LA Sports Noise

New Beginnings

2015-06-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

I now have a week in the books out here in the Az. This is my second time moving out to Arizona although under very different circumstances.

This go round kind of popped up out of the blue and happened pretty fast. Basically got a job offer on a Friday, flew out over the weekend had an interview on a Monday and started one week later. I had one week to get stuff lined up with a total lack of funds planned for the relocation.

I figured moving out here wouldn't be that big of a change seeing how I already did it once. Damn was I wrong; it feels very different this time. The adjustment hasn't quit happened as fast I predicted it would. This being my second time moving out is almost surreal. It feels odd out here, I'm kinda getting adjusted but it doesn't seam real.

I'm not a big fan of Arizona but the opportunity was too good to pass up. It doesn't seam real; more like a vacation. I wasn't expecting this so I didn't really have any expectations. This may seam a bit rambling but it is how I feel at the moment. I'm embracing the change and hoping for the best. The adjustment is hard, I'm California born and bread and Arizona just isn't the same. The first time I moved out here things didn't go according to plan so this time I don't have a plan, just winging it every step of the way.

Long Overdue

2015-06-24T21:35:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone,

So the LA Sports Noise blog is back from hiatus after a couple of years that saw it go from a blog to a website, to a website with weekly podcasts and now back to a blog. I look forward in sharing my thoughts and opinions on the sports happenings of LA and the future LA Chargers (sic), who should stay in San Diego. This in no way shape or form is an endorsement of the Raiders who should stay in Oakland or move to San Antonio (the further from LA the better). So that's about it for now, stay posted as I will be posting on a regular basis.

Sincerely,
RC

The Angels and Mike Trout Saga

2013-03-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Angels blew a great opportunity to lock Mike Trout up for many years to come at a discount instead assigned him a $520,000 contract. Trout who falls into the category of 0-3 years of MLB service will not be arbitration eligible until his fourth year in the league. Jerry Dipoto said "We are sticking to our system and not making an exemption for one guy. It's 25 players not just one."

Mike Trout is special and therefor should not be treated like the rest of the Angels 0-3 year guys. Being so young it would have been a great move by the Angels to offer him a long term contract as he should be the exception to the rule. Trout growing up in New Jersey naturally was a Yankee fan and I hope the Angels don't sleep on that fact and let the hottest, best young player in the league get a sour taste in his mouth. The Angels should do everything in their power to lock up Trout who is a once in a generation type player.

The LASN Podcast

2013-01-26T02:31:00.001-08:00

Episode 11, 1-24-13.
Thought we would do a little impromptu podcast discussing the mess the Lakers are in and use our non-expert opinions and advice to find a way to turn things around because damn it's about time.

The LASN Podcast

2013-01-07T03:26:00.002-08:00

Episode 10, 1-7-13.
What a wild weekend in sports. The Lakers are struggling losing 3 straight and 4 of 5. The Clippers made a statement blowing out Golden State. The NFL playoffs got off to a slow start with only one competitive game. For all the other sports fan's Supercross kicked off it's 17-race season down in Anaheim. A lot happened this weekend and it was fun to talk about.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-31T17:20:00.000-08:00

Episode 9, 12-31-12.
The NFL season is over and Black Monday brought a lot of changes for coaches and G.M.'s. For today's show I thought I would bring on a guest, my brother Chris who's in town from Arizona. To go along with the coaching changes we also do an NFL playoff preview, with our Super Bowl predictions and who we think should win MVP, Coach of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Sorry for the technical difficulties during the final segment, we are working on fixing that for future shows.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-28T01:13:00.001-08:00

Episode 8, 12-27-12.
Sorry for the break, but the LASN podcast is back. Did you hate the Christmas uniforms as much as I did? How about the Clippers win streak now at 15 and the Lakers win streak stopped at 5. UCLA gets blown out in the Holiday Bowl and Adios Matt Barkley you will be missed at SC.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-20T23:39:00.002-08:00

Episode 7, 12-20-12.
Today we get back to LA Sports. First up I talk about the Clippers win streak, the Angels trade with Seattle acquiring Jason Vargas, the Dodgers trade with the Astros getting Rob Rasmusson. We also go over the Lakers and Steve Nash getting healthy and finish up with my week 16 NFL picks.

Angels Not Content

2012-12-20T17:03:00.000-08:00

Dipoto is at it again, this time trading switch-hitting DH Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners for LHSP Jason Vargas. In recent days rumors started to swirl with the Angels likely to trade Morales, who was coming back from a devastating ankle injury suffered in 2010 after a game winning Home Run celebration at home plate.
With the signing of Josh Hamilton last week, the Angels were set up to make a move and acquire another starting pitcher. Morales who missed all of the 2011 season recovering from his injury had a decent year hitting .273 with 22 HR and 73 RBI in 2012, which was a down year for Kendrys. Dipoto hinted at not re-signing Morales after the year wanting to invest in the young talent on the roster primarily Mark Trumbo and Peter Bourjos who other teams had been clamoring to get.
With the line-up stacked the Angels for the second straight year didn’t have a fulltime spot for Bourjos. Trading away Morales opens up a spot for Bourjos to be the everyday CF and prove to the Angels that with everyday playing time he can be as valuable as a hitter as he is defensively. Bourjos whose been touted as one of the best CF to play the game. With Bourjos in center and Trout moving over to LF and Hamilton taking over in RF, the Angels now have one of the best outfields in all of baseball, if not the best.
Jason Vargas who is a Southern California native looks to fill the final spot in the rotation. He is a quality left handed starter who should give the Angels plenty of depth and give Mike Scioscia options in the rotation. As it stands with Jared Weaver the number one and C.J. Wilson the number two Scioscia could align the rest of the starters (Tommy Hanson, Joe Blanton and now Vargas) right-left-right. It would allow Scioscia to have depth and the right-left combination every major league team prefers.
Vargas is coming off of a solid year that saw him post good numbers, a 14-11 record with a 3.85 era in 217.1 innings pitched with 141 strikeouts while only giving up 35 HR. His numbers shouldn’t fluctuate much moving over to Anaheim where the ball doesn’t fly during night games. In addition, Vargas will be pitching in a division he is familiar pitching in.
If Bourjos works out in CF this will be a very good move, but if he doesn’t this move could hurt the Angels in the long run. It could open up a sport for Kole Calhoun to take over in one of the corner outfield spots. Either way the Angels will finally get to see what they have in Peter Bourjos and picked up a quality arm in doing so

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-19T01:43:00.005-08:00

Supercross Preview Show, 12-19-12.
Today I thought I would change it up a bit and do a Supercross preview with my Dad Bob. We cover everything to do with the upcoming Supercross season that starts on January 5th at Anaheim Stadium.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-13T23:24:00.001-08:00

Episode 6, 12-13-12.
Today I start off with the Angels signing Josh Hamilton to a 5-year $125MM contract, talk about the Lakers lack-luster game against the Knicks and finish up with my week 15 NFL picks.

Angels Make A Splash And Sign Hamilton

2012-12-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

For the second straight year, the Angels played the quiet role in the off-season landing the two hottest free agents, Albert Pujols in 2011 and now Josh Hamilton in 2012. Jerry Dipoto since coming to the Angels last winter has made a splash with free agents. Today the Angels who were not mentioned in talks with the aforementioned Hamilton signed him to a 5-year $125MM contract.
The Angels all off-season commented that they were focusing on pitching no one saw this coming. Hamilton was linked to a couple teams throughout the winter meetings, mainly the Phillies who late last week stated they “didn’t see him coming over.” Pretty much everybody saw Hamilton going back to Texas where he has played all but 90 games in his MLB career.
This past season in Texas Hamilton had his highs and lows. Throughout the year, the Rangers management and their manager Ron Washington criticized him. Hamilton had some rough patches during the second half of the season where he saw his average plummet and his numbers as a whole go down. Last year saw Hamilton’s Homeruns and RBIs go up, but his average go down from previous years. In 148 games, Hamilton hit .285 with 43 HR and 128 RBI, a good year by any ones standards.
The Angels are looking for him to solidify the middle of a lineup that includes Mike Trout, Eric Aybar, Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales. Which on paper looks as good if not better than any lineups out their. Hamilton will replace the void left this off-season in the outfield when the Angels refused to resign Torii Hunter. Hunter was a leader on and off the field for the Halos. He carried the team down the stretch as one of the hottest players in August and September. Obviously, the Angels had something up their sleeve knowing that they were in play for Hamilton when they refused to bring Hunter back.
Therefore, with that being said, I feel this is a bad move for the club. I don’t think Hamilton regardless of how good of a player he is, is a good fit for the Angels. The Angels are becoming the new Yankees spending money and signing players instead of growing talent through their farm system. I know Trout and Trumbo came up through the system, but besides those two, not many other players have developed to a major league level. Dipoto so far in two years with the Angels is not afraid to make a big splash, and as a fan of the Angels, I hope it doesn’t backfire on him or the team.
Arte Moreno after breaking the bank last year wanted to cut the team’s payroll, or so it was believed. He spent a lot of money to watch his team fall short. I personally didn’t think he would be willing to go out and sign a big name to another big contract, especially after watching Zack Greinke head over to the Dodgers. Arte must have seen something in Hamilton that no one else saw to sign him to the contract he did. I really like Arte as the owner and hope this move helps and it was not a waste of money.
Let’s take a quick look at Hamilton’s past shall we. Hamilton was the number 1 pick overall for the Tampa Bay Rays in the 1999 amateur draft. He never played a game for the Rays. In 2006, the Cubs drafted him in the rule 5 draft. He also never made it to the Cubs MLB roster. Hamilton threw away the early part of his career with alcohol and substance abuse. He was addicted to drugs and could not stay away from partying.
Then in 2007, he finally made it to the Majors with the Cincinnati Reds. Hamilton was traded in December of 2007 to the Texas Rangers. Hamilton found a home and was one of the best players in baseball with the Rangers. Hamilton could not shake the stigma of his past having fallen of the wagon during his stay with Texas and made many teams nervous signing a guy with his history.
After the 2012 season in which Washington called out Hamilton for his effort and lack of discipline, Hamilton’s relationship with Texas started to sour. Hamilton didn’t sign a contract early with Texas wanting to play out the year and become a free agent, thus to my imagination had a lot to do with the criticism’s the Rangers had with him.
As a lifelong Angel fan, I hope Hamilton can find a good spot with a strong support system because California has a way of chewing people up and spitting them out. If Hamilton can stay out of trouble and keep himself clean this will be a very positive move for both him and the Angels. Dipoto is pretty much putting his tail on the line signing Hamilton. If Hamilton has the same bad start as Pujols last year and the Angels, do not make the postseason this year, Arte may break up the whole damn thing and start over.
With signing Hamilton, the pressure to win for the Angels is to win now. It’s World Series or bust for the Halos anything else would be a letdown. Pressure can be fickle and make the best players or teams implode. I don’t know the pressure Hamilton had in Texas but I can tell you one thing, the pressure is on in Anaheim. Hamilton is walking into a team whose fan base has been less than entertained by the moves of the team this off-season. If Hamilton can just be who he is and play baseball at his level, everything should work out just fine. However, coming in Hamilton is a hated man by many. All I can say is what’s done is done, now let’s see where the chips fall and give Hamilton a chance with the Angels.

The Troy Percival Celebrity/Charity Golf Tournament

2012-12-12T18:30:00.004-08:00

The 1st Annual Troy Percival Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit his high school baseball team/program. Foursomes start at $650 and corporate sponsorship starts at $750. If interested in playing or for more info contact Andy Lozano 909-721-2944 alozano@plumbingmaster.com or Cody Madison 951-966-5968 c_madison12@yahoo.com.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-12T05:08:00.001-08:00

Episode 5, 12-12-12. I talk about the Lakers going in the wrong direction and fast, the Clippers winning 7 in a row, the Dodgers signing Zack Greinke and Ryu and touch on the subject of the Dodgers budget. I finish up with my football picks and who I think should be the NFL MVP.

It's Official Greinke A Dodger

2012-12-10T23:18:00.002-08:00

By Natalie Alcala
@Dodgergurl22

Los Angeles Dodgers,
Zack Greinke has passed his physical exam and now is officially a Dodger pitcher. He signed a contract for
six years worth over $147.5 MM. Dodger co-owner Magic Johnson tweeted the news on twitter saying,
"I'm happy to say that we have finally signed pitcher Zack Greinke the best pitcher on the Free Agent list."
Greinke 29, won the CY Young award in 2009 with the Kansas City Royals. In 2011 he had a 16-6 record
and a 3.83 ERA. Greinke's contract is the largest contract for a right handed pitcher in MLB history.
The Los Angeles Dodgers also signed Korean pitcher Hynn jin Ryu, the Dodger payroll has now passed over
$225 MM. Greinke and Ryu will give the Dodgers more starting pitching than they need when the 2013
season starts. Greinke is a powerful competitor which put him on the Dodgers list for pitchers available.

Clayton Kershaw is at the top of the rotation with Chad Billingsley and Josh Beckett behind him. Dodgers
hanging with Aaron Harang, Chris Capuano and Ted lily for a potentil trade. The Dodgers had began the
offseason with new owners both wealthy and smart. They re-signed pitcher Brandon League to a three year
deal worth $22.5 MM early in the off-season. The owners spent over $2.15 billion dollars to purchase the
team. Clayton Keshaw is signed for 2013 for $11 MM and the Dodgers are entertaining the idea to start his
extension talk for the future.

The Hits Just Keep Coming For The NFL

2012-12-09T22:44:00.001-08:00

Josh Brent

The NFL in all its glory and the money making machine it is is full of negative stories and recently these stories are adding up. This weekend’s event in Dallas with the news of nose tackle Josh Brent driving drunk and subsequently killing a teammate is another sad chapter for the NFL. Josh Brent was arrested this morning after allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and a manslaughter charge for the death of teammate Jerry Brown Jr., a practice squad linebacker. This incident comes on the heels of another NFL player taking a life. Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and mother of his child before killing himself in front of G.M. Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel. Belcher and Ms. Kassandra Perkins had a late night argument after a night of drinking and partying.

Jerry Brown Jr.

Kassandra Perkins and Jovan Belcher
and their Daughter Zoe

I know these two events have nothing to do with one another other than involving NFL football players it just goes to show that NFL players have the same deep seeded issues and lack of judgment as anyone. It is uncommon to have tragedies in back-to-back weeks in the NFL; right when most people where wrapping their minds around what Jovan Belcher did, another player although not a meditated murder or shooting,, showed a major lack of judgment driving under the influence and killing a teammate.

Belcher

NFL players are looked up to as role models (which I know is debated widely), but it makes me wonder do they not realize the situation they are in? They have every opportunity to get help from multiple-resources if they so choose to. From counseling to a drunk driving service that will pick them up from anywhere. It is a shame that these players did not use these services to make a difference.
Josh Brent has shown remorse for what he did and he probably feels worse than anybody about it does, but the fact is he was the one to get in the drivers seat and risk not only his life but also his passenger’s life. It is something that he will have to live with for the rest of his life.
I hope these events can make an impact on every pro sports athlete who lives in a bubble to realize that they are not removed from real world issues and to think before making a bad decision. I understand that being a pro athlete brings pressure to succeed that most us cannot fathom. I’m not a psychologist and I will never understand what was really going on in either situation, which would be speculation at this point, but I assume either status or pressure was a factor in each case. Maybe Brent made a bad decision with no preconceived notions, but being a pro athlete could be seen as an excuse to drive drunk. As far as Belcher, it appears to be jealousy and frustration that lead him commit a murder-suicide. In both cases, alcohol was a contributor to the events that transpired.
If anything, it puts things in perspective, that sports are a way to get away from real world problems that we deal with. Sports give me a chance to immerse myself in my team and roll with the highs and lows. It is a moment to step back from life and just enjoy the game. When a sport that should bring happiness, whether my teams are winning or losing they shouldn’t reflect real life.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-09T05:30:00.002-08:00

Episode 4, 12-09-12.
Our reaction to the Manny Pacquiao Juan Manuel Marquez fight in Las Vegas and the breaking news of the Dodgers signing Zack Grienke to a 6 year $147MM deal and because we can, we finish with a little Lakers talk.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-07T23:21:00.000-08:00

An LASN Special Episode

Tonight when I was sitting around hanging out with my Dad, I thought it would be fun to do a little podcast with him. It was pretty fun talking with him. He has no experience or knowledge of podcasts but I thought it was pretty cool that he was willing to do one with me.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-07T18:05:00.001-08:00

Episode 2

We discuss the Lakers' current situation with Mike D'Antoni to trading Pau Gosal. We finished up talking about

David Stern and the fine he levied on the Spurs.

The LASN Podcast

2012-12-06T03:17:00.003-08:00

Episode 1

Touched on a wide range of topics from the Angels and Dodgers at the winter meetings to how bad the Lakers are playing and how the Clippers are playing quietly to the Galaxy winning the MLS cup. UCLA almost beating Stanford to how pathetic USC and the Chargers are. Finished up with a little NFL talk.

The Voice Of The Dodgers

2012-11-30T00:06:00.002-08:00

By Natalie Alcala
@Dodgergurl22

Heading into his 64th season at the age of 85 Vin Scully continues to write the record book about what he is going to say on the air. Scully is one of the greatest sportscasters of all time. The American Sportscaster Association (ASA) at an event in 2010 put Vin Scully on top of the list of the 50 most influential people behind the microphone. The Hall of Famer has spent the past 63 years with the Dodgers organization; it is the longest tenure a sportscaster has spent with one team.

The (ASA) is an organization that awards broadcasters in sports; it elected Vin Scully the "Voice of Dodgers" as one of the top sportscasters of the 20th century. Going forward Vin Scully had this to say, "The Dodgers want to win at the moment and I want to hold onto that to see how far they go." Scully said that he will stick to the plan for next season's road trips, but he would like to make a trip to Yankee Stadium. His career started in Brooklyn, New York in 1950. Scully is the voice that has celebrated the greatest moments in Dodger’ history.

Week 13 Football Picks

2012-11-29T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I have been busy over the holidays and maybe slacking a little posting my football picks. Maybe it was the high of going 13-1 in week 11 or going 11-5 in week 12 (which I didn’t even post my picks) but I’m back at it with week 13. I need to have another strong week and make up some games, I put myself in the hole early and I have been trying to dig myself out. It’s hard catching-up when I’m only gaining a couple games each week. Week 11, I got so close to a perfect ballot that I now must get one in the last four weeks of the season. Coming into week 13 the picks are getting tough with desperate teams needing wins to stay alive for the playoffs and injuries racking up. I feel strong with my picks this week. So as always, feel free to comment and let me know if you think my pick’s suck or if you like them!

*Denotes Pick
Week 13
DATE

11/29 New Orleans (5-6)
at *Atlanta (10-1) This is the best Thursday Night Game all year. The Saints need a win to stay alive, but the Falcons are the wrong team to play, with them trying to secure Home Field in the playoffs I don't see the Saints pulling this one off.

12/02 Jacksonville (2-9)
at *Buffalo (4-7) The Jags have looked better as of late thanks in part to Chad Henne, I just don't think they can go to Buffalo and pull off the win.

12/02 Seattle (6-5)
at *Chicago (8-3) This should be a fun game to watch. The Bears are the better team and are playing at home. I don't believe the Seahawks can score enough points to win this game.

12/02 *San Francisco (8-2-1)
at St. Louis (4-6-1) The rematch of the tie two weeks ago. Lets just hope the Niners come out and crush the Rams and hopefully don't make this game interesting.

12/02 *New England (8-3)
at Miami (5-6) The Patriots are one of the hottest teams in the NFL at the moment and I don't see the Dolphins stopping them.

12/02 Arizona (4-7)
at *NY Jets (4-7) Not expecting much from this game. Both teams are struggling and have issues at offensive line and Quarterback. Giving the edge to the home team.

12/02 Indianapolis (7-4)
at *Detroit (4-7) Indy is a better team, just have a feeling the Lions won't blow another game at home.

12/02 Minnesota (6-5)
at *Green Bay (7-4) The Packers will be looking to bounce back after such a poor performance against the Giants. The Vikings have their own issues to deal with and I'm not giving them a chance.

12/02 *Houston (10-1)
at Tennessee (4-7) The Texans should pull away and put this game away early. The Titans have issues everywhere and Jake Locker isn't the solution to beat Houston.

12/02 *Carolina (3-8)
at Kansas City (1-10) This game sucks, both teams suck, normally I would pick the home team in these games, but I think the Chiefs are the worst team in football.

12/02 Tampa Bay (6-5)
at *Denver (8-3) This has the potential to be the game of the week. Both teams are hot and haven't been struggling on offense. I look for this to be a statement game for the Broncos who are on a roll.

12/02 *Cleveland (3-8)
at Oakland (3-8) The records are the same but one team is improving (Browns) and one is regressing (Raiders). I like what I have seen from Cleveland as of late so I'm going with them.

12/02 *Cincinnati (6-5)
at San Diego (4-7) The Bengals need a win, and the Chargers don't know how to win a game. All I can say is 4th and 29...Enough Said!

12/02 Pittsburgh (6-5)
at *Baltimore (9-2) With or without Big Ben I'm going with the Ravens at home. A win here and Baltimore clinches the division early. Baltimore is the best worst team in the league if that makes any sense.

12/02 Philadelphia (3-8)
at *Dallas (5-6) I hate the Cowboys and I don't think they are very good, but they are better than Philly and are playing at home. Maybe this will be the game that get Andy Reid fired.

12/03 *NY Giants (7-4)
at Washington (5-6) This should be one hell of a game to watch. RGIII is making his first Primetime Monday Night start and although I don't think the Redskins have enough to beat the Giants it should be fun to watch him in Primetime.

Halos Sign Madson

2012-11-27T12:54:00.002-08:00

Today the much-expected move of the Los Angeles Angels signing Ryan Madson came to fruition. The Angles needed a strong arm in the back of the bullpen and signing Madson should provide that arm. Madson missed all of the 2012 season after signing with the Cincinnati Reds due to Tommy John surgery.
Madson was a fixture in the Phillies bullpen when they were making runs in the playoffs. Madson was the Phillies set-up man, later taking over the job of closer from Brad Lidge. He signed a one-year contract with the Reds to be the closer. It didn’t work out for the Reds with Madson not throwing a pitch for Cincinnati.
Madson should sure up a bullpen that lacked depth throughout the 2012 season for the Angels. Madson is a hometown kid growing up about 40 miles east of Anaheim, and the Angels were his first option. This move should work out for both sides with the Angels getting an arm they desperately needed and Madson coming home. Check back when details of the signing become official.

Lakers Playing Strong

2012-11-25T17:46:00.002-08:00

By Natalie Alcala,
@Dodgergurl221

Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni feels steady after his knee surgery last month. He was able to coach the Lakers into a victory over the Brooklyn Nets 95-90. The game ended the Nets five game winning streak. Kobe Bryant scored most of the points in the final two minutes of the game that lead the team to the victory. Mike D'Antoni said, "With this team there is no reason not to win all our games and that's our goal for the season. I feel that we are the best team in our league right now and we have the most talent." D'Antoni still does not feel the full strength that he needs to coach the team. He limps slowly on the sideline of the court near his chair on the bench.

Mike D’Antoni moves around with more power when he is protesting fouls while the game is in action. D’ Antoni said, “I was in pain but I was okay. Adrenalin is something that is good.” Dwight Howard scored 23 points and had 15 rebounds even thought he had a 7-19 performance at the free throw line. The Lakers won five of six and moved over .500 since firing Mike Brown. Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace both scored 17 points apiece in the game. Gasol finished with 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Gasol had this to say, “We played with a better flow and more confidence.” Also to note: Kobe Bryant played with Mike D’ Antoni on U.S. Olympic teams in the past.

D'Antoni Wins His Debut

2012-11-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

Mike D’Antoni’s much anticipated debut was a victorious one with the Lakers winning 95-90 over the visiting Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers have now won three straight and for the first time all year are over the .500 mark. D’Antoni, who bowed out of his anticipated debut over the weekend due to his continued rehab on his surgically repaired knee, got off to a good start.
The Lakers who have been scoring at will in their last four games slowed down offensively tonight, but for the first time all year showed signs of life on defense. For much of the game the Lakers and Nets traded the lead. Neither team took charge until the fourth quarter when the Lakers closed out the game with a 17-6 run.
With the scoring over the past couple games, from what I heard everyone was expecting the Lakers to put up a million points! Scoring 95 is not what everyone had in mind, but what was most impressive was the defense the Lakers showed. For the first time all year, the Lakers played equally on both ends of the floor. D’Antoni’s teams typically do not play defense at all so it was a shock to see them play defense. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t dominant by any means but it is a sign of hope moving forward.
Kobe Bryant stayed hot scoring with 25pts. to go along with his 4reb. and 5ast. The signing of D’Antoni appears to have Kobe’s enthusiasm at an all-time high. He looks as good now as he ever has, playing with energy and moving the ball around. Dwight Howard played another strong game for the Lakers with another double-double with 23pts and 15reb.
This wasn’t a dominant game but showed that the Lakers can win a close game and take over down the stretch. This season has a long way to go, but with D’Antoni coming in so early in the season with only 11 games played to this point the Lakers should get in a groove. Once D’Antoni has time to work with the team and Steve Nash comes back from his fractured leg (reports have him coming back early next week) the scoring should be off the charts and the Lakers should rack up the wins. It’s only one game but the Lakers and Mike D’Antoni got off to a good start.