The Best in the League

The Los Angeles Lakers (39-17) have now won 8 straight games. The Lakers are the best team in the league. Kobe Bryant ( my pick for MVP) is averaging 27.8 points, 6 boards, and 5.3 assists. Pau Gasol is playing great within the offense, while Lamar Odom emerges as a great third option. Ladies and gentlemen the Lakers are making a case for the championship without Andrew Bynum. I am literally eating my words from the preseason. I predicted this year to be one of the worst in Laker franchise history. I was sure Kobe would be traded. Now...the Lakers are the league favorites. It doesn't get much better than this Laker fans. When Andrew Bynum comes back....be prepared to see a Laker team better than all of the Kobe-Shaq Laker teams. This team will win the championship this year.

Does It Hurt Phoenix?

The Detroit Pistons annihilated the Phoenix Suns, Sunday afternoon, 116-86. The Suns looked dismal on offense and lazy on defense. The Phoenix Suns have lost their ability to score and defend (both, attributes Shawn Marion possessed). Shaq looks as average as ever and picked up a flagrant foul out of frustration. Shaq ended the game with 7 point and 11boards. I know its early but I honestly think this trade will destroy the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers now have sole possession of the best record (38-17) in the West. It was absurd how Rasheed Wallace was scoring at will and Chauncey Billups was ripping apart the offense with his passes and jumpers. Rasheed Wallace ended the game with 22 points ad Billups ended the game with 14 points ad 11 dimes. The Detroit Pistons got an all around team effort. The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the East, better than the Boston Celtics. The Phoenix Suns will steadily move down the Western Conference standings.The Lakers take on the Seattle Supersonics (15-39) tonight in attempt win their eighth straight game. The last time these teams faced off, Kobe Bryant exploded for a season high 48 points on 21-44 shooting. I expect this game to be a blowout, 117-93.

Trade Madness

The NBA is currently in a Golden Age. The NBA hasn't been this talented in ages. The Western Conference has a remarkable nine teams on pace for 50 wins. NINE! The Celtics and Lakers are back. This a great time to be watching the NBA. The player movement this year has been ridiculous. Never has there been so many trades, in a short period of time, alter the NBA to the extent that these trades have.

Trade Grades:

Jason Kidd to the Mavs: The Mavs give up a young talented guard and a starting center for 36-year old Jason Kidd. This trade doesn't help the Mavericks in terms of their future and this trade doesn't elevate them to championship status. Grade: B-Shaq to the Suns: This was probably the riskiest of these blockbuster trades. The Suns give up Shawn Marion, who guards every position, for Shaq who is eons past his prime and doesn't really add anything to this team. Acquiring Shaq was a real setback for this Suns team. Grade: DKyle Korver to the Jazz: With Korver the Jazz bring a lethal shooter that will really spread the offense. The Jazz are aren't championship worthy but they are certainly elite with this trade. Grade: B+Delonte West, Joe Smith, Wally and Ben Wallace to the Cavaliers: The Cavalier lose Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden and acquire Joe Smith, Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and Ben Wallace. The addition of Szczerbiak will prove to be brilliant but the addition of Wallace will prove to be unnecessary. Delonte West is a talented young guard and Joe Smith is worthless. Grade: C

Mike Bibby to the Hawks: It's obvious the Hawks are trying to salvage passing on Deron Williams and Chris Paul in the draft. Mike Bibby should elevate this team into the playoffs. This was a good trade for the Hawks. Grade:BPau Gasol to the Lakers: Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum , Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant. Enough said. Grade: A+The playoffs this year will be one of the best we have ever seen.`

My Formal Apology to Mitch Kupchak

It's about time I do it. Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time I apologize to Mitch Kupchak. I (rightfully) ripped Mitch for the ridiculous moves he has made in the past, but now I am forced to praise him. Mitch pulled off one of the most one-sided trades in NBA history. Acquiring Pau Gasol without giving a core player (Kwame doesn't count), was thought to be impossible before the brilliant Mitch Kupchak got involved. Now the Lakers are the favorites to win the championship. As long as Kobe keeps his pinkie out of trouble, the sky is the limit. I admit that I unfairly blamed Mitch for all of the Lakers problems. As Lakers fans we tend to forget that he is the genius that orchestrated the arrival of Karl Malone and Gary Payton. Now the Lakers are set to contend in the West for the next 3-6 years. Look Mitch.....I'm sorry.

I Love You Mitch

The Lakers (37-17) are coming off of a win against Shaq and his Phoenix Suns. Kobe Bryant dropped 41 points as the Lakers pulled off an impressive road win. The Lakers are now tied with the Phoenix Suns atop the Pacific Division, and won the season series 3-1. The Lakers have yet to play a game with both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, yet they were able to pull off 3 regular season wins against the Suns. Is there any question that Lakers are the best team in the Pacific? Giving up Shawn Marion was one of the biggest mistakes Phoenix could make. Shawn Marion had a better chance stopping Kobe Bryant than Raja Bell. The Lakers will win the Pacific. They have the leagues best coach, player, frontline, starting lineup, and bench.

Correction: The Lakers will win the NBA Championship.

Will Pau Bring a Ring?

The Los Angeles Lakers (29-16) have acquired forward Pau Gasol in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. The Lakers will also receive the Grizzlies second round draft choice in 2010. In exchange Memphis will receive forward Kwame Brown, guard Javaris Crittenton, guard Aaron McKie , the draft rights to Marc Gasol and first round picks in 2008 and 2010. This blockbuster deal was made because of the absence of Andrew Bynum due to a knee injury. This very well may be the move to put the Lakers over the top. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Derek Fisher is a deadly lineup. The Lakers already have one of the best benches in the league, this move just solidified the Lakers as championship contenders. Oh yeah, and by the way, Kobe went off for 46 Friday night.