December 26, 2007

Could the Lakers be a real contender in the Western Conference? That's a question I found myself asking while watching the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns last night. The Lakers defeated the Suns for the second time this season, behind Kobe's 38 points. Andrew Bynum contributed a career high 28 points, while adding 12 rebounds.

The Lakers also got solid contributions off the bench. The game had the feel of a playoff game with all of the intensity displayed by both teams. What impressed me the most was the way the Lakers rose to the occasion. Kobe got off to a slow start yet he didn't have to force any shot, because his teammates made enough shots to keep them in the game. I would have to see the Lakers play some other Western Conference powers before I can call them contenders. I do know that this start is keeping Kobe Bryant happy. The trade talk has simmered (though with the Bulls firing Scott Skiles, it just might heat back up) and the Lakers are playing well. It just mights be time to look a little closer. They may just have something out there in L.A.

The Miami Heat look bad, Shaq looks old, and without any shooters, opponents can just clog the lane, stifling Dwayne Wade. The Cavaliers, on the other hand, resemble a team on the rise. After fighting through early season injuries and dealing with the holdout of Anderson Varejao, the Cavs are showing the form that got them to the NBA Finals. That's a good sign in the always open Eastern Conference.

In the final NBA game on Christmas, two teams of the future squared off. The Portland Trailblazers faced the Seattle Sonics. The Trailblazers came into the game on a ten game winning streak. Second year guard Brandon Roy has been leading the way, averaging 24 points per game, during the streak. The Blazers have been a surprise this season, doing this without the services of Greg Oden, who was lost to micro-fracture knee surgery before the season started.

The Sonics have been playing better lately, but they still are a young team. In this game, the Sonics trailed by 16, during the third quarter, but cut the lead to 6 with 9:35 left in the game. The Blazers held tough, pushing the lead back to 156 with 5:45 left. From here, the Blazers kept the lead in double digits, and won 89-79. They now have an 11 game winning streak, and officially the hottest team in the NBA. Jarrett Jack and Brandon Roy lead the way with 17 points apiece.

Though the Blazers looked great, I'm not quite ready to put them in the playoffs yet. It's a long season, and I want to wait and see how they react to a losing streak. Now that the NBA Christmas triple header is over, I can focus on this last weekend of the NFL season. Check back later on for my thoughts on that.

Until next time, peace.