65: Even Phil Jackson Was Impressed

Kobe Bryant's 65 point performance last night even impressed his coach Phil Jackson, a man who teamed with His Airness (arguably the greatest of all time). Rarely does Jackson laud Kobe's outbursts as he did on ESPN.com : "That finish was incredible...They couldn't keep the ball out of Kobe's hands, and they couldn't keep him from putting that ball in the hoop. He knocked those 3-pointers down. It was remarkable." Yes, Jackson does give praise, but he knew the Lakers needed Kobe to right the ship after a horrible few weeks. Kobe also knew that the Lakers needed him to step up and make a statement. Jackson also hinted that the Lakeshow was prime to put together a run with the return of the injured players in the LA Times.com's "Jackson Looks to the Past." As long as they can remain healthy for the last 18 games of the season. That is plenty of time for them to get back in sync just as the playoffs begin. An additional benefit of early injuries is that the players don't have the wear and tear of 82 games, which is particularly good for starters who missed a good chunk of the regular season. Admittedly, Lamar Odom's torn labrum is worrisome, but he is determined to contribute (which he did last night with 15 points, 9 boards, and 6 dimes...not bad for a player with a torn labrum!) and help this team make some noise in the playoffs. Luke Walton's ankle is still bothering him as evidenced by him being firmly planted on the bench last night. The Lakers need him to get healthy and back into the lineup in the next few games. His unselfish play, great ball-handling/passing, and his defense is a necessity for the Lakers to challenge anyone in the playoffs. Now, if they could only get stronger at the point guard position....

Compounding the Lakers' Woes

Now that the Lakers are running two thirds of a roster, Radmanovic's foolish snowboarding mishap only hurts more...for both the Lakers and the player. One of his issues in Seattle was that he was not getting enough starting time, which was also a complaint this season. If he had been smart and rested or trained during the All-Star break, like someone with a five million dollar annual paycheck for playing a game should, he would be playing thirty minutes a game and giving himself a chance to prove that he should have a more significant role when players return from injury.
Lamar Odom's injury is yet another reason that Radmanovic's winter fun hurts the Lakers' playoff hopes. Kobe can only go so far with a sparse roster filled with aging vets and young players. Granted, I was happy that they held onto Bynum instead of trading him for an old and battered Jason Kidd. Scottie Pippen was not the answer and definitely wouldn't want to join a broken-down team. Radmanovic could have surprised critics and proved that he was worth his salary. Now, Laker fans are doomed to pray we make the playoffs and hope the troops don't get any thinner.

Stop the Fussin and Fightin

As I read Kelly Dwyer's emphasis on moving beyond the recent NBA brawl, it is a sentiment that will hopefully spread throughout the sports world. The NBA is exciting right now, particularly with some surprises like the Jazz and Lakers (for some, except us Lakeshow fans), some nice winning streaks by the Mavs and Suns, and a very interesting move as the Answer goes mile-high.
Personally, I have always loved watching AI play because of the gritty and aggressive nature of his play. He's tenacious offensively and defensively and is hands down one of the most electric and exciting players in the NBA. It is natural for his critics to point to all the shots he jacks up, but his supporting casts have been suspect for the most part. AI has averaged 6.1 assists over the course of his career, so he must be dishing the rock out at least a little.
Granted, AI is eternally criticized for the famous "practice" press conference (and his attitude toward practice in general), which could definitely be an issue with toughminded George Karl. However, Karl could also have gotten Iverson at a good time, especially now that AI will surely want to make a point with strong play (but when did he not play hard? Never, probably not even in little league).
In addition to motivation from the trade itself, Iverson is coming to a talented team in the Nuggets, who are already a playoff team. The Nuggets could use some of Iverson's toughness as well since they are not very feared by the rest of the Western Conference.
Although Melo will be gone for the next month or so with his suspension, the Nuggets also picked up AI at a good time because of the various suspensions. It will give AI a chance to establish himself before Melo et al. come back. AI will definitely do well in a fast-paced offense, which should provide enough baskets to spread the love between Melo, AI, and the rest of the team. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how things shape out.