After their 3rd loss in a row and a loss to the leagues worst team the Cav's I think it might be time for us to take another look at these Lakers. We aren't talking about a lack of talent or health but a lack of will! That's right the 2 time defending champs seem like they don't want to be here. I know that last year they were in a similar situtation where they lost 3 games in a row including a 15 point loss to the Bobcats which is much like their recent 20 point loss to the same team. The one big difference is todays loss. I know it was the last game of their road trip but how can you beat a team by 50 earlier in the year and then LOSS to them after they gave the Wizards their first road win, after they lost 37 of their last 39 games, then the Lakers let them win. The Lakers had the lead in the 4th and they really didn't have much of a lead I guess the lead was at 10 at one point but there was plenty of time left for a team as talented as the Lakers to make a come back. This was a new low for the Lakers and really Pau played just how I wish he would play for the rest of the year with 30 points and 20 boards also added 3 dimes as well. Kobe on the other had needed 24 shots to get 17 points, the Lakers need ALL their players to play great all the time, or they at least need Bynum and Gasol to have big games all the time, as well as need Kobe contribute at least 20. That being said they can still win if one of them doesn't have a great game but they will need their bench to step up especially Brown and Odom. Odom needs to go back to the way he was playing at the start of the season, it seem Pau has done that. Now if Bynum could be to the Lakers what Tyson Chandler is to the Mav's only a little more on the offensive side, then things would be great. The Lakers need to either trade Artest for whatever they can get or someone needs to set him straight cause he obviously doesn't care if he is hurting the team and he is only 1 point tonight obviously he only played 18 minutes and the Lakers did have 20 turnover, still they are good enough to beat the Cav's with 20 turn over they just need everyone to show up and play. I was seriously stunned that the Lakers couldn't pull the come back off this is a bad sign I know they have a lot of talent but it seems that their roll players are not up to par and that could end up hurting them. Maybe once the playoff start we will see a new Fisher (who actually had a good night tonight scoring 19) as well as a more dominate Bynum. If the Lakers can get 110% out of Bynum, Gasol, Kobe, Odom, and Fisher then they have a shot at the 3-peat but those 5 can't do it alone they will need the bench to chip in here and there thats just how the playoffs work. Now there couldn't be a better to make a case that this could be the year the Mav's actually bring their regular season success into the post season and contend for the Western Conference Finals. Tonight Dirk only took 10 shots and the Mav's still came away with the easy W. Finally Peja is starting to get it going again and figure out his place in the offense. Also tonight they got back Roddy B who went for 13 points 3 steals 6 dimes and 1 rebound tonight in only 21 minutes, another huge addition to the Mav's bench. Now that the Mav's are a balanced team and not just all offense all the time I think they have a real shot at taking the West. I mean they have beat the Lakers already this year, and when the Mav's and Spurs met with both teams at full strength the Mav's ended the Spurs 12 game win streak (I am not sure on the exact number on that win streak but I am almost postive it was 12) they have the depth to save Kidds legs for the playoffs and they just might get lucky and Butler will be ready for the postseason. I know that the Spurs will be a big hurdle for them like they always are, but this is a totally different Mav's team then the team that got housed by the Spurs last year in the post season.
Anyways lets forget about my picks from yesterday here are my picks for tomorrow its easy there are only two games. The Spurs travel to Chicago to play the Bulls and while the Bulls are great at home I think the Spurs will come away with the W, Parker has been mediocore lately and is due for a big outting, he isn't as quick as Rose but will guard him a little better them a lot of PG's do cause they both love to drive and score in the teeth of defenses. The other game the Mavs travel to paly the Suns and I think the Mav's even though they played tonight will come away with the W.
Ok so I know that with all the moves the Red Sox made in the off season a lot people have them as the favorite to come out of the AL this year. I can see that but there are 3 huge question marks in their roatation, I know I have heard from some people that usually Beckett alternates good year with bad year and last year wasn't that great so this year were in for 17 wins and a sub 3 ear. I just don't see that to me the last two years have been iffy I know the year before last not so much but towards the end is where he lost it. If I were a Sox fan, which I do root for them they aren't my favorite team but I do like them, I would be concerned with that. Obviously another big qeustion mark is Daisuke Matsuzaka who was great the first two years but has really struggled as of late. What Daisuke do we see this year, obviously a much healthier one so one would argue he will be the Daisuke of old. Last but not least is John Lackey, although he had 14 W's last year if you look into the stats things weren't so great, well I guess that was mostly the front half of the season as he seemed to figure it out at the end. but he is a fly ball pitcher and in a hitter friendly ball park, also he has been more agressive with his fastball which also could spell trouble in an hitter friendly park. I know that the Soxed up the defense in the outfield and really improved on their lineup, I still think their pitching rotation has just as many question marks if not more then that of the Texas Rangers. I know that Brandon Webb has not been able to be healthy for the past 2 season but lets not forget the last 3 seasons this guy DID pitch he was an all start in 2 and won the Cy Young award so if he stays healthy which the Rangers are hoping he does then, I see the Rangers with a very strong front 3 in their rotation, people that have seen him think he is much more confident which is huge for a pitcher and also has some of his umph back on his fastball but says himself he uses it a little less and his change up is his strike out pitch, and he will break a few cruveballs off just to keep people honest. If all those pitches are working for him like he needs them to then he will be money well spent. That is the beautiful thing about his contract he is only guaranteed $3 million but has the potential to make $8 million depending on how many innings he actually pitches.
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