The Association

Photos: The Bestest Missed Dunk of Shannon Brown's Career!

By Craig Kwasniewski

No seriously you gotta see these photos. Shannon Brown brought down the house when he tried to Frederic Weiss (yep, he's a verb) Jason Richardson in the second half of the Lakers blowout win over Phoenix.

The game was on the brink of getting out of hand when Brown got a clean look (or so he thought he did) at the rim and went for the ultimate highlight dunk of the year. Call it brash, call it front-running, call it whatever you like, the guy literally tried to jump over two-time slam dunk champion Jason Richardson and came *this close* to succeeding. The attempt alone had Staples Center buzzing for minutes.

Something tells me that Alvin Gentry will loop this in Tuesday's film session, "See, they're clowning y'all! The Lakers are clowning y'all like you're the Clippers!"

Here's some pics of the dunk attempt... SICKNESS:

Amar'e Stoudemire Rocks the Elliot Perry Look at the Postgame Presser

By Craig Kwasniewski 

Going for the most obscure 90's hoops reference here... 

Nice of Ammar'e to go retro 90's with the Elliot Perry specs to the postgame press conference.  Perry ditched the goggles once his NBA career got going but he had 'em at Memphis back in the early 90's (back when it was Memphis State... you know before they seceded from Tennessee).  

But whatever, the Suns finally got into the win column last night and evened up the series with Portland at 1-1.  So Amar'e can wear Horace Grant's goggles for all I care...

 

Photos: Kobe Bryant Saves the Lakers... Again

By Craig Kwasniewski 

The game wasn't pretty... the game wasn't inspiring... the game really wasn't memorable... but it was yet another game saved by the heroics of #24 with a sick game-winning jumper from the corner with 2 seconds left.  (A looong two in the corner with two defenders rushing him.  Impressive in the sense that EVERYONE knew Kobe was going to take the shot and he still created enough space to hit a difficult jumper.)

But that's the thing, how do I categorize a sub-par effort at home against an inferior opponent?  The Lakers DID find a way to grind out a W with their confidence fading over the past 4 games.  The DID pull together defensively just in time down the stretch to set up for Kobe to do what he does best.  Kobe DID work the refs all game, eventually wearing them down late, giving the Lakers the benefit of a few late calls (BTW - a very savvy veteran move).  Maybe this was the type of gritty win that only a team with championship experience can pull off.  The "how did they pull that one out?" type of victory that the early 00's Lakers seemed to crank out on a regular basis.  Of course instead of a sick Kobe fade, they got the game winner from a Robert Horry three... obviously.  

HOWEVER... this Lakers team continues to have trouble realizing that they are being chased.  They are no longer pursuing the Celtics, Spurs or Cavs, they ARE being pursued.  Teams will continue to bring their A-game, looking to size themselves up to the defending champs.  This is why continually average journeyman players like say Jarrett Jack blow up against the Lakers on a nightly basis (well that and the sieve that is the Fisher/Farmar defensive tandem).  The Lakers tend to play down to their opponents, except it's down to their 2009 versions and not the 2010 one.  This is why they aren't pulling out the late W's with the same consistency last last year. 

To me, this was a great shot that saved a lackluster and borderline embarassing effort by the defending champs.  Each offensive possession was a teeth-pulling, ginding and abusive affair whereas Toronto seemed to score with ease.  Gasol refused to dunk the damn ball on every low post move, blowing easy layups all over the paint (and getting obliterated on Lakers fans Twitter accounts).  Odom took an entire half to wake up.  Fisher continued to have a questionable shot selection.  In the end, despite Kobe's gave winner, this isn't going in my mental roll-a-deck.  But you can decide how memorable this game winner was to you, check it out:

 

Photos: The Dunk Contestants Needed to Channel Ruby Rhod Last Night

By Craig Kwasniewski 

What was that honey? It was BAD! It had no fire, no energy, no nothing! So tomorrow from 5 to 7 will you PLEASE act like you have more than a two word vocabulary. 

Or in this case some personality in the dunk contest!  Fitting that with Chris Tucker in the house, all I could think of what Ruby Rhod from the Fifth Element said to Korben Dallas (coincidence?) after showing zero personality.

Seriously, wow did THAT suck! I guess not every dunk contest is a home run. Not every one craps out an iconic dunk. In fact this was the worst contest since the 2004 one in LA... oh the ONLY one that I ever attended in person (heavy sigh). 

Anyway, Dunk contests have very little to do with the actual dunk itself, it's more to do with the entertainment and hype that surrounds each dunk. This is what Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson, Josh Smith and Gerald Green all understood in past competitions. Energy, pop, creativity, showmanship, pizzazz (doing the Hollywood producer finger snapping thing right now)... the dunk is just the finishing touch to each attempt, the icing on the cake if you will.  Again, just listen to my man Ruby Rhod... fire and energy!

Last night three of the four contestants went retro in a bad way and just assumed people just wanted to see dunks. Yeah that was great if it really was 1986 and we were in Reunion Arena, but that just doesn't fly today. Not after seeing Superman, Kryptonite, The Sticker Dunk and The Cupcake Dunk. It's just too bad the contestants didn't possess the same type of creativity as their pre-contest studio shots. Check it out, Shannon Brown, Gerald Wallace and DeMar DeRozan all exuded personality in these photos... personality that seriously failed to make an apperance in the American Airlines Arena last night.

   

Photos: Lakers Trip to the White House

By Craig Kwasniewski

Wow only 225 days after winning the title last June, the Lakers get their day with President Obama.  Amazing how long of a delay to meet the President these days.  I know he's the leader of the free world and all, but it's the Lakers dammit!  Actually it's very cool/refreshing/awesome to FINALLY have a hoops fan in the White House instead of the rehearsed BS comments from a guy who has no idea what three-in-the-key means. According to yahoo.com,

Obama said he was especially excited to meet Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson, who has won 10 championships, though he didn’t hesitate to point out that six of those victories were with Obama’s hometown Chicago Bulls.

“You remember that,” Obama joked with former Lakers all-star Magic Johnson, who was on the losing end of the Bulls 1991 victory.

NICE!  (BTW - back in 1985 the Lakers "dropped by" to see the president on their way back from Boston to LA after winning the title.  I guess the "Presidential championship meeting" inflation rate is REALLY high these days.)  Side note, I love that the Celtics got to celebrate their championship with one of the worst presidents in history, a guy who could give a crap about the NBA.  I LOVE IT! 

Anyway, here are some pics from the occasion:

 

 

 

 

Photos: This Kobe/LeBron Pic is VERY Similar to You Know Who

By Craig Kwasniewski

I saw this LeBron/Kobe photo and IMMEDIATELY thought of the old Magic/Michael one from the 1991 NBA Finals. Even better both players are positioned exactly like their counterparts. MJ and obviously Kobe, both shooting guards with, like it or not, very similar games (ans yes, for all the Kobe haters, Kobe is NOT MJ, but he most closely resembles the game of the greatest baller in NBA history).

And LeBron and Magic are equals in their physical stature, both overpowering and unique in size yet very agile for their positions.  Check it out...

Photos: Kobe's Game Winning Three

By Craig Kwasniewski 

Here are a few photos of Kobe Bryant saving the Lakers from an embarrassing home loss to Sacramento by knocking down a game winning three right in front the Kings bench. Fourth quarter stats or not, I'd rather have Kobe Bryant taking my game winning shot over anyone else in the NBA. 

BTW - What the stats do not "analyze" is a player's willingness to take that shot. For every Kobe Bryant missed jumper you have the Chris Webber/Karl Malone's of the world literally sprinting away from the ball with the game on the line. And THAT my friends is why I always prefer the whole naked eye test. Stats can easily be manipulated to prove any point you want to. But in the end the only number that I really care about is the final score and last night the Lakers beat Sacramento 109-108. 

Anyway, here are the pics (check out Kings coach Westphal looking at Kobe's heels, checking to see if he was in bounds (which he was)).  Also, check out the smile on Odom, biased writers from Boston love to assume Kobe's teammates hate him... not a lot of hate on Odom's face is there?:

Ball Game!        

NOLA's Jeff Bowler is Quite the Bower... Wait What?

By Craig Kwasniewski

Some people fit the look and some people look the fit... NOLA's head coach Jeff Bowler ooops Jeff BOWER looks almost tooooo happy at Peja Stojakovic's third annual Charitabowl celebrity bowling event.  Rumor has it he doesn't bowl on Shabbos.  I say Bower just owns it for the rest of the season... coach every game with a bowling shirt and a Miller High Life in hand. Don Nelson used to coach in Milwaukee with fish ties so why the hell not?

Seriously, how can his players ever take him seriously after seeing this?

BTW in another photo, here's the New Orleans Hornet pulling more chicks than Tiger Woods these days. It's all in the stinger baby... all right, terrible joke.

And finally, how can you go with a bowling reference and not quote Walter Sobchak:

Walter Sobchak: I told those fucks down at the league office a thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!

Donny: What's Shabbos?

Walter Sobchak: Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't get in a car, I don't fucking ride in a car, I don't pick up the phone, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as shit [shouts]

Walter Sobchak: don't fucking roll! Shomer shabbos!

The Dude: Walter...

Walter Sobchak: Shomer fucking shabbos.

Photos: So Which One is A.I.?

By Craig Kwasniewski

Boy am I glad they put out name cards for Allen Iverson's re-introductory press conference in Philly. Just imagine the embarrassment if someone from the Philadelphia media accidentally asked the bald white guy, "What's it like to return to a place where you played 10 1/2 seasons?"

Do we really need name cards for one of the most recognizable players in the history of the NBA let alone a Philadelphia sports icon having a press conference... in Philadelphia?  But just in case you forgot... he's the guy on the left.

Whatever, I'm just glad to see Allen Iverson back on the floor.  I've tweeted, blogged, emailed, screamed and mimed that he still has too much game to retire.  After several questionable non-deals (hello New York... you really chose Larry Hughes over Iverson???), it's retro-refreshing to see Iverson return to the city that he poured his heart and soul for... needless to say I am thrilled and can't wait to see the Sixers when they come to LA.

Photos: The REAL Reason Portland Lost Game One

By Craig Kwasniewski  

Crash goes the Blazers bandwagon!  Debris is all over the place and the few survivors are left to ponder... what went wrong?  Are the Rockets just a bad match-up?  Maybe.  Could a lack of playoff experience be their downfall?  Possibly.  Do the Blazers have that fifth gear necessary for the post season?  Not sure.

But the real reason Portland lost to Houston on Saturday...

The Portland Trailblazers held a championship parade-like "rally" BEFORE the start of the playoffs! As I wrote on Friday, "Nothing says "we're just happy to be here" more than a championship parade BEFORE the playoffs." 

Correct me if I'm wrong but did Shaq belt out a Can You Dig It? BEFORE the playoffs?  Did Tony Parker float down the open sewer Riverwalk BEFORE the playoffs? Did Kevin Garnett drop a few MF bombs in Copley Square in a April?  I totally understand the passion and support Portland has for this team after what seems to be decades of the Jailblazers era, but celebrating a playoff appearance in a league where more than half teams make the post season is very soccer mom-ish.  Check out the non-title celebration: