The Credits

by wondahbap on Aug 10, 2009 4:57 PM PDT

Magic_johnson_medium

Minnesota Timberwolves: Working with youth key to Kurt Rambis hire - ESPN
With Rambis Gone, Brian Shaw Next In Line to Take Over For Phil Jackson - The Lakers' Journal
Buss, Kupchak, Jackson Wish Rambis Well at Lakers.com BasketBlog
Forum Blue And Gold " Fast Break Thoughts
Magic Johnson Highlights
How Do You Stack Up? - NBA Videos and Highlights. How do you stack up against 3-time NBA MVP Magic Johnson?
(Magic's B-day is on Thursday. 50! NBA tv has been running Magic Johnson Hardwood Classic Games for the past two days. Be sure to tune in. There will never be another. The man was a great Champion and THE BEST PG EVER! Happy Born on Date, Magic.)
Gasol injured in practice with Spanish national team - Lakers blog - OCRegister.com
(Hat tip to intuitive, whom knows every Lakers related link on the web as soon as it's posted. Thanks!)

More Links after the Jump....

Tweet Comment 24 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

unfortunately i don’t have nba tv. magic’s the best. the best laker of all time. arguably the best ever as well.

by chaucer on Aug 10, 2009 5:20 PM PDT reply actions

+32

Although MJ will get the nod as the GOAT, Magic was a winner at every level he played. Immediately. He went to the Finals 9 years out of 13, and beat great teams like Dr. J’s 76ers, Larry Bird’s Celtics, Isiah’s Bad Boy Pistons. No team Magic ever played on would be mediocre. They were always elite. You don’t see that much. You could put magic on any crappy team in this league now and he would make them into a contender. He was that good.

It’s winning time.

by wondahbap on Aug 10, 2009 6:42 PM PDT up reply actions

**On a crappy team right now.

I didn’t mean for that to sound like the NBA is crappy. I meant a bad team right now.

by wondahbap on Aug 10, 2009 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions

exactly. he would. believe it or not, the man can still play. look what he did to the lakers when he returned in 96. he saved that season. it broke my heart to see him forced into retirement at the prime of his career (32 years old), but saw my wish come to fruition when he made his improbable comeback years later. i think we fans were robbed of a would be jordan-johson finals rematch for possible 3 or 4 times.

by chaucer on Aug 10, 2009 10:10 PM PDT up reply actions

that is after the 91 finals against the bulls.

by chaucer on Aug 10, 2009 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Well I meant Magic in his prime.

But if kwame Brown still has a contract, then surely Magic could earn one. haha.

by wondahbap on Aug 11, 2009 6:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Heres an article on Pau’s finger

Pau Gasol injured his left index finger during a practice with the Spanish National team and was taken to the hospital for x-rays as a precautionary move, a Spanish website reported.

Lakers spokesman John Black said he received a call from Gasol’s agent, but as neither Mitch Kupchak or trainer Garry Vitti knew anything about the potential injury. Black said the team would be investigating the situation.

http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/08/10/gasol-injured-in-practice-with-spanish-national-team/21445/

by intuitive on Aug 10, 2009 5:39 PM PDT reply actions

DJ Mbenga keeps in shape by playing a bit for Belgium, although his teammates suck so it won't matter much. In that qualification group Bosnia and Herzegovina will advance.

And he wasn’t much of a help in their first game either over the weekend, scoring 4/13 and grabbing 3 boards. Vet Axel Hervelle added 33 to keep it respectable in an 82-77 loss to BH.

"I'm addicted to polo y'all...respect my fresh" - Travis25Outlaw

by Norsktroll on Aug 10, 2009 5:43 PM PDT reply actions

He’s wearing Kobe’s shoes :)

by intuitive on Aug 10, 2009 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Aye you guys!

by wondahbap on Aug 10, 2009 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Scott or Shaw?

I think right now I want Shaw. Both guys have the basketball smarts but that’s not all there is to being a coach in this league. Ego management is also a factor and if the rumors coming out of NO are true, Scott may still have some work to do there. Shaw may as well but hopefully he’s absorbing the intangibles of coaching from the (zen) master.

by Tydides on Aug 10, 2009 5:48 PM PDT reply actions

I gotta agree I would go with Shaw right now but if

Scott can get NO rolling again then we gotta give him some consideration.

There are basic Fundamentals that are needed to move forward in this game. Always keep your guard up at all times to avoid being caught in a trap. Overcome the fouls that will be commited against you REBOUND AND PRESS ON. ADJUST to the LimeLight: ALL-STAR PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Know what your role is and play your position. Find a game plan and execute it. REMEMBER YOU ONLY GET OUT OF THE GAME WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

by BrittneyM on Aug 10, 2009 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Scott had those persistent rumors about laziness in Jersey

Supposedly assistant coaches would give him tapes to watch, but they’d be keyed up to the exact same spot when Scott returned them. Little stuff like that seems ridiculous, but basically the scuttlebutt was that he didn’t put in the expected hours.

As a Wolves fan first and foremost, I actually liked the idea of hiring away Shaw at least as well as Rambis. It’s the old ‘utility infielders and catchers make the best managers’ principle, Shaw being the b’ball equivalent. (But then what the heck do I know? Our history is piled high with Kevin ’I’m going to
make these kids earn PT like my dad made me earn my ten-speed’ McHale.)

by feral on Aug 11, 2009 9:42 AM PDT up reply actions

Shaw all the way

Scott’s bad habits don’t make him an endearing choice. Putting players into his doghouse (Wright), never having an offense pass P&R with an all-world point guard (Kidd, Paul), and having his teams quit on him (Kidd kicking him out of New Jersey, NO in the Denver series) are all poor marks on him in my opinion.

Shaw is a guy with all the Xs and Os skills, has the respect of the players, and simply needs the on-court experience in a significant coaching role.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

by Ben R on Aug 11, 2009 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions

past*

Damn the lack of a spell check.

And IMO, I think the Lakers go with an experienced coach after Phil decides to leave. Best case scenario I could see would be JVG taking an assistant role (didn’t he say he needed to work his way back into the league as an assistant?) to learn the system and then take over after Phil retires. Interesting hypothetical, though it appears unlikely.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

by Ben R on Aug 11, 2009 8:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Why not?

I would love JVG to be on the Lakers’ bench. (As long as he doesn’t embarass us by holding on to someone elses leg…) :-)

by altree on Aug 12, 2009 1:55 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think either will get the job.

by wondahbap on Aug 10, 2009 6:43 PM PDT reply actions

by chaucer on Aug 10, 2009 10:12 PM PDT up reply actions

Pau already had surgery on his middle finger?

From the K Brothers at LA Times

It sounds worse than it is. Reports out of Spain, where Pau Gasol is playing with the Spanish national Pau Gasol Injures Finger team, indicate that LA’s very tall, very talented, very important F/C jammed his left index finger in practice and was taken to the hospital where surgery was performed.

He’s expected to miss about three weeks of action, putting his participation in the European Championships (EuroBasket) in question. The Lakers know of the injury but don’t have much information beyond the basics above.

The news, while obviously not good, isn’t necessarily calamitous, either. While Gasol is obviously a guy who utilizes both hands effectively, assuming the damage is limited and heals between now and, say… early October, it won’t have an impact on anything the Lakers do going forward. Meanwhile, while national team play is incredibly important to him, on this side of the pond many fans would just as soon see Gasol get some well earned rest.

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/08/pau.html

by intuitive on Aug 10, 2009 7:59 PM PDT reply actions

wtf? are you serious?!!?? see, this is why i posted several times speaking out against gasol playing for the spanish national team—possibility of injury. this sucks.

by chaucer on Aug 10, 2009 10:03 PM PDT up reply actions