Rockets Blast Off on Lakers

Well it's only fitting that the Lakers-Rockets series is going to seven games. After all, who wouldn't expect this since the Rockets are playing without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady? Oh wait, you mean the Lakers have gotten blown out in the two games in Houston since Yao's injury? The only word that can describe the Lakers performance tonight is pathetic. I'm pretty sure the Clippers could have given a better effort than the Lakers did tonight. I was disgusted watching this team play, and really for the first time was ashamed of the team and the coaching staff. I guess the past two games in Houston have given me an inside look on what it's like to be a Clipper fan. They're used to mediocre performances from their team, and it sure looked like the Lakers were trying to give them some competition tonight.

Tonight's game was a virtual repeat of Game 4. The Rockets dominated from the start, and led by as many as 18. The Lakers were resilient though, as they cut the lead down to two at one point in the 3rd quarter. The Lakers were never able to get over the hump and now must find a way to regroup for Game 7. What bothers me the most is that it's not even the Rockets superstars that are beating the Lakers, it's guys like LUIS SCOLA and CARL LANDRY. Give me a freaking break Lakers! I mean at least let Ron Artest beat you. The way the Lakers played in Game 5 is exactly how they should have been playing all series. Tonight they looked flat, they were horrible on defense, and they could not make shots to save their lives. 

I love Derek Fisher, but it's about time Phil Jackson starts Jordan Farmar. Fisher has played like absolute garbage this series. Tonight he shot 1-7 from the field and went a stellar 0-5 from 3-point land. Kobe Bryant had 32 points for the Lakers, who lost for the third time in the past 18 games when they have had a chance to close out a series.

The Lakers focus now shifts to Game 7, which is in Los Angeles on Sunday. Despite how poorly the Lakers played tonight, I can't say I'm terribly worried that they will lose the series. Sure anything can happen in a Game 7, but if there are two people I want on my team for a Game 7, it's Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. Kobe has averaged more than 35 points in games after the Lakers have lost. Kobe simply will not let this team lose in the second round, especially to a Rockets team that the Lakers have dominated at times in this series. In Game 5, the Lakers won by 40 points. Staples Center will be rocking, and the Lakers will advance to the Western Conference Finals to face Denver, guaranteed. If they lose, so help me God.

What A Year It Has Been

On my final night of my freshman year at ASU, I was able to enjoy a nice Laker blowout. The Lake Show is one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals after they destroyed Houston 118-78 in Game 5 of the best of seven series. This finally looked like the Laker team I have seen all year. They were aggressive on defense, they looked great on offense, and they were energetic. The Lakers more than made up for their pitiful performance on Sunday, when they lost 99-87. Andrew Bynum started at center and played well, scoring 14 points and grabbing six rebounds. The duo of Pau Gasol and Bynum were unstoppable, and I expect to see the Lakers close out the series in Game 6, which is Thursday night in Houston at 6:30

My freshman year at Arizona State is all but over. I have to write one final story for my news writing class, and then I will be done. How fast the time has gone. It seems like yesterday that I was moving in and meeting a new group of people, and now I am moving out with a year full of unforgettable memories.

It's only been one year, but I already know that coming to Arizona State is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. Over the past year I have gotten to know so many fun, loving, and interesting people. I have met people that are just as crazy about sports as I am. The guys I am living with next year are a few of the closest friends I have ever had in my life. Coming into my freshman year, I didn't know what to expect. Never in a million years did I think I would have as much fun as I did this past year. Everyone I have gotten to know in Cronkite Village has had an impact on me in one way or another, and for that I am very grateful. 

Not only has the social life been great, but the extra-cirricular life has been spectacular. It took me all of three weeks before I made my debut on the Blaze 1260 AM. The times I have had at the Blaze have been great. From doing Bottom of the Sixth, to calling three ASU Basketball games this year, I have had a fantastic experience in student radio. The experiences with the Blaze have only cemented the fact that I know Sports Radio is the career I want to pursue. I would be ignorant if I didn't give my praise to the one who has made this all possible for me: God. He has blessed me with the opportunity to be at ASU, and to be involved with the Blaze. Without him, I would be nothing. I also have to give my deepest thanks to my parents, who have supported me and sacrificed so much for me to be here. They have been my biggest supporters, always encouraging me and listening to me every time I was on-the-air. Without their love and support, I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am now.

The time has come, so for now, I say farewell to ASU. I leave the desert later today, and will be back in mid-August. I hope the next three months of summer go by as quickly as this past school year did. This year has been a blast, and I can only hope next year is even better. 

Mother's Day Massacre

The Lakers blew a golden opportunity to put away the Houston Rockets, as they were beat 99-87 in Game 4 of their best of seven series today. Not only did the Rockets beat the Lakers without Yao Ming, they made it look easy. Point guard Aaron Brooks led the way with 34 points, and Shane Battier added 23 for the Rockets, who are now 4-0 all time against the Lakers when playing without Yao. 

Houston started the game on a 22-7 run, and from there it was obvious the Lakers were both lethargic and taking the Rockets lightly. They played horrible defense and gave away turnovers, which led to easy points for Houston. The halftime score was 54-36, and at that point I figured the Lakers would make halftime adjustments and come out strong in the third quarter, but I was wrong. Houston outscored the Lakers 29-18 in the third quarter. Oh I forgot to mention Aaron Brooks alone scored 17 points in the quarter. Yes you read that clearly, AARON BROOKS had 1 point less than the entire Laker team in the third quarter. To make matters worse, Laker forward Lamar Odom left the game with back spasms in the middle of the third quarter. Then there is Kobe Bryant, who finished with 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting. In the first three games, Bryant averaged 35 points and took more than 25 shots in each game. 

It's as if the Lakers were surprised to see the Rockets play with heart after they lost Yao Ming for the year. The Rockets are down two centers, so why Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum didn't get the ball down low every possession is a mystery. When the game was over in the fourth quarter, the Lakers finally went to Pau over and over, and what do you know, they won the quarter by 17 points. With Yao out, a faster pace favors Houston. The Lakers cannot get caught playing Houston's style of play. They need to slow it down, and hold Houston to perimeter shots, but CHALLENGE them.

The Lakers blew a golden chance to put Houston away. If they had won, they would have taken a 3-1 series lead going back to Los Angeles, and they would have sucked away any momentum from Houston. Now the Rockets believe they can win, and frankly the Lakers should be worried. They are not playing anywhere near the level they can, and considering that Cleveland and Denver are playing out their minds right now, I don't even know if you can guarantee the Lakers can win the Western Conference. I love Phil Jackson, but part of the blame of this pathetic performance today has to fall on his shoulders. The Lakers need to make adjustments, and they need to wake up and realize this Rockets team is for real and out for blood. The positive thing is that the Lakers split the two games in Houston, and now have home court advantage again. All they need to do is win on their home court and they will advance to the Western Conference Finals. Game 5 is Tuesday night at 7:30 in Los Angeles. 

It's Just Manny Being Manny...

A day after the Dodgers set MLB history, they were hit with a....BAM! And no, I'm not referring to the sound of the bat after a Manny Ramirez home run, I'm referring to the hammer that Major League Baseball brought down on the Dodgers slugger today. Manny has been suspended for 50 games effective immediately for violating the MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Now let's make one thing clear: Manny DID NOT test positive for steroids, rather he tested positive for a substance that is on the league's banned list. According to Yahoo Sports, the substance Manny tested positive for is called HCG, which is a female fertility drug  (Atta boy Manny!). Manny claims he didn't know the drug was illegal, but the fact is he will now be put in the same category as Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Roger Clemens as far as people that have been implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs. The difference is that unlike Bonds or A-Rod, Manny has been suspended by this drug policy. Say all you want about Barry Bonds, the fact is he has never been suspended. Say all you want about A-Rod, the fact is he has never been suspended. The thing I am most disappointed in is that Manny should have known better than to put something in his body if he had ANY doubt that it could have been illegal. Instead of going to some random doctor in Florida, he should have consulted a team physician and gotten a medicine that is approved by Major League Baseball. Because of his choice, Manny will lose about $8 million of his $25 million salary.

This is a devastating blow not only to the Dodgers, but to all the fans that treated Manny like a God. Never would I have thought that any other athlete in Los Angeles would be on an equal popularity level as Kobe Bryant, but Manny is. He is the reason why so many people pay good money to go to games, I mean for crying out loud there are a couple of sections at Dodger Stadium referred to as "Mannywood". I expect Dodger fans to support Manny through all of this, but even I being the loyal Dodger fan I am will have a hard time looking at Manny the same way I did before. Never did I think Manny would ever be caught using a banned-substance. At this time, I really have to wonder if there is anyone in the game that isn't taking some sort of performance-enhancing drug. It's because of instances like these that so many people look at baseball as a joke.

Manny was batting .348 with six home runs and 20 RBI's. The Dodgers still have the best record in baseball at 21-8, and lead the National League West by 6 1/2 games. Manny's absence will have a huge impact on the play of guys like Orlando Hudson, Andre Eithier, and Matt Kemp. Not only is Manny a leader on the field, but he is a leader off the field as well. He is the calming presence in the Dodger clubhouse, and he taught players to have fun while playing the game. There is still a lot of information to be revealed, but for the time being, Manny has ruined his reputation. He will now be treated like an A-Rod or a Barry Bonds in opposing ballparks (Not that he wasn't already). It's sad that six out of the top 12 leaders in home runs could potentially miss the Hall of Fame due to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

I'm still in shock, I never thought Manny would ever cheat, but I guess at this point, it's not surprising. It is only a matter of time before the next superstar is caught, which is very sad. The thing is Manny came clean and admitted his use, and for that I can forgive him. I am still happy he is a Dodger, God knows the Dodgers would not be anywhere close to where they are now if it wasn't for him. I know that the LA fans will welcome him back with open arms on July 3rd, when he is eligible to rejoin the team. The fact is the Dodgers can win without Manny, and now is the time where manager Joe Torre makes his veteran leadership felt in the clubhouse. Torre has had experience dealing with the media when he was in New York, and he will have to do the same now in LA. If the Dodgers can go .500 in the time Manny is gone, they will be fine and will probably still win the division. But until July 3rd, the Dodgers will be without their best player, and a city will be without its hero.

Tempers Flare, but Lakers Prevail

Fasten your seatbelts ladies and gentleman, we've got ourselves a series. The Los Angeles Lakers evened things out in Game 2 of the best of seven series, as they defeated the Houston Rockets 111-98 behind Kobe Bryant's 40 points. Pau Gasol added 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who have now won 14 of their last 16 playoff games at home. Lamar Odom got the start over Andrew Bynum and played 34 minutes. Jordan Farmar came off the bench and logged in more minutes in Game 2 than he had in the entire postseason, as he was a big part of why the Lakers outscored Houston 20-5  in fast break points. 

After seeing Kobe Bryant shoot poorly in Game 1, I expected him to come out right away and put his imprint in this game. He did that immediately in the first quarter, as he went 7-of-11 from the field and scored 15 points, while Pau shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the field and finished the quarter with 13 points. I have said time and time again that if I was a head coach, and I had to pick one player to have in a must win game, there is no question it would be Kobe. Knowing the magnitude and potential championship implications this game had, Kobe came out on fire and willed his team to victory. Like he did in Game 4 of the Utah series, Kobe put the Laker team on his back and put on a "Jordanesque" performance

This game was boiled with emotions. There were two ejections, five technical fouls, and one flagrant foul called. Derek Fisher was ejected at the end of the third quarter after getting a flagrant-two foul for throwing an elbow at the head of Luis Scola. Fisher's hit was great for football, but his foul will most certainly result in a suspension of Game 3. Ron Artest was ejected for receiving two technical fouls after getting an elbow to the throat from Kobe. I knew this would be a physical series, but there appears to be bad blood between the two teams. The NBA is reviewing Fish's foul, and I'd be shocked if he wasn't suspended for Game 3. 

It was a great win for the Lakers, but the next two games in Houston will determine the Lake Show's fate in the series. LA has to win at least one of the games to keep their hopes of advancing alive. If they lost both games in Houston, they will lose the series. Game 3 is tomorrow night at 6:30 in Houston.

Houston, We Have A Problem

Well that wasn't exactly the result I was hoping to see. The Houston Rockets shocked the world after they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-92 in Game 1 of their best of seven series. Yao Ming had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Ron Artest added 21 points for the Rockets, who are playing in the second round for the first time since 1997. Kobe Bryant scored 32 points and did his best to keep the Lakers in the game despite playing with a sore throat. Bryant scored 22 of the final 42 points for the Lakers, who lost at home in the playoffs for only the second time in the past 15 games.

I can't find the proper word to describe my feelings on this game. Upset? Frustrated? Worried? Annoyed? Well all of those words can apply after watching the Lakers pathetic performance. Give a lot of credit to Houston. They were better on offense, they were more physical, and they were out to prove that they will not be intimidated by the Lakers. Every time the Lakers made a run, the Rockets would respond with a run of their own, as they were in control of the game the entire time. While I'll give credit to Houston, I can't help but to note on how poorly the Lakers played. Two stats that stick out are that the Lakers went 2-of-18 from three point land, and they went 12-of-19 from the free throw line. Pau Gasol was pathetic and so was Lamar Odom. Gasol finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, however he got a few baskets in garbage time. Odom had nine points and five rebounds, and went 1-of-6 from the free throw line. While Kobe had 32 points, it took him 31 shots to get there. It's clear the Lakers do not do well when Kobe shoots a lot, as they are 2-7 in the last nine playoff games Kobe has taken more than 30 shots. 

I love Phil Jackson, I usually don't criticize or judge any coaching moves he makes, but I was not pleased with the fact that Andrew Bynum barely played. In 15 minutes of play, Bynum had 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting. I really don't understand why Bynum was sitting on the bench for most of the second half, he played solid defense on Yao Ming while he was in, and he was actually able to make his shots unlike Gasol. It makes no sense to me, but I don't have nine championship rings so I'll leave it to Phil to make the coaching moves.

The good thing is that it's a seven game series, and there is still plenty of basketball to be played. The Lakers lost home-court advantage, but if there is any team that I can trust to win a game on the road, it's the Lakers. It was a week since the Lakers last played, and they sure showed signs of rust. I expect the Lakers to rebound and win Game 2, but at the same time, I expect Houston to come out with a fire as their confidence is sky high right now. Game 2, which is Wednesday night at 7:30 in Los Angeles is now a must win for the Lakers. 

So how about them Dodgers? The Blue Crew won again tonight, as they improved their major league leading record to 19-8, and 11-0 at home, which is the best start at home in National League history. Manny Ramirez and Andre Eithier hit back-to-back home runs for the Dodgers, who have now won five in a row. The Dodgers are one win away from tying the best home start in major league history. Hopefully they can keep up their stellar play, but as I said before, I care way more about the Lakers right now and really can't fully enjoy the Dodgers success just yet. 

WWE Monday Night Raw was less than stellar tonight, but it was still entertaining enough to help me forget about the Lakers loss. Randy Orton and The Legacy injured Shane McMahon, as they "shattered" his ankle with a steel chair. Shane O'Mac will probably be out of action for quite some time with his "injury". Judgement Day is two weeks away, but I doubt it will be a good Pay-Per-View as the matches scheduled so far really aren't anything to get excited about. 

Tomorrow is my last regular day of class, and then I start finals on Thursday. I am done with school a week from tomorrow. Today's forecast in Phoenix: Sunny with a high of 100.

Second Round Preview

The second round of the NBA playoffs began today, as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 109-95. I'll give a Lakers-Rockets preview, but instead of giving previews for the other matchups, I'm just going to give my predictions.

#1 Los Angeles Lakers vs #5 Houston Rockets

The Lakers are the deeper, longer and more talented team in this matchup. Coming off a 4-1 series win against the Utah Jazz, the Lakers had a few days to rest before finding out they would be playing Houston. The Rockets are in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997 after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in six games.

 The Lakers beat the Rockets all four times in the regular season, and the average margin of victory was 13 points. The Lakers have the advantage at almost every position, with the exceptions being at the center and the small forward. Rockets point guard Aaron Brooks played great in the Portland series, but in his two starts against the Lakers in the regular season, he was very ineffective as he averaged eight points while shooting 5-of-14 from the field. No one will get an advantage over Kobe Bryant, who really seems to enjoy playing against Shane Battier and Ron Artest. Kobe was very effective against Houston in the regular season, and I don't see anything that Artest or Battier can do other than fire him up. The one distinct advantage Houston has is their big man in the middle. Yao Ming is the best offensive center in the NBA, and has improved his defensive play tremendously. Yao will surely be tested on defense in this series with the Laker duo of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. With Bynum expected to be inserted back in the starting lineup, Lamar Odom will now be coming off the Laker bench that played very well against Utah. 

While Houston looked good against Portland, I just don't see any way that they give the Lakers a legitimate scare. The Rockets do not have the individual talent to threaten the Lakers, and they are very susceptible to being shut down for long periods of time. At this point the only thing that can stop the Lakers is themselves. Expect the Lakers to play with more intensity, as they have been criticized for seemingly playing careless basketball against Utah. With Kobe leading the way, the Lakers should roll through this series onto the Western Conference Finals. Game 1 is tomorrow night at 7:30 in Los Angeles

Pick- Lakers in five

#2 Denver Nuggets vs #6 Dallas Mavericks

Pick- Nuggets in six

In the Eastern Conference

#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #4 Atlanta Hawks

Pick- Cavs in seven

#2 Boston Celtics vs #3 Orlando Magic

Pick- Magic in six

First round prediction results: 6-2