Kobe takes a bite out of Denver
One sequence defined last night’s Lakers/Nuggets national TV preseason game: In the second half, after Kobe Bryant had already come out of the locker room with That Look in his eye, he pulled off his new favorite move on Kenyon Martin; getting him in the air with a pump fake and spinning a quick 360 to his left, dropping a jumper as K-Mart harmlessly floated back to Earth. Then on the Nuggets’ ensuing possession, Kobe jumped a passing lane and finished with a breakway one-hander, slapping on the bottom-teeth snarl as an exclamation point … The Lakers won fairly easily, getting 23 points (8-17 FG) from Kobe, and 17 and nine boards from Lamar Odom. Carmelo led Denver with 28 points in 31 minutes — we’re going to go ahead and predict he leads the NBA in scoring this year — and Chauncey added 19 and six dimes … With Andrew Bynum (shoulder) and Pau Gasol (hamstring) sitting out, DJ Mbenga and Josh Powell got a lot of playing time. Although one of our boys e-mailed during the game that “Josh Powell is Nene without the talent,” he wasn’t bad; definitely better than the Nene look-alike who used to ball at the NYC gym a lot of us play at that we’d nicknamed “Nono Horrible” … Mbenga was kind of a beast, though, blocking seven shots. You know how you’re supposed to reward your big man for protecting the rim and running the floor? One time Mbenga swatted a ‘Melo finger roll, then beat his man downcourt and was wide open under the basket. So of course nobody on the Lakers even looked at him, which led to Derek Fisher jacking a three from the corner. After that shot missed, L.A. got the offensive rebound, and again nobody looked at Mbenga before Kobe jacked a three … Is anyone in New Orleans concerned that the Hornets have consistently looked like ass in the preseason? Last night they got smacked by 34 by the Warriors — albeit without David West (ankle) and Chris Paul (flu) in the lineup. Bobby Brown started at PG for CP, just further proof that only bad things can happen when you have to trust a guy named Bobby Brown … Anthony Morrow dropped 34 points (13-19 FG) for GS, while Corey Maggette scored 23 and Stephen Curry racked up 14 points, 10 assists and six steals … It seems every team in the NBA is dealing with a flu bug, so it’s funny to see how they choose to describe why a certain player is sidelined. For example, the Hornets said CP and Julian Wright had an “upper respiratory cold” last night, while most teams just go with “flu-like symptoms.” But for the Warriors, Andris Biedrins was listed as “under the weather.” If we can use old-school phrases that have no actual medical information, can somebody report that a player “Needs some Tussin” one of these days? … The Blazers laid a 20-piecing on the Suns, as LaMarcus Aldridge celebrated his new contract extension by putting up 17 points, nine boards and three steals and writing “F*** yo’ couch!” on his sneakers … Speaking of weird injury descriptions, the Suns reported Goran Dragic out with an “infected fifth toe, right foot.” That’s a little too much detail, thank you. Good luck getting the image of Goran Dragic’s discolored pinky toe out of your head today … Are there four players in the NBA you’d pick to be on your side in crunch-time before Tim Duncan? Is Duncan even the best crunch-time guy on the Spurs when they’ve got Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker? Lots of questions in having Duncan as #5 on the list of 30 go-to guys; go HERE to see if you buy the answers … Oleksiy “Buckets” Pecherov played the role of Al Jefferson on Thursday, posting 20 points and 10 boards while starting at center in Minnesota’s win over the Pistons. Rodney Stuckey had 25 points and Rip Hamilton scored 21 in the loss … The night after serving the Grizzlies 35 points, D-Wade struggled through a 3-for-11 brickhouse (13 pts) in a loss to Atlanta. After the game, Wade summed up his performance to reporters: “Didn’t hit no shots,” was all he said … Did you see the Magic Johnson/Isiah Thomas story that broke yesterday? Magic and Larry Bird have co-written a book about the Celtics/Lakers rivalry of the ’80s, and in it, Magic says Isiah spread rumors about being gay or bisexual after the HIV announcement. Magic also admits he and Michael Jordan led the effort to keep Isiah off the original Dream Team. If the first part is true, it does make the second part more understandable, but from a pure basketball standpoint it sucks that Isiah was held off the Dream Team over some personal vendetta. Does any of this change your opinion about Magic or Isiah? And what about the possibility that Jordan straight-up lied in his Hall of Fame speech when he claimed there was no beef with Isiah? … We’re out like Bobby Brown …
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 am
K Dizzle says:
That Magic-Zeke shit is gonna get ugly…
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 am
JLEE says:
Down in vancouver Nash had a charity soccer game and baron davis and Hasheem Thabheet showed up. I told Thabheet that i’d draft him in my fantasy pool.
Now that he’s going to be a total bust, do I still have to? If I do i’ll probably lose.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 am
BENNYHILL says:
The pistons are terrible… Will not make the playoffs
Minnesota beat them… Minnesota?
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 am
BENNYHILL says:
That starting 5 of Flynn, Brewer, Pecherov, Wilkins and Gomes sounds pretty formiddable on paper…
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:48 am
BENNYHILL says:
And Phoenix can’t make it either
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:49 am
BENNYHILL says:
New Orleans will be 7th seed at best, and may not make it either…
And yes, I know its preseason
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:50 am
Big Sia says:
i was at the Blazers/Suns game in vancouver…
B-Roy looks sharp people.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 am
Billy Hoyle says:
Isiah Thomas is a pile of shit
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 am
TomGfromCanada says:
re-match tonight
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:16 am
Shizzo says:
You guys don’t even mention the Kings-Thunder game??? Tyreke Evans & Kevin Durant not enough of a draw?
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:05 am
the_don_mega says:
“just further proof that only bad things can happen when you have to trust a guy named Bobby Brown” - LMFAO…
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:11 am
the_don_mega says:
@ Dime - thought y’all predicted Durant to lead the L in scoring this year…
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:29 am
Atom says:
@ the_don_mega:
Good call, I remember that too. Which is going to be Dime, pick a one dimensional scoring horse and run with it.
- As far as the the affects “from a pure basketball standpoint” of the soap opera that is the Magic/Isiah failed bromance, cant really hate on the point guards the Dream Team went with. I would rather have seen Stockton on a team full of scorers than Isiah. Stockton was a better passer, one thing that team did not lack was fire-power
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 am
dvs says:
WTF Pistons - Losses to griz & twolves??? u guys are killing me
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:53 am
sans says:
Isiah was only mad that he kissed Magic on the lips all tem times then couldn’t blame that on his daughter…
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:54 am
sans says:
And there isn’t any beef between goat and Isiah anymore…
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:58 am
flegman says:
Mbenga’s block on KMart’s dunk attempt, yee
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:25 am
rick773 says:
I may NEVER EVER say this again….But I’m rolling with zeke on this one….Airing dirty laundry in a tell all book is something Superhead would do…Magic needs to man up
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:27 am
BENNYHILL says:
Yeah I saw that block on K-Marts dunk attempt… It was huge, was only watching for couple minutes and saw DJ rip at least 3 shots out of the sky
And he hit couple jumpers too
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:50 am
sh!tfaced says:
“Flu, flu-like symptoms, upper respiratory cold”, whatever the fuck they say, it all means the same thing… HUNGOVER.
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:58 am
alf (from melmak) says:
Dime, in fairness, Bobby Brown made some good music before. Although I liked the edginess of Bel Biv Devoe better.
My meal allowance says that everyone seems to be ganging up on Isiah Thomas. Even Bill Simmons in his new book has made some funny although at times unkind remarks about the guy.
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:13 am
jimmy_jacked_corn says:
I remember one of Dime’s guys predicted Durant would lead the League in scoring LAST YEAR. Didn’t see anything like that this year. My picks:
1. LeBron
2. Melo
3. Wade
4. Durant
5. Granger
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:31 am
KBY says:
@ JLee,
Just draft Thabeet with your last pick
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 am
Josh Tha roc says:
And cut him. Lol
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:12 am
PDaddy says:
Didnt Magic and Isiah used to kiss all the time before tip-off? I guess Isiah would know ……
just sayin.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:14 am
Daddy Dollars says:
Magic vs Isiah is tough for me. Loved em both being from Michigan, but I gotta side with Zeke on this one. If you got beef with someone you tell them to their face asap, not wait 17 years to write it in a book. Zeke not being on the dream team was stupid. He was the fourth best player of his generation after MJ, Magic, and Bird.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:22 am
Trey bing bay says:
Kobe’s snarl should get it’s own name.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
Kobeef says:
@Trey
Kobe’s snarl should be called the beaver. He looks like an idiot when he does it.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:56 am
bullet380 says:
I’m with rick773 on this one. I gotta roll With Isaiah on this. That’s some bamma $*#+ that Magic did. I’m a die hard Lakers fan. Magic is my favorite player ever. But he crossed the line. You helped keep Zeke off the Dream Team over some personal ish? You heard he said XYZ? Never got true confirmation on that. Magic lost some cool points with me on this one.
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:01 am
Kermit the Washington says:
The Basketball Trinity (Mike, Magic, Bird) reeeeallly hates Isaiah. Whatever stuff he said back in the day, they STILL can’t let it go.
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:09 am
Chi-Tizzle says:
The Dave Chap. comment was the best. The Rick James skit series is #1 in regards to go to comedy. Unity!
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:27 am
silky says:
at suns/blazers last night… no mention of vancouver selling out and chomping at the bit for a team back. i thought dime had northwest love?
no looking at the stories. smack has been reading like a boxscore lately. put some effort into the shit. if i wanna know what stuckey had i’ll go to nba.com
out like the lesser griffin’s hairline
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
karizmatic says:
From what I saw Magic and Jordan were part of several players who simply were put off by Isiah in one form or another. It doesn’t change my image of any of the 3, they all are about who I’d figure them to be. Disclaimer: Magic is my favorite player of all time. I would have liked to see him on that team but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way.
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:50 am
Diggity Dave says:
Assuming Zeke’s telling the truth, I’ve lost a lot of respect for Magic.
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:29 am
F.L.A.S.H. says:
isiah boycotted mike from the whole east AS team one year too, loners get what they deserve
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
NTstateOFmind says:
hilarious how Zeke is playing the victim here, and at this point its all hearsay but think about it- with the whole Magic/HIV thing, you can only take Zeke denying it with a grain of salt- look how he played everyone else in his post-hoops career
as far as the Dream Team snub, well …karma is a b!tch
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
Chicagorilla says:
On the Magic/Isiah fued: I believe Magic called Isiah and told him I’m going to say some bogus shit about you in this book, then you say how suprised you are and how it’s all a lie. I’ll sell plenty of books and you will land more recruits.
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:13 am
That's whats up says:
Everytime Bobby Brown gets theball in New Orleans they should cue up the music:
“It’s late at night, I toss and turn, listenening for the telephone….”
And when he gets called for traveling in opposing arenas you cue up the chorus: “Every Little Step I Take”
somebody get on this and make it happen!!!
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Sho-Nuff says:
Isiah acted like an ass. Which you are supposed to do on the court. But running off the court like a bunch of bitches when Mike and ‘dem beat them in 1991 was uncalled for.
Yet mofos want to chastise LBJ for not shaking hands. Ike and the Pistons left with about 10 seconds on the clock?!!!!
Ran off the court like jerks.
For the last time EVERYONE knows MJ said, If Ike plays for the Dream Team I’m not. Don’t we all know this by now? Why does this still come up?
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Dean says:
There’s no doubt Magic was humping dudes too! They did trains and all that crap. And I bet my last buck that he got the virus from a dude. Now that’s some homo magic.
At least he was getting some pussy too.
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:56 pm
LakeShow84 says:
“Need some tussin”
Funniest shit of the week.. Classic Rock right there..
“yeah boy you broke your arm?? nah nah just rub some tussin on it”
And has any team fallin faster than the Hornets?? They need some Tussin REAL BAD..
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Reddi Red says:
gotta roll with Isiah on this one. you don’t wait almost 2 decades then write a book throwing your “friend” under the bus.
i gotta say this….even though MJordan is the g.o.a.t., and i LOVE his competitive spirit, he is kind of an @$$hole! i watched his HOF induction speach and he basically loaded it with pot shots at different folks.
It leads me to really believe that MJ & MJ conspired to keep Zeke off the Olympic squad.
See, it’s so easy for folks to dislike Zeke becuz of the debacle in NYC. I personally don’t think he’s a good coach or exec., however, you can’t take NOTHING away from his game!
I would take Zeke over John Stockton ANYDAY!
Would you?
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
money says:
Need some tussin is hilarious.
On the zeke/magic beef though, I got to say, if you piss of Magic, Bird, and MJ and they stay pissed for a long time, you must’ve done something wrong. It wasn’t right for Magic to throw zeke under the bus blindly like that, but the trinity of basketball gods don’t just hate like that for no reason. and looking at his past conduct, zeke’s an asshole.
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
LAballer says:
hilarious dime today..
they interviewed the author of the book today and she claims that it says no where that magic led the black balling of isiah..he only states that he didnt do or say anything to help get isiah on the team…he basically didn’t take one side or the other with it..
is this true or did i hear it incorrectly? im pretty sure she said it that way tho..
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
rell says:
I’m a fan of Magic but I got to side with Zeke. What was his point in saying this stuff about Zeke 17 years later? People do anything to sell a book these days. Instead of talking to Zeke one on one he decided to address this situation in a book. I know every book need a villian but dang Magic you didn’t have to throw Zeke under a bus to sell a couple more copies. I wonder how Magic would feel if his wife Cooky decides to release a book about him.
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Promoman says:
Looks like Isiah is learning about the Golden Rule & karma 1st hand. He’s a fucking snake, but Magic is a closet asshole too. Hell, he sided with Isiah in freezing out MJ in the ‘85 ASG, as did Larry Bird and George Gervin. He looks like a hypocrite pulling that shit with the Dream Team. At least MJ had a valid motive for payback after Isiah pulled his shit. We damn sure can’t forget that Magic single-handedly started the players getting firing coaches trend too when he got Paul Westhead axed. I hope Magic talked about Karl Malone & A.C. Green too because they publically talked about not playing with him because of his illness.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
luckylester says:
There’s been a lot of hate for Brewer, for some odd reason, but he looks very good to me coming into the season.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Nevacare says:
I feel bad for Zeke but on some real sh*t.If I found out my friend was gay, I’d put his biznezz out there too.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Nevacare says:
Chris Mullins should have been left off the Dream Team instead of Zeke.I understand they left the 1 college roster spot open for Laettner,but PLEASE.
October 24th, 2009 at 3:10 am
fLaVa says:
“needs some tussin” … classic Chris rock.. hilariousss!!!