LAKERS -at- MAGIC - 6/14 - Thoughts and 8-)) Ratings

[DancingBarry]

The Return of Little Larry... The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have torn up the abandoned carnival looking for the magicians. Between a smashed Gravitron and an overturned "Can Alley" game trailer, you spot tracks and drops of blood through the broken glass and debris. You follow them until you reach a puddle of blood in the shadow of a vintage Sellner Tilt-a-Whirl. It's fresh, but the trail of your wounded opponent ends here -- a pool of blood on the golden stones of this courtyard. Something is familiar about this. You suddenly slip on the slick stones and your hand plunges into the blood ... it's cold. You quickly wipe it off your shirt, and that's when it hits you -- the same image that has been haunting you for months. You replay the scene in your head:

You see Little Larry O'Brien standing on yellow stones amid a raging battle, the wounded falling at his feet. Hands reach for him and are struck down. Bold rushes are made toward him and collapse just short. Behind him, a large number "16" is etched in the stone of an archway. You look down and see the blood on your hands.

You look across the courtyard at the archway you entered at the start of this battle and spot the large number "16". You look at the blood on your hands. You look at the open carriages all around you that contain Little Larry and his look-a-likes. That's when you realize why the Horsemen have brought you here. Little Larry speaks to you. Closing your eyes, you instantly sense which one he is.

This is your moment. This is your time to seize it. Go! Go Now! The instant you make your run for him... all hell breaks loose. Out of the debris, the magicians rise. The trail of blood was a trap. You knew it, but now you run. You run as fast as you can for Little Larry.

A magician falls to your right as Famine brings him down with a precision weapon throw from long distance. You side step another fallen magician and Destruction clears a path using his size. You hurdle another as Pestilence hammers him to the ground.

You are just a few feet from Little Larry, but the largest magician suddenly cuts you off. He raises a sword and you are done for. Out of nowhere, Death blocks the blow. He attacks, hangs in the air, switches his sword from left to right and cuts him down as Death falls to the ground.

Now! Take him. Now! You dive for the Golden Child. Your hands reach out and grasp Little Larry.

As you touch Larry, he hits you with music and images. Bells ring out near and far, one for each victory in the field of battle. With each bell a flood of memories flash through your head: The repeated devastation of Nuggetville; the Fat Man in the ruffled, peach-colored tuxedo shirt playing the maracas; the defeat of the Green Menace; a fallen church of King James; whispers from suburban Rocketville; being chased by an axe-wielding Tin Man who wants your heart; swimming in the permanently embalmed city of Clipperville, like a giant jar of pickled sea monkeys; passing the tests from a young bad ass called "The Doctor" and a riddle-speaking MJ; overcoming the little she-Damien and her psychotic "Stranger must die!" mantras; the defeat of the magicians...

The images fade away as you hear a familiar voice. "What would you do to save Little Larry? Would you move heaven and earth?" You open your eyes and see Angel standing next to you. "Yes. Yes, I would," you reply. A tear streaks down her cheek, but she seems finally at peace. You pick yourself up off the ground. "May I?" she asks, looking at Little Larry. You hand him to her and she cradles him like a mother cradles a baby.

"Thank you," she says again and again. "Thank you... Thank you..."

As she stares lovingly at Little Larry, it's not her face that is reflected back. It is the multi-colored faces and eyes of a million others. That's when you understand something about her that you only now realize. She looks at you, then hands Little Larry back. "But?..." you sputter. She puts a finger to your lips and kisses you on the forehead.

What you realize now is that Angel wasn't a flesh and blood woman.

She wasn't Dorothy to your Toto. She was Oz.

She wasn't Ilsa to your Victor or Rick. She was Casablanca.

She wasn't flesh and blood. She was your city. She was Los Angeles. And she is finally at peace.

You turn to the Four Horsemen who have gathered around, and you hand them Little Larry O'Brien. They pass him from one another, then collectively hold him above their heads while jumping up and down. They let out warrior screams. They dance. They laugh. They cry. And it is beautiful.

A tired, battle weary, emotionally drained man approaches. He pats you on the back, slips a piece of purple and gold paper in your hands, then strolls down the street on his way. You unfold the paper, it's from DancingBarry. You read the note, then look up to see where he went, but he's gone. This note is different from all the others. You read it once more. It is simple, but you love the way it sounds:

The Reign of the Four Horsemen has begun.

..and I will continue to follow them.

Little Larry was there for the taking. It happened during the second quarter. Stan Van Gundy sensed it, too, calling three timeouts during this stretch. The Lakers smelled blood in the water. Right there, right then, it was time to take it. Seize the moment, and they did.

They pounced for a 16-0 run that took control of the game. "That was our chance," Phil said. The Magic didn't know what they were up against. They were on their heels and the Lakers went for the kill. The built on their lead in the second half to maintain control and cruise to a 99-86 victory.

Choke versus Clutch... The lasting memories of this Finals will depend on which team you were pulling for. The images replaying in the heads of the Magic will be a missed alley-oop by Courtney Lee and two missed freethrows by Dwight Howard. The Choke. The images winning out the day and going down in legend will be the two bombs dropped by one Derek Fisher in game four. Kobe may have also added a signature shot with a hanging bank while shifting the ball from his right to his left while in the air and falling down tonight. It was beautiful.

This wasn't about one team giving away a championship. This was about one team taking it. A crushing opening salvo. Two overtime victories, and tonight, sensing the moment to pounce.

There was a point in a game at Boston earlier this season where the Lakers became masters of their fate. They had already exorcised some demons with an earlier defeat of the Celtics, but the team showed the "grit" Phil mentioned they needed. I see Kobe Bryant pointing a finger at Rajon Rondo and standing up to a group of Celtics. I see Lamar Odom physically spanking KG, going nose to nose with him afterward, then as he walked down the other end of the court he gave a smile that can only be described as "ownage." They became masters of their fate on that day and, today, they claimed their destiny.

So much could be said about this victory. Kobe proving to the world that he is, indeed, the player Laker fans knew him to be -- a dominant virtuoso who could carry his team to a championship. Phil Jackson proving that he's still on the leading edge of NBA coaching. Derek Fisher showing that heart and leadership can't be measured in a stat sheet, only in big moments. Pau Gasol showing that toughness isn't about whether you got knocked down, it's about you getting up.

The Lakers learned from their mistakes all playoffs long. They grew as a team and put it all together. Because of that, Little Larry O'Brien is home again where he belongs. The last time I touched the Larry O'Brien trophy was on the day Chick Hearn died. Now, this organization can be called the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers once again. I can hear Chick saying it right now as if it were yesterday...and how sweet that sounds.


Kobe -- -- "By any means necessary," those are the words we've heard Kobe say again and again on the drive for his fourth championship. There are games in these playoffs where that meant Kobe carving opponents with his amazing scoring abilities. Something he has always done. There were other times, however, where it meant throttling back, pulling multiple defenders away from the hoop and letting his teammates feed off the ensuing advantage. This is "any means necessary," too. he led the team in assists and scoring in the final, meshing both skills in a drive manner. He also led his team. You saw Kobe on the sidelines like a coach in the huddle of players going over their respective assignments. He was focused and made sure all his teammates were, too. Kobe has had many brilliant moments on the court and many great achievements, but this will be the season he is most proud of. Such a well-rounded effort and an amazing jouney in the process -- a journey which spanned personal issues, missing the playoffs to going for 81 to this winning this ring. "He's learned how to become a leader in a way which people want to follow him," Phil said afterward. In this game, he had what should be one of the signature moments of the Finals. He attacked across the lane, hung in the air, showed the ball to his right, brought it back to his left and banked over Howard before going to the floor. It was a beautiful shot from your Finals MVP. The Stats: He scored 30 points on 10-23 shooting (2-5 from three, 8-8 from the line) to go with 6 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 41 minutes. He was a +15. The Action: He missed a layup on a drive. He sank an 18-footer off the high screen. He was mugged on a double team and looked like he dislocated his finger on the slap (with no call). He sank a pull-up from the top of the key. He sank a pull-up wing three next time down. He hit Bynum off the screen roll for a dunk. He swatted Pietrus in the post. He was fouled on an oop, he made both FTs. He was hit on a pull-up jumper with no call. He was fouled trying to fight for post position, he made both FTs. He blew past Pietrus baseline and reverse jammed. He got hacked on a layup in transition with no call again, wow. He drew the double from the post and kicked to DFish for the three. He swiped a post entry to Howard, then found Ariza for three. He hit a floater from 15 feet out with two men on him, crazy shot. He hit Ariza for another three. He missed a long jumper trying to go to for one. He had 15 points on 5-11 shooting and 4 assists. Second Half: He swished a top-of-the-key jumper. He blocked Rashard's drive. He attacked across the lane, showed the ball to the right, pulled it back to the left and banked while falling down (wow...wow!). He weaved through the lane off the dribble and was shoved from behind by Howard (his fourth with 3:39 left in the third), he made both FTs. He missed a hanging jumper in the lane. He ball watched and gave up a three to Redick. He swished a face-up baseline jumper. He missed a reverse. He missed a turnaround jumper trying to beat the shotclock. He faced up and drained a big three over Hedo. He missed at tunraround from the elbow. He posted up, good position, he spun and drew FTs, he made both. He missed a long three. He missed a chuck from three late in the shotclock. He attacked to his left and powered in a bank. He missed a fade from the wing.

Gasol -- -- There are many great names in Laker lore, with this championship ring Pau Gasol has now earned a spot among those. You may not believe it now or it may not hit you until later in his career, but this is the moment where it happened -- this ring. Pau dominated the interior of this game, and he did it on the defensive end. He dominated Howard proving why Pau is one the world's best bigmen. He was boarding, he was swatting, he took it to Howard on the offensive end when Dwight was in foul trouble and we needed to go at him. Pau was hungry. Pau was angry. He heard all the smack sent in his direction over the past year. He finished second in the Olympics (might have had Gold if not for Mr. Bryant). He rose to the challenge and now wears the ring. What a journey it has been since he has joined this team. He is truly a pleasure to watch on the court. The Stats: He scored 14 points on 6-9 shooting (2-4 from the line) to go with 15 boards (4 offensive), 2 assists, 4 blocks, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 41 minutes. He was a +14. The Action: He tipped in a Bynum miss. He gave up an And-1 to Rashard. He hit a jumphook over Rashard, first post touch 6 minutes in. He threw down a missed drive from Lamar. He picked up a ridiculous second foul under the hoop on a defensive board. He had 6 points on 3-3 shooting, 7 boards and 3 blocks. Second Half: He drew a charge on Howard on iso D. He was dumped on a reverse layup with no call. He rejected Hedo's drive. He faced up, attacked down the lane and drew FTs, he made one. He faced up on Gortat, spun and hit the jumphook. He iso'd on Howard, attacked and drew his fifth foul at the end of the third, he made one FT. He worked a series of moves against Gortat then hit a jumper. He missed a face-up wing jumper. He posted up Howard, spun, missed, got it back and scored. He swatted Rashard's drive.

Bynum -- -- The best thing for Bynum and the Lakers is probably that Drew didn't get a chance to go off in this series (and playoffs) like he had been dominating earlier in the season. He got the ring and he now owns that over Howard, but these two bigmen may have some more great battles in the future. It will be nice when they let them play on an even playing field. They finally let Bynum play a little more in this one than in previous games. The fouls were more consistent. Drew seemed to have the ball in his hands a lot early in this game and struggled. "He did a good job. I'm sad, but I'm happy to see that some of the guys I enjoyed playing against got a championship," Howard said. Bynum may have given the Lakers just enough beef in this series to keep the Lakers afloat. Next year, let's hope he can stay healthy, and may this be the first of many rings to come for him in the purple and gold. The Stats: He scored 6 points on 3-11 shooting (0-1 from the line) to go with 5 boards (4 offensive), 1 steal, 1 turnover and 5 fouls in 17 minutes. He was a -5. The Action: He threw the high-low pass away. Good job on the offensive glass, tipping it a couple times, but unable to put it in. He missed a 16-footer. He missed a turnaround. He bricked a bad look at a turnaround from 11 feet out. He missed a 13-footer not making the high-low pass. He grabbed a Fisher miss and powered in an And-1, he missed the FT. He was shoved from behind on a layup with no call. He ripped the pass away and dunked. He posted up, spun and hit a jumphook. He missed a turnaround from 12 feet. He had 6 points on 3-11 shooting. Second Half: Nothing to report.

Ariza -- -- Trevor and Hedo went forehead to forehead after a timeout was called in the second quarter. There were words exchanged. Out of that timeout, Ariza got aggressive. The Lakers went right to him for a three. He started getting steals. He hit another three. He had 11 points in that second quarter. I am reminded of Kobe's comment about shaking a tree and leopard falling out. Seeing that kind of response from Ariza makes you smile. Last season, we all talked about Bynum and Ariza making a difference in our championship run. They were injured and not capable of giving the Lakers an impact. Instead, we saw guys like Posey winning games for the Celtics. This year, we saw Ariza winning games. The Stats: He scored 15 points on 5-12 shooting (2-5 from three, 3-6 from the line) to go with 5 boards, 1 assist, 2 stals, 3 turnovers and 3 fouls in 40 minutes. He was a +11. The Action: He missed on a drive down the lane. He attacked off the three line and drew FTs against Howard, he made one. He picked up a double tech with Hedo, both players going forehead to forehead at a timeout. He drained a wing three off a Kobe kickout. He swished another wing three. He jumped a passing lane, tracked the ball down and drew FTs on the break, he made one. He swiped the ball again, leaping over a player to grab the loose ball while hitting the floor. He powered in a layup off the Pau handoff. He banked in a pull-up jumper to beat the shotclock (don't think he called glass on that). He had 12 points on 4-6 shooting (2-2 from three). Second Half: He missed a wing three. He airballed a three trying to beat the shotclock. He missed a three badly on a Pau kickout. He spun baseline, took a lob from Luke and dunked. He got rim blocked on a throwdown drive. He was fouled and made one FT.

Fisher -- -- After struggling throughout the playoffs, DFish rose to the occasion on the biggest of stages. Maybe it was that extra rest between series that helped. Maybe it was just DFish being DFish. Maybe it was destiny. He has hit the third most threes in the Finals and left his mark on this one. Brilliant series from him. "When things are down, things are bad, there has to be something you look to want to believe that it's going to be better tommorow. For me that has always been my faith," DFish said afterward when asked about the turnaround. He was hitting big threes and big layups. He was defending the point well in our concepts. He outplayed the Magic guards. Prior to DFish coming here, the chemistry on this team was at an all-time low. There was turmoil on all levels. DFish was part of the glue that helped bring it together. He talked about the chemistry after the game. "There was a willingness to learn and to be around me. To be around Kobe. To be around other people they can learn from and listen to. It's just a special group," he said. Wearing the championship hat and shirt, he highlighted a game this season where they let the Wizards come back from a huge deficit. He said they made a point of "How dare we?" after losing a similar big lead in the Finals against the Celtics. After some issues early in the playoffs, they held tightly to the leads they got. The Stats: He scored 13 points on 4-7 shooting (1-1 from three, 4-4 from the line) to go with 4 boards, 2 assists, 1 turnover and 4 fouls in 32 minutes. He was a +16. The Action: He scored a layup off the give and go. He missed a baseline jumper. He attacked Alston in transition for FTs, he made both. He sank a three on a Kobe kickout. He attacked Howard, blowing past him and scoring a layup. He had 9 points on 3-4 shooting. Second Half: He missed a wing jumper, stepping in after a fly by. He missed a chuck from the wing, looking for the foul. Bad possession, pushing out a break against all the Magic, they swarmed and got a jumpball. He swished a baseline jumper off the Kobe kickout. He was purposely fouled, he made both FTs.

Lamar -- -- Looking at the Wheaties box while wearing championship gear, Lamar Odom achieved a dream that he's had since he was a kid -- to be a champion. He's had so many personal tragedies that today was a long time coming. Enjoy it, LO. Savor it as much as you can. "I never felt bad for myself or asked the question 'why me?' It's just my story. I wouldn't be Lamar Joseph Odom if it didn't happen to me. I've always seen this coming -- my day." At some point this season, the majority of Laker fans all finally seemed to see the value of Lamar. The Candy Man's up and down play has had fans jumping into the trenches on both sides of whether he was a player or not. When Bynum went down, Lamar's true value showed. And when Bynum struggled to return to form or when he would get into foul trouble, LO's value to this team was made even clearer. You don't win this ring without him. Tonight, he dropped 17 and 10. His three shooting has been incredible the second half of this season, and he was flame throwing today. He went 3-3 from behind the arc. When he's doing that on one end, while rotating, boarding and battling on the other like he does, opponent's have series issues. All season, Lamar has been at the center of the pregame huddles as his teammates bounced around him. He has led this team in his own way. All season they kept chanting "1-2-3 Ring!" when they broke their huddles. He's a glue guy and an impact player. You don't pinch pennies. You bring him back. The Stats: He scored 17 points on 5-12 shooting (going 3-3 from three, 4-5 from the line) to go with 10 boards (3 offensive), 1 steal, 3 turnovers and 4 fouls in 31 minutes. He was a +16. The Action: He attacked and missed, but Pau dunked it back in. He missed a jumphook on iso. He was called for a weak moving screen call. Great first step to blow past his man and he flipped in an And-1 reverse layup, he made the FT. He stepped into a wing three and drilled it. He reversed getting out on the break. He charged over Gortat in the final minute, picking up his third foul. He scored 8 points on 3-5 shooting and had 5 boards. Second Half: He swished a sideline three. He swished another corner three next time down. His layup was goaltended with no call. He missed a pull-up jumper. He charged again in the lane plowing into Gortat (some nice D by Gortat). He missed a 15-footer. He crashed the glass and drew FTs, he made both. He was fouled under the hoop, he made one.

Luke -- -- Luke finally got over in the Finals. He had a great game against Detroit years ago in his first Finals, but lost the series. He wasn't cut out for the match up last year. Now, with Ariza able to take on the heavy lifting, Luke can come off the bench and pick his spots. He was able to do that in several instances in this Finals. From the first game where he took it to the Magic in the post, to game four where he had to hold the line at the PF spot or tonight where he put together some effective minutes in the second half. He and Kobe had a long embrace in the locker room. Luke has been on the bitter end of all those losing playoff series with Kobe. Now, they shared the ultimate victory together. Great to see. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 2 boards, 1 assist and no fouls in 13 minutes. He had a +/- of 0. The Action: He missed an open wing three badly. Second Half: He slapped a ball loose on the perimeter. He fought for an offensive board and drew the foul call to get it back. He lobbed to Ariza spinning backdoor for the dunk. He attacked from the wing and scored a layup.

Brown -- -- He didn't play tonight, but he had some huge contributions in these playoffs. He is an excellent role player for the Triangle. He's a free agent, but he probably won't find a better situation for himself anywhere else.

Vujacic -- -- Poor Sasha. He couldn't hit anything all Finals long. He struggled all year. Tonight, was more of the same. You wonder if the noise gets to him. If he can shoot in practice, but not in the games with people rushing at him, he needs to change how he practices. Knowing Sasha, he'll be out there trying his best to turn things around. The Stats: He didn't score on 0-1 shooting and was a -4 in 3 minutes. The Action: He bricked an open wing jumper working off the screens (didn't even draw iron). Second Half: He came in for Kobe at the end of the third. Weak D on Redick, allowing him to get open and then feed a teammate for a layup.

Farmar -- -- This was a growing experience for Farmar. I don't know if it was humbling at all, but it was a growing experience. To be a floor general in the NBA, you have to think the game and execute at a high level. He's struggled with both of those as the season went along, but when the playoffs arrived he started to focus better. He didn't have a huge impact in this series, but he played serviceable ball and that has been one of the hardest things to get from him lately. His peak came when DFish took the suspension for shoving Scola and Farmar had to start in his spot. It was a perfect match up for him against a speedy guard and he rose to the occasion. The keys to those moments of success: Tougher D and not compounding mistakes. Keep working hard, Farmar, but know there's a lot still to learn. The Stats: He scored 2 points on 1-3 shooting (0-1 from three) to go with 1 assist and no fouls in 10 minutes. He was a -3. The Action: He missed an open three. Second Half: He attacked to his left, hung and banked in a tough shot at the end of the third.

Powell -- -- What a difference a year makes. From a struggling Clipper team to the top of the world. He didn't play tonight, but he earned enough trust from Phil during the regular season that you saw him quite often in this playoffs.

Mbenga -- -- DJ got to record a swat in some critical first quarter minutes in the last game. His personal story has been told quite a bit, but it is great to see a good guy like him at the top of the world right now.

Morrison -- -- He didn't get to participate in the Finals and who knows what the future holds? His last big game in college against Jordan Farmar was a bitter one. Now, both have a ring. Hopefully, he recovers from his injury completely.

Sun Yue -- -- A ring before his goliath countryman, Yao. We only saw him briefly this season, but I'm sure the experince for him helped him as a player. He saw what it takes to succeed on the highest level.

Phil -- -- That's Coach 10 Rings to you. Wow, that's a lot of trophies. No other coach has more... The Lakers trailed early, Bynum taking and missing a ton of shots (0-6). Phil called a timeout, down 15-6... The Lakers reeled them in and trailed 28-26 after the first. Once again, they survived and early road situation that could have gotten ugly. The Lakers had 4 turnovers, the Magic 1 in that quarter. The Lakers outrebounded the Magic 7-2 on the offensive glass... The Lakers ran a Bynum, Lamar, Luke, Sasha, Farmar lineup to start the second. They stalled offensively and trailed. Phil brought back in the starters with Lamar. LO and DFish hit a couple threes and they pulled back even... Orlando called timeout. The Lakers continued to apply pressure and forced another timeout with a 4-point lead... Another couple makes without an answer and Van Gundy called another timeout. The Lakers up by 9 and the heart was being taken from the Magic... The Lakers won the second quarter 30-18, capitalizing on 7 Magic turnovers. Some great play by all, especially Ariza... The Lakers led 56-46, shooting (47.7 percent, 5-8 from three, 9-12 from the line. They had 8 turnovers, which the Magic converted into 11 points. The Magic shot 44.4 percent (20-45 shooting, 1-9 from three, 5-8 from the line)... They played even for the first half of the quarter, then the Lakers started applying the pressure. They extended to a 16-point lead. Phil called a timeout with 3 minutes left in the third, up 71-57... The Lakers won the third quarter, 20-15. The Magic shot 5-19 in the third... They Lakers traded baskets during the fourth. For the last few minutes they put it in cruise control. The Magic had no real fight in them... The Magic shot 8-27 from three (29.6 percent). The Lakers made half of their threes, going 8-16. The Lakers had 8 blocks (4 from Pau, 4 from Kobe)... All season long these guys have stepped up and knocked down one streak after another. A lot of stats, a lot of streaks were thrown in front of them and they knocked them down. That says a lot about the mental strength of this team. Phil has done a masterful job helping make these players into mentally strong champions. The veteran leadership came alive in the Finals, and guys like Pau and Ariza have elevated their games since moving to this team. Lots of props to Phil... Enjoy smoking that cigar later while thinking about Red, Phil...


Credits (a little credit music):

DancingBarry - Himself
Angel - The City of Los Angeles
Little Larry O'Brien - Himself
Death - Kobe Bryant
Pestilence - Pau Gasol
Famine - Lamar Odom
Destruction - Andrew Bynum
The Bulldog - Derek Fisher
The Cobra - Trevor Ariza
The Other Death Riders - Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Shannon Brown, DJ Mbenga, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison, Sun Yue. Also: Vlad Radmanovic, Chris Mihm.

Special Appearances By:

The Fat Man Playing Maracas - Shaq
The Tin Man - Tim Duncan
King James - LeBron James
Riley - Pat Riley
The Magic Man - Magic Johnson
His Airness - Michael Jordan
Tough Guy with Weasely Face - Bill Laimbeer
Flight 35 from the Future - Kevin Durant
The Doctor - Julius Irving
The Human Highlight Reel - Dominique Wilkens
The Big O - Oscar Robertson

Mrs. DB and Family -- -- I opened a bottle of champagne tonight and toasted Mrs. DB, friends, the little ones and the Lakers. What a crazy, long, amazing season. Doing the extra stories for the games this year not only raised the commitment for me, but also from the family. I thank them for their sacrifices, which often require working family life around Laker games. This is often like a second job and one without the financial benefits. But it is a labor of love...and that can't be a bad thing, can it?

LG -- -- Nothing but love for you guys...even the crazy ones. We've been in the trenches together in our own way. Your passion has been brilliant and the talent of many of you, inspiring. Times may be tough for some of you, but enjoy this. It is yours to enjoy. It's been years since we've been the keepers of Little Larry O'Brien. Savor it.

[ishi331]

1st
HAHA! Awesome job DB! Thanks for a great season of recaps!

[Ray_Gonzoles]

The road for these playoffs had its bumps and pitfalls, but the Lakers rose to every challenge and completed the journey tonight with a spectacular win in Orlando. Props to the players on both teams, but special props to Pau, Lamar, Fish and Trevor – and a standing ovation to the Finals MVP KB24.

Now rest and retool to defend this Championship beginning in October.

Thanks for all the recaps this year DB – hope you do it again next season.

And to all the LG group – thanks for a memorable season.
_________________
"Just show up ready to work, ready to play, Have your big boy pants on, leave your diaper at home." Kobe Bryant
Anything less than a championship is a failure. Period.

[Sytze]

Thnaks DB! Woo what a season!
_________________

[LarryCoon]

Nice work DB! Fantastic job all season.

[Vishnu]

It's been a great year of Thoughts and Ratings DB. Thanks

Lakers:

[Brandon98]

DB = Clutch.



Thanks again DB.

[City_Dawg]

This season's in the refrigerator: the door is closed, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-O's jigglin'!

Thanks so much DB, your hard work and analysis is always appreciated.
_________________
*sighs*

!...

[LakerSanity]

I don't know what # I am ... but in the scope of things, I'm probably the millionth person to say "beautiful write-up" and "thx DB." Suffice to say, I got goosebumps more than once. Beautiful.

Your devotion to your "Thoughts and Ratings," your consistency in your craft, and your final product, dare I say, could all be called "chick-esque." It's been a wonderful season illustrated by a wonderful writer.

I call on everyone to give DB a well-deserved round of applause...


_________________
LakersGround's Terms of Service

Twitter: @DeleteThisPost

[Vadorojo]

How sweet it is.
_________________
"I like looking at a guy's face when he realizes that even his best moves aren't going to work on me all night. They look depressed." - Ron Artest

[cmonkee]

[LAmarODom420]

DB MVP!

[LakersMD]

DB - You're a genius.

[City_Dawg]

_________________
*sighs*

!...

[Theseus]

Great read. Best game of the season topped off by the best of the thoughts and ratings of the series

[Klone_dd]

Great job all season, DB. You're a real testament to the Lakers fanbase.

The game seemed a little anti-climatic after the Game 4 stunner. I sensed that one push by the Lakers was all that would be needed to drop the Magic over the cliff. Funny how a little forehead to forehead chat between Hedon't and Ariza made the moment happen. I was watching the replay and didn't see what triggered that confrontation.

Kobe was closing the entire game. Assume your place among the greatest of all time, KB24 (as if you weren't there already). Now you are the centerpiece of a championship team, a bona fide leader and the game's ultimate competitor. You even managed to one up MJ with that right/left floater.

DFish - the pro's pro. You know why you gotta love DFish? He's got that everyman quality. A little slow, shot comes and goes, showing his age, but is able to step up and deliver, contributing in any way possible.

I'm really happy for Pau & Lamar, who shouldered so much of the blame for the Boston series. Ric Bucher on Cowherd's show a couple of weeks ago smirked that he couldn't envision Pau or Lamar with a ring because they wilted. Memo to Ric - you suck, buddy.

I hope this will inspire Bynum, JoFar, Sasha and ShanWow to work hard over the summer and know that championship mettle is what it's about being a Laker.

Memo to Doc Buss, please don't send your sons to accept the trophy any more.

Finally, props to Phil. 2 handfuls of rings. We're lucky to be in the presence of greatness.

[JerryMagicKobe]

Well done, DB. Well done, indeed. These write-ups are a special part of Laker games, and I thank you for the time, skill and effort that it takes in delivering them. And for the commitment you have to LG and gentle hand you have in guiding the Mothership. I am proud to be a member of this community, and look forward to the continuing discussion of this wonderful team.

The Reign of the Four Horsemen has begun.

[BigEvil]

Beautiful.

Bravo.

[RCS926]

Good stuff DB. You're LG's MVP (most valuable poster) in my book.

[Omar Little]

Thanks again DB. The worst part of the offseason is no write ups from you, but knowing Little Larry is home will keep me satisfied until the riders head out for a new campaign.
Indeed!
_________________
“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel

[Jeffs]

As always, DB for MVP. Thanks!
_________________
Jeffs

I feel like I just watched someone TRULY give 100%. Not the BS I'm-gonna-give-a-110%-just-like-everyone-else-says platitudes, but someone that went until he just....broke. - GT

[Qsmiff]

Thanks DB for your outstanding work this season it was thoroughly entertaining....This playoff season reminded me of the '99-2000 playoff season--where both teams had to learn to be champions..a misstep here and there but eventually the prize was achieved.....if we could just possibly bring back both LO and Trevor along with the emergence of Drew, I think all we need will be an EFFECTIVE back-up for #24(to cut back on his minutes)---for us to continue this party!!! Again thanks for your outstanding work...and your familys patience

[Luca Brasi]

it's almost 330 here, thanks for the great write up,

we're champs, enjoy it folks!!!!
_________________
"i was born down in the valley where the sun refused to shine, but i'm climbin' up to the highlands, goin' to make that mountain mine" ~ Lakers, 2011

[sgtpepper1972]

Great stuff as always DB!

[limchrc]

Good read. Great to be champs again.