LAKERS -vs- WARRIORS - 10/7 - Thoughts and :-)) Ratings

[DancingBarry]

Apocalypse Now... They found you...floating on your back, eyes closed, miles from the coast in the middle of the Pacific. Where else would you be?

A tap on the shoulder interrupts your bliss, you blink and look up. A woman in a boat leans over the railing. "Do I know you?" you ask.

"DancingBarry sent me. You're needed," she says. "They're coming for him...They're coming for Little Larry."

You knew this day would arrive. Every time you opened your eyes you expected to be back in Los Angeles. Back with the Horsemen. Running through hell and stench and pain and glory until you couldn't tell the difference between any of them. Slowly, you reach up an arm and she grabs hold.

Once aboard, she tells you they're looking for a river in Southern California. You laugh. But hours later, sure enough, she finds it. The charred remains of buildings, machinery and all manner of scorched earth line the river banks. It's as if the earth has opened up and the ocean has bled into it. Welcome to hell. As you move up the river, it's not the carnage around you that is disturbing, it's the silence.

She tosses a purple and gold personnel file marked "Tru Warier" onto your lap. She suggests you get acquainted with it. He is your mission and this river will take you to him. You open the folder and read notes from DancingBarry:

The Horsemen were here. Their names: Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. There is also a fifth rider with them. Is he a True Warrior? Pure evil, pure horror, completely rogue? Or a good soldier? Which will be more effective in the end? Welcome to the Reign of the Four Horsemen. Welcome to their post apocalyptic world.

Their battle begins now and I will track them.

Regardless of the outcome tonight, the story in this opening preseason 118-101 crushing of the Golden State Warriors is Ron Artest. This is a title defense. This is a volatile player. Can those two coexist?

The answer to this question won't be found in the first game, but rather the last. Until then, we will look for signs, for clues, for anything that will point to a possible answer. Enjoy the ride.

What we saw from Ron in his Laker debut is the game that will have Laker opponents and haters tossing and turning in their beds at night. This was the selfless, effective, well-rounded game that can make this team extremely tough to beat. Not only did he fit, he thrived. Had he played a full game, you are looking at a triple-double...and that was done without any ball-stopping or isolation game on his part. It was chemistry. "It's going to be a fun year," Artest said afterward.

Yes, it's only one game, and it's only the Warriors. Like I said, the real answers won't come in the first game.

One game also looked very good for another Laker. Making his own case for some post-game publicity, Andrew Bynum looked more like the pre-injury Bynum than we've seen. Last season, it took him a while to get into a groove. He's out of the blocks quick this year. That's another excellent sign. "I've got my legs back underneath me," Bynum said in the L.A. Times. "I don't get tired. Feelin' good. I came back in shape."

The team did an excellent job feeding him. Not only did they drop it to Bynum in the post to go to work, but they also drew the D off the dribble and looked for him. Now throwing Artest in the mix, we have yet another player to draw Bynum's men and collapse the D. This only opens things up even more for our bigmen and shooters.

The statement play of the game, however, was made by one of the smallest Lakers. Shannon Brown electrified the Honda Center with a high-flying throwdown over a Mikki MOore. "I just tried to go up as high as I could, tried to stretch it as far as I could, and it all worked out," Brown said. That's the way you start the season -- with a statement.


Kobe -- -- Kobe didn't look too impressed with the replacement refs, picking up a tech. Looked like he jawed at the ref quite a bit afterward, too. (How would you like to be the replacement ref who tossed Kobe from a game?) Tonight, it seemed like Kobe was toying with defenders (more so than usual). He was exploring the post quite a bit, but also collapsing the D off the dribble at will. He and Ron combined for 18 boards. Those are crazy numbers (and they played just a combined 49 minutes). In prior years, teams often switched defenders on Kobe, hiding a 2-guard on our SF spot. With Artest, that will be a thing of the past. Teams can't hide smaller defenders on him and Phil will abuse it if they do. This will give Kobe some opportunities to overpower smaller players. He worked on his post game this offseason, including getting that 2-hour lesson to learn the Dream Shake. We didn't see it this game, but you know it's coming soon. The Stats: He scored 22 points on 8-17 shooting (1-2 from three, 5-6 from the line) to go with 9 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 3 fouls in 26 minutes. The Action: He was fouled after hesitating on a baseline jumper, he made both FTs for the first points of the season. He faked a pass and hit the elbow jumper after freezing his man. He missed a left-handed hook shot from about 8 feet out. He posted up on the left block and swished a turnaround. He posted up, spun and hit Pau in the lane for the jumper. Bad entry pass, stolen for a layup the other way. He attacked slowly to his right, taking contact, shedding a defender and drawing FTs, he made one. He picked up the loose ball, pushed it out, took contact and banked in the off-balance And-1, he made the FT. He cleaned up a Bynum miss, overpowering his man on the boards. He missed a jumper from the right side. He faced up on his man, crossed over, split a double and scored an And-1 layup, he made the FT. He had 15 points on 5-9 shooting and 7 boards. Second Half: He swished an open three in transition. He swiped the ball from Curry and was fouled. He picked up a tech after asking for an And-1 from a Replacement. He scored a layup off the dish from Pau, who led the break. He missed a three. He lobbed to Pau in transition for a dunk. He missed a turnaround in the post. He soared for a breakaway dunk after Lamar blocked a shot on the D end. He was blocked from behind trying to finish at the rim on a break out.

Gasol -- -- After Pau's long summer playing hoop for his Spanish team, Phil promised to limit his minutes in this game. Pau went to the finals against the Celtics, the finals in the Olympics, back in the finals last year, then won his tournament with his Spanish team. That's a lot of hoop. Phil ran Pau for a few minutes to start the game, rested him and started him a few minutes in the second quarter. Later, he worked Pau in more at the C spot. In all, he got just 18 minutes. A good run and easy minutes. It's almost unfair to run both Bynum and Pau against these Warriors. They have no chance against that length when you have guys like Kobe and Artest breaking down the D. Pau didn't seem to show any signs of problems with his injured left finger, which was taped up. The Stats: He scored 11 points on 5-9 shooting (1-2 from the line) to go with 8 boards, 4 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover and no fouls in 18 minutes. He was a +5. The Action: He missed a baseline jumper. He hit a jumphook in the middle of the lane. He hit Bynum with an interior bounce pass for a dunk. Early offense layup running the floor. He attacked to his right, pulled up in the lane and hit the 10-footer. He drew FTs on a turnaround in the post, he made one. He took an interior feed and bounced in a 9-footer. He had 9 points on 4-6 shooting. Second Half: He missed an open jumper from the left side. High-stepping while leading the middle of the break, he fed Kobe for the layup. He threw down an oop from Kobe in transition. He missed an open 15-footer.

Bynum -- -- Knee brace? Check. Moving well? Check. Playing above the rim? Check. All of that amounted to some effective and extended playing time tonight for Drew. Bynum's length exploited the weak interior of the Warriors, but Bynum said it didn't matter who he was against, mentioning Biedrins' size as a respectable obstacle. He has set a goal to be an All Star this year and looked like it tonight. "I thought he did a good job," Phil said. "His teammates did a good job getting the ball inside to him in positions where he can have an advantage there." As a result, not only did Bynum lead the team in scoring, he led them with a +36. Defensively, the Warriors aren't going to beat you in the post. They lost one of their main weapons in Ellis right from the start, which might have tested the interior more and the screen-roll D. The Stats: He scored 24 points on 8-13 shooting (8-9 from the line) to go with 5 boards (3 offensive), 1 assist, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 31 minutes. The Action: He was blocked powering up a Kobe pass, he got it back and powered in the And-1 layup, he made the FT. He dunked off an interior feed from Pau. SJax flopped when Bynum tried to post him up in transition, foul Bynum. He picked up his second foul, looked like another phantom job in transition D after 6 minutes. He dunked off the interior feed from LO. He drew FTs when LO threw a high entry pass for Drew to go get, he made both. He dunked off an interior feed from Farmar. Lamar got penetration to his left, missed, Bynum grabbed the board and drew more FTs, he made both. Bynum had 13 points on 4-6 shooting, 5-5 from the line to lead the Lakers after the first. He reposted, faked to the middle, drop-stepped baseline and scored with his left over Moore (that was Pau-like). He scored a layup off the drive and dish from Artest. He tripped over Kobe trying to finish and couldn't get the layup to go (he might be a little wary of Kobe down there by his feet). He missed a jumphook in the post, but Kobe cleaned it up. He was undercut by Maggette while going up for an offensive board, he made one of the FTs. He spun on his man and Ron lobbed from the corner and Drew threw down the oop, great chemistry by those two on that play. He had 20 points on 7-11 shooting and 4 boards. Second Half: He somehow tapped in a bad pass from Pau that was low and wide right. He took a jump pass from Kobe next time down and drew FTs, he made both.

Artest -- -- Look at the stats and you see a near triple-double in just 23 minutes. There are a lot of skills you can focus on in this game, but Ron's passing skills were on display throughout. Remember how Karl Malone just looked like he clicked in the Triangle offense? Ron looks like he has instant chemistry. He was a good post entry passer for the Rockets last year and keyed a lot of their plays. so, it shouldn't surprise anyone if you watched him closely. Unlike the Rockets, however, this Laker team doesn't need him to create offense. So, you saw no ball stopping, no ball dominating that you saw with them (or the Kings). He moved the ball fast on the perimeter, he hit the post men and he set up teammates off the dribble. He missed some Tri reads (various screens and cuts), but still kept the offense flowing. This is the Ron Ron that the league doesn't want to see. Phil had him coming off the bench in the second half to get run with that unit. This will allow Ron a little more offensive freedom...but you still saw no ball stopping. His offensive abilities in that second unit should allow Kobe more rest this season. "I wanted him to get a chance to play a little bit off the bench in the second half so he can lead the second unit a little bit," Phil said. "Sometimes Kobe takes such control of the ball that other guys don't have opportunities that often. So, we want him to not just get out there and be a feeder but also have an opportunity to particpate and direct the team. He did a real good job." Last year this time, many people thought Laker fans were overestimating the impact Trevor Ariza would have on the team. By the end of the season, few of those critics remained. After a great playoff run from the Laker SF, the team reloaded. Few question Ron's talent, it's his head they worry about. How will it impact the Lakers ability to repeat? There won't be an answer to that question until the very last game is played. The first game, however, looked just fine. He was a +25 tonight. The Stats: He scored 12 points on 4-9 shooting (2-4 from three, 2-2 from the line) to go with 9 boards (3 offensive), 7 assists, 2 steals and 5 fouls in 23 minutes. The Action: He missed an open wing three on his first attempt. He missed a three on a kickout form Pau. He dropped a pass in transition, blowing a sure chance at a layup, then he missed the baseline jumper. In the post for the first time and it led to a double team and Fisher jumper. Next time down the court he banged down a wide open corner three. He created on a baseline drive, drew the D and bounced off the dribble to Bynum under the hoop for a layup. He posted up a smaller man, instant foul and FTs on the entry, he made both. He tied up his man for a jumpball on the other end. He and his man locked arms while Ron was going for a board, Ron got the foul call. Drew spun in the post, Artest read the play and lobbed for the dunk, very nice chemistry. He missed a sideline three at the end of the half. He had 5 points on 1-5 shooting (1-3 from three), 5 boards and 4 assists. Second Half: He was called for a push off while going for an offensive board. He swished a wing three, moving to his left on the kickout. He attacked off the three line, drew the D and shoveled the pass to LO for the dunk. He poked a ball loose on a reach-around to ignite a break. Going to his left again on a kickout from Bynum and he hit the jumper from the left side with a foot on the three line. Quick swing pass to Brown for a three. He missed a reverse off an offensive board. He sank an 18-footer on the next trip down. He posted up and quick-timed a bounce pass to Gaffney for FTs.

Fisher -- -- Phil has stated that he would like to knock 6 or 7 minutes per game from Fisher's plate this season. Farmar and Brown fully support this plan. DFish got very light minutes tonight. He took it easy, played loose and made sure he didn't wear down the floor with his body as he usually does. Defensively, he was active with the hands and caused the Warriors some problems. He fought around screens and drew the usual offensive foul on a moving screener. Offensively, he played to his strengths. No iso drives into traffic. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-4 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 2 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 3 fouls in 17 minutes. The Action: Slow entry pass to Bynum and he turned it over. He drained a corner jumper after we worked it inside-out from Artest in the post. He missed a top-of-the-key jumper. Second Half: He missed a forced wing three.

Lamar -- -- He came in for Pau after just 4 minutes and looked loose and limber. With a more reasonable contract and Artest to help fill in some offensive stats, the Lamar debates among fans will likely be a thing of the past. He cruised through this game, doing a bit of everything as he usually seems to do. He led the team in swats, offensive boards and turnovers. Those are activity stats, which are what you want to see from LO. Lamar looked strong on the defensive end with active hands and some nice anticipation. The Stats: He scored 6 points on 3-7 shooting (0-2 from three) to go with 7 boards (3 offensive), 2 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks and 3 fouls in 22 minutes. He was a +14. The Action: He missed a three on his first attempt. He pulled down an offensive board and set up Bynum for the dunk. He set up Drew again for more FTs next time down. He attacked to his left and missed. He tipped in a missed jumper by Morrison at the buzzer. He missed an open corner three off the drive and dish from Ron. Second Half: He swatted SJax's drive and it led to a Kobe breakaway dunk the other way. Poor pass to Kobe who was wide open on a backdoor spin, turnover. He swished a top-of-the-key catch and shoot. He got tapped on an early offense 20-footer. He helped Ron strip a man to ignite a break. He roofed Randolph who tried to attack and make a post move. He threw down when Ron attacked the paint and handed it off to him.

Luke -- -- He didn't play in the first half, but started for Artest in the second half. Phil was looking to mix this up so that Artest got minutes with some of those second unit lineups. It worked fine tonight. The difference between Luke and Artest in this game, however, was very palpable. Artest is such a much more complete offensive threat that it's going to cause teams a lot of problems. Luke did his thing in limited minutes. He missed from the perimeter, but kept the offense flowing. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-3 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 2 boards, 2 assists and no fouls in 9 minutes. The Action: Did not play in the first half. Second Half: He missed a corner three. He missed a wing jumper. Good challenge on SJax to force a brick. He hit a 6-footer while grabbing a rebound and putting it back in while still in the air on the baseline.

Brown -- -- "He can really get the crowd off the seats," Phil said. Trevor gave the Lakers some of the more electrifying, athletic plays last year. Shannon Brown took the baton from him tonight. He posterized Moore on a breakaway with a soaring throwdown, spinning to the floor on the finish. He came in midway through the second after Farmar and Sasha got their run and put in an impressive 19 minutes tonight. Having a full season for him to get integrated with his teammates and earn Phil's trust should be fun to watch. With this offense, he doesn't have to force anything or create for others. The D will collapse with all the other talent around him and he should reap the rewards. He was all smiles afterward and excited about the season. "We got our group back," Brown said. "We got a lot of focus and a lot of determination." The Stats: He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting (1-3 from three, 2-3 from the line) to go with 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover and 1 foul in 19 minutes. He was a +10. The Action: He missed a three from the top of the arc. Out in transition, he spotted a lane, elevated to the top floor and posterized Moore, jumping right over him and throwing down the And-1 dunk...he was up there. (Overlooked on that play was an excellent steal coming from the weakside to swipe an entry pass.) He missed the FT. Second Half: He missed a catch-and-shoot jumper coming off the screens. He hit Artest for a three. He then stroked one himself next time down. He missed a jumper from the top of the key. He sank a corner jumper next time down on the swing pass from Artest. He stripped Curry from the blindside. He sank a wing jumper with a toe on the three line on a Farmar kickout. He attacked strong to his left, tried to shed an arm check and was called for the offensive foul. He drew FTs after flashing to the ball and quickly trying to put it up, he made both.

Vujacic -- -- Must be the short hair, right? Sasha came out and hit his first three jumpers. I think not settling for the three and getting into the midrange area before going for the bombs might have more to do with it. Good start of the season for Sasha...glad he didn't pick up where he left off. The Stats: He scored 6 points on 3-4 shooting to go with 1 board, 2 steals and 2 turnovers in 7 minutes. The Action: He stepped in from the three line and hit an open 19-footer. He sank a baseline jumper, standing on the corner three line. He worked the ball around, got it back while open in the corner and hit the baseline jumper. He telegraphed an entry pass with a wind up, it led to a dunk the other way. He missed a jumper, then picked up a tech. Second Half: He did not play.

Farmar -- -- Farmar got off to a good start last season and then faded badly before showing some spark in the playoffs again. He put together a well-rounded effort tonight. This is a contract season for Farmar. The biggest thing he needs to show is consistency...on both ends. Tonight, he mixed his own shot with a good job of setting up teammates. Defensively, he got into those passing lanes and used his footspeed for steals. That's where he's at his best. Phil had Farmar putting full-court pressure on quite a bit and Farmar was pesky in that role. The Stats: He scored 11 points on 4-7 shooting (1-1 from three..should be 1-2, 2-2 from the line), 2 boards, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 18 minutes. He was a +11. The Action: Quick cut and dish to Drew for a dunk. He attacked to his left, elevated and scored a layup. His lob pass to LO was picked off. He stood in for a charge, didn't hit the floor and, therefore, didn't get the call. Good backcourt D and it helped the Lakers get a turnover and score at the end of the first. He swiped a pass in transition D, ball-faked in transition and scored a layup. Second Half: He got swatted on a reverse on the break. He sank a three off an inbounds pass. He forced a brick, trying to create for a jumper on his next touch in early offense. He swiped a ball at midcourt, attacked and hit a floating layup over defenders. He missed a long three with the shotclock low. He attacked and kicked to Brown for the open jumper. He attacked, was tripped up and drew FTs, he made both (hopefully that's a sign of things to come for him from the line this season).

Powell -- -- Powell's post game picked up where it left off last season. That is to say, it should be a last resort. He didn't score, was foul prone, but did a good job on the boards. Anytime we play these Warriors, we always seem to get the Powell vs. Maggette match up. Tough assignment for Josh. The Stats: He didn't score on 0-3 shooting, grabbed 4 boards, had 2 turnovers and 4 fouls in 8 minutes. He was a -6. The Action: He gave up an And-1 on iso against Maggette (we saw this match up last year, too). He airballed a jumphook. Second Half: He missed a jumphook. He missed an 18-footer. He was called for an offensive foul trying to overpower his man in the post.

Morrison -- -- Not a whole lot to discuss in his first outing. He did seem a little more comfortable out there. Last season, he was afraid to make mistakes. He was equally quiet tonight but looked more at ease. As far as his injury goes, he was never very mobile, but he moved smoothly on the floor. The Stats: He didn't score on 0-1 shooting and didn't have any other stats in 8 minutes. He was a +3. The Action: He missed a wing jumper at the end of the quarter (should have hit Farmar open under the hoop, but he probably wasn't aware he had enough time). Second Half: Did not play.

Gaffney -- -- With the lanky frame, athleticism and effort, he made a good showing in his limited minutes. It seemed like the Warriors were going at him quite a bit. They had some success, but he also had a couple nice defensive sequences. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-1 shooting (1-2 from the line) to go with 1 board, 3 turnovers, 1 block and 1 foul in 12 minutes. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He cut baseline and Artest set him up for FTs. Nice D on iso, moving his feet and hands to get a stop (Kobe got up off the bench on that effort). He tipped in a Powell miss over a smaller defender. He was stripped while trying to score off an inbounds.

Gelabale -- -- He's looking pretty spry. Perhaps his injury recovery is complete. His length and athleticism could give the Lakers a little something different at the 3 spot. He looked aggressive on the offensive end and flowed well in the offense. His length on the boards was apparent, of course the Warriors don't have a lot of that. Of the deep bench players, he seemed to look the most confident in those garbage-time minutes. The Stats: He scored 4 points on 1-3 shooting (2-2 from the line) to go with 2 boards and 1 foul in 8 minutes. He was a -11. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He missed an 18-footer from the left wing. He attacked off the pinch post and hit a runner to his right. Nice work for an offensive board, but he missed the easy reverse, he tied it up for a jumpball. He was up high for a defensive board and was fouled while pushing it out, he made both FTs.

Kelati -- -- It's going to be tough for any of the young guys to make this team. With the payroll as it is and the depth of the team, it's an uphill battle for sure. Still, Kelati and others can showcase themselves a little bit and make their case in these early preseason games. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting, grabbed 1 board, had 1 turnover and 1 foul in 8 minutes. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He jab-stepped, dribble to his left and hit the pull-up jumper from 18 feet. He missed a pull-up next time down.

Monds -- -- He got some late run in this game. Just enough time to get his feet wet and have a shot rejected at the rim. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 0-2 shooting (2-2 from the line) to go with 2 boards and 1 foul in 5 minutes. The Action: He did not play in the first half. Second Half: He missed a face-up jumper from the left side. He sank a couple FTs. He was swatted on a putback attempt, close to a goaltend.

Phil -- -- There's not a better coach out there to lead a team to a repeat. Good to see Phil on the sidelines and looking strong... Phil subbed out Pau after just over 4 minutes for LO. The Lakers led 13-7 at the first timeout... With 3:22 left, Phil brought in Farmar, Sasha and Morrison for Fisher, Kobe and Ron... Phil went to a press with Farmar and Sasha... Lakers led 38-25 after the first... Phil put back in Pau at center after Bynum ran the whole quarter... Phil ran a Bynum, LO, Artest, Kobe, Brown unit to close out the first half... The Lakers led 65-49 at the half. They shot 52 percent, the Warriors 38 percent. They outrebounded the Warriors by 10 at the half... Phil started Luke for Artest in the second half and let Pau run longer. The Lakers pushed out to a 78-56 lead, forcing a timeout... He went with a Pau, LO, Artest, Brown, Farmar lineup with 3 minutes left. Then brought back in Drew for Pau... The Lakers led 95-70 after the third quarter... It looks like Phil is going to give Ron a little more freedom to be aggressive in those second units... A lot of garbage time in the fourth... The Lakers did an excellent job finding Bynum in this game. Phil made a point of it before the game and at the half... The Warriors shot 41 percent, the Lakers shot 48 percent. The Lakers outrebounded the Warriors 53-38...

[McSassy]

First of the first!
_________________
LG -- We know drama.

[Ray_Gonzoles]

Thanks DB, you are at midseason form in the first preseason game.
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"Just show up ready to work, ready to play, Have your big boy pants on, leave your diaper at home." Kobe Bryant
Anything less than a championship is a failure. Period.

[Snake Plissken]

Galebale icon is spot on

[IPK]

DB FTW!!! I see you haven't lost a step....



Oh, and 4th??

p.s. the title reminds me tupac's 1st album....

[KingKobe]

Everything is better after an apocalypse.
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*Warning: The preceding post may have contained sarcasm and/or irony.

"We're all surrounded by idiots." - Kobe Bryant

[DancingBarry]

[sia_kb8]

Been looking forward to your recap.
THX DB. You give the season a special feeling with your recaps.




One little typo.

[DancingBarry]

^ Thank you, sir. Fixed.

[abciximab]

How I've missed these. Looking forward to another season-long story Thanks DB!

[limchrc]

thanks

[Omar Little]

Woo hoo, it begins again! So who is the Marlon Brando character DB? Garnett? LBJ? Stern?
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“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel

[Wilt]

Once they set up in triangle spacing for the first time, I swear I felt something move.
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¡Hala Madrid!

[kdvenus]

Loving the article DB. Keep up the good work.

[MagicMamba88]

Great stuff DB.

[sgtpepper1972]

And the new season begins...

[Tanlentueux]

[magic_bryant]

The Lakers have an extra ball-handler/perimeter creator. Finally.

And just as I suspected, the floor immediately stretched, opening up a lot of lanes for Kobe, something MJ routinely got to see with the Bulls.
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Stephon Marbury on Kobe: "He's the only person on 'dis earth that can do 'dat. He guards people, like shuts 'em down. Then, to do 'dat on 'da offensive end. It's like 'Damn, I can't score on him AND he about to bust my ass."

[Crazy Like Ron Artest]

Ron Artest = greatness.


LOL @ all those that said Artest isn't 10x the player that Ariza is. With all due respect to Riza.

[ChefLinda]

The Lakers are back and looking good. DB is back telling us stories about our heroes. All's right with the world!

[IPK]

[ElginBaylor]

This thread makes me smile.
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Not a legend

[prisma8slg]

[1andOnlyKobe]

oh man i miss these...thanks DB!

[Rick12322]

It's official. We had our first (pre)season game and DB's 1st recap, and i had my coffee. Let the season begin!!

On a side note, am I the only one who sees Ron is our Pippen?