Sports Bets: Picks of the Day

Howdy sports fans. As a new installment here at ATA, I will be giving you sports gamble-holics (that means you Andy Shin) a handful of picks a few times a week, in either the NBA, NFL, or NCAA football. After each pick, I will label the pick with 1-5 stars, representing how strong of a pick this is. I will also keep a running tally of my wins and losses, thus giving you an idea of my credibility (or luck) as a sports analyst.

For those of you who are new to the sports betting world, I will give you a brief introduction to some of the terms. Anytime you see a plus or minus single or double digit number, this denotes the spread. The plus indicates underdog, the minus indicates favorite. For example, if you see -9 next to the San Antonio Spurs and a +9 next to the Los Angeles Lakers, you know that the Spurs are nine point favorites and the Lakers are nine point underdogs (likely because of crooked refs). When you are looking to bet on a team straight up, you look at the money line, which will again show a plus and a minus number, both indicating the same things as before. But unlike the spread, the money line shows you exactly how much your money will earn you. For underdogs, if you see +300, this means that every $100 that you bet, you will win $300 (if your underdog comes through, of course). For favorites, if you see -450, this means that you must wager $450 in order to win $100. Finally, the over/under aspect simply refers to the point total of the game. Pretty simple stuff.

1/16/09 NBA Games

1. New York Knicks (+2) @ Washington Wizards (-2). Coming off a 128-122 shootout at the Garden, New York now travels to Washington for a rematch. How were the lowly Wizards able to keep last night's game so close? By shooting 60% from the field, and 71% from 3. Nick Young dropped 33 points in 33 minutes and missed four shots out of a combined 24 shot attempts. Who wants to bet that this won't happen again? Sure the Knicks shot 54% and 54%, respectively, themselves, but NY is naturally a much more prolific three-point shooting team. Forget the fact that Washington's at home; the Knicks will still force their fast-tempo high-scoring style on the Wizards. For those of you who prefer statistics, here's one: Washington is 1-9 in games when the point total is >210. Last night, 250 points were scored. Good luck, Washington. Knicks straight up. ****

2. Milwaukee Bucks (-2) @ Sacramento Kings (+2). Ah, here's what we look for as sports bettors. Deviations from the norm that influence Las Vegas to release skewed lines and spreads. The Kings are absolutely terrible. Sure Kevin Martin has been injured all season, but they're still only 3-6 since his return, and one of those wins was against the Clippers (which shouldn't even count), so we'll say 2-6. What do I mean by deviation from the norm? I mean scoring 135 points when you only average 98. I mean managing to keep up with the high-flying Warriors for seven periods. I mean Brad Miller scoring 30 points and grabbing 22 rebounds (fantasy owners, you know exactly what I'm talking about). Milwaukee, on the other hand, is not a bad team. At 8-15 on the road, they have one more road win than Utah! Expect the Bucks to easily cover the generous 2 point spread that Vegas has gifted us this holiday season. ****

3. Orlando Magic (+4) @ Los Angeles Lakers (-4). Laker fans will curse me. Especially our very own Adriel Carolino, who, considering his immense sports knowledge, inexplicably believes that his beloved Lakers can do no wrong. Wake up Carolino, and world, the Lakers are not that good. Granted, Kobe is half-human half-god, but he is still half-human, which means he's not going to be able to bail out the Lakers with clutch baskets night after night. Who knows, maybe Bynum will actually be able to stick with Superman this time and stay in the game for more than 11 minutes? Maybe not. Magic straight up. ***

Read/Discuss >>

Point Guard Issues

In Wednesday's Lakers game versus the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers found themselves in an extremely difficult situation; they had no point guards.

Jordan Farmar is recovering from knee surgery, Sasha Vujacic is suffering from back spasms, Sun Yue is afraid to play competitive basketball, and Derek Fisher suffered a minor groin tweak. To sum up the situation in Wednesday's game, the Lakers were playing Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, and Andrew Bynum. Average height: 6'10". Success rate: Poor. Please note that the Spurs were playing three guards and the Lakers were forced to settle for jumpers. Oh! Tim Duncan was on the bench too.

The Lakers do not necessarily need immediate help at the one position, but they are definitely in a strange position without a 1-guard to defend the quicker guards in the league. Derek Fisher, in his elongated playing time, has proven to be a terrific shooter and a decent defender, but the Lakers have to be worried about playing the aging Fisher 40+ minutes a game.

As an avid Lakers fan, the point guard situation is not a huge issue because the Lakers have the triangle offense and this guy named Kobe Bryant. What does bother me is that Derek Fisher lost us the game that Kobe salvaged. Rant rant rant. Sigh. Orlando Magic on Friday, tune in.

Read/Discuss >>

Andrew Bynum's Birthday

Maybe that's why he started off so badly against the Blazers. He was probably still drunk.

Read/Discuss >>

NBA: 10 Things To Look Forward To

Finally basketball fans, the NBA season has started! On the first day, the Lakers looked dominant, Celtics won at home, Lebron lost again, and Derrick Rose is starting at point for the Bulls. Here is my list of things to look forward to this 2008-09 season:

1. The Lakers have two 7-footers in their starting lineup, Lamar leading the second squad, the deepest bench in the league, and Kobe Bryant. If they can stay healthy, I predict a 64-win season and the title.

2. Beantown just hung another banner in their historic stadium. Are the Celtics still hungry? And how will they deal with the loss of their best perimeter defender (how are they going to slow down Kobe?)?

3. Baron Davis is back in his hometown and playing for another historically bad team. Will he and Camby miraculously lead the Clippers to the playoffs?

4. The 76ers solidified their lineup with the addition of a healthy Elton Brand. Will the 76ers live up to their hype and challenge Boston for the Eastern crown?

5. There's was a reason to be excited in Portland, but he has the durability (and face) of a 55 year old man. After being manhandled in the opener versus the Lakers and losing Oden to injury, can Portland live up to the hype?

6. The Chicago Bulls looked like a huge mess during the offseason but everything came together in their first game with Derrick Rose at the helm. Can this rookie finally lead the Bulls to their full potential?

7. New York Knicks are still recovering from Isiah Thomas's past decisions. With Marbury remaining relatively quiet and Mike D'antoni as the coach, I believe we'll be pleasantly surprised this season.

8. Seattle, the most depressing city in America, no longer has an NBA franchise of their own. How will Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder fare in the Western division. (I'm not going to be optimistic here, 16 wins.)

9. Let's face it, LeBron James does not like the Cleveland Cavaliers or the city of Cleveland. He likes Jay-Z, he likes New York and it is a contract year. How is this season going to play out in Ohio?

10. Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, and Kevin Love are expected to make huge contributions to their respective teams. Can these NBA neophytes really make a huge difference and who will make the biggest impact and win the ROY trophy? (I still say OJ Mayo)

Read/Discuss >>

Kobe Bryant Better Get That Pinky Fixed

Through an update on his website, Kobe Bryant has announced that he will not be getting surgery on his pinky any time in the near future.

"I have always felt that I can still focus and play at a high level even through various injuries. That's really just part of the game. When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery. What it really came down to for me is that I just didn't want to miss any time 'punching the clock' for the Lakers, given all we are trying to accomplish as a team this NBA season. I am just really excited and looking forward to being there with the guys when camp opens in a few weeks. That is a real bonding process and if I can avoid being on the sidelines for that, God willing, I will," said Bryant.

Many will discuss how honorable this is. Kobe Bryant is the ultimate trooper, sacrificing for the good of his team. He wants to "bond" his team, rather than heal himself. The ultimate altruist. He is a changed man!

Are you sick of my sarcasm yet?

I'll be honest in saying that I have absolutely no idea what the real condition is with Kobe's pinky. I also don't know what kind of pain he is in, nor do I know what the doctors said regarding the matter.

But this is getting silly.The media has been making a big deal out of this since March (or earlier). If this is as big of an issue as it was then, then Kobe needs to get his finger fixed so that he can be 100%.

If it really doesn't hurt that much, and he is basically 99% then I think he should let us know, otherwise the media will continually excuse lapses in his performance.

Scratch that. I just came across an article from February saying Kobe wanted to sit-out the All-Star game due to his injured pinky. If it was so bad that he needed to sit out a game in which he would play 15 minutes, I fail to believe it has gotten any better.

The smartest thing for Kobe to have done was to get surgery immediately following the olympics. A 12-week recovery time would mean he would return for the middle of November. He would have only missed 3 weeks of the season!

The Lakers have gotten to the point where they are perennial Championship contenders. Come June they need every last facet of their team firing on all cylinders. Kobe isn't fooling me when he says he wants to forego surgery to bond with the guys. I'm rather certain Kobe could come still come to all the practices he wants even with a cast on his hand.

This all just seems so very illogical to me.

Read/Discuss >>

Lamar Odom: Our Generation's Most Talented Cripple

21 is a mature age. In my years, I have experienced and dealt with things that have helped me grow immensely as an adult, including pregnancy scares and deaths in the family.

21 is also a tender age. I have never seen my father cry, I have never had my stomach pumped due to alcohol consumption, and I have never once seen Lamar Odom finish with his right hand...

The Lakers are an interesting team, led by two completely opposite players. When I say two opposite players, I am referring to Kobe Bryant, arguably the best finisher in the league, and Lamar Odom, arguably the worst. I pride myself in having a fairly strong stomach, meaning not very many things make me cringe. However, when I see Odom facing up his defender on the right wing behind the three-point line, preparing to penetrate, it’s a completely different story. I get goosebumps as I see Odom dribble around his man and extend his abnormally long arm over a help defender the way nobody else in the league can only to blow another left-handed layup. This makes the Odom mystery a little easier to explain: when you’re THAT terrible at finishing with your dominant hand, why even bother trying to shoot with your off hand?

Lamar Joseph Odom was born on November 6, 1979, in Queens, New York. From an early age, Lamar fell in love with the game of basketball. In fact, Lamar was so talented at the sport, that he invented his own version of it: one-handed basketball. Nearly identical to normal basketball, there are fouls, free throws, dribbling, 3-pointers, and out of bounds in one-handed basketball. However, in Lamar’s version of the game, the player is only allowed to shoot with his dominant hand. Any attempt to shoot with one’s off hand will result in a punishment, the severity of which is known only to the game’s founder, Lamar Odom.

There have been speculations about said punishments. It has been said that in grade school, Lamar’s father desperately pushed Lamar to become the greatest one-handed basketball player of all time. Some say that whenever Lamar would unwittingly attempt a shot with his right hand, his father would refuse to feed him for the day. Others claim that anyone who is THAT averse and terrified of using his right-hand must have a history of physical abuse. Supporters of this theory believe that Lamar’s father would dole out lashings to Lamar each time he would use his right-hand. Of course, these speculations are exactly that: speculative.

As Lamar grew into a man, he would go on to attend the University of Rhode Island. Unfortunately, the game of one-handed basketball had not caught on as quickly as Lamar had hoped, as the University of Rhode Island did not have a one-handed basketball team. Instead, Lamar was forced to join the normal basketball team, and play amongst lesser-skilled, ambidextrous athletes. It was difficult for Lamar to respect even his own teammates at Rhode Island, as he saw them as cheaters for using both hands. In his first and only year at Rhode Island, Lamar put up monstrous numbers. Using only his left hand, Lamar averaged 17.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Convinced that the college game would never embrace the glorious game of one-handed basketball, Lamar decided to turn pro after just one year at Rhode Island. To his dismay and disappointment yet again, the professional basketball world didn’t offer a league for one-handed specialists either. Lamar was again forced to play amongst two-handed cheaters, this time for good.

Unfortunately for Lamar, his right hand had by now atrophied and deteriorated into a completely useless limb from years of lack of use. Playing at a natural disadvantage of one useful hand against his opponents’ two useful hands, Lamar has been made a fool of time and time again. My heart bleeds for poor Lamar each time he drives to the hoop and blows another lay-up, his right arm flailing helplessly at his side. It’s a shame that David Stern hasn’t made the effort to honor Lamar Odom for being quite possibly the most productive handicapped basketball player the NBA has ever seen.

Read/Discuss >>

Vujacic Stays in Los Angeles. He better.

I regret the fact that we didn't launch After the Anthem sooner.

Because if we had perhaps we would have had the clout to spank Mitch Kupchak in the behind!

There are murmurings that Sasha Vujacic might leave the Lakers for Europe because he feels his $2.6 million contract isn't fair value.

I reported on this topic previously here.

Mitch Kupchak said that he would be in contact with Sasha at 9:01 PM when he was well aware that free agency begins at 9:00PM.

Dealbreaker? Definitely.

Although Sasha wouldn't have realled cared if Mitch called him one minute earlier, this slothful arrogance from Mitch foreshadowed how he was going to deal with Sasha.

Losing Ronny Turiaf is one thing, because next year assuming that Bynum comes back healthy, there is going to be an overload up front. But, to lose Sasha who was as close to Bobby Jackson the Lakers had will be brutal.

The upfront qualifying offer of $2.6 million for one year was disgustingly insulting. He would have earned less money than our tubby tubster Kevin Love. Heck Kevin Love has 2-years guaranteed, while Sasha had only one year guaranteed.

Kupchak then got a bit more realistic and offered a 3 year $12 million deal. Which is at least respectable. But if he was going to offer this from the get go, why even dangle that $2.6 million in front of him?

He is the Machine. He doesn't play around.

Read/Discuss >>

One More Thing, Vujacites.

Now I know, I know this Lakers flavor on ATA needs to end soon. I mean it has to end soon no? Especially considering that the NBA Season has now concluded. I just had to make one more comment, just because its so much fun supporting a player who really shoots too damn much for his own good. So, I was looking through the NBA Draft results and came across this article:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-lakers27-2008jun27,0,1934112.story

In it, Mitch Kupchak talks about his draft pick Joe Crawford. He seems decent, considering it "slipped" so low. But in reality, this Laker's team is so deep that he really has no place, especially if last year's draft pick, China's Sun Yue, comes over to the United States next season. Here's a clip:

So anyways, the real point of this post is because I wanted to highlight how free agency begins at 9 P.M. tomorrow. Mitch Kupchak knows this too. He's a good GM. Here's what Mitchie said about Sasha:

They are particularly interested in re-signing Sasha Vujacic, a restricted free agent.

"I intend to contact him at 9:01 on Monday night," Kupchak said.

Then pray tell
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING AT 9:00 PM???

Mitch better be on that horse by 9:00 PM.
Thanks to loljocks.blogspot.com for the picture.

Read/Discuss >>

I Wish the Lakers Were Still in it.... So I Could Watch More of the Machine.

Lakers? Celtics? Some could care less. Some just want to see basketball. Some don't like watching blowouts. Some just hate it when superstars sulk on the bench and give up. Some also hate it when regular stars act like they're 2 years old and pretend to be injured so they can get their diapers chagned in the locker room. Some just want to see Sasha Vujacic because they are girls and they think he looks so adorable. And then some just think that the Machine is AWESOME.

Read/Discuss >>

The Day After Yesterday

So, the NBA season is at long last at its conclusion - with the Boston Celtics crowned champions. As a lifelong Laker fan, the fact that the Lakers unexpectedly reached the Finals serves as no consolation to the agony of watching the Celtics (THE CELTICS!) take the trophy. But now, 24 hours later, I've been able to digest the season as a whole a bit better.

Us Laker fans started the season scared out of our minds that for the first time in eleven years, we would be without the one constant that kept us hoping and believing - from Kobe's rookie season and his audacious airballs against the Utah Jazz, to his improbable buzzer beaters against the Portland Trailblazers to clinch the #1 seed, from his off court troubles in Eagle, Colorado, to his 81 point game against the Rapters - Kobe Bryant's excellence between the lines was never, ever in doubt. And yet, the threat was very real. We were about to enter a period of extreme unknown, a period when Kobe Bryant would be wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey. To deny that every Laker fan had already resigned themselves to the fact that Kobe was going to be traded would be dishonest. Even if most of us said, "No, it'll never happen!", deep down inside we knew that the trade demands were very, very real.

So now, sitting here a year and change later, to be disappointed in losing the NBA Finals...it's a good place to be, all things considered. Now don't get me wrong, once I realized that we had a shot, I was all in and fully engaged in winning a championship, and anyone who was with me watching these playoffs knows full well how pained I was when we first blew game 4, and then failed to show up in game 6. But I also know that to be a Laker fan means to be constantly spoiled by greatness. The pieces are there, but like MJ's young Bulls who couldn't get past the Pistons, like the Shaq era Lakers under Del Harris, it takes a few years of adversity and growth to find the fire that we so sorely lacked in Game 6. It hasn't been that long since our last championship, we just made the finals, and with a few new pieces, a little improvement over the summer from our youngsters - we are looking at a new Laker dynasty. 

Fret not, Laker Nation. The Purple and Gold is back.

Read/Discuss >>

Lakers: Stress Center

Being a Lakers fan is has not been good for my health during the finals. Every game I watch I am stressed, unable to relax because with our current team versus Boston, every lead we have is not safe, every lead they have is insurmountable, life is absolutely horrible. I have undoubtedly lost a good 5-6 years of life from game 3 and 5 victories alone. And nearly 12 years from our losses so I'm only going to live until I am 103 years old now.

No matter how long I live to, watching the Lakers game has been a stressful roller coaster. With Paul fatboy Pierce playing out of his mind and Ray Allen actually hitting jumper after jumper, I find it highly doubtful that we're going to break history and win the finals after being down 3-1. The Lakers cannot sustain a lead, the "bench mob" has been quiet, the Lakers still cannot control the boards and Boston's play is too inspired. I hate to admit but this series is virtually in the refrigerator, but until Boston actually wins a 4th game, I refuse to believe that the jell-o's jiggling.

Praying for a Lakers miracle.

Read/Discuss >>

The Machine can't stop.

In honor of a very honorable game by Sasha "the Machine" Vujacic. I present to you the next installment of the Sasha Videos. Thanks to Lakers-fan.com.

Read/Discuss >>

My Emotional Plea

Kobe Bryant, you said in the post game interview you had some very good shots that didn't go down for you. But c'mon Kobe, we all know you're the only person in the NBA who thinks those shots are easy, but you can easily get those shots any time you want. You looked like Kobe of old, forcing shots, not passing, not running the offense. Your teammates were completely out of sync, they need you to get them involved. And not just by piling up your own assist numbers, but by giving them the simple pass and giving them the confidence that you trust them.

Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Vladimir Radmonovich, please, defense does not end until you secure the rebound. Please, you forced plenty of poor shots and showed solid defense... until you let Boston grab 10 offensive rebounds including the exclamation put back jam by KG in the closing minutes.

Lakers, please calm down and show some poise. The entire game you guys looked confused, rushed, puzzled, and completely out of sync. The Boston crowd and team energy totally disoriented everyone on the court leading to poor passes, rushed shots, and a serious lack of focus (I'm talking to you space cadet).

Please! Please! PLEASE! Run your offense and focus on how you can improve. You guys were ALL one step behind Boston in game 1, it's obvious who actually did their homework. Regroup and steal one on Sunday. And Phil, please play Trevor Ariza.

Read/Discuss >>

Chinatown's Finals Preview

So David already did his preview, but I disagree with several things he said, and also want to add my own input, so I'm going to do one too. :)

The Lakers and Celtics are, as many have pointed out, built very differently, and have very different reputations. The Lakers have a rep as offensive superstars who are soft and prone to being pushed around. The Celtics have a rep as defensive stalwarts who are beasts on the boards. While these trivial labels hold some truth, the fact is that the Lakers are better on defense than given credit for, and are not as soft as they seem (particularly Pau). The Celtics definitely fit their label well, as they are the best defensive team in the NBA, but they also possess a potent offense that can kill you in a variety of ways.

In light of that, let's delve deeper into what the Celtics and the Lakers will look to do in this first game.

Keys for the Lakers:

On Offense, the Lakers must stay true to the triangle. The Celtics defense is aggressive and quick on its rotations and close outs. They like to stack the strong side with help defenders, forcing teams that rely heavily on isolations (like the Cavs) into stagnant offensive sets. The only way to beat the Celtics is to have quick passing and ball reversals. Because of their aggressive close outs on the reversal, the Laker perimeter players will have the opportunity to pump fake and escape dribble for a midrange jumper, or take the ball to the rack. If the offense gets bogged down and Kobe begins to play 1 on 5 basketball, the Celtic defense will eat them alive. This Laker team is the best passing team in the NBA, and if they stick to their blueprint with a heavy dose of triangle offense, movement, and rotation, the Celtics will have a hard time covering them.

On Defense, the Lakers are severly underrated. They are long and quick, which causes plenty of problems for opposing teams. Key defensive matchups, if the Lakers matchup the way I believe they should, will be Odom on Perkins and Gasol on Garnett. As we saw in the Spurs series, Gasol can be an effective defender in the post - as long as he stays behind his man and gets his hands up to challenge the shot, his length can bother Garnett. If Gasol can keep Garnett from having a monster game, the Lakers can live without doubling KG. Garnett has never been a big time scorer, and one of the biggest knocks on him is that he is unselfish to a fault. By bringing a double team, it plays right into his strengths as a passer and facilitator - force KG to score 30+ points (which he has done only twice in this postseason) and become a volume shooter, and the Lakers have a good shot at winning. Perkins is a big banger who is aggressive on the offensive glass. Odom must put his effort into keeping Perk off the boards - if Perkins gets a double double, the Celtics will likely win the game. Ray Allen cannot be overlooked, and cannot be left alone. Any double teams that the Lakers throw at the Celtics should come off of Rondo, not Allen. Now, Rondo. Many Celtics fans are pointing at the matchup of Rondo vs. Fisher as a definite Celtic advantage. This is a huge error - the Lakers have matched up against 2 surefire future HOF (and one potential HOF-er) point guards in AI, Deron Williams, and Tony Parker. None of those three has been able to rescue their team. Fisher is a smart and strong defender, able to angle off drives and muscle his counterpart off their line. Rondo's offense is limited to floaters and runners in the lane, and a 15 foot baseline jump shot. The Lakers have enough shotblockers in Odom, Gasol, and Turiaf to deal with Rondo's unreliable floaters, but giving Rondo the 15 foot baseline jumper would be a mistake, but with double teams coming off of Rondo, it will be hard to limit the availability of that shot. 

Another option for the Lakers, which they used throughout the regular season, is to roll out their 1-2-2 full court trapping press at specific times. If you watched the Det-Bos series, in Game 4 down the stretch, the Pistons used a full court press effectively, trapping Rondo on the sidelines and forcing him to make risky lob passes out of the trap. With Rondo being their only effective ballhandling option, the Lakers could surprise the Celtics with their press and create a few turnovers/transition baskets with it, and in a series that looks to be as tight as this one, 6 points could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Keys for the Celtics:

on Offense, the Celtics must look to keep Rondo and Perkins involved. Garnett and Pierce will be good for 20-25 points every night, with Ray Allen adding anywhere from 0-30 points (depending on if he's feeling it or not). Rondo and Perkins will not have any plays called for them, and must take shots when they get them. The Celtics play a typical NBA offense, with lots of PNR and Isolation sets. The Celtics will want to control the tempo and keep the game in the 80s-low 90s, and not give the Lakers any chances to get off on the fast break. Rondo must not turn the ball over, and they need to force Kobe to expend his energy on the defensive end. If Kobe matches up with Allen, they should have Allen play a Rip Hamilton type game, and run him off multiple screens. If instead, he is matched with Rondo, Rondo must be aggressive going to the hole, looking to pick up cheap fouls on Bryant. However, the key driving force of the celtics offense must be Paul Pierce. Pierce can get his shot off through shot fakes and bumping his defender off to create space, and he has also improved his ballhandling off of pick and rolls allowing him to turn the corner or split weak hedges. What I would like to see is a small on small Pick and Pop between Pierce and Allen, with allen setting the pick on Pierce's man. What we would see there is likely a Kobe/Fisher switch, a Radman/Kobe switch, or a Radman/Fisher switch, because the man getting picked cannot leave Allen on the 3 point line unchecked. If Fisher gets matched with Pierce, he can easily go into the post, where he likes to operate, and get a layup or his favored turnaround fadeaway. To sum it up, the Big 3 must be on their game, the Celtics must limit turnovers, and Perkins must bang and go after offensive rebounds to give the Celtics extra possessions that they will likely need to match the Lakers potent offense.

on Defense, much like my preview of the Lakers offense, the Celtics must be wary of rotating and closing out too aggressively. The Celtics like to sag their help defense, stacking lots of people on the strong side of the floor. The Lakers will reverse the ball quickly from the post, as Gasol is a great passer, but the Celtics must be ready to control their aggression. The Lakers have great shooters in Vujacic, Radmanovic, and Farmar, and closing out on them will be key - but closing out too hard will open driving lanes or mid range jumpers. Expect to see the Celtics playing loose 1 on 1 defense with Kobe, hoping to entice him into taking long jumpers and turning the game into 1 on 5. The Celtics will outrebound the Lakers by a good margin, as the Lakers are not a good rebounding team and can be pushed off the boards. If the Celtics can limit the Lakers to one shot and out, they will have a good chance of keeping the Laker offense in check. If the score is in the 80s, the Celtics will be in good shape.

Final Thoughts: This series will boil down to the hungrier team. Will it be the Celtics, with Garnett, Pierce, and Allen looking for their first championships ever? Or will it be the Lakers, with Kobe proving that he has matured, Gasol getting his first taste of success, and the young bench coming of age? Does Doc Rivers have the ability as a coach to put his team in a position to win, or will Phil Jackson break his tie with Red Auerbach for most NBA titles? In the end, I believe the Lakers potent offense and solid defense will be too much for the Celtics powerful defense and stagnant offense to handle. When the Celtics go on their inevitable scoring drought, the Lakers will pull away. Plus, they have Kobe.

Lakers in 5 - winning Game 1, losing Game 2, then sweeping the games at Staples to close it out at home.

Read/Discuss >>

Lakers vs Celtics: Keys to Win

TYPICALLY, there are specific game plans that can be devised to shut down any team in the NBA. So I had all intention of explaining what the game plan would be for each team in the finals. Unfortunately, I'm drawing a blank. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics both have so many weapons and so many different response tactics, you shut down one aspect and they'll fire back with a different weapon-- this is why these two teams are in the championship series. So though there aren't any sure fire ways to truly shut the other team down, as always, I will try (and most likely be right).

For BOSTON CELTICS to win:

Exploit and attack Derek Fisher. Yes, Derek Fisher has been reputed as a solid offensive and defensive presence, however, he has definitely lost a step or two. Deron Williams and Tony Parker ripped Derek Fisher apart on the offensive end using their quickness and an endless series of pick and rolls. Lakers have placed a lot of trust in Derek Fisher's able hands, but unfortunately, many times this trust is misplaced due to Fisher's age. And from a defensive point of view, force Fish to create on the offensive end. When Fisher sets his feet he is one of the best shooters in the game, but when he's forced to create on his own, he will undoubtedly take off-balance shots (that won't go in) and force layups into the opposing teams shot blockers.


Boston by far has the physical edge when being compared to the lanky frontline of the Lakers, but I don't find this to be too much of an advantage in the game of basketball. The Lakers will respond to Boston's strength so forcing the ball to the post will not win the series; don't force it down low.

Boston needs to exploit their three point shooters. James Posey, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce. They are big time three point shooters and if they can find their shot, the Lakers are in trouble. The Lakers have already had a lot of practice versus the pick and rolls by playing against Tony Parker, so it will ultimately come down to a three point contest against themselves.

Kevin Garnett always plays with heart, emotion and intensity, it's the only way he plays. But that's not going to win the basketball game. KG needs to take the scoring load on himself, plug the lane defensively, and forcible take games away from Los Angeles. Deferring to Pierce and his teammates will not win the series.


Keys for LOS ANGELES LAKERS to win:

Do not be intimidated by Boston's arena, the historic rivalry, their big three, or their record. The last two times these teams played, Boston destroyed Los Angeles not only on the scoreboard, but also in poise and energy. Lamar Odom, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic, and Jordan Farmar need to play tough, physical, in-your-face defense and aggressive offensive for the Lakers to overcome Boston.

Kobe Bryant. With a defense as tough Boston, the only real answer is Kobe Bryant, a man no defense can stop. And if reports are correct regarding Boston's decision not to double-team Kobe, he should have a field day tearing up the defense. I also believe that the Kobe-Pau lob connection will be completely obliterated by Kevin Garnett, so I see Kobe looking for Lamar more often this series.

Lakers bench need to do what they've been doing all season. Entering the game and shooting the lights out, many times extending the lead. This will be extremely tough to do due to Boston's physicality in their starting lineup and their bench, but when did physicality affect three point shooting?

Double team Kevin Garnett, suffocate Paul Pierce individually, and force Ray Allen to be the man. If there was one star in the NBA who was never going to win a championship, it's Ray Allen. When you're slumping for two and a half series, you're not answering the call to be a champion. He did manage to find a few shots in Detroit but I can confidently state that he does not have the IT factor to lead Boston. Look to see him riding the bench for long periods of time.



Lakers in 6. I was going to say 5 but Luke Walton is going to screw up a game.

Read/Discuss >>

I just realized

Kobe Bryant is 29. Michael Jordan won his first NBA title when he was 28. Could we be entering the golden age of Kobe Bryant, GOAT?

If the Purple and Gold go on a run of championships (which they very well may do), you have to at least consider Kobe dethroning MJ...right?

Read/Discuss >>

A Step Closer to the Championship

(Boredom awaiting the Celtics-Pistons game spawns this post)


A standing ovation with a mere 5-point lead and nearly 2 minutes to play left in the 4th is perhaps jumping the gun. I'll admit, as a cynic, maybe my Lakers faith was stalled a bit. I'll admit I was scared of the Spurs. But the Spurs never came closer after that. And it was goodbye to the defending champs.

Deep down, I knew the Lakers would go on to win this one. They had to. Spurs feeling confident with a 17-point lead? Not in our home! The Lakers wanted the win, and they wanted it bad. Even Farmar stepped it up last night and turned on his game, scoring 8 points, including 3 consecutive baskets. And who else better than Sasha to seal an already-made deal with a 3-pointer at the buzzer? (I am told that my bias would not be in effect if he was on the opposing team, I would hate his guts. I am also told that he made a lot of Lakers gamblers very happy, increasing the point spread to over 5. But I know nothing about this, so I'll stop here. I'll consider it a preview of what's more to come from The Machine. I'm telling you, one of these days he's going to hit a game-winning 3 in the playoffs.) Congratulations to the Lakers for winning the Western Conference championship and moving on to the finals in perhaps one of the toughest conferences yet! Can you believe that just earlier this year, Mr. MVP himself was demanding a trade? Though we must be careful what we wish for, let's hope for a Lakers-Celtics rivalry resurrection to top off this fairytale story! If Kobe is the modern-day Magic, then who is Larry Bird? Is it even fair to make this analogy?

Before I get ahead of myself, Boston has to step on the fingers of Detriot as they struggle to hold on. But if the Celtics continue to follow in their pattern of playoff games this season, we might expect another game 6 loss and third 7-game series for Boston. Stay tuned.

On an end note, as a follow-up to my previous Sasha-inspired post, did you happen to catch that smack to babyface by Ginobili?

Sasha should've ripped Manu a new bald spot. Personally, I think he needs new methods (besides growing his hair long) in his intimidation efforts. I vote for tattoos.

Read/Discuss >>

Why I Love Sasha Vujacic

While I will agree that this is perhaps a predictable debut blog entry coming from me, I’ll spare you all the mushy details about how I first took notice of his oh-so-cute boyish good looks. This time, it’s about the talent, the talent that you could sense within him over these past few years that is finally blooming. It’s about the not-so-pesky little Slovenian you all love to hate. It’s about “The Machine!” Even as I am writing this, I can feel all the skepticism, but it’s time that I step up and defend my man once and for all.

Phil loves him, so you should too. If it’s anyone that has faith in Sasha, it’s Phil Jackson. So maybe he did refer to Sasha as “11 o’clock player.” But it is apparent that Jackson consistently puts his trust in him. As Sasha emerges as a reliable player, things are changing. He's confident. When the ball gets to Sasha, you can almost always expect he will shoot. And despite the occasional pleading for him not to take the shot, he's making a good amount of them. If he doesn't, it's okay, because you can just tell he knows he will make the next one. You need confident shooters. He gives 100% every time he steps out on the court in practice and 110% in games.

Defense. He’s everywhere. Even reputable players struggle with Sasha on guard, and I am convinced that, that is why they are forced to foul, and foul hard. Players get annoyed at Sasha because they see him as a little nuisance that, for some reason, they just can’t seem to get past. I will forever vow revenge on Carmelo for daring to intentionally choke poor little Sasha.

He’s “The Machine!” A nickname he did not, in fact, give himself, but rather, is called such for his amazing 3-point shooting abilities! This season Sasha shot 44% from the 3-point line. And if you can recall as well as I do, the games in which Sasha’s 3-point shot sealed the deal for a Lakers win: first back in 2005 in OT against the Jazz, Sasha put the Lakers in the lead making both free throws, then proceeded to secure the win with a 3-pointer. Last year again, against the Mavs, he not only shot his career high in points, but broke Dallas’ winning streak with a game-winning 3. Sasha has definitely saved the day before. And it’ll happen again – perhaps in these playoffs, he’ll have a chance to become the new Horry. Sasha can pull through when it matters the most.

The hair, the headband, the heart. With all of these components, Sasha is that player so loveable you can’t help but like. So he grew his hair to juxtapose his baby face. But he’s still cute. He wears a woman’s headband given to him by a Lakers girl. But he’s still cute. (And at least he doesn’t have to constantly slick his bangs to the side every time he goes to make a shot, i.e., Kyle Kutcher Korver.) That aside, Sasha brings the intensity to the court. The flame was always there, and now Sasha is on fire. Gradually he is becoming a valuable asset to the Lakers, a player not only looked to for comic relief, but as a necessity to the team. All in all, Sasha has proved to be able to get the job done when it counts. He'll continue to improve, and one day you will all embrace Sasha as a respectable NBA player with as much intensity as his bearhug "manhug" to Pau Gasol.

Read/Discuss >>

Game 4: Final Moment

AP Photo


In game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals, the Lakers pulled out a victory by winning 93-91. However, with 2.1 seconds left to play, the San Antonio Spurs passed the ball into Brent Barry 30 feet straight away from the hoop. He put up a fake putting Derek Fisher into the air, on the way down he bumped into Brent Barry, who after receiving the contact, pivoted once and threw up a three pointer that stood no chance. After this contact, Brent Barry demanded for a foul call, he didn't get one.

Realistically, are NBA officials going to call that foul? No way. That alleged bump was extremely minimal and they are not going to determine the outcome of a game on such a touchy foul. Considering the pushing and shoving that occurs during inbound passes and the history of no-calls for buzzer beaters, this "foul" was actually, not a foul. It's not always right that the officials swallow their whistles at the end of games, but that's how it is. If you're going to win the game you're going to win it with a legitimate shot, not at the free throw line. But I wouldn't really expect Brent Barry to understand the difficulty of the buzzer beater, how many times has he really been put in that position? (And sorry Brent, 3 point shoot out doesn't count so you can c-walk your way back home)

And on another note, I am extremely disappointed in Derek Fisher's play throughout this series. He's been forcing impossible layups, taking irrational shots, and making bad defensive decisions. And on a last note, were you really trying to block Brent Barry?

Read/Discuss >>