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3.24.03 memo menos SHAQUILLE O’NEAL got his 20,000th point in Sacramento on Thursday, in a telling loss to the KINGS, their likely opponent in the 1st round. O’NEAL has been tenderizing WEBBER, BIBBY et al since their heartbreaking loss last year in the playoffs to the LAKERS. The QUEENS and the scout went on to beat the LAKERS Thursday. The game was tied when SHAQ returned in the 4th quarter with about minutes remaining. KOBE BRYANT had just completed the unlikely 5-point play to even the score on a 3-pointer, a foul and a technical, and then SHAQ returned from his 4th quarter open rest. Over the last 8 minutes the LAKERS were outscored by 8 points, even with a rested SHAQ. The next night SHAQ had his revenge against a BOSTON CELTIC team without a center in the lineup. SHAQ went for 48 points and 20 rebounds. He could have had 60, as he delighted in telling the press. He missed 10 free throws, as well as some easy shots, but the LAKERS won 104-96. SHAQ had some sarcasm for MITCH KUPCHAK and the LAKER organization for not throwing a party at Staples over his 20,000th point achievement, "Thanks MITCH for acknowledging me. Appreciate that." SHAQ may have still been perturbed by the profanity scrawled on the game ball that was later presented to him in Sacramento. On Friday, he said he would give it to DAVID STERN, and wait for the 30,000-point ball, and presumably, the big party at Staples. I wouldn’t hold my breath. Sunday, against another team the LAKERS may indeed face in the playoffs in the West, the SAN ANTONIO SPURS, SHAQ had another very respectable game, as far as statistics go. He finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots, but his team lost to another contender to the crown, the second serious setback in 4 days. No matter how you look at it, it’s not good. The final 4 minutes of the game are most telling. The LAKERS were fighting from behind most of the morning. SAN ANTONIO is clearly the best team since January 1, and they had swept the LAKERS in their 3 previous meetings this season. With KOBE not shooting well, and SHAQ hampered by foul trouble, the WORLD CHAMPS found themselves down by double-digits. But as is not unusual, KOBE caught fire in the 4th quarter and had scored 11 straight LAKER points to bring the team within 5. Mr. MO was clearly on LA’s side, and the SPURS were shaken. They missed on their possession, and the LAKERS had the ball looking to get within 3. Instead of going to KOBE, who clearly is having trouble adjusting to keeping SHAQ happy, the ball went into SHAQ who was deep in the middle. His 3-footer went 2 feet, barely hit the rim, and SAN ANTONIO went to TIM DUNCAN, who has a go-to shot. He stretched the lead to 7. On the next LAKER possession, SHAQ gets an offensive rebound 8 feet from the basket, but has his shot cleanly blocked on a weak attempt to the hole, by MALIK ROSE. On the inbound play to the big fella, TONY PARKER wrestled the ball away from O’NEAL and went on for a lay-up. The LAKERS never got closer than 5 points and the SPURS won 98-89. After the game, SHAQ had words for coach JACKSON, after learning PHIL was bothered by the LAKERS inability to beat the SPURS. Insinuating that his coaching style doesn’t protect him from the numerous fouls he suffers, without much respect from the zebras., SHAQ replied " I’m bothered. I’m bothered he doesn’t do the same thing other coaches do when their players get fouled-whine and cry. I’m bothered too!" So, not even a week after SHAQ beat his chest and foretold of a rejuvenated LAKER squad getting primed for the playoffs (remember the win over the CLIPPERS last Monday?) SHAQ is left to disparage his coach, and sulk out of the locker room only to ponder troubling losses to SACRAMENTO and SAN ANTONIO. Thirteen games to go, 7th seed in the West-it doesn’t look good 4-CHICK. 3.18.03 memo menos SHAQUILLE O’NEAL had a monster game, no doubt to quell any talk that he’s too soft. After revealing he couldn’t beat up on EDDIE CURRY because he had met his parents, SHAQ was given a break in that the CLIPPERS didn’t field a center at all. Both MICHAEL OLOWOKANDI and ELTON BRAND couldn’t get their parents to STAPLES in time for the game, so they decided to sit it out instead of fielding the wrath of O’NEAL. SHAQ went for 42 points on 15 for 24 shooting. He did well from the charity stripe, 12 for 15. And he found time to hand out 5 assists and block 2 shots. His rebound total was mediocre, per usual, with 7 rebounds, only one of them offensive. After the game, SHAQ put on his coaching cap, "It’s been working, keep doing it. Bring it to me. It’s about that time right now. We have 16 games left, so we have to start getting sharp, start picking it up, getting ready for the postseason." Translation, get SHAQ the ball because we need to win the next 16 games. I guess the fans can tune-in now, too. It’s been a little puzzling to me how a player with 3 championships, and universally acclaim as an immovable force in the league can go weeks at a time without being a factor. In key games, on a consistent basis, a dominating center ought to be able to control the action for a while, even if just briefly. In a tight game, this factor can mean the difference between a win and a loss, between 48 wins and 65 in a season. RUSSELL, CHAMBERLAIN, ALCINDOR/JABBAR, heck even BILL WALTON could sweep the boards when needed, deny offense with blocks or just intimidation, and score in a tense go-to situation. SHAQ does this now and then, but rarely together in a way that determines a game, at least not this season. To have a great game against the CLIPPERS without their 2 marquee post-up players is hardly evidence to the contrary. Overall for the year, SHAQ is 4th in scoring, 1st in shooting percentage, but only 6th in rebounding and 7th in blocked shots. Let’s see what he can do with the last 16 games, now that he’s decided to show up and play. 3.17.03 memo menos Just when you thought SHAQ’S season couldn’t get any stranger, after a baffling stretch of games where he was miserable, then great, then gone and back again, O’NEAL let the media know just what is going on. He didn’t play hard in Chicago in the game that started the LAKER’S current road trip in a bad, bad way. And there is a reason. You see, he met the parents of his opposing center that day, before playing, and after shaking their hands and looking them in the eye, whilst they told SHAQ he was their son’s hero and role model, he just couldn’t go out and outplay EDDIE CURRY. He just didn’t have it in him. No matter that this was the start of a critical road trip for the team. No matter that he is a professional and is being paid to play for the LAKERS. It’s not a personal thing, but when the whistle sounds and the ball goes up in the air, SHAQ is supposed to have the LAKERS in mind. No matter that he gets paid more than God to do so. And no matter that his teammates and the city of Los Angeles look up to him fulfill this end of the bargain every time the team takes the floor, SHAQ felt sorry for EDDIE, and his parents, and he just couldn’t muster the energy to play. He did the right thing, and took credit for the loss. "I’m going to take the blame for that game. Slow night. Missed a lot of shots. Really couldn’t get into it." How big of him! Perhaps JACKSON should screen SHAQ’S pre-game visits. Or maybe sprinkle some raw meat around his locker? As if JACKSON could motivate… If SHAQ is going to decide which games to play maybe he can let the coach know about it beforehand, that way he can substitute in another bruiser, say SUMAKI WALKER, who might go for 12 rebounds instead of his average of 3 per game. Or then we might run the offense through KOBE without the tantrums the next day in the press about how SHAQ didn’t get the ball enough. I’d rather see KOBE take 50 shots a game. At least he has the fire and desire to win, even with 3 rings on his shooting hand. The next thing we need to learn is SHAQ is betting on basketball games. LAKER games I’d say. And guess which team he’s riding for the win? I say, let’s ride another big fella. One who’s not so soft, and one who wants to win, every night, for a few more years at least. 3.12.03 memo menos It wasn’t a day or so ago that SHAQUILLE O’NEAL was crowing about the LAKERS being the "hottest team in the league". Tuesday night he was eating the same crow, as a truly hot EDDIE CURRY and the rest of the lowly CHICAGO BULLS scorched the world champs by 17 points. SHAQ looked a step slow and out of reach of rebounds and loose balls throughout the night. EDDIE CURRY, who still should be hitting the books in college somewhere, instead gave our All-World center a schooling. CURRY outscored SHAQ 20-13, and looked unimpressed by the big fella. O’NEAL was completely ineffective on offense, shooting 3 for 10, though he did hit 7 for 10 from the free throw line. It was a waste of great efforts from KOBE BRYANT, who had 36 on 13 for 26 shooting, and RICK FOX, who had 23, including 6 for 13 from 3-point land. How is it that SHAQUILLE, who fully expects to get a contract extension that would pay him nearly $50 million when he is 37, has no ability to influence a game. Particularly a game of such importance, when his teammates are the "hottest’ in the league. SHAQ is, after all, playing with the best player in the league, a supporting staff with multiple championship rings on their mitts, and questionably the best coach to ever x and o the game. So why is it that he has games, many of them, where he is invisible. It was as if he wasn’t even there. He’s not an intimidating force in the lane, players drove in for lay-ins at will. He isn’t a sweeper on the backboards. Numerous balls went off SHAQ’S fingertips to the opponents or out of bounds. SHAQ didn’t deny it. "I’m going to take the blame for that game. Slow night. Missed a lot of shots. Really couldn’t get into it." If you can’t get into it in the middle of March, sitting precariously in the 6th seed, in a town where you haven’t won in a while, that is also the place where your coach had his glory days, against two young, up and coming centers looking to make a name for themselves at your expense, with your cohort MVP going for 36 points, then when can you get into it? Maybe it’s time to don the uniform and badge, dude. Likewise, what of the coach of all time? Why can’t he seem to get SAHQ "into it"? This game, this road trip, they were supposed to be critical. CHICAGO should not have been a worthy opponent. SHAQ was well rested-he should have been, he hasn’t played but 5 or 6 quality games all season. The LAKERS needed the win. Shouldn’t an All-Universe coach be able to light a fire under his team in these circumstances, particularly in Chicago where he developed his fire starter? JACKSON on SHAQ: "He was very lethargic, I think. I don’t know what the deal was. I think a lot of it has to do with scoring. If he doesn’t score, he doesn’t get into the game like I’d like to see him." We’ve heard that before, if SHAQ doesn’t get his shots, if SHAQ doesn’t run the offense, then this team sputters. That is bullshit. SHAQ has to work to get open. And when he isn’t getting open, because of effective double and triple teams, then he needs to create offense for himself via offensive put backs. And, if that doesn’t work, then he needs to be a contributor on the floor in other ways, like defense and rebounding. He did none of the above last night. So, the "hottest team in the league" falls back to the number 7 seed. Their hopes of catching PORTLAND or MINNESOTA are fading, and the prospect of playing a hungry, talented, deep, not lethargic, SACRAMENTO KINGS in round one of the playoffs looms large. Unlike SHAQUILLE O’NEAL. 3.10.03 memo menos So, SHAQUILLE O’NEAL is back. It’s only the middle of March, and we’re only 61 games into the 82 game schedule, but it appears he is finally ready to defend the 3 championship rings, that apparently are weighing him down. On Friday, he was everywhere in the big win over the MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES. The game featured the league’s dueling MVP candidates, KOBE BRYANT and KEVIN GRANETT. Both players had remarkable Februaries, with KOBE averaging 40+ points and KEVIN going for 27+points and 13+rebounds. Both players have the complete package and the capability of doing whatever it takes to carry their respective team to victory. And, coincidently, both skipped college opting to be drafted directly out of high school. O’NEAL skipped over the both of them, with 40 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. After moaning about his lack of shot attempts, PHIL JACKSON made sure KOBE got him the ball, as SHAQ got 25 tries, making KOBE helped out with 30 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals, and that was all she wrote. The LAKERS won a must-win game with relative ease. It hasn’t gone thatway very often this season. MARK MADSEN and RICK FOX were key contributors defensively on KEVIN GARNET and WALLY SZCZERBIAK respectively. GARNETT had his MVP march slowed to 15 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, a block and a steal. That’s a bad game for him! What was really telling on the weekend was that SHAQ followed that effort up with 39 points and 10 rebounds in leading the LAKERS to a win over the PHILADELPHIA 76ers. After the game SHAQ proclaimed: "we are the hottest team in the league." Point of fact, the LAKERS had just beaten a team that had only lost once before since the All-Star break, and that was to the SACRAMENTO KINGS. Before Sunday’s loss, PHILADELPHIA was 11-1 since the break. Point of fact, SAN ANTONIO is actually a better team in 2003 having lost only 5 times. The LAKERS are next best in the new year, having lost 7. But no matter, with SHAQ playing consistently, and with KOBE raising his game to MVP levels, the LAKERS will indeed be the hottest team come playoff time. The only question is can SHAQ maintain his motivational level. Can he be a contributor even when he isn’t getting all the shots and the offense isn’t funneled through him? Can he get double-digit rebounds and more than 1 or 2 blocked shots in 6 or 7 games running? If so, now is the time, since the LAKERS embark on a 6 –game road trip. They leave LA in the number 6 seed for the playoffs, a game and a half ahead of UTAH, and 4 games behind MINNESOTA and PORTLAND for the 5 and 4 spots. The 6 spot may spare the LAKERS from playing SACRAMENTO in the first round, and 5 games or 7, it would be a whole lot better to do so. It would be a whole lot better if the LAKERS had 50 wins at this point, but SHAQ didn’t decide to get it together until mid-March. So, we’ll see how it goes and take what we can get from the big guy. 3.4.03 Memo Meños The LAKERS 6-game win streak is now over. It was a modest run, and now it’s time to start another. They find themselves in the 7th seed for the playoffs, not bad considering they were thought out of it altogether just before the All-Star break. But it would be infinitely better if they could climb into the 5th or 4th seeds. To do that they will need to put together another win streak, perhaps this time not so modest. There are 24 games remaining, and the UTAH JAZZ are a game and a half ahead of them in the 6th seed. The LAKERS really blew an opportunity by losing Friday night in Seattle. UTAH lost that same night in Philadelphia, and won on a heroic tip at the last second Sunday in New Jersey, or the champs would be in position 6 as we speak. But SHAQ didn’t get enough shots. He whined to the media yesterday that 13 shots are not enough for his appetite. Great, so get more. How about a few more offensive rebounds? Those lead to shots, easy ones at that. Against a center with much less gifts, DROBNJAK, SHAQUILLE could only muster 3 offensive boards, and 11 rebounds total. He only blocked 1 shot and turned the ball over 3 times. Not exactly a stellar performance even though it was a second of back-to-back games. SEATTLE is out of it, and had just unloaded LAKER-killer GARY PAYTON. There is no way they should have lost this game, but RAY ALLEN ran over them with his 2nd triple-double of the season. Too bad. KOBE didn’t have a particularly good shooting night, missing 17 of his 27 shots. But he did manage 34 points, along with 9 assists. If SHAQ could put up decent numbers on his off nights the team wouldn’t be fighting for a chance in the playoffs. Also, if ROBERT HORRY could score with some consistency, things would be vastly different. He played 22 minutes in Seattle and could only produce 4 points and 4 rebounds. This on a night when DEVEAN GEORGE and RICK FOX came to play, (14 points and 11 points respectively). If the LAKERS are going to have any chance of catching MINNESOTA or PORTLAND, who sit in the 4 and 5 seeds, 6 games ahead of them, they are going to have to really put it all together now. No more excuses in back-to-back games. They should be in shape by now! No more off games for FOX or HORRY, or anyone else. It is time. A strong finish, say 20-4 over the remaining games just might spare them the prospect of playing SACRAMENTO in the first round. And let’s be honest, SACRAMENTO is really the only team we have to worry about. Sure SAN ANTONIO is playing great. But when it comes down to it, SHAQ has ROBINSON’S number, and TIM DUNCAN has been better in year’s past. DALLAS, who looked like they might set a season-win record, is fading fast, and may not even hold onto the top seed. Besides, despite their impressive record, they have not been all that impressive against the winning teams. And the East, well they are like the minor leagues. Who really believes PHILADELPHIA, NEW JERSEY, INDIANA or newcomer DETROIT can beat DALLAS, let alone SACRAMENTO or the LAKERS. SACRAMENTO is hungry, angry and bitter. They should have beaten the LAKERS last year, and handily at that. They have better talent roster-wide; a better starting 5, and a better bench. They are quicker and shoot better than the world champs. So we had better get things together, and hope to catch them in the second round or later, so SHAQ is ready to win a fourth title. By then, maybe he’ll be in shape, and able to handle all the shots which will no doubt be coming his way. 2.20.03 memo menos It was perhaps the most telling game of the year. Not because KOBE scored 40 points, for the 7th straight game, nor because it was his 11th game over 35. Nor was it because of the lack of SHAQ. He really hasn’t been a part of this team all season. It was an incredible victory over a still nasty UTAH JAZZ squad that is several rungs above the LAKERS in the playoff picture, because for once the second unit found an identity. Players like MARK MADSEN, BRIAN SHAW, KAREEM RUSH, DEVEAN GEORGE and SLAVA MEDVEDENKO came together, without SHAQ or KOBE, and held their own. They even extended the lead over STOCKTON and MALONE with KOBE on the bench in the 4th. That allowed a weary BRYANT to bolster the win while the scrappy JAZZ made their last run. The night started out looking very bad. KOBE, who didn’t get any sleep after the team pulled into town at 3am, opted for continuous treatment on his sore knee, 17 hours of it, right up to game time. His status was questionable right up to the opening tip. As the ball went up SUMAKI came down on GREG OSTERTAG’S foot, rendering him helpless for the remainder of the game. Not really much different than the previous evening when SUMAKI played. Oh well. Somehow, KOBE came out smoking, hitting his first 6 shots, and going off for 18 points in the first quarter. He finished the night with 40 points and had the Salt Lake City crowd, not usually a friendly one for the LAKERS, chanting his name and calling for him to be MVP. It is something I’ve only witnessed with one other LAKER in my 40 years as a fan, and that was for MAGIC JOHNSON, who similarly dazzled hostile fans. But it was the scrubs, so much maligned this season, even by SHAQ and KOBE themselves, who shined on this cold night. MARK MADSEN played like he doesn’t want SHAQ back, getting 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks and an assist in his 22 energetic minutes. It looks as if his game could really benefit from some extra time, and with SHAQ convalescing indefinitely, he may get it. RICK FOX had double figures for the 2nd critical game in a row, and DEREK FISHER added 16 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and a blocked shot in addition to doing another stellar defensive job, this time on JOHN STOCKTON. FISHER held him to 15 points and 7 assists, when he usually gets twice that. FISHER’S defense is hardly noticed, yet each night he goes up against All-Star caliber guards, and rarely does he get embarrassed. While none of the other players got to double figures, they played together as a group, distributing the ball well amongst themselves, and each scoring when needed. It is important that the second unit develops camaraderie, making them contributors to the team, and on this night they did just that. It will be a great help, when and if they make it to the playoffs. It’s ironic that it finally happened on a night when SHAQ was not even in the building and KOBE only bothered to get 1 assist. Go figure. 2.19.03 memo menos It could very well be that SHAQ’S big toe prevented SUPERMAN from playing Tuesday night against YAO MING and the HOUSTON ROCKETS. It could also be that O’NEAL’S knee was in worse shape than KOBE’S and there fore it was appropriate that SHAQ watch his team battle for playoff contention against the team that holds the last spot, from the comforts of his bed, rather than in uniform on the hardwood. And it could be that the extra games that our glorious center has had to play in earning us 3 championships has taken a toll on his mountainous body, and we should understand his frailty. And, it could also be that pigs will fly at Staples Center, and that SUMAKI WALKER will lead the league in scoring,. What’s more likely is that SHAQ is toiling in the mid-season sweatshop that is life in the NBA. He is having to play hard at this time of the year since he took the beginning of the season off, and his team faces must win situations every night. It’s very likely that SHAQ’S weight, whether its 350 or 375, is the cause of his injury, whatever or however serious it might be. Even WILT CHAMBERLAIN in his days as a LAKER topped off at 300 or so. And it’s likely that SHAQ isn’t very comfortable, nor used to playing the supporting cast member to a true NBA superstar, who in the last few weeks not only has taken the team on his shoulder, but amazed the league and the entire basketball world with his feats. It must be like kryptonite to see KOBE set league and LAKER records night after night. Last night KOBE placed his name above ELGIN BAYLOR’S, scoring 40 points or more points in his 6th straight game. ELGIN did it 5 times. Has SHAQ even come close? Only KOBE, ELGIN BAYLOR, WILT CHAMBERLAIN and MICHAEL JORDAN have scored 35 points or more in 10 consecutive games, and that must really bust SUPERMAN’S ass. Not even MAGIC is in that company! And so it might have been, that, as the HOUSTON ROCKETS came to town, SHAQ thought he could realign the power shift that is taking shape on this year’s team. O’NEAL is less and less the go-to guy, and more about rebounds and defense, a role he hasn’t exactly taken to just yet. A loss to the ROCKETS in such a must-win game, with the old school sitting out would surely put an end to all the KOBE nonsense, and place SHAQ back at the top of the food chain in LAKERLAND. It might have been indeed, but for 15 points from RICK FOX. SHAQ might have been missed, except that ROBERT HORRY scored 8 and pulled down more rebounds than the big fella normally gets anyway, 11. It might have been SHAQ’S revenge, but for 13 key points from DEREK FISHER and a remarkable defensive job on STEV FRANCIS, who was held to 17 points in 53 minutes. And it might have really been the disaster O’NEAL had planned, but somebody forgot to tell MARK MADSEN. MADSEN went crazy, scoring 9 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, blocking 4 shots(one a game winner at the end of the first overtime), dishing 2 assists, and drawing 2 critical offensive fouls against YAO MING, at least a foot his senior, in the very tense overtimes. If MADSEN can handle MING, just think what he could do against the less lofty centers in the league. Perhaps SHAQ ought to rest that toe/knee/mouth for a few weeks or so. And as a sidelight here, what might have been of this night if SUMAKI WALKER could do better than 2 points and 3 rebounds in 28 minutes? Are you kidding me, in SHAQ’S absence that’s how WALKER steps up his game? Surely there’s got to be a player in Europe who is hungry enough to get rebounds on a 3-time championship team! And DEVEAN GEORGE has reverted to being a project player. It appeared he was breaking out from the unreliable, and out of control talent, to becoming a steady contributor for the LAKERS. But on a night when he was never more needed, GEORGE could only muster 3 points and 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. That is just unacceptable. And, what if coach JACKSON recognized that he has an offense that, for lack of any better options, is geared around 1 guy? What it is is what it is!. He refused to customize the offense for the dozen or so games he knew SHAQ would be missing to start the year. But given the last 10 games, you’d think JACKSON could design some plays to free up his scorer. With the game tied and 8 seconds to play in regulation, everyone on the planet knew where the LAKERS were going with the rock. So what did JACKSON call? There was no pick and roll, no screen, nothing but KOBE to try and win the game from 27 feet and STEVE FRANCIS on him like the rubber brace he wears on his knee. It kills me to think what could be if JACKSON would run some 2-man game with KOBE and whoever, ala STOCKTON and MALONE. The excuse has always been that SHAQ doesn’t have the outside shot to run it with the two of them. That’s nonsense. The real reason is SHAQ doesn’t know how to pick and roll. He always rolls away from the ball. But who cares? SHAQ wasn’t even in this game. How about some 2-man stuff with BRYANT and HORRY? Or BRYANT and FOX? Or BRYANT and FISHER? How about a coach who coaches? Can you trade a coach? It might have been that SHAQ regained the leadership position on "his team", except that he was sitting this one out on his overweight fanny whilst the new grand poobah scored 52 on bad knees of his own. KOBE managed to supplement his points with 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks, carrying the LAKERS to a crucial victory, pulling them even for the last playoff spot in the West. Meanwhile, there’s no time to rest, at least not for the rest of the team. They travel to Utah for another difficult test, this one against the JAZZ. SHAQ isn’t expected to make the trip. Just think, the trading deadline is Thursday, and if… 2.17.03 memo menos Just when it looked like KOBE BRYANT had successfully wrested the reigns of control of the world champion LAKERS from PHIL JACKSON and SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, something happened to stop their climb out of the basement. SHAQ didn’t like the idea. On Friday night against the SAN ANTONIO SPURS, KOBE continued his amazing streak, gathering 44 points despite an other than blazing shooting night. It marked the 8th straight time the phenom put up more than 35 points in a game, and up until then, all 7 others had been impressive and important wins. But this time, 44 points was not enough, as O’NEAL didn’t join the party. SHAQ was not his energetic self, perhaps because of soreness in his knee, or toe, or foot. Or perhaps because he can’t handle all the attention KOBE is generating. Who knows? Whatever the reason, SHAQUILLE could only muster the effort to grab 5 rebounds, whilst his counterparts KEVIN WILLIS and TIM DUNCAN were clearing 30 amongst them, 12 of them offensive, giving the SPURS enough of an edge to sneak out of STAPLES CENTER with their 7th win in a row, denying the champs their 8th straight. SHAQ did block 6 shots. And he did manage to score 21 points, but his effort was not what it should have been. He missed too many easy shots around the basket, 10 of them in fact. And on a streak where KOBE is the announced offensive threat, there is just no reason why O’NEAL can’t resign himself to getting 15 rebounds. 5 boards in 40 minutes for a dominant big man, especially one who doesn’t have to concern himself with scoring, is pathetic. And so when O’NEAL showed up Sunday for a critical game against the NEW YORK KNICKS, saying he couldn’t play, one had to wonder about the motivation. Every game is critical now. And KOBE is playing with soreness in his knees. He started the current scoring streak after a night when he could barely elevate on his sore left knee, against the NEW JERSEY NETS. Since then he has taken his effort to a new level, tying a record set by another LAKER legend, JERRY WEST. It was the 1969-1970 season when WEST had 13 games of 40 or more points. KOBE has now done the same, with 31 games to go to set a new LAKER record. KOBE’S run has been a bit more impressive, going 9 games in a row with 35 or more. But Sunday’s performance of 40 saw the team drop its’ second loss in a row, and 4 of their last 6 at home. That is inexcusable, and it speaks not only to the lack of effort on the part of SHAQUIILLE and the rest of the LAKERS, but also to a coach who can’t seem to get his team up, and keep them there when they need to be. You just can’t lose important games at home, particularly with the 2 best player s in the league, one of whom is in the midst of one of the best streaks of all time. Yet PHIL JACKSON and the LAKERS found a way Sunday. And so Houston, we have a problem. Not only with ALLAN HOUSTON who burned the LAKERS for a league high this season, 52 points, but with the HOUSTON ROCKETS. They come to town a full game ahead of the LAKERS for the last playoff spot in the West. What’s worse, they pull into Los Angeles with SHAQUILLE O’NEAL suffering from a sore knee, a bad big toe, and perhaps a bruised ego. He’s not the top dog in LA, or in the NBA anymore. Can he handle that? 2,11.03 memo menos I have been contemplating the taste of my words, written just a week or so ago, Eating them seems a certainty, now that the LAKERS seem to be back in the thick of things. With35 games to go they find themselves just a game and a half back of Houston for the last playoff spot, and only 8 games behind first place Sacramento, who are struggling without CHRIS WEBBER in the lineup. What’s more, the league handed the team a gift over the All-Star break, voting to change the playoff format in the first round from best of 5 games to best of 7. With the LAKERS likely to play on the road in that first round, it might very well be a welcome relief that they have 7 games instead of 5 to pull out a victory, particularly if that first round is against the MAVERICKS or the KINGS. It might be, given the way the team has turned things around, that they don’t find themselves in such a bad spot after all. They could easily go on a tear and win 10 or 15 more in a row, which would most likely move them up into the thick of the teams qualifying for post season. SHAQ appears to be getting serious once again, which no doubt plays a big part in LAKER fortunes. He has averaged 25+, and has been quite active on the defensive end, during the current 5-game win streak. But, make no mistake. It is KOBE who’s in charge of this team now. He is responsible for the change in circumstances allowing the LAKERS to finally break .500 and have a shot at making the playoffs. KOBE is averaging 40+ during the streak, and the offense is finally in his hands. Since PHIL JACKSON came to town, this team has always been SHAQ’S. Even when O’NEAL was out, it was his team. JACKSON did little to alter the offense, nor the defense during SHAQ’S absence to start the season, hence the miserable record as SHAQ recuperated from surgery. And, hence the lackluster record even as SHAQ returned, not yet in shape. But after the humbling loss to the NEW JERSEY NETS, PHIL JACKSON was beginning to doubt the LAKERS chances of turning things around. He went to KOBE and finally put the ball in his hands. It’s about time. BRYANT had been running with chains around his game for 3 plus years until JACKSON resorted to letting him loose. "It’s about getting BRYANT into a position where he can operate in the open floor a little bit, where he can attack, break teams down and get to the free throw line and get some things happening for us." Why hasn’t it been about that before now coach? I realize SHAQUILLE O’NEAL is the most dominant center in the league at this moment. He has been for years. But after reading his comments made to the CHICAGO SUN TIMES over the weekend, and given his attitude and performance this year, I stand by my position that if the LAKERS want a real dynasty, they have to trade him. SHAQ is quoted as saying. "Since I suffered the injury on company time, why shouldn’t I also be able to get surgery and do recovery on company time? If a regular worker gets injured and sick on his job, do they force him to use his vacation time to have an operation and to get well. I shouldn’t have to spend the whole year on the job. I deserve to enjoy some vacation time too, especially since I’ve been working overtime, winning championships. Nobody’s played more basketball than we have the last three years. So if I had to do it over again, I would do exactly what I did." Wow! This is supposed to be the season for a 4-peat 4-CHICK. The beloved LAKER announcer, the one that didn’t miss a game in 40+ years, the one that showed up for work hours early to prepare, the one that worked for the love of the game and of the team and of the fans, CHCIK HEARN must be turning in his grave. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL has no sense of the place in history he and KOBE can inhabit. Likewise, he has no clue how fortunate he is to "work" playing basketball 7 or 8 months out of the year. Or how few people earn hundreds of millions of dollars. Apparently, he has no loyalty to his teammates, or the LAKER organization, or to the fans of Los Angeles. He is in the game for himself, and himself alone. And for that reason, we should thank him for the 3 titles and send him on his way. I’d rather watch KOBE alongside a group of players who love the game, and the fans, and the notion of being the best team in history. Besides, we could get a couple of great players for SHAQ, don’t you think? 1.27.03 memo menos They got close, within 2 games close, but the .500 plateau seems like it is a bridge too far for the 2003 LOS ANGELES LAKERS. PHIL JACKSON is openly talking about not being able to motivate this team. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL and KOBE BRYANT are wobbling under the strain of carrying the team, and the season is only half over. The trading deadline is 4 weeks away, but MITCH KUPCHAK hasn’t really done anything of value since JERRY WEST departed. How about WALKER and GEORGE for a disgruntled BRIAN GRANT? Now that would shake things up in gloomy LaLaland. There is no guarantee ever that a championship team can repeat. This LAKER group has done more than can ever be expected winning 3. So maybe stock needs to be taken for the years to come. KOBE BRYANT is only 25 and can probably lead the LAKERS for another 10 years given a positive environment and a new supporting cast. SHAQ may well be in the wane of his career. He was never the winning kind before JACKSON settled things down. Now he’s got 3 rings and the monkey is off his back. That seems to be enough for him. SHAQ doesn’t have the discipline to get into shape, develop other parts of his game, and fit into a team that is not his personal playground. He pretty much blew his teammates off this season by waiting until September to have surgery, and then coming into the season out of shape and unmotivated. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL has always professed to be the leader of this team. Yet, he has shown little leadership skills this year. He is not a defensive force, nor even the foundation of a good defensive team. Often times this season it is his lack of fundamental defense-like to switch or not to switch on a pick and roll, or to fail to come out on a shooter, that has cost the team the victory. His rebounding is lackluster and sporadic. On offense he puts up big numbers, but he hinders the offense rather than facilitates it. And lately his ineffectiveness at the free throw line is costing the team games. SHAQ needs to retool his game; develop a go-to shot other than a dunk; concentrate on offensive putbacks; and find content in anchoring a defensive squad. All of such, he shows little interest in doing. PHIL JACKSON, in this reporter’s opinion, has never really been a great coach in Los Angeles. He set up a boring offense to appease SHAQUILLE, perhaps the necessary piece in the puzzle to get him to make that extra push towards championship. But it has been at the expense of the development and fruition of the league’s most talented all-around player. JACKSON hasn’t been able to motivate the rest of the squad. I’ll concede that it’s pretty close to impossible to get through to SHAQ and KOBE, superstars with 3 championships under their belts. But there is no reason SUMAKI WALKER isn’t the best offensive rebounder in the league. He should be averaging 10 plus per game on garbage pickups alone. SHAQ is double and triple teamed, leaving WALKER to clean up the offensive boards. But such is not the case. WALKER sleepwalks through games, occasionally showing signs of brilliance, but nothing that can be counted on night in and night out. The same can probably be said for RICK FOX, MARK MADSEN and DEVEAN GEORGE. And on the subject of GEORGE, is there any reason to keep waiting for him to take his role seriously. He floats around out there, in critical situations, with a sheepish grin on his face, as if he’s scrimmaging. He may have talent, but if coach can’t refine it, he’s gots to go. JACKSON’S substitution patterns have always baffled me. How many times in his era is there a player who has the hot hand who suddenly finds himself banished to the bench for long, unexplained stretches? It happened a gain the other night in the devastating loss to the GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS. DEREK FISHER was having a career night. He had 24 points. He was playing his typical, aggressive defense, when for some reason he finds himself on the bench for the start, and too much of the 4th quarter. FISHER does not have a conditioning problem. He didn’t need the rest, especially on this night when he finally had it going on both ends of the court. For some reason JACKSON had him "cooling off" for a good part of the 4th, before bringing him back, just in time to get burned by EARL BOYKINS 3 times down the stretch. FISHER was the goat of that loss, and he should have been the hero. How many times has SHAQ committed a stupid foul late in the 4th quarter this season. It wasn’t enough in Houston, he had to do it again, against GOLDEN STATE, twice in the last few minutes, leaving his teammates to lose without their leader on the floor. If JACKSON can’t control his big center, why have him out there at all? It’s as if SHAQ is off limits in terms of motivation and discipline. And, if you can’t motivate your team to beat the NEW JERSEY NETS, who embarrassed us not so long ago on their court, and who were playing for the 4th time in 5 nights, back to back on the road, without 3 star players, in a must win situation for the homers, then what good are you? Really? There’s no way they lose that game on their homecourt. But they did. I think it’s time to think seriously about getting a new coach, and even unloading the big fella. I know it’s crazy, but it might be time to restructure the team back into a quick, young running group. And I don’t see SHAQ fitting into that structure. We can struggle through a couple of mediocre seasons and then see SHAQ and JACKSON leave for tranquil green pastures, or we can bite the bullet now, in the loaded gun, and end up with another shot at a dynasty. SHAQ and JACKSON don’t seem to have any interest in the present one. Sound off: Send us your comments/complaints!
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