I woke up this morning and realized that I totally lied to all of you. I told you that I would write a diary every night I was at Summer League, yet last night I was brazenly absent. Now, I’m sure none of you minded not having to deal with the pointless things and obscure references that I make on a nightly basis, so at least you have that.
I wish I had a good story to tell for why I missed it. I could tell you I was out in Vegas, gambling until I lost all my money, hanging with Ken Jeong and Bradley Cooper, or drinking myself to death while falling in love with Elisabeth Shue. I should also point out that those of you that figure out the Elizabeth Shue reference earn my undying respect.
I wish I could tell you these things, but in reality I took two Benadryl, drank a glass of water and fell asleep at 11:30. Don’t be jealous of the amount of hard that I party. It’s too severe for mere mortals. It’s taken years of practice to become as inept at responsibility as I am, so don’t try this at home.
Now that I’ve wasted a solid two minutes of your time I should probably get into the part where I actually talk about basketball. Today was the final day of Summer League for the Lakers, as they finished up the 2012 campaign with a win over the L.A. Clippers. It was the first win of the week for the Lakers, and allowed them to finish the exhibition series on a positive note. They had strong performances from Christian Eyenga and Darius Morris, and certainly looked much improved compared to earlier in the week.
So if tonight was the high point of the week the low point came Monday when they lost by 50 to the Heat. Or it could be the two shots of tequila I took at 11:30 in the morning on Wednesday. Regardless, both instances ended with my eyes glazed over and my brain a bit askew. Still, it was encouraging to see the team begin to come together and play better as a team. I’m convinced that if they had a few more games you would see a lot more results like we saw tonight rather than what we saw earlier in the week.
Overall it was a fun week here in Las Vegas. It was my first time covering Summer League, and I learned plenty of things to keep in mind for next year. For instance, 11:30 AM tequila shots are never a good idea. On a more serious note, it’s a blast to see these young players go out there looking to prove themselves and begin their careers. For games that mean next to nothing for most fans, they mean everything for these young men, and it’s a pleasure to watch them begin to evolve into professional basketball players.
I’ve managed to make it through tonight’s entry without too many snarky comments or terrible jokes. I haven’t threatened to gouge out my eyes nor compared the Lakers to domestic abuse victims. In the end it was a terrific experience here in Vegas, even though the only thing hotter than the scalding desert sun was the bright pink shirt George Karl was wearing on Tuesday.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these posts as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. Although honestly I highly doubt it. It’s been a great week for all of us here, and from the bottom of the empty chasm that should contain my heart, I thank you.
Also – how stoked are you that I managed to find a new Basketball Diaries picture for every single day? It’s the little things in life.