It’s never a bad day when the Boston Celtics are eliminated from the playoffs. Actually, it’s always a good day. Always. I can hardly describe my surprise and delight when the Orlando Magic scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to break open a 66-61 game Sunday night and cruise to a 101-82 […]
Entries Tagged as 'Lakers'
Oh, and Celtics: Enjoy Your Long Summer
May 18th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Basketball, Lakers, NBA
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Game 7: Lakers 89, Rockets 70
May 17th, 2009 · No Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
What a weird series. One team was clearly better in all seven games. Massively better, six games out of seven. Asked what he learned from the Lakers’ series with the Rockets, Kobe Bryant said, “That we’re bipolar.” He wasn’t kidding. In only one game was the margin of victory fewer than 12 points. In only […]
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Clever Sign at Staples*
May 17th, 2009 · No Comments · Basketball, Lakers
*updated with link, below, to image. Someone holding up a “We Want Tacos” sign … because the Lakers have this promotion with Jack-in-the-Box. If they win and hold the opposition under 100, every fan in the building is entitled to get two free tacos. Anyway, someone has a “We Want Tacos” sign … but has […]
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Lakers Go Big
May 17th, 2009 · No Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
Lakers are up 51-31 at the half, and it’s not because of Kobe Bryant, who was 2-for-8 for eight points in the half. It’s not because they’re going crazy from the three-point line. It’s because they finally are taking advantage of their enormous height advantage over the Rockets. The Rockets start no one taller than […]
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First-Quarter Lead Equals Victory?
May 17th, 2009 · No Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
Reminding you of that Houston Rockets statistic. In every game of the Rockets’ playoffs run, and they have played 12 so far … when they have led after a quarter, they have won. When trailing after a quarter, they have lost. First-quarter score from Staples Center: Lakers 22, Rockets 12.
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And What Is Up with Phil Jackson?
May 15th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
The Lakers coach is a strange bird. He is. Son of a minister, grew up in the Dakotas, something of a Zen devotee … I mean, the man is a space cadet. Like no other successful American professional sports coach. Maybe ever. Really. Who is the previously most detached/deranged major sports coach in the country? […]
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I Have Given Up on the Lakers
May 15th, 2009 · 4 Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
That’s it. I’m done with them. They may keep playing for another week or 10 days … hell, maybe even into June … but there is now way these Lakers win an NBA championship. None. No serious contender for a title allows these Houston Rockets to take them to a Game 7. No way. Doesn’t […]
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We Don’t Deserve the Ducks
May 13th, 2009 · 4 Comments · Lakers
The Anaheim Ducks. You’ve heard of them. Hockey club down in Orange County. Everything the Los Angeles Kings are not. Well-run. Well-led. Home-grown, much of the time. Stable. Successful. The Ducks are in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, having already ousted the San Jose Sharks, the winningest team in the National Hockey […]
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Newspaper Game Story from Game 5
May 13th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
This will provide a link to the newspaper story I did for the North County Times/Temecula Californian, late Tuesday night out the Lakers’ blowout of Houston. I probably went a little too long and hard with the “Jekyll and Hyde” concept, especially considering people tend not to read any more …and literary references are a […]
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Lakers 118, Rockets 78: That’s More Like It
May 12th, 2009 · No Comments · Basketball, Kobe, Lakers, NBA
The Lakers are turning the aphorism inside out. It isn’t about the journey, it’s the destination. Don’t ask them how they’re getting to the Western Conference (and NBA?) finals? Don’t inquire about the backtracking, missed exits and awkward U-turns and having to ask for directions. Just ask the Lakers if they are getting where they […]
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