HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – Phil Jackson has employed some rather interesting motivational tactics to inspire his teams in the past.
But the Zen Master, or someone else affiliated with the Lakers, took it to another level on the eve of tonight’s Lakers-Mavericks game (10:30 p.m. on TNT).
Seriously, the Lakers got a little divine assistance for the big game at practice yesterday, along with the usual three-ring Hollywood circus that accompanies the two-time defending champs.
The Kamenetzky Brothers Land O’ Lakers blog on ESPNLosAngeles.com has all the details:
A Cardinal, an Archbishop, and an E! camera crew walk into a practice…
Sounds like the setup for a joke — not necessarily one you’d hear outside the Catskills, though a joke nonetheless — but Wednesday in El Segundo it was reality for the Lakers. Among those inside the gym watching practice were Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez, and Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, Archbishop of Lima. (I suppose if any two people can be trusted not to reveal the game plan for Thursday’s test against the Mavs, it’s these guys.) Then, after the doors opened to the rest of us, the esteemed pairing was joined by a gaggle of production types filming Lamar Odom for his reality show.
I realize it gets said a lot, but this certainly qualifies as an “Only in L.A.” moment.
“We have people come in and want to watch and stuff like that. Celebrities and so forth and so on, but that’s was the first time in my 15 years that’s happened,” Kobe Bryant said. Given the wide stretch of his celebrity, I don’t suspect Bryant’s popularity needs a boost anywhere around the world, but if by chance Peruvian Catholics were lagging behind, say, the Chinese in their collective love for No. 24, today’s events will certainly help.
This game doesn’t need any extra hype.
A half-game separates the Lakers and Mavericks in the standings. And tonight’s game is the last regular season meeting between the two combatants for the No. 2 seed, they are tied at 1-1.
The Lakers have won 15 of 16 since the All-Star break and seven straight. The Mavericks have won five straight.
Something has to give tonight.
This will be a game of EPIC proportion
I will go for the Mavs tonight…but it would be a hard battle…last time Barrea is there man now Nowitzki and Kidd will step up to beat L.A and Chandler’s defense can contron bynum and Gasol in the paint…anyway Pau wont be there because he will be chasing Dirk all night…I just wish Butler comeback, it would be an easy win…
Lakers 2nite
THE LAKERES WILL PREVAIL. WHEN IS ALL SAID AND DONE THEY WILL BE THE 3-TIME DEFENDING CHAMP. THEY HAVE TURNED IT UP ON DEFENSE AND ON OFFENSE. THEY ARE THE TEAM TO BEAT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE TWO TIME DEFENDING CHAMPS AND THEY ARE PLAYING THE BEST BASKETBALL RIGHT NOW. NO CONTEST. COMNING FROM THE BIGGEST LAKER FAN!!!!! AND SOMEONE THAT KNOWS BASKETBALL INS AND OUTS. THANK YOU!!!
It’s gonna be a TIE.. lol
LAKERS WINNING FOR SURE TONIGHT …KOBE’S SIXTH RING IS COMING THIS YEAR AND PRBLY LEBRON WILL TAKE HIS TALENT TO BOSTON THIS TIME HOPEFULLY HE CAN WIN ONE !!!
DO wrk Today lakers!
THE REASON LEBRON JAMES WILL NEVER WIN A RING….. KOBE BRYANT (MABEY AFTER HE RETIRES AND MIAMI CAN GET D ROSE AND BLAKE AND DWIGHT ..MABEY) LOL
I read part of your comment and thought “MABEY” was just a typo. Then I saw it again…really?
im just giving the sucker some hope
Kobeeeee all the way he is the best in the nba no doubt
the blacck mamab has the most intense killer instinct
It’s all about the mavs today
”Dont HATE the Winners,HATE the Lossers”
Dry Cry guys the laker may win tonite… but will loss the champion agianst the Heat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111 remember dat friend.
xmas and easter fall on the same day too this yeat!!!
heat to win the title this year? wrong bet!!! the championship goes through the Lakers and the heat wont even make it past the conference semi finals!!! nuff said … LBJ was gonna win it all since 5 yrs …. he didnt and wont for at least another 5 yrs … (prolly not through his whole career) keep on dreaming man …. heat are NOT hot!!!
lebron james has said it best every one starts 0-0 in the playoffs and being hot going into the playoffs does not win you a championship but radther winning 16 games in the playoffs win you a championship. Heat win a title this year. Im a hawk fan by the way. i hate the heat.
Hahah so right heat beat La In both games that true but gng to the finals: its a HAHAHA they even can`t beat boston or chicago . so why La will be tripping
we worry about west… but we bring the A+ play off time!!
Lol watching Bryant is always the same: His words, mimic and whole behaviour is just fake. Never ever seen an interview with him (since 1997) where he’s authentic or his words are more than hot air
I believe that you are talking about your self here. I doubt that you watch the game that long because you come across as a 10y old. Wait till you grow up and come back with something more grown up to post then the garbage you are trying to sell. Remember, when you eat garbage, garbage comes out. So try some honesty in your behavior and wait an other 10y before posting. You may find some grown ups that will believe you.
stupped
dude what do interviews have to do with basketball! kobe lets his game talk for him buddy!
Stop watching!
That makes no sense at all! If he’s been that way for 15 years maybe that’s just the way he is. That is the way he talks, the way he mimics. Now how is that being fake? As for his words, i don’t agree that he’s not changed. As a younger player his comments were way more agressive, giving him a lot of trouble ’round the league. I guess having been around for 15 years makes you think before you talk. Maybe if you stick around you’ll learn too.
Hot air huh? yeah five rings is pretty hot if you ask me.
Let this guy hate..The more people hate on Kobe..The better he gets..Keep the hating coming…!!!
Can I please get some more hate!!
BLACCK MAMAB? lol.. go mavs.. beat L.A
Go smoke Cuban’s cigar.
All mavs tonight…gonna show the nation why the got the best road record in the league!
Sorry sir its all kobe and the lakers tonite
kobe is old he can even dunk animore he needs shaq again if it wasnt for gasol and shaq he would have 0 championships
Kobe’s enjoyment of beating your favorite team is real, though.
Its’ going to be a great match-up. I am really looking forward for the second round of the playoffs when these two teams will battle it out, with a nice chess match. Tonights game will come down to a last second shot, Dirk will hit a 14 footer over the outstretched arm of Lamar Odom. Other scenario he gets doubled and Kidd steps up and hits an open three.
Roddy Beaubois, who has shown signs of breaking out will have a big impact, and they will need it, to beat this tough Laker team. Hopefully Butler can come back in time, because he is one player that will not back down from Kobe
So many players get up to play Kobe because he is the best in the world. You very seldom hear any player say ‘I want to guard James” . You’re kid will be eaten alive and spit out on that pile of former so called Kobe stopper. No one, absolutely no one can stop Kobe, so grow up and accept that fact.
can u be on their STUFF anymore than you are??
LAKERS!!!
You all now that the Lakers will win the 2011 Championship.
Why does every lakers post turn into a slag on lebron? I have been a lakers fan since I was 12 and got into basketball and I think Kobe is the best to play the game. But this is about mavs and lakers, not Kobe and Lebron. As much as I hate to say it Lebron is an amazing player, and he could school every single one of us on the court, so why not focus on the game, Lakers to win at home, but its gonna be tight! and lakers to take the playoffs all the way hopefully! Three-peat!!
lebron and the heat all the way
all the way down the drain
I DO NOT CARE WHO WILL WIN TONIGHT, I CARE THE QUALITY OF FIGHT; COME ON, LAKERS AND MAVS, SHOW US YOUR GUTS!!
lakers are the best everybody was writing them off before allstar break now they the hottest team in the league but everybody still want 2 be lakers hater and it almost that time 4 lakers really show off in the playoff
Kobe 62
Mavs 61
Just watched a Replay of that one I hope this is just as memorable.
I wonder if Nowitski still hold a grudge for that elbow??
Makes me want to paint a “LAST SUPPER” with Phil Jackson in the middle.
I am a true thunder fan but it looks like the Lakers are the best team in the NBA yet again. Enjoy it this year LA b/c this is the final year before your dynasty begins to fade.
Remember 06 when KB outscored the Whole mavs team in 3 qtrs 62-61
Come on Gasol!
Show Nowitzsky who is the white father…
Hoy ganamos!!!
This is gonna be a intense game but I see the mavs coming out on top but only barely
yo kobe got what it takes lebron think it onley take 3 superstar to win a ring, he brag he bose talking bout the gonna win 6-7 rings an did not even win 1 yet thats why i think hes gonna flop out hes too hype let ur game do the talking an stop dreaming lebron wake up then you will win a ring! im a kobe fan from time so i cant switch an say lebron but he is great but he need to have more respect for other players an team an stop bragging an u never won a ring as yet!!!!!
stop comparing whos better than who lebron kobe wade there all great players!!!
LAKERS WILL PREVAIL LIKE ALWAYS
lebron jame son the road!!!!
dude lakers will win they are the 3 peat champions…yes i am caling it out already
miami is d wayne team not lebron
Lebron sucks, and so does Kobe. D Rose is the man
YOU all suck! go Clippers!
Mavs would be the favourites in the west if they had a healthy caron bulter but nobody cares but if the lakers were missing a starter everyone would make it a big deal
The Lakers are Muhammed Ali and the Mavs are Joe Frazier! LOL!
Lakers 2nite… close but a “W” nonetheless!
kobe bryant is the greastest player of all time in my opinion. i or its a time with jordan because i have recently found out through a little. that alot of players feel that the 90′s was a watered down team. that alot of great like magic and bird feel like the compition wasnt that high and thats a reason why jordan and the bulls were so dominate. and it is true. all the expansion teams made it less dominate teams and more teams with only one or 2 players vs. the 80′s when u need 2 or 3 stars to when a ship. like the celtics and the lakers and pistons. but jordan did do it so u can take it away but. kobe bryant is the most skilled player of all time and im sick of people talking and comparing him to the likes of lebron and wade or durant. let them do it (be the absolute best) for 15 or 16 years and then if durant is still scoring like that or james is still that exsplosive then holla at me. until then kopbe is the greatest.
Do you have a link that player says 90″s team were watered down.Do you have any type of evidence to come here and say that?Or you are 15 or 16 year kid talking with his friend in you high school how cool is Kobe?annhhh.You kids make me sick.I respect Lebron James,Michael Jordan ,Larry Bird,Karl Malone,Kobe Bryant,Magic Johnson and every player.But you know what I hate?little kids saying that team in the 90s didn’t do their best to win, that they weren’t athletic enough, didn’t have many flashy move.Those player did their best to win, maybe they are player forgotten in the oblivion because MJ and his team was more dominant.If someday a team come and win win 8 championship in 12 years are you gonna say those team were watered down.I don’t care about Kobe or Jordan debate, but never disrespect those player that sacrificed so much to win championship , a dream that every player wants.
LAKERS WILL WIN!!!!!!!
P.S. what is with all the typos