Saturday, March 17, 2007
Shaq v Kobe
A quick NBA note
Before anybody gets too stoked about Kobe dropping 65 points on Paul Allen’s hapless Trailblazers, recall that the Lakers had dropped seven straight games before beating the lowly Blazers. Recall the Lakers are sliding, again, at just the wrong time of year. Recall that they couldn’t get out of the first round last year, and they couldn’t make the playoffs the year before that...Contrast, Shaquille O’Neal and the Miami Heat. Shaq had 23 last night, and the Heat won their 9th straight, all without D-Wade. The Heat are going in the right direction from the 9th spot in the conference to a tie for the lead in their division with Le Bullet, Gilbert Arenas and the UNC Wizards of Washington. Shaq Diddy is averaging 20.5 points and 9.5 boards since the All-Star break. The Clarion doesn’t have to remind Lakers fans how the Heat did last year, when Shaq and D-Wade were both healthy, do we? Kobe specializes in individual honors. Shaq with the right mix, wins rings. Kobe without Shaq, not only no rings, he can’t even get to the second round. This year will be more of the same for Kobe. Can Shaq pull another rabbit out of the hat? Though the Clarion doesn’t think so, we sure wouldn’t be slapping down the Benjamins to bet against the Diesel, especially if D-Wade can make it back from his shoulder injury. (Unlikely at this juncture.) Perchance the Canadian wunderkind Steve Nash is due?
Before anybody gets too stoked about Kobe dropping 65 points on Paul Allen’s hapless Trailblazers, recall that the Lakers had dropped seven straight games before beating the lowly Blazers. Recall the Lakers are sliding, again, at just the wrong time of year. Recall that they couldn’t get out of the first round last year, and they couldn’t make the playoffs the year before that...Contrast, Shaquille O’Neal and the Miami Heat. Shaq had 23 last night, and the Heat won their 9th straight, all without D-Wade. The Heat are going in the right direction from the 9th spot in the conference to a tie for the lead in their division with Le Bullet, Gilbert Arenas and the UNC Wizards of Washington. Shaq Diddy is averaging 20.5 points and 9.5 boards since the All-Star break. The Clarion doesn’t have to remind Lakers fans how the Heat did last year, when Shaq and D-Wade were both healthy, do we? Kobe specializes in individual honors. Shaq with the right mix, wins rings. Kobe without Shaq, not only no rings, he can’t even get to the second round. This year will be more of the same for Kobe. Can Shaq pull another rabbit out of the hat? Though the Clarion doesn’t think so, we sure wouldn’t be slapping down the Benjamins to bet against the Diesel, especially if D-Wade can make it back from his shoulder injury. (Unlikely at this juncture.) Perchance the Canadian wunderkind Steve Nash is due?
Comments:
IS Kobe trying to make the Clarion look bad?
Dropping another 50, this time on the hapless T-Wolves. KG, "We should have doubled him sooner."
No?
Did somebody dis Kobe?
He was the first Laker since Elgin Baylor to go back to back 50 point games. Only the third time in the last ten years somebody has gone 50 in back to back games.
His 115 points in two games is the third most in two straight games in the last 40 years. Only Kobe, himself, last year, and Michael Jordan have had more, 118 in two consecutive games. (Last 40 years; also known as the "Wilt window".)
A nuanced, local, look at the Lakers from the LA Times.
Shaq and the Heat did the Clarion no favors either, as their winning streak was snapped at nine the same evening. Not to mention they lost to Orlando, one of the teams battling the Knicks for the eight spot.
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Dropping another 50, this time on the hapless T-Wolves. KG, "We should have doubled him sooner."
No?
Did somebody dis Kobe?
He was the first Laker since Elgin Baylor to go back to back 50 point games. Only the third time in the last ten years somebody has gone 50 in back to back games.
His 115 points in two games is the third most in two straight games in the last 40 years. Only Kobe, himself, last year, and Michael Jordan have had more, 118 in two consecutive games. (Last 40 years; also known as the "Wilt window".)
A nuanced, local, look at the Lakers from the LA Times.
Shaq and the Heat did the Clarion no favors either, as their winning streak was snapped at nine the same evening. Not to mention they lost to Orlando, one of the teams battling the Knicks for the eight spot.
