Category — Derek Fisher

Like the NCAA Tournament, some NBA player makes a name for himself during the playoffs. Stephen Curry, 1 of the best shooters we’ve ever watched and 1 who almost helped the Warriors stun the Nuggets today in Denver, could be 1 of those players. Writer Shaun Powell compiles a good list of some who might emerge. Another name we would add to it is San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. He isn’t spectacular at anything but good at plenty of things.
Sports On Earth

The Heat are the overwhelming favorites to win the NBA title again, and why shouldn’t they be? We’re hard-headed though. Actually, we’re sticking with our betting slip.
Eastern Conference
Heat over Bucks in 5; Nets over Bulls in 7; Pacers over Hawks in 5; Knicks over Celtics in 6.
Heat over Nets in 5; Pacers over Knicks in 6.
Heat over Pacers in 6.
Western Conference
Thunder over Rockets in 6; Clippers over Grizzlies in 7 (the Charles Barkley factor); Nuggets over Warriors in 7; Spurs over Lakers in 5.
Thunder over Clippers in 6; Spurs over Nuggets in 5.
Spurs over Thunder in 6.
Championship: Spurs over Heat in 7.

We knew Laker fans would lower themselves to such things, but are you kidding us?
Although Laker fans are all giddy (hmmm, last time that’s happened?) with the No. 7 seed, do they really believe this squad is actually capable of anything in the NBA playoffs? Forgive us. I lost $5 to my old lady cuz I bet the Lakers wouldn’t make it, so maybe I’m a little bitter. And I surely forgot how the NBA sometimes figures into these things.
They don’t want to face my homies and the OKC Thunder. They want no part of that can of whip ass. Russell Westbrook again? Oh no, let’s take Timmy Duncan and his choir boy friends. Is that you T-Mac?
Some folks believe the Lakers are better off (is that you Magic Johnson?) making the playoffs instead of tanking for the lottery, like many of us dreamers gamble on everyday. But Dwight and the boys failing Kobe on the final night of the regulation…well the suicide hotline would have been working overtime.
The Lakers are 200-1 to win it all. Your point is?
We’re also pissed seeing the Spurs getting 8-1 since we bet them at 4-1. Someone trying to tell us something? Didn’t think so.
VegasInsider.com

Phil Jackson told the best story of the night, telling how Shaq mooned the Sacramento fans after Game 7 in 2002. We’d never heard that 1. Second best part was Laker fans chanting “We want Phil.” And Shaq “I want Phil too.”

They lead the league in points in the paint, mainly because they blow past defenders in their sometimes high-octane offense. The Nuggets won in Oklahoma City tonight by 10 and made them prime candidate to nail that No. 3 spot in the West. Laker fans, some of them still dreaming dreams of grandeur, want no parts of Denver. Go ahead Warrior fans.
Did we mention the Nuggets have captured 12 in a row? Didn’t think so.

Of all the statements Magic Johnson made today regarding the death of Dr. Jerry Buss, none struck a cord (because he’s so accurate, but Dr. Buss’ son Jim is too full shit to realize it) with me more than this one: “I hope Jeanie Buss takes over the team.”
Though Magic and Dr. Buss operated on a much larger platform, I couldn’t help thinking about Barry Switzer and Billy Sims. Back in my days in Norman in the late 70s, there were always stories about the off-the-field exploits of Barry and Billy.
But this was a much larger party. And a lot more of them. Magic and Dr. Buss, regardless of your opinions of either, were the origins of “Showtime” and the legends of it crossing a ton of barriers, the Hollywood element, the Laker girls (Paula Abdul among the most famous), the parties (did we mention the parties?) and Johnson stunning the world years after the high times when he announced he was HIV positive.
And those are just starter pistols.
Having moved to L.A. in 1986, during the height of Showtime, I was as consumed with it as any basketball fan. And this was as a time when the Herald-Examiner, particularly the sports section, was the best read in town.
Before Buss purchased the team in 1979 from Jack Kent Cooke, the Lakers were practically 2nd city to the Dodgers, Rams, USC football and UCLA basketball. Imagine that now.
Columnist Bill Plaschke scratches the surface with some quick-hitting recollections from Magic.
L.A. Times

“When someone as celebrated and charismatic as Jerry Buss dies, we are reminded of 2 things. First, just how much 1 person with vision and strength of will can accomplish. Second, how fragile each of us is, regardless of how powerful we were. Those 2 things combine to inspire us to reach for the stars, but also to remain with our feet firmly on the ground among our loved ones. Dr. Buss embodied that compassionate entrepreneurial spirit. He strove to reach greater heights without forgetting his community roots. During his stewardship, the Lakers exemplified his personal standards of excellence and became one of the dominant teams in the NBA and a force of good within the community. The man may be gone, but he has made us all better people for knowing him.”
— Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

It’s only a rumor, but a wild 1 at that. Would the Lakers seriously consider hiring Jerry Sloan and firing Mike Brown? Stranger things have happened. Like Karl Malone wearing a Laker uniform. That reminds us of our favorite Malone moment, when he responded 1 night to Vanessa Bryant’s tease of “What ya hunting Cowboy?” with “Little Mexican girls.” That classic resulted in Kobe threatening to do the Mailman bodily hard. Difficult to imagine that though.
Anyway, back to the matter in our best Snoop Dogg imitation. I understand how an abundance of pick-and-rolls by Steve Nash and Dwight Howard would appeal to Lakers brass and how Sloan might be the right coach to implement it. But why won’t the Lakers admit they made a mistake and bring back Brian Shaw?
Without Jim Buss’ idiotic decision to wipe the walls clean of anything or anybody related to Phil Jackson, with the exception of those championship tropies, Shaw would have guided the Lakers to much smoother sailing and without all the drama and lack of offense Brown brings. Rick Adelman would have been a better hire.
Brown is definitely on the hot seat and he knows it. We’ll give him until the All-Star break.
The Hoop Doctors

How do you get tired of doing nothing?
Charles Barkley weary of his night job at TNT? Quit and I can only imagine the long line to sit in that big-ass chair.
Barkley cries to writer Richard Deitsch about the need for challenges to continue his NBA studio analyst role at the network. Could we recommend doing some research now and then?
SI.com

Questions always consume NBA fans on opening night. And they will have more as the season dribbles along. Can the Heat repeat as champs? Can the Lakers win the West? Can the Thunder continue to be the best in the West after trading James Harden? Or will the Nuggets emerge? In the East, can any club seriously challenge the Heat?
We know this. LeBron and the Heat are the favorites (7-4) to win it all again, while the Lakers (2-1) are the No. 2 pick. The Thunder (7-2) are the No. 3 choice, but after that it gets dicey.
Vegas Insider