Kobe Bryant Altercation

SAN DIEGO -- A man is claiming he was injured at a local church in an incident involving NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.

Police told 10News Bryant and his wife were attending St. Therese of Carmel in Carmel Valley Sunday when he thought 21-year-old Thomas Hagos was taking pictures of him with a cellphone.

According to police, Bryant took the phone from Hagos, did not see any pictures on the phone and then left the church.

Hagos claims he injured his wrist in the incident and had to go to the hospital for treatment. In a police report he filed, Hagos said he suffered a sprained wrist. More



Whatever, you probably shouldn't try to take pictures of people in church, but to be honest with you all, Vanessa Bryant is hot. She's a blatant gold digging wife, however, she's hot. So it's fine. I don't think Kobe will get in any trouble for this, but he needs to not grab or get in any physical altercation with anyone because people are just looking to sue you.



I'm sure LeBron is somehow behind this.

Matt Barnes Pulls A Beasley

Well here is another report about an NBA player-fan altercation from Thursday night.

Sam Amick tweets: "So I'm hearing that Matt Barnes got into some form of fisticuffs at the SF Pro-Am."

And then there's this tweet, which includes a picture: "At SF Pro-AM and Matt Barnes just punched this dude in the face. The crowd goes crazy." Barnes reportedly slapped a coach at this event last year (ESPN).

Matt Barnes is just another classy NBA player. He has been arrested in the past for domestic violence, so this shouldn't be all this shocking. The NBA can't really do anything because of the lockout, but I have to question why this "Pro-AM" league invited him back when he slapped a coach last year. Anyways, the NBA and NFL really to get there players to stupid being idiots.

Mickael Pietrus To Celtics?

Mickael Pietrus made some interesting comments that has been hoping he ends up on the Celtics (whenever there is a season)...

"A lot of teams are interested in me, like the Lakers and the Celtics," Pietrus tells L'Equipe via translation from HoopsHype. "This came from the best player in the world: Kobe Bryant. He told me two months ago that he would like to see me with the Lakers."

Obviously the Lakers would seem like the front runners for him, but I hope the Celtics take some interest in this guy. He is a great defensive player, and could be a nice asset as that "wing defender" (that should be on the list yesterday) that the Celtics have been looking for. Not sure why I am a big fan of Pietrus, but it started when the Celtics played the Magic in the playoffs a couple years ago. He just seems like a guy who would fit that "team defense" philosophy the Celtics are so great at. The question is how they would get this done. I would think it would be some kind of sign and trade with Big Baby might get it done.

Ron Artest Taking His Talents To Finland?

Ton of rumors flying around the internet today that Ron Artest is heading to Finland today, and may decide to stay there. This is a very odd story since Artest has 3 years left on his contract with the Lakers. From the Lakers standpoint they have to be praying he goes. He is not worth the money he is getting and his production really fell off last year. Plus, he is fucking crazy, and proved it once again as he is changing his name to Metta World Peace.

Like I said I am perplexed by this story, but then again Ron Artest usually do that to me.

Kevin Love To Lakers?

There is a rumor going around today that the Lakers have offered Pau Gasol (Poopface) to the Timberwolvers for the no. 2 overall pick and Kevin Love. I can't see any reason why the Timberwolves would do this, but some rumors think it's just a starting point, and it could be Pau straight up for Love. That really still doesn't make a lot of sense to me from the perspective of the Timberwolves. Kevin Love is just 22 years old and averaged 20 points and 15 boards a game, and you are going to trade that for the 30 year old Poopface?

I still think someway, somehow Dwight Howard will end up in a Lakers uniform. It just feel right to me. Then again, the Lakers pulled off a silly trade to get Poopface in the first place, so maybe the can make the Timberwolves make a Kevin Garnett-like trade again.

Kobe Days With Lakers Numbered?

Mike Brown is officially the head coach of the Lakers, which I found shocking. What I found even more shocking is that they didn't even tell Kobe. Since the beginning we have heard that Kobe wanted Brian Shaw, who was the assistant under Jackson (there were some others, but he seemed the most logical). Yet the Lakers decided they wanted "a new system" and not more of the same. In a way I understand, maybe they think it's time to blow things up.

Yet, when I sit back and think about it longer I think the Lakers are fucking morons. First off, as I said yesterday, Mike Brown is an awful coach. On top of that this "system" they are trying to get away from (triangle offense) is a system that won them championships.

I think Kobe has the right to be angry. I mean the Lakers followed him when he ran Shaq out of town, and though it took a little while it ended up in more rings. Kobe has been the face of this franchise for a long time now, and he has no say on who wil be coaching. I am against players deciding these things, but you have already let him run this franchise for years, so why the change now?

Unless the Lakers think Kobe is done, or it's time to move on. Very interesting. In my opinion Kobe still has enough left in the tank that he is a top 3 player in this league. Can he win it by himself? No, but if Gasol decided to show up this year then I think we might be talking about the Lakers in the finals, and from everything I am reading it sounds like it is mental with Gasol, so maybe he will be good to go next year.

Or...

This Gasol vs. Kobe thing is real. There were rumors Kobe's wife blew up Gasol's engagement. If that's true that could be tough to get around.

Either way, it does seem like the Lakers are getting past the "Kobe player/GM" and moving into a different era. I don't think Kobe is going to get along with this coach, so could that mean that Kobe could be playing in a different uniform? Strange to think about, and it's really hard to imagine, but if they start losing Kobe is going to throw a fit, and that fit is going to be focused on the front office for hiring this coach and not the guy he wanted.

All People Named Mike Brown Suck

Yesterday I wrote about how the Bengals' Mike Brown is a stubburn douche, that is probably the worst owner in the NFL (yes, over Al Davis). Well today there is word that Mike Brown (the NBA one) is close to being the next coach of the Lakers.

"Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has emerged as the favorite to succeed Phil Jackson as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, according to sources.

Brown and the Lakers have already exchanged contract figures, with a deal potentially being struck as early as Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard (ESPN)."

This is amazing. If watching the Lakers fall apart in the playoffs wasn't fun enough now we get to watch this wind bag destroy any hope of them making another run. Sure, he won coach of the year in 2009, but if you ever watched the Cavs in the playoffs you would know the difference between him and a guy like Doc Rivers. If they hire Brown I guarantee there will be a fallout between him and Kobe within a year, that the Lakers will not make it past the 2nd round of any playoffs as long as he is the coach. He is straight up one of the worst coaches in the NBA.

Kareem Abdul-JaBitch

"Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar elaborated on his fractured relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers, saying Thursday he's been mistreated and the franchise no longer appreciates him.

During an in-studio interview with ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning," Abdul-Jabbar explained and then expanded on his comments made to The Sporting News this week in which he said he felt "slighted" that the Lakers have not erected a statue of him outside Staples Center (ESPN)."

Are you kidding me? He should get a statue, but who the fuck complains about a statue of themselves not being built? Seriously, that's fucking lame.

There is no reason they aren't building one, but the Lakers have even come out and said that he is next in line to get one. The two other guys have already got them deserved them (Magic, West).

When West got one he said he felt embarrassed. Magic was very gracious and said that Kareem deserved one before him. Where the fucking humility Kareem? And what are you complaining about when they already said they are going to build one of you? You pissed because you need to see it now?

The best part of Bill Russell getting one is that he didn't want one. It wasn't for him, but what he stood for and what he meant to the city. Kareem just doesn't get it. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, and bitching about just makes the case you shouldn't get one.

Fuck him, for now on he will be known as Kareem Abdul-JaBitch.

Andrew Bynum Suspended 5 Games/ Fined

BMack's boy Andrew Bynum has been suspended 5 games without pay and fined 25,000 dollars for taking his shirt off while getting ejected. The infraction will cost him $702,272 overall, including the fine.

I could care less about his apology yesterday, it was forced and too late to be honest. he should have been suspended at least 10 games for the vicious hit he put against J.J. Barea. Thank God he didn't get hurt for the next series, but if he did the Mavericks whole post season would be different. That's how I feel the NBA should have though of this. There is no room for this type of behavior in basketball and to hit a defenseless player who is a foot smaller and probably over 100 pounds less than you is inexcusable. I initially said 20 games, but I'd settle on 10, 5 games is too less.

Stay Classy Lakers

The Lakers run is officially over after the Dallas Mavericks completed a 4 game sweep of the defending champs. But the sweep didn't just go without controversy as Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum got thrown out of the games in the 4th. I'm fine with Odom's foul, but Bynum was the biggest bush league attack I've ever seen in my life. JJ Berrea was going up for an uncontested lay up and Andrew Bynum threw an elbow at him when he was defenseless.

I feel that they are going to blow up this team after this embarrassing loss because the writing is on the wall. Phil Jackson is gone and Bynum will never be in a Laker uniform again and this is going to be a whole new team going forward.

Breaking News: Artest Is An Idiot

"Artest has indeed been suspended for Game 3, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN The Magazine (ESPN)."

By now we all know Artest will not be playing in Game 3, and he shouldn't. Artest went out of his way to make a stupid play and now he is going to have to pay the price. The trouble is that it couldn't come at a worse time for the Lakers. They are down 0-2 and heading to Dallas. Hell, they are in worse shape the Celtics right now. Am I sold the Mavericks will beat the Lakers? No, I never count out Kobe, I'm not that stupid, but we can start to see the writing on the wall.

Any nit wit that rights for a site has written a post about the "changing of the guard" in the NBA. Listen, no shit. We all knew the Lakers, Celtics, Spurs were on their last legs. Maybe this is the year, but stop acting like it's a big fucking surprise. We have been talking about this since the Big 3 came together in Boston. We all knew it was a limited time deal, and actually it lasted a year longer then I thought it would.

Do I think the end is upon us this year? No, I'm not sold. Boston always brings it at home, and I think they will again. Am I bias, damn right I am, but I am also someone who blasts the Celtics, maybe more then anyone else on this site, and I'm just not sold this is it. Nor am I sold that LeChoke has finally turned the corner.

So, Thunder/Heat the future is yours, but don't count out this one last run.

And oh yea, Artest should just kill himself, but thanks for fucking up the Lakers.

NBA PLAYOFFS Round 2 Preview

The first round is in the books (as is Game 1 of the second round for both Boston/Miami and OKC/Memphis) and we're on to the Conference Semifinals.

In my playoff power rankings I touched on a few things that proved to be correct, and a few things I narrowly missed on. The Hornets did need Chris Paul to play other-wordly to beat the Lakers, and for two games he was just that. Unfortunately, they couldn't expect him to do that for the whole series and Los Angeles survived an ugly 1st round series. I also mentioned that everyone was loving Portland but I still had a feeling Dallas might have one more run in the tank...and it looks like they do. On the other hand I gave Indiana no chance to win a game against Chicago and they took two! Chicago doesn't look nearly as scary when Rose is shooting poorly. I also misread the ORL/ATL series in round one, despite the fact that my gut told me Orlando was really bad. I still don't believe in Atlanta much, but hopefully they can make the series with Chicago entertaining.

And with that...let's get into some series previews.


EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Atlanta Hawks

Indiana did exactly what any team should try and do against the Bulls - which is to try and contain Rose to long jumpers and trap him off of pick and rolls. They had some success, although Rose ultimately was too much to handle with his athleticism. Let's get this out there right now - you can't keep him away from the rim for a whole game unless he decides to do so. He isn't a high percentage shooter, and certainly wasn't shooting well against Indiana, but he still gets his points on layups, dunks and free throws when he's not going well. Keeping him out of the paint and off the line will be paramount to Atlanta's success. The Hawks will also want to keep a long arm in the face of Kyle Korver who was a big shot factory in round one. I normally hate on Korver pretty hard but he was big in round one, when no other Bulls were really stepping up.
Carlos Boozer can sometimes struggle against lengthy defenders like Horford and Pachulia, so it will be key for Noah to have a big series on both ends.

Bulls win if...Rose is Rose and scores and distributes. (I know sounds simple, but I really think that is all they need.)

Hawks win if...Rose continues poor shooting, or gets banged up and Joe Johnson starts earning some of that contract he got.

PREDICTION - Bulls in 5.



2. Miami Heat vs. 3. Boston Celtics

Game one is already in the books, and we know what happened there. Pierce came unraveled and Wade had a tremendous game as Miami jumped to an early big lead and never looked back.
Three things concern me about the first game for the Celtics.
1) Rondo lacked the aggression he showed through most of the NYK series. (Although to be fair, he was in foul trouble)
2) Jermaine O'Neal was nowhere to be found. (He was huge against Knicks and needs to be in this series. He should be tearing up Joel Anthony on both ends)
3) Lack of effort. All game long it looked like they were reaching for loose balls and grasping as Heat players as they got burned on D, instead of moving their feet and getting after it. After a long break they shouldn't come out like that - and you know Doc was on 'em about it. I don't expect that to last, but it needs to change fast.

Van Gundy and company made a salient point yesterday in that Miami has the most athletic perimeter in the league and the extra pass (something Boston usually does quite well) will be key in this series. And on defense they really need to stay home on James Jones and Mike Miller and get their rotations tighter.
Look for Miami to exploit their athleticism all series long and the drive and dish for three should be their main weapon of choice.

Miami wins if...Rondo can't destroy MIA PGs and Wade and James display great cohesion.

Boston wins if...They use their veteran presence to get under skin on Miami role players - and King James for that matter. (NOT reacting like Pierce did yesterday.)

PREDICTION - Boston in 7.



WESTERN CONFERENCE

2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 3. Dallas Mavericks

Hard to believe but this is the first time in the "Dirk/Kobe" era that these two have met in the playoffs. It should be a great series both on and off the court, as I can't wait to see some Mark Cuban shenanigans and hopefully some firing back and forth between he and Zen Master Phil.
As I think about this series, I'm not really sure what to make of it. Part of me wants to think Dallas has a real shot - especially with the Lakers recent play and Kobe maybe a bit banged up and certainly getting long in the tooth. However, I just think LA has been doing this too long, and ultimately Kobe, Gasol, Odom and Bynum will be too much for Dirk and company. However, if Jason Kidd can exploit the PG position somewhat like Chris Paul - obviously in a much less dynamic fashion - and Jason Terry can shake loose for his patented big shots they might be able to pull it off. I think stealing a game 1 in LA would be a huge boost to the effort.

Los Angeles wins if... Gasol comes out of his hole and starts resembling the player that we saw in last year's playoffs and they dominate the glass.

Dallas wins if... Dirk plays huge all series and Chandler can make Gasol into a jelly donut like New Orleans did.


PREDICTION - Los Angeles in 6.



4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis took game one on the road in convincing fashion yesterday. It might be time to start believing in Memphis. They basically tore up a dilapidated San Antonio team, and have now taken the home court from Oklahoma City - who many saw as the best team in the West. Zach "Zebo" Randolph has been huge in these playoffs and the Grizzlies actually have a very 'OKC up-and-comer' type of feel about them. They are a fairly young team with nothing to lose and playing with a certain swagger. It also seems that Pau had his mojo stolen by his little brother, Marc Gasol who is playing as well as Pau is playing poorly.
On the other hand, if OKC can avoid panicking and another me-against-the-world type of game from Russell Westbrook they should still pull this series out.

Oklahoma City wins if... Durant gets off and Westbrook reverts back to his "Robin" ways and quits trying to play "Batman". (That's Durant's job)

Memphis wins if... Zebo keeps playing well and Durant gets shutdown by Tony Allen and the Grizzlie perimeter defenders.

PREDICTION - Oklahoma City in 7

Stay Classy Lakers

Authorities say Los Angeles Lakers forward Derrick Caracter was arrested in New Orleans, accused of public drunkenness and shoving a pregnant cashier at a pancake restaurant.

This whole thing happened at 1am, and if I were the Lakers organization I would be pretty pissed off that a players is out that late after a loss. But to be fair, when I was in New Orleans and was out drunk at 1am, we always used to push pregnant ladies down. It's almost like a tradition down there.

But as an NBA player he should have known better not to put himself in this position.

You Don't Want To Get Caught Saying This On TV

It will be interesting to see if the NBA does anything about this. I am sure that this happens so many time during a game, and is basically not a big deal, but it is a cover story on ESPN and it is very blatant what he says there. You really can't just yell "fucking fag" and think everything is going to be ok. Then again, I am sure KG has said much worse. I bet Kobe will deny it, and then this will be forgotten, because there is no way that they are going to suspended Kobe with the playoffs starting this weekend. I also bet there is going to be a shit fit thrown by gay rights groups.

So I guess we can add this to the list of distractions for the Lakers which already include Phil Jackson retiring, Bynum's injury, Chicken pox, Barnes bad knee, ect.

Andrew Bynum Injured

Bob's favorite player Andrew Bynum will undergo an MRI today for a hyper extended right knee.

This will kill the Lakers chances to be the in the championship if they lose him for an extended period of time. Bynum is the tough interior defender as well as a budding offensive player. He gives Pau Gasol room to dominate on the offensive end and makes up for his lack of defense.

With the Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder rolling, if Bynum misses a significant amount of time, they are fucked.