Good morning. What hasn’t Kobe ruined, really?
That and much more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
Good morning. A quick programming note: Ricky O’Donnell will be stepping in for some substitute GMIBing later this week. SB Nation NBA’s big preview hits on Thursday. Enjoy it.
Let’s basketball.
GAHVILLE: Henry Abbott with a serious, hilarious reported feature on how Kobe has ruined the Lakers. All of the vignettes support Henry’s thesis -- the case is rock solid. (Even without those reported scenes the numbers don’t lie, as I wrote in July.)
But in following with my current position on Kobe, some of those anecdotes just make me like him more. Like the way he responded to Dwight Howard in free agent meetings. And the ridiculous teenager phone call stand-off with Steve Nash. (Who took the Lakers’ money knowing the score, as it were. He gets no sympathy here.)
Final note on this (for now): I subscribe to Dan Devine’s thought on the willingness of folks to rip Kobe under cover of anonymity. Kobe will do it out loud, in public. There’s something noble in that, I think. I think.
THE WEIRD WARRIORS: I wrote about how despite being pretty strange the Warriors can be championship-level.
HE’S [POTENTIALLY] BAAACK: Derrick Rose brings out a highlight reel evening against the Cavaliers.
MEANWHILE ... LeBron said before the game that the Bulls are much better than Cleveland. Setting those expectations low enough to start making us suspicious, I see.
OH MICHAEL: Mike Miller attempts to steal LeBron’s ovation.
INSTANT MEME: Apologies for missing this in Monday’s GMIB and withholding it from those of you who had lives away from Twitter this weekend. But there is an amazing Quin Snyder As Serial Killer GIF you need to see and use in your daily life.
REFORM IS HERE: Woj reports the Board of Governors will vote to approve lottery reform on Wednesday. The Sixers and Thunder are opposed but don’t seem to have much help.
ABOUT TIME? Blake Griffin is sick of getting punked, threatens to fight back when fouled hard.. In other news, Griffin was already tied for No. 1 in technical fouls last year with 16.
NO, THANK YOU: Benny the Bull in a Skrillex costume, posing with Skrillex.
YOU KNOW WHAT NEEDS A JINGLE? David Aldridge’s Morning Tip!
CLOSE ENOUGH: Gary Payton broke an important NFL passing record on Sunday, according to one news broadcast. The shot of the macro is priceless.
Happy Tuesday. See you next time.
