Ballin’: Lakers .500 For First Time Since Monday, Probably Going to Win All the Titles

ESPN wants you to know that the Lakers are totally back. First they showed the league they could compete by getting their asses kicked by the Thunder. Last night they showed that Kobe and Dwight had “forged a partnership.” They showed this by falling behind by 25 to the New Orleans Hornets – a team just a half-game out of the bottom spot in the Western Conference. A team that defended the wrong fucking basket late in the 4th quarter of a 2-point game. The Lakers are back.

Celtics 83, Pacers 81 – Beautiful final play drawn up by Doc Rivers.

Knicks 87, Pistons 77 – No Carmelo? No problem. More shots for J.R. Smith! (7-22 for 20 points) Amar’e Stoudemire went for 22 points and 9 rebounds off the bench while Ray Felton scored 26 to offset his 7 turnovers.

Warriors 87, Kings 83 – Demcarus Cousins has made 3 of 22 shots in his last two games.

Heat 97, Magic 96 - LeBron’s left-handed layup won the game.

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19 Responses to “Ballin’: Lakers .500 For First Time Since Monday, Probably Going to Win All the Titles”

knifeyspoony Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:04 PM

ESPN wants you to know that the Lakers are totally back. First they showed the league they could compete by getting their asses kicked by the Thunder. Last night they showed that Kobe and Dwight had “forged a partnership.”

who’d have thought that the network that gainfully employs Magic Johnson would be so steadfastly pro-Lakers?

José Pippen Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:06 PM

As fun as it is to watch Kobe go to work at times, I don’t know if there is a person alive I’d like to play basketball with less if I were another superstar. The runner up is probably Dwight.

Some Random Old Dude Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:07 PM

In other news, Grizzlies are 11-4 since Rudy Gay trade. Came back from halftime deficit to beat Portland.

Nada Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:10 PM

But how did Austin Rivers fare?

knifeyspoony Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:11 PM

But how did Austin Rivers fare?

10 points (5-6 FG), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, no turnovers.

it was against an awful defensive team though.

knifeyspoony Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:12 PM

make that 1 steal, no assists.

MP Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:15 PM

Combine that with 9 points, 2 boards, 0 assists, and 1 turnover on Monday and he’s having a career week.

Career High Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:23 PM

As fun as it is to watch Kobe go to work at times, I don’t know if there is a person alive I’d like to play basketball with
I think this goes without saying. He just seems like a miserable teamate.

Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:24 PM

Pistons only lost by 10? not bad.

Jim Harbaugh Scramble Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:25 PM

I think this goes without saying. He just seems like a miserable teamate.

It ain’t easy being GOAT.

/Nods at Cursed

starkweather Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:26 PM

A team that defended the wrong fucking basket late in the 4th quarter of a 2-point game.

How did I miss that? That’s awesome

Gmurr Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:36 PM

But how did Austin Rivers fare?

Sorry dudes and TBL, but he’s likely out for the season, broken hand.
http://nba.si.com/2013/03/07/austin-rivers-hand-injury-hornets/?eref=twitter_feed

MP Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:40 PM

His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 5.7 ranks him No. 334 out of an ESPN.com database of 335 qualified players this season. His Value Added, a measurement of his performance relative to an average replacement player, was -100.2, by far the worst in the database.

/dying

Nada Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 12:45 PM

And so endeth the daily Austin Rivers Alert.

Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 1:06 PM

His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 5.7 ranks him No. 334 out of an ESPN.com database of 335 qualified players this season. His Value Added, a measurement of his performance relative to an average replacement player, was -100.2, by far the worst in the database.

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knifeyspoony Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 1:28 PM

His Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 5.7 ranks him No. 334 out of an ESPN.com database of 335 qualified players this season. His Value Added, a measurement of his performance relative to an average replacement player, was -100.2, by far the worst in the database.

the only player with a worse PER was the immortal Sasha Pavlovic. brilliant.

Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez has the highest WAR evah! Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 1:34 PM

I really don’t understand why the Los Angeles Lakers underachieving with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash is such a big story, when we could be getting more updates on the goings on of the Utah Jazz.

Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 2:22 PM

I really don’t understand why the Los Angeles Lakers underachieving with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash is such a big story, when we could be getting more updates on the goings on of the Utah Jazz.

I don’t think anyone is shocked that the Lakers are the big story the issue is that ESPN is framing them constantly now as “back.” A blowout loss to Oklahoma “proved they could compete” when that wasn’t even remotely the case. It’s kind of like when MNF announcers try to convince people that a game isn’t over so they won’t tune out.

knifeyspoony Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 2:35 PM

I really don’t understand why the Los Angeles Lakers underachieving with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash is such a big story,

it’d be nice if anyone (other than Zach Lowe) would try to explain why instead of just saying, “Dwight Howard isn’t a winner,” and “look at what Kobe Bryant just tweeted.”