Hollywood finds its way to the "Peake" tonight (quick, someone call TMZ!).
The Thunder play the Los Angeles Lakers tonight for the first time this season, playing in a rematch of the Western Conference Semifinals from last season. Both teams have completely new looks this season, with LA doing away with Bynum and acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard and the Thunder trading James Harden and acquiring Kevin Martin (man, I am going to definitely miss those Kobe V. Harden match-ups). So even though this a rematch, it feels like we have two different teams coming into tonight.
The Thunder step onto the court tonight riding a 6-game win streak, most notably with a win against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, 117-111. The Thunder are tied for the best record in the NBA with the Spurs, both teams being 15-4.
The Lakers, however, have been a disappointment to NBA fans and their own because of the lack luster season they have had so far. The Lakers have started out with a record under .500, at 9-10. The Lakers were staged for one of the best season of all time with 4 future Hall of Fame candidates, but because of injuries to Steve Nash and Pau Gasol and an offense and team that has yet to gel, the Lakers have failed to live up to their potential.
Tonight will be a defining game for both teams. The Thunder can prove for good that there team is still what it was last year even without Harden, a Finals contender. The Lakers can show the NBA tonight that they are still one of the best teams out there and still have a team that can live up to its potential.
Steve Nash and Pau Gasol will be out for this game, Nash with a fracture in his shin and Pau Gasol with tendinitis in his knees.
Now onto the stats
“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake." ~Fredrick Douglas
Showing posts with label Dwight Howard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dwight Howard. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
The Blame Game
The Blame Game is a problem that has plagued the NBA for many years of its long history. Players have blamed each other, coaches have blamed players(and players blamed coaches), fans have blamed refs, and the Spurs have blamed David Stern. It is a prevalent part of the game that can either be justified with horrendous play calls or horrendous officiating, or turn in to whining on the part of a player who seeks attention for themselves. Recently the Blame Game has affected the Showtime Lakers 2.0. Or is it 3.0? or 2.75? The court is still out on that one.
To give context to the situation, and information to anyone who has decided to live their lives under a rock for last 5 months, the Lakers brought together a super team of 4 future Hall of Famers, with the longtime Lakers Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, and adding on to the duo with Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Everyone and their dog in LA immediately believed that this team would destroy everyone in their path and start off as one of the greatest to ever grace the planet. However, things like that rarely ever turn out the way they seem in the NBA. The Lakers have hobbled out to a 8-9 start with losses to sub .500 teams such as Sacramento (who has a total of 4 wins, one of which is against the Lakers), Dallas, Portland, Indiana, and finally Orlando, Dwight's previous team, in a 113-103 stinker of a game. Now, remember, Steve Nash is out with a fracture of his shin bone, but 3 future HOF should be enough, right? With arguably the second best player ever in the NBA, arguably the best center since Shaq in his prime, and with one of the best shooting power forwards, the Lakers have very much underachieved.
Even with all this underachievement and none of the 3 playing to the best of their abilities, with the possible exception of Kobe Bryant, the Lakers and and their coach Mike D'Antoni are not focusing on their real problem of cohesiveness and team ball but are more focused on blaming each other for the current state of their team.
To give context to the situation, and information to anyone who has decided to live their lives under a rock for last 5 months, the Lakers brought together a super team of 4 future Hall of Famers, with the longtime Lakers Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, and adding on to the duo with Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash and Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard. Everyone and their dog in LA immediately believed that this team would destroy everyone in their path and start off as one of the greatest to ever grace the planet. However, things like that rarely ever turn out the way they seem in the NBA. The Lakers have hobbled out to a 8-9 start with losses to sub .500 teams such as Sacramento (who has a total of 4 wins, one of which is against the Lakers), Dallas, Portland, Indiana, and finally Orlando, Dwight's previous team, in a 113-103 stinker of a game. Now, remember, Steve Nash is out with a fracture of his shin bone, but 3 future HOF should be enough, right? With arguably the second best player ever in the NBA, arguably the best center since Shaq in his prime, and with one of the best shooting power forwards, the Lakers have very much underachieved.
Even with all this underachievement and none of the 3 playing to the best of their abilities, with the possible exception of Kobe Bryant, the Lakers and and their coach Mike D'Antoni are not focusing on their real problem of cohesiveness and team ball but are more focused on blaming each other for the current state of their team.
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