Lakers Lose to Grizz, Bryant Struggles

You were probably as shocked as I was that Kobe Bryant failed to reach even 30 points and the Memphis Grizzlies managed to beat the Los Angeles Lakers at home in the Staples Center last night.
 

Kobe never found his shooting touch last night, managing to only score 23 points in the Lakers’ 88-86 defeat at the hands of Rudy Gay and the Memphis Grizzlies.  This loss was especially puzzling, given Bryant’s 60-point performance last week in Memphis, and the fact that the Lakers appeared to be on a roll, having won five games in a row.
 

Plus the Grizzlies were the worst road team in the NBA headed into the game last night.
 

Said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, “It was one of the poorest shooting efforts we’ve had this season. At some point, I felt like the team was relying on Kobe to do all the scoring, and no one could pick it up once they kind of figured he wasn’t going to make shots.”
 

It seems that the Lakers will go just as far as Kobe can drag them.  If he has a bad night, any team in the NBA and probably any of the Final Four NCAA teams could take this Lakers squad.  Hopefully, if you get Los Angeles Lakers tickets at StubHub.com Kobe can get his 50 and the rest of the Lakers team can manage to get 50 points between them.  

Permalink - Posted in General on March 28, 2007 - Post a comment

Odom, Bynum Nowhere to be Found

You know who should be blamed for the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the pitiful Grizzlies Tuesday night?  Odom and Bynum.   Where were those guys?  It was clear by halftime that Kobe wasn’t his usual self, but nobody would or could step up.  I looked at the box score this morning and thought I noticed a misprint when Odom’s line read “Pts: 3.” 
 

But it was right. Three. He made one shot from the field and only took seven.  He hasn’t made a three pointer in seven games, going 0-15. 
 

Said Odom after the game, “I gave myself up.”
 

Oh, how altruistic of you Lamar! Sacrificing scoring so you’re team could lose.  Awesome job, to “give yourself up” like that.   
 

And what are you laughing about Bynum?  Four points?  Look, I realize that 90% of the time you guys get to take the night off because Kobe can just handle things for everybody.  He loves doing it, and we all benefit when he gets going. 
 

But every once in a while, once every five games or so, somebody has to try and score.  Those fans out there buying Los Angeles Lakers tickets are buying them to see one guy: Kobe.  And when he isn’t there, our $12.3 million dollar man Lamar Odom has got to do something to justify his existence on this team. Thank goodness people who get tickets to see this team can get them at a reasonable place like StubHub.com.  Not everybody out there is going to get paid $12 million this year to “give themselves up,” and their hard-earned cash should be spent seeing overrated players that can put up more than 3 points.

Permalink - Posted in General on March 28, 2007 - Post a comment