I guess it’s time to voice my opinion on the matter.

First, I have to give props to Joakim Noah for calling James out recently for his in-game antics. Not many people stand up to him, and Noah ultimately decided that enough was enough. Ahead by 19, James continued to dance along the sidelines whenever the Cavs scored a basket. Noah basically said, “Man, that’s cold. You’re up by 19 and your dancing like it’s a joke.” (Those are my words, not his.)

While I do think that it was “cold” for James to dance and essentially rub a little alcohol in the wound of the Chicago Bulls, I also think that he was just having a little fun. Think about it. James is in the last year of his contract. He’s just making the most of his final season with the Cavs.   After all, it is just a game. It is what it is. If everyone injected a little lighthearted humor into their professions day in and day out, there would be a lot more happy people in the world.

I don’t think that having some fun now and then inhibits James’ competitive side. He still wants to win. He just wants to have some fun while doing it. I should also point out that James is still relatively young. Yes, he’s been in the league for six years already but he’s only 24 years old. Kobe Bryant did a lot of  “childish” things when he was younger. Honestly, I hope that James never loses his fun and goofy side. It’s part of his charm. It’s one of the reasons why I’m more of a Lebron fan than I am a Kobe fan. Kobe takes himself way too seriously.

I digress.

Do I think that James needs to grow up? Maybe just a little. But come playoff time, I think you’ll see far less dancing.

In the meantime, enjoy this clip of him dancing during a timeout (courtesy of YouTube):

Post from: EveryJoe

Does LeBron James Need To Grow Up?

When Kobe wasn’t adding to his legend, he was helping the Los Angeles Lakers crush the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kobe had 26 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals and no turnovers as the Lakers won 101-85.

Up by 19 points at the end of the first quarter, this game was never much of a contest. Andrew Bynum had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

The Thunder were led by Kevin Durant’s 19 points. Russell Westbrook had a good outing, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

With the win, the Lakers are now 10-3. The Thunder, who are 7-7, have been one of the surprise teams of the Western Conference. On this night, they simply ran into a buzz saw and an amazing behind the backboard shot by Kobe Bryant.

Post from: EveryJoe

Kobe Bryant Video – Over the Backboard

Gasol, who was out due to injury, didn’t skip a beat. He hit 9-of-15 field goal attempts and all six of his free throws. Kobe Bryant chipped in 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Ron Artest had 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals.

The Bulls were never really in the game. They trailed by six after one, by 11 after 2 and by 17 heading into the fourth and final stanza. Derrick Rose led the way with 20 points and six assists in 38 minutes.

The Lakers are now 9-3 on the season. With Gasol back in action and the rest of their team healthy, don’t be surprised if L.A. goes on an extended winning streak to move into the top spot in the Western Conference.

Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant were together again (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Pau Gasol Returns, Lakers Win

Imagine LeBron James and Dwayne Wade on the same team...

The latest twist in the King James free agency story is that the execs over at the Miami Heat front office are scrambling to find a way to get him to Miami. Imagine Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron all in the same uniform. It’s almost as daunting of an image as LeBron and Kobe Bryant on the same team.

The thing of it is, it could happen. The players themselves have already discussed such possibilities. It basically comes down to LeBron himself. He’ll have the ability to go wherever he wants to go. And you better believe that whatever team he chooses will bend over backwards to get him. He could end up in any uniform. The options are endless and there’s no scenario that is out of the realm of possibility. All we can do is wait to see what happens.

Until then, speculating is just a means to an end.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

LeBron Speculation Wheel Keeps Turning

The Rockets only had one starter in double figures, however that one player dominated: Aaron Brooks. The quick little point guard who tortured the Lakers last year in the playoffs was at it again. In 41 minutes of action, Brooks finished with 33 points, six rebounds and four assists. He hit 11-of-23 shots from the field, 5-of-7 three-pointers and 6-of-7 free throws.

The Lakers were led by Ron Artest’s 22 points. Andrew Bynum had 21 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, while Kobe Bryant was limited to 18 points, three assists, three steals and four turnovers.

Though the Rockets were supposed to struggle due to being without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to begin the season, they’ve been able to look like a legit playoff team. With a record of 6-4, Houston wins by playing great team basketball.

Even though the Lakers might be disappointed in their 7-3 start, they have to be somewhat happy considering that Pau Gasol has yet to play this season.

Aaron Brooks - Houston Rockets (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Los Angeles Lakers Lose Second Straight

The Nuggets were led by Carmelo Anthony’s 25 points in 30 minutes. J.R. Smith had 20 points off the bench in 23 minutes, while rookie point guard Ty Lawson chipped in with 13 points and six assists.

Kobe Bryant was uncharacteristically quiet for the Lakers. In 34 minutes of action, Bryant had 19 points, three rebounds, two assists and four turnovers.

For the Lakers, they can point to the fact that Pau Gasol is still out injured as a reason why they can still be confident against the Nuggets. That said, to say that the Nuggets will be the biggest challenge for the Lakers on their way to the 2010 NBA Finals wouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Nuggets Destroy Lakers in Denver

Tonight, they’ll have a chance to see just how good they really are when they play the defending NBA Champions. The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 6-1, and they are on a mission to repeat.

“When you’re playing the world champs, it’s always a great measuring stick,” said Nash, according to ESPN.com. “Now we go to LA and see how good we are.”

The Phoenix Suns will try to keep Kobe Bryant in check when they face off against the Lakers in L.A. tonight.

Accurate shooting, a high-flying offense and good defense have helped get the Suns off to one of their best starts since the 1980-81 season. After beating the New Orleans Hornets by 20 points last night, All-Star guard Chris Paul had this to say:

“They’re like the Phoenix Suns of my rookie year and my second year in the league. I give them a lot of credit. They did a great job of putting those pieces back together.”

We’ll see how those pieces can measure up against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers tonight.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

High-Flying Suns Ready For The Champions

Some NBA analysts speculate about New York, arguing that James belongs in a big city where he can take advantage of off-court opportunities. The same could be said about Los Angeles. It would be a better fit for him for two main reasons:

1. Kobe Bryant.
2. Hollywood potential.

James could easily break into the entertainment industry while living in L.A., and he’d be teamed up with the best basketball player in the world.

LeBron James + Kobe Bryant = Trouble for the rest of the NBA.

When you weigh in those two factors, New York doesn’t seem so appealing anymore.

The only issue that could possibly arise is money. Do the Los Angeles Lakers have enough extra capital to sign James? Interestingly enough, we found on on Monday that Jordan Farmar and Adam Morrison weren’t given contract extentions. That’s a few million dollars in the bank right there.

Could the Lakers be clearing their roster for a new arrival? Think about it.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: EveryJoe

LeBron And Kobe On The Same Team?

In the first quarter, the Lakers outscored the Clippers 32-22 and never looked back. Kobe Bryant (who else?) led the way with 33 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists. Andrew Bynum, who started at center, had 26 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers.

The Clippers, who learned late on Monday that rookie phenom Blake Griffin would miss up to six weeks with a broken kneecap. were led in scoring by Eric Gordon. Gordon had 21 points and four assists. Baron Davis didn’t exactly start his NBA season off on the right foot, finishing with two points on 1-for-10 shooting.

The Lakers are next in action on Friday when they take on the Dallas Mavericks. On Sunday, they play another game at home when they take on the Atlanta Hawks.

Kobe Bryant (Image: Flickr)

Post from: EveryJoe

Lakers Get Rings, Win Again

Monta Ellis led the way for the Warriors by scoring 24 points and handing out eight assists. Anthony Randolph, who is starting at power forward for Golden State this season, had 18 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 41 minutes.

For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (15), Andrew Bynum (19) and Pau Gasl (12) were all in double figures. The game, which was played in Los Angeles, saw the Warriors outscore the Lakers 58-43 in the second half.

While the Lakers are virtually everyone’s favorite in the Western Conference this season, the Warriors are trying to simply make it back to the playoffs. While the Warriors have talent, they have struggled with chemistry and health in recent years. If their young talent can blossom and learn to play together, they may see the postseason in 2010.

Monta Ellis - Golden State Warriors (Image: Zuma Press)

Post from: EveryJoe

Lakers Dominated by Warriors