NBA Finals Game 7: A Night to Remember

     For six games, the Heat and Spurs played to a stalemate. It was a series that featured feats of excellence, drama, the sweet taste of victory and the agony of bitter defeat. We saw both teams play basketball the way it was supposed to be played.  It was a riveting 7 game series that gave fans a riveting and compelling drama.   

       Tonight, was no different. Both teams played each other with vigor, determination and a never give up never say die demeanor. Yes, it was sloppy at times, with the sloppy passing and execution.  Yet, both teams left everything on the floor because tomorrow, there would be no basketball to be played.

     Both teams played so well this series that any of them was deserving of the trophy. Alas, only one team can win and that was the Miami Heat.  It was a hard fought 95-88 victory and a very deserving one to say the least. 

      Miami did the little things: hustle, rebounding, and making timely shots. They were the aggressive team going to the 50/50 loose balls. One such example, the Spurs had three chances to score at the rim. Miami stopped them and hustled for the ball in the baseline to gain possession.    

      It was a team that has been polarized in the last two years, that came through when the moment presented itself. None have been more polarized than Lebron James. 

       Lebron was once again stupendous and downright dominant. The Spurs dared him to shoot jumpers, which has been inconsistent. On this night, he was making big shot after big shot. His shooting especially from beyond the arc, was amazing as he was deadly. 

    None bigger than the jumper with 29 seconds left. For years, the narrative was that he was never a closer or crunch time killer. Whether true or not, Lebron made perhaps the biggest shot of his career to date, with a jumper over Kawhi Leonard. It would put the Heat in the driver seat to their 2nd championship in 3 years. Additionally, it was the cherry on top of a dominating 37 and 12 tour de force performance along with his 2nd NBA Finals MVP. 

    Not to be outdone, Dwayne Wade gave big support as his jumper was spot on. He came up with important shots in the 1st Half and in the 4th and final quarter to keep the relentless Spurs at bay.

         Miami also  got timely shooting from Mario Chalmers and a guest appearance by Shane Battier. They came up huge with their shooting, which was the catalyst for the Heat runs. Shane was a sniper whose shot finally returned after a long absence. He made the Spurs pay for leaving him open. Chalmers played solid  defense and made perhaps the biggest shot of the third quarter. with heat down two in the final seconds, he nailed a 35 foot buzzer beater that turned it into a one point advantage with the 4th and deciding quarter looming.

  As for the Spurs, this was another bitter pill to swallow for such a classy group of guys. If they had won, it would have been a feather on the cap of a franchise that has quietly been in contention for a long long time. They came very very close but they could not convert. None more devastating than when Duncan drove to the paint for a driving hook that 9 times out of 10, he would convert.  Alas, it cruelly did not go thru or when Danny Green stole a lazy Heat pass and missed an open three point shot that could have tied the game. It is moments like this, that will haunt this Spurs team long after they have hung up their sneakers and until the day they pass on from this planet.

  As for the back to back champs, it is a job well done for persevering in the face of adversity. They earned the title and that is something that no one will take away. 

  That is, until next November where everyone will be going after them.But, they will also be chasing something else as well, history. Miami will be chasing a 3-peat and becoming the first team to reach the NBA Finals for the 4th consecutive year since 1987 Boston Celtics. We'll certainly tune in next Fall when they come back for a new season. Till then, have a wonderful Summer.

NBA Finals Game 6: Heat live to fight another day.

          Once again, Miami faced perhaps its biggest game in its history. It was a night where it could have gone any different direction. In fact, it seemed that the Heat were just about dead at various points in the game.

           At one point, the fans were leaving with just under 30 seconds left. The champagne was being loaded into the Spurs locker room to prepare for the coronation of their 5th NBA Championship. The tarp to cover the lockers may have been a few steps from the locker entrance.

           The prognosis for the Heat was bleak and the turnovers by Lebron in crunch time, would have been the topic of conversation for the whole summer. It seemed that the Spurs were gonna win the title. That was....except the Miami Heat.

           Miami got the crucial rebound and made the big shots. Yet, they needed some luck. They got it from a missed free throw by Kawhi Leonard and an amazing corner three point shot by Ray Allen as he was falling away.


           All of a sudden, the Heat had life and for the next five minutes, made the necessary plays to win the game. Yet, it was not easy as the game was perilously going sideways. One moment, it was the Spurs who had the advantage and in the blink of an eye, the Heat and so on. To put it simply, this game was roller coaster thriller that kept you guessing till the final buzzer sounded.

         Lebron James was invisible and a non factor for three quarters. In fact, it seemed that we were seeing flashbacks of that infamous 2011 NBA Finals for most of the game. Suddenly, when his headband came off, his game went up several notches. He was aggressive to the paint and posted up to get the Heat back from a 10 point deficit in the 4th Quarter. No matter what people will say, Lebron came to play tonight. He left it all on the floor with a triple-double (32 pts. 11 rebounds and 10 assists). 


       Bosh made some big plays and came up with the big rebounds that may perhaps have saved the Heat season for a few more days. He played timely post defense when Duncan was putting up a classic performance with 30 and 17. In addition, a crucial block on Danny Green's potential game tying three point shot. Mario Chalmers played well and put up 20 big points. None bigger than that three point shot that brought the Heat to within 5 after being down 10 early in the 4th Quarter.
 
    As for the Spurs, it's a bitter pill to swallow. They had that game in their possession. It was theirs for the taking along with the accolades for a low key Franchise who has been viewed as bland and businesslike. Unfortunately, they couldn't hold on to it. Now, they'll face a seventh game where the road teams rarely win  Game 7 in the 2-3-2 format.


     The Heat were very very lucky to win this game. But sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. Miami will take it as they head to a Game 7 where anything no matter how impossible is possible.

NBA Final Game 5: The Wrath of Manu and Danny Green.

        Over the last three days, their was talk of the Heat regaining control of this series. In addition, Manu contemplating his retirement after four subpar performances. Manu was once a magician with the ball and turning flops into an art form. He gave fans two emotions: amazement and boiling hot resentment.

        He was part of  perhaps, the best group of basketball players (Andreas Nocioni, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino, Fabricio Oberto and Walter Hermann to name a few) to ever come from the country of Argentina.    A country best known for corned beef, Eva Paron, economic turmoil, Argentinian soccer (including the colorful Diego Maradona), and the best soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi. Internationally, he was a superstar who won the highest accolades that Euroleague, FIBA and the Olympics had to offer since he first showed up in 1995 at the tender age of 17.

       Yet, it seemed though he had seen better days as Manu looked more and more closer to retirement than someone who could help the Spurs go over the hump to capture their 5th NBA Championship. His shots that once tickled the twine at any time, were hitting the rim or just falling very short. His dazzling passing vision looked as though they were covered in cataracts. To put it simply, Manu was heading to the end of the NBA line.

     Tonight, he gave the world, a performance that was beautiful to watch. It made us remember why we loved watching him play every single night. He was put into the starting lineup in what may have been the his final game in a Spurs uniform, since Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City.

      It was a risky gamble by the Spurs, but it paid off in more ways than one. Manu started off by hitting his 1st shot, a three point shot, which got him going for 26 points. He was fitting passes into tight windows for easy buckets, which led to 10 assists. Overall, Manu was just incredible but the question is, Will he have enough in the tank to push the Spurs over the top for their 4th NBA Championship with Parker and Duncan? Only time will tell.......

    Not to be outdone, Danny Green continued his hot shooting where he made six three point shots on the way to a 24 point night along with 3 blocks. Not only that, but he broke the All Time NBA Finals three point field goals record, which was set by Ray Allen in the 2008 NBA Finals. He came out firing along, which keeping the Heat defense honest and scrambling alongside Manu. Not bad for a guy, who was waived by two teams and seemed ready to play overseas.


    Together, these two alongside Tony Parker's 25 points, Kawhi's defense (3 steals) and Tim Duncan's all around performance (17 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks) helped power the Spurs to victory. While shooting an out of this world, 60% against a Miami Heat team that keeps the lid on the basket. It was a night eerily similar to Game 3 but the Spurs will  take it as the scene shifts to Miami for Games 6 and 7.

  As for the Heat, they will need clamp up the Spurs 3pt. shooting, which has proven to be handful. In addition, they will have to contain Tony Parker, which at this point, is easier said than done. They must make the appropriate adjustments if they want any chance at defending their NBA championship.Otherwise, Miami will face the prospects of an unrelenting Summer of uncertainty where anybody and anything is on the table.

NBA Finals Game 4: Resiliency is in Miami's DNA

       For two days, there was a sense that the Miami Heat's championship aspirations of a Dynasty was fading from view. Should the Heat not comeback from such an embarrassing defeat, the question would arise about their future. Where will Lebron go next year? Will Chris Bosh get traded? What will become of the roster? It seems that the epitaph of the Heat's run was being written before Game 5 was set to begin.

       Lebron, Wade and Bosh along with the supporting cast needed to respond. It was another test to their mettle. Time after Time, they have been written off and have resoundingly shown resilience in the face of adversity. Will Tonight be any different?

   Tonight, they proved once again that they will not go into that gentle goodnight and showed us why  at one point, why they won 27 straight games this season. It was a vintage performance by the Big 3 and the supporting cast. They presented a much better effort on the defensive and offensive side.

    They trapped, disrupted and forced the Spurs sterling offensive movements into unforced errors. As a team, the Heat forced the Spurs to commit 17 turnovers and fueled the dormant Miami fast break. They set out to minimize the effectiveness of the Spurs three point shooters. There were bodies crashing the boards and tipping the ball out to friendly teammates wearing black and red.
  
    Dwayne Wade was vintage Wade. He was spry, aggressive and showed flashes of the 2006 NBA Finals that led to his first NBA ring. Wade slashed and made a dunk that was just plain vicious in the 4th Quarter over hot shooting Gary Neal. Perhaps it was too early to write his obituary as an elite player in the league. His 32 points helped shoulder the load for Lebron and the Heat.

   Not to be outdone, Chris Bosh showed up and played great defense. Bosh blocked shots and rebounded with vigor. His efforts on the defensive end, were rewarded by Wade and his teammates who were feeding Bosh with buckets near the rim. Bosh finished with 20 and 13 along with 2 blocks.

   Lebron was back to being classic Lebron James with a 33 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assist game. Lebron was a defensive hawk who jumped passing lanes to set up the Heat fast break. From the first minute and till the final buzzer, he played with determination in making sure the series would be tied heading into Sunday. He tipped the 50/50 balls to teammates, found the open man for big shots. Most notably on the fast break making a fantastic pass to Ray Allen for a wide open three shot that gave the Heat breathing room as the Spurs were making another run to chip away at the Heat's lead.

  Topping it off, Lebron went on to make three shots in the final seconds with the game well in hand. Was it vindictive? To some,  it will be a matter of topic in the days ahead, but to Lebron, it was perhaps his way of sending a message to those who criticized his passivity two night previously.

    The Heat's shooting stroke returned, as Ray Allen scored 14 points. Mike Miller was Mike Miller with his shooting along with flashes of good defense. Mario Chalmers made two timely three point shots in crucial situations in the second half.

   As for the Spurs, they must regroup and make the necessary adjustments, which they will make heading into Game 5. The minimization of turnovers is an absolute must if they want any chance of winning. They must get better production from Splitter and Manu who made some questionable decisions with the ball that led to damaging turnovers.

   How both teams respond on Sunday, could decide how this series ends in what has become a chess match between two of the best teams in the NBA this year.

  

Game 3: The Heat NEAL BEFORE the Spurs

          Thru two games, the series has been tied which brought both excitement and at the same time awe. It's a series that is billed as a battle between two philosophies. It features a Spurs team that was built thru the draft, excellent player development and scouting. They're the Gold Standard of what every small market team aspires to be in the NBA. A team that has been to 4 NBA Finals and has won all four of them.

      In the other corner, stands a team built thru Free Agency in a city just as attractive as L.A and NYC.  A place with enough salary cap space to compel the great NBA talents to join forces and become perhaps the most polarizing team in the History of Professional sports. A team that currently is writing its own history with a run of 3 NBA Finals and 1 NBA Championship that's hoping to repeat.

   Game 1 was close as San Antonio who won on perhaps one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals History, which has been rehashed into an Oral History . In addition, they were clean in the turnover department. Yet, Miami took control in Game 2, thanks to timely shooting and suffocating D that rendered the Spurs helpless to the 3rd and 4th Quarter onslaught.

    The stage was set as the scene heads to the Alamo where two teams will vie to take control of the series. It's a night where statistically speaking the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the NBA championship, 92% of the time. The question was which of these two teams would come out of with a decisive 2-1 lead in a series that has many twists and turns yet to come.

   Tonight, it was the San Antonio Spurs who returned the favor to the Miami Heat. Not only did they win the game, but they blitzed them with their three point shooting and were maniacal in their defensive effort/intensity.

     Leading the 3pt. parade down the River Walk, was Gary Neal and Danny Green who were playing out of their collective minds. Neal scored 24 points on 6-10 three point shooting where his shooting was awe-inspiring to watch from a basketball fan perspective and terrifying if you're a Heat fan. 

    Along with Danny Green, they both combined for 51 points and 13-19 shooting from beyond the arc. Their shooting were instrumental in staunching any potential Heat run in the second quarter, culminating in a Neal buzzer beating 3pt that stretched the Spurs lead to six at Halftime.


     In addition, the defensive effort of Kawhi Leonard whose length bothered Lebron and also wreaked havoc on the Heat passing lanes which lead to the barrage of 3pt shots and fast break opportunities. Leonard was a rebounding machine who out-rebounded Chris Bosh with 12 rebounds to go along with 4 steals. His rebounding was one of the big reasons why the Spurs had a 52-36 rebounding edge.

    Along with their rebounding, the Spurs effort was evident as seen by Danny Green and Tim Duncan hustling for the loose ball that led to a Spurs fast break opportunity as well as a put-back layup in the Third Quarter. San Antonio dove for every loose ball, rebound, and played with a purpose. They were relentless and forced Miami into uncomfortable situations in the 3rd and 4th Quarters.

   In essence, the Spurs were just a half step quicker and the Heat just a few steps slower. As a result, the Spurs have a 2-1 lead and the Heat now have to find remedies to yet again turn the momentum to their side. 

   Otherwise, they'll see their chances to defend their Championship sink into the depths of the San Antonio River Walk never to be seen ever again.  

   

The Spurs methodical play takes down wounded Lakers.

       Heading into Game 2, the Lakers knew that they needed to win, if they wanted a chance to win this series. This was perhaps one of their only chances to make a move in a season where so much had gone terribly wrong. It may also perhaps be the last time these players actually play together after this season.

      They had a plan of attack to take down the Spurs and for about a few quarters they hung with them. They even took the lead for brief moments. Los Angeles was within striking distance for some of the game. Yet, Tony Parker and the Spurs had an answer for them at every corner.

    In the end, the Spurs were just too good and showed us why they've been best of the best for nearly 15 years. They broke down them down with crisp passing, fast breaks as well as Parker's penetration which led to layups and open jumpers. Their movements were like clockwork as they got into their offensive and defensive sets.

    Parker led the charge with 28 points where he abused the ensemble of Laker guards who were either solid to downright hurt. He penetrated past them for floaters, layups, jumpers and passes that led to open shots for Matt Bonner as  well as Tim Duncan, which led to seven assists.

    Along with that, the ageless Tim Duncan frustrated Pau Gasol as well as Dwight Howard at times. He was just plain old consistent. Never up or down, just about where he usually is, which was 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.

    In addition, the Spurs got solid contributions across the board such as big shots by Matt Bonner when the Lakers were within 2 in the 2nd Quarter.  He made big three point shots when they needed him to the tune of 10 points and 5 rebounds in 29 minutes. Kawhi Leonard athleticism and defense that left the visitors flat footed. Yet, who could forget the Manu who was like another point guard who found the right guys for buckets to the tune of 7 assists and 13 points in just 19 efficient minutes.

     As for the Lakers, they roster kept taking hit after hit. Steve Nash played admirably. Nash was 4 of 8 in 32 minutes for 9 points and 6 assists but his play barely made a stamp on the game itself. He tried his best but it seemed more like he was best suited to rest and recover rather than put on sneakers.

     Steve Blake was so-so to the tune of 16 points and  and did what he could against Tony Parker. To a certain extent, he was able to slow him down but he was yet another Laker who got dinged by the injury bug as he strained his hamstring. It's yet another injury to which the Lakers could ill-afford as their roster were dropping like flies across the AT&T Center floor.

     The Laker big men were rendered ineffective as the Dwight and Pau combined for just 29 points on 12 of 27 shooting. They had their moments but the Spurs made it tough for them by forcing other Lakers to beat them. They didn't.

   Now, they are now facing the prospect of starting Game 3 with Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock who was in the D-League just nearly two weeks ago as their starting backcourt. It's a far cry from their dream backcourt of Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant who are perhaps done for the season.

 Right now, the Spurs are in the driver seat to breeze through the Lakers and make yet another deep run into the postseason. Should they prevail in this series, they will take on the winner of the Warriors/Nuggets shootout. They are hungry to win a NBA Championship and it's something they're itching to win it along with potentially dethroning the Miami Heat. Oh, what a series that might be should they meet but they have get past OKC and the tough West. That's a tall order but the Spurs believe it can be done. We'll see......

    
    

A Team Effort and Scalding hot shooting paces Warriors to Victory

     Following the heartbreaking loss of Game 1 and their best big man, David Lee. The Warriors look like wounded animals that were ready to be made sacrificial lambs for the Denver Nuggets. It was a night where Denver who had only lost 3 games all of last year would capitalize by sending this plucky team back to the Bay Area down 2-0.

     Well, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors had other ideas as they played with no fear and of course nothing to lose. They outplayed the Nuggets and even shot the lights out. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson put on a shooting clinic making nearly every shot they attempted. Boy, were they a joy to watch them stroke the ball.

    In a game where every member of the Warriors had to play their best, Harrison Barnes unleashed hell upon a dazed and confused Nuggets team. He stroked three pointers when he got the chance as the Nuggets left him alone. They thought Barnes would not let them pay as he was invisible in Game 1.

    Denver picked the wrong night to gamble on that, as Harrison Barnes put up a game to remember as he was unstoppable in the 4th Quarter. He helped keep the Nuggets at bay with his shooting, defense and high flying athleticism that made a scouts think he would be the Next Kobe Bryant just a few short years ago.

   The bench for Golden State also played a big role knocking down big shots and preventing easy transition buckets for Nuggets team that absolutely thrives on them like a kid on a huge sugar rush. In other words, they made Denver look ordinary without the transition buckets and fast break.

   Now, the series goes to back to Oracle Arena and a rabid fan base that has been hungry for a team good enough to match their energy in the Playoffs. It's now a series where both teams will fight for every rebound, point and advantage. It's now officially a series.

    

Boston to Terror: We Will Not Back Down

   Early in the week, a horrific tragedy befell the city of Boston following what should have been a day for family and recreation. Instead, it turned into a day of carnage and Infamy, It was a day that many will never forget, as the Boston Marathon finish line was bombed that inflicted several injuries as well as amputees and three dead.

   Yet, much like 9/11, America and Boston became united as one. They were no longer a group of people that came from different races, religions or politics but Americans. In that for all the loss, there is a sense of human defiance in the face or fear and aggression that's ingrained in the people of Boston.

    It's a sense that brings pride to the city and is uniquely American. After all, it was the  one of the places where the American Revolution was born. The pride and a sense of community for a common cause is crystallized in this clip below



It's where Rene Rancourt who sings the National Anthem for the Boston sports teams found difficulty in singing the National Anthem. Thankfully, 19,000 people at TD BankNorth Garden became a chorus that brought chills and emotions of Patriotism that made everyone feel great to be an American.

Kings vs. Clippers: One Night in Sacramento.

          It was the final night of the 2012-13 NBA season, it was a night where for most, it was the start of their vacation plans and/or rebuild in the hopes of landing that next great player that can bring them out of despair. For others, it was a night where if you win and you're in. 

          Yet, as much as most people were focused on whether the Lakers or Jazz would make the playoffs, which would have been a riveting night to watch. I decided to watch the Kings/Clippers game instead.

Why?
       
        You know what, that's a good question. I thought about why I should do such a thing but after watching the Jazz lose to the Grizzlies thus sealing their fate and sending the Lakers to the playoffs. It made the decision easier to watch the Kings/Clippers instead but I would check the Rocket/Laker game from time to time.

       Another reason for this rationale, was that I wanted to pay my respects to a fan base that perhaps was going watch the last live NBA game in their city. It was bittersweet as they have supported this team thru thick and thin in an arena that looks like a dumpy house compared to the palatial residences their NBA peers currently reside.

      Losing season after season, they supported and cheered them on, even though the product on the court did not match the enthusiasm of the crowd 90% of the time. They showed up night after night for nearly 30 years, even as their team was long out of contention. They have endured thru terrible ownership that made an unwise investment  in Las Vegas and are now paupers in Princely garbs.

     Now, they're losing their team to another that also lost their own in the most crushing way possible. It's a sad cycle that has befallen Sacramento and Seattle. They are cities who both deserve NBA teams.

    Alas, there will only be one who will get to see Pro Basketball in the Fall of 2013 while the other will see the lights dark in their arena. This league is a business, nothing less, nothing more.

    That's why, I decided to watch the Kings play even as the Lakers/Rockets game went into overtime on a crazy Chandler Parsons splash. Boy, was I rewarded for making that decision even though I could do no wrong with either in retrospect.

       It was a game where it was thrilling as the Clippers were playing for Home Court while the Kings were trying end the season a high note. The Clippers and Kings went basket for basket with Crawford splashing two big splashes while the Kings responded with DeMarcus Cousins who has immense talent but very temperamental going to work against Ryan Hollins.
 
     Each team, played with urgency as if it were the Seventh Game of a Playoff series. They competed and put pressure on each other in the final minutes of the game. It had a timely tip by Blake Griffin on a gimpy body that has been beaten down over 82 games that sealed the game while ensuring  Home Court against the Memphis Grizzlies.

    Meanwhile, the Lakers hold off the Rockets in Overtime. They got the 7th seed and the right to face the San Antonio Spurs. As I watch the final moments of the Laker/Rocket game, I can only think back to the sounds of fans and the memories of the late 90s and early 2000 Kings teams that were a joy to watch.

    I was reminiscing back, to the passing wizardry of Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Jason White Chocalate Williams and to a certain extent, Brad Miller that are flowing thru my head. In addition, the sweet shooting of Peja Stojakovic.

     Now, I am not a Kings fan but a basketball fan.  I do wonder though,  if I will ever get a chance to hear those sounds again or will it just be..........a distant memory.

Lakers hold on but lose Kobe?

       It has been the worst of times for the Lakers who once were in the same breath as the Miami Heat for this year's NBA Finals Trophy but those expectations were not meant to be met.  Instead, it has become a Soap Opera with a revolving door of mulligans, coaches, adjustments for a team in search of their identity and consistency.

    On the other corner, a team who had suffered decades of misfortune but after new ownership change and a new attitude. It appears that specs of sunshine are breaking thru the gloomy atmosphere of the Golden State Warrior franchise. A young backcourt who can pass, shoot and are so interchangeable that the PG/SG line is blurred and rather gray along with a double double machine in David Lee. The Warriors are starting to seemingly get things on the right path.

    Last night, these teams met in a game where both were playing for Playoff positioning. One team was trying to avoid the San Antonio Spurs while the other was trying to get a matchup with that very team. Indeed, it was a thrilling and heart pounding game that kept viewers and spectators guessing till the very end.

    In the end, The Lakers prevailed much to the delight of their fans but perhaps may have lost their Franchise cornerstone and leader, Kobe Bryant. This despite Stephen Curry scoring 47 points and grilling up the Laker guards like a nice steak over the fire. In fact, he nearly won the game with an 80 foot shot at the buzzer which might have been the shot of the year and maybe decade.

     Kobe was his usual self but the injuries he sustained made you respect the guy for trying to gut it out despite the pain on his body. People are not meant to sustain that much but there he was trying to will his team closer to the Playoffs. Yet, you also wonder how long can this guy take and then.....he dribbles and then his foot gives out. Boom. Just like that, a Superstar who has carried his Franchise for 17 years may perhaps played his final game.

     Now, the Lakers must regroup yet again as another injury has befallen yet another All Star but perhaps the heart and soul of the Laker franchise since he was drafted in a brilliant trade that changed not only their fortunes but eventually led the other franchise to move. Kobe has left everything he has on the court and was somehow still standing to fight another day. Unfortunately, he could not find a way out of this injury at a time where he has tested the limits of his body playing near superhuman level minutes in the last 7 games (47,43,47, 41, 48, 45) for a team that trying to make the final playoff seed at a time where he would usually rest while the Lakers are locked into a top 3 seed. Alas, this is not one of those seasons.

    Both the Lakers and Kobe have a new battle to fight, where one is trying to recover from an Achilles tear that the team says is 6-9 month recovery while the other has another obstacle to overcome in a season full of them. The both have daunting odds (long recovery and the other facing the best of the best without their best player) and an uncertain future (80 million dollar luxury tax, D12 impending FA and an Aging roster) but each hope to come out of it stronger than ever before.

Jerry Buss: The Definition of the American Dream

       Today, is a somber day in the NBA universe as a beloved owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dr. Jerry Buss has passed away at the age of 80 from cancer. He was born in 1933 at a time when the most of the country was out of work following a traumatic time in U.S. History: The Great Depression.

    Imagine a boy who at 4 years old, had to grow up really fast. He had to work various jobs such as a shoe shiner at a hotel, working in a Union Pacific Railroad Station, and helping his father who was a plumber lay down pipes as well as dig ditches. He even went to get food (going to bread lines) and heating (using old phone books to help heat the house) before even going to school for the day. He lived a hard and dirt poor life that very few of us can today comprehend nor bear to endure.

  Yet, he found a way out of this, through his intelligence, resourcefulness and a heart of absolute Gold. Mr. Buss graduated from Wyoming and got his Doctorate at USC as a chemist who seemed like a guy you'd least suspect would become the one of the biggest figures in the NBA Renaissance. He turned a thousand dollar investment on an Apartment complex into a Real Estate Empire that stretched three states (CA, AZ and NV).

 Setting the stage, for his biggest deal: the Los Angeles Lakers. He bought the team for a then record sum of 67.5 million dollars. People thought he was insane with his ideas kinda like a renegade who played by his own rules. But those ideas (Courtside seats, Cheerleaders, lighting, naming rights, and many more) would revolutionize not just the NBA but the relationship that forever intertwines Sports and Entertainment. He brought glitz (Jack Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington) as well as glamor (Dyan Cannon, Leonardo DiCaprio, among others) not just on the seats but also on the court as well in the form of Showtime led by the Pied Piper himself, Earvin Magic Johnson.

   As owner, he made his first and best decision when running the Lakers by allowing Jerry West aka The Logo and basketball people make the tough management decisions. Since then, 10 NBA Championships, 16 NBA Finals Appearances and a who's who of Superstars. (Magic, Worthy, Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, Jamal Wilkes, Bob McAdoo).

  As great as Buss was as an owner, his most important trait was his humility. Wherever Jerry walked, he treated everyone with respect, class and dignity. No matter if it was the janitor at Staples or a rival owner such as Mark Cuban. He treated others the same way, he wanted to be treated. It has became the Lakers way of doing business that made them not just the Gold Standard on the court but also as an NBA Franchise, .

 Even as we mourn the late Dr. Buss, he lived his life to the fullest and did it, His way.








 

Lakers and Clippers: 2 shots by 2 HOFs in Crunch Time.

     Last night, was a great game between two teams who happen to share the same building. They played with an edge and a buzz that has never been there for a long long time. In fact, it had been a one-sided beatdown where the shimmering Purple and Gold would thrash the faded red and blue.
This game's outcome you could say was as certain as death and taxes.

    Today, those days are long long gone. It's a new day in L.A basketball as the Clippers youth, eye popping athleticism and cohesion stand tall over the vapid soap opera that is the Lakers. The Clippers were the better team on that cold L.A night and were it not for a near collapse in the Final Quarter, they would have cruised to a double digit win.

   I will not talk about the game. Instead, I will talk about two shots by Future HOFs Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul in the final seconds. Those two were striking in that they kinda showed where the two teams are at this very moment since the season began just two months before.

    In that, the shot by CP3 over Kobe in the final seconds, signified that a new L.A team right now is contending for the crown that had long been a given for the Purple and Gold in the last 30 plus years. The way CP3 iso'd Kobe taking him off the dribble and then fading back to swish the jumper much to the delight of the fans was fitting as it seemed to be a torch passing moment where the King of LA Hoops crown was passed from Kobe to CP3 (for now).

   It's a Belle Epoche (Beautiful Time) for Clipper fans as they ascend to the throne that had long eluded them dating back to their Buffalo days in the 1970s. New challenges await this coming of age squad and they know that the season is not decided in early January but in June. Something that makes this battle they fought tonight, a small step on the way up the mountain by contrast.

    For the Lakers in those final seconds of a close game, Kobe took the ball with his team down by four and tried to make one of his crazy crunch time shots. Statistically, it's a low probability that it will go in for any player. It may also explain why his crunch time closer label may be hilariously overrated in the grand scheme of things.

  As the ball danced over the cylinder and fell out, it represented something that I did not grasp until later that night, while watching a Mad Men episode on Netflix. One scene down below can be seen as a metaphor for their season up to now:



   In that, the Lakers built a superstar laden starting five but age, injuries, personality conflicts and turmoil have turned a promising season into a nightmare. They have been at the front page of headlines where at any time, the team may either implode or tear at the seams, if it hasn't already.  They're looking to find themselves back to a simple time just as the Clippers have ascended thanks to the CP3 trade, which irks Lakers fans like an old wound.
 
   A time where they were contending for rings, rolling the competition on their way to winning championship after championship and beating the Clippers to a pulp every single year. It was an era of where they would mock and put down their next door tenants for their bad luck, drafting and a dreadful skinflint of an owner who's son passed away in a sad set of circumstances. May his son Rest in Peace.

   Alas, they can never return to those days. Those are now a memory as the only thing they face now is a murky uncertain future with no light on the tunnel in sight. That in itself, scares the Lakers and their fans a lot more.