Peace Wilson's Los Angeles Lakers fan blog

Nobody expected another blow-out over Spain, but the Spanish team did hang around and push the United States to the limit, perhaps more than anticipated.

Kobe and LeBron were in early foul trouble, and D Wade was the most conspicuous spark for our U.S. team in the 1st half.

Chris Bosh made some key free-throws in the 2nd half, even as Dwight Howard was throwin' up bricks at the charity stripe.

Spain is a wily team and repeatedly broke down the U.S.A. defense, behind the Gasol brothers, Pau and Marc. Fernandez was another stand-out.

It took the whole dang game, but the U.S. all-stars did prevail, as Kobe stepped-up with key defense and shots, the exclamation point coming with a 3-point shot on which he was fouled, his subsequent free-throw making it a 4-point play, spelling the beginning of the end for the Spanish Nationals.

Continue reading "USA Guts Out Gold, Beats Spain 118-107, Behind Wade & Bryant"

I didn't tune in Game 5 till midway through the 3rd quarter, in fan protest of schizoid nature of Game 4 loss.

It was 62-62, when I tuned in. When I found out the Lakers had been ahead by 19 pts., and had again blown a big early lead, I was doubly glad I tuned in when I did.

Home boyz survived this time though. Finally won a 3rd quarter to lead by 9 going into 4th.

Pushing back when they were caught by Celtics, and balanced scoring was the key. That, and a huge Kobe Bryant steal with time running out.

103-98 Lakers, at the buzzer.

Now, still trailing 3-2 in series, L.A. still faces a history-defying challenge in Boston to win Game 6, then 7.

Phil Jackson says his team is "young and dumb enough" to beat the odds.

Tune in Tuesday to see how it plays out.

Continue reading "Oddly Redundant Lakers Survive Game 5"

Odom-eter: Aggressive to the hoop, excellent passes, rebounds, even jumpers. Welcome back, Lamar!

Kobe facilitating like crazy, grinning early.

35-14 lead after 1st quarter is biggest early Finals lead ever.

Trevor Arriza big off the bench, offensive and defensive effort.

58-40 Lakers over Celtics, halftime.

Then Lamar and the home boyz went home but left their golem bodies on the floor to host a surreal debacle.

I don't specifically remember the floor crumbling to the center of the earth, or effort per se ceasing, but some sort of timequake resulted in Phil Jackson talking to Ms. Tacoya re L.A.'s lead being trimmed to 2 to start the 4th quarter, sayin' dry-jokingly that he's not sure what happened either. Then he said they'd get their groove back. Well, not really. And I'm starting to wonder if Phil's vaunted Zen equanimity has turned to senility.

Continue reading "Wealthy Attention-Deficit-Disordered Jocks Blow Biggest Early Lead in NBA Finals History"

It wasn't pretty, but SuperKobe (36 pts.), young gun Vujacic (20 pts.), and a tougher Gasol (only 9 pts., but 5 down the stretch, and 12 rebounds)  produced an 87-81 Lakers victory over the visiting Celtics. The Lakers were only 21-34 at the charity stripe, or the winning margin would have been greater.

Odom-eter reads: early foul trouble, broodingly M.I.A., and lacking the subtle touch even when he did manage to drive well to the hole. Finish, Lamar!

And Radmanovic had similar woes, re foul trouble and scoring.

D-Fish had a few key moments, but only scored 6.

Ray Allen was the Celtics offense, while Pierce and Garnett struggled, but there's little doubt they'll produce more in Game 4 -- ditto Odom, D-Fish, Radmanovic for the home boyz, though.

Look for the Lakers to tie the series 2-2 Thursday.

Continue reading "Lakers Pull Out Ragged Game 3 of Finals"

OK, Lakers, doin' good -- just don't spot the Spurs 20 pts. next outing, and you'll be fine. Those tough cowpokes may be old, but don't tempt fate with a 1st half rope-a-dope again.

Get yer young guns blazin' earlier, and take care of this classic Western Conference Finals business at the OK (as in Odom/Kobe, w/plenty of Pau power) Corral. This is the match-up I predicted, though New Orleans made it interesting.

Over in the East, I was wrong about Orlando, who looked stronger in the 1st round, but still right about Boston lookin' a bit vulnerable for all their exalted won-loss record. Goin' 7 with Atlanta still seems preposterous. Goin' 7 again with Cleveland a lot more understandable, since they are defending Eastern Conference champs. Now, the Pistons have finally knocked 'em off their invincible-at-home perch, so they'd better shake out of their can't-win-on-the-road play-off rut, if they expect to prevail over the Pistons.

Continue reading "SMOKIN' AT THE OK CORRAL"

Bring on the Jazz! Those Salt Pillars are goin' down! Lakers in 6. In the other semifinal, steely Spurs over stinging Hornets in 6. Western Conference Finals: Lakers-Spurs gunslingin' showdown at the OK Corral. Lakers in 6 or 7.

Meanwhile, in the East -- s'up with Boston? What part of put the effin' lowly Hawks away do they not understand? Pistons struggled, but overcame Sixers in 6. Cavs offed the Wizards in 6. Orlando, echoing their great center Dwight Howard, is lookin' like the true "Beast of the East."

Boston is resembling an almost worse case last-year's Dallas Mavericks with their best-record-in-the-league-struggling-with-#8-seed syndrome. What'd Atlanta win, 43% of their games? Ugly. That kinda record is why I used to think the playoffs went too deep in seeding -- that is, until this year's amazing Western conference horse race, with the top 6 teams separated by about 2 games, and the whole 8-pack by a mere 4 or 5.

Continue reading "ROCKIN' SECOND-ROUND (& ONWARD) PLAYOFF PREVIEW"

Since I'm still finding a more thoroughgoing blog voice re Lakers, I thought I'd post here my reply to Kareem's informative and enjoyable post off nba.com:

Kareem, you will always be my all-time favorite Laker. The grace, dignity, and extraordinary numbers you posted over your long distinguished career remain nonpareil. And the multi-champ team with you and Magic and Worthy, et al remains my fave too.

Your ultra-expert comments on the Lakers status and playoff outlook are pure gold. Apart from Kobe's continuing leadership emergence, I love the performance and the steady basketball IQ of Pau Gasol. He's really raised the level of team chemistry, and the consistency of Lamar Odom's free-roving, all-purpose style of play.

Consistent and staunch enough defense, and this team can go all the way, even without Bynum's reinforcement of the front line (great job mentoring him, by the way).

Continue reading "KAREEM POST"

Would somebody with leverage tell ABC's Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy to shut the hell up? Especially Van Gundy.

Time and time again these egomaniacs conduct themselves on-air as if we tuned in to listen to their dissociated yammering instead of dialed-in comments on the game.

Case in point: During the first half of today's first-round playoff opener between the Lakers and Nuggets, Jackson made a comment that Allen Iverson was one of the best pound-for-pound players in the NBA ever. Van Gundy goes off interminably, expressing incredulity, and maddeningly ignoring Jackson's "pound-for-pound"

Continue reading "ABC's GAME COVERAGE SUCKS"

Whew! This has been one helluva season in the Western Conference, the most relentless horse race ever.

Just missed that double-overtime thriller won by the Spurs over the Suns. Our Lakers host the Nuggets tomorrow, Sunday. I predict the Lakers win that series in 5. More difficult to pick is Suns-Spurs series. Hungry Suns with Shaq addition vs. the very tough-minded, time-tested, defending champs holding the home-court advantage.

Mavs-Hornets? Also tough to call; #2 new kid on the block vs. perennial challenger and recent conference champ, Mavericks.

Hard to imagine Eastern Conference final being other than Celtics-Pistons. In the West, it's gotta be Lakers vs. probably either the Suns or the Spurs. That

Continue reading "CONGRATULATIONS LAKERS ON #1 SEED!"

And 7th seed 4 games out, 8th seed 4 1/2.

But 1 through 6 separated by ONE game? Has it ever been so insanely close? Is this the Western Conference of the NBA or the last race at Santa Anita? Crazy, baby!

So the Lakers slipped a hair again, losing to the #8 Warriors at Staples, 115-111 Sun. night, mostly due to giving up too damn much early and having to climb a big hill back.

That bumps 'em back to #2 seed behind New Orleans again, by miniscule percentage pts. And shrinks their lead over #3 Phoenix in the Pacific Division to a precarious 1/2 game. The Stoudemire-Shaq tandem gelled and dominated against Houston, their most recent game, I think, so look out!

Come on back, Pao, wade that ankle into the crazy fray, reinforced, if possible. Ditto Andrew close behind. We need you!

Continue reading "WESTERN CONFERENCE SEEDS 1 THROUGH 6 SEPARATED BY 1 GAME ONLY!"