I'm still blogging from LA these days, and God bestowed good fortune upon me last night as I received a last-minute invite to Lamar Odom's season-ending party at the Cabana Club in Hollywood. I don't want to over-analyze one party too much (plus, it's not like I ever get to go to these things), but what I observed last night told me a lot about this Lakers team. Trust me when I tell you this: we Nuggets fans should be very, very, very fearful of a matchup with the Lakers.
First off, no matter what I say about the quality of the girls at this event (nevermind the healthy girl-to-guy ratio), I won't do them justice. Let's just say that if reincarnation is in fact true, I want to come back as a Laker player. There, I got that out of the way.
Second, let me preface what I'm about to say by stating that I hate the Lakers. I've hated them since they waxed the Nuggets in the 1985 Western Conference Finals and will always hate them.
Now for the observations...
-Even though there were champagne buckets everywhere, I never saw one of the players really drinking. Odom - the host - nursed the same glass of champagne for about an hour or so, and waved people off offering him refills. I never saw Ronny Turiaf, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, DJ Mbenga, Vladimir Radmonovic, Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Coby Karl or Jordan Farmar drink anything. Trevor Ariza was a frequent visitor to the bar and drank bottle after bottle after bottle...of water. In light of Carmelo Anthony's potentially pending DUI charge, this was incredible.
-None of the players walked in with an entourage of more than two or three friends. In most cases, they just showed up solo or with another teammate (Gasol with Radmonovic, Turiaf with Ariza). The guy with the biggest entourage was Coby Karl, and believe me - his three friends aren't capable of getting him into any trouble.
-All the Lakers players exhibited real affection for one another. I saw every possible combination of teammates hugging each other, shaking hands, high fiving, swapping stories, etc. Their camaraderie was authentic.
-Most of these guys don't lie about their height, and if anything, they under-list themselves. I'm 6'5" and change, and I felt very short. The only guys whose listed height I'd question were Walton and Ariza, who might be off by an inch from their listed height (it must be a PAC-10 thing).
-Derek Fisher - the veteran and de facto godfather of the team - showed up last and was wearing a suit and tie. Meaning, he clearly had another engagement, but made sure he showed up anyway to support Odom and you could tell Odom was genuinely touched.
-I didn't see any Laker legends or celebrities other than Jimmy Goldstein, and I'll forever regret that I didn't talk to him. I totally pussed out, but I can assure you he had "better company" than me hanging around him.
-The biggest disappointment - and it's a big one - is that Kobe Bryant didn't show up. At least not while I was there, and I stayed until 1:30am. On our way out, we asked someone "in the know" as to why Kobe wasn't there and he said, as if it's well-known in LA, "you can't expect Kobe to show for these things."
Again, it was just one party that I fortunately stumbled into. I'm in no position to say it represents the Lakers or NBA players in general. But from what I gathered and already knew about this year's Laker team, this is a collection of professional basketball players who take their job seriously, genuinely like each other and are primed for a long postseason run. You add the best player and the best coach in the league on top of that, and if you think our beloved Nuggets are beating these guys in a playoff series, you're absolutely nuts.
And one more tidbit from the party. At one point I was hanging out with my friends and I get tapped on the shoulder. I turn around to see a super cute blonde coming by to say hello to me, and it was none other than Masha Kirilenko! Whenever you get two Masha sightings within five days, that's never a bad thing.
You better start praying for the Mavericks to lose tonight!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Trust me, we really don't want to play the Lakers...
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... I assure you... The reason the Nuggets probably won't win the series against the Lakers won't be have anything to do with Height, Alcohol or comraderie... Its because these games will by far be the most lopsidedly called series matchup in the Playoffs. Kobe is a MVP candidate and the most popular (in the US)Player in the League. There's no way in hell they let the Nuggets unseat them.
Now as far as X's and O's go. The 3 games they played against each other don't say much about both teams chances against each other. Each game had players missing and or geling. The final game they played Melo got hurt and left in the second quarter. As far as Match-ups go...
Camby should be able to slow Gasol down... He's not quick as Dirk or Amare... and doesn stay on the 3 pt line like okur. He's more of a 15 footer shooter and post player.
As good as Kobe is defensively, he cannot guard Iverson or Melo. As a matter of fact nobody on thier team can. On the other hand Nobody on the Nuggets can check Kobe... Kobe averages 28 a game... Melo and AI, 52 a game... Two is better than one.
Kmart should give Odom fits but its not written in stone.
Lastly...
The Bench and roll players are the Keys. If JR can keep up his play he will be a huge +. Klieza also. And If Nene can give us somethingwe look even better. Thier Bench brings a lot of energy and toughness so we have to match that.
Also there is the wild cards... There has always been a hidden rivalry between AI and Kobe. I say hidden because the league kinda ignores it now and prefers to match him with Lebron or wade. Kobe brings the best out of AI. AI edges out in Head to head match up and thier numbers are on Par this season. I see AI torching the Lakers. The nUggets are a true "US AGAINST THE WORLD" Team. Nobody had anything good to say about them all year. Although the Nuggets are only 7 games behind the Lakers AI hasn't been mentioned once for a MVP consideration. And he's meant a lot to his team... This team feels like the black sheep of the playoffs. Outcasts. They can only depend on each other.
With that said I see this series going 7 games.... Lakers win in the end tho.... being as tho it'll be in LA...
Chillz I have to comment on this....You're a little too optimistic in your analysis of the (potential) matchup with the Lakers. Kobe CAN guard Melo although he won't be matched up on him unless the game is on the line. Also, you're neglecting the fact that LA plays like a team on both sides of the ball. They excel at getting to the rim and if Camby is there, they are even better at spotting up and kicking to the open shooter. See Vujacic's stats against the Nugs this year...I want the Nuggets to win and I think they could take a game at home, but Kobe, Phil, and the Lakers are too much team for the our defense or lack thereof.
7 games?? are you freaking kidding me? the lakers are going to kill the nuggets. it pains me to admit it but i see no way the nuggets even have a chance in this series. wishful thinking there.
I meant to say Vujacic/Radmonovic's stats. 22 and 21 respectively to stand still 3 pt shooters. Not good news for Denver
Yeah, I told my buddy from CA 3 months ago that I liked the Nuggets chances in any series that didn't involve Karl getting depantsed in the coaching department; specifically against the Lakers and Spurs. I'd like to amend that statement. I like the Nuggets chances against any team except the Lakers and the Jazz. Not coincidentally, those are the two teams that run real, honest to goodness 5 players involved on each possession half court offense - which we've proved time and again this year we can't stop.
That is the real problem - the Nuggets can play good D against anyone else - SA runs everything through TD or Manu; CP runs everything on the Hornets and it's all pick'n'roll; Dallas just runs complex isos; Houston doesn't really have offense anymore; Suns do helter-skelter and pick'n'roll - we can hang with any of them, but against the SLoan offense and the Triangle, they execute too well. See the games v Utah, LAL and Pistons this year for evidence of team offense destroying the Nuggets, especially down the stretch when opponents needed a bucket.
Go Hornets tonight, CP3 v AI, West/Chandler v KMart/Camby, all great matchups. Plus it's a series the Nuggets can actually win!
I'm from Portland, where, it seems that lopsided officiated rears it's ugly head. And, it rears tallest when playing the Lakers.
That said, officiating is WAY down the list of reasons the Nuggets would fail in a series vs the Lakers.
Liquid courage, the kind Melo and company like to partake in so much only goes so far against players who need no such crutch.
Its kinda like the theory I hear proposed by so many people: just fake it 'till ya make it. Well, if you don't have to fake it (ie, playing DEFENSE or trusting your teammates) your already that much ahead of your opponent.
Oh, and I really, really feel terrible posting anything, anywhere about the positive nature of these current Lakers. Ugh....ouch.
I remember the 1985 series between the Lakers and the Nuggets. It was awesome...for Laker fans.
Everybody keeps saying we'll beat the hornets. We have a better chance but really the only team we can flat out beat in a game 7 series is Houston. All the other 6 teams we will be underdogs against them.
If we were fundamentally sound on defense (or signed Artest) we would have been in a much better situation.
j2y2k3-
you're dead on right, the nuggets would be favored against the rockets and dogs versus everyone else; but they're odds v lakers and jazz are insurmountable, they CAN take any of the other teams in a series as dogs, especially the hornets. let's just hope the playoffs aren't over before they start for the 5th straight year
Laker fan here, directed from Hardwood Paroxysm. Nice site you've got running here. It looks like you and me might just have a first round fight come Sunday. I give it five, at most. I remember AI against Kobe and Shaq; it wasn't something really worth writing home about. I've never heard such a defeated group of fans (outside of New Jersey), even the Lakers' defense looks sharp to you. I still have my questions about that "shutdown" defense of the Lakers.
Man if Dallas pulls this out.
Eric is right on the money I am a Laker fan. I follow the NBA closely and I actually predicted the nuggets to be in the top 3 this year but they can not stop the Jazz or Lakers there D-fense is horrible against any real half court team which the Spurs are when they are healthy. Lakers will take this series in 5 games. Oh by the way George Karl is not the problem he is not a bad coach... Nuggets lack chemistry, diligence, and respect. That is there greatest downfall.
chillz, I'm with you. The Nugs, if they come to play, can give the Lakers a fairly competitive series.
I don't see the Lakers coming out of the West.
j, I agree with your post, too. The Hornets will give us fits because we don't have anyone that can keep up with Chris Paul.
We MIGHT be able to play with the Rockets, whose clock might be ticking close to midnight.
lol, i love the guy that says denver can match up and defend against NOLA! Seems to me that if that all there is to the Hornets game is Chris Paul and pick n rolls, that teams woulda figured them out long ago and found some way to stop them from winnin so many dang games! LoL Denver sux admit it, when arguably your main guy is an alcoholic thug who wants to put bullets in the heads of snitches, there is something that is majorly problematic, aside from that, well i wont even go there, because it would take up 3 pages to describe the unbelievable evilness of the Denver Thuggets
"A 50 win season, the third best record ever for the Denver Nuggets and their franchise, and that's a lot of years. You know hat's off, the glass is either half full or half empty for you as a fan." - Scotty
All you need to get positive! Nugs are gonna win the series in six games. Eggs are ready Andrew!
dont worry nuggets. We're gonna punish the lakers!!!
Go MELO!
Although the Nuggets aren't my team, I visit this site because it is funny. I have to say though, Lakers fans are a little too cocky. That team has the tendency to play as dumb as anyone else in the league, add that to the fact that if Kobe doesn't like the way things are going, he has the tendency to sometimes start shooting his team out of games. Sometimes his "magic" works and sometimes it could be to the detriment of his own team.
I don't know how effective Kobe is gaurding Melo, but I know for a fact he gets in foul trouble everytime gaurding Iverson. Even though the Lakers swept the season series. Both teams have yet to play eachother at full strength. Without Bynum, the Lakers are very soft on the inside. I could go on, but my point is BOTH teams have weaknesses...and there is only 7 games seperating teams 1-8 so please for the love of god stop acting as if the Lakers are so much above everyone else.
I'm not saying that I think the Nuggets can win against them in a 7game series, but i'm not saying they don't have a shot either. I'm not worried about the players on the floor as much as I am worried about the people on the bench (the Coaches). The playoffs are a different situation and in the West this year its anyones game, so lets see what goes down.
Oh and anonymous 6:31...I think everyone watched the Series between Iverson vs Kobe and Shaq and Philly was the only team in the playoffs that year to even take one game from the Lakers (the Lakers went undefeated in the playoffs untill they lost that first game to Philly) and Philly also made it a somewhat competetive series. Add that to the fact that Iverson played out of his mind and I would say that is something to "write home about". You sound like an idiot. And if the Lakers make it past the first round, they aren't going anywhere after that without Bynum, so give it a rest.
And anonymous 6:42 the Lakers lack "diligence" and "respect" as well (they still haven't been out the first round without Shaq) so stop it. The Lakers better hope they show up and noone on that team makes a mistake, otherwise you can count on Kobe jumping up and down crying and yelling at teammates, which is always that teams downfall. LOL!
I will agree with one of the comments that says I have never seen a more defeated group of fans. What kind of fans don't believe in their own team? Denver has one of the most talented teams in the league and their fans seem so ungreatful. So unfourtounate. smh
Yes I am Optimistic. What am I gonna cry cause we end up playing the Lakers!? We have to play who we're matched up with. NO Kobe cannot guard Melo, cause melo is too big for him. Melos size and quickness will only get Kobe in foul trouble. If melo struggles from the field it won't be due to Kobe defense. JR has been completely different since the last time these 2 teams played. The lakers have NO shot blockers to keep the Nuggets from the rim. Yall seem hell bent on pointing out the Nuggets faults but overlook the fact that LA's! We all know Denver's defense is lacking... But it lacked last year as well yet they played very good defensively against the Spurs. When you play a team 7 times you learn how to defend them... I still think the Nuggets will lose because of who their playing not so much that they cannot compete with them. Nobody is giving them any props! Not even their fans! Like I said b4 they are a true to life Lone wolf in these playoffs. They have you guys, the Lakers, the lakers fans, and the refs and the league to compete against. I'm riding with them! You can bad mouth them as much as you like. I'm gonna enjoy these games and respect this team.
The number 1 & 2 in the west are seperated by 7 games....
In the east the 1 and 8 are separated by 29 games!
would you say the Pistons have no chance vs. the Celtics? They are 7 games behind the Celtics. I think these teams are all on par with each other. Just some have different weaknesses, but the playoffs are a different story entirely...
Also... The nuggets average 110 ppg... They score their average on EVERY team be they the Celtic, Spurs or the Pistons. If this team plays just a little more consistent on defense. there isn't many teams that can stop them.
chillz- you are pretty lame to pull out the officiating excuse before the series even starts. What is funny is the Nuggets are the team with all the actors. Sure, Fisher and Vujacic will flop and get a call here and there, but Iverson, JR Smith, Camby, and Najera? Come on. Let's wake up. No player in the NBA gets more calls than Allen Iverson. Ref-baiter supreme. Biggest offensive flopper in the NBA. More concerned with the "drawing" the foul than making the layup. Master of throwing himself into the defender and then performing the head jerk and flail. JR Smith looks like a complete clown 3-4 times a game. He acts like he was shot when he gets the ball picked. Please.
Denver won't win.....because they are not a good team. Shocker. The Nuggets are very comparable to the Warriors. They want to run and gun with their fast-break and secondary fast-break. But a disciplined team is not going to run with them. In a half-court setting, it's Iverson, Melo, and Smith taking turns shooting the jumper or going one-on-one.
Offense and Defense are related. Their defense is not going to get it done against a team like the Lakers. They display the same selfishness, poor communication and overall fragmentation that they do on offense.
Here we go with the thug comments again. Anytime I hear people calling athletes thugs I just wonder why they feel the need to criticize athletes so much. Are you jealous because they make more money than you? Are you mad because one stole your math test from you? Are you mad cause you weren't born that tall? This animosity towards athletes are ridiculous. They get paid the money they get because Americans demand entertainment more so than anything else on the planet!
Criticize what a person does, but you have no right to judge someone when you don't have a camera on your back every second. Where everything you do is reported to the public.
A thug this? A thug that? A thug is defined as a a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer, and this is how you categorize a guy for a DUI.
It's a shame you people are the one raising kids who are being taught that one gains knowledge from what they see, instead of what they experience. It's a got damn shame. It's the cause of discrimination and all things similar including racism.
anon re: thug reference. I was gonna bring that up previously, but the "Thuggets" comment is out of line not to mention racist. Because the only time fans refer to a professional athlete as a thug is he's black, wearing tattoos, and usually braids but gets arrested.
Now how many Nuggets have been arrested in the past year? As compared to several Bengals players or Pacman Jones? But here we have someone calling the Nuggets, as a team, thugs.
Asshole.
You got to see Masha Kirilenko in person? You dog! that's great! Forget that basketball stuff, ha.
Chillz I have been saying the whole time the Nuggets can beat any team anytime, but I see what you're saying. The problem is this blog is no place to find a true Nuggets fan, I have commented on this earlier, and Andrew replied by saying something about how the Broncos will not win 16 games next season and etc...
If he had read what I say right (not would or could) the fact of the matter was that a TRUE fan doesn't come out before a game or series and say their team won't win. PERIOD. Not only have most of these people done that, but all they do is repeat the same facts Andrew has said over the course of his blogging: 1) George is paid a lot 2) We have the third highest payroll 3) We have two all stars 4) Something else that doesn't relate to how the game of basketball actually works.
I may have had a few too many beers tonight so those first three reasons may be a little off*. First off let me say this, I respect Andrews opinion and it seems that he has given me the same respect back which makes me think even higher of him. Off the subject for a second, let me clear this up, I live in Fort Collins and don't actually get a chance to read your comic so my comment about it being "no-so-funny", I know I missed the t, was out of line and I apologize.
Now that is cleared up let me say this once again. No true fan will ever say their team won't win. By that I mean they won't say before a game or series the team has no chance of winning. This is what most of the people who have commented on this site have done and so I say they aren't truly fans of the Nuggets!
Andrew I do respect what you have to say about the game, but at the same time I have to say this blog should have been launched after the season was over. I don't believe you honestly think this blog has done anything to help the Nuggets this season. In fact, I feel that you have convinced a good deal of the Nuggets fans, who don't understand the game, to believe all or even most of the blame for this seasons woos can fall on Georges’ shoulders. Now, it seems, I cannot express my honest opinion without having 10 lemmings dishing out the facts you stated along with two or three personal insults.
As for the Lakers, yea they’re a hell of a team, but at the same time so are 6 other western conference teams. I don’t believe Houston is that great of a team. The Lakers have a lot of young talent on their squad that haven’t proven a thing mix with veteran leadership, but guess what, so do the Nuggets, and that’s why I love this matchup. I mean it’s the playoffs for God sakes! Anything can and probably will happen. I know there are those who don’t believe, but I do. I am a true Nuggets fan and will stand behind this team as long as there is oxygen in my blood! I hear what everyone has to say and then I turn to ESPN and they say the same crap, we have no chance. Yea and my name isn’t Shaun… Better yet, “the Giants won’t win the Superbowl”…
I know we don’t have the best track record over the last few years, but playing San Antonio in the first round wasn’t easy. The Nuggets are healthy, excluding Nene, but great teams will perform no matter what and that’s what will happen in this years playoffs. The Lakers are that great? Yea right, the only reason they are “great” is because there is a #1 by their name. It could have been any of the top 8 this year, but the X’s and O’s fell into place for them a little more often than the rest. They have shown weaknesses and the Nuggets, especially AI, will be capitalizing on them. I like what George Karl said recently, yea I know you don’t like him, “Nobody is going to be betting on the Playoffs this season”. I know that’s not true, but I like the way that he looks at this years post-season. 1-8, excluding 5, means nothing except for home court.
I know the Nuggets will be ready to play, defense and all, but do you? If you call yourself a true fan I think you do, including Andrew. I know that at the end of the day he is thinking in the back of his mind how refreshing that egg is going to feel as it runs down his face!
All the best!
... Against the Spurs after torching the Spurs in game one of the playoffs, AI curiously never made it to the line.... We all know officiating is major and can alter a series. I don't care if you call me Lame. It happens in sports. The Nuggs lost to the sixers behind a costly goaltend, that went uncalled. It happens.
@shaun,
"The Lakers are that great? Yea right, the only reason they are “great” is because there is a #1 by their name. It could have been any of the top 8 this year, but the X’s and O’s fell into place for them a little more often than the rest. "
Sorry but this wasn't the lottery. The Laker beat the top teams to take #1. They earned it. Stop and think before you type.
@ Anonymous 9:02
The Lakers better hope they show up and noone on that team makes a mistake, otherwise you can count on Kobe jumping up and down crying and yelling at teammates, which is always that teams downfall. LOL!
I see you've never watched the Lakers and only get your Laker info from sports writers.
Hey Shaun -
Thanks for serving up another lengthy, thoughtful comment. Be sure to read my latest post where I offer suggestions for how the Nuggets could actually win this series.
Back to your "true fan" argument. Without getting into it too much (as I need to sleep), I think we can all agree that we're genuinely rooting for the Nuggets, whether we "think" they can win or not. Sports fans can often be like a big, dysfunctional family (like the Nuggets organization!). And as far as I'm concerned, from this point forward we're all in this together. We have to root for the Nuggets and root hard for them, or they really won't have a chance to win this series.
Go Nuggets!!
All best,
Andrew
What a douche post.
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