The Perpetual NBA Thread

**theveed** · March 9th, 2007 08:48 PM

I agree, the league right now is getting ridiculous in terms of sensitivity... Have you seen the techs that Amare is getting these days? hehe...

Mas physical pa WNBA eventually...

**tsupermario** · March 9th, 2007 10:08 PM

Kobe the cheap-shot artist
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Wednesday, Mar 7, 2007 8:15 pm EST

Once more, Kobe Bryant has cost himself the leverage to wag his finger and bemoan the tactics of the Raja Bells and Bruce Bowens in the Western Conference playoffs. No one confuses Bryant's intentions now. He keeps swinging for faces and keeps connecting.

First, it was San Antonio's Manu Ginobili. This time, it was Minnesota's Marko Jaric. For every aspect of basketball that Bryant has perfected, he's failing at the art of concealing the cheap shot. Stu Jackson's office let Kobe off easy with a one-game suspension for popping Jaric on Tuesday night, especially with the memory still so fresh of Bryant's shot upside Ginobili's head in late January. This latest transgression was worth two games, easy. Maybe three.

Somehow, this has become a part of Bryant's arsenal. Another missed jump shot, and another wild, flail on his follow-through at a defender's face. Whatever the story he's spinning this season, there remains a lot of anger, a lot of unrest within the Los Angeles Lakers star, and these are the moments when it manifests. And isn't it curious how he keeps picking victims whom he doesn't fear will fight back?

"I don't think he would've done that to (Minnesota's) Ricky Davis," one Eastern Conference scout said Wednesday. "In part, Kobe probably thought that if anything went down, he'd beat Marko's ass. No question in his mind. With Ricky, he's probably got a little more respect for him as a player, and probably a little more concern. 'I might be able to beat his ass, too, but I'm not necessarily sure it's worth the trouble.'

"The respect factor, of who it is, plays a big role in it."

This scout happens to believe that Kobe learned this trick from his old teammate and nemesis, Shaquille O'Neal. No one in the sport finds more creative ways to get in his digs than Shaq, especially when it appears he's accidentally gotten tangled on his way to the ground.

"When he's getting fouled, Shaq is notorious for flailing and trying to inflict damage on the culprits involved," the scout said. "He's looking for a little payback. I can sympathize with him. Shaq's always got guys draped on him, beating on him, and they know they've got to hit him hard or there's going to be a three-point play.

"But whichever big stiff who Shaq didn't have respect for -- whose job it was to beat on him -- he loved to punish them. He would hit them in the mouth, jaw -- always do it on the offense end, not on defense. That way, he was able to conceal it a bit with his move."

As it's gone lately, Bryant hasn't had the ability to conceal those agitated swings and swipes. And when the playoffs arrive, when the West's real tough guys come calling, Lakers coach Phil Jackson and he will have a tougher time selling the sport's best player as a victim. The league suspended him for Wednesday night's game with the Bucks, but Kobe Bryant starts paying the price now.

he should call dikembe :D

**tsupermario** · March 9th, 2007 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by ILuvDetailing

I think Zo's case was different, he had a Kidney disorder and later a Kidney transplant. I remember Grant Hill playing thru what they then call a "Severely sprained ankle" which turned out to be a stress fracture after futher tests during the offseason, Wade should think long term and have surgery right now...

i remember reading something where he said that the medicines he took over the years probably contributed to his kidney ailment

Mourning said he still believed that long-term use of anti-inflammatories over his 12-year career contributed to his disease. "When I was first diagnosed, they said that some of the possible causes may have to do with all the anti-inflammatories I took early in my career," he said in a recent interview.

**ssaloon** · March 10th, 2007 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by theveed

I agree, the league right now is getting ridiculous in terms of sensitivity... Have you seen the techs that Amare is getting these days? hehe...

Mas physical pa WNBA eventually...

i also noticed that. 2 more and he'll be in rasheed territory...

mashado nang mahigpit, wala na yung emotion ng game.

**RMean** · March 11th, 2007 07:31 PM

francis' game winning shot

walang kakwenta kwenta ung commentator dito.. hindi man lng binigyan ng buhay ung game winning three ni francis

**ssaloon** · March 12th, 2007 09:24 AM

^ shempre, wizards broadcasting crew yung commentators eh.

**empy** · March 12th, 2007 11:14 AM

uy, sabi ni Jim Gray (ESPN commentator broadcasting the Mavs - Lakers game) babalik daw si Lamar Odom next week!! :clap:

**theveed** · March 12th, 2007 01:05 PM

SHET! hehe nadrop ko pa naman!

**luckystriker** · March 12th, 2007 07:31 PM

Another game winning shot by the Knicks

As far as the Mavericks are concerned; i gotta hand it to them. A 17 game winning streak!!?. At the rate they're going if they keep playing like this; 70 wins is a possibility. [IF they remain injury free and continue to play their starters towards the end of the season] Coaches tend to rest their starters when the post-season draws near.

**theveed** · March 12th, 2007 08:01 PM

Madadagdagan nanaman mga Knicks game winning shots sa BTV hehehe.

Lupet ng Mavs grabe, they're so balanced and poised now, kinda reminds me of the Spurs's championship years...

Both Utah and Dallas have really strong benches grabe. The key for Dallas seems to be each player is so focused on what their roles are...