Warrior Mentality
Gasol Brother
At first glance, the Lakers smashing the Warriors by 30-plus doesn’t mean anything. They’re supposed to do that. But going a bit deeper, it’s big for L.A. to show they can beat teams that play any style — like Golden State’s running and gunning — while still trying to work Pau Gasol back into the mix and when Kobe Bryant has an off night. Kobe struggled with his shot (8-20 FG, 20 pts, 5 stls), but Gasol (22 pts, 12 rebs, 3 blks) and Ron Artest (19 pts, 7-11 FG) covered for him. When Kobe left in the first quarter with foul trouble, the team went on a big run without him and took an insurmountable lead. The Warriors have had some grueling games lately with a short-handed roster; it looked like they just ran out of gas Saturday … Shannon Brown needs to be in the dunk contest come All-Star Weekend. We don’t know what the NBA is thinking, but if it takes a letter-writing campaign or an intervention from President Obama or whatever, it needs to happen. Last night Shannon broke out a pump-handle dunk on a breakaway, and before that, crammed over Anthony Morrow on a play where it looked like he hurdled Morrow’s shoulder with one leg … Apparently Rashard Lewis can create his own shot every now and then. Magic/Bucks was tied up with just under a minute to go when Rashard drove right on Ersan Ilyasova and hit a banker. After Ilyasova missed a three on the other end, Orlando got the ball back with 27 seconds left. Scott Skiles elected not to foul and gamble on a missed shot — which Vince Carter provided — but Dwight Howard tapped the rebound around long enough for the clock to run out … Does Skiles not allow his players to act rowdy on the bench, or is there some internal beef going on with the Bucks that we don’t know about? Two plays happened during the game that usually you see NBA benches lose their minds over — Hakim Warrick‘s dunk over Matt Barnes, and Carlos Delfino swatting Mickael Pietrus at the rim — and nobody on the Bucks so much as stood up. There was some vigorous applause, though … With the small lineups the Mavs can throw at you, beating Dallas often depends on having strong guard play. So for Cleveland yesterday, anything LeBron (25 pts, 12 asts) or Shaq did wasn’t as important as the contributions from Mo Williams and Delonte West. Mo dropped 25 points and seven threes in the Cavs’ win, while Delonte had 10 points and 10 assists off the bench … LeBron and Shaq hooked up for an alley-oop in the first quarter. That’s only notable because people probably expected a lot of that this season, but so far they’ve only done it like twice … The Jazz are on a roll. After blowing out the Bulls on Thanksgiving, they ran out to a double-digit lead on Portland in the first quarter last night and went on to a 17-point win. Carlos Boozer (26 pts, 12 rebs) was hitting everything he threw up, and Deron Williams (24 pts, 15 asts) was playing Mix Tape style, handing out dimes between his legs and over his shoulder without looking. It’s not quite time for put the Jazz back into the conversation as a title contender, but over the last few days they’re looking about as solid on both ends of the floor as anybody in the League. On a down note, however, Paul Millsap and Andrei Kirilenko both left the game: Millsap when his knee ran into Rudy Fernandez‘s knee, and AK-47 with a sore back … Reports coming out of New Jersey say the Nets have already decided to fire Lawrence Frank, but the move won’t be made official until after they play the Lakers on Sunday. That’s cold. You’re firing the guy, but you’re gonna make him stick around to take full ownership of the 0-17 start that would tie the record for worst all-time NBA start. At the same time, you don’t want to throw your interim coach into the fire with a road game against the defending champs. So we kind of get it … We’re out like Frank …
-->
November 29th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Josh says:
Posting Smack before proofreading (formatting error with the bold after Pietrus’ name) and before tagging?
I know you’re rushing to get this out but still, that’s just sloppy.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:10 am
@dam says:
Shut up Josh u grammar Nazi, the guy is working during the weekend
November 29th, 2009 at 8:14 am
ab_40 says:
cleveland is a match up team haha how sad. they don’t have their own style and if they can’t match up with you they lose. please trade Z and delonte for a basketball player a two/three who can play at the four spot if needed. someone like tayshaun prince when he isn’t injured
November 29th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Jimmy_jacked_corn says:
Thank Josh the Smack police are on the case. I don’t know what I’d do without you.
Jerk.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:16 am
BUFFALO BRAVE says:
Damn Josh, what happened to “FIRST”?
November 29th, 2009 at 8:17 am
sans says:
c’mon man, out of work English majors need something to edit…
November 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Shrink This says:
Where do you even start with picture (of Gasol) like that? Nice look Hollywood…
November 29th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Shrink This says:
Christ, I can’t even proofread my own sentence; I meant ‘pictures like that’.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Atom says:
I don’t think that is Gasol’s “Hollywood” look, he looks like a tool because he is doing some Elvis thing because he was still playing in Memphis at the time and the photo is for Spanish Rolling Stone magazine, where I can guarantee the only thing they knew about Memphis was “Elvis.” I live in the states and I cant say i know too much else about it either.
Van Gundy is gonna have to take that green light away from Carter, it looked like he was trying his best to shoot the team out of an ending that should not have been so close.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Kevin says:
Warrick’s dunk was nasty. I’m thinking rotation guy on an average team good for an occasional highlight is his NBA ceiling though.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Posterboy15 says:
@ Atom
U cant take the green light from Carter…I watched the game, when he was out with that Injury how do u think bucks managed to get the lead they did in the first place, as soon as Carter left the offense looked a mess. When he came back he scored 19 in the second half, other guys were gettin open shots, and playin some nice D out there. Carter has already hit big shots this year for them to win games especially in the fourth quarter. U cant expect a good a result every night but if u gettin W’s on off nights, u take anything u get in the Reg. season…but he does need to up his assists up tho…his 2 ast a game doesnt show his underrated passing ability…besides peitrus pissing me off sometimes, all of there shooters are capable of knocking down big shots, and Carter does need to create for Howard more until the guy gets some legitimate posts, I mean goodness what is Patrcik Ewing doing with the kid…as far as I remember Patrick just had a 15 footer and some grizzly adams post moves..Why isnt Hakeem Olajuwon working with him, he has the smoothest post moves for a big man with agility ever and Howard has that capabilty with his atheleticism…Superman please get with The Dream over the summer, dats if he can schedule u in after the Kobe workout…..
November 29th, 2009 at 9:17 am
That's what's up says:
Pau GAYsol
November 29th, 2009 at 9:21 am
That's what's up says:
Hey Josh, how about DIME tags you upside your head with their dick?
Would you worry about formatting errors then? dumb bitch…
sweety got nothing better to do on a Sunday morning than proofread remotely
November 29th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Atom says:
@ posterboy
Wasn’t just talkin bout today’s game with the green light, dude takes the ball up the court and heaves 2 feet behind the arc with 20 seconds on the shot clock. No question he can get hot and carry a team, but his shot selection and FG% have been sorely lacking. He can handle and pass, so i was hoping to c more of a point forward thing with jameer down.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:54 am
dagwaller says:
Fitting that Frank would come in on a huge winning streak (remember that?) and go out on a losing streak.
…Byron Scott to the Nets?
November 29th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Posterboy15 says:
@ Atom
I see wut u mean about him heaving it, but dats his game tho his range is kind of rediculous, but he did get too comfortable with it playing with jason kidd cuz he used throw the ball to him on fast breaks 3 ft behind the 3pt line and vince would usually make more than he missed…but this a different team. I think he is confused when he wants to be a scorer or point forward right now, cuz they are winning and real flaws wont show until they start losing..despite his shot selection he does have a good basketball I.Q so he will eventually get it..
November 29th, 2009 at 11:08 am
QQ says:
Nice win over the Bucks, still at the top yall.
About Carter:
Honestly, I think VC CAN improve his shot selection. It’s not as bad as the last Raptor days, but I think he STILL has that tendency to shoot like an asshole. He just can’t do that anymore. He’s on a championship contender. I see him shoot an ugly jumper, and think ‘hey, it’s still within the offense’, but then he will do that again the next possession, and I’m now ‘STOP THAT, BITCH’.
It’s still early, and we’re winning. VC can definitely improve his shot selection. I just hope he will do it sooner, rather than later. Do it, you soft pussy, you.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Promoman says:
That’s no surprise about Scott Skiles. He’s a Tom Coughlin type coach. That’s one of the main reasons why he keeps getting fired. He’s a good coach but his interpersonal skills suck.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:44 am
eyes says:
Luke Ridnour is my hero. LOL. Go Skiles. Thanks M.Redd get well soon. Now we just have to limit Luke’s all star push. Skiles has him Mobil 93′d up. The funny thing about that shot if he made it. He was shooting the next one. The bucks had a 10 pt lead in the 3rd playing well. In comes Super Sub to save the day. Can we get a Jameer Nelson trade over here(Get rid of the cancer). Luke is worrying me. Either bj kills him in practice or Scott doesn’t want him & luke to be expendable. They ran the offense thru SUPER LUKE & moved bj to the 2. Lmao. Funny how bj looked back 2 reg w/o Redd. His production is down due to min. Skiles is preserving him for the finals fun. He’s the best player wth everyone healthy. Ask bogut. Ask Skiles its Him & Luke that’s responsible. Bucks had this game. They need a new coach & better personnel. Everyone is picking up on the nonsense. Skiles needs a veteran team. He’s more miserable than Stan. Smile jerk you weren’t that nice.
Do you really think Luke & BJ are equal ? No one else seems to think that. You are not the future. BJ & company namely bogut & ilaysova. Scott take ur son and go politically run another team. Go somewhere he’d start and like like Duhon. He’s playing starter min at the expense of our defense.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
QQ says:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/11/25/iverson.available/index.html
Perfect article about this AI retirement stuff.
Dunno, if it’s been posted, but when I read it, I was like ‘Why didn’t I think about that?’.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs before slamball says:
Lawrence frank has alwyas sucked. Byron Scott got to the finals twice and got fired and frank just got his left over susperstara. The team hasn’t done anything under him.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
YESSS frank shoulda been capped 2 years ago
November 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
dmitry of jersey says:
YESSS frank shoulda been capped 2 years ago
November 29th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
movez says:
JASON BURKE?
November 29th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Hmmmm says:
If the Wizards won by 20 last night I’m sure that would have been noted in Smack. The Cavs lost Friday night….barely mentioned in Smack. The Cavs win Saturday night…damn near a game breakdown in Smack. What do these two L’s have in common…Bobcat wins. C’mon Dime!
November 29th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
baron says:
You know how sometimes you just hate a player just because of how he looks, even though he’s really good?
For example, I used to HATE John Elway with them horse teeth, plus he would kill the Raiders all the time, and he beat the Browns in that playoff game in ’87 or whatever. Just hated him for no good reason, really though.
My bro hates Deron Williams for the same reason, just can’t stand how he looks out there on the court, even though he has mad game with those sick crossovers and dishes.
Lots of people hate my guy Manu Ginobili for that same reason, just how he looks out there even though he kills.
. . . . . .
I say that to say this:
I HATE PAU GASOL, strictly because of how he looks, like a lanky Grizzly Adams lookin’ bastard with that stupid, dirty hippy haircut. Pau, Dirk, and Cuban all go the same millionaire barber shop. And when he gets animated about scoring a basket, I just get soooo pissed off and yell “F*CK YOU!” at the TV. Again, no good reason other than the way he looks.
. . . . . . .
Well, this picture you have posted for Smack, mannn now I’m like Doc Holliday in Tombstone:
Doc Holliday: And you must be (Pau). Look, darling, (Pau Gasol). The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say. What do you think, darling? Should I hate him?
Kate: You don’t even know him.
Doc Holliday: Yes, but there’s just something about him. Something around the eyes, I don’t know, reminds me of… me. No. I’m sure of it, I hate him.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
baron says:
oh yeah, and I was right when y’all posted your Milwaukee Bucks season preview…
You should have mentioned Ilyasova!
November 29th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
dagwaller says:
Hhahahaha baron I know what you mean. I don’t hate Pau but I just watched Tombstone last night – perfect.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
jzsmoove says:
Maxiell monster block on a attempted flush by Shannon Brown is hands down Block of the Year. Shannon is cool and all but that block was sumthin else. Youtube it!!
November 30th, 2009 at 5:04 am
andy@chicks_n_kicks says:
I’m watching the young, hungry and athletic Hawks, r they ready?