Posts tagged KobeBryant at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Good times all around in 2008 for Dwyane Wade!

The NBA announced the All-NBA teams tonight, and really, there wasn't anything shocking within all three squads chosen. Naturally, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul led all vote getters, with Mamba the only member unanimously chosen (although I'd love to know who was pounding the Haterade by picking Steve Nash and Tracy McGrady over Paul for the first team).

Rounding out the first team were second tier MVP candidates LeBron James and Kevin Garnett, neither of whom was a shock at the forward slots. Dwight Howard was named first team center, in the only reasonably close voting race with Amare Stoudemire. Personally, I give the nod to D-Ho, based on defense and the value of five rebounds a game over five points per.

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Jazz-Lakers Western Conference Semifinals Game 2 this evening.

1. Unless That Zone Includes A Force Field...: After the defensive sieve-like attempt that the Jazz gave in Game 1, Carlos Boozer mentioned that the Jazz might just go and get themselves some zone. Which is kind of like someone that can't get laid going to church more. Sure, you'll feel better about yourself, but you're still going home alone at night. I'm not exactly sure when I came to the conclusion that there was no way the Jazz were even going to be able to make this a series, but ... wait. Yes I am. It was right when they had a problem putting away a team that had Chuck Hayes as a primary bench player and who's starting point guard at times was shorter than my freshman year girlfriend. Okay, that's not fair, she was a baller. But still. The Jazz have always been centered by good honest defense. Unfortunately, when you play a Lakers team this good, in Staples center? That good honest defense turns into ...

2. Good Cheap Free Throws: Jazz fans felt pretty good about themselves since they only lost by a handful and the Lakers shot so many free throws. Certainly that won't happen again! Yeah, go ask the Kings how that works out. Look, I'm as ready as the next guy to make snarky comments about the league's preference for LA in the finals due to their market value. But it's got no relevance here. They're just better than this team, this year. Utah's interior defense with Mehmet Okur on the floor is efficient but not imposing, and with Paul Millsap on the floor it's imposing but not efficient. Boozer does his thing but he's not a shutdown the cutter kind of guy. And with the triangle offense in the hands of a suddenly semi-Nova-all-the-friggin'-time Lamar Odom, it's pretty much the scariest thing outside of biological warfare. And that's all before you get to you know who.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

It took 12 long seasons but NBA star Kobe Bryant in now the MVP of the NBA. In this video, we hear from Kobe, his teammate and friends. Around 3:30 into the video, we find out if Kobe's friend and NBA Star Andre Iguodala can jump over an Aston Martin.


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NBA Essentials ranks our six favorite stories of the day.

1. The Sporting Blog: Shoals on the humanization of Kobe Bryant.

2. Hardwood Paroxysm: Forget what I said, David West should actually mouth off more.

3. Gilbert Arenas: If Antawn Jamison isn't in Washington, then Gilbert's not staying either.

4. Supersonicsoul: The Sonics are staying in Seattle!

5. We Rite Goode: Why Chris Paul is smarter than Janeane Garafolo.

6. Basketbawful: Spurs-Hornets summed up in a single photo.

We've known for a few days now that Kobe Bryant was going to receive the MVP award. What we didn't know, however, was how the voting was going to break down. It's been widely speculated that this was a very close two-man race between Kobe and Chris Paul, but as it turned out, it really was no contest. Take a look at how the voting shook out, and you'll see that Kobe was the clear cut choice.

Kobe's first place vote margin over Chris Paul was a whopping 54 votes. And while Kobe did receive a couple of fourth place votes, no one decided to pull a Tom Ziller and leave Bryant off of their ballot completely. (Oh come on, I kid the vacationing one!)

The argument will rage on (especially in New Orleans) as to whether Paul deserved more consideration in light of his amazing season, and the fact is, we know that the award itself is more than a little flawed. But it's clear that the voters believed that this was Kobe's year, hands down. And besides, the way Paul has been playing, it appears that he'll have many more chances to take home his own piece of MVP hardware.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video, we find out why NBA Star Kobe Bryant is getting MVP chants from his Lakers teammates. Around 2:30 into the video we catch up with coach Phil Jackson who tells us about the intensity of round two.


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The Rotation is a weekly study on the NBA by one of our All-Star voices. In rotation this week is Tom Ziller.

Chris Paul, basketball messiah of New Orleans, has the rapt attention of the world right now ... and he's still being underrated. "He can be the best little guy ever." "He can be the best scoring point guard ever." No, no, no.

He can be the best ever.

There's no ceiling for Chris Paul, no limit on his eventual peak. Don't compare him to Deron Williams and Steve Nash and Isiah Thomas. If he keeps this up, we'll be weighing his abilities against LeBron and MJ.

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for in today's premiere of the Jazz-Lakers series.

1. Hairy face, meet hairy chest. With no offense to Ronnie Price and Jordan Farmar, the clear "vital" matchup heading into this brawl will be Pau Gasol versus Carlos Boozer. Both are elite scorers on the block, able to finish off the pick-and-roll, in isolation down low, or popping off from 15 feet. Even elite defenders have trouble handling each fellow. Luckily for the impartial viewing public, neither of these guys are elite defenders. Gasol could average 30 in the series and still come out only even with Boozer unless he and/or Lamar Odom can force 'Los into some tough misses inside.

2. Speaking of hairy chests ... Ronnie Brewer's gonna grow up quick if he's left in single coverage against Kobe. Brewer's stout defense derives from his twitchy hands, which affect opponents both in the passing lanes and on perimeter dribbling. Kobe, of course, almost never turns over the ball (considering how many possessions he's responsible for). Brewer's got the height and heft to keep Kobe out of the post, but even Ronnie's great foot speed and lateral quickness won't be able to keep Bean from either starting a one-man lay-up line or getting to the line incessantly. The (possible) solution (in a perfect world)? Matt Harpring. (We'll get to him soon enough.)

Three more, after the jump.

FanHouse's Round Two previews will give you the critical points of every series, so you can talk to your friends like you've been following every team in the Association all season long. Or know what the hell a Radmanovic is.

Biggest Reason You Should Watch: Because ... are you kidding me? According to the numbers (err point differential), these were the best two Western Conference teams this season. Both boast insane offenses, built on the backs of insane offensive talents. The fans are rabid (well, at least through 42 minutes of playing time for one of these teams). These two squads share strengths and weaknesses, which should portend a see-saw battle. And hey! it's the Western Conference semifinals! These games are good!

(The rest of The Riot can be found after the jump.)

When a lock job Hall of Famer who has never won an MVP award averages 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.84 steals, all while hitting at a 46% clip from the floor as a shooting guard, and leads his team to the number one seed in the most competitive Western Conference regular season race in years, it is quite difficult to be angry if he wins the Most Valuable Player award.

That -- meaning the stats and seeding -- is what Kobe Bryant did this season, and the other -- the MVP award -- is what the Los Angeles Times reports he has now won, for the first time in his career.

Sources familiar with the outcome who were not authorized to speak publicly about the award until the official announcement from the league said Commissioner David Stern will be in Los Angeles next week to present the trophy to Bryant.

The award, selected by NBA writers and broadcasters, figured to go to either Bryant or New Orleans guard Chris Paul, who guided the Hornets to second place in the Western Conference in the regular season.

Again, it's difficult to be too bitter about Kobe pulling down the hardware. He had a season for the ages. The arguments against him are: CP3's otherworldly season, Mamba's offseason "trade me!" antics, and the addition of Pau Gasol to the Lakers as the key ingredient that propelled them to the top of the West.

On the other hand, we all seem to have forgot that Kobe is still basically playing through a pretty nasty injury on his right hand, and that when Andrew Bynum went down, he singlehandedly kept the Lakers afloat until they got Gasol for free in a trade. Maybe the most remarkable thing though, is 24's public relations turnaround; he went from despised would-be criminal in Eagle all the way to a guy who received "MVP" chants in visiting arenas and now the apparent 2008 MVP.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video, we try to find out from Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant in what city would they rather make their next playoff run.


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In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Lakers-Nuggets game tonight.

1. Dear God, Make It End: You know those scenes in The Office, where it's too painful to watch? Yeah, this series has been like that. Yes, watching Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom play keep-away is pretty exciting, and don't get me wrong, Kobe dropping 49 always makes for good television. But having to watch as the Denver Nuggets implode on national television just makes you feel bad for them. Carmelo Anthony admits the entire team quit, and George Karl's already updated his resume at this point. At some point, you just want the misery to end. Yes, a victory would salvage some level of pride, but really, is it worth it to prolong the inevitable?

2. What Does The Future Hold?: This game could tell a lot about where the Nuggets are headed. If they get swept, you have to anticipate a reboot/detonation of the current core. Likewise, if trailing 3-0, at home, trying to avoid a sweep, after that disgusting display in Game 3, if the Nuggets are unable to formulate any sort of passion, pride, or sense of self-dignity, it's curtains for George Karl. There may be no way to avoid that possibility at this point, anyway, but a blowout loss tonight would actually make it difficult not to let Karl go.

Elie Seckbach, the Embedded NBA Correspondent, brings his exclusive NBA reporting to FanHouse. Check back here regularly for more videos.

In this video, Nuggets All Star Allen Iverson has some tips for reporters. Around 1:22 into the video Lakers Center Pau Gasol tells us what makes him happy.


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In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Lakers-Nuggets Game 3 tonight.

1. On The Next Episode of "24": Well, they tried Kenyon Martin. That didn't work. They tried Eduardo Najera (giggle). That didn't work. So now what? Linas Kleiza will stay in the starting rotation, and I'd imagine Karl again goes to Carmelo Anthony to try and stop Kobe Bryant instead of going with Kleiza. Which, of course, will not work. Because it's Kobe. And Melo has trouble on defense. The strategy wasn't terrible, to make Kobe the sole scorer, and if it weren't for Kobe having "one of those nights," it may have worked. Unfortunately odds are about 50/50 on any given night that Kobe is going to have "one of those nights."

2. Melo Might Want To Not Be So: Carmelo Anthony had 30 and 12 in Game 2. But Kobe had 49. If the Nuggets are going to even make it to another game outside of Denver, he's going to need one of those career nights. He needs to be a hero with the homecrowd behind him. Allen Iverson is going to get him points. The other players can produce. But this team is built for him to explode for a huge scoring night. If he doesn't have a huge night, the overall Lakers offense is going to make him a footnote, again.

The draw for the Olympic men's basketball competition in Beijing this summer was held today, and Team USA ended up in the same group as host China and world champion Spain. Angola -- always a thorn in Team USA's side -- and two to-be-qualified teams will round out Group B.

The United States' first match will be against China ... which should be tons of fun for Yao Ming and his team. (By tons of fun, I mean "none at all.") China will boast two NBA players; Team USA will start at minimum Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwight Howard. Based on the way the United States played in the Tournament of the Americas last summer, staying within 30 points might be a victory for China.

The real test, of course, is Spain. With Pau Gasol, Jose Calderon, Jorge Garbajosa, Rudy Fernandez, and Juan Carlos Navarro in tow, the Spaniards are well-placed to compete with Team USA on August 16. (Pau vs. Kobe? Awesome.) Don't sleep on the two "qualifiers" either; the term certainly underrates the teams eligible. Those two squads could be any combination of Greece, Slovenia, Brazil, and Puerto Rico ... several of which have given the United States fits in the past.

In the other group, defending Olympic champ Argentina, Euro champ Russia, and Lithuania will battle with lesser foes Australia and Iran and a qualifier of their own. The top three in each group get out. Getting a top seed within the group seems imperative: the Group B #3 seed likely faces Argentina in the quarters; the #1 likely gets the lesser of Russia and Lithuania (still potent, but not Argentina).