Real Deal

LOL, okay. I will continue to think with my non-millionaire perspective...and you too.

Simmons also threw his Celtics under the bus pretty bad, saying they were going to lose in the first round against the Heat.

Problem is, we're talking about a single ball fake to someone's face. The ability to NOT flinch or blink has NOTHING to do with money, at all. Doesn't matter if Barnes did it with a basketball on the court, with his hand, or with a crunched-up piece of paper out at a park. Hell, you don't even have to achieve intimidation to make someone flinch. This particular situation is not related to money, in any way, shape or form. It's related to Kobe's focus and anger, simple as that.

Yet you would be excited to trade Chris Bosh to us for Andrew Bynum? This season, Marc Gasol averaged 14.6 PPG on 58% FG, 9.3 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 25 years old. Pau Gasol averaged 18.3 PPG on 54% FG, 11.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 30 years old. Man, that's just a massively ugly trade.

Twitter is being supported by athletes and the media. It won't go anywhere for a while. Facebook is held together by students and young adults. The chance of it dropping out of existence is slim to none today. MySpace...you can make an argument there, but then again, the music and entertainment side is heavier than it has ever been. It seems like MySpace is more for bands and comedians these days...gonna be tough to topple. Of course, ten years is a long time. Something could throw a monkey wrench into all of this, featuring everything from all three major social networking sites, and become King. Can't really say, though.

There are about three or four keys on the keyring, and Gasol isn't the one that starts the car. The article was put out before Game 6, I believe, and it failed to mention Gasol's last three against the Suns, and also the one he let Amare drop 40+ in.

Riot advances to the finals.

Legacy advances to the Finals.

This month might be the closest he's been all season long, to be honest.

As I stated in the game topic, Kobe messed up his ankle two days before the Boston game, third quarter against Philly...had tons of trouble in practice, shot poorly against Boston, and it was clear as day that he wasn't able to keep up with Rondo, at all. Good try with the link, though. Rajon threw eight assists in the second quarter of that game, and that was around the time Kobe was getting treatment on the ankle from the bench, came back out on the court at the eight-minute mark in the second, and had to defend Rondo. I believe Rondo dropped 10-12 of his points in that quarter as well. Yikes, dude.

Oh well, I'll do the work myself...

Two days before that game, Bryant hurt his ankle...third quarter, against the Sixers. I'm sure you remember that...but of course, you can look that up. January 29th. He had trouble at practice the next day, had swelling, and came to Boston hurting. He shot 8-20 and sucked on defense most of the game, because Rondo kept blowing past him, before he hit the game-winner. If you don't want to acknowledge those injuries, so be it.

Do you have an ad-blocker? That could be it, although I never have problems when using one.

No for Hayes... http://www.82games.com/0910/09HOU19.HTM#bypos Yes for Ibaka... http://www.82games.com/0910/09OKC13.HTM#bypos I should've known about Ibaka, though. I watch enough Thunder games (every one of them). He plays under the rim quite a bit, and he does defend bigs from time to time, so I just tossed his name in the list. Most minutes come at the four, though.

TIME: 9:00 PM EST TV: ABC

I never said that about Fisher. I'm saying that he did fairly well against two elite guards in the NBA, and he hit big shots down the stretch. Asking him to defend a guy that doesn't attack the rim? He would do it, gladly. Afflalo has only been a good defensive player for a year. He showed how well he could defend in the second half of the season in 2009, when he was with Detroit...and he got burn against Bryant that March, and Kobe lit him up for 30 on 56% shooting. Afflalo did well on Kobe in the first meeting of this season (Lakers-Nuggets), then Kobe torched him for 33 on 50% shooting in February. Bryant was re-injured, and shot 3-17 at the end of February, third meeting...around the time he shot terribly against Dallas, Philly and Indiana (all of those games after he missed most of the month in February). Do you really want to give credit to Afflalo for that? Afflalo is a very good defensive player, but you're out of your mind if you think that kid could hold Kobe in a playoff game, especially this season. Wes Matthews and Andrei Kirilenko thought the same, and once Bryant's knee healed up, so did Thabo Sefolosha and Kevin Durant (two players Kobe destroyed in that close-out game at Oklahoma City. But...well, okay.

Yeah, I know...Fisher is a scrub who has defended Deron Williams and Steve Nash so far this postseason. And yes, Arron Afflalo can most certainly lock of a healthy Kobe Bryant, especially after Bryant has dropped 30+ in 10 of his last 11 playoff games. And of course, Denver would be in the NBA Finals if it wasn't for George Karl missing the playoffs. Don't really know what else to say to you.

Of course. The odds would increase significantly. Bynum can be a MAJOR piece to our quest for a title in 2011...but not necessarily in a Lakers jersey. There are a few teams interested in a big man that can produce 20/10 at full health. While the Lakers FO does have concerns for his health, and those teams are aware of it, it's those very teams that may be willing to part with a nice player just to have a productive big man. High risk, high reward, as I've mentioned before (and as everyone else is award of). I really don't even think it matters how well Bynum contributes for us in the NBA Finals, either (unless he goes into monster mode and throws down 20/10 a game on Perkins, which won't happen). I truly think we are dead set at exploring any deals offered for him.

The deal was on the table in February, when we were doing very well...so I wouldn't be too shocked if we pull the trigger, ring or no ring.

I don't even know what you're talking about anymore. I guess I will hold a stack of cash, act like I'm throwing it at Trump, and see if he flinches. Why would I flinch when someone is talking trash? That wouldn't make ANYONE flinch. Flinching means you act quickly by ducking, blinking, draw back suddenly, avoid contact instantly, etc. How do one's words, or someone's money, make me flinch (or not flinch)? Tiger Woods: "I am the first billion dollar athlete, Brandon!" Brandon Neal: "OH [expletive]!" *blinks and ducks his head*

I actually don't remember a topic created about it on OTR (could be wrong). I do know a ton of Lakers fans were blasting him for saying that over at TLN, though. A lot of those guys (including me) were pissed that Bynum even replied to a reporter, instead of working on his game...let alone talked about wanting that rematch, as if he was there in 2008 to begin with (didn't even play).

I don't watch baseball much, but damn, that's two already...and what's crazy is, hasn't there been a couple of other games that were perfect through eight or the top of the ninth?

Point was, if a Laker stated something like this, a few non-Lakers fans would be in here talking about how cocky they are. All smiles tonight, though. I don't fault what Nash said, because it's good that he believed...but again, only the Lakers fans can do wrong. Cocky [expletive] Lakers fans.

LOL, I was going to post a longer reply...but come on. If I had a baseball bat, and pretended to swing it at Donald Trump, he would flinch. If he didn't, he's a zombie. That's the end of this discussion.

You did see Dragic running his mouth to Sasha, and then the bump in the back...right? Or is that something you want to ignore? I don't even like Sasha, but he didn't start that.