Who Would the Lakers Pick As Their Opponent ... If They Could

David Stern mentioned that the NBA may look at allowing division winners to pick their opponents in the playoffs. The conference's top team would get the first pick, followed by the next highest, followed by the final one. The two teams left would face off in the other matchup.

So, if this rule were in place this year, do you think that the Lakers would pick the Utah Jazz (their real matchup) as their opponent this year? Maybe not.

There are a couple reasons for this. The Lakers and Jazz have a bit of a history between each other. Their games often get chippy and the Jazz have had success at home. Utah may be the most talented No. 8 seed in the history of the NBA.

The Lakers probably would pick Dallas ... even though the Mavericks are entering the postseason on a hot streak. Dallas can't win in Los Angeles, while the Lakers have been very successful in Dallas. There is a better chance of a short series here.

It would be interesting to see how the NBA's rule would extend. Would the second round be the same way where the highest seed remaining gets to pick its opponent? If so, then you know that the Lakers would pick anyone but Portland in that round.

I'm one of the people that is actually intrigued by what this possible change.

Shaq and Kobe Have Played Their Last Game Together

This was a one-time deal, folks. No reunion tour. No new studio album.

Despite all of the sugar-coated love displayed this weekend, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant are done as teammates.

The Lakers aren't going to deal for him. As a Laker fan, it did cross my mind about bringing Shaq back. Let's be honest: Los Angeles could use him right now. Andrew Bynum is out until just before the playoffs and Shaq could fill the 15 or so minutes asked of him a night. That would work if the Suns bought Shaq's contract out and let him walk to the Lakers for a much, much, much smaller salary.

None of that is going to happen. The only way the Lakers could deal for Shaq is if they parted with Lamar Odom ... who has been a monster of late and even more valuable now that Bynum is out. Phoenix isn't going to buy out Shaq and let him walk to a division rival. Not just that, but Shaq becomes a huge trading chip in 2009-2010 because of his expiring contract.

Let's put all that to bed. The logistics just don't work.

The final word on this is Kobe. Do you really think Kobe wants Shaq around as he goes for another title? If there is one thing the ultra-competitive Bryant wants to accomplish is winning a ring without the Big Fella. This is Kobe's team now and Shaq would come in and undermine that a bit.

Not sabotage, but ... well just watch the All Star festivities. Shaq decided to dance with the JabberWokkeeZ (it was funny, but it was all about him). Shaq decided to wax poetic about Kobe and their past. And, for some reason, Shaq even stole half of the MVP trophy away from Kobe as they were co-winners.

Kobe did all the right things this weekend. He played along with Shaq's jokes and playfulness. He did everything to show the world that their hatchet has been buried. Most of it felt somewhat genuine but somewhat a little fake.

Look, Shaq and Kobe will never be best buddies. They may never be good friends. But I honestly think they get along and both do value those years they spent together. There aren't too many combos that can celebrate a three-peat. Both know that their careers have been and will be defined by those title teams ... whether they like it or not.

But both are different cats right now. Kobe has taken his place as the NBA's best player. Shaq is now a broken down superstar who, though playing pretty well, is near the end of his career. We didn't really see Shaq and Kobe together again on Sunday. I mean, it was them, but they look so much different. Shaq now looks aged; his voice more gruff. Kobe has done the Jordan-esque change from a pogo stick with doubters to the best all around game in the league and he knows he is the best player out there.

The thing is that Kobe really doesn't need Shaq right now. Really, Shaq doesn't need Kobe. Kobe helms a team that entered this weekend with the league's best record and season sweeps over the Celtics and Cavaliers. Shaq has four championships and will go down as one of the NBA's greatest players.

This was fun for a night, but let's not get carried away.

Lakers End Cavaliers Home Winning Streak; Display Their Dominance

The Lakers just ended their eastern road trip with a very impressive 6-0 mark. Winning on the road in the NBA is far from easy, no matter how talented a team you are.

What made this trip all the more stunning was the final two games. The Lakers went into Boston and ended their 12 game winning streak on Thursday night ... then went into Cleveland and beat the Cavaliers. That loss was the first the Cavs has suffered at home all year (23-1).

That's amazing. The West's best went into the East's beasts and came away winners.

Now to add some more toppings: Kobe Bryant was far from his best in either game. Against Boston, Kobe was just 10-of-29 shooting and didn't hit a shot in the overtime. LA still came away with the win. Against Cleveland, Kobe had flu-like symptoms and wasn't himself. He did score 19 points (11 came in the first quarter) with his only 4th quarter points coming off a rainbow fadeaway over LeBron James.

Bryant's teammates were instrumental in the win. The same teammates that Phil Jackson left on the court for nearly the entire first half of the 4th quarter without Kobe (by the way, Odom was sitting too). That's the kind of trust Phil has in his bench guys.

Oh ... some more toppin's. Remember that this road trip started with Andrew Bynum tearing up his knee again against Memphis (second game of the trip) and finding out that he'd be out for the next two-or-three months.

Six games; six wins. Wins over Boston and Cleveland. Kobe's 61 point outburst at Madison Square Garden. Not a bad trip at all!

Lakers Beat Celtics ... And NO It Isn't Revenge

What a big win! Odd since this was a game that I was fully expecting the Lakers to fall just because it was the 3rd road game in 4 days and I felt Kobe would a bit worn out.

A couple of things amazed me about this game:

-LA didn't play very well at all, yet went into the home of the NBA's best team (record-wise heading into the game) and defending champ and won. Without Bynum, there was a built in excuse if the Lakers lost this game. Yet LA did a masterful job matching Boston's intensity.

-Why did the Celtics go with that lineup once Garnett fouled out? The Lakers were going small so it wouldn't be a bad idea to stick Eddie House out there. He was on fire all game long yet couldn't get on the floor down the stretch.

-I was a bit surprised that Boston was the team that was affected by the physical nature of the game. The Lakers are (allegedly) the "soft" team who buckled last year and the C's are (allegedly) that tough hard-nosed bunch who are the 21st Century version of the Bad Boys. Yet Garnett and Rondo got caught up in the moment and hurt their teams.

-We need to hire Karma Lone to talk smack about LO and light a fire underneath him. Odom was possessed in the 2nd half.

We Need Shaq, Kobe and Phil Together For One Night Only

Normally I'm not big on having certain guys make the All-Star team. Especially a guy like Shaquille O'Neal, who has been to 14 of these things and it should be old hat to him by now.

However, we need Shaq on this team. We need it. TNT needs it. The NBA needs it.

I mean, this will be our final shot of Shaq and Kobe as teammates.

We all know that dynamic that is Shaq and Kobe so forgive me for not doing the "journalistic thing" and retracing all the steps as if you've lived under a rock. You know the history so think about how cool it would be to have Shaq and Kobe as teammates.

Not just that, but Phil Jackson would be their coach. So the triangle will get back together for one night only ... in Shaq's new playground in Phoenix. Remember how in June 2004, these three men all wanted to go off in completely different directions. Shaq blamed Kobe, Kobe blamed Phil, Phil blamed both.

Of course, we all know that the shame of this is the fact that they were making such sweet music together. Three straight titles including a postseason that saw them lose once in 16 games. Even in their non-titles of 2003 and 2004, they had their moments when they turned on the switch and were the best team in the NBA. Because of all that ego, that left.

Since then, Phil and Kobe have reunited and made another Finals appearance together. Kobe ended up with his first MVP award and a couple of scoring titles. Shaq went to Miami and won a title with his next little buddy, Dwyane Wade (who he mysteriously doesn't gush much about anymore). By the way, Wade will be playing for the East that night. All we need is Penny Hardaway to show up and we can have it all.

Well, it would be complete if Shaq blessed us with a halftime rendition of "Kobe, How's My @$$ Taste".

For one night ... if the Western Conference coaches vote Shaq into the All Star Game ... all three will be back in the same locker room. Both Shaq and Kobe will probably bring in their new playthings of Amare Stoudamire and Pau Gasol to the party. They all will be cordial and, being the competitors they are, will blow all that animosity out the window so the West can win the game.

Still, for Laker fans like me, it will be a bittersweet moment when (and you know this is going to happen) Kobe throws up a lob that Shaq thunders down like it is Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals all over again. We will remember the great times the two produced together in their much too brief partnership and lament the fact that their egos and selfishness threw it all away.

It just will be great to see the ol' gang back.

We Need More Kobe vs LeBron

The Lakers win over the Cavaliers last night wasn't very dramatic. It was a good game until the Lakers pulled away in the 2nd half. The game was physical and was uneven at times. Neither LeBron James or Kobe Bryant had outstanding nights but their matchup was unbelieveable, nonetheless.

As two guys who are going to be starring on some TNT show said last night, it was awesome to actually see LeBron and Kobe guarding each other. You rarely get that anymore. Not since the days of David Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, Shaq, etc did you see an actually head to head matchup that would captivate the audience and the players in the game. I mean, Kobe and LeBron play different positions for their team yet they decided to guard each other.

Both did farely well defensively. There were just 43 points scored between them and both made outstanding defensive plays against each other.

You can debate it all you want, but Kobe and LeBron are the two greatest and popular players around. It would have been easy for Phil Jackson and Mike Brown to assign their non-stars to do a lot of the defensive work during the game and rest their elite players. Thank god they didn't.

Kobe Bryant Sells Ankle Insurance

Thanks to Wolf for sending me this. Above is a viral video from Nike showing Kobe Bryant selling ankle insurance. Ya know, since you could have your ankles broken by an opponent wearing Kobe's new shoes.

I like it. It works. My favorite part is the screaming "broken ankles" when various people give their testimonials.

Well done, Kobe.