King?

LeBron James is out of the 2010 playoffs and might have played his last game as a Cavalier.

My point is, who really is the King of the NBA? Seven years and no rings for the man who was supposed to win ring after ring during his professional basketball career.

Can you say Kobe "King" Bryant.


NOTE: If you have noticed, the posts are infrequent and short. Studying for a test. Sorry.

The Triple Double

30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists

Seeing players in the NBA finish with a triple double is pretty impressive and shows how great they played in the game. We see people around the league finish with triple doubles and to me I just don't see why it is so impressive. Yes, they reached double figures in three different categories and yes, they did it against the best basketball players from around the world but is it really that difficult to achieve a triple double? How about averaging a triple double for an entire season?

The only person to ever average a triple double through a full season was Oscar Robertson (the dude up above). In the 61-62 season he finished with triple double. Since then, there have been a total of ZERO people to average a triple double through an entire season. Guess it is difficult to finish with a triple double.

Well, maybe not. Most players have no shot at even finishing a game with a triple let alone finishing the season averaging one and I'll leave these players out. With someone like Steve Nash, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant I honestly think these guys can average a triple double when the final game is played in an NBA season.

The typical triple double includes points, rebounds, and assists. For the above players, 10 points is nothing. Check. Rebounds is a little tougher because they are guards but with these players they need to stop spending so much time trying to score and more time using their body/positioning and 10 rebounds is easily obtainable. Check. Assists is a category that obviously depends on your teammates but with the play making ability these three guys have...Check.

It is about conserving energy and putting it towards a certain goal. Limiting yourself to 10-12 points a night and putting more time in the rebounding/assists categories (except for Nash) isn't what they are paid the big bucks for.

If the Kobe focused on scoring 10 quick points and moved on to rebounding and play making, I honestly believe he could average a triple double throughout an NBA season.

A triple double is not easy but I just don't think it is all that crazy of an accomplishment. It all comes down to personal sacrifices.

Update: Envy

Just when I talk about how I envy Kobe and his winning ways and how I'm stuck in loserville, the Raps defend home court with a 106-105 win over Kobe and Co.

Envy

Reinforcements are here

I envy number two four, Kobe Bryant.

Yes, I would love to have the money, the fame, the hot wife, and the life that comes with being a successful NBA champion but those things are nothing compared to why I truly envy Kobe. Remember when I wrote a post about losing and how it absolutely sucks to be stuck in loserville? This is why I envy Kobe, he is a winner.

This guy has everything in the world that comes with having a fat cheque from an NBA team but what sets him a part from all the ball players is who he goes to battle with on any given night. Every time the trainer tapes his ankles and after he laces up his shoes, he runs down the tunnel with a group of guys that include Gasol, Fish, Bynum, Odom, and the newly added Artest. This is what I envy.

With the entire core of the Lakers under contract for a few years, Kobe has the option of being a part of a team that could potentially bring home the trophy every year for the next 3-5 years. What else could someone ask for in life.

Continuously winning is something only a few will ever experience and for a guy who is suffering through a pretty bad dryspell (Leafs, Raptors, & Jays), it is almost impossible to look at someone as great as Kobe and not truly envy them. Seriously, some people are just blessed with being in the right place at the right time and for Kobe, the time is now.

Hopefully one day soon, the sun will rise again and shine brightly upon my hometown heroes.

Again

It is 2010 and Kobe is still draining game winning shots at the buzzer for the Lakers. Who else in the NBA would you trust to hold the ball at the end of the game? There is absolutely no one in the NBA that can compare to the heroics Bryant provides when the game is on the line.

Watching greatness unfold in front of me every time he touches the hardwood.

4 to 5

So, Kobe Bryant and Nike have just introduced the Kobe V's. Hmmm...wait. Didn't they just introduce the Kobe IVs? Is it me or is it people just keeping coming out with shoes/shirts/jerseys just for the sake of making more and more money? I know this is capitalism at it's finest but coming out with a new product every month (exaggeration) is a little much.

Also, what is the deal with low's these days? The reason, in my opinion, recreational ballers out there shouldn't buy these shoes and play in them is simple, we do not tape our ankles when we play. Kobe and all the other NBA players out there can use low's because their ankles are already taped to the extreme. They honestly don't need any more support with a high top shoe. On the other hand, recreational players need the extra support from high tops because they don't have the benefit of a trainer taping their ankles up before hitting the court.

Nice shoe but for playing ball as an average Joe, this might not be the greatest shoe out there. Go out and buy a high top and keep those ankles injury free.

MJ & Black Mamba

When I saw the winning shot by Kobe Bryant to beat the Heat, I instantly thought about Jordan and his shot over Ehlo and the Cavs.

Seriously, it's the same shot!

Easy Choice

The issue with Odom not signing with the Lakers is starting to get me a little disappointed with the management at the Staples Center. Rumours are swirling that Odom will sign on the dotted line with the Heat and return to the organization that traded him 5 years ago.

Dynasty seems to be a word that is thrown around and the Lakers could be in contention to be a dynasty but they need to resign Odom. His versatility on both ends of the court will add to the naturally gifted players (Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, & Artest) they already possess. Why would the Lakers care about having to pay the luxury tax next year. This is a team that produces revenue like no other. Jerseys and memorabilia jump off store shelves.

I completely understand if the Lakers were in a rebuilding phase but they aren't. It is all about winning now and with the group of core players they have, they have an amazing shot at taking the next 2-4 titles. Rebuilding and waiting for the hyped up 2010 bonanza is something most teams seem to be doing but for the Lakers it is a waste of time to be cheap on Odom.

Just for a moment, let's think about 2010. What if the Lakers are trying to keep some cash in their pockets so they could sign a guy like Amare, Wade, or even Bosh. That would be pretty sick to see. Just imagining a team with one of those guys added into the mix. Okay Okay, back to reality. With the way contracts and the economy are in, long term contracts that eat up big portions of the salary cap just aren't going to work with the Lakers.

With the additions that the Cavs, Celtics, and Magic have made in the offseason. The Lakers need to make sure they have Odom dressed in Lakers' colours because if they don't, a repeat doesn't seem like an easy slam dunk as previously thought.

This Week in Basketball

Things are moving pretty quickly now that the Laker's have been crowned the 2009 champs.

Hedo to the Raptors

If the Raptors sign Hedo to the reported 5yr $53million deal, I will be forced to find a new team to cheer for. This deal makes no sense! Dude is 30 years old. If he was named Kobe Bryant than being 30 at this point would be fine but he's not, he's Hedo Turkoglu. As expected his stats peaked when he was 28 years old. This season, his stats dropped just a little. He is not worth $53million over 5yrs. I know this move is all about making Bosh happy so he will stay in Toronto (in my mind he's already gone but I'll leave that for another day) but this move doesn't help Toronto keep Bosh. The only way this move helps Bosh is if the Raptors take the championship away from the Laker's next season which is not going to happen. Hedo is not the solution for the Raptors. If this rumour does come true, the Raptors will be screwing themselves for years to come.

Artest to the Laker's

I love this move! Having a guy like Artest on the team adds that physical, gives no mercy, I'll kill you, get the hell out of my way, mentality that the Laker's will need when they defend their championship next season. Artest can play lockdown defence which allows Bryant, and his 30 year old body, some down time on the court instead of him shutting down the opposing superstar on defence. Just looking at the Laker's team it seems more and more like the Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and Jackson combo. Absolutely dirty!

The Rockets are Cursed

This is an off-season that the Rockets wish never happened. McGrady is most likely out for next season and if he does return he's a shell of what he used to be. Artest is off to the Laker's and rumoured in return is Trevor Ariza. Ariza is a role player and nothing more. His great play in the playoffs will bring some cash but the GM who signs him (thinking he'll be a true leader instead of being a role player) for big bucks is going to look stupid when the season unfolds. Now to the big news. Yao Ming, their superstar centre, seems to on the side of not returning next season due to injury. I feel for the Rockets. Losing their "big 3" is something no GM could anticipate. I always thought that the combo of Ming and McGrady would do damage in the NBA and bring them to the Finals but it never happened.

Champions

The Lakers are again on top of the basketball world. I don't really have too much to say but congratulations. I am a Lake Show fan and I have been one for some time now.

Just a few thoughts.

Phil "Zen Master" Jackson is absolutely ridiculous. Just think about it, the guy has 12 championship rings!!! He has 2 as a player and 10 as a coach. The funny part is everyone talks about his 10 coaching rings but barely does anyone talk about the 2 he has as a player. Come on, 12?!?!

Kobe is a champion again but this time he did it without Shaq. But I was always thinking isn't Gasol the equivalent to Shaq? Back in the 3-peat days of Shaq and Kobe, Shaq was absolutely more dominant than Gasol has ever and will most likely ever be but he is still a big man that has skills. Everyone talks about how Kobe needs this ring without Shaq to solidify his greatness but he still needed a big man in the middle to do it. Just asking, did Jordan need that big man down low to win his 6 rings? Hmmm...just something to think about.

No denying Kobe is a legend at this point but I still don't think he can compare to Jordan. The NBA is and will always be a league where the big man down low will get you championships and this is why Jordan, in my eyes, is still the greatest.

Derek Fisher is the man. If you went back a few years when the Lakers had Malone and Payton in the lineup when the Pistons were the opponents I specifically said, "Fisher should be starting because if he does, they will win. Bench Payton!!!" Well, I was right back then and I am right now. Fish is the man. He is the prime example of a guy who doesn't have any flash or skills that will dominate others but he has the savvy experience that any and every playoff team needs.

Kobe and the Lakers are at a point where rings are in reach and yes I meant rings with the "s". Now that Kobe has tasted the life sans Shaq on the podium and is within reach of Jordan's 6 titles, the Lakers are most likely in contention for at least 2-3 more rings in the next 3-5 years.

This is the start of a new Lakers dynasty.

Kobe's Repsonse

This is getting out of hand. After a buzzer beater by LeBron, Kobe responded by taking out the Nuggets with his late game heroics. Is this a sign? Will Kobe and LeBron go at each other for the right to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy? There is nothing more to say. The NBA playoffs out do the NHL playoffs hands down.

Next Shaq

Throw it down big man, throw it down.

Remember when Shaq took down the entire backboard or shattered the glass with his monster dunks? The days of Shaw dominating down low and just being a nasty centre to guard, we have a new big superman, his name Dwight Howard.

Around the league and through the world of basketball people know him as the big dude who won the slam dunk competition two years ago. I am starting to think he is much more than just that. He is the new Shaq.

The way Shaq dominated down low when he was a member of the Magic is almost parallel to what Howard is doing right now. What changed everything for Shaq was the moment he found a guy to run with him, Kobe. If the Magic can find a way to throw a second legitimate running mate, preferably a guard, the NBA will see another duo dominate the league.

Everyday the news is about LeBron and how he is the next king of the NBA and how he is going to take ring after ring but no one has really mentioned Howard. This centre is legit and if a team, any team, is willing to sign a big time running mate for Dwight, fans around the world will be witness to a dynasty. Okay, I shouldn't use the word dynasty but just thinking about bringing in a Kobe type of player (yes, this is easier said than done) you could see the Magic start hanging banner after banner.

Having a big man down low that will scare opponents when they approach the lane and basically impose his will on the offensive end is half of a successful formula. The other half is, well, playing in the 2009 Western Conference final and had 20 cameras follow him around by a guy from Brooklyn.

Just wondering if the Magic's front office is thinking like me.

Wade & LeBron

Who said it was only Kobe and LeBron. Don't you ever forget about Mr. Wade!

Kobe and Shaq

If the two stayed together in LA, Magic Johnson's prediction of 10 NBA titles didn't seem so far fetched.

Mr. Bryant

Make sure to watch this in HD.

Only if Happiness Prevailed

As the 2009 NBA All-star came and went, we had a chance to see how two great players could co-exist and bring each other to a level that could never have been reached individually.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal brought the house down and garnered a co-MVP award. As they hoisted the trophy I had a glimpse of what could have been. Having the two share multiple NBA Championships and most likely Finals MVP awards, only if things didn't turn out the way it did.

This shows you how greed for money, power, and, for the ultimate prize of all, NBA Superstardom that only a few have ever achieved. Both egos were two big and it seemed that one could only prevail. It turned out that Kobe was the one that was left standing in LA and the Big Diesel was the odd man out. The move to Miami allowed Shaq to grab another ring for his finger and pad his bank account with even more zeros. Bryant was left in Laker land to bask in the sun and of course the great spotlight that only comes with big market NBA cities. Bryant has not tasted a victory in the NBA Finals but has come close.

Just imagine if Bryant and Shaq stayed together. I know, this is a topic that is over blown, over written, and basically over everything. But please, just take a second to reflect on what could have been. Shaq and Kobe, still Lakers, grabbing boards, throwin down dunks, and making fadeaways only Jordan could have made. As a Lake Show fan and supporter, I wonder what could have been.

Only if both Kobe and Shaq thought about the light at the end of the tunnel instead of their own personal endeavors maybe, just maybe, that All-Star MVP award could have been the Larry O'Brien Trohpy.

Is that something that would make you happy?

61

All 61 Points

Post Game Conference

Not Again...

Holy crap! This is absolutely nuts. Andrew Bynum is back on the sidelines after tearing his MCL. The video above shows it all. Even Kobe knows there is something wrong after hearing Bynum yell while grabbing his knee. It just seems surreal right now because of how it went down. It was a year ago that Bynum dislocated his knee cap and was forced to miss the rest of the season which included the playoffs and the Lakers' run to the finals.

As of right now, the injury will take 8-12 weeks to heal and with any injury it might take longer or shorter. For the sake of NBA fans and of course Lakers' fans, I hope Bynum is back on the court ASAP. I put it out there, I am a Lake Show fan. I enjoy watching Phil leading the Lakers into battle and how the players execute the triangle. It kills me to see a young talented player like Bynum being forced to the bench due to injury.

This is unbelieveable.

Double-Double

After a knee injury derailed his 07-08 season with the Lakers, Andrew Bynum is finally starting to show his true abilities on the court. Bynum is in his 4th season with the Lakers but his career started with Kobe saying why the hell do we need him and we should trade his ass right now. But, fortunately the Lakers didn't listen to Kobe and kept him on their roster. This was a wise decision. Andrew finished off the Clippers with a career high 43pts while bringing in 15 boards. This is not what you should obviously expect from him on a daily basis. But a double-double ever game is what I am starting to expect from him.

This post is more for the recognition of Bynum but also for the underlying fact that having a big man who is productive makes the whole NBA game that much easier for the rest of his team. Think about it. Throw the ball into the big man. He scores or kicks it back out for perimeter shooters if the defence collapses. Seems so easy instead of having to always run around screens and shoot from the perimeter.

The Lake Show seems to have a solid cast of players that can conceivably win championship after championship for the foreseeable future. It seems unfair that one team can hold such promising players while other teams around the league can barely bring together one or two guys. Of course this is coming from a guy who is watching his Raptors completely implode after such a promising start to the season.

Brands

Nike and the partnerships they have with mainstream players around the world seems to grow by the second. The more people who they recruit the more it makes the company visible to their customers. Kobe Bryant seems to be throwing out commercial after commercial for Nike and this time, some haters of the Ankle Insurance commercials, might be satisfied with this new Nike ad.