The Association

Looking at Lakers Plan B - Assuming They Lose Tonight

By Craig Kwasniewski

It’s that time of year for the Lakers to pin all their hopes on the whims of 4 plastic balls.  What I’m talking about is the NBA Draft lottery and what is now an annual occurrence, the Los Angeles Lakers taking part in the Lottery.  They have strict restrictions on their first round pick and how a coded combination of four numbered plastic balls determine whether they either: 1 – keep a top three pick in a front-loaded draft or 2 – transfer a top 4 thru 7 pick to the Philadelphia 76ers as final payment for the Steve Nash trade from the summer of 2012. 

By now we all know the long-term repercussions of this lottery:  lose two first round picks (2017 and 2019) or lose one first round pick (2018) and two second round picks (2017 & 2018), the latter is a result of the Dwight Howard trade in 2012. It all comes down to four plastic balls and it’s all extremely stressful.  Obviously, in the grand scheme of things, landing in the top 3 and ONLY losing one first round pick is desirable.  Since we literally have no control of the outcome, let’s look at the results assuming Team Schadenfreude gets the worst of the two options  Here’s an outlook assuming the Lakers “lose” in today’s Lottery and four reasons to feel good, no matter what happens tonight:

1 – The Lou Williams trade saves face – Lou Williams having a bounce-back year earned the Lakers a first-round pick from the Houston Rockets.  Yes, it’s a late pick but worst case they get an invite to the draft party.  Unlike last year, this is a relatively deep draft and drafting 28^th can land a strong rotation player the likes of Caleb Swanigan.  The pick isn’t high enough to move for Paul George but it’ll land a decent player.

2 – No. 3 Second Round Pick – This is essentially a late first round pick but with second round contract obligations.  Meaning, the Lakers have their pick of the litter on desired long-shots.  Lakers landed Zubac last year at the 32^nd overall pick and he looks like he’ll pan out.  These type of players are available at this spot.

3 – Finally, closure on the 2012-13 disaster – 4 years of will they or won’t they lose the pick finally ends. After today we’ll have full closure on the disastrous Nash/Howard trades as all picks will be transferred and the Lakers can focus on the long-term building process knowing where their draft assets stand.  These 4 years of draft purgatory have been an excruciating process. 

4 – Lakers are finally headed in the right direction – Gone is the bumbling process that is the Jim Buss era.  In Luke Walton the Lakers have the right coach with the right mentality to build a young team around.  Magic still owns every room he walks in and will provide the needed, and much improved, face of the franchise.  Rob Pelinka seems to be the smart and innovative hire for the GM spot.  Mix in small things like a new training facility and it feels like the reset button has been properly hit and the Lakers momentum is headed in the right direction.  Not to mention that the rotation of Russell, Clarkson, Nance, Zubac, Randle and Ingram feels like the right mix to build with. 

(Of course, keeping the pick wouldn't suck either.)

The Lakers Von Schadenfreude Plan

By Craig Kwasniewski

Here we are yet again... same damn time, same damn channel... the Lakers are right back at it and hoping for a little lottery luck.

We've all heard the odds of the Lakers keeping the pick (55.8% just to save you a click).  We all know the repercussions of losing the pick to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers.  This is why the Lakers are literally shoving lucky horseshoes in all the wrong places (unless you're German) in hopes of keeping that pick.  Mitch will sitting on the dais waiting out the results and John Black will be in the actual ping-pong ball room repeating the same routines as last year when they landed the No. 2 overall pick.  It's actually kinda crazy seeing middle-aged men doing this dance but that's what the NBA Draft is all about. 

And let's be honest, keeping this pick would be a huge step in the Lakers rebuilding process.  It's a chance to grab Simmons or Ingram or to trade for a potential All Star caliber talent.  Conversely, losing that pick will be another brick in the proverbial schadenfreude wall that, thanks to the Buss Family Dysfunction  is growing every single day (all caps because it's been upgraded to an actual thing).

We'll instead of pouring over the options if the Lakers keep the pick, let's actually prepare for the worst and fight our way through the schadenfreude onslaught... The Lakers Von Schadenfreude Plan, a simple 5-step plan:

1 - Lose the draft pick - Check... it was going to happen eventually.  You can't simply trade away a first rounder and then hope the protected pick never cycles out.  This was the reality after trading for Steve Nash back in the summer of 2012.  And while planning for a parade the following June, we all were willing to throw away that pick.  After all, the Lakers never needed them anyway.  Well, yada, yada, yada... at least we finally officially close the door on the Steve Nash era.  

2 - Move on with the 2nd Round Pick - Finishing with the second worst record in the league did guarantee the Lakers the second best pick in the 2nd round (deuces are wild, as Vinny would say). This is the 32nd overall pick, essentially a late first rounder.  Legit talent can be had that early in the 2nd round (or even late in the 2nd round... hello Jordan Clarkson!).  The Lakers can still address holes in the roster taking a big like A.J. Hammonds or... I don't know, I really want them to take Hammonds.  The dude has improved greatly the last 2 years and can be a stable big down the road.  Point being, there is talent to be had early in the 2nd round.  The Lakers aren't the Knicks, stuck with zero picks.

3 - Luke Walton! - Unlike the summer of 2014, the Lakers went out at got their replacement head coach before the draft.  And, unlike 2014, they can fill their gaping holes in their roster based on an actual system (one could argue the same for last summer, DESPITE actually having a head coach)... and speaking of DESPITE...

4 - No Byron Scott - Five weeks ago Lakers twitter was freaking out over genuine rumors of Byron Scott staying another year.  Many were even willing to part with this years pick, just to see Lord Byron go. Well... 

5 - Next Years Draft - "They say" the 2017 draft is pretty damn good.  People have argued winning the 3rd spot in this years draft is actually worse than losing the pick... the draft is that good!  Well, because of the Ted Stepien Rule and thankfully because the Lakers aren't Brooklyn, they actually get to keep their pick for next year's killer draft.  

Yes, I'm turning lemons in lemonade but with a new coaching staff, a some real promising young talent, a decent 2nd round pick and a shit-ton of salary space, losing this lottery is not the end of the world for the Lakers.  All you have to do is just stomach the next 24 hours of schadenfreude and it'll be okay.... trust me.

Lakers Need to Fill Needs or Suffer the Same Fate Next Year

By Craig Kwasniewski

We all knew LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan were long shots.  All three are desired free agents looking to play for a contender moving forward.  The Lakers are still 2 years (at best) from contending and merely selling “LAKERS-CAP SPACE-HOLLYWOOD” simply wasn’t enough. 

The problem is that the Lakers are in a holding pattern, waiting on their final word (which should be obvious) and missing out on decent mid-level free agents.  And THIS is what is really disconcerting. 

With the cap rising by at least 30 percent, now is the time to fill roster needs with their cap space.  If that means slightly overpaying, then so be it.  Again, the cap is going up, so what is now a steep price to pay will be market or even below market value beyond 2016. 

Simply clearing max space and having draft picks with 1 to 2 years of experience won’t be enough to compete for the free agents in the summer of 2016.  If this summer should tell us anything is that players want to join teams with a clear cut direction and in playoff contention. They’re not in joining in on “the process.”

And THIS is what is really disconcerting.  The Lakers have made Z-E-R-O offers to mid-tier guys.  Is this a team coming off the worst season in franchise history and with free agents repeatedly referring to the Lakers lack of “on court” competency.   The clock is ticking and the Lakers apparently are working with a sundial.

Simply re-sigbing the garbage from last season isn’t enough.  The Lakers need to fill holes, the Lakers need to put out the money, the Lakers need to show potential free agents… the BIG FISH… that there’s a direction, a clue, a future.  If not, this will continue to be a VERY LONG process.

One last thing, a lot of people wrote off the Monroe thing as "whatever, he can't play defense."  True. FWIW - (empty roster space) also stinks on defense.  

Win or Lose the Lakers Will Be Better Off Tomorrow

By Craig Kwasniewski

Is it like riding a bicycle... maybe, but with a lot of rust...

Anyway, to me tomorrow is a win-win situation for the Lakers no matter what happens in the lottery.  No seriously.  Yes the Lakers have roughly a 1 in 6 chance at losing a shot at a potential franchise-changing pick and yes it would be excruciatingly brutal to watch the karma-challenging 76ers get rewarded for continually taking advantage of their mental midget fans.  But win or lose, the Lakers are better off.  

Obviously keeping the pick is the goal and people have already thoroughly analyzed they types of players available in the top 5 slots.  So instead let's look at benefits of losing the lottery.  Here are 3 C's to cheer you up (hey, at least it's not D's or F's):

1 - Closure - Losing the pick officially ends the Steve Nash era.  I'm not calling it the worst trade in franchise history... we all were on board with it back in 2012.  But the long-suffering will finally be over.  No more picks being traded to Phoenix and no more gut-wrenching Steve Nash injury reports. We just need to sign the final papers and the divorce is over... on with our lives.

2 - Clarity - No more if's and could be's, the Lakers have results and can move forward.  No more speculation or even worse, knotted stomachs with the worry of losing the pick.  They have their 1st and 2nd round picks to focus on and now it's time to fill out the draft board.

3- Contingency Plan - This is the key here... let's look back at May of 2014.  The Lakers had ONE first round pick and were just coming off actually losing a spot in the 2014 lottery.  Mike D'Antoni was on his way out and early predictions had the Lakers falling just out of potential franchise player range after dropping down in the draft.  Mix in Kobe's knee and things were bleak.  2 months later, Julius Randle fell right in their hands and the Lakers bought a second round pick and used it on Jordan Clarkson, that guy who was just named NBA All-Rookie First Team.  Randle's injury was a step back but in no way career-threatening and he showed he has the skills to play 3/4 in this league.  Not too shabby given the limited resources.

Moving forward to 2015, the Lakers put together a decent contingency plan by taking Jeremy Lin off the the Rockets hands for their 2015 first round pick.  Worst case they're sitting on the 27th (from Houston) and 34th overall (Lakers 2nd round) picks in the draft, essentially two late 1st round or two early 2nd round picks.  The key here is that there will be talent available at that spot.  Add in Ryan Kelly and arguably Robert Sacre (hey, he's a cheap practice big that can play emergency minutes... did I mention he's cheap) and three years in a row the Lakers have found NBA-level talent in the second round... not easy in today's game.

Obviously it would be nice to keep the pick let alone win the lottery, but it really isn't gloom and doom if for some reason they fall out of the top 5.  They just need to continue to draft smartly.

Test Run

Testing 1...2...3...4

Why It Got a "Little Dusty" After Team USA Won

By Craig Kwasniewski

I gotta admit, I love me some USA Basketball.  Sure a lot of it is because I love bonus content to my normal NBA schedule (and who doesn't like a little extra deleted scenes), but also it's basically our World Cup.  Allow me to explain...

I went to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.  It was an unreal experience.  I'm guessing the Olympics are basically the same thing, with people from all corners of the world coming together to watch games, drink A LOT, eat, dance and chill all for the same cause.  If your not watching the games in person you're at a bar or cafe watching with a ton of people, talking up the game or just hanging out (beer in hand, of course).  I was there for almost a week and will never forget it.

I also got to root on the US Soccer team as they played the Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen.  The tickets weren't easy to come by.  You had to apply through the ussoccer.com website months in advance and hope against all hope you won the lottery to sit with a few thousand USA fans in the corner of the stadium.  We geared up in USA digs and belted out the national anthem louder than I ever had in my life on this little expat island in the middle of Germany.  We had Landan Donovan and a team 4 years removed from a respectable Quarterfinals elimination to Germany in 2002.  We were well on our way...

Until the game started.

GOAL!  Czech Republic up 1-0 at the 5 minute mark.

GOAL!  Czech Republic up 2-0 at the 36 minute mark.

It's not even halftime and the game is over.  The Czechs were clearly better then our boys.  And everyone in the stadium let us know about it.  From then until the whistle came the taunting and front running that follows much of European futbol.  To make matter worse, the ugliness didn't end...

GOAL!  Czech Republic up 3-0 at the 76 minute mark.

Ballgame!  And now comes the slow long walk back to the train station. Past the bars with Czech and German fans laughing, chanting and dancing.  In the sweltering German summer heat that was easily the longest mile walk ever.

I still rememeber that hot miserable day every time I watch the USA Basketball squad roll on through to the Gold Medal.  This is what it looks like when the US fields a team of our biggest, brightest, fastest and bestest athletes against the world.  Basketball might not have the same worldly pull like futbol but it's slowly moving up the ladder.  And as long as our first, second and even third best athletes are playing other sports, we'll never compete with the footy elites and near-elites.  But we sure as hell can kick ass in basletball!

And with every Team USA Gold Medal victory I get flush in patriotism and things turn a little... (cough, cough)... dusty.

U-S-A...U-S-A...U-S-A!!!

Thoughts on Nash Coming to the Lakers

By Craig Kwasniewski

The dust has settled and more importantly I survived my post-4th hangover, which allows me to think clearly about the unthinkable... Steve Nash is a Laker!!!!

Let's jump right into it, here are my thoughts on Nash coming to the Lakers:

This is the best deal the Lakers could get.  Before July 4th, the Lakers realistically had three options regarding their PG spot: sign Ramon Sessions to a 4 year-$24 mil.-ish contract, find a free agent willing to take the $3 mil. mini-mid (Ray Felton or Kirk Heinrich...*vomits*) or trade Pau Gasol at 25 cents on the dollar (*DRY HEAVES*).  Realistically, none of the three would have improved their title chances.

The Laker basically got him for nothing!  Nash for the Odom trade exemption, two 1st round picks and two second round picks...this deal is a brilliant as the Gasol one back in 2008.  Mitch Kupchak has done it again!

Already I'm reading about Nash's age, his defensive skills (or lack thereof) and a potential Kobe conflict.  All are good points but they need to be taken in the context of the Lakers realistic alternatives.  You can't compare the deal directly to Westbrook or Rondo or any other young star PG.  The Lakers specifically filled a gaping hole in their starting five with a Hall of Fame PG still capable of playing at an All-Star level for relatively nothing. 

Ramon Sessions for the next 4 years or Steve Nash for the next 3, you tell me what's better?

Nash and Kobe will get along.  I can't believe that this is an actual issue.  So Kobe's gonna steal the inbounds and wave off one of the best point guards in NBA history because he want to drop a 40 spot???  Will Nash break out a "write what you see" by November?  Obviously Kobe's a ballhog that wants nothing but individual glory.  Of course!

Kobe's in it for legacy.  He knows with one more title he passes Magic as the franchise leader (BTW - also one more than Fisher) and catches Michael Jordan.  This puts him in the argument as both greatest Laker ever and one of the greatest in NBA history.  He knows he can't win one without Steve Nash running the offense.  He knows to trust Nash's playmaking down the stretch. More importantly, he knows having Nash on the floor will create better shot opportunities (watch the tape, OKC literally dared Sessions to score while double and triple teaming Kobe.  No team will leave Steve Nash WIDE OPEN with the game on the line).

Kobe knows his window for a title with the Lakers is open for two more years.  They'll be fine.

Steve Nash's defense won't hurt the Lakers.  Well, the Lakers brought in Mike Brown because of his defensive scheming.  So we all should feel confident that Mike will improve the team defense to compensate for Nash on D.  Trust in Mike is what ALL Lakers fans always say.  Done and done.

KIDDING... or maybe not.

I think Mike Brown great defensive assistant and a terrible head coach (honestly, I'm a little worried about how he manages Nash's minutes).  But he'll get the team to buy into a defensive scheme that will make up for Nash's weakness on D.  Seriously!  I actually trust Mike Brown will come though here.  I'm very serious!

Realistically, with a two year window Lakers fans have no choice but to trust in Mike.

Age and health should NOT be a factor.  True, Nash will be 41 when this contract ends.  True, it's a speed game geared for youth. True, Nash has a lot of miles on his legs and, more importantly, his chronic back. I don't want to jinx this too much, but Nash is either 1 or 1A to Kobe Bryant maniacal understanding and conditioning of us body.  Lakers should feel confident... let's move on. 

I can't wait to watch Nash live on a nightly basis.  Back in 2004 I was very skeptical of the Karl Malone signing.  I hated those Jazz teams and couldn't stand that he stole the 1997 MVP award from Jordan.  But watching him play night-in and night-out became a pleasure.  I learned to respect his knowledge of the game and always finding a way to influence the outcome despite not knowing the Triangle Offense (at all!!!) or being a 40-year old power forward.  He found ways to win and was clearly a leader.  Damn you Scott Williams!!!

I'm looking forward to the exact same thing with Nash, but maybe even better.  The first month will be a challenge trying to mesh together five former and current all-stars.  I'm hoping to see the light bulb moment somewhere in mid-November when Nash's energy, enthusiasm and passing catches on with the entire roster.  As talent challenged as the last two Suns teams were, they still all loved playing together on the floor and fell just short of the playoffs.  I can't wait to see Nash put his stamp on the 2012-13 Lakers....

Now if he can only be throwing lobs to Dwight Howard.

Thoughts on the Lakers DURING the Draft

By Craig Kwasniewski

Hey, the Lakers aren't drafting until the #60 pick, so I have a ton of time to myself.... almost too much time.  So while we're waiting for the most uneventful Lakers pick since, well since last season (Darius Morris anyone), here are a few Lakers thoughts mulling about my head:

1 - The Pau Gasol Situation:  It's the pink elephant in the room.  Do the Lakers trade Gasol and start their salary slashing drive this summer or keep him for next summer?  The nasty, brutal cap kicks in during the 2013-14 season, giving the Lakers one full season to spend freely before the clock strikes midnight and the party's all over.  Keeping with that metaphor, do they keep drinking and hope liquid courage lands the hot chick (title contention in 2013) but risk rejection and a potential DUI or do they leave the party early and hope to hook up another day?

I say, keep Gasol for one full season and see what happens with just a few minor tweaks to the roster.  Depending on who you ask, Kobe is nearing the end or just past the end of his prime.  He's got maybe 2 or 3 legit All-Star seasons left in his body so why not try to go big one last time?

Gasol is too skilled of a player to sell off for draft picks with flotsam and jetsam and though the Josh Smith rumor is intriguing (VERY intriguing) it doesn't match his basketball IQ.  Need I remind you, Gasol was the second best player during their three straight Finals appearances.  Unless the Lakers can grab All-Star talent in return, there's no need to ship the sensitive Spaniard just because of a bad pass in a playoff game.

2 - One last thing on Gasol:  Lakers fans like their bigs to be physical brute forces.  It drives them batty when Gasol finger rolls a layup instead of knocking bodies around and breaking bones.  For that reason alone he's never considered "untouchable."  Mix in the 2008 Finals, his 2011 flameout (obviously burnt out from three straight Finals runs) and THAT PASS against OKC and Lakers fans want him gone.  They don't care what they get in return.  They don't care what you do with it, bring it where you got it before.  Get it out of here... I don't care!!!

Or something like that.

3 - The Artest/Metta Situation:  The Lakers are also trying to rid themselves of Metta World Peace's contact.  If you asked me back in March I'd be completely on board. Then we learned he had nerve damage that wrecked half of last season and once he recovered he was playing his best basketball since Game 7.

Suddenly, outside of Kobe, Metta's the Lakers only true gamer on the team.  His shutdown defense of Gallinari and Andre Miller in Game 7 keyed the Lakers win.  And as the OKC series showed, this team lacks playoff toughness (Steve Blake might be the only other guy).  If the Lakers are going ALL IN for 2012-13, then Artest needs to be a part of the team. 

4 - Bynum Trade Runors:  Let's get this one out of the way FAST!  Andrew Bynum is not getting traded!   He's almost the only evidence that Jim Buss exists.  The Lakers hired a coaching staff to feature him, are looking to trade Gasol for players to fit better around him and are working their salary structure to keep him long term.  The CP3 trade that didn't happen was the Lakers trying to build their own Magic-Kareem pair for the future.  He is their future and he's not ever getting traded.  Done and done... let's move on.

5 - The ONE Gasol Trade Rumor I Like... maybe:  Outside of the dream scenario where the Lakers land D-Will and Dwight Howard for Bynum, Gasol and stuff, the legit Gasol trade rumor that I kind of like is the Josh Smith one.  Fine, throw all the "enjoy 20-foot jumpers!!!" at me but he's actually a decent fit for the Lakers.  Mike Brown needs a stretch 4 (turns out, turning Gasol into a softer Brad Miller isn't really a good thing) to run his unimaginative offense and Smith fits that role perfectly.  Plus the Lakers sorely need his athleticism and at 26 he's the right age to build a solid core with Bynum.  The downside is his hoops IQ is nowhere near Gasol and moving his game from athletic attacker to jump shooter reeks of VInce Carter.  Also the Lakers will have to take salary to make the deal work (Marvin Williams?!?!?)... but of all the legit rumors, this one doesn't immediately knock the Lakers out of title contention.

Jim Buss Downgrades the Lakers from Contender to Tough Out

By Craig Kwasniewski

Most Lakers fans feel Jim Buss is a semi-functioning simpleton.  We all went through his last reign of terror (Rudy T in 2005) and fear for the worst as Kobe’s career winds down.  Drafting Bynum is the only thing he’s done right since joining the club and he’s riding that horse to the bitter end.  That being said, up until last week the company line has always been, “We still feel we’re contenders!” or “In a lockout season you never know.” or “The Lakers only play for championships!”… It’s the basic Lakers hubris that the other 29 teams generally hate.

All that changed in what seems like a throw-away line in TJ Simers' article in the LA Times:     

"I think we're going to be a tough out in the playoffs because of our defense," Buss says. "I understand how the fans feel and what they've been used to, because just like them I'm a fan. And I'm not happy when we lose.”

Tough out? 

Do the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat or Oklahoma City Thunder refer to themselves as a “tough out?” 

Tough out is the talk of a playoff contender not a championship contender.  Jerry West said the exact same thing about the Lakers a few weeks ago when he called them, “very dangerous in the playoffs.”  Translation: the Lakers will lose in the first or second round in 7 games.

Believe me, this quote, Kobe’s rant on Gasol’s trade situation, the Lakers dropping a stinker yesterday in Phoenix and Mike Brown STILL experimenting with the rotations halfway through the season are not coincidental.  The players and their fans are losing patience and the reality is starting to set in: this is an average team at best.  Jim Buss never talks to the media but he felt the need to calm the masses with TJ Simers of all people.  Unlike his father’s extremely rare but well-measured media sessions, a Jim Buss interview has the opposite effect and sends the fans into full blow panic mode.  Safe to say he doesn't really instill much confidence in ANYBODY.

(BTW – I actually like Simers when he’s not spending 500 words moaning about his family.  Seriously, I hope the LA Times doesn’t pay him when he’s mailing in articles about the “bagger” or his daughters.)

Read that quote again and understand this: the Lakers are closer to rebuilding than contending.  The front office knows it, the players know it and the fans are slowly starting to realize it.  Instead of a tinker here or there (like using the $8 million TPE for a quality guard down the stretch for one last hurrah), the Lakers will probably move Gasol for long-term pieces.  It's not a matter of f but more a matter of when.  I just hope the Lakers can get close to equal for one of the best bigs in the league.

LeBron Will NEVER Be Better than MJ or Magic or Bird or...

By Craig Kwasniewski

Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks on a much-deserved championship.  As a basketball fan I stand and applaud the Mavs.  Thanks for crashing the Heat Index bandwagon, thanks for rendering LeBron James's soccer mom fans helpless, thanks to Mark Cuban for checking the ego for this postseason and thanks for Dirk for being such a gracious champion (that simple sprint to the locker as the clock wound down can never be scrpited... it was pure, unlike the whole Heat expereince in 2011).  I just want to get this off my chest as we head into a long offseason...

LeBron win NEVER be better that Michael Jordan!  Maybe Scottie Pippen was playing mind games with "King James" and putting extra pressure by claiming he will be better that MJ.  Or maybe he was trying to make a name for himself by saying something controversial (like some sportstalk radio clown... CALL MY SHOW... JORDAN WAS A FRAUD!!!! 1-800-SPORTSBS... CALL NOW!!!).  Either way, Scottie was waaaaaay wrong. Simply put...

Michael Jordan was never the second best player on his team.  Not ever, not at any time, not ever, ever, ever!!!  And Jordan was never the second best player on the floor in any of his six Finals appearances. 

Look over his career, Jordan was the dominant personality on and off the court.  He owned the game from the opening tip right down to the last shot.  He was the ultimate competitor who wanted blood at all costs.  You never left thinking anyone else was better, more dominant, more complete.  MJ WAS the NBA from 1988 to 1998.  Sure Detroit beat him, but never were any of the Bad Boys individually better than MJ, they just had a more complete team.  And in 1995, MJ was coming off a baseball sabatical and even then with Pippen playing power forward, the Bulls still almost beat the Magic.

LeBron wasn't even the second best player in these Finals.  Dirk clearly owned the Finals and Dwyane Wade showed us he has that killer win-at-all-costs thirst that Lebron will never have.  Bron clearly hid when it counted in 2011 and 2010.  The difference is we all thought he tanked in 2010 because he wanted out of Cleveland.  So it made it somewhat acceptable...somewhat to the point we believed he would rise up if he just had some talent around him.  Done and done. 

What happened this time?  Seriously, give me some excuses.  The LeBron guys always find some way to convince us that their hero is still the "best player on the planet."  Was it coaching?  Chris Bosh?  Lack of overall talent?  The inability to mesh with Wade?  What is it?  Why did LeBron run and hide with his first title sitting right in front of him waiting to be taken?  Why?

Jordan never let the moment take him... he MADE the moment.  LeBron, you're extremely talented... a once-in-a-lifetime body with touch, speed, quicks, handles and crazy skills, but deep down you don't have the DNA that makes Kobe, Wade, Bird, Magic, Russell and especially Michael Jordan who they are.  You put up great stats and impressive highlights but you're not wired for THE MOMENT.

You never will better than Michael Jordan!

BTW - Does this not put Kobe ahead of the Kobe-LeBron arguement?  Sure his 4th quarter numbers were off this year and a few Portland-based writers made their nut writing how he's no longer clutch (WOW, what a shock a Portland guy going off on a Laker... SHOCKING!!!!)  But can't something be said for not being afraid?  Read the quotes from players alike, like this from yahoo.com:

James won’t get mad, and James won’t get even and make people pay a price. When opposing players hear people insist they ought to be respectful of James out of fear of retribution – be careful they don’t stir him with words – they privately giggle.

“Different guys are different,” Stevenson told Yahoo! Sports in a corner of the Mavericks’ locker room Thursday night. “Kobe Bryant feeds off stuff like that. He looks for it every time. LeBron’s a different kind of person. Obviously he’s a freak of nature, able to do a lot of things, but everybody in this league is built different.”

Built differently. Translated: Where’s the killer within? Where’s the best player in basketball, the prodigious talent that left the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics crumpled messes back in the Eastern Conference? Where’s the cold-bloodedness?

I'll take cold-blooded and winning titles over stats and dunks any day thankyou!

Five Questions (Not WTF X 5) After The Lakers Lose Game 4

By Craig Kwasniewski

Nothing gets me out of a year long writer's block faster than a terrible Lakers loss.  Terrible you say, but didn't they steal back home court advantage on Friday?  Aren't they playing with house money, just a chance to steal a 3-1 lead with a shot at closing out the series on Tuesday?  Yes for any other team in the NBA, but these are the two-time defending champs, with Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Pau Gasol and the reigning 6th man Lamar Odom (more on him later, oh yes, more on him later!)... 

Point blank, the Lakers have no business struggling against New Orleans Hornets.  It's not about being an arrogant Lakers fan it's simply about match-ups and overall talent.  The Lakers have championship talent and coaching whereas the Hornets have 7th seeded talent with their all-star power forward out for the year. At best/worst this is a five-game series and nothing more.

Let's get right to it, five questions after the Lakers lost Game 4:

1 - What's wrong with Pau Gasol?  How is it that the triumvirate of Carl Landry, Aaron Gray and DJ Mbenga are constantly giving one of the best big men in the NBA constant fits?  Didn't Gasol finally exorcise his demons last summer against the Celtics?  Isn't he supposed to be fired up after hearing Kendrick Perkins call him out for being soft?  Yet here we are again and three very physical bigs are throwing 48 minutes of body blows and Pau's leaning hard against the ropes.  It's actually brilliant coaching by Monty Williams.  He knows his bigs can't match Gasol point for point so instead lean, push, shove and occasionally elbow the willowy forward out of his comfort zone.  And you know what? It's working!  One of the surest, most reliable bigs in the NBA is questioning himself, dropping sure passes and missing bunnies.  It's ugly, but not incurable.  Pau needs to be patient and trust the Triangle, feed the cutters and move up to the pinch post, opening the key for Bynum to work inside.  But really, Monty Williams has been a genius in handing Gasol.

2 - Will Kobe's ankle hurt the Lakers in Game 5?  Over this back-to-back championship run, the Lakers actually play better when Kobe's dinged up.  Suddenly he realizes he's human and actually has to trust the system.  The system?  Oh yeah the Triangle Offense that brought Phil Jackson 11 NBA titles.  During the Lakers slide in April, Kobe's need to prove he's still a top 5 player has hurt the Lakers offensive rhythm.  With a dinged ankle he will realize he can't break down defenses one-on-five and has to initiate the Triangle as intended from the inside out. With Bynum, Gasol and Odom inside, the Lakers should be fine.

However if Kobe goes out to prove he's not hurt and tries to find a "Jordan Flu Game" situation then the Lakers will struggle on Tuesday.  But I really don't see that happening.

3 - Lamar Odom... WTF?  This was going to be a "Five Questions About Lamar Odom's Heart" post but Matt Moore correctly pointed out that he's not really a major storyline for the Lakers.  So I'll just waste one question on the guy, but trust me one more game like this and I'm starting a Lamarmustgo.com blog.  How the hell can you mail in two playoff games?  How is it that the media continues to give Odom a hall pass for these shit-storm efforts?  Can we revoke the 6th Man Award?  

I read how Gasol has disappeared, how Kobe's shot selection is off and how Bynum isn't getting touches, but what about Odom averaging 8 points and 2.5 rebounds in the two losses?  (And really it's 5 points per but Odom hit two late BS threes in Game 1 to bring his total to a respectable 10.)  Watch Game 4 again and focus on Odom, the guy spent the 4th quarter running away from action.  How?  Why?  How?  Why?  Seriously, I'm not sure where to start but I know where to finish, Lamar you played like ass in games 1 and 4 and if nobody will say it I will... DO YOU REALIZE IT'S THE PLAYOFFS???  

At least Phil Jackson called you out (well indirectly but anyone who watched the game knows who PJ was talking about) when he said, "We punked out there on the court tonight.”

That's you Lamar!  In this series he's averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per, far less than 14.4 and 8.7 that the "6th Man of the Year" winner was dropping nightly.  Is this just Monty Williams pushing all the right buttons again?  Hardly.  This is Lamar Odom on Sunday mode and no coincidence, the Lakers lost both games on Sunday.

4 - Is Chris Paul the difference in the series?  Yes and no.  He's been absolutely stellar in the Hornets two wins.  He's turned the clock back to his near-MVP season of 2008 with huge assist numbers and a jarring triple double tonight.  He's exactly what we thought he'd be (slam the dais!).  But the real difference-maker is Monty Williams.  He's devised a punch-you-in-the-face physical defense that has Gasol reeling.  Plus by managing Chris Paul's minutes during the regular season (obviously a trait he picked up from Gregg Popovich) he has a very spry and healthy CP3 to work with.  The Hornets might not have the talent to match the Lakers, but with Williams on the sideline the actually believe they have a decent shot at knocking off the defending champs... and really that's half the battle: belief.  

5 - Can the Lakers pull through?  Cliche alert!  The better team always wins in a seven game series.  The Lakers still have more talent and Phil Jackson still calls the shots, so in theory the Lakers will still prevail.  It's frustrating because the Lakers know EXACTLY what to do to beat New Orleans but they can't find the energy to execute.  It's a matter of effort and talent.  They have the talent but they haven't given the right amount of effort to advance.  Simply put, it's about initiating the offense from inside-out, contesting the perimeter on D and controlling the boards. Done and done in Games 2 and 3 but the Lakers underestimated the Hornets resolve and expected them to simply give up after dropping Game 3.  That wasn't the case and now they're faced with the dreaded "must win" game on Tuesday.  

The dominant defensive Lakers will return on Tuesday and they'll match the same energy for a Game 6 win, but this should never have been a 6 game series against an undermanned New Orleans Hornets squad.

Bynum's Best Performance of the Season Keys a Smart Lakers Win

By Craig Kwasniewski

It took half of a quarter, but once the Lakers were able to adjust to the Knicks pace, they put together a collective defensive effort not seen in weeks and easily beat New York 109-87. Here are a few brief observations from my seat high up in section 316:

Tonight was easily Bynum's best effort of the season. Somewhere in a pub in the South Bay Jim Buss is doing body shots and patting himself on the back. I never thought I'd say this while Pau Gasol is still in his prime, but the Lakers need a healthy Andrew Bynum to contend this year. Easily this was his best effort of the season. Before the dubious ejection early in the 4th quarter, Bynum's length held Amar'e at bay. Blocked shots, offensive rebounds and a sweet throw down RIGHT ON Stoudemire summed up the night. The Knicks only got back into the game when Drew was on the bench in the third quarter. Then Bynum was called for a foul on a clean block and questioned Leon Wood, literally asking "What did I do wrong?" No foul language, just a shrug and a question...

TWEET!!!

You're outta here! It's like Wood decided right at that moment to enact the "no complaining rule", you know the one that they stopped enforcing mid December...like EVERY "new rule." It really made no sense.  But hey, we pay a ton of money to see a refs and not the players.  Fortunately the Lakers rallied behind their lost teammate and won easily down the stretch.

A good Knicks team always raises the energy in the crowd. NY pride from all the expats showed up in force tonight. A lot of orange and blue and a lot of that typical NY attitude. It makes every game seem like an event. As always, the NBA is a better league when the Knicks are relevant.

Pau Gasol is over-thinking on offense. Darius Soriano at Forumblueandgold.com pointed out that Pau has such an array of offensive moves that he sometimes spends too much time contemplating in the post. Whatever it is, he's not as fluid down low as he was in November. Instead he gets the ball and spends a good 4 to 6 seconds over-analyzing the situation. It causes the defense to rotate and over-play his passing lanes. Instead of a quick fluid move (and/or pass), Pau is stuck in place and left trying to draw a foul or hitting Kobe for a bailout shot. Trust your instincts and commit early in the possession Pau!

Steve Blake contributed much needed minutes on the floor. It really didn't matter if Steve Blake lit up the boxscore tonight. All that mattered was that the Lakers didn't need to replace both his and Matt Barnes minutes tonight. Barnes will probably be out at least 5 weeks, but it's hard on a veteran team with potentially two major rotation players out. Criticize Blake's drop in production, but they needed him tonight.

Artest was in 2009-10 form. Hey it could be New York but the fan in me hopes it's Barnes going down that brought out a more aggressive Ron Artest tonight. The Knicks run that fast-paced SSOL system and have a reputation for being a tad soft. Artest came out and played physical east coast basketball all night. Sure he had his typical open-court turnovers (simply put: he is a mess in the open court, he must have plied his game on a half court back in Queensbridge.  He can not run and dribble at all... AT ALL!), but he did have two separate incidences meant to send a message. He did his "was that me?" move with arms up high while locked in with another player (like he'd did TWICE with Pierce last year) in the first half. But the REAL message was knocking down Amar'e as he came crashing down the lane in the second half. It was aggressive but unlike the Miami game, a controlled aggression with the sole purpose of sending a message: not tonight. We'll see if he brings the same game on Tuesday against Cleveland.

Overall, the Lakers don't have the athleticism to run and gun with the likes of New York or Miami so they need a cohesive and smart effort on both ends. Tonight was one of those nights, probably bolstered because it's New York. Whatever, it's still a great cerebral win.

The 2011 Lakers Have a 2003 Stench to Them

By Craig Kwasniewski

Another day another Lakers blowout loss to... Memphis???  What's happened to the two-time defending champs?  I'll address their problem another day but in the meantime I keep reading all the past Lakers squads people are comparing this team to.  Sure they have some 2004 in them with the collection of talent and the mid-season losing streaks plus they also hosted the All-Star game that season.  That's a VERY good assessment and right now I'll take a 5-game loss in the Finals.  Flat out, the Lakers are terrible.

I'm not even thinking 2004 right now.  I'm thinking the Lakers are more like the 2003 squad.  The one that was such a disappointment that it forced the Lakers to look to Karl Malone and Gary Payton to save the day.

(While we're here, the biggest farce back in 2004 was Karl Malone taking an 18 million dollar pay cut to sign with LA.  Sure he made nearly 20 million in 2003, but there was no way any team was offering close to half that salary, which is why he ditched Utah for the big bad Lakers.  It wasn't a sacrifice by a future hall-of-famer but more like a "best option available."  Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the Malone era in LA, just don't sell me on the $18 million sacrifice.)

Where was I? Oh yeah, the 2003 team.  The one where Shaq missed what seemed to be half the season, the one with Samaki Walker, the one where Devean George was to save the day against San Antonio after Rick Fox had a season ending injury, the one that ended with Kobe and Fisher crying on the bench as the Spurs knocked off the three-time defending champs.

The Lakers carry the same exact stench as that unforgettable 2002-03 season.  Just look at the similiarities:

Both teams are coming off threepeat seasons and are showing the wear.  Threepeat??? Hey douchebag, the Lakers didn't win three in a row!  True, but they did make the Finals three years in a row.  And just like the threepeat era before the 2003 season, the Lakers put on a ton of mileage during those years.  We're talking an average of 112 games (including pre and post-season) over nine months with practice and travel in between game days.  That alone takes a toll.

Both starting centers delays off-season surgeries and missed the first quarter of the season.  Back in 2003, always the sensitive one, Shaq felt disrespected with all the focus on Kobe in the offseason and how he may replace Shaq as the best in the NBA.  Shaq pulled the grandest version of his "if he's so great let's see how the Lakers do without me in the lineup" moves and delayed offseason surgery until October knowing that recovery would last until late November.  He said something about "doing it on company time" but in reality he was forcing his worth on the team.  (Shaq was notorious for this, normally he'd take one or two games off literally days after Kobe went on one of his shooting sprees and the Laker always seemed to lose.)  The Lakers opened 3-9 and struggled to top .500 by All-Star break.

Bynum delayed his surgery after consulting with both Kobe and Phil Jackson.  It wasn't anything personal, they both treated it like a respectable move and felt he earned a break after sacrificing he body against Boston.  Unfortunately, Bynum's recovery was delayed until late December and while the Lakers didn't struggle like in 2003, the wear and tear of big minutes for Gasol and Odom is starting to show.

The Lakers going cheap wore down the frontline for both teams. The Lakers frontcourt in 2003 was Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Horry, Samaki Walker and Slava Medvenendko (wow even now it's amazing the balls on the Lakers front office to go literally Shaq, Horry and a pile of shit for their front line).  There were several veteran bigs wanting to join LA before the season (Charles Oakley anyone?) and the Lakers turned down everyone. (Jerry Buss wanted to be a team player back then and tried as he could to stick to the salary cap, which means two years of Samaki Walker on the cheap... TWO!!!!!).  With Shaq out and with Samaki sucking, Phil Jackson was forced to play Robert Horry 29.3 minutes a game (the highest since 1998!).  Sure 29.3 doesn't seem like a lot until you understand what Robert Horry is all about: he glides through the season and picks his moments to shine.  He wasn't able to glide in 2003.  The Lakers needed big minutes from Horry just to get 50 wins.  No glide, no Big Shot Rob in the playoffs.  Horry shot a jaw droppingly bad 2 for 38 from three point range in the playoffs including that three that rimmed out in Game 5 at San Antonio, a shot everyone EXPECTED Horry to make.  He was gassed.

The Lakers spent all their free agent money on Matt Barnes and Steve Blake in the offseason, which on paper seemed like the right/brilliant move (and still may, I'm just too pissed to like anything the Lakers do these days).  They let DJ MBenga and Josh Powell go and filled the roster with two rookies and Theo Ratliff as a back-up center.  The Lakers front line is Bynum, Gasol, Odom, Ratliff and rookie Derrick Character, which when healthy this looks like the right mix needed for a championship run.  WHEN HEALTHY!  In reality, Bynum was out and Ratliff is 37 years old (meaning it wasn't if but when for a knee injury) and both Gasol and Odom logged in career high minutes filling in.  Then Character went down with a knee and the Lakers had literally no back-up centers or power forwards on the roster.  Instead of replacing Ratliff with a more reliable big, the Lakers chose to save some money and stick with what they have.  Right now Gasol is having an Horry-like breakdown.... he looks gassed (if I was witty I'd say Gasol-ed, but see I'm not).

Both teams are veteran-laden squads that can't find the right amount of motivation.  Let's face it, the Lakers look bored and unmotivated.  With continued success comes the common question: what's next?  This especially happens with veteran teams after years of success.  With younger teams you can use statistics or mid-season awards such as All-Star appearances as motivation.  But the 2003 and 2011 Lakers don't feel the need to prove themselves during the regular season.  After all they both were multiple defending champs... the switch can easily be flipped and has been in the past.  A January home loss to a mid-level team has no bearing on the final outcome...

Or does it?  Because in 2003 and the growing trend this season, the Lakers lost several of those "whatever" games and lost homecourt advantage in the playoffs.  The Lakers didn't have homecourt at all in 2003 and risk havng to do it on the road in the conference semifinals this season. It's not easy having to steal homecourt in San Antonio, Dallas, Utah or Oklahoma City. (BTW - they're guaranteed a top four finish because they'll win the crappy Pacific Division by February, yet another reason they're not motiovated.) 

The similarities are there but I was too caught up in the Phil Jackson's fourth threepeat thing to notice.  I keep trying to convince myself that this is the 2002 squad and that we're due for a ridiculously awesome seven game series against Oklahoma City.  But the reality is that I think we'll see Kobe and Fisher crying on the bench as the Spurs knock off the Lakers in six... like 2003.

PS - Just like 2003 Kobe is busy trying to shoot the Lakers back into every game.  The difference is that he's no longer capable of carrying them to victory.  Now you get 25-30 points and Phil Jackson speaking in code about Kobe shooting too much with Kobe going 2004 and shrugging it off... good times.   

PS2 - Back to Kobe's 2003 line, he had a Mamba-like year back then.  Secretly one of his best overall years statistically with career highs in minutes (41.5), rebounds (6.9), 3-point field goal percentage (38.3%) and steals (2.2) plus his second best in assists (5.9) and field goal attempts (23.5).  Mix in an impressive 32.1 points in the playoffs (remember this is still Shaq at the tail end of his prime).  It was a shitty Lakers season but maybe 2003 was the year Jerry Buss told himself, "Hey, I can build a team around this kid... just keep at it this summer and stay out of trouble...."

Six Predictions for the 2010-11 Season

By Craig Kwasniewski   

Hey stranger... long time no talk.  And just in time for the season...

In all reality I just want to get in a few predictions just to block quote myself in "I told you so" post this June.  (BTW - I've been "making predictions" for years and have yet to furnish an "I told you so" post if you know what I mean.)  Anyway, let's quickly roll out the predictions before Miami throws a championship parade...

1. David Stern will continue to play the MLB handbook of how to publicly negotiate a CBA.  The NBA is thinking about contracting????  Right on schedule David.  Soon we'll hear about most of the teams hemorrhaging money... oh wait we already heard that?  Yep, David Stern is following Major League Baseball's book of negotiating the CBA in the media.  The next six months will be gloom and doom. We'll hear a lot of talk about "despite the success of the Miami Heat" teams are still losing money.  They whole contracting thing was Stern's tell.  Come on David, you're better than that to play that card so soon.  

Listen closely... THE NBA IS NOT CONTRACTING!!!  This is just CBA psycho-babble.  And it was a bunch of billionaries in Major League Baseball complaining that they're losing money that completely turned me off to the sport.  It wasn't the steroid era or the '94 strike or Red Sox fans acting like they're cursed when the Cubs are the real cursed franchise.  Nope.  It was ridiculously rich guys manipulating their finances to negoitiate with the player's union.  And if anyone remembers, it was congress that asked for MLB to "open their books" that we realized things weren't all that bad.  

Stern's playing the same card, saying how the NBA is struggling in it's current form, claiming contraction may be necessary and talking about how there needs to be a hard cap for the league to survive.  I guarantee we won't see ticket prices drop the same percentages of this hard cap.  Hey, how about a hard cap on ticket prices.  Yeah, I thought so.  This is just a ploy for the rich to get richer and just like baseball, sadly I may find myself tuning out the NBA.  

2. LeBr-ANGER will reign in the media.  I'm not talking about the backlash from last summer's The Decision, but the backlash to the backlash.  Oh there will be a lot of writers on their high horses around December when the Heat have the best record in the NBA.  These are the LeBron James guys who are quietly lurking, waiting patiently to jump out and scream 'I KNEW IT!!!!"  These are the same ones who were OUTRAGED!!! that LeBron wasn't a unanimous MVP last season.  Remember, Bron had something like 99.9% of the votes yet how dare the few dissenters get in the way of his legacy (or is it LeBregacy).  How dare people have an independent thought!!!  Well, there's already a slow, steady rumble... just you wait until Christmas Day after the Heat beat LA (who could care less about a regular season game and won't get wrapped in the hype). 

3. Phoenix will be better than people think.  Amar'e bolted for the bright lights of NYC. (Well bolted wasn't the reality.  More like Phoenix low balled him, giving him no option but to head to the Knicks. What a shock, the Suns went on the cheap.)  Gone is their athletic superstar, true highlight reel, their best rebounder, best lowpost scorer, annual All-Star and "we're a contender with this guy" guy.  In comes Hedu Tukoglu, exiled from Toronto for good reason... he stunk and Hakim Warrick.  On paper a true 50 cents on the dollar deal.  But I like the gamble.  Instead of finding a big for a big they went long and fast. Meaning, they grabbed two guys that will fit in Alvin Gentry's SSOL offense.  

The Suns found their rhythm last year because they were loaded with guys who could hit the deep J's and spread the floor for both Nash and Dragic to work their magic.  Turkoglu was always able to shot from beyond the arc and he brings another clutch player for the Suns down the stretch (remember, he was THE Magic's go to guy during their title run in 2009).  Yes, Turkoglu doesn't play any defense, but let's be honest here neither did Amar'e.  The Suns know exactly what kind of team they are in a speed, great perimeter shooting and just enough D.  The X-factor is Steve Nash's leadership and I expect a 2009 Turkoglu instead of the Toronto version.  I'm not saying the Suns are a repeat Western Conference Finalist but I expect a top 6 finish.  

4. Utah Jazz are a legit threat to the Lakers.  First off, I was completely wrong in thinking the Al Jefferson deal didn't improve the Jazz.  I'm still a little weary an injury-prone player who never seemed to carry his team to the playoffs.  But I saw Jefferson play the Lakers last week and they guy is seriously locked in.  I know it was preseason, but he gave Pau Gasol fits on both ends of the floor.  He controlled the glass and scored anytime he posted up.  Utah just might be able to hang with LA's size.  

But the real reason why Utah is a legit threat to LA is the sneaky-good Raja Bell signing.  Lakers fans never really felt threatened by the Jazz the past three seasons because they never had a player who could hang with Kobe.  When all else failed, Kobe could bail out the Lakers with a dominant 40 point game.  AK-47 might hang with Kobe a quarter or two but eventually Bryant would break, leaving Kirlienko walking away with slumped shoulders and shaking his head.  Despite his age and being maybe a slight step slower, Raja Bell has physical skills and more importantly mental make-up to hang with Kobe.  Great baseball closers never let the last pitch get under their skin.  A blown save is easily forgotten the next day.  Bell (like Bruce Bowen) approaches defending Kobe the exact same way.  Kobe might be in one of those zones where every deep three is falling and Staples Center is going crazy, yet there's Bell in Kobe's face with the same lock-down intensity regardless of the score.  Combined with Kirlienko, the Jazz can work and older Kobe all game defensively.  I expect a few off nights against Utah this season.  Mix one of the top coaches in NBA history, a top 3 point guard and still one of the best home courts and the Lakers have a serious challenge with the Utah Jazz.

5. LeBron will win the MVP.  Kevin Durant will be the early favorite and for good reason.  What he did last summer with Team USA, carrying them on his back and winning the World Champioship, was beyond impressive (and sad that few will remember the feat because most Americans can give a crap about the FIBA championships).  I'm looking forward to watching Durant grow as a player the next few years.  HOWEVER, I feel as this season continues people will appreciate what LeBron does with the Heat.  It's not easy to create a team out of thin air, no matter how talented, and lead them to 60-plus wins.  And make no mistake (football cliche), the Heat are LeBron's team and he'll earn that MVP.

6. Lakers will threepeat.  Yeah, big shock, a Lakers fan goes with his team to with the title.  Hear me out... Miami will match and probably exceed the hype.  But it's hard to create a championship out of nothing.  The playoffs are all about talent, heart and soul (which Miami has) but it's also about experience as a team and the belief in one another.  The Heat haven't been down that road yet.  How will they respond to a series deficit or the slow/grind-out style of a team like the Celtics (LeBron's Pistons though we're no longer allowed to compare him to Jordan).  2010-11 isn't the Heat's year... but 2011 thru 2014 will be a different story.

I don't really need to go too deep into why the Lakers will win as we've heard it all before.  But the the signings of Steve Blake and Matt Barnes were exactly what the doctor ordered.  The Lakers sorely needed PG depth and Blake is a perfect Triangle Offense guy with his hoops IQ and outside shooting.  Barnes is the Lakers counter to LeBron-to-Miami.  Like Bell and AK-47 will combine to give Kobe a tough 48 minutes, Barnes and Artest will do the same for LeBron.  Two strong, physical, defensive-minded forwards and most importantly 12 fouls for LeBron.  Oh and the Lakers have quality depth up front.  Miami is going with Ilgauskus?  But I'm getting ahead of myself as...

I don't think Miami gets past the Boston Celtics.  The Celtics basically traded Rasheed Wallace for the O'Neal brothers.  The Celtics have a ton of depth up front to close off the lanes against Miami and control the pace.  Plus, after last season, Doc Rivers has entered in the exclusive coach-for-the-entire-season rather than game-to-game group with Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich (seriously, after last season I really believe Doc is a top 5 coach.  The NBA is all about massaging egos and those three are THE experts at it.)  The Celtics are built for two things, to beat the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.  Rondo will only get better and The Big Three have just enough in the tank for one or two more runs at a title.  I can't wait to see how this Celtics squad plays out and will keep a close eye on them from out here in LA.  Plus, let's be honest, Shaq riding off in the sunset in the Finals against LA would be, dare I say... fan-Shaq-stic! 

Lakers will beat Boston in 7 games to win the 2010-11 title and give Phil Jackson a four threepeat.

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Is Matt Barnes a Case of Good From Far, Far From Good?

By Craig Kwasniewski

Ever look at what appears to be a hot chick from a distance only to see up close and think, "Yikes! Damn, what was I thinking?!?"  Back in the day, we coined the phrase good from far, far from good.  No matter what the situation the phrase always made me giggle.

Well the Matt Barnes era just might be the hoops version of that phrase... and I'm not laughing.

Barnes has been a Laker for a little over a month and we learned that: a) he's terrible at spelling (there's a difference between tweeting a few misspelled phrases being cutesy and a virtual bukake of grammar/spelling errors. I guarantee he can't spell facial... anyway)  b) he's a little, how you say, "off" in the temper department (insert video of Matt trying to intimidate Kobe Bryant here) and c) he's already had a run in with the law (the abuse charges this week).

Now reports are saying that his girlfriend is denying all the accusations of abuse and that it seems the latest issue will blow over.  But here's the problem, the preseason hasn't even started and I'm worried the Lakers signed an even crazier person than Ron Artest.  In fact, now that Ron-Ron is fully embracing his therapy sessions, he appears to have controlled his outbursts to the point that he's gone to the level of marketing his craziness... which really means that he's not crazy at all.

Well, Matt Barnes is coming off as one crazy ass cat and I'm not even sure he knows he's crazy, which by definition means he's seriously crazy... and as a Lakers fan, that's crazy!

Here's where the good from far comes into play; I always liked Matt Barnes's game.  He's got a decent three-point jumper, he's willing to do the little things on the floor, he'll always bring it on D and he appears to be a good soldier, someone you always want on your squad. 

But then here comes the first red flag.  Despite all these "great teammate" traits, he never stays long with a team.  If he's that valuable BELIEVE ME teams would find a way to keep him.  Yet he continues to bounce around.  He was a quality Nellie guy in Golden State, fitting in perfectly with the Boom Dizzle-Captain Jack era, then he bounced to Phoenix during Shaq's one full season there and then Orlando.  All good teams that never quite made it over the hump, but it wasn't because of anything Barnes did.  In fact, as Bill Simmons would say, he's not a guy who takes anything off the table, but he doesn't bring anything TO the table either.  He's the perfect 8 thru 12 guy off the bench.  Yet he never sticks around.

So when LA signed him a weeks ago, I originally liked the idea of a guy like Barnes.  He and Ron-Ron would make the perfect platoon defense against the likes of LeBron, Pierce, Melo and KD.  We're talking 12 fouls of intense non-stop defense.  Constant pressure that eventually would wear down some of the best offensive forwards int the NBA.... Good from far.

Then the far from good came into play.  Can the Lakers deal with two semi-crazed guys?  Kobe's will and Phil Jackson's patience might be the only two traits/people in the NBA capable of dealing with and Ron Artest and Matt Barnes.  I still believe he's a perfect fit for this Lakers squad, but I'll be honest I'm a little uneasy.