*'11-'12 LAKERS Thread; 41-25* 1st Rd: DEN (go to 1st Rd. Thread)

[kookcle]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

 Just seeing all of them out there on the floor would be so effing pimp.

true....looking forward to seeing that lineup 

'Drew an All Star

 

[CP1708]

What Portland folk always convieniently forget to mention is that LA is a stellar 6-3 at the Rose Garden in the playoffs. And we've closed out more series in that building than the Blazers.

 

[darthska]

CP:

---

we've closed out more series in that building than the Blazers.

That's not a good look.

How does the neighbor that you hate get more action in your home than you do? Damb.

 

[CP1708]

It's a good look for me.

 

[darthska]

Well yeah, considering that you're the figurative neighbor that they hate.

- "Man, get the eff outta here and go use your own home."
- "Nah, I'm good. Told my little brother he could use the place for a couple days in May. You don't mind me getting lucky at your house again, do you? I mean, for old time's sake."

Jesus, they have to hate you living there.

 

[moonman818]

Originally Posted by CP1708

What Portland folk always convieniently forget to mention is that LA is a stellar 6-3 at the Rose Garden in the playoffs. And we've closed out more series in that building than the Blazers.

Ouch.

With that said, lakers lose by 25 tomorrow. Unless Steve Blake goes off on his old team.

 

[mr j 858]

Caption and have fun with this pic:

 

[mr j 858]

In Bynum, Bryant sees some of himself

LOS ANGELES -- There is a certain standard of excellence that Kobe Bryant chooses to surround himself with.

The guests waiting for him outside the locker room after the Los Angeles Lakers' 108-99 win over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday included Alex Rodriguez, Cindy Crawford and Tim Grover -- one of the best baseball players of his generation, the woman who put the "super" in supermodel and the trainer who Michael Jordan credits for his success in his later years of his career, respectively.

He was spotted rolling up to Staples Center on Christmas in a new, black Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4, which has a sticker price of $387,000.

A sweatshirt hanging in his locker Tuesday was made by Gucci.

Even in his poor game against Denver in a loss to the Nuggets on Sunday, he managed to set an NBA scoring record. It was reminiscent of one of those Most Interesting Man in the World advertisements: "I don't always shoot 6-for-28 from the field, but when I do, I become the youngest player in league history to score 28,000 career points."

Sometimes, often even, Bryant can't help but apply his high standards for himself when it comes to basketball to his teammates.

It infamously sabotaged his relationship with Shaquille O'Neal, because Bryant never felt like Shaq matched his dedication to the sport and therefore didn't deserve the ball as much as he did.

It has publicly tested his relationship with Pau Gasol, as Bryant said of Gasol last season, "Very white swan. I need him to be more black swan."

Now, 33 years old and in his 16th season, he is gauging the 24-year-old Andrew Bynum's preparedness to be that same torchbearer for excellence as the center embarks on the seventh season of a career in which he's already missed 164 (or exactly two season's worth of) games.

"We all know the amount of talent that he has and he's really worked on it," Bryant said after Bynum finished with 21 points, 22 rebounds and three blocked shots against Houston in registering the first 20-20 game of his career.

"The thing that I like about him is that he has an engine inside of him and he wants to do well, he wants to dominate. He has ambition to be great. I think that's the biggest positive about him aside from all the physical attributes."

In other words, Bryant not only sees Bynum as someone who can help him win a coveted sixth championship, he sees Bynum as someone worthy of helping him with that quest because Bynum has the same intrinsic drive that he does.

Even though Bryant had all but given up on Bynum in the summer of 2007, when he told a fan toting a camera in a grocery store parking lot that the Lakers should "ship his a-- out" to acquire Jason Kidd, he has come around.

During the Lakers' run to the 2010 championship, Bynum played every one of the Lakers' 23 playoff games with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Bryant was playing with a right knee of his own that was in disrepair and required him to have it drained three times during the playoffs. Bryant, like Bynum, never missed a game during the playoffs en route to a Game 7 Finals victory over Boston, the title that Bryant calls the sweetest of the five he's won.

"I think the thing with the injuries is everybody kind of looks at each other and tries to figure out which one is going to be the first punk," Bryant said at the time. "Because we will talk about you like a dog, like a chump. So nobody wants to be a chump."

The shared resolve to play through pain continues. Bryant is playing with a torn ligament in his right (shooting) wrist that he hurt only two weeks ago, yet he has played in all seven of the Lakers' regular-season games since then. Bynum rarely, if ever, complains about his injuries even though his knees have been through so much at this point that he actually ices them before games once he goes through his pregame workout.

When Bryant was shooting blanks against Denver in that 6-for-28 game, Bynum was putting up 18 points and 16 rebounds on 7-for-12 shooting. Rather than complain about Bryant's shot total compared to his, Bynum put the onus on himself, saying that it's his responsibility to get in better shape and run the floor faster to earn more touches.

The two always had more in common than people cared to realize -- they both were drafted into the league out of high school at just 17 years old; Bynum's hometown of Plainsboro, N.J., is just 50 miles away from Lower Merion, Pa., where Bryant matriculated; they both had a dominant, veteran superstar to contend with starting from their rookie season (Bryant had O'Neal; Bynum has Bryant); plus nobody on the Lakers' roster can appreciate Bryant's Lamborghini as much as the car-crazed Bynum.

It appears that Bryant's standard of excellence has rubbed off on Bynum.

When asked about his first career 20-20 game, Bynum did not boast, saying, "It was about time."

As for those 22 rebounds, just one off his career high of 23.

"I think in the first quarter I had 10, so I guess I was kind of slacking the rest of the game," Bynum said.

The bar has been raised and Bryant and Bynum are ready to hurdle over it together.

Link:

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...rs-andrew-bynum-kobe-bryant-sees-some-himself

Great article.

But damn Kobe was rolling into Staples Center in one of these on Christmas day:

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by Fearless

man the more I watch cp3 playing, the more I want to punch stern. Cp3 would be a nice fit under Mike brown system.

And he's active on defense. F Stern and Gilbert. 

 

[mrdieselfuel09]

Bryant Paul Bynum and McRoberts. 

 

[MVP]

CP3+Kobe+Bynum (if healthy) would have equaled a title. But Stern is a ol hating *%! bum.

Kobe's batman lambo is

 

[kb8 3qwick]

That article is on point. I was thinking about that during the last game...Kobe and Bynum have similar attitudes. When Bynum didn't get the ball as time ran out in the second quarter he untucked his jersey and bolted to the locker room and it reminded me of something Kobe would do

. Also, I know Centers aren't supposed to be good passers, but there are times where Bynum gets the ball with like 3 defenders around him and he still tries to get a shot up. It's not as noticeable because he doesn't shoot as much as Kobe though.

 

[freddypee]

Great article...really hope Bynum can have a strong season...could make allstar game

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02


Jesus, they have to hate you living there.

Oh, they absolutely do.  I get told to move like every day by my friends.  Add the fact that I pound on them about their Ducks, and yeah, they no want see me. 

Not my fault they root for losers. 


Quite the shift in the way that Andrew Bynum is regarded now.  3 weeks ago people outside LA acted like Bynum was nothing and we'd be ripping off the Magic.  Now, folks tryna act like we are stupid if we move him for D12. 

  Funny how all that works. 

  

 

[mjshoefanatic]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

Oh man, I just realized the possibility of CP3, Kobe, Pau, Blake, Bynum

Forget East vs. West

Straight East vs. Staples Center, baby.

or Durant instead of pau

 

[uncalled4boy]

Originally Posted by MR J 858

Since drafting Kobe Bryant in 1996, the Lakers are 6-23 in Portland in the regular season, falling to the Trail Blazers year after year, whether rain or hail or the occasional burst of sunshine as their bus pulls into the oversized garage.

CP. I don't care what means you got to do: heckle, harass, do vodoo or witchcraft, our put sugar in Aldrige's gas tank or pop his tires  to get us a W tomorrow night

Are you going to be at the game tomorrow?

Phil Jackson used to blame the weather. Then he blamed the team's semiannual visits to the Nike store in nearby Beaverton. Then he went back to blaming the weather.

Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...s-trail-blazers-20120105,0,5558916,full.story

This Dude Phil

 

[freeze]

Great article. I always felt (once he got good back in 07) that if drew could stay healthy, dude would be amazing. He's incredibly fun for me to watch, of course because he's on our squad, but also because he's lowkey good as hell. He's so smart in the post. And the boy is huge lol and strong as all hell. If he can find a way to be lucky enough to stay healthy, I definitely think this squad has a chance at a chip. No doubt about it. That's a big IF, but a chance is a chance.

 

[wings90]

 at the car.
That was a really nice article.  Bynum's been good with me since he gutted it out through the playoffs that year.

 

[badboyf0life420]

"""Besides his coming divorce, which he doesn't talk about,
nothing is going to change Kobe Bryant. Whether Phil Jackson is his coach
or new Lakers coach Mike Brown. ("Right now, Kobe Bryant allows me to coach him,"
Brown said the other day, and not kiddingly.) Whether Chris Paul is his teammate or Paul is playing across the hall for the Clipp--

--"Not true," Kobe says. "Chris would've created shots for me.
I wouldn't be shooting 29 times a game. I'd be shooting 40.
Man, what would people be saying THEN?" ""

theres an article on espn main page about
Kobe shooting too much.. I wonder if kobe actually
Said that...

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Rose Garden tonight? Damn. I'm ready for us to get ripped by the city of thorns. 

 

[Lizakers]

Thursday, January 5, 2012
Shoot first, ask Kobe

---

By Rick Reilly
ESPN.com


Uh-oh. Kobe Bryant might have found a loophole in this whole "teammate" thing.

The Black Mamba showed it off Tuesday night versus the Houston Rockets. Driving the lane but stuck with no room to shoot, he tossed the ball off the bottom of the backboard, caught it and laid it in.

Who says Kobe doesn't pass the ball?

"I should get an assist for that," Bryant said Wednesday from his car. "It's an intentional pass to oneself, so it's an assist. That way people can't say all I do is shoot."

It's true, people do say Kobe Bryant shoots too much, but this is only because he shoots too much. Kobe Bryant shoots more than lingerie photographers.

He's always been an unrepentant gunner, but he's practically melting the barrel this season. He's taken 71 more shots than his next shootingest teammate, Pau Gasol. He's averaging almost 30 shots a game this month. Bryant believes in shot selection. He selects them all.

Unfortunately, he's making fewer of them. He went 6-for-28 the other night. For the season, he's hit only 41.7 percent. Entering Thursday, that tied him for 214th in the league.

And he doesn't care.

"Look, I've played 15 years. I've won world championships. I've done all these things. And people still want to talk about this stupid-a** [stuff]? I'm a scorer first ... I'll try to make the good play, the good pass, kick it out when my teammates are open, but I'm a scorer first. I may shoot 27 times. I may shoot 20 times. Nobody complains when I shoot 10 times. You don't hear ME complaining when I shoot 10 times. It just depends on the game, you know?"

Yes, but Kobe, with your right wrist swollen like a miniature Macy's float, wouldn't this be a good time to pass on a few--

--"I've shortened up my follow-through," he says.

Yes, but Kobe, according to ESPN research, you have the highest "usage rate" -- that's the number of possessions a player uses per 40 minutes -- in the NBA. In fact, your usage rate (38.9) would be the highest in the 3-point era of NBA--

--"Yeah," he says. "And I also have five rings."

Yes, but Kobe, stats show that the Lakers are 29-4 when rising star center Andrew Bynum scores 20 points. Shouldn't it be a high priority for you to--

--"That's great. How many of those shots come from me kicking it to him for good looks when I'm being doubled?"

He's right, of course. He usually is. Bryant is one of the greatest offensive machines basketball has ever seen. Bynum's glory nights often come because defenses send three men to cover basketball's Jesus and leave his apostles uncovered.
"Would I be all right with a guy taking 29 shots a game?" echoes Blake Griffin of the Lakers' Staplesmates, the Clippers. "I think I'd have to be. I mean, what are you going to say? It's Kobe."
Exactly. Ain't nobody gonna say nothin', as we say in penitentiary movies.

Besides his coming divorce, which he doesn't talk about, nothing is going to change Kobe Bryant. Whether Phil Jackson is his coach or new Lakers coach Mike Brown. ("Right now, Kobe Bryant allows me to coach him," Brown said the other day, and not kiddingly.) Whether Chris Paul is his teammate or Paul is playing across the hall for the Clipp--

--"Not true," Kobe says. "Chris would've created shots for me. I wouldn't be shooting 29 times a game. I'd be shooting 40. Man, what would people be saying THEN?"

We'll never know. Paul was Kobe's teammate for only half an hour or so in December. Then NBA commissioner David Stern killed the very deal he helped engineer.

And Bryant doesn't care.

"I was working out [in Irvine]," Bryant recalls. "I saw it on the TV. 'Chris Paul to the Lakers.' And I thought, 'Cool.' But I didn't really get to think about it because my workout wasn't done. And it all changed before I finished."

No, Bryant remains an irresistible force of nature, like an avalanche or Justin Bieber. He is 33, and only his conscience can stop him. Luckily for Kobephiles, he doesn't have one. He'll play 66 games in 123 days this season, and even that won't persuade him to stop flying into the lane and adding to his contusion collection. How's he going to make it, though?

One solution he's working on is finding somebody to come to L.A. and give him the same Orthokine therapy on his wrist that worked so well on his knee this offseason in Germany.

"I'm looking into that right now," he says.

But wouldn't you have to miss games for the ther--

--"Nope. Not necessarily. Don't need to miss a game to do it. We'll see."

Having just had similar blood-spinning therapy myself last month, I'd say he's either insane or has the pain threshold of lug nuts.

But this is a man who has missed zero games in three of the past four seasons, and you get the feeling it would take 12 Clydesdales to keep him off the court in this, his 16th season.

"I shouldn't have a problem. I'll be fine. That day will come, though. The key is not to let [expletives] like you see it when it gets here. I'm just gonna get out before you even notice a thing."

The Lakers without Kobe Bryant? Oh, we'll notice.

What will we do with the basketball?

 

[pmatic]

The Blazers have changed their style of play, so I hope the Lakers are ready to run tonight.

Pau and Bynum should be force fed tonight. Aldridge figures to play about 40 minutes tonight, so they might as well make him work on defense.

Crawford possibly being guarded by Kapono.

 

[illbaniankid13]

Kobe going for 50 tonight !! mark these words.

 

[night marcher01]

Originally Posted by iLLbanianKid13

Kobe going for 50 shots tonight !! mark these words.

Fixed.

  

 

[essential1]

2K12 was up 95-80 with 5:00 left and a "WE WANT TA-COS" chant started...