Real Deal

Better vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajVGIRsKXdo

Not this again. Kobe didn't give up on his team. There was only one other player shooting over 36% in that game, and it was Walton (Kobe was at 50%), and the lead was 25 after the third quarter. Team was 17-50 FG without Bryant. "If we were going to get back in this type of game, we have to have everybody contributing," Bryant explained. In Game 6, Kobe scored 50...and it didn't matter...had all but one of the 13 overtime points. People blasted him the next day, for being so selfish. "I felt the Lakers were tight down the stretch. They don't have too many guys with experience in these types of situations. They wouldn't take the shots -- they kept passing to Kobe," said Thomas. Nobody has ever been satisfied with what Kobe has done, in any game he has ever played. He dropped 81 on a team and was called selfish. That is disgusting.

MVP award has always been a joke anyway. Most Valuable Player of the team, not the league? Okay. Changing the definition, though, means that Jordan, Magic, and Kobe would have dominated the award since the early 1980's...so it's whatever.

This was pretty sick tonight. Anyone catch it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajVGIRsKXdo

LeBron is a better help defender, but Deng is a better on-ball perimeter defensive player, and that will be more important when defending Melo. As you saw today, Melo was blowing past James whenever he wanted, and nobody was back for the Heat to contest anything at the rim. I would put money on the Knicks losing to Chicago in five, but they could take the Heat to at least six games (can't say they would beat either team, though).

To be honest, I think the Knicks would rather play the Heat. Chicago would just stick Deng on Melo, and the Bulls' frontcourt would give Amare fits...and I doubt Jeremy Lin would be able to hold Rose to anything under 60 points a game (kidding, but still). Seems like Melo would have a better series against LeBron, and Lin wouldn't be asked to defend an elite (and scoring) PG. Also, Miami sucks rebounding the ball, and the Chandler/Amare duo would have a blast rebounding against the Heat, instead of trying to pull boards down from the second-best rebounding team in the league (CHI).

I'd rather play Dallas in a revenge series. Without Peja and Barea, and no Chandler, I feel much better about that match-up. If Pop continues to play Blair and Tim together, I won't mind the Spurs. Kobe is fine, no worries there.

If Dallas wants to recognize him as a primary option (with Kobe out), Drew will struggle. He's a #2 on a contender, at best.

It's not difficult to defend a guy who has to start chucking up threes to crawl back and cut into the deficit. Melo should have stuck to what he was doing all game long, driving right past LeBron and getting what he wanted anywhere on the floor. I figured this would be a massive blowout, though, so the Knicks surprised the hell out of me (well, credit to Melo for going 40+ points). Can't expect too much from New York yet.

He'll probably try working himself back into the game before the playoffs start, especially if Chandler is limping around tomorrow morning.

Knicks need Amare and Lin back. Would make for an interesting series with a healthy Knicks squad, and no Mike D coaching. Melo working Miami like a boss, not enough though.

Well, you didn't think anyone but Iggy was on the list (with LJ), so he kind of gave you another guy. Deng is on the list as well, by the way.

Predicted to get thousands of devastating tornadoes tonight and tomorrow, mile-wide F5's and shit, historical weather in the Midwest, etc. Hope to see you guys Monday!

Same with Shaq, just one MVP, yet considered the most dominant big man in the 90's and 2000's.

Just difficult to figure them out, like the 2010-11 Cavaliers were for a bit (when they played Boston, opening game, and kicked their ass, first game without LBJ). That Cleveland team was actually 5-5 to start the season. Small sample size, but you also have to consider who they had (and lost). They started 7-10, month of November...then went 1-35 in their next 36 games. --------- LA is at the bottom of the eight, fighting for a playoff seed with Phoenix and Utah, if they don't have Kobe for an entire season. Before this game, Drew was shooting 37% without Kobe dressed to play...and if Denver wanted to double him more tonight, he would have had another poor shooting performance. Hats off to Ron, though. He said he was finally healed up on Twitter the other day, and since his tweet, he has been playing pretty damn good...surprising the hell out of me, because he has been worthless as [expletive] on offense almost the entire season.

My computer passed away a few hours after midnight. RIP. Perfect timing, too, when I just decided to build one for my cousin, with about 500,000 other projects in line as well.

http://www.otrbasketball.com/forums/topic/28704-latest-blake-griffin-flop-is-the-definition-of-pathetic Lkr beat you to it in the media section.

#PlayersMoreClutchThanLebron Trending on Twitter. I thought some of these were kind of funny, actually...

Didn't 4Chan already locate her and get her arrested, or something?

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2012/04/12/aldridge-needs-scope-on-right-hip-done-for-season-olympics-in-jeopardy/

If we shut up about it now, I'll allow a Trayvon Martin topic once the trial starts up. Otherwise, I'm going to start deleting posts. People believe Zimmerman should have been arrested for shooting him. Doesn't matter the rest. You shoot, you kill, you are put in cuffs...regardless of the color, the reason, etc. There is nothing to discuss. The entire issue is now about racism, and everyone knows that racism exists in many more ways than just one, so leave it at that.

I remember Kidd saying that he wanted to play until he was 40, so I'm not sure if I'm THAT surprised.

"Knicks lose Melo, Amare to injury before playoffs" Topic title, not correct grammar, but yes...lol. Bet me I won't change it, though. $100? Maybe I should pin this error. :o EDIT: I lied, you didn't bet me in time.

"Compensated" is also a word, lol. It's a past participle of compensate, and using it as saying he wants compensated for the work he has done (I'm assuming they are practicing every summer) and what he will do. You're forgiven.

He's not asking, but he's saying it would be nice if they did get paid. He's playing for his country. It's an honor to be an Olympian. He gets paid when he wins a medal. It's once every four years. No reason to even say anything like that. How about, "We aren't playing for the dollar. It would be nice to play every summer, though, and win gold for our country as many times as possible."