What if ... What if ... What if Shaq & Kobe stuck together

Great question posed on the Dan Patrick show today:

Are Shaq and Kobe remembered for what they did together (three titles with the L.A. Lakers) or what they didn’t do together (nine titles?)? Reminds me of Billy Hoyle and Sidney Deane in White Men Can't Jump. Those dudes coulda won so much more dough.

Then again, had Shaq and Kobe stayed together we wouldn’t have had this or this.

The saga continues tonight in Phoenix at 7:30.

Yo RK, tell me how my ass taste!

One more question: How about those Thunder, i.e. the franchise formerly known as the SuperSonics? 1-11!?

Maybe Seattle is glad it lost its team.

As Billy Hoyle once said, "You'd rather look good and lose than look bad and win."

Oh wait, Oklahoma City’s unis, logo and team look like crap.

Kendra Wilkinson a Lamar fan

With fans like this, Lamar definitely needs to embrace his new 6th Man role.

Thanks Lamar for "taking one for the team"!

This is Kobe's Team

I was just beginning to write about the fact that the Lakers may not need Kobe any more. This team is deep. For example, the Lakers have Lamar Odom coming off the bench and talented Luke Walton barely making the rotation.

The result of such a deep squad are the huge one sided wins against the Clippers and the young Blazers. Granted these two aren't exactly powerhouses in the NBA but still the Lakers showed they were in mid season form. Kobe wasn't playing the minutes that he had last year and he wasn't having to use up all his energy on the offensive end. In fact, from this writers perspective it almost seemed like this team was even playing better without him.

Then Saturday night happened. The Lakers played the Denver Nuggets in easily the ugliest game Lakers fans have seen since the first couple of games in the preseason. The Bench Mob was awful. Foul trouble sat many of the Lakers key players in the first half.

The team looked ragged. Now, it could have been that they were nervous because it was there first road game of the year. Or it could have been that Denver was still seething from last years playoff sweep by the hands of the Lakers and they were fired up for revenge. Or it could have been the mile high altitude making it tough to breathe for the Lakers. Whatever it was, it wasn't pretty. And that's not the point here.

This is Kobe's team and they need him. He scored 14 of his 33 points and the fourth when the Lakers needed it most. Carmelo Anthony appeared to be breaking out of his two game suspension nap and started dropping some threes. But Kobe put on his cape and brought the Lakers home for their third win in this young season.

So I may have gotten a bit cocky about the rest of this Laker squad. The Bench Mob holds a special place in many Laker fans hearts. But they can't do this alone this year. Laker fans need their superstar Kobe, because he can change any games outcome. Even in the final quarter. Good thing too.

The Lakers have much to prove this year.

The Los Angeles Lakers have resurged to become the favorites out of the west to make it to the finals. Las Vegas has them as the favorite to win the whole thing this year. Pretty amazing since at this time last year the team seemed destined to implode. So one year later the Lakers have a lot to prove.

The Los Angeles Lakers - The team has to prove that they are a Chanpionship caliber team. They made it to the Finals but were easily defeated by the Boston Celtics. The Lakers must jell together it's uniquely talented roster and truly believe that defense wins championships to become Champions.

Mitch Kupchak – That this Laker squad did not need retooling over the off season. Most Laker fans believe that the finals outcome would have been a different story if Andrew Bynum had been there. Many believe that a healthy Bynum and Trevor Ariza are the same as adding any of this off-seasons top notch free agents from this last summer.

Phil Jackson – That he is the greatest Coach in NBA history. With nine championship rings to match the Late Red Auerbachs, Phil has a chance to try to get ring number 10 and solidify himself as the greatest NBA coach ever.

Kurt Rambis – Phil Jackson has handed over defensive responsibility to Kurt. Since that was the biggest problem of last years team and undeniably led to their defeat by Boston, Kurt has to come up with a defensive scheme that everyone buys into and that works.

Kobe Bryant – Kobe has to prove that he can make it physically through this season. Kobe just played in the Summer Olympics to bring the Gold back home to the U.S. By doing so he has shortened his chance to rest his body and mind for another long haul. He also decided to hold off on surgery of his ligament torn pinkie.

Pau Gasol – Like Kobe, Pau has to prove that he can make it through this season after he brought the Silver home for Spain. Unlike Kobe, Pau is more injury-prone, making his resting time very crucial.

Lamar Odom – That he can be a great sixth man for the Lakers. It isn't certain that he will come off the bench but Lamar needs to prove that he will do whatever it takes to help this team win a championship, coming off the bench or starting.

Derek Fisher – That he still has the legs to be the starting guard for a championship team. At 34 years old he isn't a spring chicken anymore but he is an integral part to this team by adding Veteran Leadership.

Vladimir Radmonivic – He has to prove that he can bring more to the Lakers than just a three point game. Although that is very important in stretching the defense for the Lakers, Vladi has to do more like play his heart out on both ends of the floor.

Jordan Farmar – That he can be a starting guard in this league. If he keeps working on his ability to see the court and keeps attacking the rim, it's a certainty.

Trevor Ariza – That he is the defensive stopper that the Lakers desperately need. His athleticism and speed also add showtime excitement to this team. And that becomes contagious. Look for some thrilling high lights from Ariza this year.

Chirs Mihn – That he can still play at an NBA level after major Ankle surgery. So far he looks physically good, a bit rusty from his time off but if he can get his body working the skills will come back.

Sasha Vujacic – That he is the Machine when it comes to being an outside threat. Does the Slovenian Kid still have his wicked range?

Luke Walton – That his ankles won’t be his downfall like his fathers. And more importantly can he still be a part of the rotation for the Lakers?

Andrew Bynum – That he is the futre for the lakers. The kid has a lot on his shoulders to carry but if he returns to his February form, this team could be the best Laker squad since the Lakers of the 80's.

The Lakers New Defensive Stopper

All the talk about Lamar Odom can be a bit overwhelming. Is he starting? Is he running the point? Is he going to be traded? First of all, he would be great coming of the bench but, would also help round out the Lakers monster starting line up. So no decision can be made there. He has great handles, height, and sees the court well, so he would make a great point guard in a showtime type system. In the Triangle... not so sure? And lastly, who could you trade him for? Who will be willing to play fourth fiddle to the Lakers new big three (Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum)? And who would be able to walk in and learn the complexities of the Triangle during what many Laker fans believe is a key year in the resurgence of the Laker Dynasty? Like mentioned earlier... it's very overwhelming.

Instead of digging into the Lamar debates, look at a player who will help to set the defensive tone for a team who is very weak in that area. No, not Kobe Bryant. It's Trevor Ariza. The length and atheleticism of Ariza allows him to figuratively be all over the court. Through the preseason games he has shown that his anticipation on the defensive end has led to many easy baskets. He didn't get to play much last year because of the broken foot. And unfortunately Phil Jackson tried to use him in the Finals against the Celtics when he clearly still had rust on his game. Now he's healthy. This is his first trainging camp with the Lakers. He has worked on his game during the off season and he's only 23. His scrambling, aggressive defensive is hopefully contagious because the rest of the Lakers need some serious defense mojo added to their game (Kobe Bryant excluded).

Although a very good defender, Ariza does have some offensive weaknesses. His jump shot is average at best. If he worked on that part of his game he could help to spread the floor allowing the big guys Bynum and Gasol to have some space to work. If the rest of the Lakers can follow suit to Ariza, maybe Laker fans this year will see their return to the finals and maybe, just maybe... the eventual defeat of Boston.

Rockets get a steal in Artest

Ron Artest is allegedly going to the Rockets for next to nothing. I don't know why more people aren't making a big deal about this trade like they did when the Lakers "stole" Pau Gasol from Memphis for next to nothing. What are the Kings getting for Artest? The Rockets' first-round draft pick next year, this year's late first-round pick, Bobby Jackson (dude is like 134 in NBA years) and 1 million cold cash. Memphis got Kwame Brown, two future first-round draft picks and Jarvis Crittenton for Gasol. They both seem pretty weak. I know the Kings must have decided they need to cut their losses, but I think there is better value for Artest out there.

What does this do for Houston? I don't know if it makes the Rockets contenders, but it sure as hell makes them deadly. Battier and Artest on the same floor playing lock-down defense is scary.

* * *

Here is an interesting article on the Kobe and Shaq feud. Speaking of Shaq, are we gonna see a new Phoenix offense? Maybe the Suns will run the offense through Shaq. If that happens, they definitely won't make the playoffs.

Make sure to check out "the Machine" skits at Lakers-fan.com. These guys from SB are hitting the funny bone with every Laker fan. Good job!

Last day for The Lakers to keep Turiaf

Turiaf is definitely not the Lakers' best choice to keep for the price. The man will only be playing limited minutes behind Gasol, Bynum and Odom. And for what the Warriors have thrown at him (16 million for four years?), that would be a bit much for a backup and especially a backup's backup.

You'd think the Lakers will be fine without the spastic Turiaf. But I don't know if the city of Los Angeles will. Besides Derek Fisher, Turiaf is the next player who Lakers fans truly adore. Those two are real people. They have real problems. And they take their jobs seriously and come to play everyday. We don't know them personally, but we sure feel like we do.

Turiaf's dancing will be greatly missed. It was the equivalent to the towel waving of Bill Laimbeer. The secret weapon from the bench. Turiaf's enthusiasm reminds us of cheering on our high school football team when in fact we hated football and probably hated high school, but we had some buddies on the team and wanted to see them do well.

Turiaf, keep up the good work! Keep on dancing. We'll call you later.

Thank the NBA gods it's over

Finally. Just when I thought this series couldn't get any more awful to watch, Game 6 happened. The Lakers should have lost Game 5 and saved everyone from wasting time, energy and money to watch the Lakers' wretched performance. There isn't anything good to say about it except thankfully that it is over.

I can now fully appreciate that the Celtics are the best defensive team I have ever seen. In fact, I had an inkling after the first two games in Boston. Their defense was so suffocating I was having trouble breathing. And I can admit now that the Lakers have some of the worst defense the league has ever seen. Who is their defensive coach? Brian Shaw? The Spurs and Jazz must be shaking their heads in disbelief. How could they lose to this Laker squad in the earlier rounds of the playoffs?

And now the Lakers have to retool for next year. Bynum will host the middle but I wonder if he will be enough. Hopefully he will allow the four other players to get out and at least put a hand up on a shooter. And maybe the Lakers will grab a few more rebounds. Offensively they will probably be fine. With one of the best offensive efficiencies in the league, I imagine they will work Bynum in with no problem.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a deal that sends Lamar out for a strong forward like a Ron Artest. That would help supply the Lakers with some grit. Also, if the Lakers don't make any noise in the Finals next year you can be sure that Kobe will opt out of his contract with his 2009 opt out clause.

Congratulations Celtics. But couldn't you have ended this in 5 to save us from Game 6?

Is Kobe Bryant's legacy on the line?

¹GREAT, adjective
remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness; full of emotion; chief or preeminent over others; markedly superior in character or quality; remarkably skilled; used as a generalized term of approval

ABC has shoved it down our throats throughout the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics are going up against “the greatest player in the world,” color analyst Mark Jackson said of Kobe Bryant during the second quarter of Game 5.
But if the Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers lose in Game 6 or 7 in Boston, is Kobe really the greatest?
The greatest player doesn’t get held to 17 points at home and allow his team to butcher a 24-point lead in Game 4.
The greatest player doesn’t score 15 points in the first quarter and only 10 more the rest of the way in an elimination game on Sunday.
The greatest player doesn’t miss 60 percent of his floor shots and average four turnovers a game in the first five games of a series.
And the greatest player sure doesn’t demand trades and pick up the “uncoachable” label from his Hall of Fame coach in the offseason.
So Mark Jackson, now that you’ve actually watched an NBA Finals, stop with the comparisons to Michael Jordan (six Finals MVPs to Kobe’s zero).
Yes, Kobe Bryant is a great player.
A tremendous player with three championship rings. But the naysayers will always point out that all three of those titles came while playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal, the MVP of each of those Finals.
So that would make Bryant a great, All-NBA guard who has won it all with Shaq, i.e. Dwyane Wade. But even Wade earned the Finals MVP in 2006 when he won a title with Shaq.
If the Lakers don’t win the Finals this year, is Bryant greater than LeBron James? James went to the Finals a year ago with a supporting cast that isn’t half as talented as the Lakers.
Is he greater than Tim Duncan (three Finals MVPs)? Larry Bird (two Finals MVPs)? Magic Johnson (three Finals MVPs)?
Kobe and the Lakers still have two games to turn this series around, but if Bryant doesn’t come up huge (a synonym of great) in Games 6 and 7, even Mark Jackson is going to have a hard time calling Kobe “the greatest” again.

Going back to Boston

Initial thoughts from tonight’s Game 5 between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, which the Lakers won 103-98:

• Who’s got Paul Pierce?
• KG, not Kobe, got to play ticky-tack-toe with refs in L.A.
• Bryant scored 15 points in the first. Ten the rest of the way. And Mark Jackson is calling him the "Greatest player in the world?" He hasn't even been the best player in this series.
  
• Can Pau Gasol score from outside 3 feet?
• The coolest guy in the arena was actually two seats down from Jack Nicholson – Kelly Slater.
• Sam Cassell scores! Cassell scores again, and again.
• Where’s Rondo?
• Get a rebound Gasol.
• Found you Lamar. Time to play Hide and Seek in Boston again.
• Did Cassell, 38, really throw Sasha Vujacic to the floor on a loose ball and then win the jump ball?
• D. Fish is gonna go fishin’ here in a minute. Hopefully he has better luck on the boat than in this series (3 for 10 tonight and 11 for 33 for the series).
• Good to see a couple federal inquiries about betting on games hasn’t stopped Dick Bavetta from officiating the Finals.
• The Cs coulda wrapped it up tonight if they could make a putback.
• “Mama, here comes that man.” Mark Jackson is brutal. No wonder he didn't get the Knicks job. The New York brass must've thought Mama Jackson would be his top assistant.
  
• Kobe finally got a dunk (nice reach-in, I mean steal). Bryant didn’t come close to the ball on that last steal. Not surprising, it sealed the game.
• First team to 100 won. Someone reached 100 in this series?
• Michelle Tafoya: "Is this the kind of performance that can get you a win on the road?" Kobe Bryant: “Probably not."
• Memo to the Boston Chamber of Commerce: schedule the parade for Wednesday morning.

Kobe & Gasol '08? Try Kobe & Bynum in '09

In searching for a “Bumper Sticker of the Week,” I came across this solid attempt from the crew over at TheLakerNation.com.

Wish I would’ve seen this a week or two ago. Might have been worth picking up.
Down 3-1 with two games in Boston remaining, it’s about as worthwhile as the bumper sticker below:



If the Celtics win, I'm sneaking this lame bumper sticker on Ryantific's ride. That or a Rat Fink decal with Paul Pierce's head on it:

Hard to find a silver lining in Tinsel Town

The Los Angeles Lakers had to search long and hard for a silver lining in Thursday’s meltdown against the Boston Celtics.
Blowing a 24-point lead and a chance to even up the NBA Finals was a tough one to take – especially knowing that no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to take the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
Now the Lakers have to sweep the final three games, including Games 5 and 6 back in Boston, where the Celtics are 12-1 in the playoffs and 47-7 on the season.
I’m not saying the Lakers - who skipped practice today - are going to come back and win the series (don’t forget I took the Celtics in seven), but they have a couple, and I mean a couple, things to build on for the remainder of the series:

• Lamar Odom showed up Thursday – for a half. Odom had 19 points and 10 rebounds and four assists in the loss. Problem was, Phil Jackson sat him in crunchtime again and Odom had just four points, two boards and one dime in the second half. If Odom can stay on the floor, the Lakers are a better team than they showed in the first four games. Odom, however, finds himself in a very difficult situation in Game 5, which will be played on Father’s Day only a couple years after losing his son.

• Pao Gasol, another Laker who has been mediocre in the series, might have some more room to roam in the paint if Celtics center Kendrick Perkins can’t go. Perkins injured his shoulder in Thursday’s game and is listed as questionable for Sunday. Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo are also banged up, although those two seem to play pretty well when they’re hurt.

I could see the Lakers bouncing back to win Game 5 in L.A., but I’m also not sure that prediction of Celtics in 7 is going to hold up. Boston in six is starting to sound a lot more realistic at this point.

NBA Finals Game 4 Live Blog

What needs to get done in Game 4

Well, Game 3 was such a hard-fought, defensive struggle that I’d be stupid to write another Top-10 column about why the Lakers are going to win tonight’s Game 4.
Predicting Game 3, after the Lakers went down 2-0 on the road, was a lot easier than picking this one will be.
So I’ll just pat myself on the back of my throwback Shawn Kemp jersey, pat my 13 illigitamate kids on the head and avoid making any other predictions from here on out ... à la GSnides.
I guess the only real predictions that matter at this point are our WCBias.com series picks, and right now it looks like the Slims are the favorite to win this thing.
What I will offer is this ... Five things the Lakers/Celtics need to do win tonight’s Game 4 in Los Angeles (It’s at the Staples Center Amy Lawrence!).
Five things the Celtics must do to win:

• Boston has to start strong and then finish strong. The Cs came out strong in Game 3, holding off an emotionally charged home team in the opening quarter but eventually fell flat on its face late in the game when the Lakers outscored the Celtics 27-19 in the fourth.
• Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have to be twice as good as they were in Game 3. The two combined to go 8 of 35 from the floor and were a non-factor at the offensive end.
• Ray Allen needs to keep pulling the trigger. Ray Ray was 5 of 7 from beyond the arc and needs to be on point to take pressure off KG and Pierce.
• The Cs need to keep throwing double teams at Kobe until Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom prove they’re going to be a factor in this series. Boston’s defense has yet to allow a highlight-reel dunk from Kobe in the series and can take a big step toward that 17th title if it keeps him locked down again tonight.
• Rajon Rondo has to get healthy and get distributing again. He played in only 22 minutes in Game 3 and the Cs were held to 19 assists as a team. He had 16 assists by himself in Game 2.

Five things the Lakers must do to win:

• Odom and Gasol need to stop playing Hide and Seek. The two have been mediocre at best in the series. Odom was more aggressive at home in Game 3 but needs to stay out of foul trouble and stay on the floor. He’s picked up five fouls in each of the first three games.
• Derek Fisher is another player who’s been hiding out for L.A. He was 1 of 6 in 28 minutes in Game 3 despite being defended by Eddie House for much of the game. The Laker guards have to knock down shots to unclog the middle for Odom and Gasol.
• The Lakers could use another big game from Sasha Vujacic (is he really dating Paris Hilton?), who helped take some of the load off Kobe when he went 7 of 10 from the floor and hit three big 3-pointers in Game 3.
• Los Angeles needs a big game from someone not mentioned above. Someone like Radmonovic, Farmar, Walton or Turiaf needs to give this team a spark when the starters locked up or are on the bench.
• Kobe needs to be Kobe. Not the Kobe of a couple years ago, chucking up 40 or 50 shots, but the Kobe who is scoring in transition, slashing to the hoop and getting foul calls, and distributing to wide-open shooters and Odom or Gasol around the rim. The MVP needs to prove he is in fact the MVP, and needs to have a monster game to get the momentum back on L.A.’s side.

Top 10 reasons why Lakers win Game 3

Top 10 reasons the Los Angeles Lakers will win tonight’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, who lead the series 2-0:
10. It’s in L.A., and in the words of the late great Tupac Shakur … “The Westside is the best side.” Maybe Makaveli’s the reason the Lakers are unbeaten at home in the playoffs.
9. Kobe can’t have three bad nights in a row, especially when he’s playing in front of the Laker Girls.
8. Jack Nicholson is the real Sixth Man of the Year.
7. Lamar Odom’s Hide and Seek games work much better in the dark. Luckily for Lakers fans, Staples Center cuts the crowd lights during games.
6. Beers cost $10 bucks a pop at Staples. They’ve gotta have enough funds to buy a couple calls at home tonight.
5. They have to win. As a new father, it just wouldn’t be right if there wasn’t a Game 5 on Sunday, and I was forced to watch Major League Soccer instead.
4. The Spirit of Chick Hearn is strong as the spirit of Red Auerbach.
3. Paul Pierce’s gang signs will surely offend one of the 46 gangs in his hometown of Inglewood.
2. Hollywood’s next bad sports flick. Celtic Pride II “Showtime,” where Flea and Diane Keaton kidnap Ray Allen.
1. If Gasol can’t stop him, Snoop Dog will put a cap in KG’s @$$.

Going back to Cali ... Cali ... Cali ...

Initial thoughts from the Boston Celtics’ 108-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals:

• Ouch. That fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Lakers makes that loss sting even more.
• The Lakers should have saved those seven treys in the fourth for their trip back to L.A., they’re going to need ’em.
• That late lapse could be a good thing for the Celtics, who, unlike the Lakers, weren’t exactly set on a go-to man in the waning seconds. Looks like that man is Paul Pierce, who had the big blocked shot and free throws down the stretch.
• Good to see Lamar Odom still enjoys playing hide and seek. Where was he in the fourth? Where was he in the first three quarters?
• Odom wasn’t the only one playing games, the refs were playing ticky-tac toe with Kobe all game long.
• Speaking of foul calls, was Joey Crawford calling this game? The Celtics had a 38-10 advantage in free-throw attempts.
• Rondo can dunk? Oh yeah, and he can dish the rock, too. Sixteen assists. Two turnovers.
  
• Leon Powe was a (Golden) Bear in the post.
• Reason why Jeff Van Gundy is doing color commentary and not coaching: “The Boston Celtics are making a mistake switching defensively down low.” Hey Jeff, Paul Pierce is playing on one leg. You really expect him to step slide the entire length of the baseline to guard Radmanovic?
• Thanks to that late L.A. run, both the Celtics AND Lakers broke 100. Woohoo!
• This is where the 2-3-2 setup could help the Lakers, who need a sweep at home to stay in the series and take the momentum right back.
• Have no worries Ryantific, the Lakers have yet to lose at home in the postseason. Then again, the Cs have lost at home only once.
  
• No worries BG (Lakers in 4?), there’s always next year’s pick ’em.
• Note to GSlim: I didn’t give ALL the credit to Defensive Player of the Year KG in Game 1. But in case you missed it, here are their stat lines:
  Pierce: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists 3 turnovers.
  Garnett: 24 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover.
  Pierce did have the edge in turnovers and Willis Reed impersonations. I'll give you this ... Pierce is their go-to guy on offense, KG their go-to guy on defense ... and the Most Valuable Player in the Eastern Conference.
  

I Love This Game

More NBA news for the West and East Coast cagers in the audience who can’t get enough hoops today:

• L.A. Times hack Lonnie White has been demoted to covering Lakers-Celtics video games.
• Snoop’s taking the Lakers. A look at other celeb picks (guess who all of Hollywood is going with?).
• EastSidePN even used the “West Coast Bias” tag on their homepage, previewing the Daily Dime today. Bastards.
  
• Kareem isn’t the only one with a blog. Rondo’s bloggin’ too. Rondo’s new Web site has just been unveiled as well.
• My favorite topic: NBA officials suck.
• Sloan will be back in Utah (shocker).
• Even Tony Parker likes the Lakers.
• But if you read just one Celtics-Lakers preview, go with this one by the Boston Globe on Paul Pierce of Inglewood, Calif., by far the best single story I've found while sifting through all the NBA Finals news. Pierce will be defending Kobe in what will surely be the individual match-up of the series.
  

Showtime 2.0

Thursday’s finally here and so is our Internet connection (blame AT&T for the lack of updates yesterday) and Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
And if you’re tired of all the Lakers-Celtics history lessons, get ready for some more tonight when ABC kicks off its pregame coverage, which is sure to be bogged down with more high-shorts highlights than you can shake a stick at.
Instead of taking a ride on Brent Barry’s way back machine, let’s fast forward to the present where Lakers Showtime is still making a major impact on professional basketball.
A look at the key contributors on the Lakers 1987 NBA Championship team, which beat the Celtics in six games, and where they are now:

• James Worthy: The goggled one is still following the Lakers, working KCAL’s LTV broadcast with a dude named Massengale.
• Michael Cooper: The high-socked one has led the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks to five straight playoff appearances, three straight West crowns and two WNBA titles.
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The sky-hooked one is now a Special Assistant Coach with the Lakers, i.e. Andrew Bynum’s big man coach, helping the L.A. center to a breakout year before a knee injury shelved the remainder of the season. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer has also joined us in the blogosphere.
• Magic Johnson: The Magic one remains close to the team as a vice president and is a co-host from time to time on TNT.
• Byron Scott: The high-flying one had the upstart New Orleans Hornets within a game of the Western Conference Finals this season, was named Coach of the Year and just signed a two-year extension to keep him in New Orleans. Scott was invited to take part in pregame ceremonies tonight but has said he would skip it as the Lakers are the Hornets’ new rival.
• Kurt Rambis: The glasses-wearing one is an assistant to Phil Jackson’s current Lakers squad and is in the running for the Phoenix Suns job.

Betting Advice From NBA Insider Tim Donaghy

With Andruw Jones on the shelf, we had to scramble to find a new guest blogger here at WCBias.com. This week's blogger is former NBA referee and sportsbook phenom Tim Donaghy, providing his insight on the NBA Finals:

What's up sports fans, bookies and crime families!

Well, since WCBias.com foiled my witness-protection plan scheme that saw me shave my head and return to the NBA under the alias of Joey Crawford, I've decided it would be best if I went back into hiding and stuck to offering my insight on betting the NBA.
Thanks to Crawford and myself, the Lakers rolled up the Spurs and are now the odds-on favorites to win it all.
I've had a few beers this morning, but if I'm reading the board at the MGM sportsbook right, it looks like the oddsmakers have installed the Los Angeles Lakers as 2-1 favorites to take out the Celtics.
This is somewhat of a surprise considering Boston had been the favorite since the All-Star break. And with home-court advantage (along with our questionable officiating) being a determining factor throughout the playoffs, you’d think Boston would get the nod because of the four games scheduled to be played there.
Then again, a majority of the so-called basketball “experts” in the media are taking the Lakers, who have been playing better as of late thanks to our fabulous no-calls. That has made for a lot of betting action on L.A. and little action being thrown down on the Celtics – hence the underdog tag for the Cs.
So the money makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is the Game 1 line: Boston favored by 2.5 at home. If the Cs play four of the seven games at home this series, why aren’t they favored to win the whole thing?
Which brings up another interesting question: What were the odds of L.A. or Boston winning the title heading into the season?
Well, back in July, the Lakers were neck deep in Kobe trade turmoil and 50-1 dogs to win the NBA championship. So that $20 I threw down on the Lakers is potentially worth $1,000.
The odds for Boston were even crazier, 300-1. So the 20 bones I dropped on the Cs could be worth $6,000.
But enough about me and my winnings. If I were a betting man … oh wait. … Here’s what I would bet if I were a Lakers guy … With those odds, the best bet is to hope for a Laker victory in five games at the odds of 3-1.
Along the same lines, Boston fans should scrap the 8-5 odds for the series and gamble on the games. You get 20-1 odds if you take the Celtics in four, 11-1 in five, 6-1 in six and 17-4 in seven. I think BSlim hit the nail on the head when he took Boston in seven. For those who don’t know, Slim has a history of putting down brilliant $50 bets every time he’s in Vegas. When in doubt, go with the redhaired Irishman and go with Boston.
Cheers for now my fellow mobsters, gangsters and good friend Charles Barkley.
I’ll be checking in throughout the playoffs.
TD

Crystal Ball Time: NBA Finals Picks

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics tip off the NBA Finals Thursday in Boston (no Amy Lawrence, Game 3 isn't being played at The Forum).

The Lakers and Celtics, who have been to the Finals 47 times and combined to win 30 titles, played just twice during the regular season with Boston taking both meetings.

The WCBias.com crew is again split on our predictions, just like in the Western Conference Finals where GSlim and Ryantific went with the Lakers. Here’s how we see the series in our convoluted crystal balls:

GSlim: Boston in 7. Ray Ray has got his swagger back, Pierce and KG have tons of heart, and the Celtics have the role players in Perkins, Posey, and Rondo to hang with the Lakers. Epic series but karma gets the best of Kobe in this one. Let's not forget Laker fans, he cheated on his wife and kid, ran Shaq out of town, and is an all around (insert favorite expletive here).

Ryantific: Lakers in 7. Whoever gets the defensive assignment of Paul Pierce is gonna be the hero of this series. If the Lakers can stop him then they have a chance. Who is that hero going to be?

BG: Lakers in 4. L.A. in a clean sweep, Doc Rivers calls his own number and takes the floor at the 2 in game 4 and goes 1-3 from the field. How's that for a specific prediicyion?

BSlim: Boston in 7. Home court. Home court. Home court. I've been screamin' it since Day 1, so I guess I have to stick with it. The 2-3-2 format will benefit the Cs when it counts most (early and late). ... Say all you want about the East, but Boston is 25-5 against the West and better defensively. KG, Allen and Pierce will do whatever it takes to get that first ring. Kobe's already got three rings, and Mom of the Year Vanessa has a fourth worth $4.3 million. The Bryants don't need no more bling.

• • •

Guest blogger, Beau-C: Since the WCBias.com staff was split on this one, we had to go to the tiebreaker, aka "The Wombat." Beau-C, for those who don't know, is a betting fool who knows the lines better than Doc Gooden. Wait, not those lines. Anywho, here's his take on the Lakers-Celtics series: "Lakers in 6 at the Garden with Paul Pierce crying at half court. KG will get his, but Allen will fold under the pressure and Paul Pierce will run out of gas in the first quarter if he has the task of guarding Kobe. Kobe will show all that he doesn't need a wannabe rent-a-cop to win a ring, just a little something to take some of the pressure off. Lakers in 6 at the Garden, Game 6 score being Lakers 101, Celtics 95."

Root For Me, I'm Irish

What East Coast Bias?
Good to see EastSidePN (and ABC for that matter) has made it clear who they're rooting for in the NBA Finals this morning.
But I guess that isn't much of a surprise considering the Western Conference Finals (TNT) took a backseat to the Eastern Conference Finals on ESPN this year.
To be fair, the few guys who actually know basketball at ESPN are going with the Lakers to win the series: Abbot says they'll win in 5, Adande in 6, Broussard 7, Ford 6, Hollinger 6, Sheridan 6, Stein 5, Thorpe 6. What, do all these guys wanna become movie stars or something?
We'll have our WCBias.com picks in a bit. Remember, this series is 2-3-2 with Boston holding home court, for now.
Speaking of the Finals, don't miss our little history lesson of the Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers rivalry.

Plenty of history in the NBA Finals

A little history lesson for you groms in the blogosphere who were still in diapers the last time the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics were in the NBA Finals together in 1987:

The Lakers and Celtics haven’t met in the Finals for quite some time, but no two teams have been here more often.

In all, the Celtics and Lakers have been to the Finals 47 times heading into next week’s Finals, combining to win 30 titles.

The last time the two rivals met, the NBA’s popularity was at an all-time high and Magic Johnson lifted the Lakers over the defending-champion Celtics 4-2 en route to MVP honors in 1987 (If you want more on this series, just stop by Ryantific’s place, he’s got it running on a loop on a tape in his VCR).

The Celtics won the title a year earlier over Houston in six but lost the title to the Lakers again in 1985 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar skyhooked his way to MVP honors in a six-game series win by Los Angeles. The ’85 and ’87 series wins were the only Lakers Finals victories over the Celtics.

The Lakers haven’t been to a Finals since 2004, which doesn’t seem like a long time unless you’re a Laker Lover and have come accustomed to being there 28 other times. The Lakers won half their 28 Finals appearances with their last title coming in 2002, the last of three straight titles won by the Lakers and their three-time Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal. (On a side note, this is the first time since 1998 that neither Shaq nor Tim Duncan are in the Finals).

The Celtics have been to the Finals 19 times and are back again following Friday’s Game 6 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

The Lakers and Celtics will be meeting for the 11th time in the Finals with the Celtics taking eight of those meetings.

The Celtics will again be the favorites, going 2-0 against the Lakers during the regular season and 25-5 against the Western Conference in the process. Prior to a surprising loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Celtics had gone 16-0 against the West.

The Celtics also have home-court advantage in this one and have only lost once at home in the playoffs, another reason Boston will be favored to win its 17th title.

No "I" in Los Angeles Lakers

Many people are asking who gets the credit for the Lakers return to glory. A vote online gives you the option of voting for Phil, Kobe, Kupchack, the Grizzlies front office, or Pau Gasol. Yes, all of these options have helped contribute to the Lakers great season. Phil held the team together. Kupchack put the team together. The Grizzlies office donated Gasol who took the place of the injured Bynum. And Bryant smoothly played his best year of basketball ever and took MVP honors.

But aren't we forgetting somebody. Ummmm... like the rest of the freaking Lakers, whom without the Lakers couldn't even be called an NBA basketball team. Five players are needed to start this game. And there should probably be some sort of bench to replace the starting five. Imagine five players alone trying to play a whole 48 minutes against the Warriors? And a few extra players are certainly necessary when injuries happen.

How good are the rest of the Lakers? Good. This team is deep. From spots 3-10 they can all play ball. They are more experienced in the offense as most of the team has had a couple seasons in it and understands the complex cuts and rotation of the triangle. They are stronger with the ball, think of Fisher, Odom, Jordan Farmar or pre-injured Bynum. They rebound better, think of Odom or pre-injured Bynum. They are shooting better than last season, think of Vujacic and Radmonvic. They play better defense, think of Turiaf, Walton and pre-injured Ariza. The team also has young legs (barring Derek Fisher) which is an obvious advantage. And last and most importantly, they all believe in each other. It can be seen on the bench as the Lakers cheer on their team mates.

So without the rest of the team, this years Laker squad could never had hoped that they would make as much noise as they have. Kobe and Pau would be one hell of a two on two squad at the local gym but they couldn't do squat on their own in the NBA. It takes a team effort.

Who Do the Lakers Want in the Finals?

There will be a new champion in the NBA this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up the Western Conference Finals on Thursday, rallying from a 17-point deficit to dethrone the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5, 100-92.

The Lakers could find out who their NBA Finals opponent tonight if the Celtics can get past the Pistons in Game 6.

So who would the Lakers rather face?

Boston went 25-5 against the West this season. Detroit went 22-8. Both Eastern Conference teams will have home court in the playoffs as well, although the series format will be a bit different going the 2-3-2 variety. Either way it’ll be a tough draw for the Lakers, especially if the home team holds serve and goes up 0-2. That would almost certainly mean the Lakers would have to sweep the three home games. Good thing for Lakers fans is L.A. hasn’t lost at home in the playoffs.

Donaghy enters witness-protection program as Joey Crawford

WCBias.com has learned disgraced NBA referee Tim Donaghy has entered a witness-protection program after receiving mob-issued death threats for his cooperation with authorities in an underground betting scandal.

Donaghy, believed to have bet on over 100 NBA games, will be sentenced in July on gambling and wire-fraud charges. He faces 25 years in prison, but WCBias.com has learned Donaghy is already wearing stripes.

According to sources close to the situation, Donaghy’s witness-protection program has him back officiating in the NBA – the last place in the world anyone would expect to see him.

Donaghy shaved his head and has taken on a new identity, going by the name Joey Crawford.

The plan has worked like a charm so far as Donaghy has blown call after call, got in an on-court squabble with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and failed to blow his whistle in the waning seconds of Game 4 when Brent Barry was clearly fouled by Derek Fisher. A foul call would’ve put Barry (a 95% shooter) at the line with a chance to send the game into overtime.

But instead of blowing his whistle, Donaghy decided to swallow it, just like Crawford would have. Late Wednesday, the NBA even sent out a statement admitting Crawford blew the call and that Barry should’ve gone to the line for a one-and-one.

Donaghy’s impersonation of Crawford has been so outstanding, Jack Nicholson is hoping to meet with him after tonight’s Game 5 in hopes of having him audition for the starring role in his upcoming film about the life of Pete Rose entitled “Charlie the Hustler and Degenerate Gambler.”

How do you have a job Joey Crawford and you TNT hacks?

I love Charles Barkley, but before Tuesday’s game he said something stupid again.

Sir Charles said, repeatedly, that Joey Crawford officiating this game “isn’t a story.”
Well, if it wasn’t a story before the game, it sure became one afterward.

But I don’t want to ride just Barkley, because Marv the Perv and Collins the Crappy Coach (15-23 in the playoffs) sucked even more during the play-by-play portion of the broadcast. Collins, AN EX-COACH OF MJ – didn’t even realize the shot clock hadn’t reset on the Lakers’ final possession when Derek Fisher “air balled” (another call the refs probably blew) a shot in the waning seconds.

So when the Lakers got the ball back after it ricocheted off a Spurs player, the fans had no idea Kobe Bryant was going to jack up that quick, off-balanced shot that fell short (unless you were watching the miniscule shot clock in the corner like my boy Ryantific).

Then, on the next possession, TNT’s dynamite duo failed to mention if the Lakers were in the penalty, which left more questions than answers when the final horn sounded and Brent Barry’s desperation three shanked off the backboard after an apparent foul by Fisher.

And neither commentator even bothered to bring up the previous history Joey Crawford and the Spurs had, even though this hack blogger has been writing about that “isn’t a story” storyline since the Phoenix-San Antonio series. (If it’s not a big deal, why did Crawford and Gregg Popovich have that on-court squabble during the conference semifinals, with Popovich throwing Crawford’s hand away when the ref shoved his index finger into the coach’s sternum).

And wasn't it Crawford who was involved in another off-court issue involving NBA referees in 1998 when he was one of eight zebras charged with filing false income taxes?

Dear David Stern, why are you opening yourself up to another officiating scandal? If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times. Fire the dude or banish him to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Someone in the mainstream media finally asked Stern about the Crawford-Spurs beef last week when the commish was on Rome is Burning.

Rome: Should (Crawford) have been in that series (Western Conference semis)?

Stern: When I have a referee that I can’t assign to a series then I don’t have a referee.

Rome: You couldn’t have put him in another series just to avoid that (conflict)?

Stern: I have to put a referee in the rotation. We can’t do that. If a referee can’t referee a game then he can’t referee.

Well David, it's becoming quite clear Joey can't referee. Crawford, as luck would have it Tuesday, was in fact the official who swallowed his whistle on that final play, when Barry was clearly fouled by Fisher after the up fake. You know if Kobe made that pump fake, he would’ve got the call. Heck, RK’s boy Sasha Vujacic got a whistle on a three-pointer toward the end of the third quarter … and at least Barry has a last name. But "he didn't sell it," another TNT brainiac, Reggie Miller, pointed out after the game. Hey Reggie, when did NBA players become used car salesmen. I guess he should have had a "full steam of head," too.

The only question that remained was whether Barry was fouled on the shot (continuation goes a long way in the NBA) or on the floor. Either way, Barry should’ve been at the line with two free throws (that was the fifth foul on the Lakers) to tie or three to win (if that last foul came on the shot). I thought it was a one-and-one, myself.

Then again, Fisher’s last shot likely hit the rim at the other end and should have reset the shot clock and put an end to that last Spurs’ attempt to win or tie it.
And if you watched the entire game, it was obvious the Spurs didn’t deserve to win this one and never led for a reason.
They were outrebounded 46-37. And they got seven points fro