Team Backlash. I like that.
It's funny folks are giving Phil Jackson heat for saying it's not as easy as people thought it would be in Miami, and if the Heat don't figure it out soon, he thinks Pat Riley might step in as coach again.

Ok Dave-it`s ON NOW!!!LOL! Indiana slips by the Lakers 95-92. Winning vs the World Champions@Staples Center is something nearly as rare as hen`s teeth. Good on ya Indiana....we owe ya one, make that two! What up with the Lakers? Believing that they just have to show up and teams will cower and wilt? Well, everytime Ali took that attitude he got himself in hot water.Take that to heart Lakers.

Calm down, Paul.
I haven't seen a game in a couple of weeks, but they've been very efficient for the most part. Okay, no D in that loss to Phoenix. Not enough D in Denver.
Against the Pacers, it looks like the offense faltered. That's bound to happen at one time or another.
Well, okay, against the Pacers, at home, is not a good thing.
Still.
Dave? It's on, pal. Brace yourself.

Well we got our butts kicked by Utah so it is back down to earth for a while. What I do find funny is that when we beat the Heat all ESPN could talk about was the failure the big three. Even the highlights were of the Heat, come on we beat the guys by 18 points! Took Okl City into overtime and same deal the Thunder get all the credit, did not see the highligts after the win over LA but doubt ESPN shown as much of Granger as they did Kobe.

Still think the Lakers and Celtics are the teams to beat, but teams that fail to take the Pacers seriously will lose. They are showing they can play with the big boys. As I have said here before, following the fight up in Detroit this club was on a self destructive road trip. Bird has been working to mold this club with more players who share his attitude about hard work and commitment. He has taken a lot of flack over what he has done, some calling for his head. We have a ways to go to be an ongoing power team, but hey wins over the Heat and the Lakers in the span of a month. Signs of improvement and an unwillingness to cave.

I have given up on the Lakers. They just lost their FOURTH in a row...and THAT has not happened in the Pau Gasol era --since April 2007. Actually, it is a D thang. The Lakers defense is always aggressive and overplays. Bynum is not there at the moment to come to the rescue of players who have overplayed and been beat. Watching James return to Clevland. I ABSOLUTELY loved the way Clevland fans forgave him and welcomed him back with open arms. Actually, there were some great t-shirts and signs. "WHAT should you do? APOLOGIZE, and beg for MERCY"

The Cleveland fans need to ask themselves a question, "Would I leave this awful city, if offered the opportunity to live in sunny Miami?"

I hope the Lakers continue to lose!

Give up? After one full month? Come on, Paul.
Slumps happen. We've seen time and again over the last 3 years that this team gets bored. They lose games to teams they have no business losing to. So they dropped 4 in a row for the first time in the Gasol era? How many teams can say they haven't lost 4 in a row in 3 years?
They'll be fine.
You're right about the gambling defense and not having Bynum to clean up. But even without him, they should be doing better. But it's way too early to panic.

I was angry, but more mock-angry than anything. The Back to Back Repeat World Champions HAD dropped to 13-6 are now 14-6 after last night`s 30+ point spanking of Sacramento. I have been a Lakers fan since late for 40+years, and the Champs own a mind blowing 11 Championships in the last 31 years. Twas frustrating to see the Lakes give up late leads and lose four times in less than 10 days-beating themselves due to long defensive lapses, mental errors and play that was just a bit--off. Hey, they are 14-6 .700% with new bench players still learning the find points- oh, and 14-6 without Andrew Bynum. I KNOW they will be fine. IN KOBE+ PHIL WE TRUST.

Add: James return to Clevland--a guy was wearing a shirt modeled after the Lion King--except James` face was super-imposed where the lion`s face was. Spelling was changed to Lyin` King. I DO question James decision to desert Clevland and the fans who adored him. He left a team that had lead the league in wins two years in a row-perhaps just one piece of the puzzle short of a titile. Bad move, bad judgement. But the WAY he left is what is causing all the backlash. The self serving hey look at me I`m the richest man around program/party caused alot of the bad feelings. It built on the ill-will caused a couple of years back when James ran crying from the court without congratulating the players of the team that had just eliminated the Cavs from the playoffs-very low class-then he ran crying to his car still in uniform without meeting the press-low class as well. Some even suspected James of tanking it in the final game or two in last years playoffs. After the game last Thursday, James said he wouldn`t apologize

From what I saw, James did tank it in one of those games, but I believe that was calculated. The Cavs were getting manhandled, and nobody else was stepping up. He did play better in the elimination game, but he was clearly a one-man show.
I don't blame him for going to Miami, and I certainly have no problem with players being pro-active in orchestrating a deal to land them on the same team. But we could have done without the circus.