Chargers are playoff bound again.

San Diego, Ca

The Chargers are hosting the Indianapolis Colts this Saturday night in a first round playoff game, no really, the Chargers made the playoffs. Tickets go on sale Monday for the general public. After what has been one of the more roller coaster like seasons for an NFL franchise, the 8-8 Chargers will fight on again. The bolts lost early games, the bolts lost late games, and the bolts definitely lost games late. Before the seasons opening kickoff aspirations were high, San Diego was even a sexy pick to reach the Super Bowl. Merriman was lost for the season, L.T. got hurt, Teddy Cottrell was fired and so on. Football teams and even referees sucked the wind from their sails. All that aside, coach Norv Turner has led a team filled with character back to it's rightful place atop the division and poised to make a deep push into the postseason. 

In Sunday nights primetime thumping of division rival Denver, the Chargers were firing on all cylinders. San Diego put up half a hundred points and dominated from the start. In fact when the Captains met for the coin toss and the opposing QB's met for the obligatory handshake, it was more of a stare down shared between long time foes. Chargers, Philip Rivers kept his helmet on and looked like he had put his uniform on a week early just for the chance to put a pounding to the Broncos. The energy in the stadium was elevated even before that. San Diego won the toss, elected to receive and scored a field goal on their first trip down the field. Just a warm-up really, as the Chargers then scored touchdowns on 7 of their next nine drives. Punter Mike Scifres was only called upon once on the eve.

Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera brought it again. He mixed up the calls with nice formation mixes and blitz patterns. The Chargers recorded 0 sacks but were able to put pressure on Broncos QB Jay Cutler in the limited playing time the San Diego offense left for him. Chargers held possession for over 36 minutes in the game. Cutler who was selected to the Pro-Bowl this year, Rivers the leagues top rated passer was not, has been called a punk by Chargers players. His attitude on and off the field put him in a place where he really needed to out perform Rivers to maintain credibility. Instead the boy from Santa Claus, Indiana, who looks like the neighborhood bully with his boyish haircut, sideways ball cap, and presumable slingshot in the back pocket was outdone by the team of goofball kids that out schemed him and played together. Every time the cameras panned to Cutler on the sidelines he looked flustered and lost. Phillip Rivers couldn't have looked more the opposite, finishing with 15 of 20 completions for 207 yards and two scores. He finishes the season with 4,009 yards, 34 TD's and a 105.5 passer efficiency rating.

Kings skate past Coyotes

Phoenix, AZ

The Los Angeles Kings got back to .500 with a 4-0 shut-out win over the Coyotes. As has been the case for most of the year, the Kings have responded well after on off day. The Kings now 15-15-6 (36 pts) were able to overcome a hard fought third period to preserve the shut-out. It was the 2nd such shut-out in only 6 career games for Jonathan Quick. His second in the three games, the first coming against Columbus who the Kings host this Monday night at Staples. Coach Terry Murray seems to be getting through to is young team. The offense played well with early goals from both Ivanans and Frolov. The Kings easily out hustled the Coyotes most of the night. Even more, the Kings penalty killing, 7th in the NHL, skated sharp tonight killing off 9 consecutive penalties including twice being two men down. Phoenix could not take advantage of it's home ice and failed to put one in the net in nine tries on the powerplay. The Kings however, were able to convert on 2 of 6 extra man sessions.  

Rookie goaltender, Jonathan Quick played an exceptional game between the pipes. He faced 26 shots and didn't let one past him. In the third period alone Quick had to defend against 5 Phoenix power plays and saved 9 shots on goal in the third. For a net-minder joining his NHL team and adjusting so quickly is a great sign for Kings brass. Quick was just called up from the Kings AHL affiliate Manchester Monarchs just in time for his NHL debut, Dec. 6th, 2007. He stopped 15 0f 17 shots for his first NHL win over the Buffalo Sabres. Quick was first drafted by the Kings in the third round, 72nd overall in the 2005 NHL entry draft.

Kings Goals, all coming in the first two periods were scored by Ivanans, Frolov (2), and Jarrett Stoll. Quincey, Purcell, and Handzus rounded out the scoring with an assist each. 

Redemption song, no, carols...

Los Angeles, CA

Pau Gasol's effort down the stretch was just what we needed to get over the hump. Gasol, who was harshly criticized for his 'soft' play last June in the NBA Finals, came up with a huge blocked three point attempt and seven of his 20 points in the final three minutes. The Lakers played well the whole night, playing as a team. It was an inspired effort, nice to see after last years disappointing conclusion. The sour taste of a 39 point defeat at the hands of this hated Celtics rival was enough to chew on for the past six months. The Lakers were loud on the court, barking defensive schemes to each other and calling for the ball when they spotted a mis-match. The effort was shared by every Laker on Christmas Day. LA only turned the ball over 11 times, to the C's 17. Pretty efficient overall for Los Angeles. Bynum however, did have six of the Lakers turnovers, but I think we can get over that. Andrew finished the night with 9 points and 7 boards. He played well, especially after settling down from an early foul. 

The Celtics came to Staples boasting an NBA record 27-2 record, including a team record 19 game win streak. This years squad has looked just as solid as ever under the tutelage of Doc Rivers. The Celtics are beating teams every night at home and the road. Before yesterdays contest, Boston hadn't lost a game in six weeks. That's an incredible feat for any major sports franchise. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic might be the only other contenders in the East that could possibly derail the Celtics from consecutive trips to the finals. Even with the loss, the Celtics remain a favorite to repeat as champs. We'll just have to wait and see if the Lakers still have what it takes in June to take back the crown. 

Kobe Bryant led the way with 27 points, 9 boards, and 5 assists. Lamar Odom finished with 10 and 7, and hit two big 3 pointers back to back at one point. Sasha Vujacic, who is probably the most outspoken Celt's hater played well too.

"We've been waiting for that opportunity for a long time, and we won," said Sasha, "I don't like them at all. A lot of people called us softies or whatever. It doesn't matter at all. We know what we can do. he said, "Last year, they won the championship. this year, it's our year, we want to take it all the way.''

The Lakers guard finished with 10 points. Coach Phil Jackson recorded his 1,000th career win with the victory. He is the 6th coach to reach that mark, and the fastest to do it beating out Pat Riley by 11 games to the mark. Jackson said he was pleased with the play of Gasol. He noted that he really stepped up in the fourth quarter when the Lakers needed him most. Pau finished with three rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots to go along with his 20 points.

"We were pretty physical," said Gasol. "We were able to contain them, keep our poise and finish the game off. I had to make sure I took it to them, not settle for easy jumpers. I'm glad I was able to get over that hump of a slow start. It shows we can beat anybody. Hopefully, we'll build on it."

For all of our sake, let's hope he's right. This could potentially be the long dive off the starting block that leads to an even longer win streak of our own. 

Christmas Shootout!

Los Angeles, CA

Today is Christmas Day. Today is the the day we've all been waiting for. Today is the rematch. As you're all starting your holiday dinners or maybe finishing in Boston, the game will go on. After a humbling defeat in last years NBA Finals, the Lakers look to reevaluate their worth. Their worth will be tested against the best. The NBA Champion Celtics, last beat the Lakers by 39 points to take the title home. This year is no different to start. The C's are off to an NBA best 27-2 record, including an NBA best 19 game win streak. 

Rajon Rondo is a new man this year. The new Rondo is averaging 14 points per and really attacking opposing guards with a devastating bite. The Celtics were tough last year, they are again. The Lakers were soft last year, we're still not decided this year. Leaning towards soft though, they had better come out swinging today. If the Lakers lose at home on prime time in front of a national audience, they'll have proved all the critics right. The Lakers defense has been shaky, the Celtics shake opponents out of their boots. This is still going to be a test for both teams however. Los Angeles has more to prove, but Boston could really put a stamp on how 'bad' they are.

Everyone has long since known that Kobe Bryant is the most well conditioned most fit athlete in the NBA. Nobody doubts Bryant's mental or physical toughness either. Not the same can always be said of the rest of his Lakers team. Los Angeles needs to somehow prove their toughness. Coming back from late deficits, closing out quarters, consistent defense, controlling the paint, and beating Boston today. Those are all things that can prove the Lakers worth. About three weeks ago, before the Kings loss, I really thought I wanted to see our Lakers team get beat on Christmas. I mean beat badly, like 20-30 points badly. the way I saw it, we were playing poorly anyhow and we didn't really deserve to win as much as we did. Now, things are different. We have lost five games, had our first consecutive losses of the year, and lost guard Jordan Farmar to injury. Today I would like nothing more than a solid effort, solid win over Boston. To end the C's 19 game win streak, push ours to 3 and counting, and send a message throughout the league. Those are the things I left on a list near a plate of cookies on my mantle last night. The milk is gone, crumbs remain. I did my part, hopefully the Jolly old fellow will help me out. Either way, Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy your families, enjoy your feasts, enjoy your games.

By the way, the day is also full of other great games. Be sure to check out Magic - Hornets on ESPN and San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns on ABC. Also be sure to look out for Kobe's shoes. I believe today he will be wearing his new Nike Zoom Kobe IV, China edition, featuring yellow and red details to pay tribute to the host of this years Olympic Games. Kobe and team USA beat Pau Gasol's native Spain for the Gold Medal.

Up, Up, and ...

New Orleans, LA

The Lakers are back on track. After a disappointing start to their four game road trip, headway is made. Tuesday night brought back flashes of the Lakers team that began the season 7-0, after beating the Hornets 100-87. Los Angeles lost consecutive games for the first time this season to Miami and Orlando. The Florida Fiasco was the last thing the team wanted to see. It might have been one of the best things to happen to them. The Lakers have been playing poorly, by LA standards, as of late. 

Defense has been an after statement and the shots haven't fallen. Sunday night, after the Magic loss, the Lakers had a closed door players only meeting. These meetings are often highly publicized because the attention the media brings to them. Fans and networks alike are often times clamoring for an inside word on what went down in the inner sanctum of a team. Derek Fisher earlier this year called a players only, after a loss to Sacramento. This time it seemed much more necessary. The Lakers have given up 100 + to 8 of their last 12 opponents. Also consistency remains  to be a problem, as does free throw shooting. Los Angeles has fallen to 75% from the charity stripe. That's middle of the pack in the NBA, not good enough for a championship caliber team. 

I could bore you with all the details of tonight's win. Lakers lead most of the way, Bynum plays well with early foul trouble, CP3 gets a steal on opening play for NBA record 108th straight, LA defense comes back, trap help, PJ time-out - tells players to fight through screens, NO late rally from beyond the arc, Kobe clutch 4th, etc. Or, I could give you your holiday wishes early. A preview of your highly anticipated Christmas Day matchup with the highly hated Celtics of Boston. It is the season of giving, so I'll give you the latter. Bynum did look good though.

Stay tuned...

Woes be gone...

Orlando, FL

The Los Angeles Lakers did something yesterday they haven't done all year long. They lost for consecutive times. The Lakers now 21-5, lost 106-103 to the Magic (21-6). In the second night of a back to back, the Lakers failed to finish again. A solid effort, was not lacking this time. For the second time in as many nights the Lakers lost the game on missed shots at the buzzer. The problems for LA started more closely to the beginning than the end, however. Early in the game, 65 seconds early, Andrew Bynum had already picked up his second foul. Bynum ended the game with 5 fouls, 3 points, and only 2 rebounds. This was to be a big test for the young center, matching up with one of the leagues most prominent big men. Bynum failed miserably. Dwight Howard was also in foul trouble early, only playing nine first half minutes. When it was all said and done though, the all-star had a double-double. Howard finished strong with 12 boards and 18 points, none bigger than his two made free throws with 3.5 seconds left in the 4th. Lakers fans are counting on Bynum learning to play with some poise and still be productive after early fouls. He had plenty of bench time to watch and learn Saturday.

Not all the Lakers played poorly, just most of them. Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher both had season highs in minutes, 43 and 41 respectively and points, 41 and 27. It's unfortunate that with 68 back court points a team still falls short in the end. Phil Jackson was tasked with looking for the problem. What he found was 15 points combined from Bynum, Ariza, Walton, Vujacic, and Odom. That's an average of three points each, Vujacic had none. Sasha missed all six shots from the field including one that went down and then somehow rimmed back out. That particular shot would have given the Lakers a two point lead with 3 seconds to go. A familiar scene, gut wrenching to watch after Bryant's shot went down and was regurgitated back up by another Florida rim the night before. 

Orlando's  Jameer Nelson had 27 and Rashard Lewis added 22 of his own. The Magic are having a very good week. They beat another Western Conference contender in San Antonio on Thursday. At 21-6 Jeff Van Gundy's team is trying to make a statement that they belong in the mix of NBA championship contenders. The Magic have the fourth best record in the league at this early juncture. Coach Van Gundy spoke up after the game. "It's hard for me for anyone to make a case the Lakers had a bad game." he said. He expressed his feelings on beating a Lakers team playing their best basketball. "I'm not trying to lie to you. It feels good in perspective. But it counts as one (victory)," he added.  

The Lakers got a day of to watch football and presumably get some practice in. The 4 game road trip continues Monday night in Memphis. Pau Gasol will play his former team in Memphis for the first time since the trade heard around the basketball world. His little brother Marc is playing well for the Grizzlies who are giving away free T-shirts to the first 5,000 fans in attendance Monday. Nothing like the Lakers coming to town to get that sell-out. Tuesday night will be a difficult matchup with Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. It will be the second night of a back to back, and LA will be looking to build some momentum before coming home. The Boston Celtics come to Staples center for the highly anticipated Christmas Day rematch of last years NBA Finals. The Lakers are without gaurd Jordan Farmar. In an MRI conducted Saturday in Orlando, a tear in his lateral meniscus was found. Sunday he was flown back to Los Angeles to undergo further testing before a timetable could be set. 

12/28/8 Hochuli Free Day!

Tampa, FL

Raymond James Stadium was supposed to be the last stop on the Chargers season. It ended up being just the last road game. San Diego, playing focused and confident charged out of Tampa with a 41-24 romping of the Buccaneers. The Chargers were just too committed and too focused to let this one slip away. After the game all the Bolts could do was sit back and root for the Bills, needing a Denver loss to have a shot at the playoffs. While soaking in ice baths, the Chargers wishes were granted. In 17 degree weather the visiting Bills put the Broncos on ice 30-23. This game has been months in the making for Chargers players and fans alike. It was a blown call by the officiating crew that led to a Denver victory in Week 2. Crew chief Ed Hochuli has since apologized to the Chargers and the league. "Affecting the outcome of a game is a devastating feeling. Officials strive for perfection - I failed miserably."said Hochuli in response to his blown call. He could only hope for over three months that somehow that call would become a moot point. Hochuli, a Christmas baby, will get his gift a few days late.

        

Back in Tampa, it was all about the quarterback snubbed from this years Pro-Bowl game. Philip Rivers, the leagues top rated passer, threw for 287 yards and four touchdowns. He had TD passes to Manumaleuna, Gates (twice), and Sproles. San Diego's offensive seemed to have it's way with Denver's 28th ranked team defense. L.T. rushed for 90 yards and became just the third player all-time to record 1,000 yards rushing through the first 8 seasons of his career. Only Barry Sanders and Curtis Martin have done it previously, Martin doing it 10 straight years to start his career. When Antonio gates joined the action catching his first TD of the day, a 15 yard strike from a scrambling Rivers, he also put his name in the record books. Gates with 51 touchdowns in his young career was the fastest TE to 50, doing so in 92 games. The old record was set by Jerry Smith, who used 100 games to reach that feat.

"That's the San Diego Chargers that we anticipated on being at the beginning of the year," Gates said. "Tampa Bay, with all due respect, there was nothing they could do about it once we had the rhythm like we had today."

A rhythm the Bolts look to keep leading into next Sundays rematch with the Broncos for the Division.

There is a saying in football that there's a reason they play the games. If you were only to see the box score, you'd have done yourself a disservice. The stat lines were almost identical across the board. Total yards, passing, rushing, time of possession, even penalties were all almost identical. The story on the field was much different, especially in the second half. The Chargers defense stepped up with two sacks and two fourth quarter interceptions. The second interception was a pick six by Chargers rookie Antoine Cason. One of the highlights of the Chargers fourth quarter outburst, Cason returned the ball 59 yards for his first NFL score. Quentin Jammer deflected the pass intended for Ike Hilliard. Jammer also had the hit of the game. Just four plays before the interception Jammer unloaded a cold shoulder on a diving Jeff Garcia. The Tampa QB was scrambling for a first down and ended up with a gash above his nose from his helmet crashing down on his bridge. Garcia played the remainder of the game with blood dripping down his face. 

The Chargers now play host to the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm stadium this Sunday. The NFL, earlier today announced the game would be pushed back to an 8:15 eastern time zone start. This is part of the flex scheduling that allows the league to highlight it's best weekly matchups. The Chargers look to shine in front of a national audience. San Diego can silence critics with a win. A strong outing by Philip Rivers could also show his doubters what he is all about. He was left out of the top five in voting for AFC QB's in the fan poll.

Kobe IV is here...

Miami, FL

Tonight in Miami, Kobe and crew take on the Heat. Winners of the 2006 NBA Championship, the Heat feature the high flying act of Dwayne Wade. The Olympic Gold medal winning teammate of Bryant, leads the league in scoring at 28ppg. Although Miami has struggled, dropping their last three after a four game win streak, they should bounce back with a full effort against Los Angeles. The Lakers scoring 108 points per contest lead the NBA and should look for points early and often against this struggling Heat squad. With a sizable early advantage the Lakers could essentially suck all the wind from the sails of this reeling team and look for a comfortable win. Early on this year LA has had a tendency to play down to the level of their opponents, which leads to long nights and tough fourth quarter battles. 

The real news will be much lower than the 10 foot height of the basket. It will be skimming the hardwood beneath the heels of Kobe Bryant. Tonight will mark the debut of the Nike Zoom Kobe IV, the fourth signature shoe in Bryant's partnership with Nike. This shoe is more than just much anticipated, it is groundbreaking. For an elite NBA star to debut a shoe like this one is huge. The caveat, a 'true low-top'. Kobe approached the Nike design team asking for a shoe that gave him total range of his foot and ankle. The team delivered. His newest installment is the lightest basketball shoe Nike has ever made. The shoe inspired by that of his soccer counterparts, is extremely low cut. This is rare in the NBA where high tops are standard. Popular belief is the high top shoe protects the ankle from rolling and sprains better than a low-top. Kobe begs to differ, citing the fact that he has played basketball his whole life in high tops and rolled his ankle just the same. Bryant says he was inspired while watching soccer, an avid fan of Italy's AC Milan, he noticed how much stress these guys put on their feet. With matches that are long and full of running and cutting, the injuries to ankles are limited. Kobe also wanted a shoe that, 'felt like it was part of his foot'. This was achieved with the help of the Nike Sports Research Lab. The NSRL caught some of Kobe's explosive moves on slow-motion capture video. This enabled the scientists and designers to pick apart every frame of his ankle-breaking (opponents) repertoire. The results were impressive. In the low-top shoe Kobe is allowed sharper cuts with increasing responsiveness. 

The Nike Zoom Kobe IV will be a highlight of tonight's game. Tomorrow a very rare 'Venom' edition will become available to the public. Sneaker heads worldwide are surely lining up already. Starting Christmas Day until New Year's Eve, Nike will sell 24 pairs of the shoe on their Nike ID site. This limited number of shoes will be customizable to the buyers preferences. Shoppers add their own flair to a shoe, picking color pairs of their choice. 

Sluggish start...until Kobe time!

Los Angeles, CA

The Lakers gave up 65 first half points to the visiting Knicks in tonight's game. The game was so poorly started by the home crowd that I'm going to show you some of the first half stats. Make your own decisions on whether this team has what it takes to cut down the nets at seasons end. The Staples center crowd rained down boos as the squad left for the locker room at the end of 24. 

Lakers shoot 19-52; 7-23 in the 2nd, 2-10 from 3, for 37%

Knicks got 19 assists on 23 1st half makes

NY's David Lee has 12 rebounds in first half

Nate Robinson scores 18 pts on 5-8 shooting with 6-6 FT's

The Lakers responded well in the third quarter with a slurry of stops, and started the quarter on an 11-2 run. One more 7 point run towards the end of the third brought the Lakers within three, after trailing by 15 at the half. They trailed 84-88 heading into the final frame. In the the fourth quarter, or as I like to call it, 'Kobe Time', Bryant came through with again. Scoring 9 of his 28 points in the final seven minutes, led to the Lakers 116-114 win before a sell-out crowd in downtown Los Angeles. 

Lakers Bench Mob was active again in this one. Slash led the crew with 13, Sasha added 9 on 4-5 shooting, and Josh Powell put up 5 points and 4 boards. Pau Gasol missed the game with a case of strep throat. He originally came to Staples for the game, but was sent home to rest by team officials. He will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip. His presence was missed in the line-up, especially when the Knicks played small. Derek Fisher played another solid game for Los Angeles. He scored 15, with a season-high 7 assists. Most importantly was his free throw shooting. He came up clutch down the stretch and has converted 21 straight for the Lakers. Fisher is second in the league, shooting 95% from the charity stripe. Fisher also seems to be our best defender at the guard position this year. He came up with a pair of stops in the waning minutes of the fourth. His solid play should become infectious with this team that does seem to feed off each others successes. 

The Knicks did come to play and made the game both exciting and nerve racking. Exciting for director Spike Lee and more nerve racking for Lakers fans. Nate Robinson who missed a short jumper that could have given New York the lead with 12 seconds left, led the Knickerbockers. He totaled a season-high 33 points off the bench for head coach Mike D'Antoni. David Lee and Quentin Richardson each added 18. Lee also had 14 boards, 12 coming in the first half. Tim Thomas scored 14, mostly from outside and Chris Duhon added 12 of his won. Duhon shot a 75 ft. desperation three from the Knicks back court that fell short at the buzzer. New York played without backup forward Jared Jeffries.

LA now heads on a four game road trip. The Lakers play four different cities in five days. Friday the Lakers play the high scoring Dwayne Wade and Miami. Kobe will unveil his latest shoe that night, I'll keep you updated prior to game time. Saturday will be a test for young Andrew Bynum as we face the Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard will surely be a test for our bigs. He leads the leagues in blocked shots as well. Monday night should be an easy one, as long as we don't over look it. The Lakers play Memphis and USC product O.J. Mayo. To close out the stretch we play Chris Paul and the high powered Hornets. Paul has tied an NBA record with at least one steal in 105 straight games. James Posey (NO) played for the Champion Celtics last year. 

Establishing legends.

El Segundo, Ca

After a day of practice, the Lakers will be back home at Staples Wednesday night to host the New York Knickerbockers. Just for showing up on the sidelines, coach Phil Jackson will pass the late Red Auerbach for 11th most games coached in the NBA. Tonight will mark Jackson's 1,418 game at the helm. He is 6th all time on the wins list, and is the only coach to have better than 70% wins in his career (.703). Phil Jackson is now trying to pass the victory cigar smoking coach in NBA titles, with ten. It's fitting for sports history that PJ came close but no cigar in last years NBA finals. He just may have to go through Boston again this year, as the Celtics claim the leagues best record, 23-2. Kobe Bryant, who always seems to be breaking records of his own, needs but three points to tie Clyde Drexler for 21st all-time (22,195). Knowing Kobe, he'll probably just start the game with a deep three to get the business out of the way. 

Monday night, the Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-86. Consistency still remains an achilles heel for Los Angeles. The Lakers had to play all sixty minutes to get the win over a Minnesota team with the 2nd worst record. The Lakers did force 17 turnovers but still gave up ten of their own. Bynum and company also lost the rebound battle 46-53, despite leading the NBA in that department. The positives for LA were the Bench Mob again, and blocking from the bigs. Pau Gasol and Andrew had 3 blocks a piece and the bench added 33 points. Trevor Ariza led the charge with 14 points and three steals, another category the Lakers own. The energy from the second unit is really understated at this early juncture of the season. The Bench Mob often helps pick up the defense and Lamar Odom has made more of a commitment. LO had a meeting with the coaches the other night and stated he was disappointed with the bench's play as of late. He came out promising to lead the young unit, focusing heavily on shutting down the oppositions offensive attacks. This may have been a crucial meeting when everything is said and done come June. If the Lakers bench can continually play well, they should have no problem advancing through the playoffs when bench minutes really count. 

Wednesday the Knicks come to town and that is sure to draw a crowd to Staples. Jack Nicholson should see a bunch of his fellow Hollywood A-Lister's in attendance. The LA-NY games always draw a who's who of celebrity sports fans. Like their famous fanatics, there are many ties between these two teams. Head coach Phil Jackson was originally drafted by the Knicks in 1967, and was a member of the 1970 and 1973 NBA Championship teams. Lamar Odom (Christ the King HS, in Queens) is a New York native and Andrew Bynum (St. Joseph HS, in Metuchen NJ) is from nearby New Jersey. Trevor Ariza is also the youngest player ever to wear a Knicks jersey (19 years, 4 months, 4 days) after being drafted by NY in the 2004 draft. New York brings an 11-13 record into tonight's matchup, but has looked promising as of late. Head coach Mike D'Antoni's high powered offense has helped this rebuilding team reach third in scoring at 104.9 ppg. D'Antoni was acquired in the off-season to help bring this team back to national prominence. Kobe Bryant averaged just over 31 points on 49% shooting in the series sweep of New York last season, however has been a slump, shooting only 39% over his last six contests. 

 

Chargers taking it 1 game at a time!

Kansas City, MO

On a cold Sunday morning in Missouri where the temperatures reached the low-60's at kickoff, and fell to the mid-20's by games end, the Chargers were able to hold on to a win over the Chiefs. This was the 2nd win for San Diego in as many weeks. The victory came in the closing seconds of the game, as Chiefs kicker Conor Barth missed wide left on a 50 yard attempt. Barth was 9 for 9 on the year before missing a 34 yard try in the first half and the game winning try with time expired. With Barth's miss, San Diego snuck out of town with  22-21 victory. The win was bigger for the players themselves than the coaching staff or fans, as they still could have been eliminated from playoff contention with a Broncos win later in the day. This Chargers team has really shown some character these past few weeks. With back to back wins in the division, San Diego is keeping morale high. The Bolts are committed to playing hard, and playing complete games. Despite such an unexpectedly poor season, with expectations set high from the jump, this team is sticking together. After falling to the Patriots in last years AFC championship game and starting slow this year, the Chargers have yet to really unravel. This speaks volumes for the guys in the locker room. It shows commitment to team above self and tells us that they enjoy playing together, and more importantly, for each other. Many teams facing these hard times would begin to internally combust. Just this past week in Dallas, we've seen a rift between teammates Jason Whitten and Terrell Owens over who's getting more targets from QB tony Romo. That kind of stuff, especially when garnering all the media coverage it does, is so disruptive for a team. The Chargers stray from those loose cannons and remain a tight knit squad.

"There have been so many doubts and we've fallen so short of the expectations," said Philip Rivers. "The way we've bounced back these past two weeks in our division and won says a lot about our guys. It is big for our locker room and team, no matter what plays out the rest of the day." Tackle Marcus McNeill added, "We never stopped believing. I think (the Chiefs) thought they had the game won when the clock was low in the fourth quarter. But we knew if we got another chance that we were going to go down there and score."

That is exactly the kind of confidence a winning team should display. Unfortunately for today's winning team, they still have a ways to go, and they will need help from other teams after digging their hole so deep. With another win and Broncos loss next weekend I could easily see this confidence turn to a swagger that could carry the Chargers through Denver in the season finale and into the playoffs.

The Chiefs looked like a hungry team getting off to an early lead and really getting to quarterback Philip Rivers. After scores from Gonzales, Bowe, and Thigpen, Kansas City led 21-3 in the third quarter. Rivers, the leagues top rated passer (102.0) coming into the game, stepped up again. He threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns to lead his team on a fourth quarter charge to victory. Going 34-for-48 Rivers helped the Chargers to score 12 points in the fourth quarter, after the team struggled offensively for most of the game. L.T.'s diving score in the third quarter was the 123rd of his career. He has passed Marcus Allen for second all time and now only trails Emmitt Smith with 164. TE Antonio Gates, who led the Bolts with 7 receptions on the day is now just 26 shy of 5,000 yards on his career. Stephen Cooper also recorded an end zone interception. It was his third pick in the last two games. 

The Chargers now head east to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5) at Raymond James stadium next Sunday. West coast teams have only won 1 game when traveling to the east coast this season. The Charger have 12 consecutive wins in December and hope to make it a lucky 13 to prolong their playoff chances. Denver will play host to Buffalo (6-8) coming off a 31-27 loss to the N.Y. Jets. 

Start small...

Los Angeles, CA

In Friday night's rematch of the Lakers-Kings, LA did what it needed to. With some late help from Kobe Bryant (32 Points), the Lakers held on to a 112-103 victory. In a game that was to be a rematch of Tuesday nights embarrassing 12 point loss, the Lakers, clearly still have work to do. The Lakers got the win, but let a bad team stay in the game for way too long. At the end of the second, third, and fourth quarters after gaining sizable advantages, the defense lapsed allowing Sacramento to remain close. Los Angeles also had a tough go from the charity stripe. Making only 60% of their shots (20/35), this is a trend they have been seeing for much of the past week. Free throw shooting is something that needs to be remedied for the Lakers. It's no wonder that even in the loss some of the Kings players had good things to say about their effort. John Salmons, who led Sacramento with 26, was the first to sound off.

"I think in the past, we would have quit before the game was over,'' he said. "We kept fighting and we were right there with them. At this point, we have to take anything that we can get.'' He also added, when asked about Kobe's performance, "The whole world knew that he was going to come out ready for this game,'' Salmons said. "So it is what it is - he is Kobe."

Pretty high praise, but then again, Kobe is regarded as the best player in the world. He was the best on this night, dazzling the crowd with a couple of spectacular dunks, leading the Lakers to their 19th win.

Los Angeles however, still has a lot of work to do defensively. This Kings team came to town with a 6-16 record and scored 103 points. Both the Celtics and Cavaliers have big double digit win streaks going, and defense is what propels both of those teams. Cleveland and Boston are 1 and 2 in opponents scoring avg. and 1 and 3 respectively in point differential in wins. The Lakers who started their season 7-0, were huge stand outs in both categories at the start. Now 15th in opponent scoring average, the Lakers have lost three games and the rest of the league is closing fast. When I watch this team, I can see the defense come and go when convenient. In order to win a championship and beat the likes of these top tier Eastern Conference teams, convenience is going to have to become consistence. Los Angeles often times gets slow starts and then plays a little D to get back in the game or to take a quick lead. We need to start games strong and send a message to the other teams. When the Lakers play dominating defense for the entire 60 minutes, no team can beat them, not even Boston or Cleveland. The other advantage of starting strong is we get those blowout games, allowing the starters to rest for a long playoffs run. In those instances, the Lakers also strike fear into their opponents. This makes it that much easier to win, as teams are thinking loss before they step on the floor.

Now with no game until we host Minnesota on Tuesday, I believe the coaching staff will be harping on defense all weekend long. Until we play a consistent defensive game, we have no right to talk about our team as one of the championship contenders. Everybody knows defense wins rings. The Lakers should know this first hand after suffering defeat to a more dominant Celtics team last year.

Inexcusable loss!

Sacramento, CA

Arco Arena was the backdrop for one of the most uncomprehensive NBA losses this season. The Los Angeles Lakers traveled north to play a 5-16 Kings team coming off an 8 game losing streak. This Lakers team who severely underestimated the Kings, looked more like their D-league counterpart, the Defenders, just with no defense at all. The Kings, in front of a raucous crowd clanging more cowbell than all of Barstow, put a whooping to the boys in purple and gold. The Kings came out like men, John Salmons and Francisco Garcia put up 21 pts each, veteran Bobby Jackson added 15 of his own, enroute to a 113-101 victory. The team that Phil Jackson once famously called the 'Queens', made Jackson look like a village idiot, especially late in the game when he stuck with a poor shooting Trevor Ariza off the bench. 

The Lakers shot poorly all night, finishing at just 40% from the field. Kobe lead the team with 28 points but shot poorly all night. Kobe needs to go on one of his solitary shooting practices as he has shot poorly most of the season thus far. Last year after Bryant's shots didn't fall for a couple of games he would go shoot like 500 jump shots by himself until he found his rhythm. It's definitely time for him to find it now. Pau Gasol may have been the only light for a Lakers team that just looked soft all night. Pau ended with 25 points and 12 boards. The combination of Bynum, Radmanovic, and Fisher went a combined 9-22 from the field, sucking any life out of LA's chances. Fisher was a -17 on the night, meaning the Kings outscored us by 17 points when he was on the floor, not very efficient at all. Phil Jackson's best move might have been leaving Kobe and Pau on the floor for the entire fourth quarter. Thus allowing them to really take abuse from the Kings crowd and let the embarrassment sink in. 

In order for the Lakers to keep up with teams like Cleveland 18-3, and reigning champs Boston 20-2, they will need to take a deep look at themselves. Los Angeles has been taking some flak from sources around the association citing them as weak, and lacking fortitude, soft even. Well, after last nights ugly loss, the Lakers are proving the critics right. The Lakers are still the NBA's number 1 scoring team. With this in mind, they need to come out with some of that Swagger that Magic used to play with. LA needs to play with attitude and strike first in games, especially against bottom rung teams like Sacramento. This loss, the Lakers first in the Western Conference will surely be talked about throughout the league. When the Kings got a huge standing ovation in the fourth quarter, they deserved it. Playing without their top scorer, Kevin Martin (ankle injury) Sacramento came out from the jump to hand it to one of the leagues top teams. 

Los Angeles will have to go right back at it tonight against Shaq, Amare Stoudamire and the surging Phoenix Suns. Then on Friday they have a chance to exact revenge on the Kings when they visit Staples Center. You know the LA crowd will be calling. Will the Lakers be ready to answer? Yes, is all we can hope for, or else Los Angeles might be seeing green for a long time. 

  

Hot stove burnings!

'Sin City', NV

In Monday morning reports by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com it appears the Dodgers have penned a deal with 13 year veteran Mark Loretta. The utility infielder will sign a one year deal pending a physical on Tuesday to make things official. This sure comes on the heels of not knowing whether or not Nomar Garciaparra will return for one more year or retire due to his nagging injuries. The two-time all-star Loretta, will earn 1.4 million in 2009 after receiving 2.75 mil. last season with the Houston Astros. At 37, he hit .280 in 261 plate appearances for the 'Stros, going .330 against southpaw pitchers. He played all four infield positions in Houston; 46 games at second, 17 at third, 5 at SS, and 2 games at first base. The Santa Monica native, attended Michael Wilbon's alma mater, Northwestern, before being drafted by the Brewers in the 7th round of the 1993 draft. Also of note, he pitched a scoreless eight inning for the Brewers in 2001, striking out 2, giving up a walk and a hit. He had volunteered for Manager Davey Lopes, who needed help to save a much depleted bullpen. In 2004 he won the NL Silver Slugger award.

C.C. Sabathia, in the whisper heard 'round the world, told GM Ned Colletti he wants to be a Dodger. Sunday night, in a chance encounter, the two met after Sabathia was to meet with the Yankees brass. New York has already offered the top free agent pitcher a 6 year deal worth $140 million. C.C. has sat on that deal for about three weeks now. Colletti did say it was a 'possibility' that the Dodgers would get in the mix for the high priced pitcher. Colletti said he must "be wary if you believe something is not going to happen so you build the club accordingly because something can happen." when asked about Sabathia. Stating this because even a short term commitment to C.C. would "change the dynamic of the club". This was reported on the Dodgers team website late Sunday evening.

Los Angeles might have just shored up their hot corner, inking Casey Blake to a new deal. In various reports, including the LA Daily News, Blake is to sign for three years at about $17 million. Blake, 35,  who declined arbitration by the team Sunday night, was acquired by the team July 26th. He came in a deal from the Clevland Indians for minor league players Carlos Santana and John Meloan. Santana is not the Grammy Award winning, Mexican Rock guitarist you're thinking of. Blake hit .251 with 10 homers and 23 RBI's down the stretch for Los Angeles. His veteran presence and ability to solidify the infield are both good things for a young Dodgers organization. I recall him saying he really felt like a part of the team after we lost 8 games in row before coming back and winning the next 8. 

Punch one more ticket for Cooperstown!

Las Vegas, NV

From behind the podium positioned in the front of a Bellagio Hotel ballroom, Greg Maddux officially said goodbye to the game he's played for more than two decades. Maddux will undoubtedly be a first ballot hall of famer. I can't wait until 2013 when I can see him in his new address, 25 Main Street. In his 22 seasons playing for the Cubs, Braves, Dodgers, and Padres, Mad-Dog put together some amazing numbers. His 355 wins are the most of any living pitcher. Throughout his tenure in the league he garnered 18 NL Gold Glove Awards, 4 NL Cy Young Awards, and a World Series Championship in 1995 as a member of the Braves organization. With 17 straight, he also broke Cy Young's streak of 15 win seasons. He left the mound for the last time in a relief appearance during Game 5 of the NLCS for Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley. On that cool mid-October Philadelphia night when Maddux asked plate umpire Mike Winters if he could have the ball, he walked off the field a Legend. 

Maddux had some things to say to the media, who gathered for his morning press conference.

"I'm just here, really, to say thank you - thank you to everybody in baseball. I appreciate everything the game has given me. It's going to be hard to walk away, obviously, but it's time. I still think I can play this game, but not as well as I would like to. So it's time to say goodbye."

Even his final GM, and long time friend Ned Colletti, watched his remarks like a fan. Even snapping shots of his go to pitcher on his cell phone from behind rows of reporters.

"It's a rare player who has the combination of talent, recall and execution, wrapped up in competition," said Colletti. "I saw his first pitch and his last pitch. I love the guy. We knew he was special when he showed up. The player development guys said, 'Wait till you see this guy.'"

He was an official with the Cubs when Maddux came into the league in 1986. 

This praise is bound to continue as Greg Maddux was a special pitcher for a long time in this league. Surely he was a joy to watch for many fans of his teams and their opponents alike. It's always a good time watching a great pitcher master his craft. Maddux was also a great generation gap between many fathers and sons and grandmothers and granddaughters alike. He helped embody what is good about baseball. It was my mother actually, who took me to my first Dodger game as a boy. Little did she know then what she had started. Even Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley admits that he watched Maddux pitch mostly on TBS as a kid in the early 90's when he played for the Braves. This is actually just how I got to see him pitch when I was a little guy. I was born in 1983, he was born in 1984, the same year Maddux was drafted. I remember when he almost pitched a no-hitter in his Dodger debut against the Reds after we acquired him at the trade deadline. I saw him change our rotation not with his pitching alone, but with his ability to connect and teach the rest of the  staff. I know for certain that Derek Lowe appreciated his ability to break down video of batters and apply that to a game. I'm also still certain that in a game pitched by Brad Penny, that it was Maddux that called the game from the dugout. I've seen an interview on TV where the guys were asked about it and they all played it down. I think Penny even said something like, 'yeah, we might have done that for an inning or two just playing around.' Come on, he was special. Greg Maddux was that good, his presence will always be felt. Sportscasters will surely remind us of his great games for years to come and young talent will be compared to him along with all the legends of the past. For now, let us keep him in the present, a present he gave to all of us that got to see him play. Thank you, Mr. Maddux, or should I say, Mad-Dog.

Back on track!

Philadelphia, Pa

In the middle game of this three game road trip the Lakers seemed to get back on their game. In another cold city, the team started out just that, giving up an early ten point lead to the 76ers. The Lakers did settle down after a rough first seven minutes and began to hit their mark efficiently. Los Angeles was able to shoot 58% on the night en route to a 114-102 victory in Kobe Bryant's home town. Vladimir Radmanovic led the Lakers in the early going scoring all 11 of his points in the first quarter. The Lakers did out rebound their opponents again 41-37, however, lost the second chance scoring. Philly scored 17 points to the Lakers 8 in that category. 

Los Angeles is now facing the 3-13 Washington Wizards in the nations capitol on Friday. Look for this to be a game in which the Lakers can establish their defensive prowess early and hopefully keep their foot on the Wizards proverbial neck late to make this a winning road trip. After having a sour taste is his mouth from Tuesdays loss to the Pacers, Kobe got to replace it with a 'steak' delivered to him and the team as they boarded the plane to Washington, D.C. It was also nice to hear the reigning MVP's hometown crowd cheering him on and chanting MVP. He made it easy for them piling on 32 points on 12-20 shooting, closing the game with 8 points in the fourth quarter after Los Angeles let a 17 point lead dwindle to 7. 

San Diego, Ca

Qualcomm stadium was the host to a Chargers win, err blowout this past Thursday night. What? A win? I'm just as shocked and probably more stoked than all of you out there reading this now. In a must win, duh. San Diego showed some real grittiness and came to play. Much to the glee of the hometwon crowd, the Bolts scored early and often. After a nice drive down the field Nate Kaeding got it going with a 20 yard field goal. On the ensuing possesion, the first of the game for Oakland, Shawn Phillips was able to get to Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell for the sack and forced the football free. Jyles Tucker recovered and three plays later, L.T. ran it in for a three yard score to put the Chargers ahead 10-0. The score put L.T. within one of Marcus Allen (123) for second all time, only Emmit Smith (161) has more rushing TD's. The Chargers never looked back, cruising to a 34-7 victory, their 11th straight over Oakland. That is the longest current streak in the NFL over one opponent. Both Pittsburgh and New England have ten win streaks going, and both play their weak foes once more this season. 

Winning came easy to San Diego during this prime time matchup with the Raiders. A large part of that was their ability to create turnovers. The Bolts had three INT's and recovered an early fumble in the contest. The defense continued to be impressive under Ron Rivera, recording 3.5 sacks as well. The biggest coming when Phillips took down Russell causing an errant pass that was picked off by Stephen Cooper, one of two on the night for Cooper. JaMarcus was then carted off the field with an ankle injury. He did not return to the game for the second half. 

Many of the Chargers also set career highs. WR Vincent Jackson caught 5 passes for 148 yards, Darren Sproles had two receiving TD's, Stephen Coopers two INT's were a best as were Shawn Phillips 2.5 sacks. The Chargers now travel to Arrowhead stadium next week to play the Kansas City Chiefs. That will be a daunting task, besides the Chiefs poor record (2-10), because Arrowhead is known as one of the loudest stadiums in the league. 

A test the Bolts offense will have to overcome if they'd like to keep their playoff chances alive. Chargers fans are hoping for the Chiefs to win this week against the division leading Denver Broncos. 

Buzzer Beaten! Ahhh!

Indianapolis, In

The Los Angeles Lakers traveled east to a snowy Indiana to start their first three game road trip of the season. In the first quarter you got the feeling the Lakers came out a little cold. The shots were coming out flat to begin and the defense was not there. Los Angeles held on to win the quarter 30-28. In the second quarter the Lakers still seemed flat. Winning the next period by three points did not come easy. Los Angeles was in foul trouble early and played sloppy on the back end of the court. At half time it was the Lakers 66-61.

In the third quarter both teams struggled offensively to start. Then with the insertion of Trevor Ariza and the rest of the Bench Mob, the Lakers closed out the period on a 17-0 run, giving them a 15 point lead going into the final frame at 101-86. That's where the problem arises. Los Angeles scored only 16 points the rest of the way. The Pacers out rebounded LA 50-41 on the night and seemed to have second chances on most of their shots for the night. Indiana was bringing the extra effort especially in the fourth quarter scoring 32 points. Los Angeles scored only two baskets in the final 3:34 of the game with one being a big 18 footer by Kobe Bryant to give the Lakers a 117-116 lead with 58.4 to go. With 16 seconds to go, Kobe missed a 15 footer from the top of the key. That was all the Pacers needed. Indiana got the stop and called a timeout, advancing the ball to offensive end of the court. PJ countered with Andrew Bynum for length and the Pacers still got the break after a Marquis Daniels brick that was tipped by Troy Murphy. The tipped ball bounced up and down off both sides of the rim and then dropped in at the buzzer for a 1 point victory. 

It was a very disappointing loss for the Lakers. Now 14-2, Kobe and co. made some fundamental errors to let this game slip away. The Pacers came out and shot an unprecedented 99 shots on the night, 22 coming from beyond the arc. LA also lost the battle for points in the paint 42-44, turnovers 16-13, and also gave up 19 offensive rebounds. The Lakers finished the night with only 8 offensive boards. The turnovers, most importantly in the final quarter made a big difference in the final. The Lakers also missed 12 free throws on the night. After the game Phil Jackson said he didn't like anything about the defensive effort in the game. Los Angeles allowed 118, a season high, or low depending on how you look at it. Kobe Bryant did score his 22,001 point on a nice shake and bake through the lane in the waning seconds of the first half. It took Kobe just one more day than Chamberlain, who amassed 22,00 points at 30 years, 100 days, reaching the milestone November 26th, 1966. Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were the next fastest to 22,000 both doing it at 31 years of age. The Lakers now board a plane and head to Philadelphia to take on Elton Brand and the 76ers. Kobe Bryant earned the first of his two MVP attempts in the 2002 NBA All-star game held in his home town. He attended Lower Merion High School before coming into the league. 

Hope? Yes we can?

San Diego, Ca

In a game that was a black-out for local television audiences, there wasn't much complaint. For missing the game that is. Most of the fan complaints these days are of poor play and even worse coaching coming from San Diego. In what was supposed to be a three game, and possible three win home stand, the Chargers have looked less than dismal at best. The Bolts (4-8) losers of five of their last six were treated to a thorough thrashing from the 'boo birds' as Atlanta rookie QB Matt Ryan kneeled down to end the game. That being what was left of a crowd that was seen leaving in throngs after another poor effort from the home team. 

When one of the surprise success stories of the NFC South visited Qualcomm this past Sunday, all story lines were on L.T. and his former understudy Michael Turner. What seemed to go under the radar was the Falcons record. Playing for rookie head coach Mike Smith, and led by rookie QB Matt Ryan, the Falcons left San Diego 8-4 just one game behind league leaders Tampa Bay and Carolina. Hopefully that doesn't go unnoticed again as the Chargers face off with the Buccaneers three weeks from now. Michael Turner didn't disappoint however, out running his former tutor to the tune of say, 96 yards. L.T. ran for a very unimpressive 24 yards on fourteen carries. Turner logged 120 yards on 31 attempts. It seems 'The burner' won this matchup in his first return to San Diego after moving to Atlanta via free agency following last years off season. 

The Chargers had their chances to win on Sunday and just didn't capitalize. The team tied a season high with three forced turnovers, including a franchise record 84 yard fumble recovery touchdown by safety Eric Weddle. Some silver lining for a team that has

 just looked flat this last couple of weeks was their ability to stop the falcons on four consecutive tries from inside their own 2 yard line for a stop and a late 3rd down and 1, when they stopped Turner's effort, giving them the ball back and one last shot. Unfortunately, like the rest of the game, the Chargers couldn't cash in on the golden opportunity. Philip Rivers was not much better this weekend either. He was limited to a mere 149 yards and no passing touchdown for only the second time this year. Ryan on the other hand threw for 207 yards and a pair of TD's. The entire San Diego offense could only muster 201 yards in the loss. Norv Turner has just four days to get ready for their next opponent as the Chargers host the Raiders on Thursday night in an NFL network game. If San Diego finds a way to lose again this week, they'll leave the field with an identical record of the Raiders. Yes, Al Davis's much maligned Oakland Raiders. Better pray Jamarcus Russell plays like, well himself, to have a chance in this one.