E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Vimu Subscription

NBA Loud - by Travis

I’d like to post about the previously finished NBA Draft. A lot of trades were completed/proposed making this years draft exciting and noteworthy. In this first post I will be going through the top five picks and thereafter with updates and all you need to know up to the minute stats and transactions.

Let’s get this post draft analysis going with the first overall pick for the Chicago Bulls DERRICK ROSE. Rose out of Memphis has a solid NBA body and can take the punishment as a player in the paint. He will mold himself into whatever type of player his team needs him to be as evident by the video below. He is one of the most ready-type players to enter the league. A truly solid addition to any team, kind of makes me think of the miss of Jay Williams. In which whom the Bulls took as the savior type PG years ago before he had his motorcycle accident stifling his promising career. With this pick Chicago puts themselves back into contention for a playoff spot in the East.

This video shows how Rose can affect the game as he will become a solid NBA-PG.

# 2

Undoubtedly the Miami Heat selected MICHAEL BEASLEY out of Kansas State. This PF needs no introduction to basketball fans as his huge wingspan makes up for any negativity about his height at the four spot. One of the perfect teams for Beasley to go to, I think his character issues would only become apparent if he were to have to battle with a solid proven veteran for his starting spot. He will be going in battling Udonis Haslem who has seen his stock drop as he needs to create more of his own offence. The heat I am sure are not finished in tweaking their team for the 08/09 season. Marion though will alleviate any concerns of the rookie being overmatched down-low as he is almost like an extra PF out there sometimes with his rebounding efforts and hustle in trying to make the right plays.

# 3

Minnesota at the third spot went with OJ MAYO, who I have seen and been hearing about for a good number of years. Mayo will be a solid two as at 6’4” 200lbs he is limited in selected positions, but this guy is just a born scorer and if he ends up in Grizz-town, look for him to team up with Rudy Gay as Mike Miller was moved with Memphis making the choice to let him go after he admittedly carried the Grizzlies last season at times. In return Minnesota looks to get #5 Kevin Love. I am in love with this deal as the T-Wolves send Antoine Walker also to MEM. Minnesota gets the scoring they desperately need and character guys, to build around. I know what fans may be thinking and no this isn’t the second coming of Wally World, Mike Miller is a gamer playing all three spots from 1-3 for the Grizz and did whatever was asked, as he became a versatile and proven scorer, unlike streaky Szczerbiak.

# 4

Russell Westbrook a surprise at number four as the top three had virtually been decided weeks beforehand. Westbrook though an unexpected pick is an explosive guard that will do well in this league especially when Seattle gets all the parts and can continuously run up and down with Durant and Green. The Sonics clearly want a guard that can break down the D and get up and down the court at breakneck speeds. They have found that guy with Westbrook. People want to compare him to NBA champion Rajon Rondo and maybe Monta Ellis, he is long and skinny and extremely athletic, time will tell if he can make the right passes for a long career with Durant by his side.

# 5

Care of NBADraft.net

Memphis picks Kevin Love at the number five spot and in turn will be sending him to Minnesota in the deal outlined in the third pick paragraph. Love is solid, not an athlete like the Grizz love at the four spot, but the T-Wolves just need ballers in which Kevin is for sure. Down-low he will be helped by Al Jefferson for sure on defense. Also he will have a great passer in Mike Miller to get the ball to him in good spots. I like Kevin Love on a solid team a rebuilding team he may flourish or sink as he’ll need to create his own offence and may struggle with the speed of the NBA at first.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Add Comments

Email this Post to a Friend

NBA Finals Preview

June 6th 2008 00:42

The greatest two weeks of the year has arrived as the NBA Finals are just about to begin. I guess I've made it obvious that basketball is my favourite sport; to me, nothing comes close to the excitement provided by the National Basketball Association. The past few Finals have not been the greatest in my opinion. Having the Spurs win last year and the Heat win the year before were probably two of my biggest nightmares. But an LA-Boston match-up? That's probably my dream come true. I would have rather seen Detroit beat Boston, but the rivalry between Boston and LA is unrivaled. It's probably the best match-up the NBA could ask for...

In this Finals, we have the top MVP candidate from each conference going head-to-head. Bryant wins his first MVP award and in the same season, makes his first Finals appearance of the post-Shaq era. Kevin Garnett helps turn around a dismal Boston franchise, and in one season, brings them from the bottom of the league to make his first NBA Finals appearance. Without the historic rivalry between these two franchises, there is already a pretty good storyline to back this series. But when you take into consideration that fact that these two teams have met in the Finals 10 times, it just magnifies the significance of this series by that much. The Celtics and Lakers are the top two most storied franchises in NBA history. Boston has taken 8 of the 10 series between the two teams and have more championships, but the Lakers are the more successful franchise in terms of wins.

The Lakers come into this series losing only three games throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. They swept Denver, beat Utah in six and defeated the Spurs in five. That's a pretty impressive line; beating three 50-win teams and only losing three games in the process is a feat in itself. The Celtics on the other hand struggled with the Hawks and took all seven games to decide that series. LeBron and the Cavs also took the Celts to seven, but the Celtics bounced back in Detroit to take that series in six games. Personally, I think the Celtics had a bit of an easier road to the finals, but somehow, they managed to lose 8 games in the process. That's quite a bit when you consider the fact that they only lost 16 games during the regular season. I think the Celtics have lost a step in the playoffs; maybe their starters are getting tired?

The Celtics were no doubt the best team in the league during the regular season, but after watching the Lakers towards the end of the season and throughout the playoffs, many (including myself) are now saying that the Lakers are the better team. Kobe will have his way with anyone the Celtics throw at him. I'd assume that Allen will take the primary duty of guarding Bryant, and I also expect to see Posey getting some extended minutes to help out in that respect. You can affect how he plays, but you can't stop Kobe Bryant. I can also see Gasol having his way with Perkins on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Pau's challenge will not be guarding Perkins, it will be providing the help defense on Garnett and Pierce. KG should be able to handle Odom on the defensive end, as he is one of few PFs who can guard the post as well as the rest of the floor. His speed and reach will allow him to keep up with Odom, something that many other big men have trouble doing. Odom will still get his rebounds as he has been doing these past few weeks, but I expect his scoring to be very limited in this series unless he decides to polish off his long-range shot and bring it out of the closet.

Paul Pierce will mop the floor with Radmonovic on both ends of the court. I don't expect to see much of Radmon during the series though. Look for Vujacic to take his place and either switch to the SG spot with Kobe or try to hold off Pierce on his own. Rondo and Fisher will be an interesting match-up. Fisher has had to go up against Williams and Tony Parker in these playoffs, so I think he is ready to take on Rondo... it's a bit of an easier challenge, but at the same time, Rondo is still a young, quick PG and Fisher will have to be at the top of his game to keep up.

I'm going to give the Lakers the advantage when it comes to the bench. Vujacic, Walton, Turiaf and Farmar should be able to hold their own while on the court. I don't see Sam Cassell doing much during this series. I'll give Leon Powe and Posey a bit of credit though; if they are used in the right capacity, I think they can do some damage on the floor. With that said, I think the Lakers have the upperhand going in this series. When you have Kobe Bryant leading a young squad that has shown no signs of slowing down, it's hard to bet against them. I think the Lakers are going to win it in six. I think they can take game one in Boston; we'll see how it goes from there.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Travis - Category: The Playoffs, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Playoff Officiating

May 29th 2008 20:54

After watching game 4 of the LA-San Antonio series, I thought it was time for me to address the issue of officiating in the playoffs, or just officiating in general. I'll start off by saying that Brent Barry was indeed fouled on that last second play by the Spurs. I'm a huge Lakers fan and even I felt a bit cheated after that play. I'm all for my team winning, but I don't want to hear any nonsense about how we only won because a foul was (or in this case, was not) called. With that said, the foul on Barry was not a shooting foul, so he would not have iced the game with his three free throws. Don't remember if LA was over the foul limit though, so it might have been two shots.

Another interesting referee-related issue regarding the Lakers-Spurs game 4. One of the refs in this game was veteran official, Joe Crawford. For those of you who don't remember, Crawford was suspended last season by the NBA after he and Tim Duncan got into a little argument. Nothing physical, but Crawford must have done something completely uncalled for for him to get suspended. The league is always quick to side with the refs so I found that one rather comical. But anyways, the issue being discussed prior to the game was whether or not Crawford should have been allowed to officiate the Spurs series. Even if there is no resentment or hate towards Duncan, there can always be that small hint of subjectiveness if a call is close. I don't know who botched that last call in game 4, but it would make my day if I found out it was Crawford.

There were also a few controversial calls in game five of the Detroit-Boston series. I believe a flagrant 1 was called against the Celtics in what I believe was a good playoff foul. We all know that the intent of the foul was to prevent the basket and there was no act of recklessness involved in the foul. It was a clean foul... there was nothing malicious about it. This is the playoffs and with the series tied at 2 apiece, you've got to expect that players are going to play hard to win the game. Later in the game, a similar foul was made and no flagrant was called. Inconsistent? Probably; but that was the right call to make in my opinion.

Overall, officiating in the playoffs have not been all that great. I'm not going to bother going into details. Instead, I'll offer some suggestions. When officials have really bad games, they should be punished. A suspension or something would suffice. Just to let them know that game-changing mistakes will not be tolerated. Currently, these guys fear nothing; they need something to keep them on their toes. Officials are supposed to be invisible; they should not impact the outcome of a game. They're supposed to make the calls and enforce the rules to the best of their abilities. Sometimes the refs let their egos get in the way and refuse to admit their mistakes when consulting with fellow officials to determine the call. With that said, these guys are pros and are doing their job better than any of us could do it. I criticize and offer up and opinion, but the bottom line is, they are human and humans make mistakes. We have the benefit of replay and slow motion when watching the game on tv. Refs don't have that when they're making the call on the court. But hopefully, the officiating improves in time for the Finals; we don't want to see a repeat of the '06 series featuring Miami and Dallas.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Comments (3)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Travis - Category: The Playoffs, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs

Email this Post to a Friend

Preview: Lakers vs Spurs

May 21st 2008 05:21

The Lakers are back in the Conference Finals, and they're facing the team they beat in a dramatic series back in '04. Most basketball fans remember than clutch shot against the Spurs hit by Derek Fisher with 0.4 seconds left in the game. As a Lakers fan, I loved that moment, and with Fisher back in an LA uniform, I'm looking for a repeat performance. I'm going to try and keep the bias aside for this preview, but I can't help but pick the Lakers to win this series in 6 and I'll explain why.

The Lakers rolled their way through the first two rounds rather easily by sweeping Denver and taking Utah in 6. Everyone expected LA to take out Denver, but there were a decent amount of people who thought Utah could take the series. I remember reading a John Holinger article a while back and he picked the Jazz to make it to the NBA Finals. From a statistical point of view, the Jazz were one of the best teams in the West and the Lakes outplayed them in four of their six games. The Lakers have proven that their high-powered offense can conquer any obstacle in their way. Bryant is still playing MVP worthy basketball and Gasol has stepped up his game to a whole new level.

I think the Spurs will be their greatest challenge yet, but I don't think they have what it takes to keep up with the Lakers. I admit, San Antonio has proven me wrong time and time again, but I think their luck has just about run out. Duncan and Gasol match up nicely as they can both score the basketball down low and have good shot-blocking abilities. Bryant will most likely be matched up against Bowen. Bowen will have Kobe on a short leash and create some problems for him, but in the end, I think Bryant can break free and score when his team needs him to. Odom will be the X-factor in this series. Anyone put on him will be a mismatch. If he's guarded by a big defender, he should be able to shake his man from mid-range and either take the shot or drive to the basket. A smaller defender will have even less of a chance against Odom as he has drastically improved his post game this season. I expect Fisher to get beat by Parker off the dribble, but with Parker's inability to hit the long range ball, I think his impact will be limited as he will have to drive past Gasol, Turiaf and Odom to get his points. With that said, I do believe that Parker has the ability to turn the series in San Antonio's favour. His performance against the Hornets (and Suns) has been one of the best PG performances I have seen in a while, although he has been shadowed by CP3's even more spectacular play. I don't think Ginobli can be stopped, so the Lakers will have to deal with him scoring 20 points, and just hope that he doesn't break loose for a huge game.

I can't see anyone outside of the Spurs' big three having an impactful series, which is why I think the Lakers will take the series. The stars matchup fairly evenly, but once you factor the bench and the role players, I think the Lakers have the advantage when it comes to skill and offensive firepower. The young guys on the Lakers' bench will mop the floor with the Spurs older bench vets. If Popovic wants a chance at making the NBA Finals, I think he's going to have to run his starters a lot more than they are used to. The Lakers' depth it what makes them dangerous, and I think it is what will win them this series.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Travis - Category: The Playoffs, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Why Kobe Bryant is the 07/08 MVP

April 30th 2008 20:24

The 2007-2008 NBA regular season has seen some of the most spectacular individual achievements that the league has seen in a long time. We've got Chris Paul, LeBron James and Dwight Howard all putting up monster statistical seasons. Let's not forget about Kevin Garnett; the man credited for the massive turnaround of what was once a dismal Celtics franchise. Garnett's spot in the MVP race is not based off of stats, but instead, his intangibles.

Then we have Kobe Bryant, who has been the lone superstar in Los Angeles for the past few seasons. Kobe assisted in the growth of a young Laker squad and put them atop the West early on in the season. While it may not have been his best season statistically, the 2007-2008 campaign was definitely Kobe's most impressive season as a leader and teammate. As a result, the Lakers finished first in the very tough Western Conference.

Bryant is the NBA MVP for a number of reasons. First of all, he was his team's most valuable player. Some of you may laugh at this, but it's easily the first step. Can we all say with absolute certainty that KG is the most valuable player on the Celtics? Didn't think so. KG and Pierce were almost even with regards to stats and I give Garnett the edge in defense. But KG only played 71 games during the regular season while Pierce played in 80. Is an MVP allowed to miss 11 games in a season? That's 13% of the games... which brings me to my next point.

Bryant played in all 82 games this season. A good portion of these games were played while Kobe was injured. If you watched him play, you wouldn't guess that he has to have surgery on his hand/finger at the end of the season, but he does. The guy did not take a break; he gave you an MVP-type performance almost every night. And he's still going strong into the playoffs as the Lakers just swept the 8th seeded Nuggets.

The Lakers finished first in the West. It doesn't make Kobe the MVP, but it sure adds to his case. He's the best player on the best team in the West (which also happens to be the best conference). Doesn't that sound good? The Lakers weren't even expected to win the division, much less the entire conference.

And to top it all off, Kobe had a monster season. He was second in the league in scoring and had another top-notch defensive season. He brought out that killer instinct when the time was right (see Dallas game). He dropped dimes as if he was a PG, and had some great all-around performances (see Denver playoff game). He's been doing this for the past few seasons and has evolved and learned even more ways to beat his opponents. He is the most effective game-changer in the league today, the most talented player in the league today, and above all else, he makes his team better. This is why Kobe Bryant will be your 2007/2008 NBA MVP.

Vote

Shared on

NBA Loud

Travis Friends

Comments (1)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Travis - Category: Player News, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

LeBron James Has a Need...a Need for Speed!

January 15th 2008 10:05

No, LeBron James wasn’t driving a bus loaded with a bomb. He was just ‘cruising’ in his Mercedes. Well, if you consider driving 101mph (163 km) a leisurely Sunday drive.

The cherry on top for King James, personalised plates “King of AK”, by the way, was that he

LeBron James does some legal driving. (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

was busted on his 23rd birthday. Ohio state police stopped Bron-Bron at 2.43 am, with the officer who pulled James over saying that he was polite and courteous.

James’ lawyer filed a not guilty plea in the municipal court with a scheduled hearing on February 11. If found to have broken the law, LeBron will face a $US150 fine. Ouch. That has got to hurt a guy who signed a $US100 million contract with a ubiquitous shoe company as an 18 year old.

To put LeBron’s actions in perspective 300, 000 people were busted for speeding last year in Ohio, with just 1400 going over 160 mph. Even more sobering was that former Cavs player Bobby Phillis was killed whilst travelling 160km per hour in his Porsche in 2000. So, he shouldn’t believe that he is bullet proof. Kings have been killed in the past.

In other NBA news, Andrew Bynum, the burgeoning Los Angeles Laker star is out of action for two months with a knee injury after landing on teammate, Lamar Odom’s foot, going for a rebound over the weekend.

Bynum’s injury is a huge blow for the Lake Show because his stellar play has helped the team become a Western Conference powerhouse.

The injury suffered by Bynum comes at a time when the Lakers are heading into a very tough schedule, facing some stiff competition.

Although, the injury looked serious initially, it could have been much worse. After MRI tests and an examination, Bynum had temporarily dislocated his knee cap. L.A. will be without Andrew for approximately two months, recovering in time for the Lakers playoff run.

With Bynum missing, Kobe Bryant will take a much larger role. Expect more highlights from the star Laker. For anyone who may have forgotten how talented Kobe is. Check out his top 10 highlights from 2007.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James

Email this Post to a Friend

Andrew Bynum is a Burgeoning Superstar.

December 27th 2007 09:58

No matter where you are in the world right now, please do NBALOUD this favour. Set your ears towards the direction of Los Angeles. More specifically, listen out for any noise coming from Kobe Bryant’s locker. What do you hear? Silence. Well, not white noise per se, but no trade demands or negativity. Want to know the reason why? Andrew

Andrew Bynum is on the rise. Just ask Kenyon Martin who has a front row seat. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Bynum.

The Lakers are playing better team basketball as a whole, and yes, we here at NBALOUD would like to retract our pre-season statement of saying Los Angeles sucked. They have been one of the big surprise packets for the season, and are balling at a very high level. Everyone has improved as a whole, but it is Bynum that is the most eye opening revelation.

Cast back your memories towards the pre-season and the release of an infamous tape that had Kobe cussing out Andrew and basically saying he was a worthless basketball player. Let’s just say that the Bean is singing a different tune now. All credit to Bynum as well, who shrugged it off and got down to business.

Anyone who watched the Christmas Day game between the L.A. Lakers and Phoenix Suns would have seen Bynum dominate Amare Stoudemire. Remember that Stoudemire was a First Team All-NBA choice too last season. Before the season, any comparisons between the two would have been crazy. Now, most experts agree that there is no way you would even want to swap Bynum for Stoudemire.

What Bynum brings to the table is a full smorgasbord of skills that are valuable to all teams wanting a complete big man – scoring, rebounding, and defence. He has soft hands and can catch anything within range. Better yet, Bynum is working with the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on a regular basis and is learning how to play the centre position effectively. Furthermore, Bynum is the second person to get to practice and the second last to leave. Who’s on first? Kobe Bryant.

The young fella is perhaps not as dominant as he should be just yet, but there are no weaknesses in his game, and his skill set will surely improve with time.

Right now he is perhaps only behind Dwight Howard and Yao Ming in terms of talent for a centre. He really is that good.

Oh, one more thing: He only turned 20 last October. Ah, to be young and talented.

Today’s video is of Andrew Bynum working his magic.

Vote

Comments (2)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Player News, Los Angeles Lakers

Email this Post to a Friend

Happy Festivus from NBALOUD! Also, Kobe Bryant Makes History.

December 24th 2007 06:05

Kobe Bryant once again hogged the NBA spotlight, but thankfully it was for something positive. The Bean scored 39 points today as his Lakers laid another beating on the crap Knicks, 95-90.

The 39 that Bryant dropped was historical because he became the youngest player ever to reach the 20, 000 point total for his career. To make his night even sweeter he added 11

Kobe Bryant making history in style. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

rebounds and eight assists, all the while doing it in Madison Square Garden – the spiritual home of basketball.

What cannot be doubted once again, as if anyone dared to for starters, is that Kobe’s flair for the dramatic is unsurpassed in pro-hoops. From having animated conversations to Spike Lee and Chris Rock, along with the post-game press conference, showing off his daughters, Bryant loves to be the centre of attention.

"I always like playing here, period," Bryant said. "Last year I didn't have an opportunity to play and I was upset about it. This is my favourite arena to play in so I'm just happy and relieved that I was able to play tonight." (Mahoney, AP, 2007)

In reaching the 20, 000 point mark, Kobe pipped Wilt Chamberlain at 29 years, 134 days, and Michael Jordan at 29 years, 326 days, becoming the third player to reach the milestone before the age of 30. For the record, Kobe scored the historic points at 29 years, 122 days. Huzzah!

Los Angeles have had a handy road trip as well, going 3-1 with today’s win and returning home in good spirits.

New York on the other hand played ugly basketball, with the scoreline flattering the hopeless Knicks. The team representing Gotham was without Stephon Marbury for the second straight game, and they stunk. The lowest ebb for the Knicks was during the second quarter when they managed the quite unbelievable distinction of making no assists. That is no one helping out with the scoring effort! Ouch.

It got real ugly though when New York’s Quentin Richardson threw the ball over the head of a wide open, Jamal Crawford earning the wrath of the judgemental Knicks crowd. That should have been at least ONE assist for the quarter, but no.

Anyway, enough about the Knicks, because the real story is Bryant and his wonderful efforts. All hail the Bean!

Finally, we here at NBALOUD like to wish all our wonderful readers a Happy Festivus!

Today’s video is of Baron Davis discussing what he wants for Christmas.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: All Stars, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Corey Maggette gets Crazy Like Seal.

December 17th 2007 12:42

Corey Maggette is full of highlights. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Call in Rage Against the Machine because there was a battle for Los Angles today between the two teams from la-la land. There isn’t much competition as to who dominates the games and hearts between these two franchises. Kind of like Barcelona and Espanyol in the Spanish La Liga? Who? The other Catalan team! Didn’t know one existed did you, dear reader?

The Lakers have been stellar and are Hollywood, while the Clippers are the valley. No, offence to those who reside in the valleys of L.A.

Kobe Bryant was the headline act, but he was close to being a no show after injuring his groin in their last game. Well, Kobe isn’t the type to let a little groin problem get in the way of his basketball, scoring a very handy 32 points.

Although, the Lake Show won 113-92, it was Corey Maggette who provided the most memorable highlight when he made a bank hook shot from 48 feet away. "It was a crazy

Greg who? Brandon Roy is da man for Portland! (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

shot," Bryant said. "It was a lucky shot. He's a strong dude, man." (AP, 2007)

Boston Celtics win…Boston Celtics win…Boston Celtics win…

It’s getting a tad predictable isn’t it? Dominating on the defensive end, the Celtics matched their longest winning streak in 14 years. Boston is also 20-2 for the season, and the last time they managed such an opening stanza – they won the championship.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett did the damage as usual overcoming the Toronto Raptors, 90-77.

The Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the league and they showed off their shot stopping chops for the world to see.

"Our philosophy is that defence is going to win games for us," Garnett said. "We're trying to have the defence fuel the offence, and it's been working." (AP, 2007)

In all honesty, it would be great if the Celtics had another championship year because their star trio deserve at least one title.

Performance of the Day.

Who needs, Greg Oden? The Portland Trail Blazers certainly aren’t missing their number one pick if Brandon Roy keeps on ballin’ the way he has. Last season’s Rookie of the Year had 26 points and 11 assists in a starring role.

Portland deposed of the Denver Nuggets, 116-105. The Blazers were mighty impressive in this game because they also overcame a hot shooting night from Allen Iverson who scored 38 points.

A.I. may have got his, but it is Brandon Roy who is our performer of the day.

Today’s top 10 plays are on show. Watch Maggette’s crazy basket.

Vote

Comments (2)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Games, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Coach Phil Jackson is in the Money!

December 1st 2007 08:12

An illustration at how out-of-this-world, American sports are compared to the rest of the globe: Los Angeles Lakers coach, Phil Jackson has just signed a 2-year extension for $24 million! Allow NBALOUD to reiterate the point once again – a coach is getting $12 million a year!

A coach. Twenty-four million.

The Zen Master is now tied to Hollywood till the ’09-’10 season and if there is any man on the sidelines that deserves this type of money, Lucky Phil would be the prime candidate. In terms

Now that Phil Jackson is a little richer, maybe, he can buy a new suit. (Image from nba.com)

of American sports, there hasn’t been anyone near the type of win-loss ratio in any professional league.

Jackson is a proven performer, and the Hall of Fame coach is better at winning titles and managing egos better than any coach out there. The $24 million extension comes hot on the heels of the initial $30 million for three years which, Phil signed for in 2004, believed to be the richest for a coach in league history.

Kobe Bryant has wholeheartedly endorsed the extension: “I think it's great. He's clearly, in my opinion, the greatest coach of all time,” Bryant said. “So when you can lock him in, that's always a great thing.” (AP, 2007)

Unfortunately for the Lakers this doesn’t mean that, Bryant will be staying in Hollywood, although, his beef isn’t with Phil.

Luckily for the Lakers, Phil’s signature wasn’t tied with guarantees that the Bean would still be around: "The decision to return as coach, and the decision to be asked to return as coach, both had very little to do with Kobe Bryant and very little to do with the talent here," Jackson said. "It's about the proximity that I feel to this organization, the comfort I feel working for this organization, and the progress I think we're making." (AP, 2007)

Make no mistake, Phil is a savvy operator and he recognises that the young talent in L.A. is slowly starting to come through, and the Lakers also recognise that the Zen Master is the only coach in the NBA that could keep Kobe in check.

Without, Jackson on the sidelines, the hopes of keeping, Bryant on board would be even slimmer. What’s more is that players such as Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton are breaking through to the other side!

So, if you’re a budding coach. Go, to the United States where one day you might be a lucky, Phil.

Today’s video is of the top 10 plays.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: Misc, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Reasons Why Kobe Bryant is Still with the Lakers.

November 10th 2007 00:20

At the end of the second week of a new NBA season, one big question still remains: Why is Kobe Bryant still with the Los Angeles Lakers? Well, there are a myriad of reasons as to why the Bean is still in the Lake Show, and, you, my ever so inquisitive reader will get some of the answers to that probing question.

It is quite perplexing to realise that the so-called ‘best player in the league’ still can’t find a solid suitor outside of Chi-Town, but with some deeper digging, we can give some explanation as to why that is the case.

Let’s begin with our analysis of Kobe being the best player in the league. Yes, his skill set is remarkable, showing absolutely no signs of weakness in his game. From defence, passing, and of course, scoring, the man is a basketball machine. No, one catches fire like, Kobe, and if he is intent on having a big night, look out.

However, Bryant isn’t a very efficient basketball player in the sense when we combine his stats, with say, the percentage of baskets made a night in comparison to the amount of shots taken.

Not convinced? How about Chad Ford’s argument as to why, Kobe may not be the best. Of course this question has been getting a lot of mileage lately in the NBA universe, with ESPN.com writer, Ford, eloquently stating his case as to why the Bean isn’t the greatest by

Number 24 wants to replace number 23 as the greatest. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

comparing him to, Dirk Nowitzki, especially in the case of postseason performance.

“How does Bryant's postseason prowess compare to Nowitzki's? In the playoffs, Dirk has more points per game, more rebounds per game, more blocked shots per game, a higher field-goal percentage, a higher 3-point field-goal percentage and a higher free-throw percentage. In the past three seasons, Nowitzki has led his team to the NBA Finals, while Bryant hasn't won a single playoff series.” (Ford, ESPN.com, 2007)

Ouch. That has got to hurt some of the Kobe fans out there.

The other question that surrounds discussion of trading for Kobe is this: Does Bryant actually win? Well, yes, the man has three championship rings to show, but wasn’t this with Shaquille O’Neal? Yes, would be the short answer.

Here is the more longwinded one.

For a sobering analysis in regards to the question of Kobe as a winner, consider this – Bryant hasn’t won a playoff series since Shaq left the bright lights of Hollywood! Also, in case you have forgotten, the Daddy has collected another championship ring since he changed Robins.

Look, there is no doubting, Kobe’s desire to win. His will to overcome is probably without peer, but he wants to do it on his own terms – all the shots, accolades, numbers, it has always been about, Kobe. He criticises teammates far too easily and actually has Phil Jackson on the sidelines!

Let’s also not forget that he chased, Shaq out of town on the belief that he could win titles on his own. O’Neal may have been once the most dominating player ever, and if, Kobe really cared about winning at all costs, he would have tried to keep the tandem going.

Finally, straight cash, homey! Kobe’s contract is huge and to make an actual deal would potentially involve a number of players for Bryant. It is also more difficult to trade during the season when league rules mandate a specific number of players on an NBA roster.

Kobe is set to make around $19 million this season alone, which league rules requiring that any trades fall within a certain percentile, in this case 25%. This would mean that potential suitors would have to give up around $15 million of talent. Furthermore, the Lakers have shown that they want young players as well, which doesn’t make things easier when you consider, Kobe’s age and the mileage on his motor.

Well, there you have it. Reasons why the best player in the league hasn’t found a happy home yet.

Today's video is of yesterday's G-State Warriors/Dallas Mavericks game where Baron Davis makes a play that has to be seen to be believed!

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Stanley - Category: All Stars, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant

Email this Post to a Friend

Bulls and Lakers Attempt to Reach a Deal For Kobe.

October 29th 2007 10:00

There are many things that could be said about Kobe Bryant, what isn’t in dispute is the fact that he knows how to create drama. Anyone who doesn’t think that the Bean should be in Hollywood should, stop, and take notice to the soap opera that surrounds the world of Kobe. No, one does suspenseful drama like, Bryant.

Los Angeles and Kobe still want to part ways, with the most serious suitor this moment being the Chicago Bulls. In fact, rumour has it that the two franchises have been doing a merry dance for awhile now in trying to hammer out a workable deal.

Talks have been happening on a daily basis but Kobe’s unique ‘no trade clause’ is throwing a spanner in the works. Basically, the Bean can void any trade that doesn’t meet his satisfaction and guess what? He is the only player in the NBA that has such a clause!

The Lakers are asking for a package which includes Bulls young guns, Luol Deng, Ben

Kobe Bryant is always spectacular. (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. For the uninitiated, that is a lot of talent for one player, even if Kobe is the best player in the NBA. Naturally, the Bulls are balking at such a deal, whilst Bryant wouldn’t want to go to a team that has been gutted in such a manner – he may as well stay in La-La Land if that was the case.

Making things even more complicated is the Laker front office seems to have been split into two factions: one that wants to keep Kobe, whilst the other wanting to give Bryant the shaft.

Coach Phil Jackson amidst all of this chaos is questioning the commitment of his star player. “Obviously he hasn't thrown his heart and soul into performing on the floor," Jackson told reporters after practice Saturday. "That hurts me a little bit. … He was going to work at this thing and [would] put his full being into this. Right now, he's having a hard time doing that.” (ESPN.com, 2007)

So, what is Bryant’s response to Moonbeam’s comments? Displaying both the arrogance, and unbelievable ability to harness his skills no matter what the circumstance that has made him both loved and loathed in equal measure, Kobe said the following: “That [should be] the least of his concerns or anybody's concerns…You don't have to worry about that. … I'm ready to play. Period. You don't have to worry about me.” (ESPN.com, 2007)

Kobe is definitely correct in that assessment – you don’t have to worry about him bringing his ‘A’ game every night.

Watch this space for more on the Kobe saga.

Today’s video is of the Bean’s top 10 career dunks. Nasty.

NBA Loud - by Travis

Los Angeles Lakers - NBA Loud

The 2008 NBA Draft

NBA Finals Preview

Playoff Officiating

Preview: Lakers vs Spurs

Why Kobe Bryant is the 07/08 MVP

LeBron James Has a Need...a Need for Speed!

Andrew Bynum is a Burgeoning Superstar.

Happy Festivus from NBALOUD! Also, Kobe Bryant Makes History.

Corey Maggette gets Crazy Like Seal.

Coach Phil Jackson is in the Money!

Reasons Why Kobe Bryant is Still with the Lakers.

Bulls and Lakers Attempt to Reach a Deal For Kobe.