, his new article is amazingly funny. Simmons talks about decorating his son's room in all Boston stuff and dressing him in Boston clothes and how he has no idea what it all means because he is only 3. That will be my child, but in all Lakers gear. I'm all for brainwashing... if it's for the right team ;)
Best Article I've Read in Awhile (seriously, read it!)
*and on the flip side, here is a sobering look at the city of Cleveland. Lebron returns tomorrow and it is going to be insane. I'm definitely not missing that game. When I read about people that love their teams that much, for that long, without gratification... it makes me feel almost unworthy to be a Lakers fan. To care when they lose, because they never lose for long. To complain about anything related to them. I don't feel like I have the right when I read about places like Cleveland. It's also not my fault that I was born in California and that they are my team... but still. lol.
Best Article I've Read in Awhile (seriously, read it!)
*and on the flip side, here is a sobering look at the city of Cleveland. Lebron returns tomorrow and it is going to be insane. I'm definitely not missing that game. When I read about people that love their teams that much, for that long, without gratification... it makes me feel almost unworthy to be a Lakers fan. To care when they lose, because they never lose for long. To complain about anything related to them. I don't feel like I have the right when I read about places like Cleveland. It's also not my fault that I was born in California and that they are my team... but still. lol.
Game 18: We Should Have Won vs. the Grizzlies
Posted on Lakers Nation's facebook: Our resident Lakers Nation 'fan' gave her take on the Lakers struggles last night in Memphis. What needs to change for them to get back on track?
(I like being referred to as the "resident fan"!! haha)
Here's the article:
On the surface, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies do not seem to have much of a connection; a casual basketball fan would remark that there is no storied rivalry, no bad blood, and that the Grizzlies haven’t even been in Memphis for very long (coming via Vancouver).
However, there are two storylines integral to Laker lore that entwines both of the organizations in vital ways. Pau Gasol played with Memphis for the first 7 years of his career before being traded to the Lakers in 2008. The Lakers received an All Star and the missing link to their championship hopes along with a 2010 first round draft pick. The Grizzlies on the other hand received the draft rights to his brother Marc, a few draft picks and three Lakers: Aaron McKie, Javaris Crittendon and Kwame Brown (good riddance). Many considered it highway robbery at the time and still do, but I’m not going to argue- the arrival of Pau brought with it three straight trips to the Finals and two championships, not to mention a number two option that Kobe trusts and respects.
The saga continues with Lakers hero Jerry West, also known as The Logo and Mr. Clutch. He is one of the greatest Lakers of all time, not only for his amazing contributions as a player but for his work in the front office as well. This is the man who orchestrated two separate eras of greatness, after concluding his own: Showtime in the 1980’s and Shaq/Kobe in the 2000’s. He is the one who traded a known quantity in Vlade Divac for Charlotte’s 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, seeing greatness and passion lurking underneath the skinny high school exterior of Kobe Bean Bryant.
He is also the one who will be honored with his own statue outside Staples Center next February to join the likes of Magic Johnson and the legendary Chick Hearn. While all of Lakerland was sad to see Mr. West leave for Memphis, he left an amazing legacy in Los Angeles and a great foundation for the team and front office. Mitch Kupchak has excelled for the past ten years due to the tutelage he received as an assistant general manager under Jerry West.
As for the game itself, I’m afraid it was terribly disappointing. I had originally planned to write a detailed, thoughtful recap of the Lakers-Grizzlies game, much like I did a week ago when they played Chicago. Unfortunately, I misplaced my diligent notes and had pretty much decided to ignore most of them anyway. I don’t see the need to dwell on a few amazing plays when the overall feel of the game and the outcome in particular was so dismal.
I thought the game started out well enough, but it was a telling sign for the evening that the only Lakers to score for most of the first quarter were Kobe and Pau. Derek had a nice little game; his parents had driven from his hometown in Arkansas, so perhaps he was putting on a show for them. I felt it was his most solid outing of the season so far. Ron also had a good game (we’ll get to the end in a moment); he was 2 of 4 from three point range, and 5 of 11 overall. He also had a number of hustle plays and just seemed to be working more diligently than he has. Even though the box score doesn’t reflect it, I felt very positive about his effort.
Barnes didn’t have a great game, and Shannon was struggling at first but he and Steve Blake became our second half saviors. Brown hit a beautiful, very long three pointer as the shot clock expired late in the 3rd, and followed it up with a fast break layup. Great energy, great plays.
Blake hit 2 threes in a row, and was 3-5 from beyond the arc. I felt like we had a great chance to win the game, especially after coming back from a 13 point deficit. Unfortunately, one of the problems was the number of shots that popped out of the basket. I couldn’t believe how many shots wouldn’t stay down; I don’t know if that is the fault of bad luck, of poor, flat shooting, or most likely a combination of the two.
The other problem was Kobe. Yes, I said it. I hate picking on Kobe, and I avoid blaming him for absolutely anything if possible. He gets a little too much leeway from me, but I just can’t help it: he’s my favorite and always has been. Last night though was terrible. 9-25. Airballs. One on five matchups. It was way too much 2006 Kobe and not enough 2010 Kobe. I’m not sure why he felt the need to take over as much as he did, but it seemed excessive.
I actually wanted the ball out of his hands a number of times… he would stop the ball movement and just start dribbling into defenders. Granted, his teammates didn’t come over to help much, but it just annoyed me. The one time I absolutely wanted him to shoot was at the end of the game. He had a great look, went up…. and passed to Ron Artest. I couldn’t believe it! No matter what Ron does, I will never say another bad word about him because he saved us in Game 5 against the Suns and of course Game 7 against the Celtics. That doesn’t mean that I want him taking the game winning shot if Kobe already has the ball in his hands and a decent look at the basket!
A little midrange jumper with a high arc, boom: Lakers win. But Kobe throws it to Ron. Ron’s attempt was blocked by Rudy Gay and the Lakers lost their third game in a row for only the second time since acquiring Pau in February 2008.
I’m not one of those fans who panics unnecessarily when the Lakers lose. I definitely get upset, especially if they lose a game I know they could have won. Last night was the first game of the season I felt that way. I was angry. It is one thing to feel as if the other team deserved to win, but it’s another issue to feel as if the game slipped through your fingers.
As much as I hate losing any game and convince myself that we can win everything on the schedule, I also know how unrealistic that is. The playoffs are what counts. Having said that, I do find it a bit troubling that they’ve now lost three in a row and five games overall. The Western Conference is looking much more difficult that I originally imagined, so playoff seeding and especially home court advantage is going to be crucial.
My heart would have sunk last year if I thought the Lakers had to win Games 6 and 7 in Boston. Maybe they could have, but it’s a frightening thought- one I don’t want to contemplate this coming June (knock on wood). The Lakers are known to slack off a bit in the early months and again in March/April, but they’ve been playing hard so far. I really don’t want to see them temporarily lose that competitive edge. It’s only five games, but it’s also already five games.
Tonight’s contest is going to be crucial. It will be interesting to see how the Lakers respond, especially in the second game of a back-to-back. The Rockets are tough opponents and it took a 3 from newbie Steve Blake to win on opening night. Hopefully the Lakers will buckle down, show up and play the great team oriented basketball we’ve come to expect from our guys.
(I like being referred to as the "resident fan"!! haha)
Here's the article:
On the surface, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies do not seem to have much of a connection; a casual basketball fan would remark that there is no storied rivalry, no bad blood, and that the Grizzlies haven’t even been in Memphis for very long (coming via Vancouver).
However, there are two storylines integral to Laker lore that entwines both of the organizations in vital ways. Pau Gasol played with Memphis for the first 7 years of his career before being traded to the Lakers in 2008. The Lakers received an All Star and the missing link to their championship hopes along with a 2010 first round draft pick. The Grizzlies on the other hand received the draft rights to his brother Marc, a few draft picks and three Lakers: Aaron McKie, Javaris Crittendon and Kwame Brown (good riddance). Many considered it highway robbery at the time and still do, but I’m not going to argue- the arrival of Pau brought with it three straight trips to the Finals and two championships, not to mention a number two option that Kobe trusts and respects.
The saga continues with Lakers hero Jerry West, also known as The Logo and Mr. Clutch. He is one of the greatest Lakers of all time, not only for his amazing contributions as a player but for his work in the front office as well. This is the man who orchestrated two separate eras of greatness, after concluding his own: Showtime in the 1980’s and Shaq/Kobe in the 2000’s. He is the one who traded a known quantity in Vlade Divac for Charlotte’s 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, seeing greatness and passion lurking underneath the skinny high school exterior of Kobe Bean Bryant.
He is also the one who will be honored with his own statue outside Staples Center next February to join the likes of Magic Johnson and the legendary Chick Hearn. While all of Lakerland was sad to see Mr. West leave for Memphis, he left an amazing legacy in Los Angeles and a great foundation for the team and front office. Mitch Kupchak has excelled for the past ten years due to the tutelage he received as an assistant general manager under Jerry West.
As for the game itself, I’m afraid it was terribly disappointing. I had originally planned to write a detailed, thoughtful recap of the Lakers-Grizzlies game, much like I did a week ago when they played Chicago. Unfortunately, I misplaced my diligent notes and had pretty much decided to ignore most of them anyway. I don’t see the need to dwell on a few amazing plays when the overall feel of the game and the outcome in particular was so dismal.
I thought the game started out well enough, but it was a telling sign for the evening that the only Lakers to score for most of the first quarter were Kobe and Pau. Derek had a nice little game; his parents had driven from his hometown in Arkansas, so perhaps he was putting on a show for them. I felt it was his most solid outing of the season so far. Ron also had a good game (we’ll get to the end in a moment); he was 2 of 4 from three point range, and 5 of 11 overall. He also had a number of hustle plays and just seemed to be working more diligently than he has. Even though the box score doesn’t reflect it, I felt very positive about his effort.
Barnes didn’t have a great game, and Shannon was struggling at first but he and Steve Blake became our second half saviors. Brown hit a beautiful, very long three pointer as the shot clock expired late in the 3rd, and followed it up with a fast break layup. Great energy, great plays.
Blake hit 2 threes in a row, and was 3-5 from beyond the arc. I felt like we had a great chance to win the game, especially after coming back from a 13 point deficit. Unfortunately, one of the problems was the number of shots that popped out of the basket. I couldn’t believe how many shots wouldn’t stay down; I don’t know if that is the fault of bad luck, of poor, flat shooting, or most likely a combination of the two.
The other problem was Kobe. Yes, I said it. I hate picking on Kobe, and I avoid blaming him for absolutely anything if possible. He gets a little too much leeway from me, but I just can’t help it: he’s my favorite and always has been. Last night though was terrible. 9-25. Airballs. One on five matchups. It was way too much 2006 Kobe and not enough 2010 Kobe. I’m not sure why he felt the need to take over as much as he did, but it seemed excessive.
I actually wanted the ball out of his hands a number of times… he would stop the ball movement and just start dribbling into defenders. Granted, his teammates didn’t come over to help much, but it just annoyed me. The one time I absolutely wanted him to shoot was at the end of the game. He had a great look, went up…. and passed to Ron Artest. I couldn’t believe it! No matter what Ron does, I will never say another bad word about him because he saved us in Game 5 against the Suns and of course Game 7 against the Celtics. That doesn’t mean that I want him taking the game winning shot if Kobe already has the ball in his hands and a decent look at the basket!
A little midrange jumper with a high arc, boom: Lakers win. But Kobe throws it to Ron. Ron’s attempt was blocked by Rudy Gay and the Lakers lost their third game in a row for only the second time since acquiring Pau in February 2008.
I’m not one of those fans who panics unnecessarily when the Lakers lose. I definitely get upset, especially if they lose a game I know they could have won. Last night was the first game of the season I felt that way. I was angry. It is one thing to feel as if the other team deserved to win, but it’s another issue to feel as if the game slipped through your fingers.
As much as I hate losing any game and convince myself that we can win everything on the schedule, I also know how unrealistic that is. The playoffs are what counts. Having said that, I do find it a bit troubling that they’ve now lost three in a row and five games overall. The Western Conference is looking much more difficult that I originally imagined, so playoff seeding and especially home court advantage is going to be crucial.
My heart would have sunk last year if I thought the Lakers had to win Games 6 and 7 in Boston. Maybe they could have, but it’s a frightening thought- one I don’t want to contemplate this coming June (knock on wood). The Lakers are known to slack off a bit in the early months and again in March/April, but they’ve been playing hard so far. I really don’t want to see them temporarily lose that competitive edge. It’s only five games, but it’s also already five games.
Tonight’s contest is going to be crucial. It will be interesting to see how the Lakers respond, especially in the second game of a back-to-back. The Rockets are tough opponents and it took a 3 from newbie Steve Blake to win on opening night. Hopefully the Lakers will buckle down, show up and play the great team oriented basketball we’ve come to expect from our guys.
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