Real Deal

Definitely see them as a better team, and they've been looking for a legitimate back-to-the-basket post player for a long time...and now, they finally have one (and a good one). As long as Drew stays healthy, they should be good. I still don't see how they are going to replace the defense that Iguodala gave them at the three, though. That's a very important position, especially when you're in the East (LeBron, Pierce, Carmelo, Granger, Deng).

Harden will sign an extension...OKC shouldn't be worried about that. I wonder if they will actually explore trade options with Perkins, or just slap him with the amnesty after this upcoming season.

I can't even seriously begin to talk about Hibbert right now. Working him over on the defensive end is something all teams try to do, because it not only wears him down, but it also puts him into foul trouble almost 100% of the time. When Hibbert started to look dominant, Miami adjusted...but they aren't going to be able to do that to the Lakers. As you noted, the supporting cast is definitely not the same, and again, those passes are going to be hard to pick off (or prevent) with the Princeton + these scoring options, because the floor will HAVE to be spread out. LeBron is fast, but he doesn't have a 10-foot wingspan to cover that ground. Ron shot 40% from three in the last month or two of the season, and it was right after he stated he was healthy (posted about it on Twitter), so I believe him 100% when he says he was injured. For the first few months, he was absolutely horrible...to the point where I figured he was drinking before every game, shooting 20% or worse from three (was at 17% at one point). So, we have Nash, Ron, Blake and Goudelock shooting threes (Goudelock will see a little more time, I'm sure, especially with this offense). Blake is a career 39% 3PT shooter, and had his second bad season last year (the first being a long time ago), so I'm going to expect a higher percentage. Jamison can stretch the floor, shooting around 34-35% from three...so we'll have two three-point threats in our starting five, and 2-3 off the bench. Nobody can defend LeBron in an ISO, but if I had to pick one guy to hold him when he's posting up, it's Ron Artest...and I think you'd stick him up there as well. If we have Ron defending him when he posts up, and Howard/Gasol waiting for him in the paint, I'm confident we can prevent him from absolutely obliterating us. Wade is still a good player, but most of Kobe's defensive lapses come when he's roaming, and he gets lazy. People have talked shit about him for years when it comes to that. I doubt he'll be roaming as much. Wade struggled big time with Kobe back in March, anyway, while Kobe had his way with him on offense as well. I'm not concerned with Wade. We'll get killed on transition, that's a given. All teams get raped by Miami when they are running. Ray Allen won't be a problem because we're going to stick Blake on him again. Blake and Fisher decided to tail him every time we played the Celtics, and it wasn't an issue for us (until Fisher was frustrated with his 0-7 shooting, and let Allen get away a couple of times, but he still shot average in that game, poorly in the other). Ray will be spotting up much more, too, and he's definitely not used to standing around and waiting for someone like LeBron to find him. Allen's big gripe about the three-point contest was that he wasn't able to come off a screen and shoot those threes. It's almost rare to see a player try and create for a teammate (by penetration, for instance) who is coming off a screen and creating his own space...Mark Jackson couldn't even do that with Reggie effectively. Gasol can't even get on the low block with LeBron defending him. Bron is too strong, just pushes him right out of position, or he'll front him and jump ten feet in the air to disrupt the pass. Gasol will have the ball a lot in the high post, where he can analyze the defense and find cutters, or get the ball to Howard in whatever position he can get himself into (whether he's being fronted, or he's stepping out to try and face up, whatever the case). Gasol will never defend LeBron. I'm going to assume that Mike Brown will make sure of that, by directing Howard to step out instead. Gasol will go out and do what he can against, say, Battier...while Howard stays at home with Bosh. Can't see that as an issue because Battier does nothing but spot up, and Gasol will step out, just like he has plenty of times with Ray Allen (and he has blocked Ray more times than I can think of anyone blocking another Celtic player from this team, honestly...especially at the end of games). I haven't seen another Laker block more three-point shots than Gasol since Kobe in his prime. Miami will never be easy to defend, but I just don't see how the Heat are going to stop the Lakers. Even with what we had last season, I think we would have taken the Heat to six games, doing better than the Thunder did. Miami would have won, of course, but I think we would have pulled away with two and beat them the same way we did back in March. I always like to go back to the last two seasons. Are the Heat really that athletic? Wade has been slower for a couple of seasons now. LeBron and Bosh are really the only two athletic players in Miami (that are significant). Battier, Allen, Miller...they are far from it. Miami's average age was actually higher than LA's last season. Dallas, who had one of the oldest teams I've ever seen in 2011 (not really, but yeah), didn't have to run to beat the Heat...they sat back and played excellent basketball on both ends of the floor, found a way to use Chandler (Dwight) to keep LeBron out of the paint and Marion (Artest) to keep him out of the post, and forced him to take jumpers (in the 2012 NBA Finals, by the way, LeBron shot 18% on jumpers). Then, not too long ago, the Thunder (who you could argue are more athletic, collectively, and are by far the younger team...they lost in five games because Miami decided to attack their weaknesses (aka just stuck LeBron in the post, and used Bosh to stretch the floor). LA upgraded at the two positions Miami has trouble defending. They installed an offense that can fit perfectly with everyone on their team. They have ways to score from every single spot on the floor with superstar-esque scoring (which is rare...saw that from Boston in 2008, Showtime Lakers in the 80's). I think Miami has a reason to be concerned, just as much as the Lakers should have been in 2008. I mean, I still think the Heat should be worried about the Celtics and a possible seven-game series (because I think Jason Terry can be a bit more of a problem than Ray was, and a returning Bradley will cause problems as well), and even Chicago, if D-Rose comes back really early...so why would they look the other way?

Just so you know... http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/14/the-inbounds-nash-howard-and-an-impossible-sword This could be one of the best pick-and-roll duos the league has seen in decades, and it doesn't include Kobe, Gasol OR Jamison. I'm sure you guys have defended Howard well in the past, but that's Dwight without much help. You're replacing Nelson, Anderson, and J-Rich with Nash, Gasol and Kobe. If you aren't worried about this slow, old Lakers team...I'm assuming you weren't worried about that slow, old Dallas team in 2011.

Miami needs a Darko, or a healthy Oden. Joel Anthony and Chris Bosh aren't going to be able to contain Dwight, and if they front him, it won't matter too much because the Princeton is going to space the defense so far apart, Miami won't be able to collapse quick enough, and Howard is definitely not a Yao Ming (who had trouble with those that decided to front him). I doubt Joel Anthony will matter. It would be different if we didn't have Nash, Gasol and Kobe (all three who can hit shots, especially Nash), but when you stick those guys in the Princeton, and you plant Dwight down low, you can't give anyone along the perimeter (or within 16 feet of the rim) any room to do ANYTHING. I'm almost inclined to say that Miami would have to go with a frontcourt of Bosh, Haslem and LeBron most of the game...because while Bron can keep Gasol out of the low post, he won't be as effective on him if Gasol is in this offense and holding the ball above his head 16 feet from the rim, and those passes to Dwight will be cake for him. You'd rather have LeBron roam a bit, and give up shots with him assigned to Ron. I suspect EJ will then attempt to move Artest closer to the rim (he'll have that option), and suddenly, it complicates things again. The offense is going to be difficult to play against, because it can be shifted with the drop of a hat. It's similar to the triangle and the read and react, in that manner...and the only thing the Lakers have to worry about is the shot clock (more of a college offense), but Sacramento had little problem with execution back when they were winning 50+ games, so we should be fine.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/s720x720/264975_10151070809158463_1413577299_n.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1YHl37-WJQ

Uncharted 1-3 Little Big Planet 1-2 Motorstorm Heavy Rain The Last Of Us (when it comes out) This is why I have a PS3, and when you tack on the blu-ray player, it's set in stone for me. I don't play online, so I really don't give a damn about that...but I have yet to figure out all of the loading complaints. The XBOX may be a bit faster, loading-wise, but it's not THAT significant. I don't see people running back to their old NES systems and popping in Tyson's Punch-Out, just because they don't want to wait for the loading and the advertising. Also, maybe it's because I'm not on dial-up, but game updates are no big deal, either. The ONLY game updates that annoyed me were for WWE All-Stars, but that's only because there was something wrong with how the game loaded to begin with (forgot the issue), and it was a disc-based issue. The others give me a minute of waiting, and then I'm off (when the update is needed, which isn't all the time).

Defensive positioning...to lead their man into Howard. SVG is a good defensive coach, but he's no Larry Brown. It's no coincidence that Orlando started the season off as a very good defensive team...then ended up falling to 12th (first time SVG has ever seen his defense fall out of the top 10) once Howard was put on the shelf...and that was only 12 games. Unless ESPN was lying about the stats, the Magic team from two seasons ago was ranked 3rd, defensively, overall. Remove Howard's allowed FG%, blocks, defensive rebounds, and shots made/missed at the rim from opponents (since he basically played most of the game), and Orlando was 29th. Gortat played in 25 of those 82 games. Brandon Bass was the backup center, Ryan Anderson also playing few minutes at the five. In Miami, SVG had Shaq, Zo, Haslem, Wade and Posey...guys that were defensive specialists (except Shaq, but he took up space), so even Flip Saunders would be able to brag about his defensive-minded team (like he did with his Pistons). Van Gundy can get some credit for their defense, but he contributed more to the "four out, one in" offense he installed, because it allowed Dwight to hit four open shooters along the perimeter. While Orlando decided to "live and die" by the three, if it wasn't for Howard being the defensive monster he was, they would have never defeated the Cavs or Celtics to get to the 2009 Finals. Jameer Nelson should write a letter to Dwight, thanking him for his new contract, because otherwise, he would have looked like a complete and utter fool out there most of his career. Fisher was busting his ass, at one point, when Dwight was on the bench...and Fisher rarely takes anyone off the dribble.

They did last year, but I don't know if they will this season. 1) Dwight Howard took a poor defensive team, in the Orlando Magic, and made them top three in the league on that end of the court. Without Howard, the rest of the team was ranked 29th (the 2010-11 team, with Carter, J-Rich, Nelson, Anderson, Shard, Hedo and Arenas, all guys who can't defend)..and with him, they pulled away with a rank of 3rd and held teams to under 44% shooting. 2) Ron Artest was injured up until April, the first 50 games of the season, and then his shooting and defense shot up significantly. Dwight, Gasol (length), Kobe and Ron...on defense? If Howard could cover up four other players at a time, and lead his team to a top-ranked defense in the NBA, we should be more than fine. I feel bad for a lot of teams who still plan on slashing to the rim against Dwight and Pau. At least with Bynum, they can take advantage of Drew's incredibly bad pick and roll defense. Howard is 10 times better. This team may very well remind me of the 2011 Mavericks, who couldn't keep up with Miami running up and down the court, but they had the goods, on both ends of the court, to take them out in the NBA Finals...despite being "too old to win it all" in the first place. I can't even say that Dallas team had the potential this Lakers team does, either. C - Howard | Chandler PF - Gasol | Nowitzki SF - Artest | Marion SG - Kobe | Terry PG - Nash | Kidd

J-Mac would have gotten out of the first round with Yao Ming.

On paper, LA. If they execute the Princeton to perfection, and utilize the Nash/Dwight P&R well, it's going to be nearly impossible to stop them. Too many options, and all of those options are different...a low post player that plays above the rim and can step out and face you up, a high post player that can create shots out of the low post and can hit 16-footers like Yao, a dynamic and complete perimeter player that has range out to 24 feet and an incredible post game, a PG that can facilitate very well and is one of the greatest shooting PG's in NBA history... If you turn your head at their offense, you can't ignore the defense. Howard has never had a team like this, and yet, he found his way to the 2009 NBA Finals. Kobe and Ron can spend more time defending, and while Gasol is said to be soft, he still contests shots with his length, and two seven-footers in the lane is tough to deal with, no matter the player. I feel like the only thing that can stop this team is an internal feud between Kobe and Dwight, which I doubt happens (aside from a major injury, which can stop any team dead in their tracks).

$3 billion for 20 years, so you're talking $150 million/year just for the TV deal. That's nuts.

They will take one long look at Gasol this upcoming season, and if he doesn't rebound from his last two poor playoff performances, they will look to deal his contract before the start of the 2013-14 season (it will be an expiring, by the way) OR they will use the amnesty on him (which is less likely). That will knock off $19 million in salary, and it won't be THAT significant because we'll still be paying Kobe, Howard (assuming we sign him) and Nash, possibly Ron...but it will help, nonetheless. If they want to go smaller, they can always hit Ron with the amnesty. He'll be making around $7-8 million.

Well, the poor diet and genetics are the general causes, of course...but a few doctors want to expand on that. I think, if someone like me ends up with diabetes, someone immediately points to genetics...and that's just through process of elimination. The truth is, over the years, specialists have been digging to try and find connections. They've considered sugar shock...a certain sugar (such as sucrose) that is consumed far too much over time, or in a set amount of time, that inevitably sends your pancreas into shock. That was always something to consider, but it's so hard to find any consistencies, or to even know if that's the case or not, because it also means you're diving into a poor diet. I mean, what happens if I'm a 10 year old football player, and I'm stuck in the gut with a pretty nasty shoulder, and it does something to me, internally? What if household mold is a problem? Over the years, they have suspected so many things...and to be honest, I would love for them to find out what exactly happened to me, because I definitely don't want my kids, or grandkids, getting it because of me.

I'd have to make room on the banner just for his ushanka, and put him as the second player.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/thomas_lake/08/13/letter-to-michael-jordan/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t13_a0

Nah, was gonna put Jay-Z back up there with Travis Outlaw.

You could tell he was stepping on glass when he was asked about Kareem. Happiest I've ever seen Drew, though. It's fantastic seeing him with that Sixers shirt on. He was ready to move on, and we were definitely ready.

Bynum already on that shit...just said he was the primary option vs. Denver, and was getting triple-teamed. Dude forgot he was tore up by JaVale McGee, and he averaged under 17 PPG, while Kobe got his 29.1 PPG.

HAHAHA funny.

The crowd was chanting, "Beat LA." Haha...better worry about those pesky Pacers first.

On right now... http://www.nba.com/sixers/live-press-conference-1215-national-constitution-center-8152012

I wonder if Chad actually asked if they could dive back into the room and reenact the event as it unfolded, just for his show. EDIT: Of course, VH1 just pulled his show...so let me assume something similar, except with HBO asking both parties to go back in and reenact it for their show.

I would wake up in the middle of the night, go into the bathroom, and literally suck water from the faucet because I was THAT thirsty. I didn't have time to go into the kitchen to get a glass, fill it up, drink it and refill. It had me tired all the time, too...but the crazy thing was, when I became an idiot in HS (just not caring), and all I ever took was my Lantus (didn't take a Humalog shot for years), never checked my blood sugar but 3-4 times a year, and ran it possibly in the 1,000's, I felt just fine because I was growing used to it being that high. Looking back, I just can't believe how stupid I was. I was running in overdrive. I ate anything and everything, and because I was in HS and growing by the minute, I was downing thousands of calories, drinking bottles of Gatorade, whatever...without having to worry about my weight, because my body was starving for insulin so much, it was basically burning the fat right off of my body. That huge step back to regulation, bringing my blood sugars back down to normal, was all due to Jessica. Months later...boom. Blindness took both my eyes, and more than likely, it was from my body struggling to adjust so quickly...the actual pressure my blood was pumping into those small vessels into my eyes, just how hard my body was working, and once it realized it didn't have to do that anymore, it was too late.