Good luck guys- hope to see you in the Finals

To my friends who root for the green and white:

With the season about to start, just wanted to say that I hope to see your team against my team in the Finals, with both of them at full strength.

Let's hope both teams avoid the injury bug and knock out their respective conference rivals so that we all get what we really want- THE CLASH OF THE TITANS!


Because there really is nothing better in sports than a Lakers-Celtics Finals.

And if these two squads are both healthy, with the talent level on both sides and the historical implications for all involved, I think it would be an epic series that we will be talking about for many, many years to come in the same way that we're still talking about '87 and '84.

May the best team win.


Cheers,

bsh

Sky,

Were coming. It's going to happen. I aint got a clued who is going to win. That's my celtic ass being dead honest.

See you there.

Jeb

clue

sounds good buddy.


are you still out West or are you just up late ?

Out west. Just got done with brutal job. A tad boozy on red wine and groovin on this beast Sam has created. Where you at?

Jeb

Santa Monica. Finally getting my body clock back to normal.

Saw U2 at the Rose Bowl last night. Great show, but was up until 4 am afterwards, though, so I am about to shut it down for the night.


Enjoy the vino- I hope you're drinking it off the small of some hot girl's back.

While another one feeds you pieces of chocolate!!!

Good luck against the Cavs tomorrow.

I'm out.

Later tater,

Happily married to a good un ...but I aim to have her feed me some chocolate when I get home.

Sleep good pal.

Jeb

Ah Santa Monica. Driving down the boulevard with Sherrill Crow at full volume. The Pier. Giraffe. We've had some fine times out there.

Here's to an exciting, health-filled season (not starting well for Big Baby) and a great finals series.

Good luck, Sky. We'll look forward to your observations from "the other side."

Sam

I guess things are getting better over at BDC, this just in:

am sorry to be such an @55, but I guess that game 4 comeback in '08 and then the game 6 BEATDOWN have made me a very Jaded person.

(My mom is still mad at me for destroying my basement apartment at the end of the historic game 4 comeback-she had to get another job to afford a new tv and some sheetrock for the walls)

Even when we won it all last year, it wasn't good enough since we didn't get to avenge ourselves against the C's. Only a weak-minded Orlando team.

I guess I haven't been very honest as I am only 20 yrs old and don't really like Martinis-although I do have the occasional white wine spritzer. Mom says it doesn't agree with my Meds, but I think it is fine, i think fine it is I think It is fine.



I also want to acknowledge what a puss Vujacic is, though I still think Kobe is the best and most cutest basketball player on the planet.


Won't you all forgive me for my transgressions and we can start over? I promise to change my screen name to Ovaltine Lover 101.

In the words of one of the guys that might actually be my dad, "can't we all jsut get along?"

Love,

Marty.

Sorry , I couldn't resist and I won't post that stuff again, but I think it is funny....

The frame of reference is that someone named Martinilover1001 posted it.

Looks like it is gone now.

Sky

Did you see the game? Ifso what'd you think?

Jeb

Just saw the highlights when I got home from the Laker game.

KG looked really good to me- moving well. Saw in the box score that Pierce had a big night. Rondo and wallace looked they had good nights too.

2 other things stuck out to me:

Cs put up a lot of points on the Cavs, who were a good defensive team last year.

Cavs didn't lose their first home game last year until the Lakers beat them in mid-February. Now they're 0-1 at home. Ouch.

Considering how the Boston-Cleveland games the last few years have been so consistently won by the home team, this is a big (dare I say, statement) win for the Cs.

PS- the people who sit near us at Staples all feel the way my friends and I do about the East. It will either be Boston or Orlando, with most of us expecting the Cs- barring injuries, although no one is sleeping on Orlando. No one, however, is sweating Cleveland.

I don't know when the first Cavs-Magic game will occur, but that should be a really good one. More and more, it seems the Cavs have something to prove. I saw that the Lakers' rings had the players' names on them. Nice touch.

Sky

The Celtics played well but they have another gear. I love Daniels and Sheed is going to win 15 games for us this year. We look deep, strong and quick. The Cavs are going to go donner party by midseason. I really think it is going to get ugly.

I kept hearing Shaq was in shape and he is a gelatinous blob as always. If he took conditioning seriously he'd be wearing 8 rings.

And Sky congrats on last season. I thought Kobe cast outside of his selfish comfort pond and really showed some personal growth. I applaud him for it. If he passes quick out of doubles you guys are brutal.

In that spirit next time I am in la we should pause for a drink.

Jeb

jeb65 wrote:Sky

The Cavs are going to go donner party by midseason. I really think it is going to get ugly.
Jeb

LOL! I think there's a really good chance of that. BUt remember, they do have the "Coach of the Year" on the bench. THat will help. Not.

jeb65 wrote:
I kept hearing Shaq was in shape and he is a gelatinous blob as always. If he took conditioning seriously he'd be wearing 8 rings.
Jeb

so true.

jeb65 wrote:
And Sky congrats on last season. I thought Kobe cast outside of his selfish comfort pond and really showed some personal growth. I applaud him for it. If he passes quick out of doubles you guys are brutal.
Jeb

Thanks bro. Much appreciated. I've had season tickets since the year before they drafted Kobe and Fish, so I've literally watched him grow up. He finally stopped trying to do it all singlehandedly last year, and the results speak for themselves. Game 6 vs Denver was the most incredible display of perfect offensive execution I've ever seen. Nuggs kept doubling, KB kept hitting open man, open man kept hitting shots. It was awesome. When he plays like that they are very, very hard to beat.

I think, and hope, that he has learned that lesson and that is what we are going to see from him all the time now. Or at least the vast majority of the time. I think he's realized that the only thing that matters at this point in terms of people's current and historical opinions of him is winning titles, and that the best way to do that is to facilitate the rest of the guys, as he will always get his points, but when he gets them within the flow of the offense and keeps everyone else involved, they are a handful for any team.

jeb65 wrote:
In that spirit next time I am in la we should pause for a drink.
Jeb

Absoutely. And I'll be back east, in DC and VA, for part of the holidays. Let me know when you're in LA next.

Sky

Copy that chum.

in your secret heart (to go all Leonard Cohen on you) how do you feel about the Ariza/ Artest switch? I got to tell you. I think it helps just a smidge on D but hurts pretty good on O. I don't think I would have done it if I was you.

Very interested to hear your thoughts.

Jeb

Jeb-

A couple of disclaimers. First- I love Ariza. Was my favorite Laker last year along with Pau. I love his hustle, work ethic, developing game and his killer instinct, which was second only to Kobe's (and not by much).

Second- I have always loved Artest. I've wanted him on the Lakers since his Indiana days, as he brings an intensity and commitment to defense that is matched only by KG, who I have also always loved as a player.

Thirdly, Trevor's agent is a crackhead who was so far off his rocker in his initial demands ($10m/ per year) and who immediately said they were going to start meeting with other teams, that the Lakers got scared they would lose Ariza and not have anyone in his stead if they went down a long road with Ariza's agent. So he forced the situation to some extent, having no idea that Ronnie was waiting in the wings as PLan B if Ariza's agent wasn't going to play ball.


If I had my way, the Lakers would have never signed Walton to the level of money that is in his extension, and they would have let Sasha walk. If either of those things had happened, they would have had enough money to resign Ariza AND bring in Artest. Trevor loved it in LA and was massively loved by the fans.

He always said he didn't care if he was starting or coming off the bench, so I would have brought in Ron to start, then brought Trevor in to spell both Ron and Kobe. Give them all roughly 33 min each during the reg season. Would have also allowed Phil to play a lineup during the last few minutes of a game that would have been incredible.

Kobe at the 1, Trev at the 2, Ron at 3, LO at 4 and Pau at 5. That is an insane lineup for both offensive and defensive purposes and it kills me that it's not happening. Makes me hate Sasha even more than I already do.


But given that MItch, who has made some great trades and draft picks to build the Lakers, has made some really bad decisions on extensions, I won't use that as a way to dodge your question.

For what this team needs, right now, and for the next three years, I'm glad they got Ron. In a general sense, he brings a toughness to the team and an intensity that they need, especially b/c they have a tendency towards complacency. Ron is very hungry to get a ring, and that will rub off on the other guys, some of whom might not be as hungry after having just won it all.

In a specific sense, the two guys in the NBA who give the Lakers the most trouble are Paul Pierce and Melo. They have the same body type and skillset, and LA hasn't had anyone who could contain them. Trevor just isn't big enough to wrestle with those guys- Melo gave him tons of problems in the low blocks in the playoffs last year. They're both too strong for Kobe also, and too athletic for Walton.

Enter Ron Artest- he is the only guy in the league who can consistently slow down guys like PP, Melo and LBJ. It instantly shores up one of their two biggest weaknesses on D. (Their other main weakness is quick guards who penetrate, but that's a story for another time.) Anyway, Ron solves that problem as well as it is possible to solve it.

On offense, Ron's career averages are much higher than Trev's. Not just the raw numbers but all of his shooting % as well. and on nights when Kobe is off, Ron can help carry them offensively in a way that Trevor can't.

Is there a potential downside ? Absolutely, he could melt down and get suspended for the season, or he could start hogging the ball and jacking bad shots, but I don't think that will happen with KObe and Phil (both of whom he has a lot of respect for) and LO (who grew up with him in Queens) in the picture. And from what I've seen so far, I'm ecstatic.

He is playing great d, hustling everywhere, and setting up the other guys with his passing. His shooting stroke has been off, but I think that's due to him being nervous and trying too hard- he's thinking about things instead of just doing them.

In 5 years, I'd rather have Trevor, but this team's window is now, and over the next three years, I think Ron gives them the better chance to win.

Sky

Well said. I think you could argue that Trevor was yalls second best player last year. I also myself think he was your best TEAM defender. Artest can muscle up better against PP and Melo but he is nowhere near the team defender Ariza was in the playoffs last year. But I could also be fulla crap. Just my opinion.

The Celtics got longer this year. The new guys (including Sheldon) are tall and mean. Artest is big but he is also kind of stocky and has in my opinion lost a half step. He also get's too involved in locking down his man and forgets team concepts on O and D.

On closing windows. I think yall have three and we have 2. As dep as both teams are it could be Lakers/Celtics for the next two years and I think it will. I dont think we'll have a guy that averages 35 min this year.

It's gonna be fun. Your boys deserved to get booed last night but they'll be back and pissed off but I think Atlanta is a tough foe. Again what a fine fine yer to watch hoop.

Jeb