I got home from Myrtle Beach yesterday to catch the end of the Lakers V. Mavs game. This was game #5 Kobe has missed. Granted the Mavs are struggling just to make the 8 seed for the playoffs but it's still a good rivalry. Game went back and forth with the Lakers pulling it out in OT. Some questionable no calls, but that's what home court is about.
Funny thing though on the way to 4 wins in 5 games w/o Kobe. The role players stepped up. Ramon put in 22 and 5 dimes, MWP (aka Ron-Ron) did his thang on defense and chipped in a few on offense. Matt "crazy man" Barnes had a great all around game with defense, rebounds, assists and points. He was close to a triple double. Bynum had a "bad game" with 23 points and 13 boards. Pau was solid as well. Everybody is playing better as a unit. Kobe was coaching them up on the sidelines at each time out. Mike Brown and Kobe looked like they were learning from each other. Scary thought! The Lakers biggest knock has been at PG and lack of depth on their bench. Yesterday the PG was playoff caliber and the role players looked like they were geling for the first time this season.
Don't get me wrong, the Thunder are still the talent in the West but if we keep the 3 seed and the Clips keep the 4, that will be a good match up that the Thunder could lose. Two young and athletic teams going at it. Meanwhile the elder statesmen of the conference (spurs and Lakers) would likely do battle in the 2nd round. Again, a very good match up.
JA Adande wrote an article about the game and put in a little factoid. Dwight Howard is now out with back problems--never good for an NBA player (see Larry Bird, Larry Johnson, Amare Stoudemire). JA shows at this rate Bynum is set to play in more games this year than D12. A first for the big fella who's been ravaged with injuries since coming into the league. In hindsight, the Lakers trades and non-trades seem to be panning out. Odom shipped to Mavs for a first round pick and a trade exception. That pick netted Ramon sessions. Odom hasn't done anything for the Mavs this year and now got Keyshawned for the season. Lakers not trading for D12. Gasol and Bynum keep ballin and the Lakers keep their height advantage. The Lakers still have the trade exception from the Mavs to use in the off season. They also unloaded the hefty contract of Luke Walton and they still hold their amnesty clause to use in the future as well.
Jim Buss was adamant of not trading Bynum. Maybe he knew something we all didn't. My cousin (C3) said the Lakers were the class of the West--called his shot months ago. I thought he was crazy BUT I'm beginning to think he had something there. Maybe he was the one who whispered in Jim Buss' ear about Bynum?! While all eyese are on the East with the Heat and Bulls, quietly the Lakers are making a run of their own. 5 games left (2 with the spurs, 1 with the thunder). The mission is to stay at either the 3 or move to the 2 if we can.
The playoffs should be fun!
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