The Lakerhead

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Lakers Win It All

The Lakers are the 2008-2009 NBA Champions.  It still feels surreal as I type that.  Were Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol really celebrating with those newly minted Laker hats?  Was ultimate champion Bill Russell really handing over the Finals MVP trophy to Kobe and then having a chat with Pau Gasol and Phil Jackson on the podium?

Kobe With Larry O'Brien and Bill Rusell Finals MVP Trophies. Oh Yeah...He's Happy.

And did Kobe Bryant just lead a team to a title?  Why yes, yes he did.  And he proved this year, once and for all, that he makes players better around him.  From taking part-time coaching duties to leading by example, Kobe Bryant was a Finals MVP, averaging 32.4 Points, 7.4 Assists, and 5.6 rebounds.  4 championships.  Countless fingers that are dislocating and falling apart.  One big heart of a champion.

It was a very official night.  It was as if the basketball gods were crossing off a checklist: Kobe Bryant will now be considered right there with the greatest players of all-time.  Check.  Phil Jackson will now be considered the greatest coach of all-time with 10 championships to his credit: Check.

Trade Brian Cook and Maurice Evans and You, Too, Can Get a Champion Like Trevor Ariza!

Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom will net some serious money in the offseason.  Gulp…Check.  It is looking like the first great challenge of the champion Lakers will be bringing everyone back.  With Jerry Buss’ boys at the podium excited to the point of random screaming outbursts, I’m going to go ahead and assume the Laker ownership will pay to keep this team intact.

Trevor Ariza befuddled two of the greatest scorers of the playoffs (Carmelo Anthony and Hedo Turkoglu) with his quick hands and pesky defense.  Then he acted like he was fellow UCLA alum Reggie Miller on the other end of the court, nailing over 48% of his 3-pointers throughout the playoffs.  In the irony of ironies, the Orlando Magic practically gave away Trevor Ariza for Brian “I’m a Power Forward That Can’t Jump And Only Shoots Threes” Cook and journeyman  Maurice Evans.  Ouch.

Please Come Back Odom! Candy Tastes Sweeter With Gold!

Ariza was a giant reason the Lakers won the championship, and Lakers’ General Manager Mitch Kupchak is highly advised to do whatever is necessary to keep him in L.A. (Yes, even if it means getting rid of my local favorite candy-man, Lamar Odom.  You know, the guy on the Lakers that makes every other team go “Well if Odom is making his three-pointers, there is no way we are beating this team”.  He did exactly that in the championship clinching game, going 3-3 from downtown, and reminding the Lakers what they would be missing.  I have a sneaking suspicion both he and Ariza will be back at around $6-8 million a year.  )

The most significance storyline internationally will be Pau Gasol getting his NBA championship.  The Spaniard’s professional career has been completed, with a ring in this most difficult basketball league around, this little American League called the NBA.

World's Best Player Or Best World Player? Gasol is King Across the Seas.

Gasol’s evolution as a player has been nothing short of miraculous.  He went from being pushed around by an intimidating but skinny Kevin Garnett and brute Kendrick Perkins of the Celtics in last year’s Finals to defending NBA man-child Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic with surprising success.  Howard delivered punishment through elbows and muscles, but each time he did, Gasol came back for more, his floppy hair stating “Thank you, may I have another?”

Derek Fisher immortalized himself into the Laker history books, etching himself in stone even deeper.  At 34 years old, I would not blame him one bit for going off into the sunset on top.  If he wants to come back, he’ll get less regular season minutes with Shannon Brown and Jordan Famar coming on strong, but he’ll be there in the most clutch plays of playoff moments.

Phil Jackson, 10 Championships. 'Nuff Said.

Phil Jackson really has nothing left to coach for.  He has the most championships as a coach, along with the best winning percentage in the regular season or the playoffs.  He also has the most playoff victories ever.  At this point, if Phil comes back, it is simply for “being in the moment.”  He now has only himself to challenge to win 5 rings with Kobe Bryant.  That would be so Zen of him: Kobe would want nothing less than his coach back.

It's Official: My Championship Shirt Rules!

As the Lakers celebrated, I quickly ran through my head on which hat and t-shirt I wanted.  These kinds of decision are very important for us Laker fans.  I went to the NBA store and settled on this gold shirt.  Classy, because the banner in the back reminds you it’s only 1 of 15 for the Lakers franchise.  And with a cool gold shirt like this, onlookers will be assured that I enjoyed all of them.  Thanks for being part of the ride.

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Phil Jackson’s 10th Championship Will Be Won Fooling Them All

As Derek Fisher hit his 2nd 3-point dagger in overtime of Game 4 of the NBA Finals (the first one tying the game in the final seconds of regulation), it occurred to me:

Phil Jackson is going to win his 10th championship ring by fooling them all.  Red Auerbach challenged him to build a team from the bottom.  Alonzo Mourning said Kobe coached more than Phil.

Am I Dreaming? Is it 2002 Again? There's Fisher, Hitting Clutch Shots Again!

The entire basketball media community, yours truly included, wondered if he had lost it by letting a struggling Fisher start and log major minutes throughout the playoffs.

Phil Jackson knew how to push Andrew Bynum’s buttons for him to finally be the solid, hustling defender he was tonight.  Phil Jackson is perhaps the only coach that could take the obsessive wrath of both Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

The Man? The King of Cool? How About the Greatest Coach of All-Time.

And most of all, Phil Jackson was the only coach that would fully trust a struggling Derek Fisher throughout the playoffs, which set up Fisher’s two three-pointers that all but sealed the NBA championship for the Lakers (who now have a commanding 3-1 lead in the series).

If the 10th championship Phil Jackson is supposed to be the ultimate nod for him being the greatest coach of all-time, then he must see things us mere mortals do not.

Phil Jackson doesn’t merely coach in the moment (which is probably why he gets nailed for not being the greatest X’s and O’s coach).  He sees moments before they happen.  As the final Derek Fisher 3-pointer went in, I knew it at once: He is the greatest coach of all-time.

The Lakers Practically Had a Hugging Cermony for Fisher After the Game.

The Lakers went from not making the playoffs to a potential ring 3 years into Phil Jackson coming back and taking over.  Derek Fisher is a hero again.  Kobe Bryant will be redeemed.  Andrew Bynum’s potential will be realized.  Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza will be champions instead of castoffs.

And Phil Jackson will ride into the sunset, somewhere in Montana, smiling.  Smiling, because he always knew more than us.  Smiling, because he fooled us all.  The Zen Master.

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Magic Shoot, Magic Score

The Orlando Magic made 62.5% of their field goals in Game 3 of the Finals.  How historic is that?  No team has ever shot that well in the Finals.  Not Bird’s Celtics, not Jordan’s Bulls, not Magic’s Lakers.  The strange part is, the Lakers defense wasn’t horrible.

When You See Rashard Lewis in This Pose, Expect a Swish to Quickly Follow.

Mickael Pietrus goes 7-11, including a spinning, high-arc long two-pointer that would make Kobe Bryant proud.  Tony Battie goes 2-3, including a face-up outside jumper, Rafer Alston goes 8-12.  “Skip to My Lou” Rafer?  The same guy that shot a combined 17.3% in the first two games? Really?

Turkoglu, Lewis, and Dwight Howard all shot well above 50%.  In fact, the only Magic player that didn’t shoot the ball above 50% is Marcin Gortat, who was 0-1.  That doesn’t even count.

Turkoglu With the "Yay! We're Making Everything We Throw Up!" Pose.

All this, and the Magic win by a measly four points, 108-104.  Should they be worried?  Maybe, but you’ll take a Finals win any way you can.  The Magic win Game 3  to make it only a 2-1 Laker series advantage now.

What can the Lakers do to adjust in Game 4?  The adjustment this time is surprisingly on Kobe’s shoulders.  Although he was magnificent in the 1st quarter and probably the reason the Lakers were not being blown out of the water in the first half (where the Magic shot a ridiculous 75%), he clearly ran out of gas at the end.

Kobe’s early sizzling shooting in the first quarter tapered off to a bad 4-15 the rest of the game.  He missed 5 of 10 free throws.  And with the Lakers down by 2 with 37 seconds left to go, he brings up the ball and turns it over to Dwight Howard trying to split the pick-and-roll in the double team.

Tired Kobe Is...Tired.

Kobe must pace himself better in Game 4.  But to do that, the Magic can’t shoot 75% in the first half again.  The Laker defense must help Kobe.  Think about it: If the Magic had shot 60% from the field, they would have lost this game.

From the moment of my weary Game 2 victory article (which was more a sigh of relief), I knew the Magic were too good to get swept.  I knew they would find their shooter’s mark eventually.  I just didn’t expect for the Magic to be on fire and still almost lose.

Game 4 is the Lakers to win or to blow.  When it was all said and done, Kobe still had 31 points and 8 assists on 44% shooting.  Only a player with the greatness of Bryant is asked to do more.  Only a champion like him will.

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Lakers Somehow Win Game 2

I’ve witnessed a lot of tough playoff losses for these Lakers, and they usually follow certain patterns:

Odom's 19 Points and 8 Rebounds Were a Big Reason the Lakers Won: He Just Looks Like He Can't Believe That They Did.

A) Someone on the other team (Rashard Lewis in this case) will get super-hot.  Somehow, the Lakers will lose track of him multiple times and leave him open.  Rashard had 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists.  On one occasion, Lamar Odom actually thought he was guarding him in the corner, when Rashard was actually at the top of the circle draining an open 3.  I rest my case.

B) Kobe Bryant’s “Teen Wolf” antics backfire.  Sometimes, not even Kobe can dribble the ball 30 feet out from a pick-and-roll play after play and do amazing things with it without turning the ball over.  He had 7 turnovers this game, a sure sign the Lake Show was on its way to a loss.

I Don't Really Like Odom From 3 Either, Kobe, But You've Got to Make That Pass.

C) Andrew Bynum plays defense like a sleep-walking Charles Oakley.  Hey Andrew, it’s 2009, not 1995.  That’s a foul.  Bynum had 5 points and 5 fouls in 16 minutes.  Yay, $58 million dollar contract.  At least we can hope he returns to form when his knee is 100% next year.  I think.

Stop Secretly Watching Oakley's Game Film, Andrew. This is Now a Foul.

D) Trevor Ariza realizes that just a year ago, he couldn’t shoot the ball.  I hate flashbacks, and so must Trevor, because he had one tonight.  He went 3-13 from the field for 8 points.

Despite all this, the Lakers won Game 2 of the NBA Finals in overtime, 101-96.  It feels more like the Lakers escaped prison rather than being 2 games away from the championship.  Sweep? Are you kidding me?  The Magic were an alley-hoop layup by Courtney Lee away from tying the series 1-1.  I dread the possibility of the Magic guards actually finding their range again at home.

Even After a Game 2 Win, Phil Jackson Will Address All of the Lakers' Holes.

So to avoid a complete Game 3 swing in Orlando, the Lakers should limit Kobe’s turnovers, stay in Lewis’ and Turoglu’s and Pietrus’ and Redick’s jerseys at the 3-point line, have Bynum stop being a foul machine, and have Ariza find his shot again.  Easy, right?  When you have the will of Kobe and a Zen coaching staff, it can be done.

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Kobe’s 40 Delivered With a Scowl

Put away the math books, at least for Game 1 of the Finals.  After every NBA expert attempted to solve this series’ algorithm (most eventually giving the Lakers the edge), I think we all forgot one key detail.

Odom and Ariza Can Stay Nice, Kobe Has "Enough Mean" For Everyone.

Kobe’s scowl.  I didn’t think his killer instinct and game had another gear.  Ladies and gentlemen, introducing gear 7.

Did we really think Kobe is just going to be another All-Star like Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard, or Pau Gasol in this Finals equation?  Did we not stop and wonder that there was no way one of the best players of all-time was going to let his team lose?

Let us remember, Kobe played against 3 Hall of Famers in the Celtics last year.  With Pau Gasol shell-shocked by the tough Celtics, it was basically 1 All-Star against 3, and Kobe still pushed the Celtics to 6 games.

Kobe Goes Around Lee With the Up-and-Under and Scores a Layup Before Howard Could Get There.

Now that the All-Star count is even, Kobe shows he’s more All-Time.  The greatest shooting guard this side of Michael Jordan drops 40 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks, and the Lakers smash the Magic, 100-75.

Courtney Lee and Mikael Pietrus have no prayer in guarding Bryant.  Stan Van Gundy is going to send out the hounds on Sunday, trapping Kobe everywhere.  Trevor Ariza and Derek Fisher better set phasers to kill, as they will no doubt be getting some open looks from the 3-point line.

As Kobe helped the Lakers pull away in the 3rd quarter (scoring 18 points in that quarter alone), every shot he swished seemed to make him madder.  His scowl was no act, it’s never been an act for Kobe.  The Lakers could go up by 26, and Kobe still wants your heart.  He still wants to correct mistakes for next time.

With Bynum a Presence on Both Ends, the Magic's Chances Are Slim.

As much as Kobe willed his team to a victory in the first game of the Finals, he couldn’t have done it without help.

The combination of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol on Dwight Howard befuddled Howard, who was 1-6 from the field with 12 points (he did have 15 rebounds).  Not exactly like scoring on Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao, is it, Dwight?

As Dwight proved with his new Vitamin Water commercial, he is the master of imitation.  He might want to look up Shaquille O’Neal - circa 2002 - and do his best impression, because that’s what the Magic might need to beat this Lakers team 4 times in a series.

Welcome to the Finals, Rashard.

Orlando’s 3-point strategy magically (sorry, couldn’t resist) disappeared, as they went 8-23 (a measly 34%).  A lot of those shots from downtown were with a Lakers defender draped all over them.  Gone are those wide open short corner threes they saw so much against the Cavaliers.

There is no way Rasard Lewis shoots 2-10 again while Hedo Turkoglu shoots 3-11 in the same game.  There is certainly no way Dwight Howard shoots 1-6 again.  Orlando can take comfort that there is still time to find their better game, the game that made them Eastern Conference champions.

The Magic will be back.  Unfortunately for them, so will Kobe’s Scowl.

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NBA Finals = Fun Times

Hey, I remember you.  You’re the Larry O’Brien trophy, right?  Wow, you have the same name as the former NBA commish, weird.  I know we had some rough times.  Remember when I actually thought Sam Perkins’ game winning three-pointer in Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Finals actually meant the Lakers would win it all against Michael Jordan’s Bulls?  I was quite upset when Jordan decided to drill us 4 straight games after that with his whirling, switchy-hands layups (for the record, switchy-hands is a word because I said so).

Stop Doing the Switchy Hands Thingy! Not Fair!

Don’t think I forgot about last year, either, Larry.  Oh, I’ll admit, I was broken when Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins absolutely punked the skinny front line of Gasol and Odom.  The Celtics took us in 6 games, and I flashed back to Red Auerbach, still standing by the bench, smoking his cigar and laughing at the Lakers’ futile attempts to stop his Celtics’ dynasty.

We had more good times than bad, though, right?  Remember how awesome that three-peat felt?  I won’t lie: the best part of that 3-peat was probably Mark Madsen attempting to dance in the victory parade in Los Angeles.

We Aren't the Best Dancers, But We Love You.

What about the five championships the Lakers spoiled me with in the 80s? Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Coop, and GQ Pat Riley as our coach?  Good times.  I admit, I was young, spoiled, and took you for granted.

So I realize the Magic have a pretty big force down low called Superman, Larry.  And I know they use this to spread the floor, and Rashard Lewis, Turkoglu, Alston, Lee, and Pietrus can all knock down 3-pointers.

Despite all this, I feel like we belong together this year, Larry.  The Lakers have learned a lesson or two on toughness, both physical and mental.  Kobe has been foaming at the mouth for 6 years.  You should see him, Larry.  He doesn’t look so good without you.

All Kobe Can Think About Is You...Don't Let Him Down.

I’ll make you a deal: If the Lakers challenge those 3-point shots, if Kobe Bryant is still much more unstoppable than Dwight Howard, and if Gasol gives us the post presence the Cavaliers lacked, you owe me a trip to that parade in Los Angeles.

Can’t You See You Belong in L.A.?

PS — I’m still mad at you for not allowing us to be together last year.  I really, really, really, wanted to see how insane Ronny Turiaf’s dance would be at the parade.  But I’ll forgive you- just please come back, Larry.

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Lakers Western Conference Champions

Finally.  This was what Laker fans around the world have been waiting for.  A championship performance.  A Laker effort that is more than the sum of its parts.

High Five! It Will Be Kobe's and Phil Jackson's 6th Finals Appearance Together.

The Lakers went into Denver and beat down the Nuggets 119-92, winning the series 4-2 and advancing to the NBA Finals for the 2nd straight year in a row.

I waited for that moment where it all came together.  In the first round, the Jazz proved to be too dis-shoveled to properly test the Lakers.  In the 2nd round, the Lakers only did what had to be done, beating the Rockets in Game 7 at Staples Center.

I was left sitting there eating popcorn, unsatisfied.  I felt that uplifting moment, that moment when you know your team is “the one” that year might never come.

But against the Nuggets, the most talented team they have played so far in these playoffs, the Lakers played like champions to close out the series.

Kobe Says Goodbye to Melo By Dropping 35 with 10 Dimes.

Kobe Bryant was once again ridiculous, dishing out a performance even I questioned he could match at his well-worn age of 30.  35 point, 10 assists, 6 rebounds on 60% shooting is out of this world for a perimeter player in his 13th year.  It is a testament to his work ethic, his desire, his heart.

After watching his sometimes painfully detailed, 90 minute documentary of him obsessing over one game (Kobe Doin’ Work), it should be obvious to even the most casual NBA viewer that Bryant is a basketball genius.  A love and obsession so deep is what kept his body delivering killer performance after killer performance, while Carmelo looked like he simply gassed out after Game 1.

Pau Gasol was already a wonderful player.  With this series, he pushes the argument to whether he will enter the conversation as one of the great big men to play the game.  A championship will push that conversation into much more serious contention.

20 Points, 12 Rebounds, 6 Assists. Gasol Helped Put the Nuggets to Bed.

With tough guy Nene (and sometimes resident hacker Kenyon Martin) checking him all series, Gasol puts up 17 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and shoots 62% all series.  “No more”, Gasol agreed when told that the soft label is gone from his image.

The ultimate surprise for the Lakers, however, has been the play of Trevor Ariza.  The Lakers’ small forward has befuddled Carmelo Anthony, who has not been the same ever since Ariza let the press know that his coach wants him to concentrate more on straight-up defense on Melo   instead of funneling him to help defenders.

After Game 1, Ariza’s focused defense helped force Carmelo into 34% shooting the rest of the series.  As an added bonus, Ariza has been lights out from 3-point range, shooting a scorching 43% from long range all series.  He is the Lakers’ new-found third wheel that makes them unstoppable when he’s operating on all cylinders.

Give That Baby Western Champions Trophy a Cute Team Hat and Call it a Night: The Lakers Have More Work to Do.

The Lakers enter the NBA Finals this year more focused, more experienced, and most of all, more hungry.  The team looked almost disgusted as they walked away from the Western Champions baby trophy.

They know what’s at stake.  For Kobe Bryant, an unmistakable stamp into the very short list of the greatest of all-time.  For the Lakers, their place in history forever.  4 wins stand between irrelevance or immortality.

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Lakers Win Game 5 With Defense

It was the tightest of games as the Lakers and Nuggets entered the 4th quarter, deadlocked at 76-76.  I wasn’t worried, though.  I liked the Lakers’ chances.  Why so calm in such an important game?  I was witnessing the most active defense I had ever witnessed the combination of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom play.

Odom and Gasol Doing This All-Game Wore on the Nuggets.

Almost every time Kenyon Martin tried to drive it in, or Carmelo Anthony brought it down low, Gasol and Odom were already at their spots.  Get this: Gasol had 5 blocks, Odom 4.  This doesn’t even count the number of shots they altered.

At one point, Anthony was so concerned about the presence of Lamar Odom underneath, that Luke Walton came around to block his shot.  Luke Walton!

The defensive effort by Odom and Gasol looked like we had our own mini Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett playing at the same time.  Gasol being Duncan, getting blocks by positioning and keeping his hands up, and Odom being Garnett, sprinting to locations to intimidate.

When Odom Gets This Pumped, He Turns Into Kevin Garnett.

It was all capitalized when Odom caught Chris Anderson late recovering and dunked on him, getting the “and 1″ while Anderson ducked.  When you get The Birdman to duck, you’ve made your mark on the game.  One of the NBA’s most inconsistent X-factor is also it’s most dangerous: Lamar Odom can sometimes show up to be a monster.

Odom delivered in Game 5, as the Lakers ran away with it in the end, 103-94. 19 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks.  A game leading +18 point differential when he was in the game.

Gasol had demanded the Lakers become more of an inside-out team.  Although he shot only 8 times, the Lakers did consciously look inside, involving Gasol, Bynum, and Odom.  Gasol rewarded the wings with nifty passes to layups and open shots from the outside.

Gasol With the Crazy Falling Out of Bounds Save!

He hustled, huffed, and puffed out there.  He saved the ball from going out of bounds on a crucial play, he bailed the team out late in the shot clock, he blocked shot after shot.  In short, he backed up his strong words and delivered.

Kobe had an efficient 22 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds.  Instead of being a great solo act, he was the ultimate conductor tonight, telling everyone where to be on offense and defense.  It’s such a great role for him as a leader, he might be wise to consider the job full-time.

It Doesn't Happen Often, So Odom and Gasol Get Exhausted When They Play Great Defense Together. It Was Worth It.

Maybe the Nuggets come back and take Game 6 at home.  At this point, it doesn’t matter for me as a Laker fan (OK, it matters).  What I’m most interested in is seeing that active defense again.  Because the only teams that play that kind of defense have intense heart, and just want to win.  That’s the kind of team I want to cheer for.

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Lakers Have Only Selves to Blame

There I was a few weeks ago, defending the Lakers from claims that they just don’t want it enough when the Houston Rockets stretched them to 7 games.

The Birdman Blocks Shots. The Birdman Rebounds. The Birdman Wins.

I pointed to the match-up problems.  I referenced history.  Surely this would not happen against a Denver Nuggets team with Carmelo Anthony playing poorly if the Lakers had a chance to make it a 3-1 series.

I was flat out wrong.  The Lakers have only themselves to blame for getting a beating in Game 4 and losing to the Nuggets in Denver, 120-101.

With Gasol Showing Up, All Kobe Needs Now is For the Rest of the Team To Do the Same.

The Lakers got out-rebounded 40-58.  All effort and heart.  They committed lazy fouls and didn’t stay in front of the Nuggets on defense as a team: All effort and heart.  They lost to the Nuggets when Melo shot a horrible 3-16 from the field:  Inexcusable.

On a night where Kobe didn’t shoot the ball well, he was still the catalyst, desperately attempting to get his team going.  Starting from Game 3 and including tonight’s Game 4, Bryant and the coaching staff must have successfully gotten into Pau Gasol’s head.  He’s delivering that 2nd punch.  His 21 points on 8-11 shooting were, in a word, spectacular.

Odom is Being Paid $11.4 Million For His Magic Tricks This Year. Eat Your Heart Out, Lance Burton.

The rest of the team, however, is nowhere to be found.  Trevor Ariza’s 3 point performance might be the only one with a legitimate alibi.   His hip pointer and strained groin is surely slowing him down.

Derek Fisher is still mysteriously playing over 20 minutes a game.  Phil Jackson wants veteran consistency: he’s sure getting it.  Only it’s consistently bad basketball.  Fisher went another predictable 2-7 from the field for 5 points.

Gasol and Kobe Will Look for Help in Game 5.

Lamar “The Magician” Odom made himself disappear again, with 5 points on 1-8 shooting.  Bynum had 5 rebounds and 5 fouls in 23 minutes.

The role players usually play better at home for the Lakers, and Game 5 in Los Angeles will be key.  But if the Lakers are sweating it out right now, they have only themselves to blame.

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Lakers Take Game 3, 103-97

The media was selling you the story game after game.  Carmelo Anthony has arrived.  As if averaging 35 points for a brief stint in the playoffs brings you to the promised land.  As if we were to ignore his oftentimes lackluster regular season play.

Carmelo Looked Disgusted with Carmelo's Game Tonight.

Kobe Bryant delivers 41 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on 50% shooting.  Anthony struggles on 4-13 shooting for 21 points.  There is only one thing more difficult than excellence.  Consistent excellence.  That will be the next lesson for the continuing education of Carmelo Anthony.

As for Kobe, he has a PHD in consistent excellence, and is only looking for a championship to imprint the message on the rest of the country.

Even the Strength of Nene Could Not Stop Super-Gasol Tonight.

What Kobe had this time, was a 2nd star on his side.  Pau Gasol came alive in the 4th quarter, scoring 8 points and making sure his opposing big scored a donut.  It didn’t even matter if the super-strong Nene was guarding him.  Gasol looked tired of being pushed around into irrelevance.

Kobe had even more help coming from Trevor Ariza.  16 points on 5-8 shooting and 3-5 from 3-point range sounds like an old “playoff mode” Derek Fisher stat.  Ariza has filled in for this role, and the Lakers surely needed it.

He's Exhausted After Dropping 41 Points on the Road, and He's Still Scowling. Kobe Bryant is a Basketball Legend.

Ariza also proved that he can frustrate Carmelo when assigned to guard him straight up.  No more funneling Anthony and giving him the choice of rising up for a sweet shot or dumping it down to the bigs for a quick dunk.  Try going around Ariza a bunch of times a game.  Not fun, is it?

As Trevor got yet another late game steal to seal the win for the Lakers, it dawned on me.  Kobe, Gasol, Ariza, and even Fisher (who is still a shadow of his former self) have one huge advantage in this series - They are big time winners.

Nuggets' Coach George Karl Has Nightmares of Kobe Ripping His Team Apart. Wait, Nevermind: That's Reality

An exhausted Kobe struggled out of the Pepsi Center, a super-star that carried his team with insane skills, insane numbers, and insane heart.  I love re-runs.