The NBA Playoffs 2006

[Romeo Delight]

Iverson was left off US Olympic Team.

Nice effort, shooting lights out in final quarter.

I think he was sending a message, but you can't fault selections on team.

Webber is a surprise this year. I though he was done.


http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=156751&hubname=nba



HOUSTON (AP) - Even though Allen Iverson scored 40 points, the Philadelphia 76ers knew it took a team effort to rally past the Houston Rockets.

Iverson had 12 points in the fourth quarter, but he had plenty of help in Philadelphia's 106-101 on Wednesday night.

''This was a heck of a win for us,'' coach Maurice Cheeks said. ''And it was very much a team win. Sam (Dalembert) had a big block for us in the fourth quarter, Johnny Salmons had some big baskets and Chris (Webber) was fantastic.

''Let's don't forget Allen Iverson. Allen put us in position to win. But this was still a prime example of a team effort.''

Webber had 21 points and 13 rebounds for his 26th double-double of the season. Kyle Korver added 14 points, including three three-pointers in the final period. Salmons had 10 points and four rebounds, and praised Iverson.

''He had it going again,'' Salmons said. ''He's just one of those special players. Whatever makes a great player great, that's what he has. I don't know what it is for sure but I'm trying to get it.

''The good thing tonight is we all contributed when it was critical. When he's dominating like that and we keep moving and getting our shots, we can beat anybody - even Detroit.''

The Rockets wouldn't argue on this night.

''Pretty much down the stretch, those guys got any shots they wanted,'' said Tracy McGrady, who led Houston with 25 points, including 12 in the third quarter when Houston led by as many as 11.

''Not only were they shots they wanted, but they were shots in the paint and those are pretty good shots. We didn't do a good job of preventing them from getting those shots.''

Coach Jeff Gundy agreed.

''That was a very disappointing fourth quarter,'' he said. ''The level of defence, the intensity, was not correct and the shot selection was outside-in versus inside-out.

''That's very disappointing and we deserve what we got.''

A day after it was reported that Iverson was not among the players invited to U.S. national team training camp, he responded with his 12th game of 40 or more points this season. His season high was 53 at Atlanta on Dec. 23 and he is averaging 33 points, the most of his nine-year career.

A late 8-0 run, with six points from Iverson, gave the 76ers a 104-98 lead with 1:38 to play. Iverson wrapped it up with a 17-foot jumper with 21 seconds to play for the game's final basket.

[Romeo Delight]

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story/?ID=156706&hubname=nba


BOSTON (AP) - After struggling through three quarters, Antoine Walker came through when it mattered most against his old team.

Dwyane Wade had 24 points and eight assists, Walker scored all of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, and the Miami Heat extended their winning streak to seven with a 103-96 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

''Any time you come back and beat your old team, it has meaning,'' said Walker, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Celtics. ''In the fourth quarter, I just told myself to be aggressive.''

Shaquille O'Neal added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Heat, who had six players score in double figures and outscored the Celtics 56-32 in the paint.

Wade, the Eastern Conference player of the month for February, shot 7-of-15 from the field and was 10-of-16 from the free throw line. He also had five rebounds for the Heat, who have won 12 of 14 and improved to 26-10 since Pat Riley took over for Stan Van Gundy as coach Dec. 12.

Paul Pierce, who set a Celtics record by averaging 33.5 points per game in February, scored 38 points. Delonte West had 20 and Wally Szczerbiak added 12 for the Celtics.

Walker, making his first appearance in Boston since been traded to the Heat in the off-season, was 0-of-4 from the floor through three quarters. But he was 5-of-7 in the fourth, including 3-of-5 from beyond the three-point line, as the Celtics' two-game winning streak ended.

''In the second half and fourth quarter, you could see he was ready to make the shots,'' Wade said. ''When you got veteran guys like 'Toine coming off the bench, they won't let you lose.''

The Heat led by as many as 11 early in the fourth quarter, but West and Ryan Gomes sparked a Boston rally.

After Shandon Anderson's free throw gave the Heat an 80-70 lead with 9:47 remaining, West hit two consecutive three-pointers to pull Boston within 80-76.

Walker then made a three-pointer to extend Miami's lead to 85-78, but Raef LaFrentz and West made back-to-back three-pointers and Gomes hit a 21-foot jumper to make it 86-85 and give Boston its first lead since early in the third quarter.

After the teams traded baskets, Walker gave Miami the lead for good when his layup made it 90-88 with 4:44 remaining.

Walker's third three-pointer of the fourth then pushed Miami's lead to 100-94 with 55 seconds remaining.

''You've got to pick your poison with them,'' Pierce said. ''We're doubling Shaq and paying so much attention to Wade, we leave Antoine open. He was able to step up and knock down some shots.''

Anderson scored a season-high 15 points and Jason Williams added 13 points and nine assists for Miami.

After scoring 28 first-quarter points, Boston managed just 40 in the second and third quarters combined. O'Neal had three blocked shots and Alonzo Mourning had two for Miami.

''I thought we really lost our intensity,'' Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ''We started watching them play for a while, and I thought that really hurt us.''

Al Jefferson, who returned after missing nine games with a sprained right ankle, contributed seven points and five rebounds for the Celtics.

Jefferson scored the first five points of the second quarter to extend Boston's lead to 33-26.

But Anderson scored six in the second quarter to help the Heat chip away at the lead and pull to within 48-46 at halftime.



Damn! I do like Miami! Flash is the most improved player by far this year. Watch out.

[Romeo Delight]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260304013

Hey Brett! Did the lakers hire a couple of guys to 10-days just so they could be cheerleaders off the bench?

Who is that dude in all the highlight packages jumpin around like Will Farrell after a made foul shot?

Anyways, they beat the Pistons, which is reason to celebrate.

Kwame held Wallace to 17 on 7-17 shooting! Maybe Brown can be a solid rebounder and defender?

[Brett]

HAHA, I don't care as long as they win. I was out all night, I didn't even see the game...figured I wasn't going to miss anything but the Lakers losing by 15. To say I was rather shocked by the final score would be an understatement.

[Romeo Delight]

Lakers beat San Antonio (although SA had just played Phoenix the night before)

Who saw Kobe posterize entire San Antonio team last night, especially dunking on Duncan mercilessly.

Damned impressive.

[Romeo Delight]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2363437

The Canuck's majority owner has contacted NBA head office and has been promised a serious look for potential moves within the NBA for troubled franchises.

Portland's move to Vancouver would not affect divisions.

Stern knows he fucked up in Vancouver before.. Olympic exposure in 2010 makes Vancouver an attractive proposition, as well as committed local ownership.

Stern seems to like the stability of a hockey/basketball being owned under one roof. The Canucks have sold out for 7-8 years in a row now.

Dollar is waaaay up from where it was when Grizzlies were in trouble (about 88 cents now).

I am here to tell you some team is coming here before 2010.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen said Friday he has invested more in an NBA team than any other owner, but the Blazers still need a public partnership to survive financially.

In a posting on the team's Web site, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft Corp. said, "Portland has enjoyed the benefits of the Trail Blazers through what is probably the most favorable franchise relationship with a city that has ever existed in the NBA."

But Allen repeated what he has said through spokesmen: "Unfortunately the economic model for that type of deal is broken, and now everyone needs to pitch in and try and fix it. If that effort fails, the team is in jeopardy, as we have invested too much to this point to continue."

A spokeswoman for Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Friday night the governor's position has not changed -- no bailout is planned with public money.

"The governor recognizes the value of the organization but his priorities are on education and health care right now," Anna Richter-Taylor said.

Portland city officials have scheduled another meeting with team officials for Wednesday but had no immediate comment on the Web posting by Allen, said John Doussard, Mayor Tom Potter's spokesman.

Allen said team management is ultimately his responsibility -- including the decision to give up ownership of the Rose Garden arena after the team's sister company, Oregon Arena Corp., declared bankruptcy under the weight of construction debt.

Allen said the arena's new ownership group has gotten back $195 million on an original investment of $155 million, plus a stadium worth more than $60 million and millions of dollars annually for suites, club seats, concessions and parking.

In a comment about his rank as one of the wealthiest men in the world, Allen said he could not afford to endure losses. He has already projected the team will lose $100 million in the next three years without some outside financial support.

"While I have deep pockets, it's sickening to know the model is broken, hemorrhaging money," Allen said. "It's hard. As a businessman, I'm out of pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars each and every game. That's brutal."

Allen said he would rather see the money go to community charities, education or health and science research.

He noted he has made bad investments in the past -- it has been widely reported he has lost about $12 billion in less than a decade -- but he said the team is an investment that benefits the state and regional economy.

He said other professional sports teams are losing money in smaller markets, but publicly financed arenas are helping teams survive in the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball.

[Brett]

Originally posted by DavidFlamma
Lakers beat San Antonio (although SA had just played Phoenix the night before)

Who saw Kobe posterize entire San Antonio team last night, especially dunking on Duncan mercilessly.

Damned impressive.

Duncan's a pussy what else is new. Shit Kwame Brown owned him, what does that say? Duncan is the most coddled star the league has ever seen.

[POJO_Risin]

No way is there another team in Vancouver in the forseeable future...

even though I agree with a lot of what you said....

but no way...

[Romeo Delight]

Let me put it to you this way...no way Portland has a team there in two years unless they get an NHL franchise.

There is some clause that team is in Portland until 2025 or something, but if Allen wants out, team will move. No way that clause can be enforced. These things have a way of being "worked out"

I say a franchise in Vancouver is not as far-fetched as you may think.

There are alot of troubled NBA cities. A team would rake in the money here, given that the building has another stellar tenant. We always filled the place despite horrible decisions by Stu Jackson, ironically a guy who will have some say in where re-located franchises end up.

[POJO_Risin]

That would be a tremendous comeback...

[POJO_Risin]

The thing is...I think you are going to have some trouble getting past Las Vegas (which is starving for a team, and Oklahoma City seems to be making a decent push right now for a team...

Vegas is still a stretch IMO...

but Stern wants a team there, or there sure as hell wouldn't be an all-star game there...

[Romeo Delight]

I think Stern wants to show everyone that it wasn't his mistake in selecting the city of Vancouver, rather other things such as: the draft conditions (he has admitted some fault there, although blames other owners ultimately for forcing his hand), lack of local corporate support (a crock), dollar, bad luck, and lack of a local owner.

He wants to make good on his original choice and if there is a politically acceptable choice to move, we will get franchise.

[Romeo Delight]

I can see it now....

Steve Nash, TWO-time MVP makes his triumphant return home to lead the Grizzlies back into the NBA.

Yao is next to come here in Stern's vision to expand game. (We have a large Asian community)

I dare say Vancouver has just a tad more potential than Oklahoma City, given Stern's vision outside N. America.

[POJO_Risin]

Stern's vision is focused soley on Vegas bro...

and he put the Hornets in Oklahoma City for a reason...

proximity for sure...

but Okie has long been hunting for a team...

and you have to admit...with the success in Memphis...and current Okie success...they would be at the top of the list...

You DO have many, many good point about returning to Vancouver, but, it's a hard sell because of the past...

I know that Stern sees a big picture here, but...I don't see Vancouver getting another franchise right now...

although, it would/will be a fantastic story if it happens...

makes no sense that Vancouver shouldnt/couldn't have another team...

[Romeo Delight]

I know it would work, because I saw all the games...People were nuts for it.

Real problem was, we were managed by an idiot. Name me one franchise that doesn't struggle at the gate after 5 losing seasons.

Owner was not local, and he sold his interest in NBA team. We were doomed at that point.

Now that we have local owner of Canucks and building, dollar is strong and will remain so for at least 5 years, Olympics...

I miss the NBA terribly

Heisley's slogan in the last, fateful year...I'm serious:

"Here...Now" Not a joke!!!!!

He put up a few billboards a week before season was to start, for appearances....

[POJO_Risin]

Again...I don't disagree with you at all...DF...I actually agree with you...

but you know what they say...

image is everything...and Stern is about image...

Now...you COULD make a HUGE splash by moving a team there for the Olympics...

but that wouldn't happen now...that would happen then...

that's the kind of polish that Vancouver needs right now.

I think a team would be fantastic in Vancouver...great city...

[Romeo Delight]

You are right about Vegas...who wouldn't want a team there. Need a complete gambling policy first, obviously for league.

Here is why Stern owes Vancouver a franchise. He knows it.

Due to draft restrictions insisted upon by other NBA owners, the Vancouver Grizzles were prevented from drafting their other-wise would be hall-of-famers.

Instead they draft never-could-have beens like Antonio Daniels or the dominant Brant Reeves...

OK:

1995: Drafted ahead of Brant Reeves: Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Antonio Mc Dyess.

Give us any one of those players and Grizzlies are still in Vancouver

1996: Drafted ahead of Abdur-Rahim (an ok pick): Allen Iverson

1997: Drafted ahead of Antonio Daniels: TIm fucking Duncan and Chauncey Billups.




Tell me Vancouver doesn't deserve aN NBA franchise after such ridiculous restrictions.

Look at those players! Give us just one, and everything changes.

You are right though, 2010 is looking good.

[Romeo Delight]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2385624

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen on Sunday attended his first game at the Rose Garden since announcing that the team was hemorrhaging money and needs a public partnership to remain financially viable.

"Everything is completely up in the air," he said about the team's future.

Allen spoke briefly to reporters outside Portland's locker room during halftime against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft has estimated that the Trail Blazers could lose $100 million over the next three years.

Part of the problem, according to Allen, is that the team no longer sees revenue from the Rose Garden.

The arena was financed by Allen without public money. But the team's sister company, Oregon Arena Corp., declared bankruptcy in 2004 and Allen chose to give up ownership rather than continue to pay interest on construction debt.

As a result, team revenue has declined sharply, along with ticket sales, down by a third from five years ago.

Some have criticized Allen's plea -- first made at the NBA trade deadline -- considering he ranks among the world's richest men.

But Allen insisted repeatedly that the "financial model is broken" when it comes to the team, asking, "You want to let it just sit there and not fix it?"

Allen's financial advisers have been meeting with city and state officials, who have said they have no money to help the team but are willing to work to find a solution.

When asked if he saw himself as owner of the team next season, Allen replied, "Uncertain."

On Sunday, he unassumingly walked on to the court about a minute before the game and spoke to a pair of team executives before taking his seat under the basket closest to the Blazers' bench.

A spokesman for Allen's privately held investment company, Vulcan Capital, estimated Allen has spent $600 million on the team and the arena since 1988 but has yet to see a profit.



I know for a fact that a vancouver group including Vancouver Canuck ownership has presented the NBA with a formal proposal to re-locate team there.

Anything is possible.

The Memphis Grizzlies are reducing ticket prices across the board next year...cheapest seats???

5 fucking dollars!!!!
BWAAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Fuck you Heisley!!!

There are another 3 NBA franchises in desperate situations, but if your ticket prices are five, that is five dollars....things are indeed grim.

Looks like vancouver would be a top 12 franchise, revenue wise at this point without a doubt!

[seenbad]

You keep your grubby mitts off my Blazers fucker!!

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by seenbad
You keep your grubby mitts off my Blazers fucker!!

I would prefer that Portland got an NHL franchise so I could get down to Portland more often.

Without one, the Blazers are gone

[ALinChainz]

Portland would have to have something ... someone would step up and buy the team ...

That has to be an alternative right?

[Romeo Delight]

Who has seen Lebron lately?

I think he is the only player that cannot be defended, going to the hole.

When he wants to penetrate, there is no stopping him.

It is like man against boys

I think I like his style of play when he plays a liitle more "selfishly" for lack of a better word.

(I don't want to bring up killer instinct again)

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Portland would have to have something ... someone would step up and buy the team ...

That has to be an alternative right?

You know someone with deeper pockets, willing to lose tens of millions a year?

I have a bad feeling about Portland, although Vancouver may not be their destination.

[ALinChainz]

His last month has been huge ... his first game winner, a playoff birth for the Cavs ... the last being when he was in the 7th grade ...

His size and skill going to the hole would be enough, but the perimiter game is becoming just as lethal. I don't see as much of him, but it seems like when that jumper becomes more consistent, look the fuck out.

[Romeo Delight]

I saw him drain some threes effortlessly a couple of days ago...it is scary

[ALinChainz]

Yeah ... when that shit is happening ... you're better off just shutting everyone else down ... cuz he's gettin' his ...

[Romeo Delight]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2390941


PORTLAND, Ore. -- The NBA pulled out of negotiations Thursday between the Portland Trail Blazers and Rose Garden owners intended to help sell the team and its home arena.

Last month, Blazers owner Paul Allen said the team was hemorrhaging money and appealed for a public partnership to keep it afloat. Allen suggested he may have to sell the team if a solution could not be found.

Representatives for Allen met with city and state officials, but the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft had expressed frustration with the owners of the Rose Garden.

The arena was originally financed by Allen without public money. But the team's sister company, Oregon Arena Corp., declared bankruptcy in 2004 and Allen chose to give up ownership rather than continue to pay interest on construction debt.

As a result, team revenue has declined sharply, along with ticket sales, down by a third from five years ago.

Allen has estimated the team will lose some $100 million over the next three seasons.

In a statement released Thursday, commissioner David Stern said the league has attempted for the past six weeks to broker a deal "to sell the team and the arena to one of several prospective purchasers that we have identified."

"Unfortunately, the arena owners have not offered any constructive response to these efforts and recently advised us that they are satisfied with the status quo. Accordingly, we have advised both parties that we have withdrawn from the process," Stern's statement said.

Richard Josephson, a board member for Portland Arena Management, the company formed to represent the lenders who now own the Rose Garden, said the group met with representatives for Allen and the commissioner whenever asked.

"We thought there were ongoing discussions," Josephson said. "We've never been presented a specific proposal, either as to price or as to buyer, to consider. We have been talking and indicated out willingness to continue to talk, and did not find Mr. Stern's decision to issue that press release particularly helpful to the process."

Andy Brimmer, a spokesman for Allen, said Allen remains willing to work with Portland Arena Management, "but as the NBA indicated, to date PAM has not been responsive."

"We appreciate the positive working relationship we've developed with the city and we'll continue working with them to find a solution," Brimmer said.

Some have criticized Allen's plea -- first made at the NBA trade deadline -- considering he ranks among the world's richest men.

Allen made his first comments to reporters about the situation during halftime of the Blazers' loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, insisting that the "financial model is broken" when it comes to the team. He appealed for cooperation.

"Right now you've got one major party in this whole thing that's on the sidelines, they're not saying anything. ... They have to be part of a solution to leave the franchise in a healthy state," he said.

When asked if he saw himself as owner of the team next season, Allen replied, "Unclear."



Not looking good at all.

Doesn't look like this can be fixed.

[seenbad]

Damon Stoudamier may be putting together some investment money with some folks out of Texas and Florida as well as some cabbage from his own pockets that would give him controlling interest, which would almost make certain that the team would stay in Portland. He still has a house here and digs this town ....

....there are a lot of stoners here.

[POJO_Risin]

The great thing about LeBron...is that he hit his "first" game winner...

as well as was able to find the hot hand for 2 or 3 other game winners all within a week...

he has a great combination now...of gaining that killer instinct that we talked about so voraciously before...

and being able to pass out of triple teams at the end of the game to the guys that are burying game winners...

he's an incredible fucking combination right now...and will only get better...

[POJO_Risin]

Damon Staudamire is putting together a group?

Are you allowed to be a player and an owner at the same time?

I remember that Magic had to give up his digs in what...1996...the year he came back...

Damon Staudamire...damn...that just seems weird to me...

[Warham]

LeBron's pretty damn impressive, I must say.

I think he passes very well, has good rebounding skills, and has decent to good shot selection.

Shot selection is key, and it's the real reason Kobe isn't on Jordan's level. That career .451 shooting percentage just doesn't cut it.

I think Jordan's was well above 52% at one time in his career. He finished up right around .495 or so, only because of a few average seasons in Washington.

[seenbad]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
Damon Staudamire is putting together a group?

I hear he's trying to get some talks going.

Are you allowed to be a player and an owner at the same time?

I doubt it, but I also don't think he'll be back playing again for a while. Have you seen the footage of that knee tweek??

Damon Staudamire...damn...that just seems weird to me...

Me too but hey, anything to keep my team in town.

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...I saw it...and I agree...

I still don't see another team in Vancouver...even though I know they could support one...

I think the NBA will allow Portland every opportunity to keep that team...

but you never know in this day and age...

[Brett]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
Damon Staudamire is putting together a group?

FREE WEED FOR ALL THE PLAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Romeo Delight]

I think the Portland situation is going to reach a point of no return.

Allen can't make it work, so who can?

I am not aware of anyone willing to lose that kind of cash.

Here is an old article (Nov. 2005) but it outlines whay Allen
cannot continue:

http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=32764

Basically, not only does he not have advantage of sharing costs with another sports franchise for arena and its associated extra revenue streams (like Vancouver could offer)...

HE HAS NO SUCH REVENUES
FROM EVEN ONE TEAM BECAUSE HE DOESN'T OWN ARENA.

You could say that Allen is trying to negotiate a better deal with Rose Garden, but the situation looks impossible to work out.

Who can make this work? It is an unmanagable situation unless the Rose Garden and its people buy team.

Here are some exerpts explaining how impossible the present situation is...unfuckingbelievable:

"The result has been an unusual arrangement in which both the Trail Blazers and Global Spectrum sell tickets to Blazer games.

There are different groups selling different ticket packages, and there is probably some confusion among the fans,” said Allen, 52.

Competition for ticket buyers has made for some tense moments and an uneasy relationship between the Blazers and Global Spectrum, which controls suites, courtside and preferred seating for Blazer games and all tickets for other Rose Garden events. Allen’s seats beneath the basket at the Blazers’ end of the Rose Garden fall under Global Spectrum’s jurisdiction.
“We worked out an arrangement so I could retain my seats,” Allen says. “The whole thing is an odd situation.”

No fucking way. Allen had to beg for his own seats. This is so done. No way this business relationship can continue.

Someone make a case for the team staying in Portland.

For those Portland fans I am sorry. I know what losing your team would mean.

[POJO_Risin]

LeBron James...47 points...12 boards and 10 assists...

Talk about stepping up your game...

right now...he IS about as unstoppable as it gets...

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin

I still don't see another team in Vancouver..

I am done on this subject until there is some serious news...

Except to say, don't you think Stern is tired of the various scenarios with unstable franchises, with him having to play middle man between state, city, owner, and whoever else is involved?

He wants some problems to go away as soon as it is politically feasable, and the appearance of due diligence and exhaustive efforts to solve these problems.

In the end, he is looking for a more stable and foolproof model, namely, local ownership WITH STADIUM, and a diverse economic base in the host city hopefully with an NHL franchise to bolster the foundation.

[Romeo Delight]

Originally posted by POJO_Risin
LeBron James...47 points...12 boards and 10 assists...

Talk about stepping up your game...

right now...he IS about as unstoppable as it gets...

Just finished watching this...

What a game!

Flash with just about the same numbers.

Wade is on the Olympic team isn't he?

Crazy shit.

[POJO_Risin]

Yeah...I'm pretty sure Wade is on the Olympic team...

[POJO_Risin]

IMO...it's a 3 man race for MVP...

1. Chauncey Billups
2. Steve Nash
3. Kobe Bryant

ALL NBA team...if they do it by position...

PG--Nash
SG--Bryant
SF--LeBron James
PF--Elton Brand
C--Dirk Nowitzki (I took liberties...I know he's not a center...but who the fuck else is there?)

If all were right in the world...

it would be Nash, Billups, Bryant, James and Brand (with Wade and Nowitzki right there)...

Not sure how they do it...

I think that it's a tossup right now between the three that I mentioned...and I'd say it's between the PG's...

but Kobe's really singlehandedly carrying the Lakers into the playoffs...

and putting up SICK numbers...

It should be interesting..