Kobe & Vince

I'm happy to see Kobe shooting a whole lot better in his past 3 games. He is shooting like 53% and he's rebounding and assisting as well. My only caveat is that it wasn't against "great" teams. However, its still better than nothing because he was still shooting and playing terrible earlier against bad teams. Hopefully it continues. I wonder if he reads this blog, most probably not.

In last night's Magic game, the game got pretty good with the Magic making a comeback and winning against Boston. I read an article by someone talking about how Vince Carter sucked in the game. I observed the same thing. In fact, I think he hurt the Magic more than helped. He was fumbling, shooting bad shots, not getting the ball inside, and just looked bad. He is definitely not playing like the athletic good player he once was. Its kind of sad. With Carter's play, losing Turkoglu is a lot bigger than maybe initially perceived.

Excited for the Dunk Contest

I am really excited for this year's Slam Dunk Contest. Most of the excitement is because of Shannon Brown. I feel I haven't seen him do a dunk contest before, but I know he can perform well. There is a mystery to what he will do. I think I'm feeling similar feelings to the one before Vince Carter's contest year.

Some of my favorite dunk contest participants (that I saw live on TV):
- Vince Carter
- Jason Richardson
- Dwight Howard
- Nate Robinson

All-Star Controversies

A big stink has been made about Allen Iverson being voted to start. To the point that this year more than ever I hear players/media/etc talk about a change is needed in the All-Star selection process. Currently, fans votes choose the starting lineup of the All-Star game. T-Mac was also in the running to start, but fortunately, Steve Nash overtook him in the last moments. I can definitely understand the sentiments of everyone who think it needs to change. I am one of those NBA fans who treats the All-Star game as a reward for excellent play for the current season. Allen and T-Mac are popular and have had great moments in their career. I wonder, however, who are the people voting them in. In general, are a lot of these votes not from NBA fans. I mean, seriously, do you keep up with whats going on in the NBA. I feel there are a lot of people who don't watch NBA, but will vote on the "names" they know. If you don't follow, then you'll vote for names you recognize. Its unfortunate because guys who have had great years may lose a slot to someone who hasn't played at all but got voted in. If the fans truly want to see that guy, then I guess fine. I think though that the rules could be changed for who is eligible. In any case, I'm excited for the All Star events and game.

Lakers lose again...

Lakers lose another road game. All these road games are starting to catch up to the Lakers. They need to step it up. Last year, they had one of the best road records. They had that confidence and swagger. This year they don't look so good. The label "soft" is coming into play. I don't think its necessarily soft as it is consistency. They do need to come out with better focus. Kobe needs to clean up his play, and Artest should probably sit out until he is better cause he isn't play quality defense. Injuries are definitely more of a problem this year than last, especially for Kobe. I think that they just need to develop a flow and then they will go on a nice winning streak.

Kobe's struggles

Kobe is really struggling. He is forcing too much. In fact, I am going to say it - he is hurting the Lakers. The problem is he is getting the ball and playing the game as "Kobe". However, he is NOT Kobe, the Black Mamba right now. His injuries have taken away from that. He is shooting terrible, terrible. I believe 36% in his last few games. You can't be needing to put up a high amount of shots in a game and maybe average a point a shot. Thats not good. Kobe's aggressiveness is taking away. Its fine if he is playing like Kobe and hitting those shots. However, he is bricking them and not allowing others like Gasol or Odom to have those opportunities. I know he is a warrior. If his attitude is that if he can walk he can play, then he needs to monitor how much he is helping/hurting his team. This is not his old teams where even if he was injured, it was still better for him to jack up shots. He has some great teammates. He needs to use them. When Kobe was playing at his best, he was using them well. Its kind of unusual. He is not playing close to great, and he relies on himself more. Interesting paradox. However, I think its him trying to shoot himself back into the game. It could help maybe if he sat out a few games. I'm not sure. (However, he better be playing for the Laker game I will be going to later this year, hehe). I think Kobe should play himself more like a decoy in these games for now until he can get his game back to par. If you watched him in the Knicks game you can tell. He tried to go for a dunk and he barely got high enough, the ball slipped out, and he was able to luckily get the layup to go. His back and fingers are affecting which also affects him defensively.

Cavs sweep Lakers

Last night was a chance for the Lakers to get revenge for the terrible Christmas day loss at home to the Cavs. However, the Lakers lost again. Lebron was just Lebron. He did it all and he played great. Its obvious Kobe's injuries are affecting. He shot better than his recent terrible shooting, however, it wasn't getting it done. In crunch time when Kobe gets it done in an assassin way, he wasn't able to. Lebron was able to masterfully score and will his team to victory. Lebron is truly a great player. He was also the better player. I still think when Kobe if healthy he is the best. However, with the injuries that Kobe has right now, Lebron is easily better. I know Lebron is pretty much unguardable, but the defense was terrible several times on him. They let him just shoot without even a close hand in his face. Part of this is he has so many weapons and a shot over you is the best you can wish for. I was disappointed in Ron Artest's defense too. It seemed like he didn't have his full defensive attention that he can have. Anyway, the Lakers last year swept the Cavs, and now the Cavs have swept the Lakers. I think its significant cause its shows your a great team. On top of that, the Cavs main point guard was out on injury. Mo Williams does a lot for them, and they were still able to win the game. The Cavs are looking like a championship team. The Celtics are struggling and Lakers aren't playing their best ball. The way the Cavs are playing now is similar to how the Lakers were playing last year.

Kobe not so Kobe

Kobe has been shooting terrible! His finger and back are really bother him. These are his points in the last 5 games - 12, 16, 10, 30, 11. Combined, he is shooting 37%. He can get 20 in his sleep. So its troubling to see him trouble to get 10, 11, or 12 points. Hopefully, Kobe can get his shot back or get healthier. The Lakers are very talented, but they need Kobe to be Kobe. Kobe started out the year with a good FG %. Its now gone down because of his recent woeful shooting. He dropped from #1 to #4 in scoring as well.

Shannon Brown in the Dunk Contest!

My wish has come true. Shannon is going to be in this year's slam dunk contest. I am SUPER excited already to see him perform. The others to compete are defending champion Nate Robinson and Gerald Wallace. There will be a dunk off between DeMar DeRozan and Eric Gordon to determine the other competitor. Lebron is not in it. This is a huge disappointment to me. A lot of people I'm sure are mad that last year he said he would do it, but now he is not. I figured he said it because of the emotion of the moment. As a big fan, I would love to see him do it. I guess its a "strategic" move? He loses more than he gains I guess. I think fans would love to see him just dunk. Even if he didn't win, I think people would appreciate watching him. I wish he would do it for the fans. I think he would have a lot of fun with it. He's done it at the high school level. Anyway, I hope my man Shannon wins it.

Grizzly love

You know which team currently has the best record in their last 10 games? It is the Memphis Grizzlies at 8-2. Actually they are tied with the Bobcats. Bobcats also are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Bobcats are playing great as well. However, Memphis's overall record is 22-18. Very impressive! I wonder if Iverson wishes he kept his composure and stuck with the team. However, you know what? I think Iverson would have screwed that team and they wouldn't win. I know Iverson has been a great player throughout his career, but history shows he doesn't really help his team win. Except for some isolated seasons, Iverson doesn't bring much winning around. I don't want to be a hater, but he hasn't proven to me otherwise. I guess overall Iverson enjoys the Philly embrace he got and maybe thats whats best for him. Memphis is a scary team to play right now. Playing very well and much credit to their coach. I kind of lump Memphis and Oklahoma together because of their youth, young stars, and how up and coming they both are.

All-Star Players

I'm going to list 12 players from the East and West coast teams that I believe belong on the All-Star team. The names are not in any particular order. Also, I disregarded position and picked on who I thought was doing a solid job this year. There may be some names surprisingly left out. I chose only those players who seemed to be playing consistent so far for the year, have been playing most of the games (ie not injured majority of time),  and I thought deserving. I tried to go by how they were playing so far THIS SEASON. Here is my list:

West
1 Carmelo Anthony
2 Kevin Durant
3 Dirk Nowitzki
4 Kobe Bryant
5 Steve Nash
6 Brandon Roy
7 Deron Williams
8 Zach Randolph
9 Chris Paul
10 Monta Ellis
11 Tim Duncan
12 Andrew Bynum

East
1 Dwight Howard
2 Lebron James
3 Dwyane Wade
4 Gerald Wallace
5 Rajon Rondo
6 Chris Bosh
7 David Lee
8 Joe Johnson
9. Mo Williams
10. Paul Pierce
11. Joakim Noah
12 Josh Smith

I don't think you can go wrong with any of these names. I would have loved to have put Pau Gasol on my list. However, he was injured at the start and he is injured again. He was a little inconsistent too. However, he was putting up monster numbers and the team was winning. There are some other names too who I would love to put in there, but consistency or injury was a key to why they were missing.

This list could easily change in a week or so.

Shout out to BD - Baron Davis!

I mentioned Baron can be a beast if he plays to his ability and level. It appears lately he has been doing just that and I just wanted to list his averages for the past 5 games.

PTS: 19.6
AST: 10.4
REBS: 4.4
STEALS: 2.4
FG%: 52%
3PT-FG%: 35%

4 wins in those 5 games.

Pretty good work and he is definitely elevating the Clippers which is what they hoped he would do. BD is having fun.

Lakers don't look too good...

The Lakers got blown out by San Antonio last night, but made a mini comeback in the 4th before losing it and getting beat by 20. I believe its their 4th straight road loss. Injuries are even a bigger concern. Kobe left the game with back spasms and he needs to get better. He started the game off great, and he looked like he was in for a great game. If it wasn't for his injuries, Kobe could have gone off to have a great game. Pau is still out. Bynum showed some real solid play though. I was really impressed with how he was able to score in the paint. Very solid job. I also liked that Ron Artest got aggressive and started to drive, draw fouls, and score the ball. These things had to happen while Kobe was out. Ron's defense didn't look good to me though. Its not the Artest defense I'm used to seeing. The Lakers just need to come together as a whole. Its good to have these times at this part of the season so you can have a chance to put it all together by the end of the season. The Cavs look like they are at that point.

Lakers need to get better and the Cavs are playing great

The Lakers haven't been playing well at all these past few games. Kobe is shooting absolutely terrible, I mean terrible! I know it has to do with his finger, and hopefully he is able to improve his shot. Some of the guys have been hurt, so they need to get healthier. My biggest concern for them is their bench. Their bench is playing at its lowest in a while I've seen. The bench used to be the strong point for the Lakers, but not anymore. When Odom starts (in place for injured guys), he puts up spectacular numbers. However, coming off the bench he quickly disappears a lot. The bench guys need to play better for the Lakers to repeat. Meanwhile, the Cavs are playing their best basketball right now. Lebron James is in beast form. I must give props to Shaq as well. He is fitting in the best possible way. He is giving them what he can and the Cavs are smartly fitting him where they can.

Tyreke Evans - My new ROY

Brandon Jennings was great early but Tyreke Evans has been totally ballin and consistent. Its still early in the season but Tyreke is playing greating and put up great numbers. We'll see if Brandon can come back better or someone else shows up on the radar.

Armed Agent Zero

By now, I'm sure you all have heard about Gilbert Arenas and this whole gun incident. Its a pretty crazy thing and I think anything dealing with guns has to be dealt with in the most serious senses. Gilbert is currently suspended and part of that is because he is not of "sound mind." Anyone who follows Gilbert knows he is a jokester/prankster and has a sense of humor. However, this is not something to make light of. I know he's trying to be "positive" instead of carrying a depressed demeanor, but the proper reaction is of a serious tone. Of course, in this world, who are we to dictate how a person reacts or what is "proper". However, in this situation, there are responsibilities, representation, and proper etiquette that needs to be followed. My opinion is any "prank" or "joke" that deals with guns is not going to be funny at all. It just got me thinking this is one thing behind the scenes that got exposed. Imagine all the other things in the NBA and other pro sports that are happening behind the scenes. One of Gilbert's nicknames is Agent Zero. Supposedly the guns were not loaded-->"zero" ammo. Ergo my title, Armed Agent Zero.

On another note, I think Gilbert is a very talented player. Before he got injured, he was a beast. He was scoring, hitting game winners, and ballin. He got more serious this year and not wanting to talk much. He worked hard over the summer to rehab. By all accounts, he was looking good and was going to attain his previous greatness. He's been okay with some flashes of his old self. He has been more "serious" this season and not wanting to talk much. In fact, he used to have a blog that he no longer does. I can remember actually enjoying reading his blog. A more "serious" Gilbert this year. Too bad he wasn't serious for this situation.

Bad Lakers Loss and amazing Celtics win

Lakers lost to the Clippers a couple nights ago. I think the Lakers had won the previous 9 games against them. Its bound to happen and hey the Clippers have some good talent. Baron Davis was playing aggressive and when he plays like that he gives his team a good chance. When Baron is playing like the Baron he is capable of, there are few players better. He can be really unstoppable. Hopefully the Lakers can pick up their play. Even though the Clippers played well, I think the Lakers didn't sustain the right effort throughout the game. Ron is back, but Pau is still out. Lakers still have the best record, but the Celtics are right behind them. The Celtics are doing so well on the road. They are pulling out so many games and have injuries. Rondo helped pull a game Miami should have won into overtime and then lead them to the victory. Wade had a great game but it wasn't enough with the Celtics able to climb back and win.

Impressive teams!

Everyone knows about the power house teams such as the Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, and Magic. There are other good teams as well. However, what I'm impressed with are some of these younger upcoming teams holding their own and showing that they are the future. These teams include the Grizzlies, Thunder, Rockets, Trailblazers, and Bobcats. They are playing pretty impressive to me getting some quality wins and playing well.

Kobe...Last second...of course! Again!

Kobe hit another game winning shot against the Kings the other day. It was his third in the past few weeks. Its great he is hitting these shots. My concern is with the Lakers overall. Ron Artest has been out for a while after Christmas. He had an injury falling down the stairs or something to that effect bringing down Christmas boxes. He had a concussion and injury to his left elbow. He is still recovering and is "hopeful" to return soon. The Lakers defensively have been kind of terrible since Artest has been out of the lineup. I know Ron provides a lot, but there is no excuse to be this bad. The Lakers overall seem to be falling to the trap at times to playing at the level of the competition. The bench needs to step up. Last night, they blew out the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs gave them their first home loss, so it could have been a more focused group to get revenge. I hope to see the Lakers play more consistent. The bench played well in the game. Unfortunately, Pau went out with a strained hamstring. That isn't good news, because when Pau plays, the Lakers tend to win. Hopefully Pau comes back soon. Funny thing about Pau was that his game seemed to decline after he signed his contract extension. He was averaging monster boards like 18+ a game for a few games. Soon after signing his contract, he was getting like 5 or 6 boards in games. Hmmmmm. Seriously, I think it was more coincidental and he has seemed to pick it up in these more recent games. However, now he may be out for a while. We will see. Lakers still have the best record, but the Cavs have been playing real well recently.

Nate is back!

I guess Nate is out of the doghouse or Mike D'Antoni wanted to wait until New Year before he "allowed" Nate to play, but Nate definitely had a HUGE game. He scored 41 points in a WIN vs the Hawks which was a big win for them. Nate was absolutely sick and unstoppable. Good for Nate being back and hopefully he gets continued opportunities and chances. The Knicks are doing fairly well overall and I think they will definitely make the playoffs. They started off terrible, but have been really solid as of late.