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LAKERS NOTES

May 20, 2009 by Leave a Comment

With five seconds left in Game One of the Western Conference finals and the Lakers leading 105-102, it was decision time for Phil Jackson. Throughout his tenure as Lakers coach, his refusal to foul in these situations has led to two things: 1) Several losses which could have been avoided 2) Dave Smith nearly having a stroke as I cursed the Zenmaster….

Phil’s stubborn refusal to not only foul, but also not guard the three-point line, was inexplicable….

So even though the situation obviously called for a foul, I held my breath as the Nuggets inbounded the ball. Visions of Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony or J.R. Smith knocking down a three to force overtime began to haunt me….

As the camera showed the Lakers coaching staff on their feet before the ball was inbounded, I was almost hysterical as I screamed at Phil to foul….

With Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy telling the television audience the Lakers had to foul, Denver inbounded the ball to Smith. As soon as he crossed half court, with three seconds remaining, Derek Fisher intentionally fouled him, sending J.R. to the line and me to the phone to call 911….

Finally, after years of stupidity, Big Chief Triangle put his ego aside and made the right play….

Like clockwork, Smith made the first, missed the second intentionally and Kobe Bryant grabbed the rebound and sealed the win….

Will Phil learn from this and employ the foul from now on? God, let’s hope so….

Two things I learned from this game: 1) The Nuggets outplayed the Lakers and should have won 2) Carmelo Anthony has blossomed into a superstar….

All Melo did was shoot 14-20, score 39 points and play the best defense of his career….

Alas, it wasn’t enough….

The game’s greatest closer, Bryant, took over down the stretch, scoring 18 of his game high 40 points….

Good thing, too, because his teammates weren’t much help….

Unfortunately, Lamar Odom was once again a no show in a big game against a good team; and they’re going to have trouble winning this series if he doesn’t play better than that….

As for Pao Gasol, he produced 13 points and 14 rebounds; but he has to shoort more than nine times. Both the coaching staff and his teammates need to get him the ball in the post and let him dominate….

On the other end, however, Gasol wasn’t very good; especially in the first half. Time and again, he left his man for unnecessary double teams, freeing Nene for uncontested dunks. True, Andrew Bynum was always a step late rotating, but Gasol needs to stay on his man and forget about doubling guys 25 feet from the hoop….

Can someone explain to me why Sasha Vujacic is playing so much?….

Not only is his jump shot on vacation, he’s also getting beat on defense and making bonehead plays….

Jackson’s love affair with Sasha and Luke Walton is inexplicable….

This has to be a gut wrenching loss for Denver, because this was the game they needed to win. With the Lakers coming off a tough seven game series and fatigued with only one day’s rest, this was the time for Denver to gain an advantage….

They outplayed the Lakers most of the game, but didn’t make plays when they needed to amd might have lost the series last night….

Sure, Denver is a good team and still could win, but I still like the Lakers in five….

Keep fouling, Phil, and check your ego at the door….

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LAKERS NOTES

May 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment

It’s halftime of Game 6 of the Lakers-Rockets game and unfortunately Los Angles has reverted back to the jump-shooting, no-defense-playing, gutless, poorly coached team they were in Game 4….

At this moment, they’re down 52-36 and unless there is a dramatic turnaround, we’re coming back here for a Game 7 on Sunday afternoon….

The Lkaers shot a miserable 31% in the opening half and unless they pound the ball inside and get to the free throw line, they’re looking at another embarrassment….

Not only is Luis Scola destroying the Lakers inside, Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry and the rest of the Rockets guards are getting to the rim uncontested. How many times can a little guy make lay-ups before someone in a purple-and-gold uniform either A) Slides over top contest the shot or B) Knock him on his ass?….

I guess the good news is the Lakers are only down 16, because they have gotten nothing from Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Pao Gasol and Derek Fisher….

Okay, time to watch the second half and check in with you after the game….

Well, as my father used to say after watching a game he didn’t like, “That was a bunch of crap.”….

Even though the Lakers made a nice run to begin the third quarter and got back into the game, their defense again broke down and they lost by 15, 95-80….

Can anybody explain two things to me? 1)Phil Jackson’s substitution patterns and 2) The Lakers philosophy of defending the pick-and-roll….

With the Lakers down by nine after three quarters, Phil kept Kobe on the bench for six minutes, a time during which the team could have been making a game-winning run. Instead, the Lakers were down 81-71 and had no chance of winning….

As for the defense, once again it was Aaron Brooks running wild, blowing past Derek Fisher and doing anything he wanted….

Both Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were ripping Phil for the Lakers pick-and-roll defense and they were 100% correct. Instead of attacking Brooks before he clears the screen and forcing him to pass, the Lakers are always late with help and by that time it’s all over….

I could go on and on about how poorly the team played, but the bottom line is they have to play well and close out the Rockets Sunday afternoon….

The best thing working in the Lakers favor? David Stern will never allow a Rockets-Nuggets final, so if the outcome is in doubt, watch the zebras take control and lead the Lakers to victory….

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NOTES ON A SCORECARD

May 5, 2009 by Leave a Comment

This morning, I read all the “experts” predictions on the Lakers-Rockets series and only one is picked Houston to win. So here’s the question: Is this A) Simply a pick to look like a genius or B) An informed opinion based on the fact the Rockets legitimately have a chance to pull off the upset?….

My vote would be B….

While my pick is the Lakers in six, Houston certainly poses a threat and can win the series if Andrew Bynum continues his poor play and the Laker point guards can’t stay in front of Aaron Brooks….

Plus, the Rockets have two players who can effectively guard Kobe Bryant: Shane Battier and Ron Artest….

Finally, Yao Ming has improved greatly over his career and become a force on both ends of the floor. If he’s having his way with Bynum and the Lakers are forced to guard him with Pao Gasol, the Lakers could be going home early…..

In my opinion, the Lakers are deeper, more talented and have the game’s best finisher in Kobe…. Which hopefully will be the difference….

In the East, most of the attention will be on the Celtics-Magic series, which began last night. Despite the abscence of Kevin Garnett, I like Boston….

As good as Dwight Howard is, he’s a limited offensive player and can be slowed down by a team with a good defensive scheme. Sure, he’s a monster, but has no post moves, can’t make his free throws and needs the ball passed to him to be effective….

As for his teammates, they’re all soft jump shooters who will not like the physical stuff the Celtics will bring…. Celtics in seven….

Good to see Ricky Hatton lounging poolside at the MGM Grand on Sunday morning, just hours after he was brutally knocked out by Manny Pacquiao….

On Saturday night, I feared for his life as he lay motionless on the canvas for several minutes after taking a straight left flush on the jaw….

The next morning, however, he was poolside with a hot blonde in a black bikini, without a mark on his face…. Plus, he made a reported $12M for his trouble….

Sounds like a good deal to me….

Fighters rarely suffer permanent damage when knocked out early with one shot, as Hatton was Saturday night. The real damage comes when you take a prolonged beating over several rounds….

The frightening beating Oscar De La Hoya took from Pacquiao last year is what causes long term damage….

The Golden Boy showed an excellent chin and lots of courage in that fight…..

Maybe too much….

The word is that Oscar was having convulsions and throwing up in the hospital afterwards, which convinced him to retire and count his money….

I’d much rather get blown out early than take a horrendous beating for eight rounds….

By the way, it’s way too early to talk about Pacquiao-Mayweather in the fall, because the Pretty Boy has a very tough opponent on July 18th in Juan Manuel Marquez…

Marquez is a great fighter, who won the majority of the 24 rounds in his two fights with the Pacman…. He got a draw in the first fight and lost a controversial split decision in the rematch; which had boxing fans clamoring for a third meeting….

Our own Steve Kim, by the way, had Marquez winning both fights….

Yes, Marquez has to come up to 144 lbs. for the Mayweather fight, which will be 10 lbs. more than he’s ever weighed, but in his last fight he knocked out former lightweight champion Juan Diaz with a textbook uppercut and looked as good as ever….

There’s not a better pure boxer in the sport and Marquez throws combinations other fighters don’t even attempt….

If Pacquiao is the #1 ponnd-for-pound fighter in the world, Marquez is probably second….

I like Floyd to get on his bicycle and outbox the smaller JMM, but it will not be easy and he could lose….

To their credit, it’s a very smart move by Team Mayweather, because you simply cannot go into a fight with a wrecking machine like Pacquiao after a two year layoff. The Pretty Boy needs a tough fight to prepare for Manny, and Marquez is a perfect choice….

Because if he can’t beat a lightweight moving up two divisions, he’d get destroyed by Pacman….

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WEEKEND NOTES

May 4, 2009 by Leave a Comment

I know this might sound ridiculous, but I’m getting damn close to calling Manny Pacquiao the greatest fighter I’ve ever seen. True, he hasn’t had to run the Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Aaron Pryor gauntlet of the 1980′s, but his accomplishments are now the stuff of legend….

Early in his career, Pacman was fighting at the Jr. Flyweight limit of 108 lbs. In 1998, Manny won his first world title, taking the flyweight crown (108 lbs.) via an 8th round KO….

Since then, he’s won titles all the way to up to the Welterweight limit of 147, which is an achievement worthy of comparison to the great Henry Armstrong….

Sure, it’s a different era and easier to win titles. Yes, when Armsrtong simultaneously won the featherweight, lightweight and welterweight belts there was only one champion and eight divisions. So without question Armstrong remains the king of the multiple title holders….

But in this era, Pacman is the closest thing to Armstrong I’ve ever seen….

The most incredible thing about Pacquiao is he’s gotten stronger and more powerful with each advance in weight. Normally, fighters lose some pop when moving up to fight bigger opponents, but not Manny. He not only continues to win, he destroys supposedly bigger, stronger fighters…. Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Britain’s Ricky Hatton was believed to be bigger, stronger and a harder hitter. But in the first round, it was Hatton hitting the deck after a perfect Pacman right hook, and was later dropped with Manny’s patented straight left hand….

Hatton somehow survived the opening frame, but was put to sleep in the second, courtesy of a perfectly placed left cross….

Ricky, supposedly the stronger guy, was knocked unconscious by a guy who used to fight at 108 bs…. True, Hatton is nothing more than a club fighter in the 80′s, but the one punch destruction was still impressive….

So what’s next? Hopefully Floyd Mayweather gets past Juan Manuel Marquez, no easy task, in July and we have a legitimate superfight this fall….

And if Manny knocks out the Pretty Boy, he’s Top 5 of all time in my book….

By the way, Manny was knocked out twice early in his career, both in the third round. In 1996, he was kayoed by Rustico Torrecampo at 110 lbs. and in 1998 Pacman lost his Flyweight title when stopped by Medgoen Singsurat….

Either Manny didn’t know how to fight back then, was weakened by weight loss or those guys are the toughest SOB’s boxing has ever seen….

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