« JOE STEVENS: Whistle mania, Mimi and the X-Man | Main | JOE STEVENS: ``In the barn,'' ``off the hook,'' ``short!'' »
April 29, 2006
Ross Siler: Getting ready for the Hallway Series
I'm sure the Clippers will lose tonight in Denver after writing this, but the city could be set for its first cross-town NBA playoff series by the end of next week.
The storylines would be incredible, starting with Kobe Bryant against the team he spurned two summers ago and Lamar Odom against the team that drafted him and let him leave for Miami citing issues of character and other risks.
I won't venture a prediction until it happens but the Lakers' strategy of pounding the ball inside against the Suns wouldn't translate at all against a Clippers team with Chris Kaman and Elton Brand.
The teams split the regular season series - - with Bryant averaging 40.8 points a game - - and never have met in the playoffs before. They have made the playoffs together only four times since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles.
Just one question: How many Lakers fans have bought Clipper tickets for the second round banking on the matchup? Would the Clippers find themselves playing seven road games in effect at Staples Center.
* * *
I thought I'd include some of the funnier moments from Friday's game given that the Lakers and Suns looked like they would come to blows a couple of times on the court.
I never had seen a sequence like the one involving Brian Cook in the second quarter. He was blocked at the rim by James Jones and lost his shoe after landing. But Cook simply flipped the shoe to the sideline and ran back down court only to commit a foul and stop play.
We also got a laugh on press row as Sasha Vujacic got three steps into racing the ball up court only to realize that wasn't part of the game plan and stop dead in his tracks. It's easy to get caught up in what the Suns want to do.
And Kwame Brown had a priceless look on his face after blocking Nash on a drive in the quarter, as if it was almost accidental. There was no similar look when Brown made that left-handed block on Boris Diaw and stared at him on the floor.
Best quote on Saturday came from Brown, who was asked about hearing the crowd chant his name in the second half. He shot one free throw thinking they were cheering for Kobe before realizing it was for him.
Said Brown: ``It’s a step up from being booed.’’
Posted by Ross Siler at April 29, 2006 05:58 PM