Lakers Nation Running Diary: Game 3 vs. Mavs Party at ESPN Zone
The afternoon began with such promise, such hope. In my heart of hearts I truly believed that if the Lakers had won Game 3 they could have taken the series. And when they stretched the lead to 8 in the…
Lakers And Mavericks Will Both Feel Pressure on Friday
The trolls were out in force after the Lakers Wednesday night defeat, Bill Simmons crowed on twitter about the demise of his least favorite franchise, going so far as to proclaim J.J. Barea a national hero. On TNT Charles Barkley…
The NBA Reset: 5/4/2011
Home court advantage? What home court advantage. We're on to the second round and already the script is getting flipped. But let's not be too hasty about a few one game disappointments. Time to hit the reset button and see…
Lakers Have No One To Blame But Themselves
Quick, has anyone ever won the NBA title by losing the first game of every series they've played? Maybe the Lakers are trying to go for the record. After amassing a 16 point lead in their second round opener the…
Lakers Show Championship Pedigree in Closing Out the Hornets
Sometimes you have to roll a hard six. Almost universally every NBA expert predicted the Lakers to run away with their series against the New Orleans Hornets. Even the most cautious observers were still picking the Lakers in five games.…
The NBA Reset: 4/27/2011
The early rounds of the NBA playoffs have been a whirlwind. Great performances, dramatic twists (ankles mostly) and a few shockers. So how can we keep track of these innumerable story lines that are threading together to form the tapestry…
Kobe Bryant: Mythical or Misguided
It's hard the fathom the pressure Kobe Bryant feels right now. It's not the pressure of a police officer drawing his weapon in the line of duty, of a single mom struggling to make ends meet, of an addict trying…
Return of the Black Swan
On Friday afternoon, in the hours before Game 3, I told my editor that Pau Gasol was coming to play. Forget the lackluster production over the past two games, you can pencil him in for 20 and 10, I said.…
Andrew Bynum Growing Before Our Eyes
There's a look in a player's eyes that he gets when he knows that he's the best on the floor. It's a cool air of confidence. A quiet determination that requires little boasting or demonstrative gesturing. Only the occasional fist…
NBA Reset: 4/19/2011
It's the most wonderful time of the year. The end of the 82 game grind culminates in an epic tournament of basketball featuring 16 of the best teams on the planet. A high quality product played in high intensity…
