Trevor Ariza
Beginning of the End for Artest? We Can Only Hope
12/26/09 17:14 Filed in: NBA
Do the Lakers think we're all idiots?
The guy that instigated the most despicable incident in NBA history, the guy who recently announced to the world that he used to down a few shots at half-time of games while he was playing for timmy's Bulls, the guy the Lakers sought out rather than re-signing Trevor Ariza, shows up with a head injury, a concussion, and a banged-up elbow, and they expect us to believe him that he TRIPPED OVER A BOX AND FELL DOWN THE STAIRS AT HOME?????
Oh, come on.
Where did this really happen, and how did it really happen?
And, when he was taken to UCLA Med Center, did they do a blood alcohol and/or drug test?
Stay tuned. I can hardly wait for the next chapter.
The guy that instigated the most despicable incident in NBA history, the guy who recently announced to the world that he used to down a few shots at half-time of games while he was playing for timmy's Bulls, the guy the Lakers sought out rather than re-signing Trevor Ariza, shows up with a head injury, a concussion, and a banged-up elbow, and they expect us to believe him that he TRIPPED OVER A BOX AND FELL DOWN THE STAIRS AT HOME?????
Oh, come on.
Where did this really happen, and how did it really happen?
And, when he was taken to UCLA Med Center, did they do a blood alcohol and/or drug test?
Stay tuned. I can hardly wait for the next chapter.
theHoundDawg
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Lakers, NBA, Off to Expected Start
11/05/09 15:40 Filed in: NBA
The vastly improved and now relatively healthy
Celtics are off to the start I anticipated, as are
the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. Orlando, who
I thought had no chance of repeating, especially in
light of no more Hido, and with the addition of
perennial loser Vince Carter, have added a few top
subs, in particular Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson,
who make them stronger than I anticipated. Cleveland
has re-tooled, but the horrible lack of chemistry
continues, the idea of 90-year-old Shaq meshing there
looks far-fetched, and the Delonte West situation
will sooner or later blow up in the NBA's face.
Last night in Houston confirmed a couple of things. First, the Rockets are a good team, even without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, and despite an inconsistent night, Trevor Ariza is a blossoming star who the Rockets can rely on (despite Fisher's last-second steal), and whom the Lakers will sorely miss. Next, Even without Ariza, the Lakers are odds on to again reach the Finals, and should only be able to be taken by a healthy Celtic team, if by anybody. Finally, I stand by my position that ron artest is a disaster waiting to happen; that the team would be infinitely better, and better off, with Ariza, and that it is extremely unlikely that they will get through the entire season without artest having a melt-down, potentially costing the team dearly.
Andrew Bynum's injury has come early this season. Hopefully Pao will be back within a weak, uh, week, and all will be well till that point that never happens until late in the season, when the Lakers are at full strength.
theHoundDawg
Last night in Houston confirmed a couple of things. First, the Rockets are a good team, even without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, and despite an inconsistent night, Trevor Ariza is a blossoming star who the Rockets can rely on (despite Fisher's last-second steal), and whom the Lakers will sorely miss. Next, Even without Ariza, the Lakers are odds on to again reach the Finals, and should only be able to be taken by a healthy Celtic team, if by anybody. Finally, I stand by my position that ron artest is a disaster waiting to happen; that the team would be infinitely better, and better off, with Ariza, and that it is extremely unlikely that they will get through the entire season without artest having a melt-down, potentially costing the team dearly.
Andrew Bynum's injury has come early this season. Hopefully Pao will be back within a weak, uh, week, and all will be well till that point that never happens until late in the season, when the Lakers are at full strength.
theHoundDawg
Laker Off-Season Begins with Ups and Downs
07/08/09 14:20 Filed in: NBA
In the three-plus weeks since the Lakers became NBA
Champs, a lot has happened to the team.
First and foremost, Phil Jackson has agreed to return next season. That means that regardless of what player decisions the personnel gurus make, the team will be in contention to repeat.
Whether or not they do repeat doesn't seem as likely as it did three weeks ago, in my opinion.
First, I strongly feel that the loss of Trevor Ariza will we monumental. He is a great young talent that fits the Laker mold to a tee, and given the playing time he has now earned, and being injury-free, he will quickly develop into a star, combining tenacity and athleticism with stellar defense and a great outside shot. It would seem, though, that the strong-arm tactics of his agent, rather than his personal desires and the Lakers' interest were the reasons he is moving to Houston.
Next, replacing Ariza, the Lakers signed a walking time bomb, in Ron Artest. How quickly personnel people, commentators, and fans, all forget the evils this man has committed on the court. On October 18, 2008, I wrote:
Artest didn't explode last season (though he did seem to come close a few times), and obviously did not take the Rockets with him. Jackson's influence would protect the Lakers as a team from such a team-wide reaction, but the chances are excellent that Artest will not get through another full season without an Indiana-Detroit-like event re-occurring. As a player, he is an older, more volatile version of Ariza.
Third, the top competition has strongly improved. Cleveland has Shaq, which will make them tougher, but not give them a title. Orlando has done much re-shaping, but has not improved. A healthy Jameer Nelson will do more for them than exchanging, in effect, Vince Carter for Hedo Turkoglu, who they will quickly learn was a vital key to their team. No, the team to beat in the NBA next season, is the Celtics. Healthy seasons from Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe, the further development of Rajon Rondo into one of the top point guards in the NBA, and the tremendous addition of Rasheed Wallace, and now possibly also Grant Hill, make the Celtics number one in the East, and maybe in the NBA.
theHoundDawg
First and foremost, Phil Jackson has agreed to return next season. That means that regardless of what player decisions the personnel gurus make, the team will be in contention to repeat.
Whether or not they do repeat doesn't seem as likely as it did three weeks ago, in my opinion.
First, I strongly feel that the loss of Trevor Ariza will we monumental. He is a great young talent that fits the Laker mold to a tee, and given the playing time he has now earned, and being injury-free, he will quickly develop into a star, combining tenacity and athleticism with stellar defense and a great outside shot. It would seem, though, that the strong-arm tactics of his agent, rather than his personal desires and the Lakers' interest were the reasons he is moving to Houston.
Next, replacing Ariza, the Lakers signed a walking time bomb, in Ron Artest. How quickly personnel people, commentators, and fans, all forget the evils this man has committed on the court. On October 18, 2008, I wrote:
"Maybe the biggest question mark is the Houston Rockets. At times last year they were terrible, but then for a few weeks, after the injury to Yao Ming, they were brilliant. Which Houston team will show up this year? Well, I think the addition of Ron Artest is a major mistake and a step backward. Artest is perhaps the most over-rated player in the league, and has done nothing but make his team of the moment worse. He is a time bomb, and at some point during the season, he will explode, and take the team down with him."
Artest didn't explode last season (though he did seem to come close a few times), and obviously did not take the Rockets with him. Jackson's influence would protect the Lakers as a team from such a team-wide reaction, but the chances are excellent that Artest will not get through another full season without an Indiana-Detroit-like event re-occurring. As a player, he is an older, more volatile version of Ariza.
Third, the top competition has strongly improved. Cleveland has Shaq, which will make them tougher, but not give them a title. Orlando has done much re-shaping, but has not improved. A healthy Jameer Nelson will do more for them than exchanging, in effect, Vince Carter for Hedo Turkoglu, who they will quickly learn was a vital key to their team. No, the team to beat in the NBA next season, is the Celtics. Healthy seasons from Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe, the further development of Rajon Rondo into one of the top point guards in the NBA, and the tremendous addition of Rasheed Wallace, and now possibly also Grant Hill, make the Celtics number one in the East, and maybe in the NBA.
theHoundDawg
Lakers Win - Now What About Next Year?
06/15/09 20:30 Filed in: NBA
Congrats to the entire Laker family for a fabulous
season, especially Dr Jerry and Buss generation two,
Mitch Kupchak, Phil, and the entire team. As I said
before the season, and frequently thereafter, the
Lakers have the most talented and deepest team in the
NBA, but being able to show that on the court does
not necessarily follow. Remember the Dell Harris
years?
Watching Kobe this season was amazing - seeing a great player improve his entire game to an incredible new level. Deserving much of the credit for the team's success is the previously much-maligned Mitch Kupchak, who made key player moves putting the finishing touches on what did became a championship team.
Kobe, Mitch, Jerry, Jeannie, and Jimmie are going nowhere, but what about Phil? Jeannie said on the air today that his health is fine, that this leg problems of the past season are now resolved, and that she sees no reason why he won't be return for the final season of his contract. This is great for two reasons: First, Phil is the best coach the NBA has ever seen. Period. It is still hard to forget the the 2004-5 season when Phil was retired for a year. Second, the rumored candidates that could replace him, from Brian Shaw to Byron Scott to Kurt Rambis are all sorely lacking in coaching experience, coaching ability, and/or additional qualities the Lakers demand, and need, if their outstanding success were to continue. Should Phil decide to leave, however, then the Lakers need to open the coffers and do their best to influence an experience and successful coach to move to LA, like they did with Phil. The ideal person that fits this mold would be Gregg Popovich.
On the court, the same type of critical questions are present, with the pending free agency of Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza. The Lakers might be NBA champs without one or the other of these two, but probably not, and to return to that lofty perch next season virtually requires that both players be resigned. It's time for the financial geniuses in Lakerdom to work out the details.
Finally, as an LA native who has lived in LA County his entire life, I am ashamed of the idiots and jerks who have nothing better to do with their sorry lives than celebrate victory by destroying property.
Watching Kobe this season was amazing - seeing a great player improve his entire game to an incredible new level. Deserving much of the credit for the team's success is the previously much-maligned Mitch Kupchak, who made key player moves putting the finishing touches on what did became a championship team.
Kobe, Mitch, Jerry, Jeannie, and Jimmie are going nowhere, but what about Phil? Jeannie said on the air today that his health is fine, that this leg problems of the past season are now resolved, and that she sees no reason why he won't be return for the final season of his contract. This is great for two reasons: First, Phil is the best coach the NBA has ever seen. Period. It is still hard to forget the the 2004-5 season when Phil was retired for a year. Second, the rumored candidates that could replace him, from Brian Shaw to Byron Scott to Kurt Rambis are all sorely lacking in coaching experience, coaching ability, and/or additional qualities the Lakers demand, and need, if their outstanding success were to continue. Should Phil decide to leave, however, then the Lakers need to open the coffers and do their best to influence an experience and successful coach to move to LA, like they did with Phil. The ideal person that fits this mold would be Gregg Popovich.
On the court, the same type of critical questions are present, with the pending free agency of Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza. The Lakers might be NBA champs without one or the other of these two, but probably not, and to return to that lofty perch next season virtually requires that both players be resigned. It's time for the financial geniuses in Lakerdom to work out the details.
Finally, as an LA native who has lived in LA County his entire life, I am ashamed of the idiots and jerks who have nothing better to do with their sorry lives than celebrate victory by destroying property.
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theHoundDawg
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