New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[JackD201]

Technically the Mavs are of the old guard albeit they didn't do much guarding of the walls in the past. If the Cs are downed by the heat, the Mavs will be the only team whose player's I've actually used playing video games Well except maybe Atlanta but JJ and LD don't count.

So what's the background stories on the Hawks and the Grizzlies? The press never gave them the time of day, the international press anyway.

 

[Steve Williams]

well as I type the Grizz are ahead of the Thunder 57-51

 

[Steve Williams]

having watched the total implosion of the Lakers yesterday, what proved to be the big difference was the constant raining of 3's. If that game is on in the Western Conference finals and NBA playoffs nobody will beat them

 

[jadis]

Technically the Mavs are of the old guard albeit they didn't do much guarding of the walls in the past. If the Cs are downed by the heat, the Mavs will be the only team whose player's I've actually used playing video games Well except maybe Atlanta but JJ and LD don't count.

So what's the background stories on the Hawks and the Grizzlies? The press never gave them the time of day, the international press anyway.

Well, yes, Jack, Dallas is sort of an old guard kind of team too, except they are the old guard that never won a title unlike the C's, Lakes, and the Spurs. Kidd is the oldest guard, literally, and I am eating my words as I had been criticizing Cuban for getting a guy whose prime was in NJ. Even as a Mav, Kidd couldn't and did not score the last 2 years. Till now! Boom. That Dirk gave him shooting lessons must have really helped. Now Ray Allen should give some lessons to Rondo too. The Hawks and Grizzlies? They thought the Hawks would choke like Dallas did many years before, and Memphis? they thought after giving up Pau they would be cursed like the Red Sox for giving up Babe Ruth. But stranger things happen. And how!

 

[jadis]

Having missed the live game of MEM and OKC, I just checked out the highlights on nba.com now. It seems this bout is giving Durant and company the baptism of fire into playoff toughness. And indeed this triple OT win showed that Durant and Westbrook can be clutch players down the stretch. If they get to face Dallas, this series might have 'primed' them to face another seasoned and tough opponent as they are one of the 'young guards'.


Meanwhile, the C's lost a close one which they would have won if only Pierce's shot at the end of regulation went in. Call it breaks or bad breaks, it boiled down to that one shot which didn't sink or it would have been 2-2. Bird had missed so many such shots himself in the Celtic uniform before. So, nothing to sulk about. C's just have to think about winning just one game at a time, as there is no other way to go but home, and to remember Bill Fitch's words to a previous Celtic team that 'they have to beat us one more time'. Doc needs to play the bench more to give the old starters a break. Green and Baby needs to come out of their shells and make explosive games. Heck, even an unknown guy named Vasquez sunk an incredible 3 pointer for Memphis to force another OT. So far the C's haven't shown a hero of that sort, and a broken elbow is not exactly the kind of heroism the C's need anymore. Miami and very hungry, and the kind of hunger I see is a bit different as it's more of a hunger of D.Wade to feed his buddy James a golden ring. There is huge bond out here that drives Miami among its Big 3.

 

[Steve Williams]

some good thoughts Jadis

The Grizz-Thunder game was terrific and never thought it would end. The Grizz had it in their hands only to lose in the 3rd OT

 

[Steve Williams]

Yup, this is the Lakers being the Lakers
Jason Whitlock, FOX Sports


This is the Lakers being the Lakers, too. This is how their dynasties end — in chaos, tumult and controversy.

Not long after losing to Chicago in the 1991 NBA Finals, Magic Johnson rocked the world, shared that he was HIV positive and retired.

In the aftermath of a surprising 2004 Finals loss to Detroit, Kobe Bryant forced Shaquille O’Neal out of town and Phil Jackson into retirement.

And now this, the Lakers on the wrong side of an embarrassing 4-0 sweep in the conference semifinals to the Mavericks and rumors that the “trust issues” alluded to by Andrew Bynum refer to a rift between Kobe and Pau caused by conversations between Vanessa and Silvia.

Yeah, the Lakers are sports’ longest-running reality TV show. Khloé and Lamar Kardashian fit in perfectly. So does Ron Artest.

Given the organization’s history, I’m baffled more people failed to see the predictable implosion. Dismissing the Lakers’ season-long struggle as “the Lakers being the Lakers,” was rather shortsighted and gutless.

You had to ignore history and be in denial about the impact of LeBron’s “The Decision.”

It’s been evident since Christmas the Lakers chose the absolute wrong year to stand pat with their roster. Miami’s Big Three changed the landscape and the energy of the entire league.

The Bulls acquired Carlos Boozer. The Thunder and the Celtics collaborated on a huge midseason trade. And maybe, just maybe, the Mavericks made the smartest move, acquiring 7-foot defender/rebounder/floor-runner/pick-n-roll-dunker Tyson Chandler.

Los Angeles’ nucleus — Kobe, Pau, Bynum, Lamar, Fisher and Artest — was lethargic and distracted all season.

• Vanessa Bryant may have had nothing to do with it, but Pau Gasol got dumped by his fiancée, Silvia Lopez Castro.

• Derek Fisher is the president of the NBA Players Association in a year of labor unrest.

• Khloé and Lamar Kardashian have a perfume and a reality TV show to promote.

• Ron Artest is Ron Artest. Among other things, he raffled away his championship ring.

• Andrew Bynum is still the immature kid who delayed knee surgery so he could attend the World Cup.

Kobe and Phil had their hands full trying to get this squad to focus on basketball, let alone withstand the assault LeBron, D-Wade, Dirk, Durant, Rose, K.G., Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were planning.

Obviously, Kobe and Phil failed miserably. Everyone can see it now.

Magic Johnson spent the past two days on ESPN ranting about blowing up the Lakers roster and trading for Dwight Howard. In a tiny bit of hypocrisy, The Greatest Laker (Magic retains his title) blasted Bynum for giving J.J. Barea the kind of cheap-shot elbow Magic gave Isiah Thomas in the 1988 Finals.

Again, this is the Lakers being the Lakers, too.

Magic Johnson is my all-time favorite athlete. I loved Magic’s Lakers. I liked the Shaq-Kobe era. I’ve respected the Kobe-Phil years.

The Lakers don’t lose with a lot of dignity. Never have. Magic fired coach Paul Westhead shortly after going 19 of 49 from the field during a 1981 first-round playoff loss to the Houston Rockets.

Anyone shocked to see Mr. Kardashian deck Dirk Nowitzki and Bynum clip Barea in the fourth quarter Sunday just hasn’t watched much Lakers hoops.

The Lakers have always been spoiled punks. It’s LA. They’re the only athletes who have ever really mattered in this town. You get fed a steady diet of Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington and the rest of the Hollywood elite fawning over you from courtside seats and you’d lose some perspective, too.

The Lakers need to be blown up every three years. Kobe and Phil had a great run — three NBA Finals and two championships. You can’t do four years in Los Angeles without an explosion.

If Lakers owner Jerry Buss is smart, he’d view the entire roster as trade bait, including Kobe.

I’d make a move for Dwight Howard and Chris Paul and try to keep Gasol.

If Michael Jordan, Brett Favre and Joe Montana can finish their careers in foreign uniforms, so can Kobe Bryant.

Midway through Sunday’s game on ABC, the Clippers aired a season-ticket commercial. I’m guessing the advertisement was only shown in the Los Angeles area. The Clippers smell an opportunity. The Lakers are in decline. The Clippers have The Poster Child, Blake Griffin, and some young talent around him.

The League is changing rapidly. The Lakers should embrace it and go with the flow.

 

[Ron Party]

some good thoughts Jadis

The Grizz-Thunder game was terrific and never thought it would end. The Grizz had it in their hands only to lose in the 3rd OT

Very fun game to watch. Memphis showed its lack of playoff experience. Too bad. There's no way when trying to give intentional fouls at the end of regulation play that Mayo and Conley should have been the ones to do so when they have 5 fouls each. There needed to be on the court. Someone else had to take those fouls.

And how about the plays Brooks installs at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime? Westbrook with a fade away 3 pointer from the corner? Durant with a 30 footer? Really? That's some kind of bad joke.

 

[Steve Williams]

so far IMO the Grizz-OKC is the best series to watch

 

[jadis]

Yup, this is the Lakers being the Lakers
Jason Whitlock, FOX Sports

If Lakers owner Jerry Buss is smart, he’d view the entire roster as trade bait, including Kobe.

I’d make a move for Dwight Howard and Chris Paul and try to keep Gasol.

If Michael Jordan, Brett Favre and Joe Montana can finish their careers in foreign uniforms, so can Kobe Bryant.

Intriguing thought. I've never imagined Kobe in another uniform but coincidentally a friend was just telling me that Kobe should jump cross town to join the Clippers, but if that were to be, I doubt the Clippers would involve Griffin in a deal like that. Then would want Griffin AND Kobe, and give up other players, maybe 8 of them.

 

[Steve Williams]

i cant believe they would trade Kobe. In fact from what I understand he i the only one protected

I like the idea of Bynum + ?? for Dwight Howard

I also like the idea of Chris Paul

I can't imagine Fisher will be back next year.

I anticipate a lot of trades

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

While I understand the fan .. The Lakers just lost a championship. They remain a formidable team. I would not tinker with the nucleus of Bryant, Bynum, Gasol and Odam. I would think of a real bench with people who can play . TH bench was inhabited with Zombies and ghouls all year long.
While many have hailed of a changing of the guard, I am not so sure. Dallas remains a suspect team IMO .. If they beat OKC or Memphis which is really playing more than their talent suggests ... They will fall in front of whomever the East will field , likely the Heat ..
Next year is a different story with New York needing a few players (no that many IMO may be a Point Guard and a true center) , Atlanta getting more confident and the Heat setting themselves to be a dynasty in the East and Chicago getting another scorer to shoulder Rose .. In the West The Lakers are far from finished ... In Fact their early exit will allow many of them to rest and recuperate .. They have been playing nonstop for 2 years... They'll be back with a bengeance

We have not seen the last of the Lakers yet ...

 

[Steve Williams]

Frantz, you know how big a Lakers fan I am but having seen the implosion in game 4 there is no doubt in my mind that they have to clean the bench which also might spell the end for Lamar (but I doubt it). In order for the Lakers to even be competitive they need
1. A formidable bench
2. A bonified 3 point shooter (two would be better)
3. A need to get back on the quick transition etc
4 Several young, fast and athletic players if they have any chance of competing against these other teams such as Atlanta, Memphis, OKC
5 A new coach who will eliminate the triangle offense and finally (as Ron Party proved) a way to defend against the pick and roll

IMO the Lakers will certainly be in the playoffs next year but will not win a title for quite a while

As for this year, I see the Heat coming out of the East (unless Bulls depend on someone other than D Rose for their offense) vs the Mavs. If the Mavs play like they did against the Lakers I feel they have greater depth than the Heat and will prevail. If it is Heat vs Mavs, Heat has home court advantage by virtue of a better overall record than the Mavs. This could be a problem for the Mavs

 

[Steve Williams]

Too bad for the Hawks. They were with the Bulls until the 4th period however just not quite as good as the Bulls. Hawks outplayed them but gave up the ghost in the 4th

To Bob

Sorry Bob, the Bulls are a great team with the MVP and Coach of the Year but from what I am seeing they arent ready for prime time if they get to the Finals and Im not so sure they will beat the Heat to get to the Finals

 

[Ron Party]

Steve is correct with many of his observations. BUT, in order for the Lakers to add the type of players they need, and quality players at that, they will need to move either Bynum or Gasol plus either Odom or Artest and either Blake or Brown. Reason: cap room.

If I'm annointed GM, Brown is gone, since he is a 1 dimensional player. Brown has 1 year left on his contract at 3M IIRC. Blake is expendable, since he is not a starting point guard caliber player. Blake has 3 years left on his contract at 4M per IIRC. Barnes is expendable. He has 1 year left on his contract at 2M IIRC.

If Brian Shaw takes over it remains to be seen whether he will keep or abandon the triangle offense. Phil Jackson's version always included a completely non-traditional point guard: Steve Kerr, Craig Hodges, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, and of course Derek Fisher. There's no reason why a quick point guard, the kind to run the pick and roll or otherwise single-handedly break down a defense, wouldn't fit in the triangle offense.

One thing for sure... What turned out to be a trade of Trevor Ariza for Ron Artest did not work to the Lakers' benefit.

 

[Steve Williams]

I agree Ron. I would move Bynum and Fisher and go for Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. Now if you can say the Heat bought a team this would be a trio (if they could work together) would be fair contest to the Heat's big 3

Like I said before I would get rid of 2 of the B's (Blake and Barnes)

The big question for me is Odom. He wants to stay a Laker and certainly Chloe is in LA but he is also older.

 

[jadis]

As the C's are very near to the fate of ex-champs LAL and the Spurs, I can't help but see the same questions arising after their season is over. Doc maybe gone. The thing is, there is no shadow of a coach to succeed him. Maybe Ainge might move down? Nah. McHale? My choice. And the trio of oldies. Basically non-tradable due to their, umm, age. Free agents? Let's see who's on the table. Would Perkins staying make a difference in this Heat series? I doubt. Because Wade and James are mostly shooting from the outside. The C's main problem in this match-up is that Rondo and Pierce have to guard Wade and James. No contest on both counts. That was where Green comes in, but so far he hasn't been coming in, so to speak. Doc, like in the past 2 years, play the oldies very heavy minutes, and when they had to guard tough guys, their offense fails as well. Against NYN, Pierce and Allen somehow had easy times shooting bec they weren't panting from guarding Carmelo who basically just makes the pop shot unlile James and Wade who love to weave before shooting, making it more tiresome to guard. Boston destroyed Miami and Cleveland last 2 years bec they only had 1 player to stop, now there are 2, and this is why Miami is ahead decisively. So next season, Boston has to shop for free agents who can defend these 2 guys, or maybe trade 4 of their bench players for 2 better defenders.

As for the Lakers, again, I am a bit surprised at all this break-up talk. You don't go from champions a year ago into bust because 2 players were added and subtracted. And all the more you don't break up the core for that same reason. The C's had all the injuries in the regular season but the Lakers virtually had none, nothing serious. So I believe its the quality of their play that went down, the same guys who fought so hard to win Game 7 against the C's are basically the same guys now, in person. But in spirit, that is another question. This rumor of a Gasol-Kobe feud (no talk) maybe what Bynum is talking about - lack of trust. To me, it's more a lack of unity. Lack of heart. Maybe that's why Phil was so frustrated with Pau that he almost gave him a short punch. Maybe he knew there was something Pau wasn't doing that Phil knows he is so capable of doing. Kobe was Kobe on Game 1 but virtually was not himself for the next 3 games. My thoughts is still that it was Dallas that got better and the Lakers were a little bit not themselves, for me, not a reason to 'blow up' the team. Just my view, as I know that pure Lakers fans will see it otherwise.

 

[rblnr]

Sorry Bob, the Bulls are a great team with the MVP and Coach of the Year but from what I am seeing they arent ready for prime time if they get to the Finals and Im not so sure they will beat the Heat to get to the Finals

Agreed. Part of their success was simply outworking teams in the regular season, but that's harder to do in the playoffs. I don't see them getting past the Heat other, and the only thing I want more than a Bulls championship is the Heat to lose. I actually think Dallas can play w/the Heat though.

Lakers are at a crossroads with Phil gone, Kobe aging, Buss seeming to have less to spend and the new CA agreement looming. My gut is that a chunk of the nucleus will be moved. Will be interesting to see if the new CA makes an effort to level the playing field a bit for small market teams. If so, there may be less player movement through free agency.

 

[Steve Williams]

Lakers C Bynum suspended 5 games for Barea foul
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
May 10, 7:41 pm EDT

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP)—Lakers center Andrew Bynum(notes) has been suspended for five games next season for his flagrant foul on Dallas guard J.J. Barea(notes) in Los Angeles’ final playoff game.

The NBA announced the suspension Tuesday, two days after Bynum was ejected for the foul late in the two-time defending champions’ 36-point loss to the Mavericks in Game 4. The league also fined Bynum $25,000 for ripping off his jersey while heading to the locker room, which means the suspension will cost Bynum more than $700,000.


DALLAS, TX - MAY 08: Andrew B…
AP - May 10, 4:25 pm EDT
NBA Gallery
Bynum expressed contrition for the episode after his exit interview at the Lakers’ training complex earlier Tuesday, saying the foul was “terrible” and “unacceptable.”

Bynum said his actions “don’t represent me, my upbringing, this franchise or any of the Laker fans out there that want to watch us and want us to succeed,” Bynum said. “I want to actually apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I’m just glad that he wasn’t seriously injured in the event. All I can say is, I’ve looked at (a replay), it’s terrible, and it definitely won’t be happening again.”

Bynum hit Barea with a flying elbow in the ribs while the Dallas guard drove to the basket for a layup in the fourth quarter. Barea wasn’t seriously hurt, but he stayed down for an extended time while Bynum left the court.

Bynum was suspended for two games in March for a hard foul on Minnesota’s Michael Beasley(notes) under the basket, although that foul didn’t have the same element of pure malice that even Bynum acknowledged in his foul on Barea.

Bynum said he was frustrated by the Lakers’ awful performance in an elimination game, falling far behind in the first half and never contending. He was less apologetic about the foul immediately after it happened, saying he was frustrated by the Mavericks guards repeatedly driving the lane for baskets.

Bynum said he has tried to get in contact with Barea to apologize personally, but hasn’t been able to reach him yet.

Forward Ron Artest(notes) was suspended for Game 3 of the series after a hard foul on Barea late in Game 2. Artest said Tuesday that he disagreed with his suspension.

“What are you going to do? You’ve got a guy who’s 5-2,” Artest jokingly said of the 6-foot Barea. “I extend, and he’s straight up, like a broomstick, and his face was in my palm. When it happened, I was like, ‘Oh boy. Are you all right, young fella?’ And then I was ejected. … It was unfortunate, the ejection and suspension. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t right. It shouldn’t have happened.”

 

[Steve Williams]

DWIGHT HOWARD=KEY TO LAKERS’ FUTURE?May 11, 2011 · 10:10AM

From nba.com


LOS ANGELES – If there is a rift between Dwight Howard and Orlando’s hometown newspaper and it somehow leads to Howard’s eye wandering this way come free agency in 2012, basketball fans here in Southern California already have the welcome routine down.
As both Howard, writers at the Orlando Sentinel and anyone else that knows anything about the history of the league have already pointed out, this wouldn’t be the first time a Magic superstar center has packed up and relocated to Hollywood. (Shaquille O’Neal‘s how-to-bolt-and-win-titles-in-LA pamphlet is available on Amazon.com.)
As we documented here before, one enterprising Orlando fan already has taken a proactive approach to prevent any kind of Howard exodus with the StayDwight.com campaign.
But if something as simple as Howard’s testy tweet from the other day …
Y does it seem like the writers of Orlando sentinel are tryna push me out of Orlando with dumb articles. It’s annoying. Can I enjoy my summer and get ready for next season in Orlando. Pls. Same thing u guys did to Shaq. Smh
… can set off the sort of firestorm that it did, the next 10-12 months will be a living nightmare for Magic fans worried that Howard will bolt for the big stage that this city provides.
Lakers’ fans are licking their wounds after having their three-peat bid swept away by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, so they need something to feel good about. They need to believe that bigger and better days are ahead now that the Phil Jackson era is over. They need to believe in the dream of Howard in purple and gold. They need to believe that he is the key to their future.
And make no mistake about it, the buzz is real. People won’t stop talking about him out here. I got into a heated debate yesterday with an L.A. native who insisted that not only does it make sense for Howard to pick up where Shaq left off, but that Howard (like every other player in the league) “loves LA, is interested in buying a house here and wants to be a Laker.”
He believed what he was saying so wholeheartedly that he almost had me convinced that what he said was true.
Howard, in the minds of a lot of people here in Southern California, quite simply is the answer to all of the Lakers’ problems. Granted, Howard is not a free agent until summer 2012. And he made it clear in his tweet that his focus right now (at least) is on Orlando next season.
That hasn’t stopped folks from both coasts, good people like my main man Brian Schmitz of the Sentinel, from stating the painfully obvious (for Magic fans):
What’s worse than the Magic’s season going bust?
The Lakers’ season going bust.
It means the Lakers — 15 years after stealing Shaquille O’Neal from Orlando — are poised to try to swipe another superstar center from the Magic.
This is what they do, historically speaking. (See Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain).
It’s only a matter of which big man the Lakers will offer the Magic for Howard — Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum. Most likely it is Bynum, considering Gasol is more of a power forward.
The only way they can get Howard, a 2012 free agent, is through a trade. Like the Magic, the Lakers are mortgaged to the hilt, unable to spend money because they are in salary-cap purgatory.
The Magic have no intention of trading Howard unless he asks out and asks to go to a specific team, a la Carmelo Anthony.
If Howard tells them he wants to move on to L.A., then the Magic have to consider a deal to receive compensation, and you could do worse than, say, Bynum.
As they head for summer vacation earlier than usual, to a man the Lakers have spoken about their mystique losing some of its luster. You don’t get blown out the way they did by the Mavericks and not lose a little something.
“Teams have lost that fear in relation to us,” Gasol said. “They lost that respect, and I think sometimes we haven’t earned it.”
Howard in a Lakers jersey alongside Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest would change that in a heartbeat.
So what if it’s just a fantasy for Lakers’ fans, and a nightmare for Magic fans, right now.