The Lakers: Western Conference Powerhouse?!?
The genius of Kupchak and Kobe
By Vincent Thomas
When you watch a ton of basketball — specifically of the pro variety — you learn how to catch the true import of wins and losses. A win is not always a win and a loss is not always a loss. You gotta weigh and contextualize these things. The Lakers X-Mas Day win was a win. Sometimes a squad gets hot and lucky and another squad goes cold and lethargic and you can get a scrub-squad knocking off a big-boy. In fact, it happens often in an 82-game season. But sometimes a team arrives, takes that step and shows that a playing field has leveled. LA only beat Phoenix by seven points (122-115), but it was a convincing victory. They controlled the whole game. This is significant because, as of October 31, 2007 — and probably some weeks afterward — this was unexpected. There were many experts that picked the Lakers to finish in the Lottery. And who can blame them, seeing as how Kobe’s tenure with the team was tenuous, to say the least. Now, Bill Walton is most definitely a man who eats hyperbole and exaggeration for brunch, (I once heard him say that “Danny Ainge was the best shooting guard of the modern era of basketball. And it’s not close either. His talent, legendary. His feats, Olympian.”), but notice how Michael Wilbon didn’t offer much resistance when Walton called the Lakers the SECOND BEST team in the mighty Western Conference. Nobody expected this.
This all made one moment during the game incredibly entertaining to me. At one point, during a Laker run, the ABC camera man flashed a shot of Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak in his suite. Kupchak’s expression was, as always, goofy. But that’s when I thought to myself, “This dude was never as dumb as he looks, was he? He was crazy like a fox.” He was looking down on a team he built with an ‘I told you so’ aura. Not long afterward, postgame Kobe was saying a lot of the right things. This, after a summer of saying a lot of the wrong things. Sheer distaste and appall for the caliber of his teammates had morphed into growing optimism and respect. He spent months saying he wanted out. But how serious was he? His motives, I am sure, were ulterior.
I’m convinced that Kobe Bryant and Mitch Kupchak are smarter than all of us combined, that they are as much hustlers as they are gamblers.
From May through November, Kobe Bryant and Mitch Kupchak were among the most maligned figures in their sport. Hit a barbershop or sports bar and I’m sure Kobe was a waffling, high maintenance star that abandoned his team in the worse way when he went on his campaign of publicly ridiculing and condemning players and management. Read a column or hear one of the shouters on the radio and I’m sure Kupchak was a fool, the rube behind a failed Jason Kidd trade and the architect of a team Kobe didn’t want to play for/with. The most popular franchise in the NBA had spiraled to a tumultuous depth and those two men were ultimately the face of the malaise.
It turns out though, that both men were both knowingly and latently smart, wise, keen and a few other laudatory adjectives you want to throw out, as long as they mean something similar to prescient.
As much as Kupchak is lambasted by fans/media/peers/Kobe, he has quietly done, perhaps, the best job of rebuilding/replenishing a franchise — without dropping to cellar-dweller status — than any current franchise other than San Antonio and Detroit. Kupchak was the GM that traded Shaq. We know this. But since then, the Lakers have missed the Playoffs just once, he lured Phil Jackson back to the bench and steered a string of draft night performances that have placed the Lakers in the position they’re in now, which is one surprisingly close to contender-status. Kupchak’s Kids make up the bulk of the Lakers 11-man rotation. Luke Walton, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmer and, of course, Andrew Bynum have worn nothing but Lakers purple and gold.
Over the past few seasons, because of a lack of veterans and injury-bugs, the young dudes played a lot of minutes, much more than most youngsters on Playoff squads. So much so, you might even call them battle-tested. It was this same component of the squad that irritated Kobe.
Every time you heard him give a sideline interview, he always commented on how young the Lakers were. This was always said with a hushed tone of frustration. We could also call it long-suffering. To be honest, for a player of his caliber (best in the league) and in his prime to to have shown the patience he has the past three seasons, is something that most pundits fail to recognize. Real talk: Kobe could have/should have started dropping hints at trade demands long before he did — albeit in a more professional manner. The Lakers were always solid and in Playoff contention, but I am one man that doesn’t think it’s unfair for Kobe to expect an organization of the Lakers’ stature to surround him with enough talent to compete with the elite squads. Kobe was fed up. No one in the organization was being especially proactive.
So what did he do? He trashed everyone.
From Day One, I thought this was a smart move, even though it was a punk move. By spewing vitriol and bile; by coming across like a fed-up, crazed girlfriend that can’t make up her bi-polar mind, Kobe forced everyone’s hand. He forced management to seriously look into upgrading the squad (trading him was never an option) and he forced his young teammates to man-up. Whether they did so out of spite and anger, or under pressure (”I don’t want to be the reason Kobe leaves LA”) doesn’t matter. What matters is that it seems to have worked. Had Kobe kept his mouth shut or demanded his trade like a gentleman, the organization would have moved forward with the same lack of urgency as before, especially the players.
Only a handful of players are self-motivated on the level of a Kobe Bryant, if any. Kobe is maniacal. However, almost every athlete in the league has that deviant amount of machismo and ultra-sensitive ego that drives most players to professional levels. The worse thing you can do to one of these athletes — other than question their sexuality or sexual prowess — is call them dookie ball players. Kobe saying ‘I want be traded’ is one thing. It’s a whole ‘nother thing if Kobe’s saying, “Get me outta here, man. You see the garbage ni&&as I got runnin’ with me??!?!!!” That’ll get some ‘I’ll show you’ attitudes and performances.
Each of the young dudes have now come back as demonstrably better players and visibly tougher men. Bynum, who receives the most pub, is almost ornery — a far cry from the demure, unassuming, unsure youngster from the previous two seasons. When Farmar and Bynum and Vujacic were in the game together last season, you expected the Lakers’ to start playing like a bunch of high schoolers. Now? Them dudes frequently straight impact the whole trajectory of games.
So it seems that it was Kupchak’s shrewdness and Kobe’s tough-love that are most responsibe for the Lakers standing in a position that contrasts much of their Western Conference opponents. Whereas LA looks poised to get better and better as each game/week/month/season passes, the current elite squads are poised for a decline, some have already started a slight descent. What this has done is move the Lakers that much closer to contention. Not only has the squad experienced a natural boost of an unexpected degree — thanks to the precocious development of the young players — but Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Utah and even the Spurs, to a lesser extent, have not taken equalizing leaps. Don’t be fooled into expecting another second-half collapse, just because LA started off 23-11 last season and imploded down the stretch.
The gap, it appears, is closing. Barring injury, it is not unfathomable for the Lakers to be eyeing home court advantage in the first round.
They have a chance now and that’s all Kobe wanted to begin with. And that’s what Kupchak felt he was constructing if Kobe and the fans were willing to offer some patience.
The mighty, mighty West better take notice. A new crew is on the block and they’re smarter than they look.
72 Responses to “The Lakers: Western Conference Powerhouse?!?”
Dec.27 at 1:52 pm
Gerard Himself says:
The Lakers are on of the most suprising teams in the L this season. Phil Jackson should be considered as coach of the year, mos def.
Dec.27 at 1:54 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Kupchak a genius? That’s like saying a team would be better off with Andre Bynum than Shaq. Oh wait…
No but seriously, great food for thought column. And this turn of events is MOST SURPRISING!
Dec.27 at 1:55 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
Andrew Bynum. Even I fall victim to the unedited comment.
Dec.27 at 1:57 pm
Tenorca says:
I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in anything Walton says. He did say that Brandon Roy was a “hall of fame player” to which we must say: whoa, Bill: slow down. He once called Latrell Sprewell the best player in the league. And once, in Michigan, I ate a “burrito” made seemingly of dog food, rabbit droppings, and shredded grass. On the wall? A note from Walton which read “Dear John and Thomas, Thanks for the best burrito in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD. Bill Walton.”
Dec.27 at 1:59 pm
Tenorca says:
Case I wasn’t clear: Roy’s an effing stud. But he’s played 85 games. Probably shouldn’t put him in the Hall yet.
Dec.27 at 1:59 pm
Noah D says:
i still think that phx is better then the lakers
Dec.27 at 2:03 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Noah D, you might be right, but if they end up playing against each other in the playoffs, I’m gonnan watch every single game between them. Should be exciting. Kobe had what, 38 the other night against old pal Raja Bell? If Bynum keeps it up, he might be in for the M.I.P. - he’s making Kareem proud (really proud if he would go for a skyhook one of these games).
My question remains: should Jackson be considered as a coach of the year candidate?
Dec.27 at 2:10 pm
paul says:
they are definitely one of the toughest team in the west.not trading andrew bynum was a good idea they are playing as a team, who knows they might be in the finals.
Dec.27 at 2:14 pm
Nguni says:
LA is on the rise, phx on the decline.
Dec.27 at 2:16 pm
Nguni says:
stan van grumpy, i mean, gundy, for coy…Kobe had 38 and it looked like he only scored 14, effortless. the ‘kobe-stopper’ didn’t do much but grab at 24’s jersey all night.
Dec.27 at 2:18 pm
Perez Hilton says:
While I agree that Kobe’s trade demands woke up some of his teammates, giving him that much credit for doing it for the betterment of the team is Waltonesque. It was a punk move by a spoiled, pampered athlete. But dude can ball though!!!
Dec.27 at 2:22 pm
Myles Brown says:
E-hug for Vincent. This team is for real. As real as the stars engraved in Mr.Bengtson’s head come March.
Dec.27 at 2:27 pm
MC Welk says:
Lakers have impressed, but it still has a little “too good to be true” vibe about it. Let’s see if they dispatch the Jazz tomorrow night.
Dec.27 at 2:39 pm
DIO says:
It says here I’m a hater…LA’s goin down baby!
Dec.27 at 2:40 pm
Jimmy G says:
Its December, holla at me in April. Lets see if this powerhouse is still holding up
Dec.27 at 2:43 pm
white hot eboy says:
Didn’t the Lakers beat the Jazz already this season?
Dec.27 at 2:48 pm
Myles Brown says:
They’ve split the season series so far.
Dec.27 at 3:06 pm
Julian says:
nice article. it’ll be interesting to see how deep this team gets in the playoffs.
Dec.27 at 3:07 pm
TheMC5 says:
Why does Slam hire writers who can’t tell the difference between worse and worst?
Dec.27 at 3:26 pm
TADOne says:
What’s worse? The writers making the mistake or you pointing it out?
Dec.27 at 3:27 pm
teddybear says:
what if the lakers kept caron butler ????? what a jackass trade that was…. an all star for kwame..butler wouldve been the pippen to kobes jordan…
Dec.27 at 3:29 pm
TADOne says:
And I still remember that Slam article about 20 or so issues back with Shaq on the cover in a Heat uniform. In the article Shaq states “Mitch Kupchak won’t be remembered for anything but what? Trading me? Way to go, Mitch.” Funny as hell at the time.
Dec.27 at 3:31 pm
Tom says:
Nice article, but to think this was all unfolding as planned is a little far-fetched i think. I always felt Kupchak was right in not doing the kidd/bynum deal, and the ariza deal was definitely a strong move. Everyone, myself included were expecting this season to be a disaster of NY Knick proportions, but I don’t know if it was PJax or Kobe or Kupchak, but they got everyone bonded together and are finally seeing just how competitive they can be. Lakers still have to tighten up the D before they get to that elite level though.
Dec.27 at 3:36 pm
white hot eboy says:
TAD, Shaq’s comment will still be funny unless Andrew Abdul Jabbar and 24 put together a title run or two.
Dec.27 at 3:43 pm
TADOne says:
Your right Eboy. I can close my eyes and actually envision Shaq saying those exact words in person, all with a smirk or grin on his face, which makes it all the more hilarious.
Dec.27 at 3:49 pm
white hot eboy says:
And I like how all the Bynum haters from the preseason are all jocking him now. Fair weather fans indeed. I believe a certain Laker lover on this site claimed HOF status for the current back-up, Mr. Mihm and gave the young cat no love. Shameful.
Dec.27 at 3:54 pm
TADOne says:
I actually like Bynum. I hate the fact he plays for the Lakers, but whatever. If Curry ever got the drive Bynum seems to have, he wouldn’t have to worry about defrosting off the bench.
Dec.27 at 3:56 pm
Bryan says:
I always was on the Bynum bandwagon Eboy.
Dec.27 at 3:58 pm
white hot eboy says:
Shia, you’re not a Lakers fan, though.
Dec.27 at 4:24 pm
Captain America says:
Crazies, the Blazers ARE the story for this young season. The last time the Lakers won 11 in a row? Anyone?
Dec.27 at 4:27 pm
Bryan says:
True.
Dec.27 at 4:49 pm
Elyse says:
The Caron trade looks terrible now, b/c hindsight is always 20/20. But think about the team at the time. All they had was Chris, they hadn’t drafted andrew, and a slew of guards. Now we have this young budding center and it looks like a terrible trade, but at the time, you have to admit it made sense. Kwame was an unknown factor, with a lot of upside. Sure enough, Mihm went down for nearly two years. If we hadn’t had Kwame, Lakers would have had to play bynum way too many min way too soon. That’s too much pressure, and everyone has seen how that worked out for our other center…
Dec.27 at 4:57 pm
boozy says:
Jimmy G - who the hell are you for us to have to “holla at you” in April? The team is good, they are on the rise while other powers in the West are slowly declining on a yearly basis. A totally legitimate article, and even if they don’t win a couple of playoff series this year, the premise of the article was a team on the rise…
Dec.27 at 5:08 pm
Waltonia says:
Playoffs ain’t in December.
Dec.27 at 5:18 pm
t-rocc says:
Lakers are definitely looking good, and even Bill Walton’s comment was fairly easy to accept… now as far as Mark Jackson saying during the broadcast that the Lakers have more talent than the Suns “by a LANDSLIDE”, i don’t think so. this reminds me - boy do i hate Mark jackson on the telecast.
Dec.27 at 5:43 pm
Jonathan says:
It’s funny how everyone in the media at the beginning of this season was predicting the Lakers wouldnt even make the playoffs this.Sam Rubstein I believe falls into this category of doubters.But seriously who in their right mind would doubt a Laker team would make the playoffs with Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant on their team arguably the best player and coach in the NBA. Now slowly everyone Laker fans, Laker haters,Kobe haters, the media are suddenly back on the Laker bandwagon. I’ve said this before and will say it again a new Celtics vs Lakers NBA Finals rivalry would be good again for the NBA.The Lakers just need to continue to stay on track to becoming a elite NBA chapionship contending team again.
Dec.27 at 5:47 pm
TADOne says:
Whoa, hold up. I wouldn’t exactly say the Lakers are definitely back in the playoff picture. There is still 2/3 of the season left. While they have looked good at times, I would hardly back Walton’s comment that they are the 2nd best team in the West.
Dec.27 at 6:34 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Myles Brown: pleaser refer from the use of “e-hug”. Thanks.
Dec.27 at 6:38 pm
Tenorca says:
They started like gangbusters last year too, barely squeezed into the playoffs, and got bounced by the Suns. They’re better, sure, but, they’re still a light on experience. Beyond Kobe & DFish, they’re untested when it counts. Call me in Spring.
Dec.27 at 6:45 pm
Jonathan says:
^ Wrong! I wouldnt say this current Laker team isnt playoff battle tested.The core of this young team has been together for 3 years going on 4 years now.2 years ago we took the Suns to a game 7 and gave them a run for their money.If it was for Tim “Contract Year” Thomas we would have adavanced to the 2nd that year.Luke Walton was also on the Laker team that went to the NBA Finals in 2004.Lamar Odom has playoff experience and has been out of the 1st round when he played with DWade in Miami during DWade rookie season in 2004 also.
Dec.27 at 6:45 pm
RV says:
i think its still too early, you have to wait and see if teams can adapt to them or not, teams are just now probably updating their scouting reports on bynum/ariza/etc.
Dec.27 at 6:50 pm
PDL says:
A few things…
As a Lakers fan, I wasn’t high on Bynum, not because he didn’t have the skills - I knew he did - it was because I didn’t see the drive or work-ethic. Now he’s got it in spades and, now that we’ve seen him play a lot, we Lakers fans know that he hasn’t even scratched the surface. Besides that baby righty jump hook and a nice up and under move, he basically has no low post moves. He’s got hands that seemingly have sticky tape on them and ridiculous length which means he’s getting a ton of putbacks and alley-oops from Fish and Kobe. I’m on the bandwagon now because it’s obvious now the guy has a motor, something that wasn’t obvious before. As far as their start goes, it’s right to be cautiously optimistic right now. Yes, they started 26-13 last season before tanking. But they’ve already sustained injuries and a trade and are still doing quite well. Plus, their schedule isn’t as home-heavy as it was last year and their schedule has been the toughest in the league behind that of the Toronto Raptors. I expect Bynum to take a bit of a dip in production but that’s to be expected with Kwame coming back. All in all, my best guess is that the Lakers have a 5 or 6 seed by the end of the season.
Dec.27 at 7:05 pm
Myles Brown says:
Gerard: the word is ‘refrain’
Dec.27 at 7:06 pm
Myles Brown says:
Youre welcome.
Dec.28 at 1:05 am
TC says:
Thanks for a well written post, but I just don’t think the Lakers really have a chance against teams like Mavs, Suns, Spurs, Jazz in a 7 game series. I know they got the best coach and the best player on their team but this is still just regular season. The addition of Ariza is nice but this team still isn’t a contender.
Dec.28 at 2:23 am
Mike says:
ALL YOU KOBE HATERS GOT NOTHING TO SAY NOW !AHAHA IN 2000 -2003 YOU CALLED HIM A BALLHOG, IN 2004 YOU CALLED HIM A RAPIST (he didnt do it)IN 2005 HE DIDNT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND YOU TREATED HIM LIKE SH*T. IN 06 and 07 HE HAD THE BEST SEASONS OF HIS CAREER AND PROVED THAT HE WAS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE WHEN HE KEPT SCORING U SAID HE WAS SELFISH. WHEN HE PASSED THE BALL U SAID HE WAS TO UNSELFISH. YOU COULDNT SAY HE WAS A BAD PLAYER HE WAS ALWAYS THE BEST YOU HATERS KNEW IT AND YOU SAID HE COULDNT BEAT PHOENIX AND COULDNT GET PAST THE 1st ROUND. WHEN HE ASKED FOR A TRADE YOU CALLED HIM A WHINER. THEN HE BEAT YOUR FAVORITE TEAM PHOENIX IN 07 TWICE(who still hasnt got to the finals).KOBE HAS PROVED THAT HE IS ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS EVER BECAUSE EVEN THE GREAT ONE JORDAN COULDNT DO ANYTHING FOR 6 YEARS WITH THE TEAM HE HAD AND NOW KOBES DOING BIG THINGS WITH THE SH*T PLAYERS HE HAS. WHATS NEXT HATERS????
Dec.28 at 2:59 am
rand33p says:
CALM DOWN… but i agree Kobe is the best in the L…. just ask lbj
Dec.28 at 4:06 am
Reggie Evans says:
I agree with Mike.
Dec.28 at 9:24 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
1. there are four more months of the regular season
2. then there are playoffs
3. then there are spurs
4. Andrew Bynum is the main reason for all this
5. Vlad the Impaler has come back to earth and is balling like its 2005.
Dec.28 at 10:43 am
jbn74sb says:
1. This team gives me a hard-on.
2. So does this article.
3. “We” were 26-13 last year.
4. “We” were 6th in the West in 2005 in March until Kobe and Lamar got hurt and then finished 1-19.
5. For the record, I never advocated any of the trade proposals that were publicized.
6. Because I always liked Bynum, and felt that it was too early too tell what his potential was.
7. It is still too early to tell what Bynum’s potential is. His success is largely a function of the attention teams have to pay Kobe. Or is it?
8. It’s December. Talk to me in April or May.
Dec.28 at 11:10 am
Sesa says:
eboy, I’m a big Kobe fan. I’m the one who made statement that 100% Chris Mihm is better than last season Bynum.
And I still believed that because 100% Mihm can post up and create his own shot.
I believed that the Lakers are a great team right now but they are still on the edge of greatness.
Despite Lakers current streak, you’ll notice that the bench didn’t produce much starting the game against the Knicks.
Notice that Vujacic and Farmar didn’t shot well while Radmanovic passing has been off the target.
Notice that Kupchak didn’t do anything but it was Phil who changes his style of coaching by implementing up-tempo offense and trusting the young guys to play more.
Dec.28 at 11:12 am
Sesa says:
I also dont like the “N” word.
Dec.28 at 1:18 pm
white hot eboy says:
Sesa, you weren’t the only one.
Dec.28 at 2:11 pm
jbn74sb says:
Eboy - A few queries as to your take on the Heat:
1) Are they going to make the playoffs as presently constituted?
2) If not, is there a feasible trade out there that will change that?
3) Do you want to trade Shaq?
4) If Dirk had a pair, and the Mavs had been able to close them out in 2006 (I am sure you remember the details as to how close they were - up by 15, Wade hurt and with 5 fouls), would the Shaq trade have still been worth it.
5) Even with the 2006 title, if the Heat are lottery bound in 2008, 2009, and 2010, was the Shaq trade worth it?
6) How would you like to have Lamar and Caron still, plus a free agent purchased when Brian Grant’s contract expired?
P.S. No smart+ss responses please. I’m genuinely curious as to your takes.
Dec.28 at 3:32 pm
casey says:
Way too much credit to Kobe for Bynum, Farmar, and even Sasha’s improvement. Did kobe pay someone for this article???
Dec.28 at 3:37 pm
casey says:
Mike take a chill pill. Stop playing a victum. And the Kobe Hater Card is played way too often by the kobeonlyfans. Be a laker fan. And this team is not sh*t like you and kobe say they are pretty d*mn good. Relax have a beer and watch Andrew “ship his a$$ out” Bynum make you and kobe regret your trade of Bynum for Kidd.
Dec.28 at 4:32 pm
white hot eboy says:
Bodie, I answered all the questions in order and it didn’t show up.
Dec.28 at 5:12 pm
jbn74sb says:
Donde lo esta?
Dec.28 at 5:18 pm
jbn74sb says:
Let’s see if I can take a guess at your answers:
1. No.
2. (I have no idea)
3. Yes, but to whom and for whom?
4. Yes - you have to take the chance to win a title.
5. Yes.
6. Of course, but, again, you have to take the chance to win a title. And we in fact did win a title.
Am I close?
Dec.28 at 7:26 pm
fly double N says:
you just wait until the playoffs.
You’ll see just how great steve nash and hill go together.
Marion and Amare are going to be sick of not winnin the whole thing,
and it’s Phoenixs year
Dec.28 at 9:11 pm
Walter Olivera says:
Even if Bynum becomes a better player next year and Kobe stays, I still don’t think kobe I mean the lakers will win a Championship. Sure the lakers have some young players, but so do the warriors, blazers, hornets, seattle. Then you have the real power house in the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs. NO WAY IN HELL THE LAKERS ARE GETTING ANOTHER RING.Start rebuilding now while you guys have the chance!
Dec.28 at 9:22 pm
Gerard Himself says:
Hmm… I did say “refer”. Why? I don’t know. Do I feel dumb? Yes.
Dec.28 at 9:35 pm
white hot eboy says:
Pretty close, Bodie.
Dec.29 at 12:35 am
jbn4sb says:
I’d feel the same were I in your shoes.
Dec.29 at 1:44 am
Laker for life says:
Kobe is going to get to the finals and mike good points my man.
Dec.29 at 4:11 pm
Albert says:
Bynum for MVP?
Dec.29 at 5:34 pm
LAKER-ONE 5 says:
THIS TO LET ALL OF YOU LAKER HATERS KNOW,I’AM A KOBE FAN AND BELIVE HE IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE L ,BUT AM A LAKER FAN FIRST.I ONLY ROOT FOR THE LA LAKERS WHEN THEY ARE OUT OF THE PLAY-OFFS I WOULDNT WATCH.IT IS TRUE THE SEASON IS EARLY BUT STILL POSTIVE.WE ARE YOUNG AND STILL LEARNING TOO PLAY THE GAME,SO BARRING INJURY THIS SEASON CAN GO DOWN IN HISTORY.I LOVE LA, LETS GO LAKERS
Dec.30 at 1:10 pm
Thomas says:
I agree about the part concerning Kobe but I think that Mitch Kupcake is a loser GM and Jerry Buss needs to get him out. I think that he’s gotten lucky this season. Don’t get me wrong I love the Lakers and want them to go deep in the playoffs I just think the Kupcake got lucky.
Dec.30 at 1:50 pm
swoosh says:
vincent, thanks for showin my lakers some love!
Dec.31 at 6:12 am
Eli says:
the lakers are wack, theyre downfall is approaching, kobe will drive them to the ground himself
Jan.1 at 3:07 am
Ben Osborne says:
Good stuff, Vincent. Eboy, I have no idea where your answers to Bodie are; don’t see them in moderation limbo…
Jan.9 at 3:03 pm
Skoer ELA says:
LAKERS are kicking @ss. It’s Fun to watch Them Again.
No stopping #24