Summer fun, Dodgers roll

Chavez Ravine, CA

On a night that saw LA skipper Joe Torre pass the great Sparky Anderson for fifth place all-time in the wins column with 2,195 W's, Dodger veteran Randy Wolf saw himself get his 10th no decision of the year. Torre broke the tie with George Lee "sparky" Anderson and now trails Connie Mack (3,731), Tony La Russa (2,497) and Bobby Cox (2,357). La Russa, Cox, and Torre are all still active managers, and you may note the seemingly untouchable record of Connie Mack came with a losing record to boot. After the game Torre said,

"If you told me a dozen years ago I'd be in this rarefied air, I'd say you're full of baloney. I started out way under .500 when I took over the Yankees. I thank George Steinbrenner for putting me in this position. I've admired Sparky for years. I'm proud to be in that company."

Humble words from the man many in LA just know as the Bigelow Tea drinking former Yankee. As a player Joe was a 9x All-Star, MVP and Gold-Glove winner with a career .297 average and 252 HR's. As manager Mr. Torre has lifted the World Series trophy four times (all with the Yankees) and been a 2x AL Manager of the Year (96,98).

Randy Wolf went strong again for the Dodgers, investing 87 pitches in 6 innings he allowed only one run by the Athletics. For his efforts, he earned his 10th no decision on the year. Two other Dodgers putting their respective two cents in came out with more to show for it. Both relievers Brent Leach and Ramon Troncoso pitched exactly two pitches, and each had the only batter they faced ground into double plays. For their efforts, Leach got the win, and Troncoso recorded the save. Despite his 3-2 record, Wolf leads the team in starts and innings pitched, on pace to go 225 strong this season. Wolf also has a .329 ERA and the Dodgers have won 10 of 15 games he's started, including 7 of his last 8 outings. 

Orlando Hudson had a third inning homer over the center field fence (5) and Juan Pierre, who continues to play spectacular baseball in the absence of suspended outfielder Manny Ramirez added an RBI single later the game. As for me, I had the time of my life last night. For me, I took in the game from a different vantage point than usual. I sat in the very first row of the Dodgers premium Dugout club seats just over the A's dugout. It was one of those special feelings that makes you feel like a child all over again. I felt like a fly on the wall, so close to the action I could hear the Velcro ripping each time an A's batter secretly adjusted his gloves in preparation for his turn at the plate. When sitting that near the like of a Jason Giambi, I was almost inclined to run back upstairs to the press box after noticing his home run blasting forearms are possibly twice the size of my (I used to think athletic) writers biceps. We each have our own dragons to slay, for tonight the Dodgers pitching got the better of Giambi, 0 for 3 with a walk. You're reading this, so it looks like my bantam biceps came out victorious. I love baseball, I'll stick to writing and I'm sure Giambi will be back in highlight form soon. 

This magic moment...

Orlando, FL

Amway Arena was home to a complete role reversal in Game three of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. Just as in the tale of the old Drifters song, the game was sweeter than wine, and the nets seemed softer than a summer night for Stan Van Gundy's bunch. Orlando shot an NBA Finals record 62.5% from the field (75% first half) en route to a 108-104 victory over the Lakers to pull the series within one game. Orlando shot lights out all night. Los Angeles edged them in second chance points 18-5, but that was partly due to the hot shooting of Orlando that didn't produce too many rebounds. It was actually the Lakers that controlled the game for most of the first half until the Magic surged late for a 5 point half-time advantage. After an 0-6 start, this was the first Finals win for the Magic franchise. It also kept them from going down 0-3, a deficit no Finals team has ever overcome to win the title.

It was not as if the Lakers had no chance in this game, they just had no chance at shooting with the hot Orlando shooters. Kobe Bryant started the game hot scoring 17 first quarter points including a four-point play as he was fouled sinking a three. Then the second quarter happened, and in a bad way for LA, the Magic proceeded to miss only three attempts to close out the half. Bryant went 4-15 missing five free-throws the rest of the game and finished with a game high 31 points, 8 assists, and 3 boards. Pau Gasol who continues to play solid in the playoffs had 23 but just 3 rebounds in the loss. Trevor "Slash" Ariza added 13 and Farmar as well as LO came off the bench with 11 points each. Once again coach Phil Jackson kept the reigns tight on his bench opting not to use Shannon Brown and spotting Sasha Vujacic only three minutes in the contest.

The Orlando Magic basically played one hell of a game getting good looks all over with an effective inside out game and an ability to share the ball well. LA will look to get to the paint more often and work that Gasol-Bryant pick and roll that is so effective for them in Game 4 Thursday night. The Lakers also need to show more consistency from the charity stripe as they missed on 10-of-26 attempts in Tuesdays loss. 

Things to know looking ahead to game 4 are the Lakers are 6-0 in the playoffs coming off a loss. Also after Wednesday's practice, coach Phil Jackson called his team to a mandatory 7:30 buss, (Freudian slip, I'll let it go) the team wen to see the new Blockbuster The Taking of Phelam 123, with Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Otherwise known as "The new Denzel joint", by Lakers forward Josh Powell. We'll see if a train heist is just what the lakers need to derail the Magic for the rest of this 'Mickey Mouse Series'.

NBA Finals go East...

Orlando, FL

The NBA Finals will arrive in Orlando, Fl tonight for game three. The LA Lakers lead the series 2-0, putting the home team in a difficult spot. In 222 tries, only 14 teams have rallied to win the championship after trailing 0-2. The Orlando Magic have never won an NBA title with their only previous trip to the Finals being a 1995  loss to the Houston Rockets in four games.  That team featured a top notch duo in Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway and Shaquille O'neal. This years team will need a little (or a lot) of Magic to come back and defeat the Phil Jackson lead Lakers if it doesn't want to share a similar fate. Some good news for Dwight Howard and his crew, the Lakers post a losing record in Finals Game 3's (2-3) after leading the series 2-0. 

The Magic will have a frenzied crowd awaiting the return of their beloved team to Amway Arena tonight. Magic is in the air everywhere in Orlando, sights of Magic decals and flags have even been seen on toll-booths on the local expressways. A team that narrowly missed tying the series at 1-1, should play with a ton of confidence on their home floor. Dwight Howard who had 17 in the Game 2 loss will surely look to attack the glass with plenty of fervor to try and ignite his home crowd. Howard lead the NBA in dunks for the second straight season and has a great ability of opening up shooting lanes for his teammates. Rashard Lewis 34 points, and Hedo Turkoglu 22, had big nights offensively in Game 2 and look to explode again at home. Courtney Lee who missed the layup heard around the world is confident his team will perform well in Game three. His last second shot that could have won the game caromed just off the rim and out, many Magic players and fans wondered if Lakers F Pau Gasol committed a goaltend on the play. "I caught it and just tried to make a play, " Lee said. "We didn't lost the game just because I missed the layup. We could have won the game."

1 down, 3 to parade...

Los Angeles, CA

In game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers handed down a whoopin' to the Orlando Magic, 100-75. This is a series for better or worse, showcasing Dwight Howard who helped carry a team atop his Atlantean shoulders past the world champion Celtics and King James' Cavaliers to arrive at Staples. Although a different team that cruised by the Lakers in the season series with star point guard Jameer Nelson, many except those at the evil four letter network thought this could still be a good matchup of talents. Orlando boasts Howard, the Defensive Player of the Year and a prolific dunker, flanked by a talented cast of shooters in Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, Mickael Peitrus, and Cory Lee. Unfortunately for the Magic, shooting was off and Bynum and the Lakers bigs fed Superman a heavy dose of Kryptonite. Orlando had the same 8 turnovers the Lakers did, but shot only 29% from the field. Their starters were even worse shooting just 23% with Dwight Howard adding just twelve points on 1 of 6 shooting. Hardly the heroics that he displayed in the Eastern conference playoffs. "We've never had a shooting night this bad," said Howard. "We've just got to come out and play harder than we did tonight."

Andrew Bynum scored 9 pints with 9 boards in his 22 minutes. More importantly he has seemed to grow both in body and mind.

"I think after the Houston series everyone realized, 'Look this is what we need to do'" he said after a Friday practice session. "We're going to have to play defense. Everybody's going to have to sacrifice offense, it will take care of itself, especially with us. We have a deep team and everybody (will) score, it's going to come down to how many people we stop, (and) how many stops we can get in a row."

This is a huge truth anybody can see when watching this Los Angeles team. It is evident that this team looks like world beaters when they play with energy and effort on both ends. I figure it hard to find a naysayer at the Lakers chances when they play as a unit. Many times this year they have been another team, another story however. Let's hope every man in the locker room has been enlightened as young Bynum has been. Possibly this will lead Bynum to more self-discovery. I truly believe that if he realizes his true talent and continues to study the game, especially with Cap, he will be one of the top three centers, maybe players in the league over this next decade. This is the kind of team that can go on one of those Jackson lead three-peat's if all cylinders are firing. 

Since we've talked about Bynum and the lackluster, unenthusiastic play of the Magic, let's talk Kobe. Mr. MVP, Mr. Clutch, the Black Mamba, best closer in the game, et. cetera, et. cetera. Bryant became just the fourth player in NBA Finals history (West, Jordan, O'neal) to record at least 40 points, 8 dimes, and 8 rebounds in a game. Bryant was spectacular pacing his team with 18 first half points, and an array of spectacular shots. The fact that Kobe was able to keep his teammates so involved while shouldering much of the scoring load himself was promising for Laker fanatics everywhere. "I just want it so bad, that's all," said Bryant. "I just want it really bad." This team is now three games away from its 15th title and is playing like they want to win it all on the road. My original guess was the Lakers in five, in Orlando. If they play another inspired game this Sunday, a four game sweep wouldn't shock me. With a series win the Lakers will stand just one game under .500 in the Finals (85-86) and next year they could do something about that. Let's sit back and take this one game at a time until then. 

As far as the brains behind the battle schemes, Jackson and Van Gundy are about as even as Magic players Howard and Tyronn Lue in stature, fame, and salary. Phil is 43-0 all-time in the playoffs when winning Game 1 of a series. He is also the NBA all-time leader in Playoff games 296, wins, 206, and win percentage .696%. With another title Jackson would surpass the great Bill Russell (11) for most championships by a player/coach. When Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy was asked if he was intimidated by facing Jackson and all of his rings, he responded, "I guess if one of the NBA players threatened to kick my butt, I'd be intimidated. Phil sitting down there on his chair doesn't intimidate me." Coach Van Gundy also added before the start of the series, "We're not going to win the coaching matchup," he said. "Phil has won more playoff series than I have won playoff games. You've got to be yourself. I couldn't be Phil even if I wanted to." Van Gundy is a 34 game playoff winner. Sunday could bring win number 35, probably not.