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May 22, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Coulda, shoulda, woulda
By Sam Cassell's mathematics, 100 percent of the population did not expect the Clippers to make it to Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. He is right.
But his teammate, Cuttino Mobley, is also right to say that the Clippers probably should not have been there in the first place, having closed out the series earlier.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda.
What happens if Sam Cassell stays in Game 5 with 3.6 seconds left in overtime instead of rookie Daniel Ewing? The Clippers led by three at that point, but then Raja Bell nailed a 3-pointer over Ewing with 1.1 seconds left to send the game into a second OT. Would Sam have had the know-how to foul?
Coulda, shoulda, woulda.... That's how sports goes.
In other fabulous news, as I walked to the court right before Game 7, I felt hands massaging my shoulders. I immediately thought that it probably was owner Donald Sterling, who loves to massage folks. But in actuality, it was the Suns Gorilla. He had very hairy palms and was quite a masseuse. Good luck in the conference finals, Gorilla.
Posted by Joe Stevens at 11:32 PM | Comments (3)
May 18, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Poetic justice
This could be some type of odd poetic justice for the Clippers, heading to a Game 7 in Phoenix - the scene of a cornucopia of mistakes in the double-overtime loss in Game 5. Can they go to the same place, but this time eliminate the mistakes and actually win? We shall see...
Neither team has ever won two in a row against the other in either the playoffs or regular season...
Corey Maggette truly responded in Game 6. That guy is an athletic wonder...
In other news, I plan on doing more research on the Phoenix Suns' Gorilla. Why it that a gorilla is the mascot for a team called the Suns? This baffles me. The only thing the Suns' media guide told me about the Gorilla's history is that he signed with the Suns as a ''flea agent'' in 1980. If anyone knows how the Gorilla became the Suns' mascot, please let me know.
Posted by Joe Stevens at 11:26 PM | Comments (4)
May 17, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Raja Bell nightmares
Me oh my, as long-time Clipper announcer Ralph Lawler says, the Clippers were in an emotional loss, one that will be hard, hard to recover from. Can they do it?
I don't like making predictions and will not in this case...
That Raja Bell shot with 1.1 seconds left in overtime -- I thought only Kobe made those. Guess not...
Posted by Joe Stevens at 12:13 AM | Comments (6)
May 14, 2006
JOE STEVENS: It's all about cinco
I can’t stand it when ``journalists’’ make prediction on sporting events. They don’t know the future. If they really did, they’d bet on their soothsaying ability and become fat cats living in Vegas.
BUT here’s something that I truly believe – the winner of Game 5 between the Clippers and Suns will win the series. Now, I am not a soothsayer or a fat cat, and it’s not really a prediction. It’s just common sense. Right?
Now watch, the Clippers will lose Game 5 and then win the next two and I will become the ``journalist’’ I despise.
Quick thought here: Corey Maggette should always start in all situations. I felt that way five years ago when he played behind Eric Piatkowski and still believe that…
In other news… I am beginning to enjoy coach Mike Dunleavy’s responses to why he played clutch-shooting Sam Cassell just 35 seconds in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ Game 3 loss. The coach has gone on the record several times, saying his move wasn’t a mistake.
We all know it was a mistake, and we all know that Mike is a highly intelligent guy. I think Mike finds himself in a position with the media similar to one when a cop is writing you a ticket. What can you say?
Posted by Joe Stevens at 10:46 PM | Comments (2)
May 13, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Skeletor is the MVP
Before the Clippers met the Suns in Game 3, I was driving to Staples Center, listening to sports talk radio. First of all, that’s a mistake right there.
Sports talk radio usually lulls listeners into simplicity worse than Barney, the purple dinosaur. I actually would bet I’d have a better conversation with Barney than 98 percent of those on the sports radio circuit, and I don’t think Barney speaks.
Anyway, I heard on the talk radio, the idea that the Clippers could feasibly make it to the NBA Finals. Now, with the Clippers losing a tight Game 3, I wonder if people are talking about the Clippers being bounced in five games.
The point here is how knee jerk so many people are about sports. Who knows what will happen? The facts are this: The Clippers and Suns look pretty even to me, and this should continue to be a tight series – unless the Clippers drop game four, then forget about it….
In other news… I notice that Steve Nash looks a lot like Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Well, maybe, he doesn’t look spooky and menacing like Skeletor. But he does have a bony face. If I didn’t know what he does, I’d guess he were a smoker.
Staples had an odd feel to it on Friday, a lot like a Laker game, not nearly as much energy as the first round against Denver.
I can’t put my finger on why it felt that way, but my theory is that a lot of ``fans’’ who actually could afford tickets weren’t true Clipper die-hards. Bruce Willis (who starred in several Die-Hard movies), David Duchovny and Gary Shandling – those guys got star power, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them at a Clipper game until Friday.
Posted by Joe Stevens at 01:00 AM | Comments (2)
May 09, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Working on their ``strategery''
President Bush calls it ``strategery.'' Or maybe that's Will Ferrell doing Bush.
Anyway, the Clippers certainly need better ``strategery'' against the Suns in Game 2, if they have any shot at beating the fast-paced Phoenix team.
With my apologies to Allen Ginsberg, I saw the best offensive performance by Elton Brand wasted in a loss. And I saw 59.3 percent shooting wasted in a loss, too. I believe Ginsberg's quote is ``I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness.'' Somehow that popped in my head, seeing that the Clippers scored 123 points the other night yet still lost.
Am I too pessimistic to predict the Suns to win in six games? Tell me why I'm right or wrong. Let it rip....
In other news, I am certain that the Phoenix Suns' Gorilla is the best mascot in sports. I like the Gorilla for an array of reasons: 1) He has nothing to do with the team name, Suns, 2) he rides a motorcyle, and 3) he wears shades indoors.
I used to believe that only jerks or blind people wore sunglasses inside. My belief has been expanded to jerks, the blind and simians.
Posted by Joe Stevens at 03:53 PM | Comments (2)
May 08, 2006
Ross Siler: Sir Charles and Kobe
Everything always comes back to the Lakers, even after Game 1 of the Clippers/Suns series. I'm not sure who stuck around to watch "Inside the NBA" on TNT but apparently Kobe Bryant and Charles Barkley are having a little disagreement.
According to Charles, Kobe exchanged 20 text messages with him after Charles accused Kobe of being selfish by taking only three shots in the second half of Game 6. Charles said Kobe should have gone down in a "blaze of glory" shooting the ball.
Charles said Kobe didn't appreciate what he said and made it known. And Charles was in a defense mode I've never seen, repeatedly saying Kobe is the best player in the NBA and that he has no agenda in what he says on TV.
Maybe TNT should have paid a little more attention to the highlights they showed from the second half of Game 6. They had Smush Parker charging into Steve Nash, Brian Cook clanking a 3-pointer and Ronny Turiaf missing a jumper from the elbow.
The common denominator in all three plays was Kobe taking a double-team and moving the ball to an open teammate. That's what worked for them all series. The Lakers were down 15 points at halftime with Kobe carrying the team in the first half. Maybe he should have scored 50, maybe he shouldn't have. But Phil and Kobe were both right that the Lakers had no chance getting back in the game as a one-man show.
The Lakers lost that game on defense. Who shoots 61 percent in any game, let alone Game 7?
Posted by Ross Siler at 10:46 PM | Comments (3)
Ross Siler: The last day of school
The Lakers held their end-of-the-season exit interviews today and I can report to you that Luke Walton left with a stack of coupons for free Jack in the Box tacos for the kids at his summer camp.
Kobe Bryant had the first interview, Devin Green had the last, and Phil Jackson and Mitch Kupchak talked to us in the middle. It is always one of the most interesting days to be around the team.
There's so much I couldn't get into my story for tomorrow, I figured I would empty the notebook here.
Kobe said he's due at USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas on July 19. He could be one of four Lakers playing at the world championships this summer. Lamar Odom also has been invited to camp, and Ronny Turiaf (France) and Sasha Vujacic (Slovenia) could represent their respective countries.
I asked Kobe if he was going into this summer with the same feeling as last summer, when he went into his "blackout" period and worked out relentlessly to get ready for the season. He said things will be a little different, in no small part because he will have a busy schedule of games and practices. His focus will be staying healthy.
"Usually when you have a summer where you train that much," he said, ``the following summer, you scale back just a little bit and you wind up being in better condition the following season than you were even the previous season."
Kobe's thoughts on the season: ``When you go through a season like we went through and a playoff series like we went through, those are big steps in our development process. When we come back next season, you'll see a team that executes better, understands concepts better, is better in pressure situations, is just mature.''
On playing for USA Basketball, Kobe said: ``I'm looking forward to playing with some of the guys I've competed against for years." He also promised to pop Sasha in the mouth the first time they played in Japan.
He won't be able to wear his new No. 24 for the US, so Kobe probably will be No. 8 one last time. On the jersey change, he said: ``8 obvious has been with me for a long time. We've been through a lot of battles with that number, what that number stands for, and what it means to me, and what it means to all of my fans and supporters. But it's time to start a new chapter."
Chris Mihm was up next and said he regarded this as the best season of his career, even with the injury he suffered in March. He also said it was his favorite group of teammates he has played with.
Chris was asked about how he saw the whole dynamic with himself and Kwame Brown working out in the future. His answer: ``We'll kind of figure that out as it goes along. I was happy for Kwame. I knew when I went down that someone was going to have to step up big in the post for us to make that playoff run and Kwame really did a good job of coming in and finding his own."
Chris also said he optimistic going into the off-season. He set a goal of being a factor every night this season and found the consistency he hasn't always had. "I really felt like I was kind of coming into my own, which has really given me excitment for next year, too."
Devean George met with Phil for the sixth time in seven years, as he noted to us. Phil pulled out the evaluation from his rookie season and looked back at it. Devean said how comfortable he was with the Lakers but admitted that his role likely won't be expanding and a greater opportunity probably exists with another team.
"I think a big issue with Devean is going to be playing time,'' Mitch said, "and what kind of a contribution he can make to a team next year. I don't know if his role is going to change with us. I would say right now it's probably going to be the same."
Devean summed up his role as being a bench player counted on to play good defense, knock down shots and provide energy to the team. What isn't in that role is a responsibility as a scorer and starter, something he would like.
Brian Cook talked about the need to get stronger and become a better one-on-one defender for next season. He will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2006-07 season. Aaron McKie called this the hardest season of his career and said it was a testament to the training staff that he made it back from injury at all.
The biggest challenge for Luke is staying healthy in training camp. He joked about not playing at all next October after suffering a sprained ankle two seasons ago and a torn hamstring in the first exhibition game in Honolulu. Both were huge setbacks.
Phil talked to Luke about making sure his body is ready for next season. "That really slows you down,'' Luke said of the injuries, "because all of the work you did in the off-season kind of goes out the door when you get hurt."
Luke also could be a starter next season, with Phil saying he liked how the team played with Luke at the end of the season. Phil's goal is to have a lineup where all five players can play multiple positions and counter whatever mismatches an opposing team presents.
"I would love to start," Luke said. "It's going to be on my mind when I'm training this summer."
The highlights of what Phil said are in the paper tomorrow. He was asked about the possibility of making a big acquisition this summer.
"We don't believe that we have to have a superstar come in here to be able to advance," Phil said. "That's not part of our thinking. Of course, if that was something that jumped out and was available, no team is going to turn that opportunity down. But we know we have enough physical talent. We have enough size and we have enough expertise to be able to compete in the Western Conference."
Phil also offered a final word on Kobe and their relationship this season. It was probably the clearest statement yet of the dozens I've heard the past seven months.
"It was remarkable,'' Phil said. "From Hawaii on, we had nothing but an easy way with each other. I think at first we were like, `How's this going to work?' kind of thing. And within a matter of a training camp, we felt like this was going to be a really intersting year."
Phil gave Kobe a couple of books on leadership last off-season and said he thought they might have played some part in Kobe being a better teammate this year.
Mitch talked about the cap flexibility the Lakers have - - with only three players signed long-term in Kobe, Lamar and Kwame - - and how they will proceed. Mitch said the Lakers could have made three or four deals at the February trade deadline that would have required taking on a bad contract and losing that flexibility.
Would those moves, though, have gotten the Lakers out of the first round?
"Where we are today,'' Mitch said, "looking back on it, we're glad we didn't make those deals."
Lamar said he wanted to work on his foul shooting and standstill shooting this summer. He was kicking himself for his missed free throws in the series with the Suns. Lamar also said he went from watching every game of the playoffs to none at all. That's how much it hurts these guys to see their season end.
The last word goes to Mitch on the possibility of the Lakers competing for a championship next season.
"I wouldn't discount it a year or two down the road, and obviously that's our goal,'' he said. "But to say that we're going to be a championship contending team next year, I'm not prepared to say that, although I think it's a possibility."
Thanks to everybody for reading during the season. Thanks also to everyone who sent an e-mail. It should be interesting seeing what the Lakers do this summer - - and how far the Clippers go in these playoffs.
Posted by Ross Siler at 06:39 PM | Comments (11)
May 01, 2006
JOE STEVENS: Hallway yelling and Donkey Kong
As I walked down the hallway of Staples Center after the Clippers won their playoff series on Monday, I heard one Staples employee vehemently arguing, ``What about all the championships? I'll tell who the REAL team is.''
It's on. It's on like Donkey Kong. (I'm not sure what the phrase means, by the way, but I like it. I guess if you said, `It's on. It's on like Frogger,' that wouldn't sound as good.)
Of course, the Lakers still have to win 1 of 3 games against the Suns to hold up their end of the bargain to present L.A. basketball fans with as intriguing as a series as can be. But with Kobe Bryant, they should be able to do that, and then, if anything, it will be a fun, fun, fun series for all. Right?
In other news, I was wondering why the Clippers don't have more nicknames. Cuttino Mobley is ``Cat.'' Elton Brand is ``EB.'' Chris Kaman is ``K-Pax,'' ``Tom Petty,'' actually he has a lot of nicknames. But the other Clippers don't. Any suggestions for nicknames for these guys??? Let me know.
Posted by Joe Stevens at 11:21 PM | Comments (6)
Ross Siler: Nobody does the playoffs better . . .
. . . than the Lakers. You can officially set your watch to expect a finish that defies belief every two years. You've got the 15-point comeback against the Blazers in the 2000 conference finals, the Robert Horry 3-pointer in the 2002 conference finals and Derek Fisher's turnaround with 0.4 seconds left in the 2004 conference semifinals against San Antonio.
Then there was this afternoon's game and the first fantastic finish for a new era. Three of the moments have happened at Staples Center and one on the road. I'm curious how you would rank the four.
As great as Kobe's 81-point game was - - and I will always remember sitting on press row numb in the second half as the numbers kept getting bigger - - I'm sure the Lakers will remember today's game more. So many players had a hand in it, from Smush to Luke to Lamar to Devean.
I've leave you with a stat to remember: It's 16 for 18, the number of free throws Steve Nash has made in this series. If Smush Parker does anything but steal that ball, the Lakers would have lost the game. I likened it to one e-mailer as the equivalent of Gagne's 84-game save streak coming to an end in the ninth inning of the NLCS.
All the Suns had to do was get Nash to the line and they win the game. They had the game's best closer on the mound. Now the Lakers have three chances to close out the Suns starting Tuesday in Phoenix.
Posted by Ross Siler at 12:06 AM | Comments (2)