Yeah So That Didn’t Go Well

So my last blog, “The End”, was basically about how all the Lakers needed to do was just lose their next game and everything would be okay.

Well, they even screwed that up.

Not only did the Lakers lose, but they did it in a terrible fashion.

About 20 minutes into the game, Howard fouled out, probably intentionally. Now, being a loser in a professional sport comes with the expectation that you won’t be a baby and that you’ll lose with some sort of dignity.

Well, Howard screwed that up.

After fouling out and leaving his team to basically be a bunch of dying fish trying to make their way to some kind of water, he got into an argument with the ONE person he shouldn’t have.

No it wasn’t D’Antoni, and it wasn’t Jerry Buss’ kids either. It was Mitch Kupchak. Yes, that’s right, after intentionally leaving the court during a playoff game, the little punk Howard got into an argument with the Lakers’ General Manager.

There isn’t really a whole lot for me to say about that, other than let’s just hope he can clean up his act this summer, or that was a LOT of money down the drain.

Looking Up

F.I.N.A.L.L.Y.

The Lakers are actually starting to look like a team. Or rather, the team they were supposed to be at the beginning of the year. I hate to be too optimistic, like I was after Christmas, but this team looks like they could actually make the playoffs.

Today, the Lakers actually beat one of the top seeded teams: the Thunder. Now, granted that the Thunder were just coming off of a six game road trip, Westbrook shot 6-22 from the field, and Durant was just 10 for 26, the Lakers still pulled off an impressive win.

Kobe, stunning his critics, got 14 assists, 9 rebounds and 21 points. He’s still the MVP. I said it. In fact, the Lakers had six players in double digits for points (not counting Howard. Because he only had eight points.)

Howard has actually been proving nerds wrong all year. He proved that Superman’s weakness is NOT kryptonite, but it is, in fact, shooting the ball from the free throw line. Howard has not been showing up to everyone’s expectations. He’s been acting like a little baby because he hasn’t been getting as many touches as everyone else. Well, actually, he does get as many touches, but he just messes them up when he does get them.

But, as badly as Howard is playing, a playoff appearance by the Lakers seems very possible now. Plus, with Rondo out anywhere from the rest of the year to two more seasons, things are looking up for Laker fans.

Lakers: Proving it IS in fact possible to lose with this team

Kobe, Nash, Howard, World Peace, Gasol.

What could go wrong with such a winning lineup?

Well, apparently, a lot. The Lakers proved today that it is possible to lose with a team so star studded as this. In fact, they can make it look easy.

You have to admit, today’s game was almost comically bad. Howard got kicked out before the half, Kobe hitting TEN for THIRTY-TWO shots, and Gasol flopping his lanky arms around the rim every play in a feeble attempt to make the ball go in.
FLOP
I honestly don’t know what’s going on with the Lakers. The talent is obviously there. Is it the age factor? Is it that no one on the team can play together? Is it that D’Antoni’s  mustache has cast a spell over the entire team? The latter seems quite possible.
What is he hiding under there?

Whatever it is, the Lakers need to figure it out, and fast. They’re falling dangerously close to not making it to the playoffs, with an even more dangerous schedule ahead. I say dangerous with my tounge-in-cheek because we did just lose to the Raptors. The TORONTO Raptors. Canada is not notoriously great at basketball.

Los Lakers!

Well, I’ve made it a little bit without blogging about the Lakers. But, it’s time to end the streak of silence and do a quick summary of the season so far.

Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace…what could go wrong?

Well, a lot.

Nash has fractured his leg and no one knows when he’s coming back.

Dwight Howard has the power to be the best center in the league and, to his benefit, he certainly is sometimes. BUT! He definitely has some off nights. In our last game against Memphis, Dwight only had 7 points a 4 rebounds. Hrrrm.

Kobe’s still Kobe. Anyone trying to doubt that needs to look at the list of the league’s highest scorers.

And finally Gasol. Oh Gasol, you fickle, fickle man. As terribly as he’s been playing recently, I still think he should still be kept on the team. There are a lot of trading rumors, but I think they’re a waste of time. He’ll smarten up when Nash comes back.

So, having said all of that, the Lakers still have a losing record (.467). This is 15 games in too. Sure, a lot of that was to do with Mike Brown, but D’Antoni still has to prove himself to L.A. We’ll see how the season pans out. The very first game of the year I predicted that the Lakers would go to the finals and win in six against the Heat. Well, now I’m not so sure. Kobe needs to lead some of the younger players and show a bit more charisma. But so does D’Antoni. Hopefully the team starts to win some games, because I’m not comfortable with the only sport team I follow having a losing record.