LAKERS4LIFE

2008 Olympics:Team USA Basketball Schedule

2008-07-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

Team USA's time has finally come to prove that they are second to none in international basketball! Anything less than the gold medal will be a disappointment for Coach K and company.

There will be 12 teams squaring off in the 2008 Olympics separated into two different groups with six teams apiece.

Group A: Argentina, Australia, Croatia, Iran, Lithuania and Russia
Group B: Angola, China, Germany, Greece, Spain and USA

Can Kobe Bryant and LeBron James lead Team USA back to their winning ways?Can this team reclaim Team USA's once dominant status?

All these questions will be answered soon, starting August 10th when they take on Yao Ming's Chinese national squad in Team USA's first game in the 2008 Olympics.

Here is the 2008 Olympics basketball schedule:

Preliminary Round
Aug. 10

Game 7 (6 p.m. Aug. 9): Russia vs. Iran
Game 8 (8:15 p.m. Aug. 9): Germany vs. Angola
Game 9 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 9): Spain vs. Greece
Game 10 (1:45 a.m.): Lithuania vs. Argentina
Game 11 (5 a.m.): Australia vs. Croatia
Game 12 (7:15 a.m.): USA vs. China

Aug. 12

Game 19 (6 p.m. Aug. 11): Iran vs. Lithuania
Game 20 (8:15 p.m. Aug. 11): Croatia vs. Russia
Game 21 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 11): Greece vs. Germany
Game 22 (1:45 a.m.): China vs. Spain
Game 23 (5 a.m.): Angola vs. USA
Game 24 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Australia

Aug. 14

Game 31 (6 p.m. Aug. 13): Germany vs. Spain
Game 32 (8:15 p.m. Aug. 13): Australia vs. Iran
Game 33 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 13): Angola vs. China
Game 34 (1:45 a.m.): Lithuania vs. Russia
Game 35 (5 a.m.): USA vs. Greece
Game 36 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Croatia

Aug. 16

Game 43 (6 p.m. Aug. 15): Greece vs. Angola
Game 44 (8:15 p.m. Aug. 15): Russia vs. Australia
Game 45 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 15): Croatia vs. Lithuania
Game 46 (1:45 a.m.): Iran vs. Argentina
Game 47 (5 a.m.): China vs. Germany
Game 48 (7:15 a.m.): Spain vs. USA

Aug. 18

Game 55 (6 p.m. Aug. 17): Iran vs. Croatia
Game 56 (8:15 p.m. Aug. 17): Australia vs. Lithuania
Game 57 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 17): Greece vs. China
Game 58 (1:45 a.m.): Angola vs. Spain
Game 59 (5 a.m.): USA vs. Germany
Game 60 (7:15 a.m.): Argentina vs. Russia

Quarterfinals
The information below shows only who will be playing whom in accordance with the final standings for Groups A and B after the preliminary round.

Aug. 20

Game 65: B2 vs. A3
Game 66: A1 vs. B4
Game 67: A2 vs. B3
Game 68: B1 vs. A4

The exact game number and time for the four quarterfinal games will be known at the latest on the evening of Aug. 18. The quarterfinals will be played at these PACIFIC times: 11:30 p.m. Aug. 19, 1:45 a.m., 5 a.m. and 7:15 a.m.

Semifinals
Aug. 22

Game 71: Winner of Game 65 vs. Winner Game 66
Game 72: Winner of Game 67 vs. Winner of Game 68

The exact game number and time for the two semifinals will be known at the latest on the evening of Aug. 20. The semifinals games will be played at 5 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. -- these are PACIFIC time. In Beijing time, tipoff is at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m.

Finals
Aug. 24

Game 75 (9 p.m. Aug. 23): Loser of Game 71 vs. Loser of Game 72 (3 - 4)
Game 76 (11:30 p.m. Aug. 23): Winner of Game 71 vs. Winner of 72 (1 - 2)

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/olympics_blog/2008/07/olympic-basketb.html

James Posey Leaves Boston to Join the New Orleans Hornets

2008-07-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Money talks! With the exception of Gilbert Arenas (although he is getting $111) and Antawn Jamison who actually stayed with the Washington Wizards, every other free agent seems to be choosing a different direction and signing with the team that throws them the big bucks.

First it was Baron Davis shocking the Golden State Warriors by opting out and signing with the Los Angeles Clippers followed by both Corey Maggette (Warriors) and Elton Brand (Philadelphia 76ers) leaving LA for reportedly more money.

The fun didn't stop there as some big trades have gone down including Jermaine O'Neal going to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for TJ Ford and Richard Jefferson heading to Milwaukee for second year man Yi Jianlian and ex-clipper Bobby Simmons.

The Clippers also got in on the trade front trying to replace Brand by getting Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets for a second round draft pick (which was a steal). It would be near impossible to replace a 20 and 10 guy like Brand, but a former defensive player of the year and all around solid big man, Camby should fit in nicely.

As for the Lakers, the have done nothing but stand by and watch as all these teams try and build better franchises. Maybe that is a good thing, but missing out on snatching James Posey from the free agent market was a bad idea.

As of July 16th, James Posey has agreed to sign with the New Orleans Hornets who with Posey in their lineup look to be even better than last year's surprisingly good squad led by Chris Paul. Reportedly Posey will be paid about $25 million over four years.

With the Lakers not making an offer for Posey tells us one of two things, either they are looking to match Golden States offer for Ronny Turiaf ($16 mill) or have other plans for the future, like being able to offer Ron Artest a big contract when he becomes a free agent.

Ronny Turiaf Agrees to Deal with Golden State Warriors

2008-07-09T01:58:00.000-07:00

It looks like the Lakers energy man Ronny Turiaf has received and accepted a rather generous offer from the Golden State Warriors. Reportedly the Warriors have offered Turiaf $17 million over four years.

Now this is just an offer sheet so the Lakers have 7 days to make a counter offer for their power forward from Gonzaga, but if they still want to be in the James Posey sweepstakes it will be bye-bye for Ronny.

When I heard this was going down I was pretty upset. I love players that show emotion throughout the game and really express how much they love the game and no one in the NBA does that more than Ronny Turiaf.

Ronny Turiaf is by far one of the most energetic forces off the bench in this league and on the Lakers squad.

Does he deserve $17 mill?

Probably not, but in my eyes a guy like Turiaf is worth his weight in gold for his passionate play on the floor and his positive attitude in the locker room not to mention his crazy dances on the bench.

Well, if this is good bye Ronny, and I think it is because the Lakers will be trying to nab Posey or make clear some cap room for other moves, then it has been a fun ride and you will be missed.

Ronny Turiaf Highlights

Baron Davis Agrees to Become a Member of the Los Angeles Clippers

2008-07-01T18:52:00.001-07:00

Wow! I heard that the Los Angeles Clippers was one of Baron Davis' preferred destinations if things didn't work out with the Golden State Warriors, but I never thought it would happen on the opening day of NBA free agency.

Reportedly, the deal will be worth $65 million over 5 years. Not a bad deal for a 29 year old point guard!

Although this is a verbal agreement and anything can happen over the next few days the Clippers are already potentially looking like a playoff bound team with the addition their draft pick Eric Gordon from Indiana and a healthy Shaun Livingston.

Elton Brand and Corey Maggette's future is still up in the air with both players opting out of their contracts, but it is almost certain that Maggette will not return. Brand on the other hand doesn't want to go anywhere, but if he does the Philadelphia 76ers are the only team that will be able to throw money at him.

As for the Warriors, Gilbert Arenas will be in their crosshairs after the huge loss of Baron Davis. The Washington Wizards will probably have more money to spend on the superstar Agent Zero, but just like Davis going to the Clippers, you just never know what can happen.

Should the Lakers Trade Lamar Odom for Ron Artest?

2008-07-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

Now that the NBA free agent season is officially open and all the NBA GMs (including Mitch Kupchak even though he says there will be no moves) will be looking to improve their squads from a very talented group of free agents like Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis and Elton Brand just to name a few.

Trade talks for prime time players will also be circulating around the league all summer long, some deals have already gone down like Jermaine O'Neal going to Toronto and Richard Jefferson heading to Milwaukee, but will the Lakers being looking to finally move Lamar Odom and go after Ron Artest?

The biggest question going into the Lakers off season so far has been what to do with Lamar Odom. There is no question Odom is an unbelievable talent with a huge upside, but his inconsistency just killed the Lakers in the NBA finals and a lot of Lakers fans are hoping the small forward get moved before next season, hopefully for a player with a more defensive mind set which was sorely lacking against the Boston Celtics.

The only player the Lakers have been rumored to be going after is Sacramento Kings defensive specialist and head case Ron Artest.

Personally, I love Ron Artest's game. He is a solid defender who plays at a high level every night and can be a solid scoring threat when need be. If he were dealt to Los Angeles he would fit in perfectly and should fill the defensive void for the Lakers. The only downside with Artest is his attitude and unpredictability for just losing control, kind of like a modern day Dennis Rodman.

I think he is exactly what the Lakers need, Lamar Odom has had his shot, at times he showed flashes of brilliance, but he is just too streaky and a defensive liability. So thanks for everything LO, but it is time to go a different direction and go after Ron Artest. It may or not happen, but from what I am hearing, although the Kings would like to make a deal within the same division, the Lakers have Ron Artest on their radar.

Kobe Tell Me How My Ass Tastes: Shaq Puts Kobe Bryant on Blast with a Rap at a NYC Nightclub

2008-06-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

Damn! This Kobe/Shaq feud just won't go away, no matter how many times they say they are cool with each other and there are no hard feelings some bullshit like this comes out of nowhere.

First of all, I don't know why Shaq is talking trash right now, Shaq and the Phoenix Suns were just terrible in the playoffs this year getting there asses kicked by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round which is the same team that got destroyed in 5 games against Kobe Bryant's Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

I love Shaq, don't get me wrong, in my mind he will always be a big part of my Lakers memories, but he does some stupid shit sometimes. I did laugh when I watched the video, but damn Shaq is bitter. Just let it go man, just let it go.

THE SHAQ AND KOBE FEUD CONTINUES

Still Alive! Lakers Win Game 5 to Move the Series Back to Boston

2008-06-16T14:44:00.000-07:00

Coming into game 5 in Los Angeles, the NBA finals was all but over for the Lakers who were facing elimination (3-1) and coming off the biggest comeback in NBA finals history from the Boston Celtics who have clearly been the better all around team in this series.

Even me, a die hard Lakers fan , thought the Celtics were going to finish off the Lakers in game 5, but after Kobe Bryant's 15 point first quarter and another big lead going into the second quarter for the Lakers I started to believe yet again.

In the first quarter Kobe was on fire! Hitting three after three after three, Kobe looked like he was on a mission to prove something, prove that the Celtics may have a very good defense, but he is the best player in the world and no one was going to stop him this time.

As the first quarter continued on with the Lakers in control and Kobe making all the right decisions it seemed as though the Lakers just might be able creep back into this series and make Boston work for that elusive 17th title against their arch rivals, but once again the Celtics began to chip away at the Lakers big 19 point lead and slowly, but surely get back into the game.

Although I'm not a big fan of the Celtics, I can't help but point out a few things that they do better than anyone, especially on defense. The Celtics are the only team I have seen this season that can make Kobe Bryant only shoot jump shots and keep him out of the lane. I am not talking about stopping this year's MVP once or twice during the game, the Celtics have consistently kept Bryant out of the paint and at times completely out of his game. That to me is very impressive and will definitely be something the Lakers have to correct in order to win this series or just win game 6 for that matter. If Kobe can't score like only Kobe can, then this series might as well end right now because there is no way the Lakers will be able to win two row in Boston without Kobe Bryant keeping the Celtics defense on their heels and in constant foul trouble. Also the Celtics seem to want it more, they are out hustling the Lakers and playing the some of the best defense I have seen in a long time. The way the Celtics are playing defense, it is amazing to me that both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks were able to take them 7 games.

I big reason for the Celtics success has been Paul Pierce he had been huge for the Celtics in this series. Before this series I thought Pierce was a good player, like a Tracy McGrady or , but after the way he has played against the Lakers in these finals the guy is just a baller. Inside, outside, he can bust you up from anywhere on the offensive end and he proved that in game 5 scoring a game high 38 points and dishing out 8 assists, much like Kobe, once he gets going, he is hard to contain.

Another big problem for the Lakers in this series is the Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom who seem to disappear when the team needs them the most, both guys played pretty well in game 5, but they are going to have to play just as well if not better for the next two games in Boston.

One of the best attributes of Pau's game is his high basketball IQ, always making the smart play, knowing when to pass and when to be aggressive with his back to the basket, but we have still haven't seen Gasol play at the top of his game in this series. He did have his best game of the series in game 5 with 19 points and 13 rebounds, but it did take him 5 games to finally put some good numbers. If the Lakers are going to make a run at history being the first team to comeback down 3-1 in the NBA finals, then Pau is going to have to play like this or possibly even better in order to take down the Eastern conference champs in their house.

Lamar, Lamar, Lamar...what can I say, the guy shows you how unstoppable he can be one minute and then completely disappears the next by being passive and trying to become a distributor rather than the aggressive scorer that many teams find hard to stop once he gets going. The only thing it boils down to with Lamar is mental toughness, he just doesn't have it and it continues to hurt the Lakers throughout this series.

One bright spot for the Lakers in game 5 was Jordan Farmar finally coming back to life scoring 11 points off the bench. Not huge point production from UCLA's finest, but I think the kid might be starting to get his confidence back and the right time too as Sasha "The Machine" Vujacic having probably his worst game of the season only scoring two points on 2 for 10 and 0 of 5 of which were from beyond the arc.

So if Kobe Bryant can figure out a way to beat this tough Celtics defense and Pau and Lamar Odom at a high level in Boston then the Lakers have a fighting chance, if not, then the Boston Celtics will be raising another championship banner into the rafters next week.

NBA FINALS GAME 6: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Tuesday, June 17 6pm PST

WATCH GAME 6 OF THE NBA FINALS LIVE ON YOUR PC: CLICK HERE

NBA Finals Game 5 Recap

Unbelieveable: Lakers Lose Game 4 After Being up by 24

2008-06-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

I feel like I want to cry...

What else can I say, the Lakers had the Boston Celtics on their heels the entire first half, everyone was clickin', especially Lamar Odom who finally stepped up and the Lakers went up by 21 points to go into halftime and it looked like the game was over with the Lakers tying up the series 2-2.

I really can't believe I am saying this, but the Celtics really deserve some credit pulling off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. It just had to be against the Lakers didn't it?

There has never, I repeat NEVER been an NBA team that has ever, let me repeat EVER comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. So a lot of people we be counting the Lakers out of the NBA finals now, all the haters will be out praising the Celtics, but we must keep hope alive, we must rally around the boys that gave us all the memories this season!! The Lakers will not go down with out a fight!

Yes, Lamar Odom played better and yes, the Lakers looked like the 2008 Lakers in the first half, but the Celtics resilient effort in the second half wasn't nothing short of amazing. Paul Pierce rebounded from his terrible game 3 performance by leading the way down the stretch in fourth quarter against Kobe Bryant and ending the game with a game high 20 points and being the difference in the game for the Boston Celtics.

I think the one big difference between these two teams through this series is that the Boston Celtics just take smarter shots and when the Lakers get a little rattled by Boston's lockdown D (best defense I have seen in a long time), they take bad shot after bad shot and just looked lost on offense.

As a whole the Lakers played great team basketball in the first half with Kobe turning into a distributor and both LO and Pau Gasol being a lot more aggressive and all the Lakers starters scoring in double figures, but the Celtics were continued to chip away at the Lakers lead in the second half and eventually broke the Lakers backs in the fourth quarter.

I will always believe in the Lakers, even if the series were at 3-0 going into this game, but Phil Jackson is going to have to find a way to break down this Celtic defense in order to win or even get back into this series. It is great when Kobe Bryant becomes a distributor and gets all the boys involved, but when the Boston starts to zero in on the role players and LO and Pau, Kobe has to step up and take over and that is just not happening.

Keep the Faith ALIVE! The Lakers can get back in this series!

NBA FINALS Game 5: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, June 15th 6pm PST

WATCH GAME 5 OF THE NBA FINALS ON YOUR PC OR LAPTOP: CLICK HERE

Despite Lakers 4th Quarter Comeback, Celtics Prevail to go up 2-0 in the Finals

2008-06-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

In the most exciting game of the NBA finals so far (mainly because of the Lakers 4th quarter comeback), game 2 showcased everything one would want in a competitive basketball game except for fair officiating.

I don't know if this is just a bias opinion coming from this Lakers fan, but didn't anyone else think the refs were calling everything in game 2 for the Boston Celtics?

It was as if Tim Donaghy came back for one night to make the calls, literally everything the Lakers did to stop the Celtics from scoring resulted in a foul. I have never heard the whistle blow more in a NBA finals series then it did last night.

I hate to say this, but it seems like the NBA (David Stern) is pushing to make this a 7 game series no matter what the consequences, probably no where near the truth, but the thought kept crossing my mind all game long. I have never, I repeat NEVER thought the NBA was corrupt with the way they called games, but after game 2 I will be questioning whatever happens in the rest of the series, even if it goes in the Lakers favor. David Stern is seeing $$ signs if this series goes the full 7 games, not just in this year's finals, but for next season as well.

I may be wrong and completely out of line in saying that, but it just seemed painfully obvious that the Celtics were getting every call, just look at the difference at the line. The Lakers only went to the line 10 times to Boston's 38 in which the Lakers hit all 1o free throws, even bench warmer Leon Powe went to the line 13 times, 3 more than the entire Lakers squad combined.

Although the officiating was in serious question in game 2 there was an amazing 41 point fourth quarter by the Lakers in which they were able to trim the deficit to within two points with about a minute remaining, but couldn't close the deal.

Good news for the Lakers going into game 3 in LA is that Kobe Bryant was able to come back to MVP form scoring 30 points, dishing 8 assists and getting 3 steals, but he still struggled getting in the lane and drawing the foul. Pau Gasol also was able to wake up from his funk scoring 17 points on 8 of 12 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds.

With the Lakers down 2-0 the have a hell of mountain to climb coming back home where they will have to win all three games to keep in this series, I still think they can do it as long as the refs are not destine to crown the Boston Celtics NBA champs.

NBA FINALS GAME 3: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Tues. June 1oth 6pm PST

WATCH THE NBA FINALS LIVE ON YOUR LAPTOP OR PC! CLICK HERE

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

Boston Celtics Take Game 1 in the NBA Finals

2008-06-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Coming into the NBA finals I thought the Lakers were the better team and on their way to their 4th title of the decade beating the hated Celtics in 4 or 5 games, but after seeing the Boston Celtics manhandle the Lakers in the fourth quarter on Thursday night in Boston I am starting to think that winning the series isn't going to be as easy as I had predicted.

Even though Celtics took game 1, I still think the Lakers might win game 2 in Boston and finish the series with three straight victories in Los Angeles, but if Pau Gasol doesn't learn how to put a body on Kevin Garnett and Lamar Odom doesn't step up his game, this series just might go the full 7 games and the Lakers could be in trouble.

I don't know about y'all, but wasn't Paul Pierce getting carried off the court and into the locker room by fourth guys and then running out on to the floor like five minutes later a little pathetic?

That just doesn't happen. If I were Pierce, even if I was in an unbearable amount of pain there is no way I would have four men carry me off like that as if I were a little kid that just fell off his bike and got a booboo. On national TV, in front of millions of people, are you kidding me? Get off your ass you little pussy! It is almost like he staged that whole thing just to get a Willis Reed like entrance. And if Pussy Pierce was really hurt as he made it look rolling around on the floor like he had a season ending injury, you know they gave him "the shot" in the locker room like in Varsity Blues (Paul Walker locker room scene after getting creamed because Billy Bob or whatever the hell his name was missed a block).

Ok. Just had to get that off my chest. Now onto the Lakers who definitely deserved to lose this game.

One thing I must say, when and if both teams play at their absolute best, the Lakers are the better team by far. I say this because in the second half the Lakers were just terrible, losing their five point halftime lead as quick as me asking the waitress for another beer. The Lakers were taking stupid shots, especially Kobe, and losing the battle in the paint. The Celtics out hustled, out rebounded and out played the Lakers.

As I see it, Pau Gasol can't guard Kevin Garnett! Just like last series when Pau couldn't handle Tim Duncan, Gasol just isn't a great defender. Phil Jackson should think about mixing it up a little maybe throwing Ronny Turiaf at the Big Ticket or, I can't believe I am saying this, Dj Mbenga. Anything would be better than seeing Pau get a schooled all night long.

As for Kobe Bryant, he needs to start taking some smarter shots, he had flashes of brilliance with a few sweet fade away jumpers that looked like a flashback of MJ back in the day and an alley oop from D-Fish, but 9 for 26 ain't goin' cut brotha!

Although the Lakers lost game 1, I think this will be one hell of a series which has so far lived up to the hype. I am sticking to my Lakers in 6 prediction, but I don't think this will be an easy ride for Kobe and the Lakers anymore, the Celtics came to play and they are not going down without a fight.

NBA FINALS GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

WATCH THE NBA FINALS ON YOUR PC OR LAPTOP-CLICK HERE!

Bring on Boston! Lakers vs. Celtics Rivalry Renewed

2008-05-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

In a match up that Lakers fans could only dream of, Kobe Bryant and company will be taking on the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals in which will be the 12 time the two teams have met in the NBA's West vs. East battle!

Unfortunately for the Lakers, the purple and gold have only beaten the hated Celtics twice out the eleven previous meeting.

Although the Celtics are the dominant team in the past, I think that times are a changin'! The Lakers come into the NBA finals undefeated at home and having only lost 3 games in this year's playoffs. The Celtics on the other hand have lost 8 games thus far with horrible road record of 2-7, but have only lost once at home.

Most people are already crowning the Lakers NBA champs, which I don't disagree with, but it hard to ignore the obvious mis matches the Lakers will face going into the NBA finals.

First off, there is no one on the Celtics (or in the NBA) that can successfully guard Kobe Bryant, so that is one point in the Lakers favor, but as we saw in the Spurs series, Pau Gasol can't defend the best of the best at his position because Tim Duncan play him like a puppet in all 5 games scoring 30 and grabbing 18 boards night in and out. So now he has the pleasure of guarding Kevin Garnett who is much more athletic and physical player which gives the edge to the Celtics.
Then we come to Paul Pierce who is a pretty damn good one on one player himself, not exactly Kobe status, but can cause problems for any opposing team. So if the Lakers throw Vlad, Luke or LO at him the Lakers are in trouble unless Kobe or Ariza (who no one knows is truly healthy) puts a body on him.

Ray Allen shouldn't cause too much trouble for the Lakers as Kobe will most likely be guarding him (unless he guards Pierce) taking him almost completely out of the picture.

All and all the Lakers and Celtics match up pretty well with a couple mis matches. I still believe the Lakers are the better team and should beat the Celtics relatively easy, especially since Boston is exhausted after playing two series that went 7 games and one that went 6, but you never know.

My prediction: Lakers in 6

NBA FINALS Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics 6:00pm PST

OLD SCHOOL LAKERS/CELTICS

No More Flopping as of Next Season: NBA Will be Giving Out Fines to Floppers

2008-05-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

Finally the NBA will fine all the floppers starting next season!

The NBA announced that it would not tolerate flopping anymore and fines will be given out to players in clear cases of flopping. I think this is the best new rule/fine the NBA has decided on in years.

Here is a list of players that I think will get the bulk of the fines next season, some defensive floppers and others do their flopping trying to score, but all of these guys are notorious for being bad actors on the floor:

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs- Just count the amount times this guy hits the floor a night, almost every time he drives to the lane his is on his ass, unlike players like Allen Iverson, Ginobili wants to be on the floor.

Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks- Much like Manu, Dirk hits the floor almost every time he drives to the hoop the only difference is that Dirk doesn't know how to finish at the rim so he falls to the floor and looks up at the ref with a stupid look on his face begging for a foul, but the only problem is no one touched him.

Bruce Bowen, San Antonio Spurs- Bowen is by far one of the best defenders in the NBA, but he hasn't gotten to be one of the best on D without perfecting the flop.

Derek Fisher, Los Angeles Lakers- Some Lakers fans may disagree with me, but Fish flops on the regular. Great defender, but occasional flopper.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers- I hate to put him on here, but I would be a liar if I didn't say that Kobe doesn't do his fair share of flopping. That throwing his arms in the air bullshit ain't fly no more after this season.

Shane Battier, Houston Rockets- Like Bowen, a great defender, but he definitely puts on a show when trying to draw the charge.

Honorable mentions: Vince Carter, Tim Duncan, Anderson Vajerao, Raja Bell, Robert Horry, Sam Cassell, Richard Hamilton, Andres Nocioni

Classic Floppers of the Past

Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs- Probably the most interesting player ever to play in the NBA, Rodman was a lock down defender and one of the best rebounders ever to play the game, but he was also one of the most famous floppers in recent history, usually putting his flopping skills to work on his arch rival Karl Malone who I sure would have knocked him out if he had the chance.

Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers- I was a huge MJ fan back in the day, so I absolutely couldn't stand Miller and his floppin'. He even designed that funky shooting form of his to create a smacking noise when his wrists connected on the release of his shot so the refs would call a foul, shady.

John Stockton, Utah Jazz- Although Jonny boy looks as innocent as can be with the clean cut school boy hair cut and ridiculously short shorts, Stockton was professional flopper. I didn't help him when MJ's Bulls dominated the Jazz in the finals two years in a row, but he definitely got his fair share of charges called against his opponents.

Vlade Divac, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings- This guy flopped so much that he practically invented the term. When you think flopper, you think Vlade in a Kings uniform. Although he seemed to be flop more than any player back in the day, he would put on the worst acting jobs of all time trying to sell it.

Manu Ginobili Flop

Kobe Bryant Jumps Over a Pool of Snakes While Hanging Out With the Jackass Crew

2008-05-28T01:21:00.000-07:00

Although this shit is completely fake, I thought it was pretty cool that Kobe Bryant was down to hang out with the crazy ass Jackass crew! I have seen Brad Pitt kick it with the Jackass boys and thought that wasn't too much of a shock, but Kobe hangin' with them was kinda crazy!

This is what Kobe had to say about his experience with the Jackass crew:

calling it a “hell of a time“, referring to the Jackass boys as “classic idiots“, but adding that he “loved every minute of it.”

CHECK OUT KOBE BEING A JACKASS!

Advantage Lakers: Spurs on the Brink of Elimination

2008-05-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

Did Derek Fisher foul Brent Barry? Did Barry travel? Should have the refs called a foul in the closing seconds?

After game 4, there will plenty of questions thrown around about the last 2.1 seconds of play which mainly involved Brent Barry of the Spurs and Derek Fisher.

In my opinion, it was a foul, but if you are going to call the foul then you have to call the traveling violation on Barry, but since this is the Western Conference finals with so much on the line there is no way in hell these veteran refs (Joey Crawford, Mark Wunderlich , Joe Forte) are going to make that call.

Even Brent Barry, who took the shot with time expiring agrees by saying:

"That's not going to get called in the Western Conference finals," Barry said. "Maybe in the regular season. But that call shouldn't be called in the Western Conference finals."

D-Fish also put his two cents in on the controversial play:

"never thought they would blow a whistle.""I think we met simultaneously, and there was contact for sure," Fisher said. "But I don't think I ran through him."

Although this controversial call will bug the shit out of Spurs fans much like the 0.4 of 2004, the verdict is in and the Lakers have taken game 4 and control of this series by out hustling and out playing the Spurs in their house.

This wasn't the prettiest game I have seen in this series, but it was definitely the closest finish of all 4 games (93-91). Both teams struggled to make runs or get anything going offensively most of the game with the exception of the superstars Kobe Bryant (28 points including a sick ass dunk, 10 reb) and Tim Duncan (30 points, 18 reb), but mainly the reason of lack offense was because some key players decided not to show up on Tuesday like Manu Ginobili who put a pathetic 7 points on 2 of 8 shooting and Pau Gasol who continues to get dominated by Tim Duncan only scoring 10 points and letting Duncan play him like a puppet.

Lamar Odom somewhat redeemed himself for his horrible game 3 performance in this game 4 scoring 16 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Not monster numbers by any means, but a much needed improvement, especially from the line where he hit 8 of 9 free throws.

With this win the Lakers are in great position to take this series at home in game 5 in Los Angeles. I know the Spurs will not go down without a fight and I would not be surprised to see the Spurs win game 5 in LA, but I think this win in San Antonio was the deciding factor in the series. Granted the Spurs missed a lot of open shots that could in game 4 which would have definitely changed the outcome, but it is becoming more and more obvious that the Lakers much younger, faster and ready to dethrone the champs!

Keep your eyes glued to the tube on Thursday Lakers fans, I get the feeling we are all going to witness the Lakers heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2004!

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 5: San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers Thurs. May 29th 6pm PST

GAME 5 HIGHLIGHTS (Kobe's Dunk was Sick!)

Lamar Odom Takes the Blame for Game 3

2008-05-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

In a bold move Lakers forward Lamar Odom has taken the blame for the Lakers 19 point loss in game 3 at San Antonio.

In games one and two the Lakers were nothing short of spectacular! Coming from 20 points down to steal the win from the Spurs in game 1 at home and then completely destroying San Antonio by 30 points in game 2 showing that the game 1 comeback win was no fluke and the Lakers are for real and ready to play.

With this momentum coming into game 3 the Lakers were flying high and keeping the defending champs on their heels, but like we have all seen in the past, the Spurs are very resiliant and can never be counted out regardless of how many games they are down in a seven game series.

Game 3 was a whole other story altogether as the Spurs were in control all game long with Manu Ginobili finally waking up for the Spurs scoring 30 points, 15 of which from deep. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker also great games for the Spurs combining for 44 points, Duncan had a game high 21 rebounds as well.

With the Spurs big three playing as well as they did it wasn't going to be easy for the Lakers if their big three didn't have similar games. Of course, Kobe Bryant got his scoring 30 points, but Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom couldn't compliment Kobe's 30. Pau shot an ugly 7 for 18 from the field and only grabbed 5 boards, but even Pau's less than impressive performance couldn't overshadow Odom's nightmare of a game.

In 36 minutes on the floor Lamar Odom managed put up miserable numbers, scoring only 7 points on 2 of 11 shooting and missing 5 of his 8 free throws. Not only was Lamar's shooting stats enough to throw him under the bus, but also had 5 turnovers in probably the most forgettable game of his career.

I have got to give it to Odom though, once the game was over Lamar took all the blame for the Lakers loss in game 3, pointing no fingers or blasting any other teammates, you can definitely see the maturity of Lamar Odom and the Lakers with his post game statements:

"I put this one on myself," Lamar Odom announces. "I take the blame, totally, for this game."

"There is no way I can play like that," he says. "I've got to play better than that."

"I got to the free-throw line and didn't make free throws. . . . [I] turned the ball over," he says. "That's not good enough. Especially on the road with this type of atmosphere, this type of intensity."

"I don't sleep tonight," Odom says. "I keep the TV off. I don't read the newspaper. I get out to practice tomorrow and get my butt to the free-throw line."

Although I believe the Lakers just broke down as a team and he shouldn't take all the heat for this loss, it still shows that he serious about winning and hopefully he will show that in game 4.

The Stage is Set for a Classic Western Conference Finals

2008-05-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

Only four years ago we all witnessed one of the most replayed miracle shots in NBA history known only by the numbers, 0.4!

After an amazing prayer fadeaway shot at the top of the key over Shaq with the time expiring, Tim Duncan hit a shot for the ages that could seemingly could not be topped, at least until the next shot by D-Fish. With the game in the San Antonio Spurs hands at 73-72 the Lakers had an impossible shot to make. After Duncan's crazy shot to put the Spurs on top, the Lakers immediately called a timeout before the inbounds with only 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock. Everyone in the arena would have guaranteed that the basketball would end up in Kobe Bryant's hands for the last shot, but that was far from the truth as the Spurs defense was tight as a drum trying to avoid one of the biggest clutch shots in NBA history, as a result, Derek Fisher was able to get just enough room to make a catch and shoot fadeaway about a foot or so away from the three point line and all you saw was one of the prettiest swishes in NBA history which Lakers fans will never forget!

Things have changed drastically since that game 5 in 2004, the Spurs proved that they have built a dynasty by winning two more championships in 2005 and 2007 and the Lakers franchise went straight down the tubes with Shaq and Gary Payton headed to Miami, Karl Malone retiring and the whole Lakers franchise basically going to shit with everyone pointing the finger at Kobe Bryant.

It took three seasons of a rebuilding process, but the Lakers have gotten back a taste of their dominance from the championship years with the addition of Pau Gasol, the emergence of a very talented bench and Kobe Bryant finally getting some love being crowned the NBA's MVP for his efforts in turning the Lakers back into title contenders after three forgettable years.

The Spurs on the other hand haven't lost a step even though some people say they are finally feeling their age and we are witness the Spurs on the downside of their dominance of the decade, they are still one of the toughest teams to beat and are in the Western conference finals yet again to defend their NBA title reign.

Although I hate the Spurs with a passion as a die hard Lakers fan, I can't say I don't respect them. They are the only team in this league that could give the Lakers a run for their money. The Spurs have everything you would want in a team, playoff experience, proven role players, a solid bench and a fearless leader in Tim Duncan.

If there were any team in the league right now that could end the Lakers title run it is the San Antonio Spurs, I hate saying that, but it is the truth! That is why I think we are going to be in for a treat as this Western conference finals will most definitely be an on the edge of your seat NBA classic that we will remember for years to come!

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 1: San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers Weds, May 21st 6pm PST

0.4 BABY!

Andrew Bynum Will Officially Done for the Year After Season Ending Surgery

2008-05-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we all knew this was coming Lakers fans, for some reason Andrew Bynum just seemed destined not to return this season and with news of the big kid scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on his injured left knee it is finally official that he won't play another minute for the Lakers this season regardless of whether or not the Lakers get to the NBA finals.

It is a damn shame, but honestly, the way the Lakers are playing right now, they really don't need him. I never thought I would say that this year after seeing how he had made a huge improvement in his all around game from last season, but with the addition of Pau Gasol and the Lakers in general playing great team basketball lead by this year's MVP Kobe Bryant, I really don't see anyone stopping them.

Although it would have been awesome to see Andrew Bynum playing alongside Pau, Kobe, LO and Fisher, getting surgery now was the best decision Andrew Bynum and Lakers could have made.

Home Court Advantage Continues to Dominate the NBA Playoffs

2008-05-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

In the second round of this year's NBA playoffs home court advantage seems to be a huge asset, 19 of 20 games played in the second round the home team has come out on top which is leading the last three series (Spurs/Hornets, Jazz/Lakers, Cavs/Celtics) to possible game sevens. The only loss was by the Orlando Magic against the Detroit Pistons.

Even the Boston Celtics who had the best road record in the NBA this season (31-10) haven't been able to win even one game on the road. In the first round against the 8th seed Atlanta Hawks (0-3) and now in the second round against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2).

For some reason the home team continues to dominate, it maybe because crowd noise or just dumb luck, but one thing is for sure, who ever wins on the road will be the team that has the best chance to advance.

In Utah the crowd noise is deafening, you can't even hear yourself think let alone be able to communicate on the floor making it very difficult to get some chemistry together, the crowd is so hostile it makes it very hard to go into their house and pull out a win which reflects only having 4 losses at home this season. One thing about being a Lakers fan like myself it is really, really hard not to hate every team in the West, I like Golden State, BD is a baller and fun to watch, but I hate the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and the Utah Jazz with a passion.

Then there is Boston with their "bandwagon" fans like Mike Bibby said, that I think is right on the money even though the Lakers have their fare share to with all the Lakers flags that just start appearing on cars when the start winning, but are no where in sight when the Lakers are playing like crap or struggling.

In the past, the Boston Garden was one of the hardest places to play in the NBA with the crazy fanatic fans of Baaahston in the Larry Bird era and now it seems as though the fans are coming back and making the place as hard as ever to get a W.

The Spurs on the other hand I wouldn't say have a the fan base or extremely noisy arenas like Boston or Utah, I am sure they have sell out crowds on a nightly basis, but the Spurs are just so damn good, I have a passion for hatin' on these guys. They are like the Pistons of the West, almost a guarantee to get deep in the playoffs every season.

Finally, you have the Lakers at the Staples Center where there no shortage of Hollywood's biggest and brightest stars like Jack Nicholson and Denzel Washington, even some of the best athletes in the sports world come out to see the Lakers like soccer superstar David Beckham. All of this combined with arguably the best player in the game Kobe Bryant it makes for one of the best basketball arenas in the league and a tough place to play for any opponent as they have not lost once at home in the playoffs.

Well, Lakers fans, we are still alive and more than ready to take out the Utah Jazz and advance to the Western conference finals for the first time since 2004, if you want to watch any of the remaining games live, check out BarrysTickets.com for great deals on Los Angeles Lakers Tickets

Kobe Bryant Injury Update

2008-05-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

As if it were even a question whether or not Kobe Bryant was going to play in game 5 in Los Angeles against the Jazz I am pleased to announce that Kobe's back is feeling much better (at least so he says) and even if the Lakers were going to play on Monday, he would've have been ready to go says Kobe.

"I tried to play and make drives to the basket where I could kind of withstand the pain without the back completely spasming and then put the next game really in jeopardy," Bryant said.

Anyone who has actually played basketball with a bad back, back spasms or injured their back during a game knows how extremely painful it can be and how it really limits your mobility or your ability to do anything on the basketball court. To think that Kobe actually played through this back pain, helped his team take the Jazz (in their house) into overtime and manage to score 33 points, grab 8 and dish out 10 dimes, that was an amazing playoffs performance.

Since injuring his back, Kobe hasn't been able to participate in practice, but he continues to say that he will play game 5, lets just hope the injury wasn't as bad as Kobe made it look in game 4 or the Lakers might be in some serious trouble.

2008 NBA All Defensive Team

2008-05-13T18:03:00.000-07:00

Looks like Kobe Bryant is going for the cycle, first he gets the MVP, then he gets on the All NBA first team and now he is getting credit for his work on the defensive side of the floor as well by being put on the NBA All-Defensive Team.

NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

KOBE BRYANT, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
BRUCE BOWEN, SAN ANTONIO SPURS
KEVIN GARNETT, BOSTON CELTICS
TIM DUNCAN, SAN ANTONIO SPURS
MARCUS CAMBY, DENVER NUGGETS

NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

CHRIS PAUL, NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
SHANE BATTIER, HOUSTON ROCKETS
RAJA BELL, PHOENIX SUNS
TAYSHAWN PRINCE, DETROIT PISTIONS
DWIGHT HOWARD, ORLANDO MAGIC

Trevor Ariza Has Been Cleared to Practice!

2008-05-13T16:50:00.000-07:00

Finally! Trevor Ariza will be on the floor for the Lakers soon enough to play in either the late games of this series with the Utah Jazz or if the Lakers manage to knock out Deron Williams and company, Ariza will be able to play in the Western Conference Finals.

Trevor Ariza has been out of commission for the Lakers since January, getting injured like a week after Andrew Bynum went down with the knee injury, Ariza suffered a fractured foot which wasn't healing correctly, but now the doctors have cleared the defensive specialist to practice without restriction which is nothing but good news for the Lakers.

With Ariza in the lineup, the Lakers should be a much better defensive team which should come in handy if he can return for this series against Williams, but more importantly if they face the Spurs they will have someone to throw at Manu Ginobili or Chris Paul if the Hornets beat the defending champs.

Ronny Turiaf Will Not be Suspended for Flagrant Foul

2008-05-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

In game 4 against the Jazz in Utah, Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf committed a flagrant-2 on Utah guard Ronny Price in which Turiaf threw Price to the ground will Price was attempting a layup.

I will admit that Turiaf did foul Price pretty damn hard, but a flagrant 2? I don't think so, definitely a flagrant foul because it resulted in stitches over Ronny Price's eye, but it was not intentional and did not deserve a flagrant-2 which results in an automatic ejected and can be subject to suspension.

Well it seems as though the NBA saw it that way too because they have announced that Ronny Turiaf will not be suspended for the foul.

Jazz owner Larry H. Miller lobbied for a suspension of Turiaf after watching the replay, but even Ronny Price said after the game that Turiaf did not deserve to be suspended.

MAKE YOUR OWN OPINION

Kobe's Hurt, Turiaf Got the Boot and the Jazz Win Another in Utah

2008-05-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

Even though the Lakers lost game 4 in Utah, this was the most entertaining game I have seen in the NBA playoffs this year.

The game seem out of hand for the Lakers in the first half with the Jazz taking control early, Ronny Turiaf getting ejected for a flagrant 2 on bench warmer Ronnie Price and Kobe injuring his back on the second play of the game, but the boys in purple and gold rallied and tied it up at the half with an amazing length of the court pass from Luke Walton to Kobe Bryant in the closing seconds.

Although the Lakers had momentum on their side coming into the second half, Deron Williams (is it just me or does this guy have the worst hair in the NBA?) and the Jazz were just too tough and Kobe was in obvious pain which resulted in lack of explosiveness and ill advised shots, but he was still able to score 33 points, grab 8 boards and dish out 10 assists; not bad for guy that looked like he couldn't even walk for more than half the game.

If it weren't for Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol down the stretch the Lakers would have lost this game early in the fourth quarter. Odom played quite possibly the best game I have ever seen him play, crashing the boards (13), hitting key shots (26 points)and really picking up the slack for an injured Kobe Bryant.

Derek Fisher hit 3 big threes in the fourth to cut into the Jazz lead and get the Lakers into overtime. Pau Gasol played well at the right time as well, scoring 23 points and rippin' down 10 boards, but it just wasn't enough to out play Deron Williams who continues to play great basketball with 29 points and 14 assists (starting to hate the kid for being so good).

The Jazz also had a lot from their bench with Kyle Korver (14), Matt Harpring (12) and their starters Kirilenko (15), Boozer (14) and Mehmet Okur (18).

Who wins in the other team's house will come out on top in this one, so if Kobe's health is still in question for Wednesday's game in LA, the Lakers could be in trouble.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers Weds, May 14th 7:30pm PST

Jazz Take Game 3 with a More Physical Approach

2008-05-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

The Lakers have been arguably the best team so far in this year's playoffs, easily dominating opponents, but on Friday night the Utah Jazz figured out a way to keep Kobe and company in check.

would get theirs, but in game 3 it turned into a completely different series as Carlos Boozer finally woke up by just dominating the paint scoring 27 points and ripping down 20 rebounds. In the two games prior to game 3 in Utah, the Lakers seem to out play the Jazz in every aspect of the game besides rebounding, they would just run and gun and make the Jazz play their style of ball in which Kobe Bryant would light up the scoreboard and both Lamar Odom and Pau GasolDeron Williams also had a pretty good game as well dishing 12 assists and scoring 18 points, but although he had a good game, it didn't come without a price of injury that he sustained in a collision in the paint with Ronny Turiaf in which he landed on one of his wrist and slowed him down a bit. Mehmet Okur continued to be a torn in the Lakers side in game 3 hitting 4 out 7 from beyond the arc scoring 22 points and pulling down 7 boards.

Kobe Bryant played like Kobe only can with 34 points on 10 of 20 shooting, 0 for 6 from deep though, but he played inspired basketball throughout the entire game, one shot in particular where he split two defenders, pass the ball to himself off the backboard and dunked it, amazing!

Pau and Lamar didn't have their best games of the series, especially Pau who just couldn't get it going all game long only scoring 12 with no trips to the line, basically getting out muscled in the key all night long by the Jazz big men.

The biggest difference in game 3 was the physicality in which the Jazz overpowered the Lakers for the entire 48 minutes. They tired to beat up Kobe to stop him from lighting them up, but of course, that didn't work, but it did have an effect on the rest of the squad and resulted in the Lakers first loss of the post season 104-99.

NEXT LAKERS PLAYOFF GAME: Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz Sunday, May 11th 12:30pm PST

TWO CRAZY DUNKS BY KOBE!

Kobe Bryant Makes the All NBA First Team

2008-05-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul being named to the All NBA First Team was a no brainer, but there were a few first timers on the list this year and a few snubs of players that are on the list every season.

ALL NBA FIRST TEAM

KOBE BRYANT, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
CHRIS PAUL, NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
LEBRON JAMES, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
KEVIN GARNETT, BOSTON CELTICS
DWIGHT HOWARD, ORLANDO MAGIC

ALL NBA SECOND TEAM

STEVE NASH, PHOENIX SUNS
DERON WILLIAMS, UTAH JAZZ
AMARE STOUTAMIRE, PHOENIX SUNS
DIRK NOWITZKI, DALLAS MAVERICKS
TIM DUNCAN, SAN ANTONIO SPURS

ALL NBA THIRD TEAM

TRACY McGRADY, HOUSTON ROCKETS
MANU GINOBILI, SAN ANTONIO SPURS
PAUL PIERCE, BOSTON CELTICS
CARLOS BOOZER, UTAH JAZZ
YAO MING, HOUSTON ROCKETS

This was the first time in years that both Steve Nash and Tim Duncan didn't make the first team, although I think Duncan probably has only a couple more dominant years left in him I believe that we are seeing the beginning of the end of Steve Nash as an elite point guard.

As for the rest of the picks, I think the NBA was pretty on point with the selections in all of the three teams.