Category — Kobe

Ballin at its finest. Chris Paul was the man though, finishing with 27 points, 11 assists, 3 steals and 6 rebounds and handing the Heat their 2nd straight loss.
The Clippers and the Lakers, who beat the Jazz in overtime tonight in Utah, clash on Saturday.
AP

Is that you Shannon?
With the Lakers’ roster, we can’t blame Kobe Bryant for hogging the rock. Probably means another scoring title for him. Hell, he could take 40 shots in our book, as long as he shares with Andrew Bynum, and that wouldn’t be too many. Other than Pau Gasol, there aren’t many reliable options for the Lakers.
Kobe’s hotline: 48 points on 18 of 31 shooting, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. He hit 12 of 13 free throws. And he committed only 2 turnovers.
Oh, and the Lakers win.
ESPN LA

Not sure what’s up with that right hand.
Forty years ago, the Lakers won 33 in a row. It’s 1 of the greatest streaks of all time and another reason why Wilt also was the greatest of all time.
NBA.com

“And then that bastard David Stern came in…”

TNT analyst and former GM Steve Kerr, among others, is sold on the Blazers, who hammered the Lakers again Thursday night in Portland. They have the best mark in the Western Conference at 5-1, their only loss coming courtesy of Chris Paul and the Clip Joint on Jan. 1 in L.A. One of those 5 wins came courtesy of the Thunder, who are everyone’s favorite flavor in the West.
“They are a scary bunch,” Chris Webber said of the Blazers Thursday night on the TNT studio show.
Speaking of the Lakers…: Happy 30th birthday to Gilbert Arenas. That brings us to the Lakers. Did Jim Buss or Mitch Kupchak consider signing Arenas instead of the defenseless Jason Kapono? Didn’t think so.

Give the brother a hand.
It’s 1 thing for Mike Brown to peacefully co-exist with Kobe Bryant, but for Brown to shake off T.J. Simers like water in the shower draws high praise from us.
L.A. Times

The fact that Andrew Bynum is getting the “Matt Kemp treatment” from the former world champion tells me he’s probably headed for a big year.
It’s early, but Bynum is proving again he can be just as much a force in the middle as Dwight Howard. Bynum recorded his third consecutive double-double last night, scoring 21 points and grabbing 22 rebounds in the Lakers’ victory over the Rockets. He also had 3 blocks.
Bynum has better offensive skills than Howard though you can give an assist to Stan Van Gundy for Howard’s sometimes low output, but Bynum’s injury history makes fans and hoop experts leery of his long-term production. However, if he stays healthy, he will 1 day become the best center in the NBA.
Unfortunately, health is the big if.

Some 2012 predictions, including Phil Jackson returning to coaching just in the Knick of time.
Grantland.com

There also is a tale about Super Bowl Sunday in Dallas last February, but that’s a story best told on a rainy day.
Nothing could have been sweeter for the Dallas Mavericks than capturing their 1st NBA title, particularly by beating the Miami Heat, but a close second was Dirk and his mates wiping out the Lakers in a sweep that still resonates in L.A.
For me though, nothing in 2011 compares to Game 6 of the World Series in St. Louis, where the Rangers were a strike away from claiming their 1st championship before David Freese drilled a fastball to right over the head of Nelson Cruz and the Cardinals, who were on life support just to make the playoffs a month before (not everyone thought such though), began a seemingly impossible rally in extra innings that resulted in the club winning its 11th banner.
Hours before Game 7, which was practically an afterthought as far as Cards fans were concerned, I strolled up to a betting window in 1 of my favorite sportsbooks (Santa Fe Station in Vegas) like the cocky young fella I used to be, decked out in a classic power blue Cards’ jersey (think the ’80s and the “White Rat”) with the Wizard’s name and number in red letters on the back and flashing the biggest and shittiest grin 1 could imagine. Even the betting clerk couldn’t resist smirking.
“You know why I’m here,” I said sarcastically, confident as I’ve ever been before wagering a bet.
“Good luck,” he said.
I didn’t need it. I knew my money was as good as gold.

The 1961-62 NBA season provided some of the game’s most memorable individual performances. Wilt Chamberlain produced the greatest season of all time, averaging 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game. And Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double 50 years ago, finishing ith 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game.
But the Celtics claimed the ultimate prize, capturing the NBA title.
NBA.com