Lakers punked by Grizz at home...

[KenziE]

why are people over reacting and keep saying " do not UNDERESTIMATE them" ? who the said we are underestimating them? and everybody knows they will turn the corner sooner or later and if NOT then too bad for them ....

[007nites]

Crisis Mode

[spurs1990]

I just think Bryant's schtick is growing old for the other guys. They all hate his guts, as well they should. Bryant does nothing but continually point fingers at them, when his own shooting percentage is under 45% this year, and he's literally shot them out of a few games already. We all know that he shot them out of Game 7 last year, but he got bailed out because he has great supporting players.

Bryant is not capable of dominating games anymore, although he still shoots like he is, and his on-court at ude is still just as scornful and pissy. It's like he's mad at the universe that he's not that good anymore.

Bynum-Gasol-Odom is an insane frontline. So if Bryant can't figure out a way to feed the beasts and take advantage of their skilled bigs and size discrepancy, then he deserves to lose.

When the Lakers lose, it's Bryant's fault. Don't try to tell yourself otherwise.

Great points.

Bryant has been used to uber success since his rookie year. Only time their squad was in the lottery he was probably at his peak - 2005.

[Brazil]

I think Lakers miss Ariza badly. I really thought this was a bad trade since the beginning, last year Ron Ron played relatively well and helped the lakers to go for a back to back ring but he didn't do anything that Ariza could have been done tbh. This year Artest seems to be washed up and matt barnes is not helpling them a lot meanwhile Ariza is still young and has been bad used by Houston, he is not a go to go guy but in the lakers system he was perfect.

[wijayas]

Take the Lakers seriously. They don't care about the regular season. They're in a terribly weak division they should easily win and they don't need the hot start. All the Lakers care about is having their affairs in order by April.

We need to respect the defending champion. They've got the heart. They'll get their mojo back and will be a tough cover for our front line.

[TheChillFactor]

LMFAO @ Phil Jackson:

"We get behind early on in the third quarter on some stupid plays -- poor passing, poor transition defense -- and then Kobe has to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one and that takes the rest of the guys out as a consequence," Jackson said. "That didn't bring us back in, but it did give us a little run, we got the game back a little bit but we couldn't sustain it and we just went right back and made the same mistakes again."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5983633

[ChuckD]

Take the Lakers seriously. They don't care about the regular season. They're in a terribly weak division they should easily win and they don't need the hot start. All the Lakers care about is having their affairs in order by April.

P_C - They're making it real hard to do so. It's not like they're dropping these games by 4 or 5 points on the road. They're getting blown out by mediocre teams like MIL and MEM at home in the vicintiy of 20 points. They're not even IN these games.

[024]

spurs did this all the time during their championship years.. don't see how this is different for the lakers. they probably have their own version of SPAM.

[silverblk mystix]

LMFAO @ Phil Jackson:

"We get behind early on in the third quarter on some stupid plays -- poor passing, poor transition defense -- and then Kobe has to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one and that takes the rest of the guys out as a consequence," Jackson said. "That didn't bring us back in, but it did give us a little run, we got the game back a little bit but we couldn't sustain it and we just went right back and made the same mistakes again."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5983633

``Re-fund!'' ``Re-fund!"



``Melt-down!'' ``Melt-down!''

[boutons_deux]

"then Kobe has to screw up the game"

wow.

[hater]

23-11 is good enough for coasting. No reason to panic. they will turn on the switch soon.

[boutons_deux]

4th seed now

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings/_/group/2

[ChuckD]

^Agreed but replace artest and fish w/ a couple of young perimeter studs like ty lawson & nic Batum and I think Kobe is throwing 'oops, seeing more single coverage, and loving life.

Or Ariza and Farmar...oh wait...

[ChuckD]

spurs did this all the time during their championship years.. don't see how this is different for the lakers. they probably have their own version of SPAM.

Spurs have had bad patches during the years, but never many tightly grouped home blowouts to bad teams. They would drop couple of games to + .500 teams, and then lose a close ONE to a bad team, and then snap out of it for 2-3 weeks. Pop, being an active manager, won't let that happen. Phil, on the other hand, prefers to let them play out of it, but I don't think he knows what he has, or no longer has, this year.

[Mel_13]

4th seed now

http://espn.go.com/nba/standings/_/group/2

With an 8-game lead on Phoenix, they really can't fall any lower.

I'll believe that the Lakers are done when they're eliminated in the playoffs. Spurs fans should know better.

[MateoNeygro]

We'll be able to tell just how "worried" the Lakers org. is around trade deadline. I figure if they make a substantial move-then obviously they are/were worried but if they stand fast it's safe to assume they are just coasting. I don't however believe in the notion that Kobe and the Lakers don't care about the reg. season because players such as Kobe are fiercely and notoriously compe ive. They don't like to lose no matter what month it is etc. Kobe would destroy a kids AAU team if they challenged him Lol.

[greyforest]

"I love the San Antonio Spurs, by the way, if you're betting on the NBA this year, I think they'll win it all." - Larry King

so did larry king actually say this or was this just from the simpsons?

[Old School 44]

LMFAO @ Phil Jackson:

"We get behind early on in the third quarter on some stupid plays -- poor passing, poor transition defense -- and then Kobe has to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one and that takes the rest of the guys out as a consequence," Jackson said. "That didn't bring us back in, but it did give us a little run, we got the game back a little bit but we couldn't sustain it and we just went right back and made the same mistakes again."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5983633

After the Jackson lashing, I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe's next game he has this kind of line.

0/0 attempts/points
15 assists
10 rebounds
4 steals

[Slomo]

I also think that because the Spurs are off to a crazy start and the Lakers playing poorly is magnified just as much as when they play well, it is enjoyable for Spurs fans to be able to kick the Lakers while they're down.

Who knew Vujacic was the key all along?

[ALVAREZ6]

After the Jackson lashing, I wouldn't be surprised if Kobe's next game he has this kind of line.

0/0 attempts/points
15 assists
10 rebounds
4 steals

I would, Kobe is way too stubborn.

[Cessation]

This isn't last years Laker team. They had a good run, but it's going to end sometime.

[Spurs Brazil]

LMFAO @ Phil Jackson:

"We get behind early on in the third quarter on some stupid plays -- poor passing, poor transition defense -- and then Kobe has to screw up the game and start energizing the team by going one-on-one and that takes the rest of the guys out as a consequence," Jackson said. "That didn't bring us back in, but it did give us a little run, we got the game back a little bit but we couldn't sustain it and we just went right back and made the same mistakes again."

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5983633

Video: http://www.nba.com/lakers/video/2011...181/index.html

[iminol]

(Michel de Nostredame's predictions) 'We feel you [Riley] can do a better job coaching the team'

[The Truth #6]

Obviously, Kobe hasn't really learned how to be a true team player. I think his goals are: try to win another le, but also try to score as many points as possible to be the all time scoring leader. Sounds silly, but I think those are his career goals as a way to be considered the best ever. It isn't going to happen but his pride is so intense that he's going to continue hurting his team. He's made a lot of work on adapting his game - such as working on his fadeaways and post game - but he hasn't really adapted into being more of a facilitator. All his work is for himself.

Interesting to see how it plays out. If he allows Gasol to be the star (which is not to say the leader) of the team they could be very dominant but I don't see that happening.

But they still can't be counted out. Even when Phil had crappy teams a few years ago they still were very well prepared for the playoffs.

[jjktkk]

Obviously, Kobe hasn't really learned how to be a true team player. I think his goals are: try to win another le, but also try to score as many points as possible to be the all time scoring leader. Sounds silly, but I think those are his career goals as a way to be considered the best ever. It isn't going to happen but his pride is so intense that he's going to continue hurting his team. He's made a lot of work on adapting his game - such as working on his fadeaways and post game - but he hasn't really adapted into being more of a facilitator. All his work is for himself.

Interesting to see how it plays out. If he allows Gasol to be the star (which is not to say the leader) of the team they could be very dominant but I don't see that happening.
But they still can't be counted out. Even when Phil had crappy teams a few years ago they still were very well prepared for the playoffs.

This has always been Kobe's Kryptonite.