What to Watch for in Game 2
Kobe Bryant (photo. Chris Sembrot)Two things to watch for in tonight’s Celtics/Lakers Game Two: (1) Paul Pierce’s knee. For the same reasons why Zach Randolph was able to recover from microfracture surgery easier than Kenyon Martin, Paul Pierce playing on a bad knee isn’t as bad it would be for some other elite scorers. His game isn’t totally reliant on quickness and hops, so he can still be his usual crafty self and get buckets even if his knee is less than 100 percent. Not to mention he’s been listening to everyone question his heart — albeit while praising his acting skills — ever since Thursday night and he’s probably pissed off. (2) Kobe Bryant’s feet. More specifically, where will they be when he’s taking shots? If the Hyperdunks are mostly outside of the paint, the Celtics are getting what they want defensively and L.A. has to hope Kobe’s jumpers are falling. If his feet are inside the paint, that most likely means someone in green and white is getting cooked … And don’t forget about Kendrick Perkins, even if the Boston fans kinda did by not bothering to give him an ovation when he came back to the bench after his Game 1 injury. Last we heard Perkins’ chances of playing tonight aren’t as good as Pierce’s, and even if he plays he won’t be as close to 100 percent. Without Perkins at the top of his game, Boston’s rebounding advantage over L.A. takes a hit unless P.J. Brown steps up big … One more note about the Pierce injury: A lot of people accusing him of faking point to the fact that Pierce was carried off the court, as if he requested that kind of help. Did it occur to anyone that maybe the trainers, just like Pierce, overreacted and wanted to make sure he didn’t put any weight on the knee until they knew what was up? For what it’s worth, in his press conference the next day Pierce said he was “embarrassed” getting carried off the court like that … Reports coming out of Phoenix say the Suns have offered Terry Porter their head coaching job and that he’s accepted. We figured the Suns would have given Flip Saunders, who Porter worked for this past year, a long look. Flip does have a better playoff resume than Porter, who saw his Bucks get knocked out in the first round the one time he took a team to the postseason … Michael Redd’s name has been attached to some trade rumors recently, mostly involving the Cavs, but he said he’s been told not to worry. “[The Bucks] called me and said they had not initiated talks about a trade, and not to pay attention to what was being said,” Redd told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “Out of respect, they wanted to tell me to ignore those rumors.” New Bucks GM John Hammond did admit the team doesn’t have much cap space and that its best chance of getting better right away is through trades. The Bucks do have a lot of forwards on the roster — Yi Jianlian isn’t going anywhere, but Charlie Villanueva, Desmond Mason and Bobby Simmons should be on alert. Charlie V especially; he’s one of those guys who’s just good enough to be attractive trade bait, but not quite good enough for his current team to refuse to trade him … Brandon Rush reportedly looked great in a workout for the Nets, who have the 10th, 21st and 40th picks in the Draft. Rush would be a good look for Jersey at #21. He could be what Antoine Wright was supposed to be … Arizona’s Chase Budinger is still in the Draft pool, and naturally Lute Olson wants him to come back to school. “I personally think it would be ridiculous for him to go out somewhere around 20 or 21, when a year from now he could be in the top six,” Olson told the Tucson Citizen. Looking at all the recruits bailing on Arizona since pretty much their entire staff of assistants left — not to mention Jerryd Bayless leaving early — Lute needs all the help he can get. And in Chase’s defense, Roy Hibbert came back to Georgetown for his senior year under the same pretense Olson is preaching, and his stock actually dropped … Random jersey sighting yesterday: One of the Dime crew saw somebody wearing a Malik Rose Knicks jersey in Brooklyn. They sell those? … The Brazilian national team won’t have Anderson Varejao or Nene for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Greece this July due to respective health issues, meaning Leandro Barbosa has to carry the squad again like he did last summer in the FIBA Americas tourney. Fortunately for Leo, he won’t have to deal with Kobe this time … We’re out like AV …
June 8th, 2008 at 2:10 am
wuizard says:
first haha go kobew
June 8th, 2008 at 2:47 am
Duke says:
Kobe’ going to jack up like 50 shots in game 2. Then, as a parting gift, he’s going to kick PP’s knee.
June 8th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Big Sia says:
Pau Gasol will have 30-15
Kobe goes for 29-8-5
Lakers win 98-92
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q1kxZpyREdE
June 8th, 2008 at 4:30 am
ya boy says:
The Lakers cook the celtics. Even gasol must be pissed off with that crappy game one perfomance.Doesn’t his defensive stance looked flucked up or what?Flucked up thing for laker fans is that the celtics smell blood.Still lakers in six!thre’s only so long they shoot that bad.And yes thank you Lord for the air we breathe and also for sparing me a spurs-pistons series.i am eternally grateful.
June 8th, 2008 at 6:14 am
YOUNGFED says:
FEDRODOMOUS PREDICTS…..
Paul Pierce will fake another injury. lol
June 8th, 2008 at 7:22 am
sans says:
Yoooo, in response to yesterday, on the baseball fight and all, there are a lot more than white guys playing baseball, let alone being suspended for that BoSox fight. And Coco Crisp is black. Where’s the double standard? Everyone caught fines and were suspended for games, got hit in the pocket like everybody else. The difference between baseball and basketball is that the fans in baseball never jumped into a fight on the field, unlike on the basketball court, although pitchers in the bullpen get beers thrown on them all the time. Then again, there was nickel beer night back when (in Cleveland when the Tribe sucked) and that ish was hilarious.
Anyway, Therapist is gonna go for 40 today…and maybe, just maybe, someone other than Fish will show up as well.
June 8th, 2008 at 8:01 am
miamiVIS3 says:
To comment the least significant part of the article as long as Brazil has Tiago Splitter to go along with barbosa they’ll be fine
June 8th, 2008 at 8:34 am
kobeef says:
A revenge win for the lakers makes nice headlines but unless the lakeshow can solve Beantown’s D things could get worse.
Brandon Rush is my sleeper pick of the draft. There are not many SG’s who come out of college with a complete game but Rush can do it all. And he actually plays really tough d.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-_LwpNq_p8&NR=1
If I was the Bucks GM I’d trade Yi. It is pretty obvious that he
a)doesn’t really want to be in Milwaukee and will be gone when his rookie contract is done and,
b)is over rated. After his contractually obligated 25 minutes as the starting PF stopped happening he was playing like garbage.
It would be a tough pill for the team to swallow but there are probably some teams that would give you more than they should for him. I hear Golden State is really high on him. If Milwaukee could package one of their bad contracts (Mo Williams) with Yi for a talented PG (Monta Ellis?) it would be a good move for them.
June 8th, 2008 at 8:42 am
kobeef says:
And here’s my other sleeper pick for the draft:
Serge Ibaka
From Draft Express:
- It’s very hard to (imagine) we’re not looking at a first round pick here.
- His athleticism looked nothing short of breathtaking.
- incredible combination of length and explosiveness (6′10 with nearly 40″ vertical)
Basically the guy is a young Kemp without the attitude issues.
June 8th, 2008 at 9:38 am
for real says:
hey, Big Sia, it would take Gasol an entire week to get 30-15
but good luck tonight anyways
Celtics by 9
June 8th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Justin aka CP3 says:
Are you really talking about the knee still….?
June 8th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Big Freeze says:
lmao @ Duke post 2
Forget about the knee and start worrying about KG. He is gonna explode this game with 30+ points, and Ray will have over 20, and the Celtics will win easily. You heard it here first!
June 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
BALLZ says:
@ Sans…I don’t think the double standard is the problem of MLB. It’s fair for them to police their game however they see fit. The racial double standard is provided by the media and the NBA. With the brawl at the Palace, we were treated to an infinite number of commentaries in all forms of media coverage about the imminent crumble of society due to the thuggery of the NBA. When there is a bench-clearing melee in baseball, we’re treated to something like “Oh, the wonderful traditions of America’s pasttime.” In fairness to the media, I think there are a few more cards in play here than racism. One, as you have pointed out, the fucking fans got involved at the Palace. If some fan charged towards say, Nolan Ryan in a baseball brawl, that motherfucker woulda got clocked. It’s probably safe to assume that we would’ve been treated to gushing articles about what a national treasure and tough son of a bitch the K Train was. With Artest, he was a ghetto hoodlum. Another thing to consider is basketball players are inherently more frightening than your average baseball player. I mean, who would you rather fuck with, a 6′7 260 lb. Artest, or 5′9 190 lb. Johnny Damon? Add in the fact that many WASPs have been conditioned to fear the inner-city black man, and the atmosphere for stupid media coverage is just right.
Lastly, I point the finger at the NBA. They are so busy catering to the red states that they forget who their true demographic is, thus the dress codes, the over-the-top suspensions for anything resembling violence, and the kicker: Tim McGraw singing the fucking pre-game song. Even the white people who consider themselves “die-hard” NBA fans ain’t listen to Tim Motherfuckin McGraw. The NBA is trying to convince a 56-year old white farmer in Tenessee that the NBA is the game for him, in a package like, “Our black men care about the community. Our black men abstain from violence. Listen to some Tim McGraw, because that’s what the NBA is all about.” 86.9% of NBA players and die-hard fans couldn’t pick Tim McGraw out of lineup. I’m not hating on the League. It makes sense to try and win as large and diverse an audience as possible, but I think sometimes they do it at the expense of their “real” fans.
Sorry for the rant. 101-95 Lakers tonight. Kobe gets 33. Pierce strains left testicle.
June 8th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Knickhopeful says:
Alot of posts with predictions on individual performances here for Game 2.
Has KG really shown his ability to step up? (we are all still waiting)
When has Gasol ever really bounced back from a bad playoff game with a monster performance (he’s not Kareem and he is only known as a first round knock out)
Is Kobe really going to get his after Game 1 ? (he took 26 shots in a loss)
With all the injuries and how game 1 turned out (Lakers up by 5 at the half and collapsing in the 4th, PP getting injured and giving the emotional lift at the end), game 2 will be about who makes the best adjustments, and we all know who is the better coach for this series. Its not even close.
I wish it were more competitive than that, but it’s not. Expect game 2 to be a little bit more “normal”.
June 8th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Knickhopeful says:
before you KG lovers start, yes, he has had flashes of brilliance, but he will need to be even better with a less than 100% PP.
June 8th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Goldman says:
Tonight the Celtics will be on the wrong Side of a 20piecing…
Go Lakers.
An alle Baller, checkt mein Blog mal..
http://www.hoops-insider.de
June 8th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Celts Fan says:
about the baseball thing. Baseball is very diverse, so like Sans said, so it’s not like we’re talking about an all white league or some shit. Also, the brawl at the palace was started by a fan but then went on with Artest and SJack charging the stands a little to happy to beat somebody down (Jackson was practically smiling at first!) That’s entirely different than a brawl involving fans. and for the record, remember earlier this decade when fans kept running onto the field and trying to fight umps or coaches. They treated that shit just as despicably, it was just quick and not a HUGE RIOT so it didn’t get the same attention over the course of the decade (you’re essentially trying to compare hitting someone w/ a bat repeatedly and a fist fight in severity cuz they’re both technically assaults, but one was MUCH WORSE for the sport and as a whole.) Does the NBA have a stricter policy than other leagues? Ya, a little, but the only color they see and worry about is green. After the riot, Stern had to do something, so he started COMPLETELY over-reacting to fights and giving out suspensions that were way too long (Melo getting 15 games for the slap/back pedal routine on Mardy Collins being a perfect example – it’s not a cheapshot when the guy’s jawing at you and still looking, despite what anyone wanted to call it.) Remember though, if a big guy connects on a punch, it’s game over (had Shaq connected on Brad Miller a few years ago, Brad’s still eating through a straw) so the potential for VERY SERIOUS injuries is much higher. The players would be MUCH more pissed if salaries got cut in half because the NBA wasn’t making as much money. Is there a disconnect between the 60 year old guy (regardless of race, but old ass white men especially) tht can afford the ridiculous prices for games and the 20 somethings that play in the league? Of course there is. That doesn’t make it entirely racist though. My parents (and I’m sure all of yours) didn’t get about 90% of the shit I like/did throughout my teens and so far in my 20s. Now imagine how much bigger you’d do it iwth millions of dollars. It’s a generational thing moreso than a race thing (though I’ll admit, there must be some racism there.) Again though, we;’re talking about the general population that follows it, not the league itself (HUGE distinction.)
In terms of the dress code, IT’S NOT AT ALL OUT OF LINE TO ASK MEN THAT REPRESENT YOU, YOUR COMPANY, AND YOUR LEAGUE TO DRESS UP. They have to in the NFL for road trips, and all of us do too. These guys make the HUGE amounts of money they do not just for their performance on the court but how the represent the team and the league off of it (those salaries aren’t covered just with ticket/TV revenue.) I couldn’t tell my boss, I’m just wearing jeans and a t-shirt tomorrow (hell, I couldn’t wear half the shit guys show up for games in.) These guys have bosses too, they just happen to have more power and recognition than their bosses, which makes for an interesting dynamic, but in the end, unless it’s their signature on the check, they’re not in charge. I truly don’t care one way or another on this issue, but to hear someone say millionaires having to get dressed up for games is racist is completely ridiculous.
and remember, there isn’t one governing body that rules all of these sports. They are their own individual businesses that are free to create their own sets of rules for their own league however they see fit. As long as the rule applies across all lines to all players, regardless of star power, race, etc., you can regulate you bus. however you want.
June 8th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Celts Fan says:
*for the record, I thought Malace at the palace was amazing and that John Green dbag woulda got what he deserved had Artest actually got the right guy. You deserve a beatdown when you do that shit. period.
June 8th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
YOUNGFED says:
Sorry Celts but it is out of line to tell someone how to dress. No other sport does it except for the one that happens to be PRODOMINENTLY BLACK. Now I’m not saying its racist….but I’m just saying….?
June 8th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
BALLZ says:
Completely agree with you Celts Fan on the NBA dress code…it isn’t too much to ask to come to work presentable. Youngfed…David Stern doesn’t run the NHL, or NASCAR or the MLB, so you can’t expect those leagues to be ran by NBA rules. It is a business, businesses have rules, and the players are fairly well compensated.
June 8th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
K Dizzle says:
At least in basketball, we don’t got father and son combos runnin out onto the floor to try to take out a referee. Baseball is just a mess to me personally. I don’t got the patience to watch a full game. Everybody’s juicin, then as soon as they catch on, numbers start to drop across the board. Some dudes are basically fat and dudes shred hamstrings runnin to first base. How’s Andrew Jones makin 18 mil a season? I don’t even personally know MLB baseball players. I got boys or personally played against dudes in the NBA, NFL, and even the NHL. All the dudes I know are AA or AAA but they ain’t gettin past that I don’t think.
One more thing, the NBA dress code is a joke. NBA is a corporation, but tryin to kill player individuality and tryin to cater to white, upper class, middle aged men makes no sense when your employees are 85% black and the majority of your fans are under the age of 25. Coaches don’t have a dress code and nobody made Michael Jordan wear suits, but at least the option was there.
I’m done rantin now…..
Lakers tonight….decisively. Celtics will find out how important Perkins is to their defense tonight
June 8th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
“Michael Redd’s name has been attached to some trade rumors recently, mostly involving the Cavs, but he said he’s been told not to worry. “[The Bucks] called me and said they had not initiated talks about a trade, and not to pay attention to what was being said,” Redd told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.”
Yeah Micheal, the Bucks have not INITIATED any talks. Doesn’t mean they are not TAKING calls and listening to offers.
June 8th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Jules says:
Bucks and Warriors are supposedly talking about Yi for Brandon Wright and the #14 pick.
June 8th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Washington the Frog says:
One question for anyone who says “it’s out of line to tell someone how to dress”…
Where do you work? Because for most Americans, it IS completely out of line to show up to work in whatever you want. And that’s just for being in a freakin’ OFFICE. Now imagine you’re going to go represent your company ON TELEVISION for a few hours. How do you think you should dress? A hoodie, with your pants hanging off your butt like a 13-year old Soulja Boy fan? C’mon. Your company would rightfully expect you to present yourself as a GOT DANG GROWN MAN for the Nation that you’re sitting there in front of. Bottom line. And hey, if you don’t, then yeah you stood up for yourself, but plan on standing up a lot more often, in the unemployment line.
June 8th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Austin Burton says:
@Washington — I agree with you to some extent, however most people who have to dress up for work are representing something corporate, whether it’s a financial planning office or a law firm or even a magazine.
NBA players are representing basketball, and basketball is hip-hop, basketball is hoodies, basketball is white tees and “urban.” Most of the time when people see the players they’re wearing tank tops and shorts anyway, so I don’t think how they dress when they arrive at the arena or when they’re at a press conference should matter.
June 8th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Leoni says:
Barbosa probably wont go to the Brazilian team,in a interview he even ask whats the name of the national team coach, how he doesnt know the name of the coach? is this serious?
June 8th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
d16 says:
@ K Dizzle:
“I don’t even personally know MLB baseball players. I got boys or personally played against dudes in the NBA, NFL, and even the NHL. All the dudes I know are AA or AAA but they ain’t gettin past that I don’t think.”
What’s the relevance?
June 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
The Grammar Police says:
@ YOUNGFED:
Are you really a federal agent? Don’t you need an education to be a fed?
“PRODOMINENTLY” ?! Really?! I wouldn’t have called you out, but spelt completely wrong AND in all caps? This is just a warning; next time I’ll have to write you a citation.
June 8th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
daquest?on a.k.a Heavy Artillery says:
it doesnt matter 4 team brazil they wnt make it n e way team puerto rico will make it
June 8th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
eric says:
radmanovic – 2 fouls in 2 mins
gasol nasty cram on kg
gonna be good
June 9th, 2008 at 6:30 am
YOUNGFED says:
@Post#
sorry if I didn’t spell check my blog first, no one corrects DIME when they make mistakes…funny how when I do people chime in so quikly. SMH.
Get a life dude, and write your mama a citation. How freakin’ lame are you, 4real. Or did I spell 4real wrong too. Glad to see your reading my post though, keep it up.
YOUNGFED – “The most loved, The most hated”, I love this game. lol