Lakers Going For Three
Have only written two blogs in more than a month, so I thought of starting again–this time with the NBA.
In less than a month, the world’s biggest basketball spectacle will be kicking off with a lot of players donning new uniforms after the numerous trade movements during the off season.
Of course, every basketball aficionado have high expectations from the Miami Heat with their ultra-souped up line up following the integration of Lebron James (formerly from the Cleveland Cavaliers) and Chris Bosh (from the Toronto Raptors). The duo will be joining Dwyane Wade–who were all teammates in the gold medal winning USA squad known as the Redeem Team.
While the trio will be providing excitement for 82-regular season games, what I’m really anticipating is how they will share the single round ball throughout the season and deep into the playoffs where they are expected to reach the Finals.
Three superstars in one team is exciting to watch. But how they can figure working together is the more important issue.
For the moment, I still believe the two-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers have the solid lock for a third straight league title.
The watering down of title contenders in the West is one reason. Another is the Lakers’ solid core will be back this coming season, while the Los Angeles front office have added some vital players to further boost the team’s stock.
Looking at the West, I think the only pretty solid contenders would be the Denver Nuggets, the squad that the Lakers thrashed in the 2009 Western Conference Finals, 4-2. Barring any last-minute changes, Carmelo Anthony will simply play through this season and just think again if he’ll finally decide to wear a different jersey come the 2012 season.
The other contender, which may give a solid resistance against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The first round playoffs last season gives us a glimpse of what the Thunder, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can do on the court.
Durant and Westbrook’s confidence are sky-high, considering they helped guided the USA squad to the first World Basketball Championships since 1994. Durant was the Americans’ main man on offense, while Westbrook helped quarterback the team, which ended 16 years of world basketball frustrations after beating host Turkey in the gold medal round.
Meanwhile, Carlos Boozer, who had been Utah’s reliable power forward for years, already departed the Jazz and joined the East with the rebuilding Chicago Bulls. In his place is ex-Minnesota forward Al Jefferson, who may have to adjust into the Jazz system and play alongside rising point guard Deron Williams.
San Antonio, which had been a perennial contender at the turn of the new century, may not be that hot come the 2011 season, though the old, veteran core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker can probably spring up some surprises.
The Phoenix Suns, meantime, will be moving on this season without long-time power forward Amare Stoudemire, who departed to join another rebuilding squad, the New York Knicks.
Dallas, Houston, Memphis and Golden State might spring some surprises during the season, but without a solid grasp of defense, they will most likely fall at the wayside come the playoffs.
More on the East in my next blog.
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http://lakers.topbuzz.com
Lakers Unsung Heroes Lead The Way
The epic battle in the NBA Finals is finally over. And the Los Angeles Lakers retained their lofty position in the planet’s greatest basketball league.
Kobe Bryant remains at the forefront of the Lakers’ championship run, their 16th title chalked up today following their 83-79 come-from-behind win against the gritty but road-weary Boston Celtics.
Pau Gasol was phenomenal in the season’s final game, finishing with 19 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and two shot blocks, almost single-handedly bringing the Lakers back to life with his hustle on both ends of the floor.
But the biggest plays for Game 7 belong to none other than the veterans–Derek Fisher and Ron Artest.
Fisher, the 14-year-veteran guard, delivered the game-tying three-pointer for a 64-all count during the fourth period, complementing Artest’s game-long brilliance, who finished with 20 points, five rebounds and a huge five steals.
Artest’s sticky defense made Paul Pierce bleed for every point. Pierce did lead the Celtics with 18 points but he was just 5-of-15 from the field.
The 6′7″ stocky LA defender wasn’t just a defensive ace because he also rained down the crucial three-point baskets that sustained the Lakers’ fourth-quarter explosion.
Well, Game 7 easily erased the Lakers’ humiliating 39-point series-closing Finals defeat to the Celtics two years ago.
What’s more, the Lakers have proven that they have transformed and matured a lot mentally and physically this year after climbing out of a 2-3 deficit to register the back-to-back championships.
Congratulations to the Lakers!
Shining Gold Or “Gang” Green In Game 7?
Nobody expected the Los Angeles Lakers to register a blowout 89-67 win against the favored Boston Celtics.
But just the same, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest and Lamar Odom led the way for the Lakers in holding the Celtics to an NBA Finals low 67 points en route to the 22-point victory, thus far the biggest winning margin in this tightly-contested title series.
Unlike Game 5 where Bryant had little help offensively, Game 6 was a completely different story.
Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points and 11 rebounds, Gasol added 17, 13 boards, nine assists and three blocks, while Artest and Odom produced worthy performances as well. Artest added 15 points while Odom finished with eight and 10 rebounds.
The taller Lakers pounded the inside as they dominated the boards, 52-39.
Boston shot just 33 percent from the field with Ray Allen the lone bright spot, leading the green-and-white with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
With just one more game to decide which team will be crowned the 2010 champion, strategies, Xs and Os will no longer be relevant completely. Whichever team has the big, fighting heart, whichever team wants it more, that team will run away with the title.
For the Lakers, the keys to a back-to-back championship include rebounding dominance, good shot selection, tenacious defense and the home crowd participation.
For the Celtics, it’s forgetting they led at one point in the series, 3-2; board domination and good ball movement.
Which color will dominate the NBA’s final game of the season? Gold Or Green?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Sink Or Swim For The Lakers
It’s pretty obvious that the Boston Celtics display much more teamwork than their arch-nemesis Los Angeles Lakers in the ongoing, hotly-contested NBA Finals.
Which is why it doesn’t surprise me that the Celtics, despite the fact that they’ve gone older due to the presence of their aging “Big Three”, are ahead, 3-2 as they head back to LA at the Staples Center with a chance to wrap up their second NBA title in three years.
Sure, the Celtics don’t have the home crowd behind them come Game 6, but what they lacked in crowd support, they make up so well by playing together far better than the Lakers.
Just look at the stats sheet: Kobe Bryant 38 points that included twisting, difficult shots against Boston defenders in Game 5. But what about the rest?
Pau Gasol had 12 points only, a sign of his inconsistent plays, which happened as well during the 2008 Finals face-off the Lakers had with the Celtics. Lamar Odom coughed up just eight points and eight rebounds. While center Andrew Bynum has been slowed down no doubt by his nagging knee problem.
Sure, LA has two chances to bag the title and overhaul the 2-3 Finals deficit against the Celtics. But one misstep tomorrow will end any of the Lakers’ narrowing hope for a back-to-back title.
The Lakers have been the Celtics’ favorite whipping boys in the Finals, having been the two biggest protagonists in the NBA’s 64-year existence.
Come Game 6, it’s up to the purple-and-gold to prove to doubters that they don’t choke against a confident and proud Celtics franchise. They can prove it once and for all before their adoring fans at the Staples Center.
It won’t come easy, but if THEY PLAY TOGETHER like the Celtics have done so well all season long, the championship won’t be an impossible task.
Here’s a piece of “unsolicited advice” for Kobe–want the NBA championship?
Don’t ball hog. Basketball is a game of five players. And the triangle is designed for everyone to contribute.
Playing solo has never produced any championship because 5 is always better than 1.
Photo Source: http://blog.fansection.com/
Who Wants It More? Celtics Or Lakers?
Unsung heroes are aplenty in the NBA Finals.
There was Glen “Baby” Davis scoring at will during a pivotal fourth-quarter run for Boston, as well as Nate Robinson adding more bench depth with his own scoring burst that allowed the Celtics to runaway with a 96-89 Game 4 win that tied up the championship series anew at two games apiece.
Davis played well too in Game 3, though his off-the-bench effort went for naught after Los Angeles veteran playmaker Derek Fisher stole the limelight in the final period after scoring 11 big points that gave the Lakers a 91-84 escape act.
Game 5 will still be at the TD Banknorth Garden, where the Boston fans are expected to come in droves to cheer their Celtics on with the hope of taking the series lead with a win.
It seems like Los Angeles have matured a lot since the 2008 Finals tussle it had with Boston. Of course, the Celtics were the better team that season, beating the Lakers in six games, including the title-clinching 39-point victory over their counterparts in Game 6.
The Lakers gained some measure of pride after capturing the NBA title last season, blasting the Orlando Magic in six games. And now, they are back in the Finals for the third straight season.
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and the rest of the Laker gang are out to prove that gold-and-purple would paint the NBA town by season’s end. Though the green-and-white of Boston remains a team to reckon with.
Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and even Ray Allen are no longer the dominant figures in Boston’s second attempt for a title this year. But off-the-bench players like Davis, Robinson and even Tony Allen are providing the much-needed scoring and hustling for the 2008 champions.
Now that the series has been reduced to a best-of-three affair, whichever team wants the title more, and whichever team displays composure under pressure would end up champion.
Will it be the Lakers or the Celtics?
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