Showing posts with label Kobe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kobe. Show all posts

Sunday, April 19, 2009

More 1st Round Games

Jazz continue to struggle on road, lose game 1

The Utah Jazz have struggled all year long on the road. Still many experts gave them a chance to take the Lakers deep into a series, those experts might be wrong.

The Lakers were able to dominate the Jazz this afternoon and win by a score of 113-100. The Lakers were led by MVP candidate Kobe Bryant who had 24 points.

"They kept knocking on the door and we just never let them in," Bryant said.

The Jazz will have to win at least one game in LA if they want a chance to win the series. The Jazz are 15-26 overall on the road this year. The Jazz are realistically the only team who matches up well with the Lakers. If they are not able to put a dent in the Lakers game plan everyone else in the West has a very slim chance of winning.

Additional Headlines:

Philly gets surprise win in Orlando

Hawks stop Wade and Heat win game 1

Hornets, Nuggets game 1

Friday, March 27, 2009

Six game streak snapped

Blazers snap Suns six game winning streak

The Phoenix Suns came into last nights game against the Portland Trailblazers on six game winning streak and had some momentum to make a push for the final playoff spot in the western conference. It is amazing how one game can change things.

The Suns lost to the Blazers 129-109 last night in Portland. The Suns, who are currently three games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the west really needed to keep their winning streak going last night but were not able to get it done.

"We cut ourselves into a deep hole with too many mistakes, and they capitalized on out mistakes," said Shaquille O'Neal, who had 20 points for the Suns. "We left their shooters open way too much and they knocked down the shots. They had a lot of energy."

The Suns do not have time to dwell on the lost as they have another tough game as they face the Utah Jazz on Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Additional Headlines:

Kobe and Lakers beat reeling Pistons, Detroit fighting to stay alive in Eastern Conference

Celtics and Hawks battle for elite position in the East

Mavericks look to get big win against Nuggets to be tied for seventh seed in the West

Sunday, March 15, 2009

First place Lakers beat eighth place Mavericks 107-100

If the playoffs started today this would have been a first round match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks, and this probably would have been the result.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers beat Dirk Nowitizki and the Mavs 107-100 earlier this afternoon. The Mavs had the lead deep in the fourth quarter but the Lakers, lead by Kobe Bryant went on a 12-0 run to end the game giving them the win.

"It's why he's Kobe Bryant," said Jason Terry, who led the Mavs with 29 points. "He does things in the fourth quarter that only a few players can do."

The Mavericks have a four-and-a-half game lead over the Phoenix Suns for the final playoff spot in the western conference with 16 games to play. However, if the Mavericks stay in the eighth seed in the west and are forced to play the Lakers they may not want to be in the playoffs at all.

Additional Headlines:

Suns get much needed win in bay area

Williams leaves game with injured knee, Jazz try to remain seventh seed in west

LeBron and Cavs close to securing home-court advantage, improve to 29-1 at home

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Crazy Sunday in NBA

Shaq gets revenge on Kobe, Suns beat Lakers 118-111

Last Thursday Shaquille O'Neal returned to Los Angeles where he and the Phoenix Suns were defeated by Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, tonight the Diesel got his revenge.

The Suns beat the Lakers 118-111 in Phoenix this afternoon. O'Neal lead the Suns in scoring with 33 points and 7 rebounds. This was the second straight game that the Suns were able to get a win without two-time former MVP Steve Nash and All-Star Amare Stoudemire.

"It's what I do," O'Neal said. "I've been doing it since 1992. If you don't believe it, Google me."

Bryant was the leading scorer for the game with 49 points, he also was able to pull-down 11 rebounds.

"We're going through a period right now where everybody is just kind of tired a little bit," Bryant said.

This was an impressive win for the Suns. Currently Phoenix is in the 9th seed in the Western Conference, two games out of a playoff spot. This was a big win beating arguably the best team in the league. If the Suns are able to continue this great play behind O'Neal the Suns might be able to sneak into the playoffs and make some noise.

Additional Headlines:

Pistons upset defending champs without Iverson's help

Iverson and Pistons must adjust to keep playoff hopes alive

Jazz make noise in Western Conference, increase win steak to eight

Friday, February 27, 2009

Marbury signs with Celtics, strengthen bench play

The Boston Celtics might have just added the final piece to their roster to help solidify them as the favored team when the playoffs start in a couple of months.

The defending champs have just signed ex-knick Stephon Marbury to their team after he passed a physical earlier this afternoon. Marbury finally agreed to let the New York Knicks buyout the remainder of his 20.8 million dollar contract and is expected to receive a veteran minimum while playing with Boston for the remainder of the year.

"We are very excited to have a player of Stephon's caliber joining our team," Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said in a statement. "Our entire organization is confident in the belief that Stephon can play an important role in helping us to win another championship."

The Celtics where desperately looking for help off the bench after losing Forwards James Posey and PJ Brown during the off season. Marbury should help fill that void, he has averaged 19.7 points and 7.8 assist per game over his 12 year career, even though he has been on the decline while playing in New York since 2004.


Additional Stories:

Pistons continue to struggle, struggle to find new identity after years of domination

Kobe ruins Shaq's return to LA, as Lakers rout Suns

Rockets improve to 6-0 without Superstar McGrady, move to 3rd seed in Western Conference

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Amare-less Suns come up short against Celtics in much needed win

Amare-less Suns come up short against Celtics in much needed win

Earlier in the week it seemed that the Phoenix Suns were back and could make a run for a championship after a coaching change and a change of style. Then after an injury to Superstar Amare Stoudemire it seems that those championship dreams have faded.

The Suns lost to the Boston Celtics this afternoon in what was a "measuring stick game." The Suns came up short losing 128-108. This was the first time in three games that the Suns failed to score at least 140 points, and was the first game without Amare Stoudemire who had surgery on his eye on Friday.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Suns point guard Steve Nash said.

Nash had a double-double of 19 points and 11 assists but it was not enough to overcome the defending champs. Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics scored a career high 32 points and added 10 assists and 6 rebounds as well.

The lost now puts the Suns a game and a half back of Utah for the eight and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix will have to step up next week if they want to remain in playoff contention, they will play the defending Western Conference Champs the Los Angeles Lakers next Thursday at the Staples Center.


Additional Headlines:
Wade scores career high but lose to Magic in potential playoff match-up

LeBron and Cavs reign supreme over Pistons take control of Eastern Conference lead

Ginobili out 2-3 weeks with ankle injury as Spurs try to maintain home court advantage in West

Sunday, February 15, 2009

West beats East 146-119, Shaq and Kobe share MVP honors

Five years ago the dynamic duo of Shaq and Kobe was so rough that the city of Los Angeles was not big enough for the two of them, tonight made fans forget that drama.

O'Neal and Bryant helped lead the Western Conference to a dominant performance beating the Eastern Conference 146-119 in the 58th annual NBA All-Star Game. The former duo shared MVP honors becoming the first to do so since 2000 when O'Neal split the award with Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs.

This was the first time that O'Neal and Bryant have been teammates since 2004 when they lost in the NBA Finals to the Detroit Pistons. In addition, O'Neal and Bryant were joined by their coach Phil Jackson who help lead Bryant and O'Neal to three championships. Jackson was the West All-Stars coach.

"It felt like flashbacks. It felt like '99 to '02."O'Neal said during an interview on TNT.

Bryant lead all scorers with 27 points while O'Neal added 17. LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavilers lead the Eastern All-Stars with 20 points. O'Neal and Bryant join Michael Jordan and Oscar Robinson for winning All-Star MVP honors three times. Bob Pettit leads all-time in winning the award by receiving the honor four times.

Full story at http://www.espn.com/

Additional Headlines:

Update: Gentry to replace Porter as Suns head coach on Monday

Stoudemire wants a say in Suns trade discussions

Mavs and Spurs intrested in Carter to help playoff chances

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Kobe and LeBron Set Records At The Garden

Kobe and LeBron Set Records At The Garden
The two biggest names in the basketball world today proved there greatness on back to back games at the mecca of basketball.

On Monday night, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers scored the most points by a visiting player in Madison Square Garden history, 61. 48-hours-later, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavilers came in to The Garden and scored 52 points. James also had 10 rebounds and 11 assist making him the first player to score at least 50 points and have a triple-double since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975.

Both Bryant and James showed just how good they are on the biggest stage in basketball. The question now is, whose performance was more impressive, Kobe's or LeBron's?

James's line was more well rounded than Bryant's. Kobe scored 61 points, but had zero rebounds and only three assist. However, Bryant scored the most points ever by a visiting opponent. That includes the names of Iverson, Bird and Jordan.

James has scored 50 plus points in his last two trips to New York, and if he would have made a a couple of his five missed three-pointers and would have hit the three free throws he missed, Bryant's 61 points would have been broken and this conversation would not be taking place. The question of whose performance was better can go both ways, and fans have already begun the great debate.

*Which performance do you feel is better? Comment below!

For original story click here.
Additional Headlines: