Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 41 points in the Lakers’ 103-97 victory in Game 3, the first playoff game in Denver since 1985. But Kobe received a lot of help. However, help did not come from his teammates. It came in the form of three guys wearing the Footlocker shirts: Dan Crawford, Derrick Stafford and … [Read more…]
Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown said it best. It was an amazing shot by an amazing player. The legend of LeBron James grew exponentially with his game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic in Cleveland that more than likely saved the Cavaliers’ season. The 96-95 victory tied … [Read more…]
Lately, I cannot tell the difference between Andrew Bynum and DJ Mbenga, which is not good for the Los Angeles Lakers. For a guy who was supposed to be the last piece to the Lakers’ championship puzzle, Bynum has turned into Mr. Irrelevant in this year’s playoffs. He has morphed into Andrew Mbenga. Bynum, a … [Read more…]
Score one for Chauncey Billups. The chess matchup between the Lakers and Nuggets took a different turn in Game 2. Lakers Coach Jackson geared his perimeter defense to smothering Billups in Game 1, putting Kobe Bryant on him for much of the game, but Billups made the proper adjustment in Game 2 by being more … [Read more…]
If Mo Williams wants to be Robin to LeBron James’ Batman, he needs to play a lot better and be more of a factor in the Eastern Conference finals. Williams, Cleveland’s much-celebrated offseason acquisition and a first-time All-Star this season, made just 6 of 19 shots from the field and was 2 for 8 from … [Read more…]
Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson made the first move in the Western Conference finals and now it is up to the Denver Nuggets to adjust. Jackson put Kobe Bryant, his best defender, on Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups for much of Game 1. Even though Billups scored 18 points, he made just 38% of … [Read more…]
On a day when the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, the two marquee franchises of the league, were pushed to a Game 7, the player who came up huge was not named Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Paul Pierce or Dwight Howard. When the Orlando Magic needed someone to turn the lights out at … [Read more…]
In Detroit, Zeke, Lam, The Worm, Buddha Edwards and Spider Salley helped form the Motor City Bad Boys. In Los Angeles, Magic, Coop, Big Game James, The Captain and Riles were the core of the Showtime Lakers. Golden State’s dynamic, high-scoring trio of Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin were better known as Run-TMC. … [Read more…]
NBA TV analyst and former Houston Rocket Kenny “The Jet” Smith made a very bold but accurate statement on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” show after the Los Angeles Lakers destroyed the Rockets by 40 points in Game 5. Smith said the Lakers have a certain “arrogance” about them, arrogant in a sense that they feel … [Read more…]
Defense wins championships. At least that’s the prevailing thought among athletes in any sport. In basketball, stopping the opposition from scoring is ultimately the difference between winning and losing in April, May and June. To win an NBA championship, you need that lockdown defender that can take away the opposition’s best option. It is equivalent … [Read more…]