LA/CLEVELAND YESTERDAY

Did anyone watch any part of that game yesterday? Seems to me the Lakers lost their cool when they started losing. I think Shaq did a number on Kobe's head! What a scene at the end of the game when they started throwing yellow "fingers" from the stands and then water bottles! Isn't this supposed to be the classiest city in the league, (as ESPN & Sports Illustrated would have you believe!)? I loved it!!! Not that I want to watch LeBron win, because he is disgusting at times with his cockiness, but.....I love watching LA lose.

Rosalie,

Not to attack Phil Jackson because it is the holiday season and I know what it's like to start feeling like a hairless chihuahua. But it's impossible not to comment on his interview about what went wrong at the end of the third quarter. As he flashed that all-knowing mystical smile, all he had to suggest was that it was a shame Kobe wound up on the floor with no calls but he didn't want to say a lot for fear of being fined again.

That was it? That was the sum total of his "analysis?" His team was out there like a one-trick pony. Kobe to the hoop, Kobe to the hoop. They failed miserably on the defensive end. He didn't try to shake them up by forcing them to press or telling them to deny layups at all costs and get the finger-throwing fans into the game. His main advice in the huddle was, "You're better than this." Wow, go read a book.

Guess there's a lot of difference between Zen and Now. He has proven to be an adequate coach in the past when handed major superstars. But what about reactions to adversity, when coaching REALLY matters? "You're
better than this?" Can you imagine Red.....? Oh never mind. I do envy him that little tuft of hair right in the center...just above all the frown lines.

Sam

Rosalie

Jeb and I had our own little game on thread during that game.

Yellow is the best color to describe the lakers and their fans, Phil included, He'll be eased out of a little cash for his comments too.

Funny how the they think the Cav's got all the calls yet the Cav's were whistled for more fouls than the lakers were.

Kobe with 46+ minutes too.

and at one time with 3 min to go in the third the Laker bench had exactly 2 points.

beat

Rosalie,
I watched the whole game and am happy of the outcome. As the old saying goes: I love New York, just hate Yankees.
To summarize the game: Cavs had a wonderful XMas dinner with Lakers as the main course.

Sam,
I 100% agree with you re: Phil Jackson. What a moron: trying to make a ridiculous excuse about refs while your team is being eaten alive. At the same time making stupid mistake puting Kobe to guard LJ. Which the latter used right away passing to his totally open sharpshooters.

AK

Sinus,

Good point about Kobe guarding Lebron.

Sam

It was as if Kobe was trying to prove that he is the best player in the league not LeBron. He was outmuscled time and again. And trying to go up against Shaq so many times, what did he think, he was just going to let him score.
This team is not all it is cracked up to be. They just have played so many games at home that they are in the comfort zone. Time will tell. The putrid announcers are still touting them as the best. Come to Boston boys!

Rosalie,

Yes, and I thought the announcers pandered to Kobe time and again. Every call against him was declared wrong, even when their own replays showed things they simply ignored. It was actually pretty sickening and testimony to the fact the L.A.-oriented national media are much more attuned to glamor than to basketball. What's new? It's been that way since you-know-when.

I hope the holidays have been very rewarding for you and your family.

Sam

Rosalie

I just went to the latimes website and read every article in the paper on the Lakers today. In their minds they are still bulletproof. Serious denial. Wanted to see if they would admonish the team and the fans for their boorish, pathetic behavior...and they did. But very little.

I'll say it again. If your squad has a big, deep physical front line the Lakers cant shoot OVER...if you make them play halfcourt back to the basket (specialy Gasol) hoop their bigs get average fast. This front line can be outmuscled. Remember the look on your neighborhood bullies face the first time he got seriously popped in the face...that's the look the Lakes had last night. If you pop them right BACK in the nose they start overthinking and their bigs get very normal.

They have a very very good starting 5 Odom and Brown and then you get into chumps like Sasha (whom Ray Allen personally ended)

Mr Kobe played the whole game yesterday even after it was CLEARLY over. I dont get it and frankly felt LAST YEAR Phil was starting to look a little confused out there. Those minutes (specialy in close games ...outside) are going to beat this team as much as who they are playing if they get to the finals.

Think PP and Ray last year late in the Orlando series.

Grand time to be a Celtics fan.

Speaking about Kobe.
What a rotten primadonna: he went into a tantrum throwing his fist right and left after one of the no-calls. After that they dare to compalin about refs: can you imagine any player other than Kobe or LJ did it without T or ejection?

AK

Oh, did the fakers play yesterday? I thot they were a no show, allowing Kome and a few of his old pals like Fisher, to play bron bron and his buddies. Next thing ya know some guy will come on saying goooooooooooooooooooodynasssty LOL