“I’ve abandoned Jordan Farmar!”(Photo. Chris Sembrot)
Knowing that Brandon Roy (ankle) is still on the shelf, Blazers/Lakers on Tuesday’s schedule meant Martell Webster would be the one charged with guarding Kobe. Going in, we were thinking it could get bloody for Martell, but the kid actually held his own for a while. In the first quarter it Martell who had Kobe on puppet strings. He got Mamba with his own patented move; the shot-fake from 15 feet out to get his man in the air before jumping into him to draw a foul. (Naturally Kobe didn’t think it was a foul, even though he’s gotten 1,000 guys whistled on that same move.) That was Kobe’s second foul of the quarter, so he had to sit while Portland built a 15-point lead. Martell (12 pts, 6 rebs) then had a vicious dunk over Sasha Vujacic where he actually put his hand on Sasha’s face on his way to the rim … Somewheres around the third quarter, though, Kobe got that look in his eye and started trying to score every time he touched the ball. It began when Kobe caught an alley-oop from Derek Fisher and didn’t get a foul call he wanted (Przybilla touched his hip during the dunk). Mamba blew up at a ref and got a technical, but after that, Martell and Travis Outlaw proceeded to take a faceful of jumpers. The Lakers eventually grabbed the lead and the win, and Kobe ended up with 30 points, 9 boards and 7 dimes … Just like they did against the Celtics over the weekend, Portland had a big lead early and couldn’t hold on. Not having Roy was definitely a factor. Down the stretch there wasn’t a go-to guy who the Blazers could trust to either score or get to the line. LaMarcus Aldridge (24 pts) was killing Pau Gasol earlier in the game, but he tapered off toward the end … And LaMarcus needs to stop having these games where he gets out-rebounded by Steve Blake. LaMarcus pulled down just 4 boards, while Blake had 7 … Ronny Turiaf — who almost ate Channing Frye alive on a monster dunk — is always wearing Air Zoom Kobe III’s every time we watch L.A. play. Are he and Mamba the same size and Ronny just wears Kobe’s extras? … Our DimeMag.com poll from the other day asked, “What would happen first?” out of the following options: “Rockets lose” and “Heat win.” Both happened yesterday. Kinda. The Heat snapped their 11-game skid, but the big news was the Rockets’ loss: Yao going down for the rest of the season and the playoffs with a stress fracture in his left foot, making it that much more likely that T-Mac will again watch the second round of the playoffs at home. That’s if the Rockets even make it to the postseason. And last we heard, no one knows exactly when and how he got hurt, either … So does this mean the Rockets are done? Apparently Yao will be OK in time for the Beijing Olympics, but do you notice how its everyone on this side of the water with a vested interest in the NBA that keeps saying the Chinese National Team needs to let Yao focus on the NBA and let him retire from international play? … As far as the winning streak, the Rockets stretched it to 13 by smacking the Wizards. Dikembe started for Yao and put up 4 points, 6 boards and 4 blocks. Maybe they can keep that Top-5 spot in our NBA Hit List power rankings … So all this time the key for Miami snapping its losing streak was for D-Wade to not score 30? Flash had a mere 15 points (and 9 dimes) as the Heat finally got a post-Shaq win, taking out the Kings at home … Speaking of Shaq, light work for him and the Suns in Memphis. Diesel had 13 points and 11 boards, and at halftime of the Grizzlies broadcast, assistant Johnny Davis admitted that the players were instructed to just hug Shaq if he ever got the ball in good position to score. Hack-a-Shaq lives … Ask Darko if Grant Hill (23 pts) can still jump. Hill dropped the hammer on Darko in a Zo flashback moment … Could the Cavs have used some of Larry Hughes‘ perimeter defense last night? They at least could have dusted off Eric Snow. Instead, the new-look backcourt got torched by Mo Williams (37 pts) and Michael Redd (25 pts), including Redd sticking the game-winning three in Wally Szczberbiak’s eye. It’s a risk you take with Wally even being on the court in that situation (In Seattle, P.J. Carlesimo always subbed him out for Jeff Green on defense), but he could’ve done better than just putting a hand in the general vicinity of Redd’s face … Coincidentally, this all came on the same day 82games.com declared LeBron (35 pts) the most clutch player in the game … With Andris Biedrins unavailable (appendectomy), Brandan Wright got the start against Seattle. Not Chris Webber, but rarely-used rookie Brandan Wright. We’re sure C-Webb was thrilled when he got that news. Wright and the rest of the Warriors were getting KILLED inside, though, as the Sonics scored 24 of their first 26 points in the paint on open dunk after open dunk. Things didn’t improve when C-Webb checked in: he just watched one time as Francisco Elson established position on him and scored in the post, and after throwing a lazy outlet that got picked off by Kevin Durant (21 pts, 7 asts, 3 blks), C-Webb never even thought to hang back and challenge the ensuing dunk … But the Sonics can’t play defense either, and let the Warriors come back and take the game in part due to Monta Ellis (30 pts) torching Luke Ridnour … Awful stat of the night: The Warriors’ announcers said that four of Seattle’s five starters have negative assist-to-turnover ratios this year … We’re out like Yao …
February 27th, 2008 at 4:43 am
jz_smoove says:
wow, is this the beginning of a good run for the Suns? Shaq must be starting to gel with his new team (i hope). or you all think this is a fluke?
February 27th, 2008 at 4:44 am
for real says:
…ain’t no thing but a Eddy Chicken Curry Wing….
February 27th, 2008 at 4:48 am
jz_smoove says:
Question: if you decided you were goin to be a basketball fan today and you were buying a basketball jersey, which one would you buy based entirely on the looks only and not by where you live (territorial) and player you think is good?
February 27th, 2008 at 6:24 am
kobeef says:
JZ Smoove..go for the pistons Rasheed Wallace Jersey and nobody will second guess your decison.
Don’t get too excited about the suns beating the grizz…it wa actually pretty sad that the grizz hung 113 points on the suns. That kind of D doesn’t win ‘chips.
This is how bad the Cavs trade was: without big Z, lebron and the new guys lose to Mo-money and the bucks…that is just sad.
The Wolves are looking like a solid young team with Foye again in the backcourt
On the other hand, the hawks are still trying to become a solid young team after anther loss….hawks need to make the playoffs cause the suns get their first round pick this year (JJ trade)
February 27th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Tom says:
An assist:turnover RATIO can’t be negative. If you’ve got more turnovers than assists, it will just be between zero and one.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:31 am
GEE... let the finger waving commence! says:
Whatever happened to that dude who wanted to paint people.
I will say Deke is much more fun than Yao to watch in games lol. You are just hoping someone challenges him for a dunk and gets it blocked just to see that finger lol.
Then if he gets a tech because of it, his facial expressions are always priceless.
How bout Houston not only winning without Yao but without Mac going off too.
Rick got them boys playing team ball for real.
Granted it was against the Wizards but still, a win is a win.
Meanwhile Utah lost and whenever another Western team takes an L that just makes it better for the Rockets.
Grant Hill don’t bring it back like that, …why does Grant always look like he is scared something is going to jump out and scare him? For real what is up with the wide eye look?
The last thing you ever want to slightly give a player like Kobe is…Motivation.
Yea Miami way to get ya 10 in!
February 27th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Kobeef says:
Here’s a nice shot of Kyle Korver’s lockdown defense in the Utah loss:
http://www.nba.com/gallery/080226_11.html
February 27th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Bust Jlaze says:
OH SNAP that Kyle Korver shot is hilarious…and the caption was funny too
February 27th, 2008 at 9:49 am
everybody says:
Lamarcus Aldridge may have Eddy Curryitis.
send him to the doc.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:56 am
LakerGreat says:
Anybody who plays memphis is a lock to win. Like everyone making a big deal of lebrons new teammates.. wow they stomped memphis.. Geez what a challenge!
February 27th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Austin Burton says:
Remember, Milwaukee did just beat Detroit at home.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:07 am
isotope says:
sad thing about the Rockets is they’re not going to drop any lower than 9th. That means if they do get a lottery pick it would most likely one out of the Rose-Gordon-Love-Beasley-Mayo-Hibbert-Hansboro range. They can still make it to the playoffs and maybe a favorable matchup will lead them to the 2nd round. who knows?
Gee credit about 60% of that team ball and defense to Van Gundy.
I still think the Cavs and Lebron are overrated. Even last year when they made it to the finals I almost want to say Detroit gave it to them. Even with the trade, I’m not feeling that team. Don’t sleep on the Magic. They are the 3rd best team in the East not the Cavs.
That Korver pic is too funny. Too funny.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Tom from Cleveland says:
Did anyone notice that Milwaukee had a 37-14 free throw attempt advantage? There were terrible calls all over the place. It was the same crew that kicked Kobe out recently. The Cavs probably didn’t want to play tight D on Redd for fear of a foul being called.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:23 am
yuri says:
jz smoove, i just got a korver jazz jersey that is effing sweet and makes me look like the daddy. you should follow suit.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:35 am
isotope says:
any word on where brent barry is going to play?
February 27th, 2008 at 10:51 am
entropy says:
Have you guys forgotten about the Magic lately??
February 27th, 2008 at 10:53 am
penske1 says:
I don’t get the caption on the Kobe pic… Did I miss something?
February 27th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Austin Burton says:
Kobe Day-Lewis caption:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=urLZSUM2KY4
February 27th, 2008 at 11:25 am
GEE... let the finger waving commence! says:
Kyle K. picture HILARIOUS LOL! What the #%$% are you afraid of lol!
As a coach you just print this and put in it his locker for him to see. You don’t even say nothing. Simply put a note under the picture that says defense?
I will give J.V.G. a lot of credit but Rick gets mad props for having them boys going right now. I don’t think J.V.G. could have them doing what they are doing with this squad.
Detroit is still Detroit. Please don’t take to much from this loss. They pretty much will still see the conference finals so pencil them in.
You know these new trades are great, but for some teams I honestly feel they need new coaches. HELLO CLEVELAND, DENVER AND NEW JERSEY. Don’t get me wrong I think he is an ok guy and probably could coach the mess out of a pee-wee game. Still I have to feel LeBron is the real coach of the team. Honestly what real identity do they really have? If anything he gets them to rebound well. So is their identity rebound and pass to LeBron?
Denver should without a doubt be doing much better as far as consistency and I will even go as far as a better win total. You can blame players all day but a coach is also a motivator. Often Denver plays with no motivation.
New Jersey had Kidd, Vince and R.J. I am sorry but I feel they should have been doing way better. Regardless if Vince is soft and pulling up for J’s in certain peoples opinion. R.J. is having a great season and with this type of squad you should be able to get more.
Sometimes you can trade all day, but coaches count. I think before the trade deadline some teams should have got new coaches in their trade groups. Just Gee though.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:26 am
rlf says:
to answer your question about ronny wearing kobe’s ZKIII’s
No, they don’t wear the same shoe size, kobe orders the shoes for ronny as well.
ronny has being wearing kobe’s zoom shoes since the ZKII if not ZKI.
http://www.kb24.com/media/video/137
and have you guys checked the ZKIII commercials at kobe’s site?
http://www.kb24.com/media/video/144
http://www.kb24.com/media/video/145
http://www.kb24.com/media/video/146
with 2 more 2 go.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Celts Fan says:
amazing Korver picture! to answer the jersey question, I’d go with a throwback red Blazers uni with the vertical “Blazers” on the front. My favorite jerseys ever…
February 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
nick says:
that korver pic is priceless.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
jz_smoove says:
korver probably just made the most hilarious poster ever!!
February 27th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
K-Dizzle says:
ok, I watched the clip and that caption still don’t make no sense.
FYI - Farmar got 21 on 8-10 from the field and 4-5 from the arc so ask me again if I’m happy that we didn’t go after Kidd
jz - I think you pretty safe with a Bulls 23 red and black. Ain’t nobody sayin nuthin to you
February 27th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Does anybody really think Tyler Hansborough will be a lottery pick? I mean the guy plays with heart no doubt about it and he’s a terrific college player but I don’t see him improving to where he becomes a great NBA player. Not worth a lottery pick in my eyes.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
for real says:
how about the Nuggets “rainbow jersey”?
I’d go with the Orlando Woolridge over Alex English, only because you get a free pair of goggles with every purchase
February 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
doc says:
Get that white with blue trim number 2 Sixers thing.
February 27th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Celts Fan says:
ya, the NY Nets that Dr. J used to rock were very sick too.
February 27th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
word says:
JZ I would get this oakland blue and yellow jersey :
http://www.nba.com/games/20080226/SEAGSW/recap.html
Korver= MVP
and can the suns PLEASE get rid of fucking Raja 15% shooting Bell and get Brent Barry, if that happens and they actually play D in the playoffs, I’m riding all the way for my team this year. If not its Lakers Celtics (possibly Pistons) and I won’t be happy if Lakers win. Kobe needs to be stopped.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Ian says:
again korver doesnt look like Ashton Kutcher he looks like josh harnett
February 27th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
. says:
.