Arena The NBA Thread

The purple & gold ended up doing just fine on Friday night against the Kings: 38 points from Kobe, 19 & 15 from Bynum, 15 apiece from Gasol & MWP. My favorite play of the night: sometime during the 2nd half, in transition, Bynum hurries a pass to Fisher, who quickly dishes it out to MWP, who made the easy basket. That entire sequence took less than 5 seconds, which is sort of incredible for this Laker team to pull off. Naturally though, with a 20 point lead seconds after the 4th quarter begins, the Lakers began to play bit sloppy/Jimmer Fredette began his 4th quarter onslaught (12 points), as the Kings made it interesting down the stretch. Still, a 115-107 win is still good. Concerning today's game against Miami, here's what happened to me (this coming from a Facebook status update of mine, from around 4:05pm). :



Well, I had survived 99% of the 2nd half of my shift without hearing about the game........and then, right as I'm heading to the time clock, BAM! 2 schmucks blurted out the score. It would have been so good to go home & see the performance the Lakers (particularly Kobe & MWP) put on today against Dwyane Wade's Heat. It maybe only the 3rd game I've missed so far this season, but man I'm still pissed off.



****! I mean, really, right as I'm leaving? *sighs* To be fair, I would be this pissed about missing any game, but it would be nice to be able to actually watch one of these Sunday afternoon home games once in awhile.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

Lakers/Heat game owned. Also lol @ Wade for fouling out.

In other news Deron Williams had 57 points today.

 

[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/GRUMPY.jpg]


Grumpy Jack is grumpy.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

gosh the lakers sure are terrible. It'd be great if they could sign someone who can score points but Jim Buss apparently is a terrible owner or something.

 

I'll post recaps (been awhile since I've done one) tomorrow of the Lakers misadventures in Detroit & D.C. over the past 24 hours, but in meantime, taking the time to drive all the way out here to the Valley to my place in Reseda, it's..............


[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/PISSEDOFFII.jpg]

Pissed off Jack! Tagging along with him is...........

[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/ANNOYEDLOU.jpg]

Annoyed/disappointed Lou, and their special friend..................

[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/DISTRESSED.jpg]

Distressed Dyan.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

Grizzlies doing fairly well right now. Third best in the west and I believe Randolph may be back real soon. Hopefully it doesn't take too long to develope chemistry between he and Gay. They haven't played much together in the past two seasons.

 

Cavs got the win in Altitude last night

But WTH happened to the Nuggets? This team is playing like crap. I know they've had some injuries, but geez.

 

Lakers losing to the WiZZZZZZZ!

 

[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/PALACE.jpg][image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/211.jpg]

Game #38: Tuesday, March 6th, 2012: L.A. Lakers at Detroit:

-As I mentioned on Facebook ( ) on Tuesday night, ever since 2004, bad memories always float in my mind whenever the Lakers return to play at The Palace. Sure, these Pistons aren't as successful as their counterparts from the last decade/the Lakers have won 2 titles since 2004, but Detroit's upset of the Lakers in the 2004 Finals still very much stings; Just because there's been a lot of success since 2008, doesn't my mind (along with those of other Laker fans) doesn't dwindle on the lost opportunities. Shaq & Kobe were never going to spend their entire Laker careers together, but damned if their era couldn't have at least ended on a better note, or even in a more competitive series (Pistons finishing off the Lakers in 5 games). And to be a tad selfish, the very week this happened (specifically game 5, which was 2 days before this event) was the same week I graduated high school. If there had been a game 6, it would have fallen on my graduation night (and there was much debate in the Tunick household as to whether or not I would have skipped the ceremony to watch it). Of course, there never was that game. I mention this graduation because when the Lakers won the title in June of 2000, that happened the very same week of my middle school graduation (a favorite random memory of mine: me & my dear pal at the time, David Lang, joking around with a teacher of ours-Mr. Sherman- about taking all the chairs set up on the quad for the graduation, and partaking in rioting near the Staples Center).................man, what nice bookends to my middle/high school years that would have been. That 'what if' game you play around in your mind when it comes to your team (no matter the sport) is a fascinating, sometimes nostalgic thing to do.

-Speaking of the Palace: their PA address announcer/jumbtron music selection are very, very annoying. Whenver the Pistons would inbound the ball from the sideline (off a turnover), the announcer would say "and the Pistons bringing it in, from the side". Well, no ***! And whenever Rodney Stuckey was at the free throw line, he'd announce his name by saying "Rodney............Stuckey!", a 1-3 second pause between 'Rodney' & 'Stuckey'. Really, that pause was necessary? And, it seemed that on every possession (regardless of the team), music cue's would blare from the sound system throughout the damn possession. So, so irritating. Don't need to hear the chorus of a various song for 15+ seconds as the ball is being moved around from player to player. I nearly watched the game on MUTE because of this.

-Speaking of Rodney Stuckey: 34 points (going 13-20 from the field) on the night, the difference maker for Detroit. There were several players I remembered still being on the Pistons (Prince, Daye, Stuckey, Maxiell), but completely forgot about Ben Gordon. When the game began, I was thinking "Oh yeah, he left Chicago for this".

-Kobe started the game with a black mask, went 1-9 (or something close to that) in the 1st quarter, and finished the game wearing the clear mask. Finished the game going 8-26 from the field, but did hit that game tying shot which sent the game into OT. Obviously, a great thing. However, in OT, specifically with about 31 seconds left, and then with 6 seconds left, needing a 3-pointer to tie the game again, Kobe took 2 ridiculous looking, too fast on the possession/not looking for a better look shots. Very, very frustrating to see. MWP (all of 4 points & 6 boards in the game) made a more respectable shot attempt with about 2 seconds to go, but alas it didn't go in.

-88-85 the final score, a completely deflating/discouraging loss, given the fine effort in their win over Miami here in L.A. on Sunday afternoon. Bynum's great game (30 & 14, went 13-18 from the field) goes down the drain, as

 

The Cavs beat OKC. In OKC!!!!! That's only the second home loss for the Thunder.


Holy hell. Kyrie Irving is a miracle maker and is really helping with the whole "move on" thing.

 

The Bucks pull one out vs the Knicks. Ersan Ilyasova? Ya how many of ya know about him?

 

Stop benching Landry Fields and bench Melo already.

 

It was a nice win (105-102) for the Lakers last night, salvaging (I suppose) this mini road trip. Though it was the Lakers usual 3 (Kobe-Pau-Bynum) scoring in double digits, MWP & Fisher each notched 9, with Derek getting all of his points via the 3-pointer. On the flipside, the T'Wolves had 6 players score at least 10 points, and had leads up to 14 points at one point. Love didn't play due to back spasms, but far more serious than that: Ricky Rubio out for the season (and Olympics) with torn ACL. Terrible, terrible news.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

That sucks. Rubio is not only fun to watch, he makes Love so much better and had that team honestly contending for a playoff spot.

 

Oh my.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFqwcIwZmZo

 

Ridnour is a perfectly competent point guard and can still bring that team to the playoffs. Not as much fun to watch, to be sure, but still very effective.

 

ridnour can actually shoot too. that's not to say i'm not bummed about rubio.

 

The Lakers are amazing at home and terrible on the road this year for some reason. Also when Artest or Fisher steps up and actually score a few points it makes such a difference.

 

[image=http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p530/AWT32/BYNUM.jpg]

Such a niiiiiiiiiiiice, niiiiiiiiiiiice win for the Lakers over Boston today*. Kobe being Kobe in the 4th is no breaking news, but man seeing Bynum taking a leap this season (20 & 14 today, 4 points in the Lakers 8-0 run to end/win the game) has been so great/pleasing to see. Though (for the absolute right deal) I wouldn't mind seeing Bynum traded, I'd sure as hell be more annoyed/mindful (the what if game) about it than I would have been before. MWP stepping up with 14 is a gift the Lakers will always take, and Rondo (10 assists) & Pierce (9 assists, should retire as a Celtic) lead all players in that category, and if Rondo isn't traded before this upcoming deadline, he & Pierce will more than likely be the only 2 Celtics from this current (title contention) core left on the team. As this chapter of the Celtics/Lakers rivalry closes (which, despite all the ills (ie: 2008 Finals!) has been so, so great/enthralling as fan to finally experience), I hope it's not another extended period of time (10-20 years) where it really matter again. Coming home after the game 6 2008 Finals humiliation/elimination to shave my beard (because of a bet I made on the Sarcasm Knight site) is something that I'll never forget, as was the night of June 17th, 2010, when the Lakers clinched that title against these Celtics here in L.A. in a game 7 (after the game/phone calls to friends & family, and sipping some champagne/smoking a cigar, I walked 45+ minutes (decked out in my Gasol jersey, while smoking another cigar) to the workplace of my infamous younger brother just to tease him about it all).........that really was one of the more special/meaningful nights I've ever had in my (sports) life.



*= It would have be nice, though, if I could have actually watched the game! Though slightly different circumstances happened this time as opposed to last Sunday when the Heat were in town, sure enough, the score got ruined for me at work.


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

I don't mean to alarm anyone, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have won three straight against good opponents, and stands just one game out of the playoffs at the current moment.

 

The end of the world is surely nigh.

 

Simmons on being in attendance for both the Celtics/Lakers game & Warriors/Clippers game yesterday at Staples


Los Angeles Lakers: Drama, guaranteed.

 

Spurs guard retires at age 26.

For more context, this was the guy that got knocked to the ground during the Spurs/Knicks game last week and was immobile on the floor for several minutes.

 

I remember that play. Too bad. TJ Ford was a really good player for Texas.

 

Shame. He was a pretty solid point guard when he is was healthy. I remember being at college orientation during the summer of 06 when he was traded for Villanueva and being outraged by the trade, but for the life of me I can't remember who I thought got the better end of the bargain.