How Good Were The ’08-09 Lakers?

Cover Your Face When Kobe's Around

As I watched the Lakers stroll through the NBA Finals I couldn’t help but wonder if they were actually all that good.  I couldn’t shake the feeling during the playoffs that the Lakers were a product of an injured Celtics team, a weak Western Conference, and LeBron James having a supporting cast comparable to that on ALF.  My gut feeling says they weren’t that good – the litmus test?  Comparing them to previous NBA champs.

2008 Boston Celtics – They beat pretty much the same Lakers team in 6 games.  If you want to say that Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown would have made the difference please go ahead – I won’t be listening.  Celtics win in 6. 

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NBA Nightcap – See You Next Year Edition

We’ve had some good times haven’t we old friend? I romanced you – you gave in, I wrote stuff – you say you read it. Now like any good high school relationship I feel it’s time we go our separate ways for the summer. Sure I’ll write you from time to time and maybe we can talk on the phone for a few minutes here and there but I think it’s best that we both see other people. Don’t cry baby – we’ll be together again soon.

D.J. Mbenga Finally Captures His Elusive First Ring

Lakers 99 Magicians 86 – Kobe now has his first ring without Shaq, Phil has ring number ten, the Lakers have their 15th as a franchise, and city of front-runners is wondering why Robert Horry didn’t get more minutes in the series.

The Magic actually led the game by 2 after 1 quarter – but a 16-0 push in the 2nd put the Lakers up 10 before halftime – a lead they would never surrender. The Lakers did nothing in the game at a particularly outstanding level but they were consistent where the Magic were not. Orlando continued its season long trend of living and dying by the three – this time dying as they shot just 8 of 27 from long range.

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NBA Nightcap – June 4th Edition

Like an oasis in the desert – the Nightcap is back. I missed you. I really did. Now bring that sweet ass up to my place…

Is That Supposed to Be A Game Face?

Lakers 100 Magicians 75 – In their first Finals appearance since their 1995 sweep at the hands of the Rockets, the Magic started about as well as they finished. Joe “Jellybean” Bryant’s son scored 40 to lead the Lakers as LA cruised to a 25 point Game 1 win.

It all started so promisingly for the Magic – All-Star guard Jameer Nelson was appearing in his first game since February, the Magic were 2-0 against the Lakers in the regular season, and they even had a 33-28 2nd quarter lead. (Cue E! True Hollywood Story Music)…then it all went awry. The Lakers closed the first half on a 25-10 run, and controlled the third quarter to run away with the biggest Game 1 NBA Finals blowout since the Bulls 33-point Game 1 win over the Blazers in 1992. If this is going to be what the rest of the Finals are like, I may as well quit writing the Nightcap.

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NBA Nightcap – May 29th Edition

I really don’t like night clubs.  I don’t get the appeal – they’re loud, crowded, and the drinks are expensive.  They basically just completely suck.  So to recap – like Nightcaps, hate night clubs.

Former MVP Kobe Bryant

Lakers 119 Nuggets 92 – The Kobe puppet survives.  A series that had been relatively competitive through 5 games ended in anti-climactic fashion as LA advanced to their 2nd consecutive NBA Finals with a 27 point victory.

Kobe Bryant led the way for the Lakers with an impressive 35 point, 10 assist, 6 rebound performance.  And for the second straight game – the Lakers got great support off the bench and they won.  Lamar Odom had 20-8, Pau Gasol put in 20, and Trevor Ariza scored 17 as he continued to stake his claim to the Jerome James Award.

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NBA Nightcap – May 25th Edition

Let’s try a Jager-free version of the Nightcap…

J.R. Smith Acting Like He's Been Here Before

Nuggets 120 Lakers 101 – Although the Lakers might go on to win this series and play in the Finals, it doesn’t change the fact that the Nuggets might actually have a better team. Even on a night in which Carmelo Anthony shot 3 for 16 and scored just 15 points, the Nuggets still had enough to win Game 4 and even the series at 2 games each. J.R. Smith picked up most of Melo’s slack – scoring 24 points including 4 of 9 from three point range to help lead Denver.

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NBA Nightcap – May 23rd Edition

It’s Saturday night, I just opened a bottle of wine, Barry White is blasting on the stereo now all I need is you – so come on up for another edition of NBA Nightcap. Don’t make me beg.

Lurch, The Adamms Family Butler Was In Attendance

Lakers 103 Nuggets 97 – Well guess I don’t have to be nice to the Nuggets anymore. As the third quarter expired, J.R. Smith hit a three pointer over Sasha Vujacic to give Denver an 8 point lead – it was all downhill from there.  Smith, who thought he had been fouled, rose from the ground and got in Vujacic’s face, recieving a technical foul for taunting in the process. 

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Are You Kidding Me Paola Boivin?

Great Suggestion Paola!

If you’ve checked azcentral.com today I’m sure you’ve seen Paola Boivin’s column titled “Suns could learn from Lakers“. Within the article Boivin informs us that the Suns need to follow the lessons taught by Lakers management in putting together a winning basketball team. What are these lessons you may ask? Get a trade package like the Lakers did for Pau Gasol. No really – that was the suggestion.

Now in her defense, Boivin does pay lip service to the fact that the Grizzlies sending Gasol to Los Angeles (for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Aaron McKie, Marc Gasol and ’08 and ’10 1st round picks) was one of the greatest heists in NBA history, but her foot pretty quickly gets implanted back into her mouth. After calling the trade a theft (obviously), she goes on to mention that the keys to getting such a deal done are as follows:

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NBA Nightcap

Coach Jeremy Exhibiting the Length of His Member

Magic 95 Celtics 90 – Superman pulled down 22 rebounds and blocked three shots, including sending Ray Allen’s layup attempt into the 14th row, to lead the Magicians to a victory on Boston’s home court.  Pure boredom allowed the Celts to sneak back into the game after falling behind by 28, but this one was barely in doubt.   I don’t think Boston is going to find a way to wriggle out of this one, newsflash for anyone that cares, without KG the Celtics suck, and if evidence that the Bulls took them to 7 wasn’t enough, wait until Orlando dispatches them in 6.

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