Dangerous A

Maybe I'm looking too much into it, but did anyone else notice how none of the other Lakers came to Kobe's defense and got in Raja's face after the lariat?

At least LBJ didn't travel this time on the game winner. Atrocious defense? Yes. However, a lot of people would've pulled up for a baseline jumper and LBJ should get credit for being more adventurous by taking it to the goal with intent to make the shot and/or possibly go the the line.

That was me who said this.

The Pistons are smoking the Bucks like ham. Rip's ankle must be feeling tons better cause he's got 40.

If Heyman lets him talk, Doug Basham will get over.

Gee, I don't know, because they lost one of their guys who guards Kobe regularly and they have to go to LA and win just to get to a game 7. Figure it out.

Now the verbal fireworks come, courtesy of the AP and ESPN.com... These sound like the comments of frustrated and defeated men.

And a crazy ass Nation of Islam hitman!

I know, I'm just joshing you. In the NBA, suspensions for physical play are automatically without pay and/or a huge fine that offsets pay. My comments are more about Fred Hickman/ESPN reporting.

It's Raja Bell we're talking about here.. What excuses could a Laker hater really have? If someone is putting their playoff hopes off of the play of Raja Bell, then your team isn't going very far. The only people who could remotely be used as excuses as far as player loss are Nash, Marion, and Thomas.

As opposed to suspended with pay?

Unless Rip's ankle gets worse or there are other injuries to the big 5, the Pistons are going to be difficult to beat 4 out of 7. As far as Bonzi is concerned, it ties me up in knots. The guy has talent, no doubt. He's a top 5 post up guard in this league. He also has a knack for being a knucklehead. I guess it all depends on how big of a deal he is looking for. I could see locking him up for 2, maybe 3 years guaranteed and then player or team options for the following years. He turns 30 this year and really will only have 2-3 real good years left. I also don't know the exact cap situation for the Kings except Artest and Kevin Martin become FA's after next season as well as Bibby's contract ending (?) and Miller's contract will do nothing but balloon. I think the priorities for the Kings need to be 1) Re-signing Artest or getting something for him this offseason if he doesn't want to stay in Sac. 2) Re-sign Kevin Martin. 3) Work out a careful deal with Bonzi Wells 4) Get something for Bibby before his contract expires next year or year after.

One problem with JBL getting the title back is Batista is due back sometime in the summer. If it leads to JBL vs Batista again, it may effectively kill SD.

From the Observer site...

It also explains why RVD will be the center of the promotion as well.

Enough letting the Lakers dominate this thread. Tonight, I think the Cavs take game 5, but the Wiz take 6 and we get a barn burner game 7 for Sunday. The Pistons are going to skin the Bucks alive tonight so they can get a few days rest while the Cavs and Wiz kill each other. I'll call this now, the Kings are going to push the series to 7 games, I just don't have the confidence to say they'll win a game 7 in SA. They are good enough for one more win in Arco. Bonzi Wells is raising his FA stock up something fierce this series.

No

From the AP...

This is true. Not everyone gets to come out and explain why they lost a match, yet really won something else.

You are in the minority in liking JBL/Taker matches. I only recall one good one from SD earlier this year. The ones from '04 all sucked. That said, I'm fine with JBL becoming champion again. I liked his first run and as Downhome said, what he lacks in wrestling skills he more than makes up with his character and ability to talk. He can sell a match on the mic better than in the ring.

I think it's a moot point since the league isn't going to decide to punish Walton or Brown now (Walton deserved it more than Kwame IMO since Walton clearly wasn't going for the ball). If Bell hadn't put that extra mush with his other hand on the play, I could see him getting accessed just a flagrant. It doesn't really matter though since the Lakers are going to win regardless if Bell is there or not.

Even ESPN.com is starting to suck. I go there this morning to read up on the game 5 of the Spurs/Kings series. You know, that series with the defending champions. Well, there was no link on the front page. OK, there's gotta be a link in the NBA section, right? Wrong. There is a link about Luke Jackson having back surgery, but no link on a game 5 tiebreaker with the defending NBA champs? Fucking whatever.

I hope the presentation is better than the spoilers read because this sounds like a dead show.

Again, replays showed that those elbows were nowhere near Bell's face. He flopped like a bitch everytime. Even Barkley commented on how if you slow down the replay, Kobe' elbow is inches away from his face. Please. Alright, Give me your predictions for GAME 6 on Thursday. I have a feeling it's going to be one of the highest rated games in awhile. My prediction: Suns 92, Lakers 104 Competitive games are highly rated. No one tunes in to watch an execution. Suns showed fight in them tonight and shut me up, but this isn't going past Staples. Bell is going to be suspended and he deserves it. What I don't get is how Luke Walton didn't get suspended after his foul in game 3. He didnt' even make a play on the ball, yet he skates and everyone champions Ron Artest getting suspended in game 2. Whatever.

Sac playing the Spurs tough through the half. Lets see if they can sustain the intensity. Spurs have no answer for Bonzi Wells.