Real Deal

Honestly, I don't think I have. If you can find it, I'll own up to it...but I don't think I ever said LeBron quit on his team. In the heat of the moment, when I was pissed, probably once. I've defended him over at TLN quite a bit, as far as that goes. In fact, it happened not too long ago. http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=47509&view=findpost&p=890808 And this gem... http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41359&view=findpost&p=875032 From the same topic... I hate him more than anyone else, but I don't let that alter my opinion on his overall game.

Watching the Boston/Cleveland game, I still don't see where LeBron quit. He turned the ball over quite a bit, didn't shoot well, but he still racked up a statline that no quitter would be able to put up against arguably one of the best defensive teams in the decade. Kobe started last night's game 6-8, 13 points in the first quarter. When the Mavericks started firing from all directions, he needed to facilitate and hope that the Lakers hit their threes. It didn't happen. When Dallas realized that the Lakers didn't have the goods to beat them without a primed Kobe, they started to close the lane, played a strict 2-3 zone, and it forced Bryant into jumpers and facilitating. It's usually a stupid move against a team that has so much help, but nobody outside of Bryant came to play in Game 4, and once they decided to zone him out of the game, it was over. If Kobe gave up, he wouldn't have been trying to score and set up his teammates while the Lakers were down 25-30 points.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/110509kobebryant_alldefensivefirstteam.html First team... C - Dwight Howard F - Kevin Garnett F - LeBron James G - Kobe Bryant G - Rajon Rondo Second team... C - Tyson Chandler F - Joakim Noah F - Andre Iguodala G - Tony Allen G - Chris Paul ----------------------------- Honestly, I think Tony Allen deserves the first team spot over Kobe, and how the hell does Luol Deng not make either list? He deserves it over LeBron. First team should be Howard, Deng, Allen, Iguodala and Wade.

The better question is, did you watch the game?

Pillow-for-pillow discussion...only I don't want the softest one anymore.

Before you go off and think you just trumped everyone, calling the debate over, you might want to do your homework. Jordan has been part of two sweeps. Gasol and Drew, combined, are not Dennis Rodman. The Worm is the greatest defensive player of all-time. You're disrespecting a legend. And, I'm sorry, but Horace Grant was just as good as Pau. If we're talking THIS Pau Gasol, from this season, he's better. You've obviously never seen Grant play. You're arguing for the hell of it. If you're going to do that, at least prove to me that you actually watched the Bulls play, and not just their highlights off of DVD's.

I'm embarrassed to support this trashy-ass team right now. Pathetic.

Gasol is the guy that needs to be dealt. He can't play alongside Drew, so we keep the real man among the two.

Keep Kobe and Drew. Blow the team up in the offseason. I honestly don't give a [expletive] who they trade aside from those two. This is unacceptable.

Highly unlikely. Gasol would have to step up, and I don't think that's going to happen for those four consecutive wins we need.

TIME: 9:30 PM ET TV: TNT

TIME: 7:00 PM ET TV: TNT

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: TNT

TIME: 3:30 PM ET TV: ABC

What indication did we all get to confirm that Kobe wasn't motivated to win Game 1?

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/5/7/2158991/pau-gasol-lakers-nba-playoffs-2011 You're telling me that Odom defends Dirk better than Gasol does? OMLORD, how did we not know this? Phil is said to be one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Let's see it in Game 4. Most Laker fans have known how effective Odom is at defending Dirk for years. It's so sad that Phil has so much faith in this pansy.

Haha.

I would do everything in my power to make him the centerpiece in a trade that brings Howard or CP3 to Los Angeles. It's a stretch, but if we're willing to take on a nasty contract in the process (say, Gilbert) and dish out every pick we possibly can, give them Jeanie Buss, whatever...we need to do it. Just lay it out there. I understand that Gasol has helped us win two championships, but he was not the primary option, and there are guys like Ron who, basically, did as much on the defensive end as Gasol did back on offense last season (Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce...two guys who could've destroyed us didn't get a chance to). With Drew looking like he finally has his head screwed on right, we have to take the chance and bank on his health. We aren't trading him, we gave him a ton of money, and we'll probably keep him, so it's time we lean on him a little and build around him and Kobe, one last time, before Kobe is done.

WTF...Jordan didn't have a pansy-ass second scoring option that was having mental issues + physical instability. Would you like to put Gasol on Pippen's level? You might as well say Derrick Rose is the best player in the NBA right now, because he won the MVP award, and that Nash was the best player the two seasons he won his. LOL, I seriously can't believe you put that.

I wish Phil would've choked the hell out of Gasol. Not surprised we lost. If we only had an eight-point lead in the fourth, we were done, because there's no way on Earth that Gasol was going to stop Dirk, and we can't afford to double him. C - Drew PF - Odom SF - Kobe SG - Brown PG - Blake This is the lineup we needed to end the game. These guys deserved to be on the floor, so PHIL JACKSON needed to get it done against who should be an inferior coach. Congrats, Dallas. This series is over.

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: ABC

TIME: 5:00 PM ET TV: ESPN

TIME: 9:30 PM ET TV: ESPN

TIME: 7:00 PM ET TV: ESPN

I hope I get a good report when I go to Oklahoma City tomorrow. Major eye appointment...the "make or break" one at this point. Hopefully, I'll have good news, and I'll be able to get home and watch the game. Otherwise, if he finds something bad in my good eye, I'll probably have no vision for a week (assuming he would have to do something to it), which absolutely sucks.