Arena The NBA Thread

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...-angeles-lakers-need-better-utilize-pau-gasol

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/...akers-trying-stay-patient-frustrating-stretch





Now that this is officially the Lakers worst start in 10 years, the first panic button (level 4, as I consider there to be 4 levels of panic for this type of situation) has been pushed for this season. 4-7 under D'Antoni so far, their gutless record on the road, Dwight missing too many free throws/shooting inconsistently from the field, all of Gasol's issues, the Nash injury, Kobe's scoring of 30 or more not helping all that much, and the always frustrating play of the bench, being 4 games under .500. All of this warranted of a level annoyance & worry, since a start like this doesn't historically bode well (even when Gasol & Nash comeback) for their playoff chances (that '02-'03 squad flamed out in the Semi-Finals against San Antonio, and had a grueling 6 game series in the 1st round with Minnesota). Another playoff exit via a series with OKC or San Antonio can happen. Irving is quite the talent (seeing him in play in person at Staples this past January was rather nice), and I wonder if Varajeo will be able to avoid being moved to another team before the deadline. I won't be able to watch tomorrow's night game at MSG live (as I'll be at Grauman's for The Hobbit midnight showing), but will have it on my DVR so I can go over the game sometime Friday (regardless of what happens, I don't want to miss the sights & spectacle, especially with Breen calling the game for ESPN, of the Lakers playing at The Garden). Speaking of records/trends that historically bode things for a team, every time the Knicks have begun a season like this, they've either reached the ECF, The Finals, or won it all (I believe, if I can recall correctly the graphic I saw on ESPN last night). It would be really fascinating, and I have to eat a bit of crow to admit this (since I had said for years that the Knicks were an overrated franchise), but it would be good for the league if the Knickerbockers were in The Finals once again.

LloydChristmas, Point Given: I obviously want the Lakers to win tomorrow night, but I don't like their chances. My prediction: Lakers- 101, Knicks-117






As tom & The Sports Guy would tell you, the Lakers have had lower moments.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1443320-dwyane-wade-injury-updates-on-heat-stars-head

 

I clearly had a bit of lapse last night, because obviously the game is on TNT, not on ESPN with Breen.

 

Don't feel bad, Tunick. Every team inevitably goes through a time when they are terrible. Remember when the Pistons, Kings and Suns used to be good? Now it's your turn.

 

it's true. it just doesn't usually happen to playoff teams who add the best center in the league and a two-time mvp point guard.

obviously we have to see them with nash before we really know how bad they are.

 

i'm glad d'antoni still found a way to play kobe 44 minutes in that blowout.

on the other hand, i hope tunick is ok.

 

I'm doing fine. The loss yesterday at MSG was certainly annoying, but today's win in Washington (in which Jodie Meeks impressed by scoring 24 off the bench) helped to brunt that annoyance. Was awake for 25 hours & 40 minutes (from yesterday at about 4:20am until 6am today) after a day of work & seeing The Hobbit at midnight at Grauman's, hence my lateness around here today. Rather than rant on again about this increasingly annoying season, I'll just post this. :

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8749595/ricky-rubio-minnesota-timberwolves-okd-saturday-debut


Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice!

 

warriors look like they're for real.

 

Their 10-5 mark on the road is most impressive, as was Rubio's 9 assists in 18 minutes off the bench in the T'Wolves win over Dallas last night.




I watched the 4th quarter of this game... was incredible to see Irving get the Cavs back in it, though they ultimately lost the game.

 

Triple.

 

Ack, double post.

 

Joakim Noah Triple-Double vs. Celtics.

LOL @ Boston

 

well. can't say i ever saw noah having a triple-double. with the nicks actually being good and the lakers bad, this might be a bizzaro year or something.

 

I also forgot to mention that in Sunday night's game against the Pelicans, Nicolas Batum had the first 5x5 in the NBA since 2006. Quite a rare feat to get at least 5 points, steals, blocks, assists and rebounds in a game.

 

Bucks up and down again this season. Started the season on the road for the 25+season in a row. One of the most messed up thing in sports.

 

You'd think the league would alternate it so if a team opens the season at home one year, they open on the road the next year.

 

After salvaging last week's road trip with wins in Washington & Philadelphia, the Lakers returned here to La La Land on Tuesday night to face the Bobcats. Set aside the purple & gold's struggles this season, aside from Boston, do you know which is the only other franchise to have had a winning record against the Lakers? It's the Charlotte Bobcats! Out the previous 15 games before this one, the Bobcats had won 8 of them. The hell? And true to historical form/how this season has been going, the Lakers found themselves in a deep hole in the 3rd quarter (down by 18, boo's reigning in loud from the Staples Center crowd), before going on a 22+-4 point run that ended up winning the game (101-100) for them. Meeks (17 points) continues to impressive, while MWP (also 17 points) continues to show signs here & there of offensive competency. Gasooooooooooool's return wasn't too impressive (10 points, 9 boards), and Kobe & Dwight did Kobe & Dwight things (I nearly couldn't believe what I was seeing on my television set when Howard made back-to-back free throws at 2 separate points in the game... that may never happen again).




Poor, poor Gerald Henderson.

 

yea... that's really rather insane. that's not even particularly easy to do in a video game.

 

The fact the Jamaal Tinsley has a 5x5 is insane. Like the other guys- Ak-47, Hakeem, Batum, etc kinda make sense. I mean, I don't expect a Josh Smith or LeBron to get a 5x5, but they are more likely than, I dunno, Nate Robinson.

 

Nash cleared to play tonight!

 

Though I think they'll hold him out until Tuesday against the Knicks, if Nash can actually play tonight, then I would love/hope he that he will.

 

ESPN Radio needs to get their facts straight. They keep on saying that Nash is making his season debut today, but he got injured in the second game of the season.

 

The assists there is what matters, but of course the points help as well (he hit a couple of shots late in the game that helped greatly). A niiiiiiiiiice Christmas gift to have Nash back, though obviously he's not a 100% cure pill for the Lakers woes. Interesting numbers from this game (which to date is my favorite win so far on this season*): 41... shot attempts by Kobe, of which he made 16 of them... 20, points scored by MWP, an absolute bonus (because he's solid defensively), 14 & 12... scoring contributions from Hill & Jamison, the Lakers 2 most consistent bench players.... 14, the 4th quarter deficit the Lakers had found themselves in before clawing back to force OT, and eventually winning in that extra period. The Oakland crowd is definitely in the top 5 of best arena crowds in the entire league in my humble opinion.


*Which could be replaced as soon as tomorrow afternoon with a win over the Knicks here in La La Land. The Lakers have had a terrible record over the past 10+ years on Christmas (5-9) Day, which includes 3 straight losses in a row. Of those, perhaps the most memorable came in 2009 against Cleveland due to this: