Game 5: No More Mr. Nice Guy

Sure some of you might be thinking "but what about Game 4?" And to that I wave my hand and deftly say "There was no Game 4. These are not the droids you are looking for..." And so we move on...

Game 5 was a gut-check for the boys in purple and gold. After having their heart wrenched out in The Game Which Must Not Be Named, the Lakers were left with a decision: give up or come out swinging. Happily for the fans of La La Land they chose the latter. And for the first time in the series it looked like they played with a chip on their shoulder. As if to defiantly say to the big bullies from beantown "Not Anymore! You will NOT push us around anymore!" Sadly that has really been the deciding factor in the series thus far. Call it aggression or call it toughness; the Lakers have been lacking it up until this win or go home Game 5.

Perhaps the refs took it away from them in the lopsided foul calls of games 1 & 2. Perhaps it was simply their style of play being a finesse passing team. Whatever the case may be, the days of the Lakers getting pushed around and not fighting back are over (hopefully for good) after Game 5. The team made the decision to fight back. And that's not to say the Lakers weren't putting the effort out there or playing hard before. It was the mentality that had to change. The physical nature with which that effort needed to be harnessed. Much like young Daniel Larusso learning the Crane Technique, the Lakers cannot back down from the Cobra Kai equivalent Celtics.
Message received.

The Lakers stopped looking at the refs every time they got pushed and instead pushed back. They knew the contact was coming and they played through it serving back some contact of their own. There is nothing harder than watching your team being punked by another team. Let's face it, that's what the Celtics have tried to do in this series. Could the refs call the games closer? Yes. Are they going to call it that way in Boston in Game 6? Highly unlikely. As in no chance. So the Lakers better adjust and keep giving it right back.

It all starts with Kobe Bryant. From the first tip back in Boston Game 1 Kobe Bryant has been all too friendly with the opponents. This is the NBA Finals. And this is LA Lakers versus Boston Celtics. This rivalry spans over 5 decades. There is more heartache and animosity between these two franchises (and their fans) than arguably any other two in any sport. Period. And the Lakers' Star and league MVP is out there joking with the Boston players at crucial moments in the game? I'm sorry but that is just not the right message to send to your young teammates. If Kobe comes out in Game 1 and shows his team that he is not going to take any crap from these Celtics then it filters down to the rest of the guys. He is NOT buddies with these guys when they are out on the court. He is NOT gonna let them push his guys around.

Because if there is one certainty that I have learned from this series it is that the Celtics are not your friend. They may smile and talk with Kobe but the second that ball is inbounded they are sucker punching and pushing at every turn. And until Game 5 the Lakers were letting them do it with no repercussions. Not only were they letting them step all over them on both sides of the ball but they were doing it with our star smiling all the while. Again, not the message you want to send to your young teammates Kobe. Besides, he is one of the few players that actually plays BETTER when he is angry. That fire and intensity only ratchets up his game that much more. I want to see that fire and controlled anger towards his opponent in this series.

I have NEVER seen more uncontested drives to the basket for dunks in a Finals than the number Boston has had this series. I don't condone dirty plays but the Lakers need to give a hard foul or two (maybe get Rick Fox incarnate out there). Show that they are in this thing for real. The Lakers had an image of being a "soft" team heading into the finals and they have done very little to change that perception with their performance thus far until Game 5. Can a team change their identity? Does it require more than just saying No Easy Baskets? Yes it requires action. I want to see Kobe get in the face of KG or Pierce and send a message that WE (the Lakers) are not standing for that stuff. There is no knockout punch you can throw at US. Gasol has adjusted to the physicality and played much stronger in Game 5. Odom has managed to play more effectively without fouling and asserted himself as a force inside. Stand up for yourself. That's the message.
Game 6 should be another heavyweight fight with the team that asserts themselves better coming out on top. If the Celtics want to run that small lineup (especially with Perkins possible out again due to injury) then the Lakers must pound the ball in the paint. Show that they are not afraid to take it strong in there and go with a sense of purpose. Post Gasol up and get a touch inside EVERY POSSESSION. Give Odom the rock with deep position ALL DAY long with Posey trying to check him down there. Put Kobe down there too. If they shoot threes then they need to be inside-out threes. If they can get out in transition the more the better but be sure to take it to the rack. Don't settle.

And in response to popular demand: Here are the results from the So You Think You Can Draw A Foul? (or Who Wants To Be A Flopper?) Contest
1. Vlade Divac
2. Manu Ginobili
3. Derek Fisher
4. John Stockton
5. Sasha Vujacic

Game 3

No doubt we have all struggled through the first 2 games of this 2008 NBA Finals. Whether it was discrepancy in foul calls (as in we got none) or clanking misfires off the hand of the MVP, Laker fans are due for something to cheer about. Hopefully tonight will be that night. Considering the statistical significance of no team ever coming back from an 0-3 hole, I'm guessing we can all agree that tonight's bball game is in fact a must-win game. That being said, never been done before is only never been done before until someone does it. Deep, I know.

Predictions: I expect us to get to the free throw line about a hundred times tonight and Doc Rivers to say "Cmon dick, cmon" like a billion times. How old is Dick Bavetta btw? Shouldn't he be retired already? I know science has made it possible to live longer and with advances in modern medicine and his high level of income it isn't ridiculous to think that he will live to be 125 but running up and down the court with the speed of the game? Me thinks not. Which takes me to my next point: I think the NBA should put on a reality TV contest in the off-season choosing a replacement for Bavetta called "So you think you can ref?" Instead of dance-offs we would witness ref-offs and feats of strength/agility. Bavetta could be one of the judges along with Barkley and Rasheed Wallace. Tim Donaghy could do the PSAs. Priceless. Just for your info Bavetta was born in 1939. That's WWII time for those of you keeping score at home.

This is for John

Divine Intervention

And so the first game in the uber-hyped NBA 2008 Finals is in the books with a decisive overpowering victory going to the boys in Green. The Boston Celtics managed more than just a victory during the 98-88 final; they called upon a miracle. Yes there definitely was a higher power at work in the Boston locker room during the 3rd Qtr last night. The same room in which an apparent knee-injured Paul Pierce ran out of only minutes after being carried into writhing in pain. We all feared the worst watching as fans of the game not ever wanting to see anyone get injured as Pierce went down awkwardly in that 3rd Qtr. But what started as concern quickly turned to incredulity as a seemingly revived and healthy Pierce ran out onto the court less than 2 minutes of game time later. From that point he went on to hit 2 consecutive threes giving the Celtics the lead of which they never gave up again. Pierce went 6-6 in the second half scoring 19 points over the final two Qtrs. So what happened? Well, placing all acts of divine intervention aside; some of the same issues that have bothered the Lakers in earlier rounds this postseason reared their ugly head again in Game 1. The most notable being rebounding. It's not just the overall margin on the boards (13) but also the timely manner in which those rebounds came. It always seemed to be on the possessions where the Lakers were starting to get some momentum in the 2nd half. Or on a missed Boston free throw attempt that turned into more time off the clock and an additional two points for the Celtics.

Being outhustled to loose balls and outworked on the glass are painful things to watch as a fan. Combine that with an off shooting night from MVP Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were fortunate to hold close in the second half. Look for Gasol and Odom to have bounceback games if the Lakers are to steal a game in Boston. KG is going to be a tough matchup but the Lakers will look to disrupt his game a bit more as the series progresses as well as attacking the rim with more fervor and intention. With Game 1 jitters gone I expect a better performance in Game 2 for the Lakers. Of course, you never know what kind of magic Boston has in store for the second installation of this epic rivalry.

Make Money Money

For Love Of The Game. That's the motto and the anthem of this blog. That's why we cheer so hard for players like Ronnie Turiaf and that's what makes sports so exhilarating. But there is no denying the simple truth that professional athletes today get paid vast sums of money. And it would be naive to believe that they play the game solely out of their love for it. In fact, many might be playing purely for monetary reasons as even the average players in the top U.S. leagues make mid-to-high six figure minimums. It begs the question: Have we lost the purity of the game amidst the tidal wave of salary earnings and endorsement deals?

Sports Illustrated recently released a list of the top 50 highest-earning athletes in the U.S. this past year and a breakdown of their earnings between salary and endorsements. I figured it would be fun to take a look at the top 10. The results just might surprise you.

1. Tiger Woods ($23 Million Winnings + $105 Million Endorsements = $128Million)
2. Phil Mickelson ($9 Million Winnings + $53 Million Endorsements = $62 Million)
3. Lebron James ($12.5 Million Salary + $28 Million Endorsements = $40.5 Million)
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr. ($20 Million Salary + $20 Million Endorsements = $40 Million)
5. Kobe Bryant ($19.5 Million Salary + $16 Million Endorsements = $35.5 Million)
6. Shaquille O'Neal ($20 Million Salary + $15 Million Endorsements = $35 Million)
7. Alex Rodriguez ($29 Million Salary + $6 Million Endorsements = $35 Million)
8. Kevin Garnett ($22 Million Salary + $9 Million Endorsements = $31 Million)
9. Peyton Manning ($17.5 Million Salary + $13 Million Endorsements = $30.5 Million)
10. Derek Jeter ($22 Million Salary + $8 Million Endorsements = $30 Million)
Of course no one should be surprised to see Tiger Woods topping the list. I don't know of a product he DOESN'T push on my TV screen. I was surprised at the sheer size of that endorsement number for the year at $105 Million. He more than DOUBLES everyone on the list and TRIPLES everyone except number 2. It is safe to say that he has become this generations Michael Jordan. Another two years at this pace and he will be the first $1Billion dollar sports earner ever. Not too shabby.

I was shocked to see Phil Mickelson at number 2 with a whopping $53 million in endorsements. I know he is a fan favorite and I hear people actually watch and follow golf but $53 million? Seriously? It is still up for discussion whether or not golf is actually a sport versus a skill. There is no doubt that Mickelson would have serious trouble competing in any cardiovascular activity. I doubt that he could run a mile under the 12 minute mark that the state requires for all 6th graders. And to be honest I can't think of what products sponsor him. Must be a bunch of financial companies catering to the older white guys who know who he is. Questionable.

The biggest surprise name on the list has to be Mayweather. Haven't we all decided that boxing is on the way out in the mainstream sports media. No one is excited about that sport anymore. I guess you can never underestimate the bump the comes after doing Dancing With The Stars. I seem to recall him fighting in a WWF match recently. That MUST mean things are going good.

It seems to me that Kobe has positioned himself for the biggest rise in the list come next year's rankings. He is going for an NBA Championship and Finals MVP to go along with his regular season MVP this year. And it has been a long 4 years since his run in with the law and that alleged incident in Colorado. Nike has already jumped back on board and I expect he will have many more sponsors come this off-season. Think about it, the guy jumps over Aston Martins in youtube videos in order to make a little more in the endorsement game. Not to mention water pits with snakes in them. So are these athletes worth the money? And has the sanctity of the game been lost with the huge increases in earnings? The old boston celtics players of the late 50s and 60s were champions many times over and leaders of the NBA. And yet many if not most of the players (Russell excluded) worked summer jobs in the off-season to cover their bills. It almost seems impossible to fathom that kind of a scenario with todays pro sports environment. In today's sporting world the growth in the media outlets and the market for advertising revenues has expanded so vastly that its hard to argue against the justification for paying these salaries/incomes. If the owners of the teams are willing to fork out the cash for these players then it must be worth it from a bottom line perspective.

The question of athletes being overpaid is really a function of our society and how much stake we put into entertainment and celebrities. If we actively campaigned and worked with as much passion for our school system budgets and medical care as we do for our sports teams then maybe the dollar amounts would change. After all, the demand drives the product. If there is no audience for a team or a league then the money goes away and it all dries up. Would this ever happen in a world where we care more about the winner of American Idol than the President of the Country? Don't hold your breath.

So it only goes up and up from here. Can the athlete of today hold on to that purity of sport that begins when he/she is a kid shooting hoops in the driveway after school? Can he/she manage to separate the game from the business that it actually is? Are there more Ronnie Turiaf's out there playing with pure joy and emotion for the sport that they love? I certainly hope so.