Kobe Bryant is marching deeper into his 30s, but he's still on top of the NBA, a sure-bet first team All NBA choice (though perhaps Dywane Wade deserves the spot over him) and the obvious leader of an obvious title favorite. The buzz received this season has been lower -- not enough buzzer beaters? -- but no one doubts Kobe, especially Playoff Kobe.
But he isn't the reason so few give the New Orleans Hornets a shot over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers' big men are, with Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom representing the best frontcourt in basketball, and making teams like the Hornets quiver. The Hornets counter with the solid Emeka Okafor, scoring Carl Landry and ... Aaron Gray? Jason Smith? It's a big mismatch, even if Okafor and Landry play well.
And that's why Chris Paul and Kobe are so important. CP3 has so much work to do to lift his inferior teammates to a level at which the Lakers are threatened; otherwise, he'll be forced a score by bucket and pail to keep up. New Orleans' defense has been solid (though it slipped when David West's injury added Landry to the starting five), but handling the Lakers' offense is a tall task for even the best stoppers. Assuming former Laker Trevor Ariza checks Kobe and Okafor takes Bynum, L.A. has a couple mismatches remaining. The Lakers abused mismatches, and had the No. 6 offense in the NBA this season. It's a tough mountain to climb.
The Lakers host the Hornets beginning at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. For our full series preview, check out our Lakers vs. Hornets hub. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Hornets, visit At The Hive.
Kobe Bryant Isn’t Waiting On Pau Gasol To Show Up After Lakers’ Game 1 Loss To Hornets
The Kobe-Pau dynamic has become one of the great mysteries of the NBA, and everyone has an opinion. Is Kobe too selfish and unwilling to defer? Is Pau too mentally weak to really challenge Kobe and take the ball out of his hands in crunch time? Does Kobe shoot the Lakers out of games, or do the Lakers force Kobe to try to shoot them back in? The Lakers trailed by six when Kobe re-entered the game in the fourth quarter; he took nine of L.A.‘s final 17 shots. He went 3-9; his teammates went 5-8.
If this series follows the normal Lakers’ progression, expect Pau to be hyperaggressive for three quarters in Game 2.
Read Article >Hornets Vs. Lakers: Los Angeles Fans Are Not Amused
The two-time defending champion Lakers won all four games against New Orleans during the regular season. However Sunday’s loss was the latest in a long line of quizzical defeats for Kobe’s crew.
Los Angeles fans over at Silver Screen and Roll are not amused by the most-recent loss, especially now that “they count.” Their analysis begins with Chris Paul, who re-emerged as one of the NBA’s best Sunday.
Read Article >Chris Paul, Best In West, Could Make Hornets NBA’s Cinderella By Beating Lakers
Getty ImagesAs the series wears on, Kobe’s style could wear thin. The Lakers have done this before -- to the tune of two straight titles -- but Kobe’s singular power is degrading with age. Kobe could win this way in 2009. Now? We’ll see.
Read Article >Hornets Vs. Lakers Final Score: Chris Paul, Jarrett Jack Power New Orleans Upset
For more on the series, check out our Lakers vs. Hornets hub. For more on the Lakers, visit Silver Screen And Roll and SB Nation Los Angeles. For more on the Hornets, visit At The Hive.
Read Article >Lakers Vs. Hornets Score: Kobe Bryant Pushes L.A., But Chris Paul Helps New Orleans Maintain Lead After Three
Lakers Vs. Hornets Score: Chris Paul Pushes New Orleans Lead To 8 In Wild Second
Who Is Trey Johnson? Lakers’ D-League Call-Up Playing For Los Angeles
...wait, hold on: who is Trey Johnson?
Johnson can play both guard spots, but has been more of an off-guard with the Jam this year due to their already having two point guards on the roster -- and the team’s need for a go-to scorer. The generously listed at 6-foot-5 guard led the NCAA in scoring as senior at Jackson State in 2007 and has slowly upped his scoring average over his four (abbreviated) seasons in the D-League from 11.8 points per game in 2007-08 to 20.7 the following year, 21.3 last season and his league-leading 25.5 scoring average this season.So, no, Trey Johnson is not exactly a scrub. But for a guy who was toiling for a team in Bakersfield a week ago, living the D-League lifestyle, getting even a scrub’s minutes in a Lakers jersey in an NBA Playoffs game is probably more than one dream come true.
Read Article >Lakers Vs. Hornets Score: Marco Belinelli’s Hot First Quarter Gives New Orleans Early Lead
Phil Jackson’s Championship Ring Schedule
↵↵Red Auerbach is cursing in his grave. Lakers vs. Hornets Game 1 tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
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