Tag: Nash

Looking Up

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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.

Los Lakers!

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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.