Daily Tidbits 6/5/09 (updated all day)

by Gils_Keloids on Jun 5, 2009 5:36 PM PDT

Posted 5:35 PM Double Bryant? Magic won't tell - USATODAY.com

The Magic aren't giving away their secret plans for Game 2.

Posted 5:27 PM Kevin Love's view: Lakers unbeatable if Kobe keeps this up - Los Angeles Times

The rookie center from UCLA says that when Kobe Bryant plays as well as he did in Game 1, it's too much for the Magic to overcome against the Lakers.

Posted 4:20 PM My wife will like this one - American Idol winner Kris Allen + Lakers

'American Idol' Kris Allen to sing national anthem at Lakers game Sunday | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times

Posted 4:16 PM Kobe getting a little bit of the MJ treatment in USA today - that is, an article that focuses on his personal characteristics and competitiveness instead of his will to prepare to win.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2009-06-05-bryant-analysis_N.htm

Posted 4:07PM Sometimes David Friedman's best work is in the comments section

Blogger: 20 Second Timeout - Post a Comment

"A major problem with basketball statistical analysis is that without watching the games you cannot separate the wheat from the chaff. Kobe's 15-27 shooting enabled the Lakers to build that huge lead. His 1-7 shooting after that was irrelevant to the outcome of the game but after this series is over some fool will crunch all of those numbers and try to rank Kobe's overall performance vis a vis other Finals performances--the same mistake that people made last year regarding Kobe's performance in a losing effort and the same mistake that the "stat gurus" often make in other situations as well. A scout or coach who watched game one understands that Bryant's decision making and execution in the screen/roll killed Orlando but a "stat guru" looks at the numbers and says that Kobe had an average shooting night."

Posted 3:48 PM

Magic can take heart in Lakers' 1985 rally - USATODAY.com

LOS ANGELES — History has a pep talk for the Orlando Magic. History has proof that one team can be the asphalt to another team's steamroller in the first game of the NBA Finals, and still wind up champions.

Posted 3:44 PM Spanks much, Chris Sheridan, the voice of reason!

ESPN: Chat with Chris Sheridan - SportsNation

Rob Los Angeles, CA: Do you think we'll see Kobe come out and shoot over 30 shots again in Game 2? The Lakers were successful against the Nuggets with Kobe shooting anywhere from 18-22 shots and this could catch the Magic off guard since they might expect him to duplicate his Game 1 performance. Thoughts?

Chris Sheridan: (5:10 PM ET ) I never get caught up in Kobe's shot counts. I look at the quality of the shots he takes, and whether he is "on" so to speak. He had on play last night where he got the ball near midcourt off a scramble with 5 secs left on the shot clock and took it straight to the hole for a half-layup, half-dunk. He took 34 shots last night, one one of which was a 3, and I can't recall more than one or two poor-quality shots from him. When he's playing like that, shot counts are irrelevant.

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Lots of talk from Alston today:

"threw my rhythm off having to sit a whole qtr was unusual, never done that in my career when I came back felt like start of game

Rafer Alston on only playing 1st and 3rd qtrs “try to stay warm with heat packs, but they quickly become cold packs”

and some Trevor:

Trevor on seeing Ariza jersey’s around town “I notice it, feels good”

It’s safe to go buy that Trevor Ariza No. 3 Lakers jersey now.

Ariza had been planning to switch to No. 1 — his number when he played with Orlando — but he told me Friday after practice that he has changed his mind.

"I don’t think I’m going to switch," he said. "I think I’m going to stay with it. ‘Cause my son, he sees me on TV and he sees the ‘3′ and he says, ‘Da-da.’ So that’s why I’m going to stay."

Good reason, I said.

Ariza would’ve switched to No. 1 for this season if he’d gotten his request into the NBA in time. But No. 3 seems to fit him a lot better now that he has that great 3-point stroke. He’s shooting 50 percent for the postseason from behind the arc: 31 of 62, best on the team in both percentage and 3-pointers made.

Now, bear in mind that Ariza is a free agent after this season, so it’s not a certainty he’ll have a Lakers jersey to wear at all next season. But obviously in planning to stay with No. 3, Ariza’s clear mindset is to stay with the Lakers.

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/06/05/ariza-staying-with-no-3-a-reflection-of-his-plan-to-stay-a-laker/18311/

by intuitive on Jun 5, 2009 4:20 PM PDT reply actions

Kris Allen, this seasons American Idol winner, is going to sing the National Anthem for Game 2.

and this photo.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-lakers-magic5-2009jun05-pictures,0,2298629.photogallery?index=32

by intuitive on Jun 5, 2009 4:28 PM PDT reply actions

One step ahead of ya

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gils_Keloids on Jun 5, 2009 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Missed the stuff not in quotes. Hey Gils here is a gif for you.

lol

by intuitive on Jun 5, 2009 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Sad

"This is not a game for boys. This is a game for men." - Phil Jackson

by Gils_Keloids on Jun 5, 2009 5:29 PM PDT up reply actions

How much solace can they really take in the Lakers comeback?

That Laker team had arguably two of the top 5 greatest players of all time on it.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

by Justin N. on Jun 5, 2009 4:56 PM PDT reply actions

and for some Lamar.

“I love it here. . . . It would take an offer that I couldn’t refuse for me to leave here, and I don’t think that’s happening,” Odom says. “I expect to be a Laker.”