Friday, October 24, 2003
Go Kobe!
I watched Kobe last night in his first game back from an offseason knee and shoulder surgery. He did look a little bit rusty but it was very good to see him back. He had some bad shots here and there but he also had a couple of sweet passes to his fellow teammates.
It was exciting to see the new look Lakers last night in their second to last preseason game. I am really glad to be rooting for Gary Payton and Karl Malone now that they are on our side of the benches and not the opposing. Derek Fisher who is still on the team is great, but Payton is an obvious upgrade at the point position. I see Fisher providing some much needed bench support when we get much deeper into the playoffs. Gary Payton is a future hall of famer who spent his entire career in Seattle before being traded midway through last season to Milwaukee. Malone who replaces the now departed Robert Horry is also another future hall of fame player who spent his entire career in Utah before decided to sign with the Lakers in the offseason. Both of these players took very significant paycuts to join the Lakers. Both players have never won a championship and that is the plan. Last year Payton and Malone made a combined 30 million and now this year they signed for about 6 million combined.
Shaq also looked very good last night. He is a little trimmer which is scarry if you are his opponents. Hopefully he doesn't have any injuries this year and can last the full 82 games. Devean George rolled his ankle in the third quarter which was the same injury he suffered in the playoffs last year. I thought he was more seriously hurt than he was, but he came back in the game.
In the end, the Lakers lost to the fellow home town Clippers but it was meaningless. The regular season starts Tuesday and they face off against the also upgraded Dallas Mavericks. ¶ 10/24/2003 09:05:00 AM
I watched Kobe last night in his first game back from an offseason knee and shoulder surgery. He did look a little bit rusty but it was very good to see him back. He had some bad shots here and there but he also had a couple of sweet passes to his fellow teammates.
It was exciting to see the new look Lakers last night in their second to last preseason game. I am really glad to be rooting for Gary Payton and Karl Malone now that they are on our side of the benches and not the opposing. Derek Fisher who is still on the team is great, but Payton is an obvious upgrade at the point position. I see Fisher providing some much needed bench support when we get much deeper into the playoffs. Gary Payton is a future hall of famer who spent his entire career in Seattle before being traded midway through last season to Milwaukee. Malone who replaces the now departed Robert Horry is also another future hall of fame player who spent his entire career in Utah before decided to sign with the Lakers in the offseason. Both of these players took very significant paycuts to join the Lakers. Both players have never won a championship and that is the plan. Last year Payton and Malone made a combined 30 million and now this year they signed for about 6 million combined.
Shaq also looked very good last night. He is a little trimmer which is scarry if you are his opponents. Hopefully he doesn't have any injuries this year and can last the full 82 games. Devean George rolled his ankle in the third quarter which was the same injury he suffered in the playoffs last year. I thought he was more seriously hurt than he was, but he came back in the game.
In the end, the Lakers lost to the fellow home town Clippers but it was meaningless. The regular season starts Tuesday and they face off against the also upgraded Dallas Mavericks. ¶ 10/24/2003 09:05:00 AM
