Lakers 99, Suns 98 (OT)


…shame Chick Hearn isn’t around to repeat the above words, over and over again. Your 2-time MVP / former Tottenham trainee (above) gave up possession at the end of regulation and at the end of OT (though on the second occasion, it looked more like he was mugged)…and Kobe took full advantage in both situations.

I’m the last person on the planet to acknowlege the following : the Lakers look like a fully realized team. Not at the Spurs or Pistons’ levels, naturally, but Odom, Kwame (12 points, 10 rebounds), Luke Walton (9 rebounds, tieing up Nash and winning the tip at the end of OT) are no longer mere props in the Kobe show (and haven’t been for some time, according to those who’ve actually been watching LA for the past few months). It’s been suggested that knocking off no. 2 Phoenix would be Phil Jackson’s greatest coaching accomplishment, but it might also say a bit about the roster assembly skills of acting General Manager Kobe Bryant.