This is not a prediction post by NBAObsessed. That is my upfront disclaimer. This is news from the Los Angeles DailyNews. They have actually mentioned 37 ways that the Lakers will be Champions of the NBA again.

Here are my top 10 from the list:

12. George Karl still coaches the Denver Nuggets.

Don’t get me started on George Karl, but he is a big disappointment as a pro coach. Maybe he did well last year or maybe he just needed Chauncey Billups.

15. Yao Ming … MIA.

With Yao out, Houston is out.

18. Listen … The San Antonio Spurs’ roster just got another day older.

This is a huge concern with both San Antonio and Boston.

Kobe Bryant is probably 35 out of the 37 reasons

24. Kobe Bryant … where do we start?

This does not even need comment, but here we go…Kobe is right up there with LeBron, only Kobe has a contributing cast.

13. Mark Cuban’s best player is still a tall gawky German guy.

Dirk Nowitzki is a great player and has delivered zero titles. Is it his fault that in close games Dallas will call a timeout and then draw up a play for Dirk to shoot a turnaround jumper from 30 feet?

9. Four games against the Clippers during the regular season. Four aut-o-matic clicks in the win column without having to check into the scorer’s table.

The Clippers need a new owner and until they have one they will be the Clippers.

2. Derek Fisher wrote an autobiography this offseason called “Character Driven: Life, Lessons and Basketball.” It concludes: “The high I’ve experienced since we closed out the (Orlando) Magic (in last year’s NBA Final) hasn’t worn off … I’m driven and I see no sign of that changing. My eye is firmly fixed on the rim and no opportunity is going to pass me by.”

Derek Fisher is a gamer. It is no surprise that he shows up in so many big games.

11. Phil Jackson broke the tie last year with Red Auerbach for most career NBA coaching titles. He has 10. Why not turn it up to 11?

Phil may not be the best coach ever, but he always wins and has tons of big game experience. It is time for everyone to admit that fact.

36. Let’s face it: The NBA wants it to happen.

Just ask David Stern!

37. Ron Artest, the new pink elephant in the room, said before deciding on joining the Lakers he considered playing for Olympiacos or Panthinaikos, the two biggest teams in Greece. Living in L.A. already must seem Greek to him. Maybe that’s good. The Lakers can pay him in Euros, and it doesn’t go against the salary cap. And if he’s daring enough to go up in the stands during a skirmish, he’s more likely to run into someone like Michael Clarke Duncan.

If Artest makes it through the season without controversy, then the Lakers will be dueling the Celtics for the Championship.

Those are the Top 10 reasons the Lakers will win it all!

My top 10 reasons are simpler: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Kobe, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant!
Photo source Newscom

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed

If you go back in time to the 2006 – 07 season for the Boston Celtics and you have a team in disarray struggling to gain 24 victories. They had a team of individuals with such players as Michael Olowokandi and Sebastion Telfair. They were headed nowhere. There was even an Allen Ray, instead of a Ray Allen.

Paul Pierce was moody and despondent to say the least and often took his seat at the far end of the bench to be alone with his thoughts.

Now fast forward to today and envision a team with probably the strongest lineup from top to bottom in the NBA. Now you have Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rasheed Wallace, Rajon Rondo, a grown up Kendrick Perkins, Marquise Daniels and more.

Paul Pierce is ready to battle!

Paul Pierce now finds himself with a perpetual smile.

So he’s drinking up every second now.

“When you get to play on this kind of team, you cherish it,” he recently said. “You don’t take these moments for granted, playing with guys like Kevin (Garnett) and Rasheed (Wallace), future Hall of Famers. You know, I cherish these moments because not a lot of people get that opportunity. I thought I’d never get that opportunity.

“It’s always disappointing when you lose a lot of ballgames. You wake up in the morning, and you know your team is 15 games out of the playoffs. The thing about me is that I’m always motivated because I love the game of basketball.

“I love the game so much that it rarely got me down when I was out there playing on the court. I take pride in that. I’m a competitor. I play this game to win. If you don’t play to win, then what are you playing for? Some guys play for the lifestyle, and a lot of those guys don’t last. Me, I’ve always played to try to win.
source

Paul is loving it and so are his teammates, so much so that they showed up early for practice this year even though Coach Rivers told them to take it easy. Everyone is having so much fun, because winning is fun and they know they are going to win. The only question is how much will they win. They have set their sights on the NBA championship and anything less will not be satisfying.

It has been 12 years, 12 long years for Paul Pierce, but it could not be any better, now it is a battle for the NBA Championship every year. It might be a while before that smile leaves Paul’s face.

Photo source Newscom

As always, any NBA Basketball related comments are welcome.

More blogs about basketball.

Post from: NBA Obsessed