First off, if you aren't watching the NBA Playoffs by now, we've got problems.
As if the Chicago vs. Boston series alone wasn't enough to get you to turn on the television, this Rockets vs. Lakers series is shaping up to be every bit as dramatic. Maybe not on the scoreboard, but definitely in style of play.
After the Rockets took Game 1 with tremendous shooting touch from Ron Artest, Yao Ming, and Aaron Brooks, the Lakers came out in Game 2 with an obvious chip on their shoulder.
Last season in the NBA Finals, it was blatantly obvious that the Los Angeles Lakers were a finesse basketball team that would prefer to play an up-tempo style game that relied heavily on basic basketball fundamentals- dribbling, passing, and shooting.
However, the Boston Celtics made each game of the series their style- slow pace, face up, and try to stop me. Loose ball: we're getting it. Rebound: we're getting it. If that means throwing elbows and pushing players out of the way, so be it. We will be physical and we will rough you up on our way to each victory. And they did.
Well after Houston coach Rick Adelman opted for a similar game plan in the Game 1 victory (or as similar as the Western Conference gets to Eastern Conference basketball), the Lakers got a case of deja vu and came out with their knuckles taped and mouth guards in Wednesday night in the Staples Center.
I have no problem with that. It was refreshing to see the Lakers man-up and, to put it bluntly, "not take any crap from anybody".
BUT, Lakers, this is still basketball, their are rules, and their are limits.
Evidently Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant didn't get that memo.
I've always admired Fisher for his fair play and effort through his later years. His incredible journey from New York to Utah by plane following a medical procedure his daughter underwent in order to make it back for half time of a playoff game 2 years ago was tearful to say the least. But Fisher quickly hit my bad list last night with this tasteless play on Luis Scola.
And to think that whole incident was created because Scola held Lamar Odom's jersey during the play before.
C'mon Fish. I'm pretty sure that was even dirtier than the Rajon Rondo foul I commented on further down this blog.
Then there's my boy Kobe Bryant. Just when I thought Kobe and I had turned a new leaf, he pulls this stunt.
Happens all the time in the pro's, I know. Just ask Dwight Howard.
But if Kobe Bryant doesn't receive some kind of fine for this, the league truly does have a player that is untouchable.
Kobe Bryant has played like this for years. He's what I refer to as "sneaky dirty". He does the little things that some coaches teach youngsters to do when you're in elementary school. Tug on the jerseys, pull down shorts, nudge with your elbow when you're in the air fighting for rebounds. The little things that many times referees don't notice.
Well Ron Artest knows full well about it and after last night had enough. I like how far Artest has come, not delivering some kind of blow to Bryant after the play or relaxing on the scorers table while the refs discussed the event. Now, was he deserving to be thrown out- probably. You can't just run across the court and get in somebody's face and not expect to be thrown out with a reputation like Artests. But make no mistake, Ron had every intent to do so and mark my words Kobe Bryant deserves every bit of what he's about to get in Houston when the series continues for Game 3.
Way to grab your kahoona's and ride into a game ready for war Lakers. But I think you might have messed with the wrong squad...
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