ESPN

Sometimes with a night's rest, the dawn of a new morning, and the opportunity for some fresh perspective, in the rear view mirror a game can look a little different.

Sometimes.





Game 2 Wednesday in Oklahoma City doesn't qualify. As we stepped into the studio about 17 hours after those fateful two minutes in the fourth quarter in which the Lakers blew a seven point lead, the sense of what they gave away was just as strong. I'm not going to lie, those hoping to be uplifted by the newest edition of the Land O'Lakers PodKast aren't going to like what you hear. After noting another critical example of poor execution -- Andy and I unwittingly showed up at the office in nearly identical outfits, among the more mockable things a brother writing/radio tandem can do -- we dive into the the big issues ...

• After briefly touching on L.A.'s final play, we get into why the loss in Game 2 was so significant. Yeah, it's nice the Lakers played OKC tight after the Game 1 blowout, but in a playoff series the lesser team can't afford to lose games they ought to win. In the process, we shoot down just about every moral-victory-encouraging-going-forward argument out there. Again, it's fairly depressing, which is why we make sure to drop a little Double Rainbow Guy in there.
• Is there any hope going forward for the Lakers to pull the upset?
• Ramon Sessions. He hasn't played well in the postseason. Why? What can change, and how does his poor playoff run impact his decision whether to become a free agent, and whether the Lakers should re-sign him?
• A quick look at the Clippers vs. San Antonio. We're no more optimistic about the chances of the red, white, and blue.

We're normally pretty chipper folk, but not today. Listen, but be prepared to shed a tear.

Looking for something a little lighter after Monday's loss? We got you covered.

One of our favorite writers working today is A.J. Jacobs, author of a very entertaining trilogy centering around his quest for self-improvement. It starts with "The Know-It-All," in which Jacobs endeavors to improve his mind by reading the Encyclopedia Britannica from A to Z, then "The Year of Living Biblically," in which he explores spirituality by attempting to obey the bible as literally as possible (from avoiding clothes of mixed fibers to stoning adulterers), and now his newest, "Drop Dead Healthy."





The third volume details Jacobs' efforts to make himself the healthiest man on the planet. No easy task, given all the conflicting information about what is actually good for us. (For what it's worth, "The Know-It-All" is my favorite of the three.)

He's also an editor-at-large at Esquire Magazine, producing some of our favorite stuff in that particular mag, including this story about outsourcing his life, and living as a spectacularly good looking woman. Jacobs joined us in studio for a fun conversation about his new book, his style (called "immersion journalism" by some, "stunt journalism" by others) of writing, the future of print, and more. If you're a fan of his work, you'll enjoy the interview.

For those less familiar with Jacobs, it's probably worth checking out a couple of his features for Esquire to get a feel for what he does.

We've been holding on to this one for a couple weeks (some of you may have already seen it on the rail at right), hoping the Lakers might give us a window to get it a nice airing. They haven't really cooperated, so we'll wait no longer. Give it a listen.

The Lakers are up 2-0 on the Nuggets, and to celebrate we hit the studio for a podcast, and a lively one at that.

We started by asking whether the Lakers have changed expectations surrounding their postseason with the quality of their play, particularly Game 1. Maybe they should have slow-played this one a little?

From there, we moved on to a topic inspired by comments left on this post about the pressure on Mike Brown to perform in his first postseason as head coach of the Lakers. As Kobe Bryant told me, for players to truly, fully buy into Brown as a coach will be difficult until they've gone through a playoffs with him. Meaning Brown is coaching not just for this spring, but to lay a foundation for the rest of his tenure in Los Angeles.

In it, I note some of the obstacles in Brown's way, including a roster that "isn't as well equipped to win a title as last year's" group.

Fair to say, there was a great deal of disagreement about that one. Certainly during much of the season, as the Lakers struggled with depth problems and members of the supporting cast struggled, it was true. But what about this team, right now? The one taking the floor for Games 1 and 2 against Denver? Most readers thought I got it wrong. Upon further review, I think they have a compelling argument. Andy and I kick it around the topic -- he agreed with you folks -- noting first the difference in mentality. This year's group is far more engaged, suffering from none of the burnout plaguing the 2010-2011 team. Pau Gasol is present, accounted for, and playing at a very high level.

Then there's the roster. Yes, Lamar Odom is gone, but his production has been absorbed to a large degree by Andrew Bynum and Gasol. Ramon Sessions is an upgrade over Derek Fisher. Metta World Peace (once he returns) is playing better now than he was last season. And, of course, Kobe Bryant isn't just healthier, but much healthier. Put it all together, and the Lakers are better this spring than last, or at the very least have the potential to be better. Certainly the first two games of against Denver support that idea.

How that factors into their title hopes -- they were a long way from a championship in '11 -- is a different debate, but it obviously it can't hurt. And, of course, a better team means even more pressure on Brown.

But it's a good reminder of how narratives in sports need constant re-examination.

Finally, with L.A.'s Big Three all playing well, we noted the sacrifices made by Gasol for the greater good. Bryant talked about it following Game 2. "Championship teams have always been built on players who can sacrifice for the betterment of the group. He's obviously sacrificed his touches, but his aggressiveness is not going down. If you look his assist numbers and his rebounding numbers, he's such a big factor for our team," he said.

(Read full post)

There are plenty of celebrities who sit courtside at a Laker game purely to be seen. Jack Black is not among them. The L.A. native knows "Ramon" is pronounced "Rah-mon", not "Rah-mone," and was aware of the success in Kobe Bryant's absence at the time of this recording. In other words, he's the genuine article. When not watching basketball (or recording with the newly reunited Tenacious D), Black makes movies, and his newest features him in a very unusual role. Bernie is the true story of Bernie Tiede, a charming mortician who becomes the darling of Carthage, Texas, even after murdering the small town's wealthiest (and nastiest) resident. Black is successfully cast against type as the film's title character, and the quirky film opened in limited release on Friday, April 27th in select cities, then goes wider on May 4.

The interview can be heard by clicking the module, and there's a breakdown of talking points below:





- (1:00): Black concedes this season has been trying at times, and there haven't always been reasons to believe, but the actor has a sneakin' feeling the postseason could treat the Lakers nicely. Particularly if the Buss family does the right thing and gets him permanent courtside seats.

-(2:35): Because Black is obsessed with true crime, the role of Bernie Tiede was quite intriguing. One horrible act aside, the man was by most accounts a genuinely nice person. This complexity made the character even more interesting to tackle.

- (5:54): Between School of Rock and Tenacious D, audiences have seen Black sing a lot throughout the years. In Bernie, however, he's belting out gospel music, which makes us wonder if he could reinvent himself. I mean, woulda thunk Hootie (of the Blowfish) would someday emerge a major country star?

- (8:20): As a fantatic of The Who, we put Black to the ultimate "Sophie's choice," and he counters with a very creative response.

- (11:46): Given how Black went very quickly from "working actor" to "above the title" star, he can relate to the bumps in the road for Andrew Bynum as his world very suddenly changed this season:

"It's crazy. Celebrity can be a real corrosive, corruptive force. And when you're in your 20's? He's just a kid. You gotta remember. I didn't have any kind of success until I was 30 year old. I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had hit the big time when I was 20 like Bynum. It's gotta do a number to your head, where suddenly everybody knows you when you're walking down the street. It's weird. It sounds like it's all fun and games until you're in it. You gotta be careful.

"I mean, to a certain degree, I wanted [fame]. I like being recognized and there's a lot of fun that goes along with it. Being able to go to fancy restaurants without a reservation. Just go and sit down. It's kind of fun. Life is your oyster. But you get spoiled real fast and there's a danger that you can lose control."

As the popular saying goes, timing is everything. When we recorded this podcast Friday afternoon ahead of the impending blowout loss to the Spurs, the Lakers looked, generally speaking, like a team trending in the right direction with the postseason on the horizon. Then came San Antonio's blistering 61 percent clip from the field, which actually/improbably built on Tuesday's 60 percent at Staples, and the Lakers suddenly look considerably more vulnerable. But either way, the questions we examined remain trenchant and relevant, if perhaps more urgent than just 24 hours ago.

Again, timing is everything.

The show can be heard by clicking the module, and a breakdown of talking points is below:





- (3:03): With the playoffs approaching, we create a checklist of pressing needs as the Lakers attempt to make a deep run. They include sustained impact from Andrew Bynum and Metta World Peace, team defense, and Ramon Sessions' poise during his first foray into the playoffs.

- (13:00): We debate the importance of the bench's (and in particular, Steve Blake's) production, given the inevitability of increased minutes for the starters.

- (17:05): In both of our minds, no player will make or break the Lakers' playoff run more than Bynum. How confident are we about this reality?

- (18:20): If you believe the Lakers are on a better path than 1-2 months ago, how much credit does Mike Brown deserve?

- (25:40): I make a throwaway joke referencing a semi-obscure bubble gum pop from the 70's... which Brian misinterprets as a joke referencing this better known song by Barry Manilow Neil Diamond... which leads to us doing Neil Diamond impressions. That's just how the K Brothers roll.

In 1987, Guns N' Roses exploded on the music scene with "Appetite for Destruction," an album that sounded nothing like the hair/glam metal groups dominating radio and MTV. In fact, "Appetite's" edgy, raw songs didn't sound like much of anything popular at the time, period. Bassist Duff McKagan, one of the band's original members, lived Guns' chaotic rise to the top, only to watch the band steadily disintegrate into a current incarnation barely recognizable to its origins.

Since leaving GN'R in 1997, McKagan has played in groups like Velvet Revolver and (briefly) Jane's Addiction, gotten sober after battling serious health issues caused by his excessive lifestyle, and even penned a memoir, "It's So Easy: and other lies." On April 14th, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

We caught up with the Seattle native to talk about Guns' place in music history, what Saturday's honor means to him and his beloved Super Sonics, a team he still deeply misses. The show can be heard by clicking on the module, and a breakdown of talking points is below.





- (1:40): McKagan tries to verbalize the surreal feeling of entering the HOF. Music awards have always felt strange to him, since there's no tangible "stats" to measure achievement beyond sales, which isn't necessarily the same thing as greatness.

- (4:50): McKagan reminisces on band's legacy and how, once "Appetite" started flying off the shelves, other bands started to look like GN'R, everyone started to "get my humor," and women suddenly "discovered how good looking I was." In other words, he was officially a rock star now, which took getting used to.

- (10:50): As a one-time member of the Seattle music scene, what was it like for McKagan to see the grunge scene blow up years after he left?

- (12:40): Similar to how people wonder how many titles the Kobe-Shaq teams could have won if the superstars had gotten along, McKagan concedes the band's constant drama equaled potential left on the table.

- (16:30): After playing in bands fronted by Axl Rose, Scott Weiland, and Perry Ferrell, it's safe to say McKagan is incapable of being thrown for a loop by a lead singer.

- (20:20): McKagan describes how writing columns for the Seattle Weekly, Playboy and ESPN eventually led to a book, and the experience of looking back on his life.

- (23:05): McKagan shares his bitterness towards the Sonics' relocation, Clay Bennett and his plan to bring the team back to Seattle.

- (27:54): McKagan's crazy (and by "crazy," we mean "awesome") connection to The Simpsons.

- (29:30): Even before Rose publicly stated he wanted no part of the the HOF induction, McKagan expressed doubts over a full reunion and performance. At the risk of putting words in McKagan's thought bubble, I'll go out on a limb and predict he anticipated Axl being a problem.

It's the rubber match for Pacific Division supremacy, and perhaps even ownership of Los Angeles from San Pedro to the San Fernando Valley! The Lakers and Clippers should be primed for serious battle, between the playoff seeding at stake, the local bragging rights, and quite frankly, because they don't care much for each other. To preview this contest, we called upon Kevin Arnovitz and Jordan Heimer, host of ESPNLA.com's "The Clipper podcast." You can hear the show by clicking on the module, and a breakdown of talking points is below.





- (1:50): We examine my theory about how the Lakers only play consistently well against teams they collectively hate (the Clippers, Mavericks and Celtics) or Kobe hates (the Suns, #NeverForget).

- (3:45): Blake Griffin's annoying on-court behavior (primarily flopping, although some don't dig the post-dunk preening) is compared to Andrew Bynum's troubling behavior on and away from the hardwood.

- (11:00): Arnovitz and Heimer break down how the Clippers' once-sinking fortunes suddenly turned. In particular, the defense has suddenly improved.

- (17:50): This will be the Lakers' first game against the Clippers with Ramon Sessions in the fold. How will he fare defending Chris Paul? (And if he struggles, who picks up the slack in his place?) Can Sessions place pressure on a team that sometimes struggles in pick-and-roll coverage?

- (26:00): How do Arnovitz and Heimer expect Kobe Bryant to be defended?

- (27:20): Predictions!

- (30:00): The Clippers got their act together almost immediately upon the reinstatement of Clipper Darrell. Pure coincidence or testament to the power of a super-fan who now "understands his role?" And yes, I do find the notion of a meeting to spell out Clipper Darrell's "role" hysterically funny.

Sessions-mania is in full effect, even before his triumphant debut as a starter Friday against the Blazers! Ramon is officially the man of the hour, and we decided to get some thoughts on new point guard from our man Darius Soriano, head honcho of Forum Blue and Gold. From there, we hit on a few more topics. The show can be heard by clicking on the module, and there's a breakdown of talking points below.

• (2:00): Soriano expresses thoughts on how Sessions fits in with the Lakers, the adjustments necessary on behalf of both Kobe Bryant and his new backcourt mate to truly flourish together, and whether his presence could fuel a deep playoff run.
• (16:00): With Soriano gone, we discuss a little further how much Sessions improve the team, and how he'll allow Kobe to play off ball more often, which will make games so much easier for The Mamba. For that matter, life should become less labored for Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol as well.
• (17:50): What, if any impact, could come during the playoffs from Derek Fisher joining the Oklahoma City Thunder? BK and I debate how often Fish will be on the floor during the fourth quarter moments where he's become a postseason killer. (For what it's worth, Scott Brooks went out of his way to play the veteran in crunch-time during a double overtime win over the Wolves, despite Fisher missing nine of eleven shots.)
• (26:30): The Clippers have hit the skids and reports are swirling about Vinny Del Negro having lost the team. Would it make sense to fire him now? On one hand, it could be very disruptive this late in the season. On the other, he's unlikely to return next season either way, so what do they have to lose?

BK and I are both big fans of Regina King (Boyz n the Hood, Friday, Ray, Jerry Maguire, Enemy of the State), whom I've long considered one of the more underutilized actresses in Hollywood. Not that she hasn't found roles. She's steadily worked since being cast in 1985 as "Brenda Jenkins" on 227, and landed a handful of very meaty supporting roles. But no project ever featured her front and center, which is disappointing given her skills at comedy and drama. That changed, however, when she was cast in 2009 as Detective Lydia Adams on Southland, a cop drama set in her native Los Angeles. Critically acclaimed by canceled after one season by NBC, TNT picked up the show, and it's since become a big hit for the cable network.

With the season finale airing Tuesday (10 pm PT), we were pleased to have King on as a guest to talk about the show, her career and the Lakers, a team she's rooted for since the Showtime days. The entire show can be heard by clicking on the module below.





Among the talking points:

• King's love of the Lakers, which truly blossomed when Magic Johnson arrived in L.A. The two seasons fellow Westchester High School alumni Trevor Ariza spend in purple and gold were also fun. Less enjoyable, however, was seeing the Three-peat teams squabble, then eventually break up. King thinks this drama was indicative of the last 10+ years in the NBA, where everyone obsesses over "whose team it is."
• Celebs who hit Laker games to pump projects rather than watch the game bug "the mess out of" King, especially given how Joe Q. Laker Fan would "cut off their pinkie toe" to sit courtside at Staples.
• How Los Angeles itself serves as a character on Southland.
• King grew up in L.A. during a period when the LAPD was under heavy -- and deserved -- scrutiny, which she admits fostered distrust towards the police. Upon playing a cop and spending more time around them, however, her feelings about the profession have changed.
• It's no secret quality roles in Hollywood for black actors have traditionally been on short supply, with black actresses in particular feeling the pinch. In the 20+ years King has been in the business, how much does she think this issue has improved? "Not as much as one would hope," she admits. Not that race neutral casting is unheard of. For example, the role of Lydia Adams wasn't originally written as a black woman. But there's a ways to go before this becomes more commonplace. Not that race has no place whatsoever in developing projects, but there are factors inhibiting the diversity of faces seen on screens.
• One reason is the tendency -- whether by those making, marketing, or watching movies and TV -- to assume projects with a largely minority cast will mostly appeal to audiences of that particular race. But quite often, we see that's hardly the case. Take Friday, which ended up spawning a franchise. In broad terms, it would be regarded as a "black" movie, but as King says, people of MANY races tell her it's their favorite movie. At the end of the day, funny is funny, and humor often crosses color lines. For that matter, so do many human experiences.
• Speaking of projects that discovered audiences of all backgrounds, King made her film debut in Boyz n the Hood. She considers the movie universal, because every city has sections stricken with the issues tackled in that groundbreaking movie. In a bit of art-imitating-life, "Boyz" wasn't just set in her native city, but co-starred Nia Long (who graduated a year behind her at Westchester) and was directed by fellow USC Trojan John Singleton. King, however, was more geeked at the time about doing a movie with Ice Cube. And like everyone else, it blows her mind that one of the godfathers of gangsta rap is now a bankable star for family friendly projects.
• King coaches the cheerleaders for her son's football team, and is more Pat Riley than Phil Jackson.

You didn't really think the deadline would pass without a poddy, did ya? You know us better than that. Among the talking points...





- The Lakers are officially different than at March 15, 11:59 am PT. The key new face arriving is, of course, point guard Ramon Sessions. We both think he was a nice pickup, and can really help this team. He's not an elite point guard, but he can get to the rim, run a quality pick-and-roll and move the ball well. I don't expect him to start for at least a couple of games, but eventually, he should help make life much easier for Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

- Of course, the day also resulted in a pair of longtime Lakers, Derek Fisher and Luke Walton, exiting L.A. Walton, human punchline/punching bag that he became for most Lakers fans, was a popular teammate and respected in the locker room (by, among others, Kobe). But to be perfectly honest, any on-court utility offered has long-since expired and his contract represented money deader than any presidents on the bills he pocketed. Moving Walton was a no-brainer if possible.

Fisher, however, still brought tangibles to the table, even with his production in decline. Dude's still got a knack for big shots, and it's fitting his final bucket as a Laker was a go-ahead score against New Orleans in OT. More important, as I wrote yesterday, his presence, character and leadership was a major component of the success this team's enjoyed since 2008. His absence will be felt -- not that the team can't move forward, but that's simply a fact -- especially as the team looks to make a deep playoff run.

But ultimately, BK and I think the Lakers made the right call. With Sessions on board and Blake backing him up, Fisher would become a resident of "DNP-CD County," which undercuts his powerful voice and could fuel sour feelings, professional that he may be. Mike Brown also would be placed in the horribly awkward position of having to bench an influential member of a locker room still perhaps not entirely in his corner. Both risked becoming "the bad guy," which isn't fair to either, and from a financial standpoint, the Lakers are allocating their resources much more efficiently. The move had to be made, even if from an sentimental standpoint, it wasn't pretty.

- I share my longstanding theory former NBA players Mamadou N'diaye and Boniface N'Dong were actually the same person.

- Gasol is among the more charitable fellows in the NBA, and among other organizations has been involved with UNICEF. Thursday night, he attended a benefit, and sang a, shall we say, weepy song to help inspire some giving.



On one hand, BK and I have spent a lot of time defending Pau against the "Gasoft" label we don't think is fair or accurate, and warbling this particular song does our battle no favors. I get the thematic fit. It's called "How to save a life." The very important message is being driven home. But he might as well been singing "The Rose" or something by Tori Amos. There must be a "tougher" sounding song that inspires giving. Although on the other hand, if you're actually secure enough to sing that in a crowd and Tweet out pics, knowing the snickers that could follow, by definition, how soft can you really be?

Either way, good on Pau for getting behind a good cause, and while I'd label him a better piano player than singer, he's not terrible. Better than me, that's for sure.

Earlier this season, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of Magic Johnson's iconic press conference in which he told the world he had HIV. Sunday night, ESPN Films debuts "The Announcement," a documentary examining that day, one enduring not only a landmark moment in Los Angeles sports history, but a signpost moment in American culture generally.

Ahead of the premiere, we had a chance this week to speak with director Nelson George. We talked his memories of that day, of returning to the Forum Club with Magic as part of the production, Karl Malone, how Magic changed the way Americans look at HIV, and what the world of HIV awareness and prevention might look like had Magic never contracted the virus.

With the trade deadline only about a week away, things are getting a little tense. There are still a litany of questions yet to be answered, and not much time to do it. So with that in mind, we welcomed ESPN Radio's Ryen Russillo to the show. It was a busy show, covering a lot of ground. It should also be noted we recorded before the road losses against Detroit and Washington. Obviously, those results would have otherwise been a topic of discussion.

The highlights:

• What do the Lakers need at the deadline, and whether they should move Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum to get them filled.
• How real is the push in Boston to trade Rajon Rondo? (7:00)
• What real trade -- meaning something not totally one sided and absurd -- would you make including Bynum or Gasol? (13:15)
• Even if they make moves filling in the middle of the roster, Russillo thinks the window on this group has closed. (19:00)
• Does the fact the Lakers have become so money conscious show the new CBA is working as intended? (26:00)

From there, we get into an extended conversation about the MC Bracket Russillo and Scott Van Pelt are running as part of the Scott Van Pelt Show on ESPN Radio -- 64 contestants in all, with the regions broken up into the Dirty South, West Coast, East Coast and 8 Mile. As hip hop isn't my strong suit, most of the deeper opinions are delivered by Russillo (who knows his stuff) and AK (who knows more than me -- hard to believe, but I'm actually less "street" than I look).

But we encourage everyone to click the links above and vote. Just vote responsibly.

It's not often we do game specific podcasts, given how this truncated schedules affords them so little shelf life. However, certain games are big enough to make an exception, and a date with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh would qualify as such. We break down the implications of Sunday's marquee matchup, whether on the court or moving forward this season. Clock on the module to hear the entire show, and below is a breakdown of talking points:

- (3:01): After paying tribute to our wives' mutual love of "The Golden Girls" (those sassy blue hairs lived in Miami, after all), we talk about break down the implications with Sunday's game against the Heat. For starters, Broken-Nose-And-Concussion-Gate. Wade has insisted his foul on Kobe Bryant during the All-Star Game wasn't delivered with an intent to injure. Kobe himself has insisted it wasn't delivered with an intent to injure. But Laker fans certainly don't believe Flash and more importantly, Matt Barnes views the incident as another example of why he and Metta World Peace may have to adopt the role of enforcer and enforcer sidekick. (MWP would be the head honcho, which I only imagine is a source of comfort for everyone involved.)

Will the incident in Orlando lead to excessive chippiness in L.A. come Sunday? And if so, does that play into the Lakers' favor?

- (10:45): How are the Lakers gonna put up points against the Heat? Last season, the Lakers couldn't score against them while Miami was still in the "getting to know each other" stages. This season, the Lakers are the ones lacking continuity, and the Heat have only gotten better defensively.

- (12:00): How would a win on Sunday affect our perception of the Lakers? At the very least, I could maintain a more open mind towards the potential for this team moving forward. Wholeheartedly buying in, no questions asked, as the result of one victory feels like a premature reaction, but there's no question this would represent a very strong win. A loss, however, would mark the fourth in as many tries in Miami's James-Wade-Bosh era, and naturally prompts skepticism about how much they're really improving against legitimate competition.

- (17:30): More important than how Brian or I will react to the results against the Heat, how will the front office?

- (19:40): How much will money be a factor for the Lakers moving forward? And even if they are willing to pony up whatever it takes to secure a young superstar, the opportunities may be few and far between? We go through the list of the league elites under 30, and the overwhelming majority are locked up.

We've reached the halfway point of the season, people! What do you think of the Lakers with 34 games in the books? What do you think the remaining 32 games have to offer? Brian's doled out mid-term grades, so we hit the studio for further reflection and projection. Among the talking points:



<>

- Who were the Lakers' most and least valuable players at the mid-point? Who has been the most pleasant surprise? Among the supporting players, who is it most crucial to see step up for this team to become legitimate title contenders?

- How would you evaluate Mike Brown's performance in his first campaign? The conditions under which he has been forced to operate haven't been ideal, but if he's looking to make lemonade from lemons, you could argue he has mishandled opportunities.

- Save an unexpected -- and unrealistic -- collective leap in performance from players 4-12, it's obvious the Lakers need to tweak the roster to make a championship run. Would the Lakers be better off adding pieces to complement the existing Big Three, which almost certainly means sacrificing the draft picks and other assets likely needed to land a superstar? Or do you hoard every asset possible until the 11th hour in an effort to land Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams, which risks being left high and dry once the deadline passes?

The Grammys are Sunday, meaning the Lakers by definition have completed the majority of their first major road trip. The All-Star team has been announced. Kobe Bryant added yet another notch to a very heavily decorated belt. Felt like as good a reason as any to get in the studio and chop things up. There entire show can be heard by clicking on the box below, and there's a breakdown below for those who like to skip around.





- (2:00): With four of the six Grammy roadie games in the books (the show was recorded before the Knicks loss), Brian and I ponder whether we've learned anything about the Lakers. In my opinion, not really. We saw signs of them being capable of quality play on the road, but we've also seen them disappoint in customary fashion this season. And the problems transparent before leaving L.A. -- not enough support beyond the Big Three, not enough play-makers along the perimeter -- remain the same.

- (6:40): Even with these issues still lingering, are they now in position to perhaps win the Pacific Division? The Clippers are the primary competition, but with Chauncey Billups sidelined for the season, the Staples Center upstarts may encounter slippage. Enough for the Lakers to overtake them? We'll see.

- (8:06): Did the coaches err by not naming Pau Gasol an All-Star? In our opinions, no. While we agree Dirk Nowitzki's inclusion robbed a more deserving candidate, the snubbed player wasn't necessarily El Spaniard. Paul Millsap, Danilo Gallinari, Monta Ellis and Rudy Gay all deserve a spot before him, in my opinion. While a nod certainly wouldn't be outlandish, and the criticism lobbed at Pau this season has been somewhat over the top, I think events shook out in proper fashion.

- (14:50): Brian waxes nostalgic about his LSAT scores and a constitutional law book that used to put him sleep.

- (19:10): Kobe's done a lot of media since passing Shaquille O'Neal on the all-time scoring list, reminiscing about the past and speculating about what lies ahead. Naturally, a sixth ring weighs heavily on Bryant's mind. The odds of another championship while this current roster don't feel high, but Kobe hasn't lost sight of the front office's attempt to upgrade with Chris Paul. As long as Mitch Kupchak and the Busses appear to be working in earnest, Kobe sounds satisfied. And even if he weren't, packing up the tents doesn't sound like Plan B. While speaking with Stephen A. Smith, Bryant dismissed the notion of chasing a ring with another franchise. As far as he's concerned, he'll either win #6 with the Lakers, or he won't win it at all.

(Read full post)