Real Deal

I've always been a fan of Xavier Henry, and I don't think he had enough touches to really show his full potential at Kansas...but don't leave out Avery Bradley and Ed Davis. Both could drop to the Bucks. Bradley makes sense, but he may be a little too much like Jennings (but a much, much better defender). He's a two-guard in a point guard's body. I heard them say he's somewhat like Monta Ellis (heard it on NBATV), and it's somewhat true. Davis would be a nice defensive compliment to Bogut, especially since Andrew is improving on that end of the floor. Twin towers. It would allow you to slide Mbah a Moute down to the three again.

Fun... http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36538-keep-an-eye-out-for-the-suns/page__view__findpost__p__688068 (that's where the fun starts) http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?/topic/36538-keep-an-eye-out-for-the-suns/page__view__findpost__p__701008 (there's where it gets even better)

Players that came to play... Phoenix Suns Kobe Bryant Players that didn't... everyone else My best analysis. On to Game 5.

You'd think Phil Jackson would have the brains to tell the team to PASS THE BALL TO BRYANT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. It's pretty damn obvious that going into Gasol every [expletive] play isn't going to work.

No idea why we still have a couple of scrubs in the game. I'm also waiting for Bynum's knee to just give out, so Gasol can play the rest of the way (even though he sucks right now, also). Oh well.

I wasn't talking about individual defense, actually. I'm talking team defense. Detroit was just as good of a defensive team as Boston, probably better. Regarding the Celtics letting Howard go off for 30+ points, it's not the first time he did it in the series, and Orlando lost that game. Boston would rather let Howard get his. They don't want Orlando shooting threes, and they don't want Nelson penetrating and kicking it out for threes (or oops to Howard). Smart basketball. Let the worst offensive player on the floor (Howard) get what he can, and focus on the point guard and the three-point shot. Fisher doesn't have to attack Rondo to get him into foul trouble. He's a flopper. He'll find Rondo in the lanes, or he'll post him up at certain points in the game, and Rondo isn't as strong. Tony Allen and Ray Allen aren't playmakers. One is a slashing scorer, one is a shooter. Neither care to make a play, and that showed last night.

By the way, does anyone else think that Channing Frye looks a bit like Obama? http://sportsmedia.ign.com/sports/image/article/655/655749/channing-frye-interview-20051004015802717-000-000.jpg

Hey, cool, Kobe came to play.

A lot of people will ask that. If they win a title this season, I wonder if they will be asking why we let go of Ariza and brought in Ron Artest. Last year, in the NBA Finals, Gasol was defending Howard most of the time. In fact, Drew did nothing but suck the entire series. GM1 vs. Orlando: 22 minutes, 9 PTS, 3-8 FG (38%), 9 REB, 1 BLK, 4 FLS GM2 vs. Orlando: 16 minutes, 5 PTS, 2-5 FG (40%), 1 REB, 2 BLK, 5 FLS GM3 vs. Orlando: 23 minutes, 4 PTS, 2-6 FG (33%), 4 REB, 0 BLK, 2 FLS GM4 vs. Orlando: 16 minutes, 6 PTS, 2-3 FG (67%), 2 REB, 0 BLK, 5 FLS GM5 vs. Orlando: 17 minutes, 6 PTS, 3-11 FG (27%), 5 REB, 0 BLK, 5 FLS We got to the Finals in 2008 without him logging a single minute in the playoffs. We won a title in 2009 with Bynum barely playing, and playing badly when he did. We definitely don't need Drew. The myth about having some big guy in the middle doesn't make much sense. Drew has always been late rotating over to contest shots, his one-on-one defense is average at best, and with him in and out of the lineup, we don't need it anymore. I could care less if he had given us 30 PPG and 15 RPG when Gasol was out...the point was, Gasol was out. When Pau is in the five, Bynum's attitude changes, and so does his game.

C - Gasol PF - Bosh SF - Artest SG - Kobe PG - Fisher Bench - Odom, Brown, doesn't matter Can you imagine all of the isolations we could run? Who do you double? Plus, both Bosh and Gasol can hit their shots, so it opens the post up to Kobe and Ron. YES. I need this to happen. This would be amazing for us.

I'm starting to hear a lot more about this, and in a recent chat, Chad Ford discussed it as well.

I think I made that crystal clear, actually.

Could be a great opportunity for Howard to learn some post moves this summer.

By the way... Paul Pierce took 25 shots last night. He hasn't taken that many since January 12th, 2009 (a year and a half ago). In the regular season this year, he attempted 19 shots or less...never more. Might have been a reason why he was so tired and unable to close out the game. Boston would probably play Ollie more than they do Nate Robinson.

It's not that they lost, it's how they lost. Boston doesn't have a legit point guard once Rondo is on the bench, and Ray Allen can't run an offense. That's the good thing about the triangle: it doesn't necessarily need a traditional point to run it, just someone to make the post entry pass. Looking at their other three losses in the playoffs (two against CLE, one against CHI), Rajon was forced into a lot of shots, twice the most on the team, once into 10 shots and 14 free throws. Rondo is the engine. Kobe will be defending him. Bryant's defense will be a much tougher challenge than that of Nelson's, or Mo Williams...by far. I know everyone wants the Lakers to lose. Good. I'm just asking for everyone to actually look at the match-ups and who we have defending the best players on their team. If you guys can't do that, there's no point in discussing it any further.

Last night, two very important things happened to Rajon Rondo. 1) He was forced to defend a very aggressive Jameer Nelson, which put him into foul trouble. 2) He was defended very well, and it held him to poor shooting (3-10, to be exact), and single digits in both points and assists. The result of this? Paul Pierce was basically the Celtics' point-forward, having to create shots for himself and others because Rondo was backing off just to stay on the court, and Boston ended up losing. Why is this significant for us? Because, unlike 2008, Rajon Rondo is now the engine. Here are a few things we should realize about our team: Kobe will defend Rondo, just as he did Westbrook. Rondo will have space to shoot, and because he is a very intelligent basketball player, he won't take that long jumper most of the time. Therefore, there's a good chance Rondo will struggle offensively. We also know that Derek Fisher can put opposing guards into foul trouble. While he's not going to drop 20 anytime soon, taking Rondo into the post, and sneaking into the paint to draw charges, will just be another issue Rajon will have to work around. Assuming it all works out as planned, and Pierce becomes "the engine" in Boston's offense, we have one of the best perimeter defenders in Ron Artest. We saw what he did with Kevin Durant, who is easily a better offensive threat than Pierce. With Rondo struggling, and Ron watching Pierce, Garnett is next in line to facilitate out of the post, and THAT'S where we'll need to close out on threes. Fortunately, we are one of the best teams in the NBA at defending the three. If we run into Boston in the Finals (assuming we beat Phoenix, and the Celtics don't perform the biggest choke in league history), we might have them by the throat. Boston will need to beat us by hitting their threes (Ray Allen and Rasheed Wallace) and Rondo hitting jumpers. That gives us a huge, huge advantage. Cleveland and Orlando would have been more trouble, in my opinion, despite both being dropped by Boston. I think getting our revenge against the Celtics is going to prove to be the best situation we could ever ask for, because on paper, it's looking like all of the blocks are falling into place, in our favor.

Ray Allen, and Tony Allen, are nowhere near the level Tayshaun Prince was back on defense. Not even close. Perkins is definitely no Ben Wallace, either. Those two kept Bryant out of the paint. And no, the 2004 Lakers were not forced into shots on a regular basis, had they found it tough getting the ball into O'Neal. Just against Detroit, and that's mainly because outside of Kobe and Shaq, they had no production. Malone was injured and playing terribly, and Gary Payton was complete and utter garbage for us. If Kobe is doubled, and we can't get the ball into Gasol (which won't happen, but we'll pretend it will), Odom and Bynum will crush Boston, or Artest will have a field day with wide-open shots, or Fisher will get his wide-open looks. We're not talking about the 2004 Lakers. That's not necessarily true. The Magic are a prime example of that. Did you see the game last night? Boston was protecting the paint as good as they could, but it was Jameer who was slashing to the rim and getting fouled, or dumping the ball off down low to Howard for a bucket. The Celtics allowed Orlando to launch a few threes (28, to be exact), and it ended up biting them in the neck at the end of the game. You actually think the Celtics want Orlando to shoot threes? They were 4th in the league, almost 38% shooting, which is what won them so many games in the regular season (and they shot almost 36% last night). ---------- Ultimate factor in last night's win, though? Making Rondo work defensively, and defending him very well. As I've been saying the entire time, Kobe will be assigned Rondo. That's a problem for Boston now...maybe not in 2008, because Rajon was not the force he is today, but the 2010 Celtics have determined that Rondo is now their engine. Lakers fans will also tell you that, while he's not a great offensive threat, Derek Fisher can put any guard in the league in foul trouble, just as Nelson did to Rajon last night. With Pierce having to play more of a point-forward position last night, and needing a massive game just to keep up with Orlando...we have an answer for him as well, named Ron Artest, who almost dominated Kevin Durant in the first round. I am looking forward to it.

Nelson was aggressive, put him into foul trouble, and defended him very well. In doing so, Boston struggled shooting the ball (42% as a team), Rondo didn't reach double-digits in points OR assists, and Pierce was forced into making plays for everyone else, which also drained his energy late in the game.

Drew may not be playing much. He's just too damn slow out there. Even if he wanted to, Bynum can't run with the Suns. Artest and Odom can't screw up. If they start shooting poorly again, they need to back off and pass the ball more.

He's killing you AND the Magic, dude.

This game wasn't THAT hard to predict. I heard before my post that Jameer Nelson was going to be more aggressive, and that flipped the switch, instantly. Boston is arguably the best half-court defensive team in the NBA. Jameer's aggressiveness prevented a stagnate offense that dropped the ball into Dwight every single possession, with everyone else just standing there. Instead, Nelson took it to the rim every now and then, and found Howard and shooters. That's the way the point guard position is supposed to be played...searching for plays. By the way, Vince Carter SUCKS.

It's all good. Given the circumstances, you both can send me one. Just try and make it within three days, please.

You didn't specify a year in the title, so... Raiders: because Al Davis is history (thinking somewhere near 2020)

Bynum is a risk, but maybe a good one. On one side of the fence, he's got the potential to be a 20/12 player, maybe even better. His post moves and footwork are really, really good, and despite the lack of defense (which seems to be more about his lack of focus due to less shot attempts), he's a big body that can intimidate slashing guards. Only downside to it all are those knees. If they can't hold up through 30 minutes or less per game, third or fourth scoring option...how will they hold up as a primary scorer, over 30 minutes? Drew has had two major knee surgeries as a professional, and I believe he had one before he was drafted. After the season is up, he will go under the knife again. Big, big risk...but definitely a high reward if he stays healthy after this surgery.

Are we saying farewell to the Magic tonight? I have a feeling they will pull together and win one. Could definitely be wrong, though.