“Kobe snaps the losing streak by hanging 65 on Portland and 50 on Minnesota. The Grizzlies are up next this Thursday, where Kobe could drop 70. But we think he goes more modest, like around 29 points.” That was us in this week’s NBA Hit List, and were we ever wrong. Kobe did it again, going off for 60 points against Memphis last night. As it has been for the past week, everything was working for Mamba: deep threes, turnaround baseline jumpers, his go-to reverse dunk (Mike Miller caught a bad one), pull-up Js, and he went 17-for-18 at the line. Most importantly, the Lakers got the win despite monster games from Pau Gasol (35 pts, 15 rebs) and Miller (33 pts) … Kobe tied MJ for second-most on the career list of games with 60-plus points with four. Wilt Chamberlain had 32 games of 60-plus … Four teams are officially in for the Elite 8. Ohio State trailed Tennessee by almost 20 with Greg Oden sitting a lot of bench due to foul trouble, but rallied all the way back behind Ron Lewis and Mike Conley (17 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts). Lewis scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half, and Conley ran the show before hitting the go-ahead free throw with 6.5 seconds left. On Tennessee’s last possession, Ramar Smith drove on Conley and put up a shot on the right side, but Oden came over and swatted it to ice the game. Oden had 9 points, 3 boards and 4 blocks in just 18 minutes of PT … On a side note, you know how OSU and Syracuse are wearing the new, tighter-fitting Nike jerseys? One of our boys who works at the Swoosh told us that Oden apparently loves the new unis; the tighter jersey prevents defenders from grabbing onto him in the paint … Memphis got past Texas A&M, 65-64. After Acie Law (13 pts) blew a crucial layup in transition, the Tigers missed four consecutive shots that could have won it for them before Antonio Anderson was fouled on a putback and went to the line with 3.1 seconds showing. He hit both FTs, and the Aggies missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer. Jeremy Hunt scored 19 to lead Memphis, and Chris Douglas-Roberts had 15 on a bad ankle … And how about Memphis’ Joey Dorsey fouling out and spending the rest of the game on the bench wearing a beater? … Kansas couldn’t pull away from Southern Illinois, but still advanced after Brandon Rush hit a shot in the lane to put them up by three in the closing seconds and the Salukis missed a trey to tie at the buzzer … UCLA beat Pitt in another grind-it-out game, getting 17 points from Arron Afflalo and 16 from Josh Shipp … Some of the Dime crew dropped by MSG last night for Knicks/Blazers. In what was being hyped as an absolute must-win for the playoff-hopeful Knicks, they lost to a Lottery-bound team playing without its best player (Zach Randolph is on bereavement leave). Jamaal Magloire was surprisingly kind of a beast, going for 14 points and 16 boards, while Brandon Roy had 24 points. Nate Robinson was New York’s best player for the second game in a row, dropping 31 off the bench on eight threes … From what we saw in pre-game, we’d have to say the Blazers have one of the most fun locker rooms we’ve seen all season. Guys were loose and laughing for most of the 45 minutes that media was allowed inside, with Martell Webster, LaMarcus Aldridge and B-Roy spearheading the comedy show. And Magloire is definitely one of those guys who looks much bigger in person than he does on TV … Chauncey Billups was back in the Pistons lineup, putting up 13 points, six rebounds and six assists, but Detroit lost to Houston. Yao Ming scored 27 … Down one in the final seconds to the Nuggets after an Allen Iverson layup, Chicago almost turned it over on its last possession before Ben Gordon got off a baseline J over Nene. That shot missed, Luol Deng tapped it up in the air, and Tyrus Thomas was right there for a putback with under a second left for the game-winner. Iverson scored 31 in the loss, while Carmelo had 28 … Another eye-popping stat game (STAT game?) for the Suns: Amare Stoudemire went for 33 points and 21 boards, Steve Nash had 17 points and 16 assists, and Boris Diaw dropped 15 points and 14 boards in a blowout win over Sacramento. Ron Artest (court date) wasn’t in the building … Duke star Josh McRoberts is reportedly going pro, where he’s expected to be at least a first-round pick, if not a Lottery pick … And two prominent college coaches are on the move: Tubby Smith is leaving Kentucky for Minnesota, and Steve Alford is leaving Iowa for New Mexico … We’re out like Josh …
March 23rd, 2007 at 11:52 am
Diggler says:
I still think Dirk is MVP. His overall season has been better. Kobe would finish 3rd for me. Nash second.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Vic Alexander says:
Kobe scores 60 and the Lakers barely win by 2. Weak. This is why Kobe sucks as a team player. He’s a great individual, don’t get me wrong. But when it comes down to it, he doesn’t really trust anyone but himself.
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:32 pm
JC says:
Vic,
What about the beginning of the season when Kobe was getting 6-8 ast., only scoring like 23-28, and the Lakers were winning. KB gets it both ways… his team goes on a losing streak, he puts them on his back for W’s. Respect the kid for once. He’s not the Kobe of old anymore
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Dank says:
I love the lakers and kobe is my hero, but up until this past week, i had no consideration for him to be MVP (neither did i consider nash or nowitzki for MVP, seeing as how their defense SUCKS and they have a supporting cast to step up when they have off nights). but now, everythings changed. during both of the lakers’ losing streaks, i found myself yelling at the TV and kobe to take more shots. he was dropping 29, 30 and the lakers were getting trampled. well, it looks like i was right tho, cus the minute kobe started pouring 60’s the lakers started winning. Kobe’s not selfish, he’s just getting the damn job done, cus absolutely no one on the lakers is steppin up, and they’ve all had a chance. if Kobe isn’t MVP, then the voters might as well shove it up their dirty, steve nash-biased behinds and not give it to anybody. The lakers would be on a 10 game losing streak we’re it not for mamba. and yes, they’ve barely won these games too, but kobe’s made shots are smush’s and kwame’s missed layups and jumpers. and on top of it all, he’s shooting well over 50 percent during this streak. Please, anyone that believes kobe isn’t the best player in the NBA post-MJ, step down as a fan of the game. because obviously, you dont know any better
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:45 pm
justin says:
Vic, you forgot to mention the Lakers barely won with Kobe scoring 60 against the worst team in the entire league. Kobe is the best one on one player around but I will take D Wade all day long if we are playing 5 on 5 and the object is to win the game, not have your teammates stand around and watch you jack up 37 shots.
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:45 pm
phanb says:
Damn… I bet Vic Alexander didn’t even watch the game… my man made countless passes that either led to drop passes and missed shots…
Didn’t your mom tell you never to ASSume what happened? You been blinded by the media my man
Kobe took that team on his back, while Kwame, Walton & Odom are still trying to get their defensive legs under them…
The Nation has got to stop the Hatin’
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:56 pm
Goos says:
Huh? Kobe sucks as a Team player? you obviously don’t watch enough LAL games. Kobe has been playing ‘team’ ball all year. With an inexperienced team and injuries galore, he has helped keep this team afloat all season. Just because he scores 175 points in 3 games doesn’t mean he only cares about himself. Those all turned out to be wins by the way. Arenas scores 60 and he’s great. Lebron Scores 40 and he’s great. Staudomire scores 40+ and he’s great. Wade, Gordon, Redd, same thing tthey all get praised, but Kobe goes on a scoring spree and he’s selfish. He doesn’t go out and say, ‘ hmm, Im going to score 50 points on this team because their coach didn’t pick me’. He just goes and gives it his all, everynight. I’ve never heard him say he’s the greatest, or that he could score this many or that many, he always thanks his players and coach. Lay off the guy already. There is no-one in this league who is at his level as a competitor. He is the Best player in the NBA right now. He’s in his prime and if he needs to score to bail his team out of close games, then so be it. How many teams would like to have kobe in their roster? I’d say 29. Not counting the heat. They have the next best thing.
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:21 pm
docta j says:
Vic Alexander is the most unintelligent human being on earth. if you would have watched the game, kobes was droppin DIMES in tha paint. when you are passing to kwame brown, you lose about seven assists a night. that awesome behind-the-back no look to kwame for a wide open dunk? right through the hands of the worst #1 pick we will ever see in the history of basketball. OH, and last time i checked, a W’s a W.