May 30th, 2010 by Chase

Congratulations to the L.A Lakers for advancing past the Phoenix Suns with a great game 6 in Phoenix. It was a great series and a great test for the Lakers in preparation for their second straight NBA championship. Up next, Boston! The Lakers have the opportunity of a lifetime to execute revenge on the team that beat them in the Finals two seasons ago. Let’s look at a few factors that will affect this year’s NBA Finals matchup. Oh I can’t wait!

The Pierce vs. Artest Matchup

The last time the Lakers played the Celtics in the Finals, L.A had nobody to matchup defensively with Paul Pierce. Unless you consider Luke Walton and Vladamir Radmanovic good matchups? Consequently Pierce had a huge series and was the single biggest nightmare for the Lakers in that series.

This time around it will be different with Ron Artest in the mix. His defensive assignment will be to harass Paul Pierce and keep his offensive productivity low by forcing him into contested, low percentage shots. Expect this matchup to pay huge dividends for the Lakers in this series. Artest’s combination of strength of foot speed is really going to bother Pierce.

Andrew Bynum in the Middle

This will be one of the bigger stories going into this years NBA Finals. How is Bynum’s right knee? Andrew Bynum says he will be able to contribute about 20-24 minutes a night for L.A in this series. His size and length is important to keep guys like Rondo and Tony Allen out of the paint and to help win the rebounding battle with Perkins and Garnett. Even though he’s injured, and it will only be 20 minutes per game or so, expect Andrew Bynum’s presence in the middle to change the landscape of this series and give Boston some serious problems.

The Bench Mobs For Both Teams

The Celtics have a pretty good bench. It does however pale in comparison to what the Lakers just had to deal with in the Phoenix Suns and their strong 5-man bench rotation. The Celtics have 3 players they refer to off the bench with regularity in Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, and Glen “Big Baby” Davis. The other 4 bench players are a little more limited in their time to play and in their impacts in the game. These being Michael Finley, Marquies Daniels, Shelden Williams, and Nate Robinson. Althought lately Nate Robinson has become more of an impact player for them.

The Lakers also have their own 3 they rely on off the bench in Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar (who’s playing great right now) and Shannon Brown. Less dependable but still available off the bench for L.A include Luke Walton, Sasha Vuyacic, and Josh Powell. These benches are quite even between the two teams as you can see. The first key will be how well Lamar Odom plays, as he is by far the most talented and skilled of the bench players on both sides and stands to have the biggest impact.

The second key is who will be the key 4th bench player. Will it be Nate Robinson for Boston? Will it be Sasha Vuyacic for L.A? Something very interesting to watch out for. My prediction is that it will be Vuyacic for L.A and that he will have a great series shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

Rondo & Allen vs. Bryant & Fisher

The battle of the backcourt. Expect to see Kobe Bryant defending Rajon Rondo at times to try and keep him out of the paint while Fisher gets busy chasing Ray Allen around screens. I think these defensive matchups favor the Lakers more than people actually think.

As far as offense goes, expect Kobe Bryant to continue his dominance. In 2008 the Celtics would throw several defenders at Kobe in a single game including Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Tony Allen, and James Posey. Posey would get most of the defensive assignment with a ton of front-court help behind him. This time around it’s different. Tony Allen is not tall enough or good enough to defend Kobe. The great defensive play of James Posey is no longer in Boston. So Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are left to do the job themselves. Expect Kobe to take full advantage of these matchups and force Allen and Pierce to spend alot of energy trying to stop him.

Garnett vs. Gasol

This should be one of the more exciting matchups to watch. Pau Gasol feels he has something to prove after being out played and out classed in 2008 by Garnett. Garnett is a little banged up and a little older, and Gasol should be able to take advantage of these two discrepancies. The key though will be whether or not Gasol who can be soft at times, can match the intensity (and sometimes insanity) of Kevin Garnett.

Home Court Advantage

The Lakers are undefeated at home in this years playoffs. And they get home court in this series unlike the 2008 series against the Celtics. This will have a huge impact in the series. The Lakers will have a chance to go up not just 1-0, but 2-0 on Boston which will put the Lakers in a great position.

I expect that the Lakers will win the first two games at home, and then still 1 game in Boston before closing it out in game 6 at home.

May 25th, 2010 by ckirkham

With the free agency looming in the near future, the LeBron question is still the most talked about topic in all of basketball. In my last post I discussed why LeBron should go to the New York Knicks. However, I think that there is a much better choice for LeBron. Here are 5 very good reasons that LeBron James should play in the Windy City.

1. Stepping into Michael’s shoes

As a child, LeBron worshiped Michael Jordan. Now he has a very real chance to step into MJ’s shoes and pick up where he left off. Going to play in Chicago would be huge for King James. It may help him realize what he is- the future and the face of the NBA. Playing in Cleveland might have diluted his vision, but playing in Chicago would be one of the best things to help LeBron recapture his focus and become the champion we all know he will be.

2. Championships

In order to be considered to be the best player on the planet, LeBron is going to have to win some championships, and Chicago is the best suited team to get him to the NBA finals. Chicago has shown in the past few years that they are a force to be reckoned with. Adding LeBron will help them get what they’ve not had in the postseason recently- home court advantage. Putting LeBron in that locker room will almost guarantee increasing the size of the trophy case.

3. Supporting Cast: Derrick Rose/Joahkim Noah

Even though it seemed like the Bulls didn’t have much respect for the King during their playoff series this year, one can tell that Noah and Rose secretly wish that LeBron was on their side of the court. If the Bulls decide to keep these two killers, Chicago will be unstoppable with a royal addition. Derrick Rose seems to get every shot he wants and Noah is as dominant on defense as James himself. Throw in King James and you wont believe what the Bulls will do.

4. Leadership through the Post-Season.

We’ve seen LeBron power through the regular season year after year only to disintegrate in the post-season. Chase and I have long discussed the “killer instinct” as being something that you need to win a championship. Players like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett are key examples of players who are willing to sacrifice everything- family, positive press, health, friendships- to try and win rings. LeBron has shown us for the past 7 years that he lacks that instict, but Derrick Rose doesn’t. With LeBron to lead the team in the regular season, Derrick Rose can use his killer instinct to help carry the team the rest of the way. This is one of the things that Cleveland has always lacked- a leader to step up when the King isn’t able to.

5. Large Market

LeBron needs to be in a large market. New York is an obvious choice, biggest star on the biggest stage. But one cannot look past Chicago, a city with a tremendous sports tradition. LeBron would integrate seamlessly into the Midwest metropolis and bring them something they’ve lacked since they lost Jordan- Superstardom.

Lebron To Chicago Promo from LCJM on Vimeo.

Chris Kirkham is a professional blogger and video producer with a B.S. in Journalism. He hates the Lakers more than any team in any sport in any country on earth. Even more than the Patriots. You can follow him on Twitter, if you’d like, or argue with him in the comments below.

May 22nd, 2010 by Chase

One word best describes Kobe Bryant the Basketball Player. Clutch. And this season 2009-2010 when people were questioning his play through health and age, Kobe had perhaps the most “clutch” season of his entire career. A total of 6 Game Winning shots in one season. Incredible. In this post we remember these amazing game winning shots from Kobe. All 6 for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

vs. Heat

Click here to view the embedded video.

vs. Celtics

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vs. Raptors

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vs. Bucks

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vs. Kings

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vs. Grizzlies

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After viewing these game winning shots, my question is to you which is your favorite? Which do you think is the most clutch? And do any 1 of these shots rank in the top clutch regular season shots of all time?

May 18th, 2010 by ckirkham

Never has there been more speculation and conversation about a player’s free agency than with LeBron in 2010. From the start of the season to his last game in Boston, every blog and sportswriter has been guessing, analyzing and theorizing about where LeBron might take his game. This blog is no exception. We’ve got our tinfoil hats and our crystal balls and we think we’ve made some pretty good decisions about where he should end up. As far as it goes we think that he could likely end up on either the Bulls or the Knicks or stay with the Cavs. We’ve compiled some strong arguments for each. To start things off, here are 5 good reasons for Lebron James to go to New York.

1. It’s New York.

Would you rather live in a penthouse on the Upper East Side and play on the biggest stage in the world or live 30 minutes from your hometown in a city full of cursed sports franchises? New York loves LeBron and LeBron reciprocates. If the Knicks were to sign him, he’d keep doing what LeBron does- Amazing us. Only now he’d do it for one of the most well-known sports teams in the most well-known city in the world.

2. Supporting cast: David Lee/Toney Douglas

Everyone talks about how the Knicks will be a bad place for LeBron because there’s no one on the team. While it is true that the New York Knickerbockers have done everything they could to shred their roster and increase their cap room, they still have some solid players. David Lee is one of the hardest working centers in basketball, and, game in and game out, leaves everything he has on the court. After his rookie season, Toney Douglas is looking like he’s going to shape up to be a solid guard- especially with shooting around the perimeter. If you add LeBron to the equation, he can either dish it to his big man under the hoop or swing it out to his guard or take it to the hole himself. The best part- The team is young and has room to bring in another veteran player for LeBron.

3. Mike D’Antoni

D’Antoni is one of the most unique and clever coaches in the NBA, and his 7 second offense is perfect for LeBron. D’Antoni has been waiting for the 2010-11 season ever since he signed with the Knicks, because now he can start coaching a real team. Even if they don’t get LeBron, D’Antoni will turn whatever they end up with into a competitive powerhouse. Another plus is that D’Antoni and James already have a coach/player relationship after the 2008 Olympics, showing that they can work together and win.

4. Chasing the dream

Could you imagine having the God-given talent, charisma and body that LeBron James has and ending up thirty minutes from where you went to high school? Have you been back to your hometown and seen your old friends from high school that still hang out? They’re a regular bunch of winners, aren’t they? LeBron is haunted by the fact that he still lives at home essentially. He’s the face of modern basketball all over the world and he’s still living at home essentially. The boy has the skills and the drive to play anywhere in America, and you can see in his eyes that he wants to go where the stars shine brightest.

5. A King-Size Throne for a King-Size Ego

I may have already covered this in point one, but it should be underscored that the kid has game. Statistically speaking he is hands down the best player on the planet right now (especially if we leave all of that leadership and drive and intangible stuff out of the conversation). Moving LeBron to New York puts him in a prime position to be what he has always dreamed of being- the biggest star in the world. New York will cheer for him. There will be parades. He will have instant access to the world’s premier advertising agencies. He will constantly be available for cameos in movies, TV shows, commercials, ESPN headquarters. He will be the center of attention in the Big Apple. He could potentially bring NY their first basketball championship since 1973. As much as I’d like to think that there might be better opportunities for him elsewhere, New York will offer him one thing nothing else has yet- immortality.

Chris Kirkham is a professional blogger and video producer with a B.S. in Journalism. He hates the Lakers more than any team in any sport in any country on earth. Even more than the Patriots. You can follow him on Twitter, if you’d like, or argue with him in the comments below.

May 16th, 2010 by Chase

Here we go again. It’s the middle of May and Kobe and co. are in the mix again for another NBA championship. 8 more wins and Kobe Bryant wins ring number 5, placing him near the top of the all time greats with the most championships.

Up next are the Phoenix Suns who just finished a surprising sweep of Tim Duncan and the Spurs. The Phoenix Suns come into this series hot, shooting over 40% from 3-point land. The Lakers took 3 out of 4 regular season games from the Suns this season. And this didn’t happen by chance or luck. There are some specific things they did in those 4 regular season match-ups that, if they do in this series should have no problem finishing the Suns off in 5 or 6 games.

1. Control Amare Stoudamire

Much like the Lakers were able to control Carlos Boozer with their length inside, the Lakers need to be able to control Amare. And they can. With their 3 7 Footers in Gasol, Bynum, and Odom the Lakers can prevent many of the buckets in the paint that Amare lives off of. Keeping Amare out of the paint offensively is the number 1 key to the Lakers success in this series.

2. No Answer For Gasol

Just like in the last series, there is no answer for Pau Gasol inside. The Suns throw around names like Robin Lopez, Jaron Collins, and that Amundsen guy. But come on now! Expect Pau Gasol to have a huge series yet again and to pretty much get whatever he wants inside the paint.

3. Offense Against the Zone

During the Lakers 4 match-ups with Phoenix this season, the Lakers had some trouble scoring against the Suns when Phoenix would break into a zone defense. Sometimes the Lakers have a lack of outside shooting on the floor and this can hurt them against a zone. This is where Sasha Vuyacic is important in this series. If he can shoot the ball well from the outside, he can help eliminate the effects of any zone defensive strategy.

4. Fronting of the Post

Much like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Phoenix Suns like to try and take away your inside game by constantly fronting the post and placing a help defender right behind. It will be interesting to see what the ref’s do in this series. Kobe Bryant when in the post, likes to keep his elbows up high (good fundamentals by the way) and use great body position in order to shield off the defender when he’s trying to front. Consequently Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, and Jared Dudley are going to get many elbows in the grill. While these are not offensive fouls, it will be critical to the game as to how exactly the ref’s call this situation.

5. The Bench Play

This one as it stands (before the series) is a clear advantage to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns throw at you 5 guys. Dragic, Barbosa, Dudley, Amundson, and Frye. All 5 of these guys are major contributors. The Lakers really throw 3 guys at you in Odom, Brown, and Farmar with 2 extra guys who you are not sure what you will get from in Walton and Vuyacic. Can the Lakers 3 main bench guys outplay the Suns 5? This will be the biggest key to this series.

If you want to read a very detailed and insightful breakdown of the Bench match-up, read what Darius over at Forum Blue & Gold wrote.

6. Defending the Screen Roll

The screen roll is flat out tough to defend in the NBA. Now add Steve Nash to the mix. The guy is probably the greatest of all-time at running it. How the Lakers defend this will be critical. In the last series the Spurs would try and simply switch every screen roll and it worked against them. Tim Duncan’s foot speed just couldn’t keep up. This is where I think Gasol and Odom will be critical in this series. Darius at FB&G wrote another great piece breaking down the Lakers defense of the Suns.

7. The Play of Artest and Odom

Ok here’s the deal. The Suns have nobody, and I mean nobody who can compete with these 2 players on either side of the floor. These 2 guys have their opportunity in this series to put a huge stamp of this years championship run for the Lakers. Artest can help and roam as a defender in this series. It will be critical for him to chase off 3 point shooters and go from defending a big guy like Frye on a few plays, to defending Barbosa on another.

Odom had to beef it out with Paul Milsap (who is a BEAST by the way) all of last series. That is a challenge. But Amundsen and Frye should not be. They are good players yes. But nothing compared to Milsap of the Utah Jazz. Odom should completely dominate these 2 big man bench players for the Suns . If he does it could shorten the series for the Lakers.

8. Kobe, Kobe, and More Kobe

I keep hearing all this talk about Grant Hill and Jared Dudley and how they are going to defend and bother Kobe. Let’s not be ridiculous people. The Phoenix Suns have no match-up for Kobe Bryant whatsoever. In the last series you saw what a good defender like Wesley Mathews get torched game after game. The older legs of Grant Hill and slower legs of Jared Dudley are in huge trouble. Kobe will have his way in this series! Mark my words.

If the Lakers can hold strong in these 8 areas, the Lakers will win the series in 5 games. If they struggle in these areas it could go 7. All in all expect PJ to have the Lakers fine tuned and to win this series in 6.