Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Here’s the thing about the Los Angeles Lakers. Say what you want about their team, but God it’s perfect to have this team in Los Angeles, the most superficial, unintentionally hilarious place in America. And with both L.A. and the Lakers, that’s not a bad thing. It’s just what they are.
Superficial and unintentionally hilarious. To wit, Sunday night brought this quote from the OC Register’s Lakers rundown:
Artest struck the sort of wide-eyed, menacing pose very few non-institutionalized people can.
He stared and seemingly braced himself to fight. Bryant told Artest he noticed the Celtics’ reaction at that precise moment: “They didn’t want any part of this crazy (expletive). I’m telling you. I saw it.”
Which is funnier there? Artest’s obvious lunacy, or the idea of Kobe—clean-cut Kobe—striking a menacing pose and saying “They don't want any part of this crazy s—!” (Ed. note to Kobe: you’re not fooling anyone.)
And then today, Pau Gasol’s unhappy:
Gasol had just 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting Monday […]
"Obviously we’re not making a concerted effort at pounding the ball inside," Gasol said after the loss.He said he’s not sure why this plagues the Lakers despite their consistent size advantage, but added pointedly: "It happens often."
What will happen here? As Marcel Mutoni points out, Kobe will respond one of two ways… 1) Shooting more, out of spite, 2) Refusing to shoot altogether, also out of spite. And the best part?
This happens all year long. The Lakers have so many stars and powerful personalities that the parade of craziness just never stops. The only question is whether a Kardashian makes a cameo. It’s chaos. It’s comedy. It’s beautiful. And it’s quintessential Los Angeles.
2 comments
Comments
huh?
1. Kobe didn’t strike a pose, Artest did. You wrote it yourself.
2. You’re describing a self-destructive chemistry with the Lakers. The defending Champion Lakers.
(Commentors note to editor: you’re not fooling anyone.)
by nasamomdele on Feb 2, 2010 12:36 PM EST reply actions
I imagined Kobe
trying to look menacing as he said “They don’t want any part of this crazy shit.” Having watched most of Kobe’s career, he definitely looked like that, though I can see where it was confusing. My bad.
But i don’t understand what you mean with number 2. Can defending champs not be self-destructive?
Whatever you meant, it’s not self-destructive chemistry if they don’t self-destruct, and so far they haven’t. For now, it’s just funny. Hindsight will tell whether it winds up being self-destructive, because that’s the only way the Lakers could lose the title.
(Note to commenter: MBENGA!)
by Andrew Sharp on Feb 2, 2010 1:22 PM EST up reply actions
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