And if only I could play basketball like Jesus Shuttlesworth...

Either Ray Allen is trying to one-up Mike Tyson or his son's birthday party had a face painter. Allen's twitter page went on to say "If only I could golf like Tiger."

Ray Allen is officially bored this offseason (Red's Army)

Sasha Vujacic goes back to his old ways

Everyone can now take a deep sigh of relief. The Lakers star is now again wearing the color green. Yep, you heard it right, the Slovenian is once again incorporating the color of the irish into his everyday wardrobe. After the 2008 NBA finals when he saw his Lakers lose to the green wearing Celtics he promised himself he would never wear the color until he had a championship of his own. Well everyone can finally relax now that he has a ring and can sport such a color. THANK GOODNESS. You didn't know that Results Inconclusive was so good at reporting the truly important stories did you?

Straight from the Web

With trade rumors swirling Shaq goes with new haircut














Hell, he's getting older. Might as well look like Homer Simpson huh?


Reggie Miller shows off masculinity on the beach






















If a tramp stamp on the back makes a girl look trashy what does a belly-button tattoo make a former NBA superstar look like?

Straight from the Web

Is none of the above not an option?



It's always fun to look back at mistakes people have made in sports over the years. This Sports Illustrated cover from 2006 is extremely interesting to look at. Adam Morrison's per game career averages (23.4 min, 2.4 reb, 1.6 ast, 8.7 pts) barely outweigh Redick's (14.4 min, 1.3 reb, 0.9 ast, 5.5 pts). I remember thinking that Morrison would be better but i thought he would at least matter in the NBA. What were we thinking? Atleast Redick's hair looks nice and gelled while riding pine on the bench.

Gregg Zaun has a SUPER COOL website

Gregg Zaun is a journeyman catcher. Never been a superstar anywhere and is now no more than a backup in Baltimore for Matt Wieters. But if you saw his website (www.greggzaun.com) you would think he were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Whether it is the opening graphic of Zorro cutting a Z in your computer screen or the action shots of him ripping opposite field bloop singles it doesn't matter. This website creates an image that is simply false plus he seems to have forgotten he plays for the Orioles with all the Blue Jays pictures everywhere. Check out the website, you'll think its funny as hell but make sure you bring your "Z-game" and join the Zaunbie Nation Fan Club. Crank the speakers for the Rush intro too.



Thanks to deadspin.com for the link.

DeAngelo Hall doesn't play for Madden ratings

DeAngelo Hall, fresh off signing a 72 million dollar contract with the high paying Skins is complaining. As a die-hard Redskin fan when i read this i was sure it was something with mini camp, playing time, coaching, or maybe even Mike Vick. Nooooooooooooooo, all that stuff is fine. He's pissed about his rating in the new Madden video game. It's dropped 25 points from last year after being cut from the Raiders. He's so mad he is actually thinking of pulling himself from the game. But don't worry fans, he wants everyone to know that it's "a good thing I don't play the game for Madden ratings". Well THANK GOD he doesn't. I'm pretty sure Dan Snyder and Jim Zorn didn't consult the Madden video game before they paid him that fat check. Snyder would never do that again after the trouble it got him in with acquiring T.J. Duckett and Brandon Lloyd.




Pirates players mad at management

Possibly the Pirates biggest star, Nate McLouth was dealt to Atlanta earlier this week for a couple minor league guys. This has caused quite the problem in the Pittsburgh clubhouse. Before this year started the team was under the impression that they were through with trading their stars for hopeful future stars and instead concentrating on winning now. They were excited on getting a good product and signing guys to long term deals while still growing in the minors and getting better.

With the news of this trade it is obvious that management is not to this step yet. The players' gripe is warranted. It has to be hard to concentrate on winning when every year they are rebuilding. Shipping out stars (Jason Bay, Jason Schmidt, Aramis Ramirez, Jon Lieber) for young, raw guys. If the Pirates ever want to win again they must learn to stop trading everyone away and keep guys around. Until then, they will continue to take one step forward and two steps backward. The three guys they got in the Atlanta trade may turn out to be superstars, but if precedence holds true they will be traded for a couple more hopefuls. Pittsburgh's lone disappointing team needs to catch up to the Steelers and Penguins quick. Fans are getting restless.

Through the Eyes of the Tribdog. Installment #2

Here with more TTEOTT, my god what a terrible acronym. Anyway, I'm back with more thoughts and rants about the recent sports world for your reading pleasure.

The Pittsburgh Penguins took games 3 and 4 at home in Mellon Arena in the Stanley Cup Finals. That officially makes this year's Stanley Cup Finals the only thing to leave Detroit and actually come back.

Ichiro keeps hitting. Shocker.

Kobe and the Lakers looked unstoppable in Game One of the NBA Finals. Orlando looked like Seton Hall with pinstripes.

Has anyone ever wondered why the Magic subtly change their uniforms every year besides myself and Mr. Z?

I hate when people bash the Finals because Lebron and Kobe aren't playing one another. Who cares? We get to watch Pietrus and Ariza. Yikes.

Congratulations to Randy Johnson. Not only did he manage to get his 300th victory (it probably shouldn't count seeing as how it was against the NatInals), he also managed to not shove a cameraman out of the way in doing so.

The Red Sox are sending Big Papup to the eye doctor. Good luck with that. Maybe they'll help him see his toes.

Tony La Russa is suing Twitter over a fake page of his resemblance. I think baseball should sue La Russa for batting his pitchers 8th.

The last time the Browns had a competition at Quarterback, Derek Anderson lost. And Charlie Frye was traded after their first game. Something tells me Brady Quinn isn't too enthusiastic about this.

T.O can't find a house to rent in Buffalo. He also can't find humility in Buffalo.

On accent, human decency and intelligence alone, I think Larry the Cable Guy could drive in NASCAR.

In other news, I hate Larry the Cable Guy.

With a passion.

I love how no one thought someone like Robert Dozier would have an illegitimate SAT score.

Vince Young wants to be traded.

Vince Young does NOT want to be traded.

How embarrassing must it be to be a NFL Rookie of the Year and not be able to steal playing time from Kerry Collins? And what's even worse is not having it even suggested that you could. VY has fallen far. Miraculously, without fighting dogs.

Ric Bucher looks like Roger Goodell's kid brother.

The only thing better than watching Phil Jackson pretend to coach is watching Stan Van try really, really hard to get anyone to listen.

The little kid puppet in the Nike Kobe/Lebron commercials is nothing more than a rip-off of Spike Lee portraying Mars Blackmon in the classic Jordan commercials. The puppet also directed "Kobe Doin' Work". And named it.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Bobby Cox isn't the guy who broke the news to Tom Glavine. Just a hunch.

Rex Ryan apparently isn't afraid of Bill Belichick. Who is? The guy is about 5'9 and doesn't even know how to dress himself.

I'll tell you one person Rex is afraid of.

His dad.

Last, but not least, I figured out all of sports most misleading stat.
Kobe's assist line.

The best "Where Amazing Happens" commercial

Lebron, the big disappointment

More athletes should be like Ben Wallace

Once defensive dominator and possibly the best un-drafted player ever, Ben Wallace is contemplating retiring. The 13-year veteran has one more year on his deal which will make him an additional 14 million notes next year. Ben has said that he did not play a game without pain and that he just was not playing up to his abilities this year.

Money has never been the issue for Ben, one of the many players that my team, the Wiz, let slip through their fingers. He is more interested in his pride as a professional basketball player and not embarrassing himself on the court. I heard many members of the media saying that he would be an idiot to walk away from such an amount of money but I totally commend his reasoning. What does a man like him, who has everything, need with more money? He will be fine, and a happier and healthier man. Maybe now he will be able to play with his kids and teach them a thing or two.

Mr. Z's Tuesday Morning Scatterbrain

A very close and hilarious friend of Results Inconclusive has graced us with some of his thoughts on the sports world and the world in general. Check it out

Tuesday Morning Scatterbrain

Let me preface by saying I hate Rafael Nadal, I hate hearing he is from some
island off the coast of Spain, I hate that his tennis gear looks like something
you’ll find in a Gay Pride Parade, I hate that he goes by the nickname Rafa.
No one took more joy in his loss Saturday morning to Robin Soderling then
myself, however what he did afterward earned a lot of my respect. In a sport
where excuses are commonplace and hissy fits are just part of the theatrics,
Nadal told the media after the match that he had played his best and Soderling had just defeated him. Nadal being a four time French Open champion could have thrown any excuse out there and had every right to, instead he took the high road. Maybe Sid the Kid with his post game nudge of Kirk Maltby, and LeBron with his non-handshake should take a note from the Spaniard.

I am not condoning the Sidney Swipe after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night, but if anyone is calling that love tap a slash you obviously
watch less hockey than Michael Wilbon.

Read a great book this weekend that hockey fans (there are a few of us left,
right?) should check out by Dave King called the King of Russia. It follows
the exploits of King as the first Canadian Coach of a Russian Super League team a year after the NHL lockout.

While I was picking the King book up at Barnes and Noble I also saw Charlie
Weis’ book No Excuses in the bargain bin for $4.99. I still think that’s
overpriced.


Stumbled upon this bit of hilariousness. The Bengals are a joke.

Watching MLB Network, I find myself reintroduced to great players and great
games I had forgotten about through the rebroadcasts. One in particular is Mr.
Class himself, Jim Eisenreich, during a 1993 Phillies game. It got me thinking
that Jason Bay is the new and improved Eisenreich; classy guy, professional at
bats, doesn’t blow you away with one thing in his game but is just completely
solid all around. And if you don’t know who Eisenreich is look him up you will
be a better person for it.

Back to Hockey, when was the last time the Red Wings were outshot in back to
back playoff games at home? Mark my words the Penguins are still alive in this
series and have carried play for long stretches, sometimes the pucks just don’t
roll your way.

Ever see a fat lady cause a scene at the public library by arguing with an 80
year old library attendant over a 40 cent fine? I did. The worst part was
that she was drinking some goofy $7.00 Starbucks drink, which has to be some
type of violation.

And I know I couldn’t get through the whole article without an NBA thought. We are graced with the presence of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard in
the NBA Finals Thursday night. I can’t help but think back to when Phil
Jackson said he would choose Howard to start a franchise with, and how
nonsensical I thought that was. Well Phil I hate you as a coach and even more
as a yoga instructor, but I can admit I was wrong, and Superman as your number one pick may not be that far off.

And in the immortal words of James Rome…..I am out.

Lebron too good for Media, Magic, rest of world.

Everyone just needs to realize that they aren't as good as Lebron. No one will every be as important or mean as much to an organization as Lebron means to the NBA. He's an angel on earth and everyone should worship him.

Ok, really the stunt he pulled this weekend really pissed me off. Not only did he blow off the Magic and not shake their hands or congratulate them but, he blew off a mandatory press conference. The same media that puts him on every commercial known to man making him gazillions of dollars in endorsements. He should have had a separate press conference after his mandatory one just to thank them for making him so popular.

If he would have won that game 6 then he would have been in the press room saying how good of a team the Magic are and how hard they played, but because they lost none of this is true? Then, when he had an oppurtunity to apologize for his absence he blew it off and gave some B.S. excuse on how he loves winning and thats all that matters. Prince James really made a bad example. He should not be the face of the NBA.

Charles Barkley calls his producer a pussy

Apparently Barkley has a long time feud with his producer for him always lecturing Charles about speaking inappropriately on air. He says its ok at night when kids are asleep but early in the show he can't. Well on the last postgame show of the year the round mound of rebound decides to get back at him. Take a look....pretty funny.

Wow

All season long the world was full of witnesses.
Fans witnessed.
Players witnessed.
ESPN witnessed.
The World witnessed.



And finally,

Lebron witnessed.

This is no blog to stab at Lebron James. He's a beast. He's young and already one of the top few players in the league. I have no quarrel with Lebron. Do I love him and his game, his intensity, passion and ability? No. But I don't dislike him. He's good for basketball and that's incredibly obvious.

But he's not there yet.

The simple truth is very clear to those who paid attention to this series. The better team won. Key word being 'team'. The best player on the court at all times was Lebron, but the next three best players in the series were Dwight Howard, Hedo, and Rashard Lewis. And it wasn't even close. And did anyone else notice that Mike Brown doesn't coach? He's such a puppet he should be in those Nike commercials alongside Kobe and Lebron (if they still exist). If there was ever a series to expose the fraudulence of the NBA Coach of the Year Award, this was it. Stan Van Gundy looked like Bob Knight compared to Brown. And we all saw it clear as day. That's not saying much for Stan Van, but it's really not saying much for Brown.

Cleveland had their chances. Up fifteen in the second quarter of game one, they took their King James sneakers off the throat. And it cost them. It cost them the game, and furthermore the series. Orlando would have wilted and died if they had lost by ten in game one. Instead, a team of jump shooters had the utmost confidence, the one thing you never want to give a team of jump shooters. Everything in this series was a mismatch. The best example maybe Mo Williams' empty guarantee to win the series. How pathetic, the damn thing didn't even go seven.

Back to Lebron real quick. I know there are those of you out there that ignore the media, and I applaud that. But for those of you who enjoy putting Lebron James and Michael Jordan's names in the same sentence, send me your address. I will personally make the visit just to punch you in the neck. It's not that Lebron isn't as good as Michael, I wouldn't expect him to be at this point in his career. It's that the very projection makes me sick to my stomach. In order to be considered in the same league as MJ, one must have at least 3 or 4 titles. To this point, Lebron doesn't. Kobe will most likely have four in a week or two, so his application will be looked at further. Remember this, in MJ's sixth season (granted he played two years of college ball so if you're of the age, not amount of seasons train of thought you're excused from this) he lost two playoff games and was the NBA Finals MVP against Magic's Lakers. In Lebron's sixth season he lost to the Magic (no pun intended). Just some food for thought.

So here we are.
No more chalk.
No more puppet.
No more pity for Cleveland crammed down the national audience's throats.
No more.

But you all know this.

You Witnessed it.

Stan Van look-alike

I know I'm a bit late on this one but i mean c'mon. It's too good. It has to make an appearance on Results Inconclusive.

Through the eyes of the Tribdog

Due to a recent knee injury I have alot of time on my hands. Actually, I always have alot of time on my hands. Here are some musings on the sports world recently:

Is there a Dwight Howard puppet to be revealed soon? Personally I would go with Hedo. My God is he ugly.

The Nuggets hot run came to a screetching halt much to my chagrin. Oh well, maybe next year they can manage less than 3 technical fouls per playoff game. Still love the Birdman though. Duh.

Why is Magic Johnson on TV? Other than to publicize Lamoron Odom?

How terrible is Big Papup? Good riddance. Here's to hoping he ends up with the 4 Home Runs that he's on pace to hit.

The Men's NCAA baseball tournament started this week. Does anyone care? Talk about an event that only gets TV time because of lack of sporting events worth a damn on TV around this time.

The Women's Softball College World Series started this week. See above.

The first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals will be back to back on Saturday and Sunday. Sucks for the players, coaches, trainers and seafood wholesalers in Detroit. Doesn't suck for the NHL and NBC however, primetime is what the sport has to have to promote this thing. Even if it is taxing for most involved.

Rachel Alexandra won't run in the Belmont Stakes. Shocker. In other news, this is the worst horse racing year in recent memory.

Calipari? In trouble? Nah, he wouldnt...

Derrick Rose may not be able to pass the SAT, but he sure can make Rondo look like crap.

It was nice knowing you, Blake Griffin.

Got to see pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg face two batters today (it was apparently important enough to interrupt Sportscenter). I noticed two things. Great fastball first of all. Secondly, great neck jerk when he watched the second batter launch one into the stratosphere. Buster Olney says that the Nationals know he gives up mad homers. Still beats the hell out of anyone they have now.

I feel like the throwback "Where Amazing Happens" commercials could have more variations. And how is Jordan's jumper versus Utah not one of them? Cmon.

Can't wait to see Game 6 of the Magic/Cavs series. If Cleveland loses, ESPN may shut down.

How come Jesus and Mickey Mouse don't get voted into the MLB All Star Game?

How long until they change the French Open to the Rafa Open?

Mad Love,
Tribdog

Superb Bench Contributions: Where Birdman, J.R., and the Deciding Factors Happen

After a convincing 120-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers Monday night, a few things became very apparent to the viewing public. First, Denver's bench is far superior to the Lakers' and for that matter, almost anyone in the league. Secondly, the Birdman's energy is unsurpassed by any player in the league. The guy is always lightning in a bottle mixed with Red Bull. Most of all, those of you out there that tuned into Game 4 have realized that when he's on, J.R. Smith has the most entertaining celebrations in the game.

Lets take a look at the Nuggets key bench players:

Linas Kleiza is a matchup problem for most teams. With his size and shooting ability, there is no right way to play him as an opposing coach. He abused the Zen Master's plan to guard him with a bigger player and scored ten big points last night.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 6 points on some ferocious dunks last night. Lets not forget about his presence around the rim defensively. Although he had only 2 blocks last night he sent a message by destroying Shannon Brown's layup attempt in the first half. Birdman finished second in the league in blocked shots this year.

J.R. Smith was what he is when he's at his best, a great scorer. It started in the first half with continuous attack of the rim and a few excellent assists to Nene. In the second half he went 4-7 from three point land and on consecutive possessions pretty much sealed L.A's fate. All in all he ended up as the Nuggets' leading scorer tied with Chauncey Billups at 24 points.

When looking at purpose of bench play in any league of play, energy is almost as important as statistics. Players are usually expected to raise the play of the starters and help spur the team's surges. Birdman does exactly that. Not only does he draw the biggest fan ovations upon entering the game and making hustle plays, he is a force on the glass. His hustle should make any basketball fan proud in a league where laziness is permitted to its fullest extent. Birdman is never invisible on the court and contributes in any way possible. Players in that mold are necessary for any team that wants to win an NBA Championship.


There is no nickname for J.R. Smith, despite Jeff Van Gundy's idea to call him 'Smitty' when he plays well and J.R. when he is erratic (which he has a knack for being at times). However, something along the lines of 'Primetime' would suit him just fine. In a stretch of about 5 minutes in Game 4, J.R.: exclaimed that the Pepsi Center was his house after a tremendous dunk, did the same almost as emphatically after one of his nail in the coffin threes, and walked it out in a goofy little strut that could only make the Lakers cringe following his final three. When it was all said and done, the Nuggets were victorious and the Lakers felt the salt in their wounds. Who else can induce such laughter and humiliate the opponent as tremendously as J.R.? No one, that's who. Sure he plays like a moron sometimes, and his technical fouls leave something to be desired, but come on, those things are quickly forgotten when he walks it out right in front of the Zen Master.

So here we are, the oh so great Black Mamba, Zen Master and Pau Gasoft knotted up with a rag tag bunch of athletes at 2-2. The Nuggets are the only team to blow out the opposition in this series and that tells me they are the superior team. They may fade and crumble like they have in the past, but don't count on it. Game 4 sent a message that may have the Purple and Gold shaking in their boots.

Did I mention that Carmelo shot 3-16 last night?

Uh Oh.

Hey! My head got in the way of your elbow!

As the Cavs/Magic series suddenly becomes more and more compelling, finally we have some blood. It spilled out of Mo Williams' face last night and guess what? The Cavaliers whined about it. Notorious whiner Stan Van got to sit back and watch his craft being perfected by the team that he has suddenly thrown into a bit of adversity. The Cavs cruised through the first two rounds and obviously, whatever hard fouls they encountered were minor details. They were winning, and winning big. Now things aren't so fun and fancy-free. Mo Williams' post game comments reflected a sore loser with a sore face and a huge basket of sour grapes. "Most definitely", Mo Williams replied when he thought it was a dirty play. Really, Mo? Seeing as how he was injured, I can let that slide. But when Mo goes onto say, "I couldn't care less about Anthony Johnson -- he plays 12 minutes a game. I couldn't care less." Now we have a problem. You never take potshots at another man's livelihood. Especially not a man who just made you look like a blubbering baby on national television.

Lebron is what Lebron is, he can say and do whatever he wants and that's just fine. He takes his hard fouls like a man, the right way. Mo Williams was a nobody before this year and it's looking like in about a week he will be just another professional athlete on a golf course. And guess what? Anthony Johnson may be playing for a ring! How great would that be?

Besides the fact that I believe that flagrant was ridiculous (Johnson just attempted to get his shot off, something that happens routinely after a foul in the continuation league), I find Mo Williams' reactions were less than warranted. The funniest part is that Johnson got in the Cavs heads, and he only plays 12 minutes a game.

Guess he made the best of those 12 minutes.

More than we can say for Mo.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson: Excited? Confused? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?

I learned at age 8...

How to make an inbounds pass.   I may have had 2-5 intercepted by an opposing team in my 22 years of existence.  Yet somehow, the Nuggets have managed to do it twice in the same 7 game series.  First Anthony Carter, and now Kenyon Martin.  I understand that neither players are experts with the ball in their hands, but come on now guys.  Trevor Ariza doesn't play for the Globetrotters.  At least not yet.  This is another classic case of fundamental basketball ruining an NBA team in the playoffs (look to last night's Hedo failure to stay with Lebron for further proof). As sad as it was to watch, and as angry as I was when the game was over, there is no where to point the finger but to the NBA.  Fundamentals are as overlooked as salad at a Golden Corral these days.  And everyone seems to like it just fine. 

Lebron vs. Hedo

May 22, 2009. LeBron James hit the shot to keep the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Names for the shot are still trying to be thought up. Contestants are “the defibrillator,” “the shot heard ‘round the world” (boo), and as LeBron put it “the greatest shot I have ever made.” My personal favorite was offered up by ESPNs Jay Harris. “An L-Bomb. From L-Bron.”

No matter which name you prefer, the fact is that there was one thing and one thing only LeBron was out to prove when he released from 30 feet away with just one second on the clock: he is better than Hedo Turkoglu.

And finally LeBron did prove that. I know some of you may not be ready to take the step, but let’s face it people, LeBron has surpassed Hedo in all facets of the game.

Turkey scored 21 on 9-17 from the field. Pretty good numbers that have been good enough for most to say that he is better than LeBron. Until Game 2 when LeBron tallied 35 points.

Hedo hit a shot that looked like it won the game for the Magic leaving just one second left on the clock. The Cleveland crowd went silent. The Magic bench went crazy. Until LeBron hit “the shot.”

The greatest reason that the shot put to rest all “Hedo or LeBron” arguments is because LeBron made it over Hedo. Not Rashard Lewis, Courtney Lee, Skip to My Lou, or JJ Redick, but the man so many have said is better than him, Hedo Turkoglu.

Turkey made his shot over Sasha Pavlovic… yawn. Sasha, at 6’8” is shorter than the 6’11” Hedo. Lebron gives up three solid inches to the man who had a hand in his face when he shot. Hedo gets three.

It’s time we can finally put to rest the argument. LeBron is better than Hedo. Now, are the Magic better than the Cavs?

Nuggs-Lakeshow Preview

The Nuggets and Lakers will head to Denver for Game 3 tonight with the series tied up at one game apiece.

Thursday night's game two was one of the best of this postseason. Melo lead the Nuggs to victory with 34 points and nine rebounds. Kobe did all that he could to lead the Lakers for the first 47 minutes, but when the Lakers were in need of a game-tying shot, the ball went to the halfway washed-up point guard Derek Fisher, instead of last year's MVP. Fisher missed and the Lakers lost their chance to go up two games to none.

The Nuggets are going to come out tonight with fire in their collective belly and determination in their soul. As everybody has been saying, the Nuggs are playing the best basketball out of everybody, and have been throughout the playoffs. That being the fact, the Lakers will need to actually play like they have something to prove, because they do.

Throughout the entire postseason, the Lakers have played like they are already in the NBA Finals. That may work against the Jazz and Rockets, but the Nuggets are for real. The Lakers are going to need to come out ready to fight tonight if they want to win this game. Here are a few keys to the game for each team.

Nuggets:
- JR Smith - he was unstoppable in the Mavericks series and so were the Nuggets. For the first two games of the series, Smith has averaged 5.5 ppg compared to 16.6 and 16.0 in the Nuggets' first two series.
- Stay Big - Nene, K-Mart, and Chris "Birdman" Anderson need to continue their domination of the frontline. The Lakers' bigs have been touted as "soft;" something the Nuggs can easily capitalize on. While they have been out rebounded in the series, Birdman is making his presence felt blocking 1.5 shots per game and altering many others.

Lakers:
- Kobe - the former MVP needs to be "Mr. Big Shot" for the Lakers. When the game is on the line, he needs to take over, much like Bron Bron did last night in Cleveland. If he wants to combat Jerry West's opinion, Kobe needs to step his game up in crunch time.
- Prove It - the Lakers were picked at the beginning of the year by many as the team to rep the West in the NBA Finals this year. So far in the playoffs, they have not played like they should be in the Finals. They snuck by a banged up Rockets team and never put the Jazz away when they had a big lead. They need to play tonight like they are the underdogs, because in many ways, they are.

Lebron...a rising star

Lebron gets little publicity after huge 3 pointer in game 2. I wonder what ESPN.com would have looked like if Sasha Pavlovic would have hit that shot. Think the NBA wants a Lakers-Cavs final badly enough?