Discussion: Can the Lakers Catch the Cavs?

The Lakers are definitely having a great year, but not great enough to be the owners of the best record in the NBA as that privilege currently belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  There are only 20 games left in the regular season and the Lakers had set their goal before the year to finish with best record in the league.  They only trail Cleveland by two games, but with how rarely LeBron and company lose, that could be an insurmountable goal.  Are the Lakers up to the task of knocking the Cavs out of the top spot or should they not even worry about it since they already have the #1 seed in the West all but sewn up.

This week’s discussion topic: Can the Lakers overtake the Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA and do you even care if they do?

A) They can do it!  LeBron is the King of nothing.  The Lakers will always be #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

B) Nope.com.  The Cleveland has a cupcake schedule the rest of the way since they get to feast on the weak Eastern Conference while the Lakers have to play 13 of their final 20 games on the road.

C) Maybe, maybe not.  The overall number one seed isn’t really going to matter until the Finals and these two teams may not even meet their.  The Lakers should just concern themselves with staying healthy and ironing out the kinks in their offense so that they are in top form headed into the post-season.  If they get the best record in the NBA along the way, then that is just a bonus.

SECRET OPTION D) It doesn’t matter, Cleveland is just going to choke in the Eastern Conference Finals again anyway.

Look out, LeBron!  Kobe and the Lakers are right behind you.

Let us know your thoughts and join in on the discussion by leaving a comment below.  NOTE: Comment moderation is currently turned on so I have to approve your comment if you have never made one at this blog before, but I will try and be fast about it, after that you can comment freely.  I know it is a hassle, but it is outside of my control for now.

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Laker Linkage – 3/5/10

• The Story: Shannon Brown’s injured thumb is affecting his dribbling and shooting but he won’t miss any time.  The Fire Says: It was a sigh of relief to see Shannon on the floor last night because the Lakers just can’t afford to lose him, especially with Sasha Vujacic still out injured.
• The Story: Jeannie Buss refutes reports that Buss family in-fighting will result in Phil Jackson being forced out after the season.  The Fire Says: Where there is smoke there is usually fire, so it will be an interesting storyline to monitor after the season.  I still don’t believe that Phil would really retire just because the Busses can’t get along or that Jerry Buss would decline to re-sign the Zen Master if he delivers another Finals appearance.
• The Story: LeBron James becoming a Laker is just far-fetched enough to come true.  The Fire Says: The notion that the Lakers always land the elite free agents when they switch teams does provide a glimmer of hope here, but the landscape of the NBA has changed so much with the implementation of the salary cap that I just don’t see a way that LeBron would really ever find his way into the purple and gold.
• The Story: Is Dwyane Wade the new Kobe Bryant?  The Fire Says: You have to admit the parallels are uncanny.  Wade and Kobe both got their first ring(s) alongside Shaq as they matured into dominant players in their own right.  Then Shaq left them both on teams with weak supporting casts.  Kobe went on to demand the Lakers get him some help or else and now it appears Wade is poised to do the same thing.
• The Story: Don’t worry about Kobe Bryant leaving the Lakers anytime soon.  The Fire Says: The Mamba flat out denied any thoughts of him bolting in free agency in order to seek a new challenge.  We can all take a deep sigh of relief now.
• The Story: Phil Jackson and Pau Gasol both are showing support in the fight against cancer.  The Fire Says: They would have you think they are being altruistic, but I think this is a convoluted plan to garner some karma so they don’t feel bad when they knock the Denver Nuggets and their cancer-stricken coach George Karl from the post-season in a few months.

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LeBron a Laker? Not Going to Happen

I can’t believe I actually have to do this, but thanks to this little article, it appears I have to.  Say it with me now, Laker fans, “LeBron James is NOT going to be a Laker next year.”  Now go write that 1000 on the chalkboard and I will forgive you.

Kobe and LeBron together at last?!?!  Not going to happen, sorry.

Honestly, Laker fans, I thought you were better than that.  Buying into a silly rumor like LeBron setting his sights on becoming a Laker next season.  Really?  You should all be ashamed of yourselves for even entertaining such a preposterous notion.  There are just so many things wrong with the idea of LeBron joining the Lakers that I barely even know where to start, but it looks like I am going to have to find a way since this crazy rumor just won’t seem to die.  Time for me to kill it once and for all.

Let’s start simple here since some of you seem to be having a hard time getting your head around this.  This supposed proclamation that LeBron wants to be a Laker is just one of the many alleged desires LeBron has had in regards to his next team over the last few years.  Remember when everyone thought it was a given that he would be a Net because of a secret deal with his buddy and part-owner of the Nets Jay-Z?  Or how about the report that LeBron had already decided to sign with the Knicks because of the megabucks that Nike was going to pay him?  And let’s not forget about the alleged pact he made with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade after the Olympics that all three of them would sign with the same team this summer with that destination most likely being Chicago?  So are we just supposed to ignore all those reports from inside sources close to LeBron because the latest one has him coming to the Lakers?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  Any rumor about the free agent destination of James has to be taken with a silo of salt because they clearly cannot be trusted either because of unreliable sources or because LeBron is the most indecisive man in the world.

I do understand why LeBron would be attracted to the Lakers, after all, they are the marquee team in the league and playing in a huge market.  What isn’t to like about that?  And while some might think otherwise, there is little reason to believe that Kobe and LeBron can’t coexist on the floor at the same time.  But the real question is why Lebron would want to share the spotlight with Kobe?

James is a guy who has dubbed himself the “Worldwide Icon” with designs on becoming the most famous and richest professional athlete in the history of the universe.  Intentionally deciding to become the Robin to Kobe’s Batman isn’t going to help him accomplish any of those lofty goals.  If he has decided that all he cares about are championship rings, then, yeah, it might happen.  But the desperate chasing of a championship usually doesn’t set in for NBA players until they are at least 34 years old.

These are a few million reasons that LeBron won’t be a Laker.

At the end of the day though, pro basketball is still a business and that is why LeBron the Laker will never come to pass.  The sheer logistics of getting LeBron onto the Laker roster are insurmountable.  Obviously, the Lakers have no salary cap room.  That means LeBron would have to leave millions upon millions of dollars on the table to take LA’s mid-level exception.  If you actually think a pro athlete of LeBron’s caliber is unselfish enough to give up that money in order to pursue titles, well then, I a, happy to inform you that a Nigerian king has passed away and I need you and only you to share the inheritance with me.  Just leave your bank account PIN and Social Security Number in the comments below and we’ll make a deal.

There is always the sign-and-trade route for the Lakers to pursue, but how is that appealing?  Getting James would be tremendous, but a trade takes two parties to happen and all Cleveland has to do is refuse to partake in what the Lakers have to offer, knowing full well LeBron won’t sign for a huge discount with the Lakers.  Leverage is a bitch like that sometimes.

Call me a dream killer if you want, but it should be plainly obvious by now that LeBron isn’t going to be a Laker anytime soon (and while I am at it, Santa, the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy all aren’t real).

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Laker Linkage – 3/1/10

• The Story: LeBron James supposedly wants to be a Laker next season.  The Fire Says: Oh boy, here we go with the Summer of LeBron rumors.  This is a fun idea and everything, but this just isn’t going to happen and I will explain why a little later today.
• The Story: Kobe Bryant never took JR Smith’s Twitter trash talk seriously.  The Fire Says: As usual, it is all about the scoreboard for Kobe and I suspect Smith will think twice before he tweets some smack at an opponent again.
• The Story: Luke Walton remains out indefinitely.  The Fire Says: Word is Luke is considering going under the knife which is probably for the best as he is of no use to the team when he is anything less than 100%.
• The Story: Sasha Vujacic could return to action in a week.  The Fire Says: Phew!  I was getting so worried, the Lakers just aren’t the same without him taking and missing bad shots for eight minutes each game.
• The Story: Phil Jackson think it is a “sham” that Zydrunas Ilgauskas is likely going to end up re-signing with the Cavs.  The Fire Says: Uh, Phil?  You may not be the best guy to complain about this particular topic since a very similar trade of contracts for talent is what resulted in Pau Gasol becoming a Laker.  Leave the unfair trade whining to Gregg Popovich and Steve Nash.
• The Story: Is Lamar Odom in the running for Sixth Man of the Year?  The Fire Says: I have to agree with Bresnahan.  Lamar is good, but most of his best numbers have come in the games he has started.  That and Jamal Crawford pretty much has it wrapped up already.
• The Story: Should Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom swap roles?  The Fire Says: I probably would’ve said yes before Lamar’s stellar game yesterday, especially since Odom isn’t always a consistent offensive force, something the bench sorely needs and Bynum is more apt to provide.  However, it is probably too late in the season for the Lakers to tinker with such a move.
• The Story: Ticket prices for Laker playoff tickets are set to triple this post-season.  The Fire Says: Holy hell!  It isn’t like Laker tickets were even reasonably priced to begin with.  Looks like I will be watching the title run from home again this season.
• The Story: The Lakers are raffling off a 2009 championship ring for charity.  The Fire Says: All it costs is $100 for the chance to win the ring so that you can either use it to impress chicks at the bar or pull it out thirty years from now to try and convince your grandchildren that you once won the NBA title for real as the 12th man for the Lakers.
• The Story: There is an auction for a used Kobe Bryant cast.  The Fire Says: Kobe is great and all, but why would anyone want a used cast?  If you’ve ever had to wear a cast, you would know full well that those thinks STINK by the time you get them off.

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Laker Linkage – 2/12/10

• The Story: Kobe Bryant is officially out of the All-Star Game.  The Fire Says: The Mamba is doing the right thing here although I am sure it took some strong arming from Phil Jackson and Mitch Kupchak.  He’ll be replaced by Jason Kidd.
• The Story: Just because the Lakers win without Kobe it doesn’t mean LeBron James is the MVP.  The Fire Says: Agreed, but LeBron is probably still the MVP because the Cavs are the best team in the league right now with a far less talented roster than the Lakers, plus a generally better stat line across the board.  I will now be seeking shelter so that the Laker basketball gods can’t strike me with lightning.
• The Story: The Lakers might consider starting Lamar Odom and bringing Andrew Bynum off the bench.  The Fire Says: It is worth a shot, but I don’t know that the Lakers really want to make a drastic move like that considering the egos involved.
• The Story: Can a select team of non-All-Stars beat one of the real All-Star teams?  The Fire Says: The team includes Lamar Odom, which is a good start, but they have him playing center which may not work so well with the exception that the Western Conference team doesn’t actually have a real center in the starting five either.  This is all just further proof that the All-Star game is retarded and that spending any real amount of time analyzing it is an exercise in futility.
• The Story: Former Laker coach and GM Fred Schaus has passed away at age 84.  The Fire Says: Schaus is pretty much responsible for Jerry West being a Laker, so while he never won a title with the Lakers as a coach, he certainly made a pretty big contribution.

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Game Countdown – 1/21/10: Lakers @ Cavaliers

VS.

Counting down to the Lakers-Cavaliers game as the Laker seek revenge for their Christmas Day loss.

Los Angeles Lakers (32-9) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (32-11)

Game Info: 5:00 PM PT; TV-TNT; Radio-710 AM, 1330 AM

THREE Questions:

• Is Ron Artest really up to the task of defending LeBron?  He didn’t do that great a job the first time these teams met and his game has gotten noticeable worse since he suffered that concussion.  Maybe this is the game that gets Ron-Ron going again but maybe it is also the game where he gets exposed as being well less than 100% healthy.
• Which Kobe is going to show up?   The one that efficiently assassinated the Clippers or the one that put up an absolute stinker against Orlando last time out?
• Can the Lakers continue their trend of avenging blowout losses?  The Lakers have to still be embarrassed about getting their asses handed to them on national TV Christmas Day by Cleveland and they will no doubt be anxious to return the favor, even if it isn’t a holiday, unless, of course, you observe National Hug Day.  Cleveland will be playing without Mo Williams tonight due to injury, so the Lakers are already off to a good start.

TWO Predictions:

• Dueling triple-doubles from LeBron James and Lamar Odom.  LeBron will get his because, well, that’s what he does but Lamar will get his as the Lakers take advantage of Cleveland’s difficulties defending perimeter-oriented big men and the pick-and-roll game.
• Even though it is a formula for instant comedy, Craig Sager won’t interview Shaq this game, depriving us of Shaq’s usual ribbing of Sager for his awful fashion taste which will only serve to point out how far Shaq has truly fallen from stardom in his declining age and rising weight.

ONE Match-up to Watch:

• Do you even really have to ask?  Kobe vs. LeBron.  Kobe nearly triple-doubled in the first game this season, but King James’ team ruled supreme and don’t think that didn’t bother Kobe.

ZERO Tolerance for… a loss.  The Lakers haven’t fared well against the elite teams of the league and have a real chance to send a message to the rest of the league by knocking off the Cavs in their own house where they are notoriously difficult to beat.  A win tonight would send a loud message to the rest of the league that the Lakers are not to be trifled with while a loss would send a slightly quieter message that LA is vulnerable.

Leave your own questions, answers, predictions or comments as a reply below or just hang out with us during the game or follow us up on Twitter @LakersOfFire.

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Laker Linkage – 1/21/10

• The Story: Ric Bucher claims the Lakers have inquired into trading for Devin Harris of the Nets.  The Fire Says: An inquiry is just that, especially since any GM would be smart to kick the tires on Harris in case New Jersey is willing to give him away for nothing.  Harris would be a very nice addition for the Lakers as he is a gifted young player who would be an immediate upgrade defensively at point guard though he can’t really shoot the three (although it doesn’t stop him from trying).
• The Story: Phil Jackson has gone back to the motivational ploy of assigning reading to each player.  The Fire Says: What?  Nobody was assigned the new book by Sarah Palin?
• The Story: Would the Lakers really replace Kobe Bryant with LeBron James this off-season?  The Fire Says: This idea keeps getting tossed out there, but it just seems insane to me to have the Lakers stab Kobe in the back like that.  I know LeBron is younger but Kobe has the rings and if the move didn’t produce multiple championships, the Lakers would never live it down.
• The Story: Kobe Bryant still boasts the top-selling jersey in the NBA.  The Fire Says: Yeah, clearly nobody likes Kobe anymore, they should definitely dump him in favor of LeBron.
• The Story: Kobe Bryant is a huge fan of Bruce Lee and follows his philosophy.  The Fire Says: I could make an Enter the Dragon and Eagle, Colorado joke here, but I feel like being nice today.
• The Story: Shaq thinks Kobe, LeBron and Vince Carter should participate in the Dunk Contest.  The Fire Says: LeBron definitely should, but Kobe and Vince are too old for that sort of thing.  Neither of them can go a week without getting hurt anymore, so the dunk contest seems like a really bad idea for their overall health.

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This is a Only (Road) Test

This is a test.  For the next eight games, this basketball team will conduct a test of their Championship Winning System.  This is only a road test.

This is a test, but it still counts for the Lakers.

The Lakers have the best record in the NBA and are everyone’s favorite to win the title, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to prove right now.  At 22-3, the Lakers are easily the best home team in the league, but their 9-6 record leaves a little something to be desired, especially when you consider that four of those road wins game in overtime.  While LA is one of the few teams in the league with a winning record on the road, a championship team should expect more from itself, much more.  If the Lakers really want to show the rest of the league that the road to the title runs through them, they will have to prove themselves on this grueling eight-game road trip.

Since this is a test, the Lakers need some sort of grading criteria to measure themselves by, to establish that, let’s look at their slate of opponents:

1/21 – Cleveland

1/22 – New York

1/24 – Toronto

1/26 – Washington

1/27 – Indiana

1/29 – Philadelphia

1/31 – Boston

2/1 – Memphis

In these eight games, the Lakers will face two contenders (CLE and BOS), two middle of the road team (TOR and MEM) and four bottom feeders (NY, WAS, IND and PHI), so the general level of competition is pretty well distributed.  There are also three sets of back-to-back games involved in the slate, which could be a real problem for Kobe and his plethora of injured body parts.  With those factors in mind, here is how I see the grading curve working out for the Lakers: 10 points for each win with 10 bonus points awarded for a win over Boston or Cleveland for a total of 100 available points.

Anything less than a 60% would normally be considered failing back in school, but for the Lakers, the bar is set a good bit higher.  The way I see it, they need to score at least a 70% on this trip.  That translates to either six wins plus including one over Cleveland or Boston or five wins with wins over both Cleveland and Boston.  That is a pretty tall order, even for the Lakers, but it also happens to be necessary.

Solely beating up on the lesser talents of the league isn’t going to be good enough for the Lakers anymore.  They only get one shot at heading into the homes of their likely opponents in the NBA Finals and putting the fear of God into them.  Cleveland already came into the Lakers’ house and kicked them around and the last thing the Lakers need to do is give the King James and his loyal minions more confidence should these two meet up again in the Finals.  The same axiom applies to the Boston game.  Though the Celtics and Lakers have yet to do battle this year, the Lakers still have to have a bit of a mental block over their ability to win in Boston after the 2008 Finals debacle.

Of course, the Lakers must also be careful not to focus too much on the Cavaliers and Celtics, they do have six other opponents to worry about as well.  As important as winning those two big games would be, suffering too many embarrassing losses on the road to teams that are mediocre at best will only serve to reinforce the idea that the Lakers are vulnerable on the road against any team and that is not a vulnerability the Lakers can afford.  The best part of being defending champs is that everyone inherently fears you and thinks you are rather invulnerable.  Underestimating teams like the Grizzlies, Raptors or Pacers and losing to them would be like spilling blood into the water full of championship-hopeful sharks.

There is only one way to find out how the Lakers will fare though and that is through this test which begins tomorrow.  Let’s hope the Lakers have been studying up and paying attention in class.

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Game Countdown – 12/25/09: Cavaliers @ Lakers

VS.

Counting down to the much anticipated Cavaliers-Lakers Christmas Day game and the showdown between Kobe and LeBron.

Cleveland Cavaliers (22-8) @ Los Angeles Lakers (23-4)

Game Info: 2:00 PM PT; TV-ABC; Radio-710 AM, 1330 AM

THREE Questions:

• Is Kobe’s knee going to limit him at all or did the tweak he suffered LA’s last game prove to be nothing more than a minor scare at the time?
• How great is it that Kobe is playing Shaq on Christmas and not only is it not a controversy, but almost nobody seems to care or even really notice?  How the mighty have fallen.
• Is Mike Brown smart enough to realize that going small with LeBron at the 4 (thus forcing the Lakers to either go small with Artest at the 4 or risk James obliterating Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol on defense) is Cleveland’s best chance to defeat LA?  My guess, no, not even remotely smart enough.

TWO Predictions:

• The Lakers will head home to a very merry Christmas celebration while Cleveland will spend the day shaking lumps of coal out of their stocking after losing.
• I fall asleep halfway through the third quarter, not because the game is boring, mind you, but because I ALWAYS on X-Mas no matter how hard I try.  The combination of getting up early, opening gifts and then gorging on prime rib just seems to be a recipe for late afternoon narcolepsy for me.

ONE Match-up to Watch:

• Coby Karl vs. Adam Morrison… sorry, just had to do a quick check to see who has had too much eggnog.  Clearly the match-up to watch is Kobe vs. LeBron even though they won’t actually be guarding each other much.  They are the two best players in the game and squaring off on a national stage.  Both will try and make a statement and likely spend the game trying to one-up each other.

ZERO Tolerance for… LeBron having his way with Ron Artest.  Nobody can really stop LeBron James, but he can at least be made to earn his production.  Artest was brought in specifically to slow down the LeBron’s of the world and if he can’t keep him in check in this high profile game, then what hope is there of him slowing him down in a potential NBA Finals match-up?

Leave your own questions, answers, predictions or wishes as a comment or just hang out with us during the game or hit us up on Twitter @LakersOfFire.

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Laker Linkage – 12/3/09

• The Story: Luke Walton is back sitting on the bench with the Lakers again.  The Fire Says: Luke won’t be active for a few weeks yet, but at least he is feeling good enough to hang with the rest of the team after having surgery the other week.
• The Story: Kobe Bryant is making a point to show support for the bench players, specifically Adam Morrison.  The Fire Says: Kobe is trying to help the bench boost their confidence and turn around their fortunes.
• The Story: Pau Gasol and opera tenor Placido Dominago have formed an unlikely friendship.  The Fire Says: I can’t imagine what the two talk about other than Spain and beards.
• The Story: The Lakers aren’t commenting about Ron Artest’s claim that he used to drink during games early in his career.  The Fire Says: And smartly so as no good can come from it.  I still think that Ron-Ron is just making stuff up to increase his legend as a world-class weirdo, which he seems to enjoy for some reason.
• The Story: A Sporting News poll of experts has Kobe Bryant voted as the best player in the NBA, getting almost twice as many first-place votes as LeBron James.  The Fire Says: The voters were a collection of current players, former players, NBA legends, coaches and GMs, so it is pretty much as legit as it gets, therefore, suck it LeBron.

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