Jazz starts hot, forging early lead over Lakers

Postcards From LA, Vol. 7: One Lakers Fan Tracks His Team Through the NBA Playoffs

MrThell posted 5/10/2008 from www.emptythebench.com

The Lakers got as close as 95-92 with just over three minutes left in the game when Derek Fisher, the team’s best free throw shooter, went 1-2 from the charity stripe. That miss, when both were really needed, was symbolic of the Lakers entire evening. The Purple and Gold was simply out of sync, looking nothing like the polished machine that controlled Game 2.

VIDEO - Kobe Bryant Has No Use for Teammates

MrThell posted 5/11/2008 from www.emptythebench.com

It’s not something you’re going to work on in basketball camp, but Kobe actually manages to make an alley oop off the backboard to himself look like a fundamentally sound, high-percentage play. There aren’t too many people on the planet who can do this.

Jeanie Buss Believes Zipped Lips Kept Gasol Deal From Being Killed

Maury posted 5/11/2008 from www.bizofbasketball.com

Los Angeles Lakers executive Jeanie Buss is elated that the deal with Memphis Grizzlies that resulted in the Lakers acquiring 7-foot Pau Gasol. What she’s even more elated about is the fact that before the deal happened, no leaks got out – leaks that could have killed the deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. “What I'm most proud about that trade is the fact that it never leaked out,'' said ...

Postcards From LA, Vol. 8: One Lakers Fan Tracks His Team Through the NBA Playoffs

MrThell posted 5/12/2008 from www.emptythebench.com

Larry Miller picked a poor game to miss. True, the Jazz owner may have scored a few points with his Mormon God by choosing, for religious reasons, not to attend the first Sunday game at Utah in seven years (although I’m going to assume he’ll still keep the profits from the game). But he missed a well-played contest that left Lakers fans feeling blue and perhaps even a bit blasphemous.

The NBA Finally Has an MVP Whose Game Does Not Shrink in the Playoffs

BillJordaniv posted 5/12/2008 from www.bizofbasketball.com

I make outs I make other rappers have doubts You're (messing) with the wrong man and the wrong clan-- "Flava in ya ear," Craig Mack (and other artists), 1994 Dirk Nowitzki seemingly received the 2007 MVP in a broom closet at an undisclosed location after his Dallas Mavericks were bounced out of the first round of the playoffs. We just saw the 2005 and 2006 MVP, Steve Nash, make Tony Parker ...