It seems I owe you all an apology. No, not for being so absent over the last six months or so — while that is truly something I regret and lament, it has been genuinely unavoidable. Someday, I'll find a moment to tell y'all about my first year as a teacher. For now, suffice it to say that it is the most difficult and time-consuming job I've ever held, though also the most rewarding. I can't apologize for that, because as I much as I love it here, out there my contribution is greater, more meaningful. I can only look forward to a time when I will have this well enough under control to have a life again.

But I do owe you an apology, because I think of many of you guys as my friends, despite never having met you in person, and there is one major bit of news in my life that I have shared with all my friends — except those of you here, as my absence from this site has at times put it out of mind.

I'm going to fix that now.

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We recently had a FanPost in appreciation of The Credits — and deservedly so, for they consistently rock my world. We also recently saw a FanPost expressing how great this blog is, and indeed, the folks who manage this thing simply kick ass. We've also talked much about how great this community is, in terms of the quality of discussion here and the general scarcity of run-of-the-mill internet morons that can be found... well, everywhere else. This community truly is an intelligent and well-manered one, and I, for one, freakin' love it.

But I just have to take a moment to take my hat off to all the funny people around these parts. BXF (the lurker) and SCG (the snarker) come to mind, and PSLF can always be counted on for the sarcasm and innuendos — but there are a lot of you guys out there (apologies to the many who should be mentioned here but, mainly because of my terrible memory, are not — you know who you are).

I think it's a fairly recent development. Not, like, in the last few weeks, not that recent ... but I think that this is an element that has really developed over the course of this last season, especially the latter part.

The cat pictures. Actually, all the pictures... but especially the cat pictures. The inside jokes. The teasing back and forth, especially the recurring themes between specific people. The internet flirting. The "fail" comments (i.e., reply fail). The sarcasm — ohhhh, the sarcasm! The movie references. The "lrn2google" and "lrn2internet" comments. The "PAT RAILLY!" And yes, the consistent jabs at my inability to write anything remotely close to short. 

And that's not even the half of it. You guys are HILARIOUS. I rarely participate in the hilarity, because I really am just not a very funny or witty person. Serious and insightful is what I do. Witty and clever? Not so much. So I don't participate much, but it cracks me up on a near-constant basis. I've always loved this place for the intelligent, high-level discussion. But more and more, lately, I love this place because every time I come here, I crack up incessantly. You guys are a freakin' riot.

So here's to you guys. Intelligent and classy is great — intelligent, classy, and funny? I love this blog. I love you guys.

[Note: Apologies to those who don't want to read another word about LeBron; I know the topic is about as tired as it can be. However, what I'm trying to provide here is a different perspective from everything that has been written so far – but if you're tired of the topic in general, feel free to not read.]

What we've got here is a failure to communicate.

There are three distinct aspects of LeBron's "Decision" that people are reacting to. The problem is that while we're all reacting to different aspects of this issue, we're arguing with each other without recognizing that we're coming at it from different angles. So to clarify, I'm going to outline the three distinctly different aspects of the decision, each of which prompts a reaction from us.

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It seems I owe you an apology. As you have pointed out, here's what I said on July 1:

14.  LeBron+Wade+Bosh Just Ain't Happening
Does the idea of competing against Michael Jordan's legacy scare LeBron away from Chicago? I have no idea. But this much I do know: LeBron does NOT want to share credit for whatever championships he wins. Oh, he wants help... but not "first-tier" help. Chris Bosh? Amare Stoudamire? No problem there, because the King Exiled Prince would get all the credit. Those guys would qualify simply as the "help" LeBron needed (and supposedly didn't get, per the revisionists). But Wade? The man has already led his team to a championship. If LeBron can't even get out of the East with a Cavs team that won 60+ games two years straight, but then goes on to win with Dwyane Wade, you know what they'll say. Couldn't win without Wade. In fact, some would even credit Wade for leading them to the championship. Worse yet — it could actually prove true. And what if Wade has an awesome playoffs and gets the Finals MVP? LeBron couldn't bear that. And it will be worse if he plays with Wade AND Bosh. No, LeBron couldn't bear that. Plus, he doesn't want to share the ball as much as he'd have to with Wade (I don't care what his assist numbers are, LeBron's game revolves around him dominating the ball). No, LeBron won't play with Wade, and he sure as hell won't play with Wade AND Bosh.

It appears I misled you — but in all fairness, I was only half wrong.

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Alright, folks. We've just won the NBA Championship, defeated our hated rivals, exacted our revenge, repeated, gotten Kobe and FIsh one for the thumb, and taken the next step towards Phil Jackson's fourth three-peat. Now we need to celebrate it.

Last year, I didn't have enough spare cash to buy much Lakers gear. This year, I plan to compensate. So I need your help. In the comments, link to the best Lakers gear you've seen. It doesn't have to be specifically "2010 Champions" Lakers gear — just general Lakers gear is good. I just want the best stuff.

In a couple days, I'll take all your links and write a front-page post of what I consider to be the best Lakers gear, a sort of guide to buying Lakers gear for all the fans.

Extra points for the first person to find me some kick-ass gear that mocks LeBron for once again sitting at home while Kobe was winning No. 5.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Lakers are world champions once again, and Kobe Bryant is your Finals MVP. He was magnificent in this series, resplendent in this win. He epitomized the Lakers team that he led to victory. But your fearless leaders here at SS&R are no fools, and they can read the signs. They know that before going into hiding, the "haters" will take one final, last-ditch shot at tearing Kobe down and devaluing his performance in this game and this series, and so I have been asked to end that discussion before it starts. I can't say that I mind the assignment.

So let's go ahead and get the "but" on the table. Kobe Bryant is the 2010 Finals MVP, but the haters will point to this: In perhaps the biggest game of his career, he shot only 6-24 from the field, needing 24 shots to score his 23 points. They'll argue that he was inefficient, that his play hurt the Lakers more than it helped them (or something absurd along those lines), that he failed to rise to the occasion the way other greats like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan did in the Finals, and perhaps even that Pau Gasol was better and more valuable to the Lakers.

Excuse me while I gargle. What complete and utter hogwash.

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Some folks have given me a hard time for my oft-lengthy intros, so we're going to give something a go here. We're going to jump right in. (Apologies if much of this has been said already in these parts; I'm visiting family and friends in Oregon and have been too busy to find any computer time, so I'm not up on the talk around here.)

The talking heads will tell you that one of the keys to this, the deciding game of this series, is the shot distribution amongst Lakers players, and specifically the number of shots Kobe Bryant takes. They are wrong. The key to this game is the Lakers' defense. Rebounding helps, too.

For a window into what really matters, have a look at Games 5 and 6. The sports media will tell you the biggest problem with Game 5 is that Kobe shot too much; or, alternatively, that Kobe's teammates forced him to take over, but with the same conclusion that "that's not going to beat the Celtics." However, if we can bring ourselves to get past tired, brainless clichés based on what seems obvious, rather than what is insightful, we might actually realize that the problem in Game 5 had nothing to do with offense— not Kobe's, and not anyone else's. Instead, the problem of Game 5 was defense: namely, that the Lakers didn't play any.

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I posted this a moment ago on my Buzz. Then I decided to post it on here, because I want to know your thoughts. Now, disclaimer: I fully allow that this thought process may be entirely insane. It's not actually something I believe... yet. I'm just throwing it out there, hoping you guys will toss it around for a moment, consider it, and tell me where I'm wrong—or if I'm right. Weigh in, please.

"Two of Allen's shots were blocked by off-the-ball defenders Ron Artest and Pau Gasol as the Lakers focused their team defense against him following Allen's Finals-record eight threes in Boston's Game 2 victory."  Ian Thomsen, SI.com

Interesting thought hit me like a brick when I read this, and I haven't yet decided if it has validity, or if it needs to be thrown out altogether. 

But for Ray Allen's record-breaking, once in a lifetime performance in Game 2, the Lakers would have won that game. And even then, it was pretty close right up to the end. So— is the perception that these two teams are evenly matched accurate, or could it be a false sense of parity resulting from one highly improbable performance that simply won't occur again in this series? 

Put it another way: If Ray Allen has a normal Game 2, or even a pretty good game by his standards, the Lakers probably win. Now it's 3-0, and things are feeling pretty lopsided. So... why are we acting like these teams are evenly matched, when the only reason Boston has even one win is because of an event that may not be replicated in the next twenty years?

So, you tell me: Does this thought that suddenly hit me out of nowhere have any validity, or are these teams evenly matched even without Ray Allen's career night in Game 2?

I know the Lakers won the game; I know the focus should be on other things right now. And trust me, it will be, as the regulars here at Silver Screen & Roll have some more great material already in the works, recapping last night's game further and figuring out what it means going into Game Four. But in the meantime, I think this is something important that needs to at least be mentioned.

I also know that I'm a Lakers fan, and that people will be quick to point out that I wouldn't be complaining if things had been flipped. I can tell you that is entirely untrue. Sure, I'll admit that I tend to write on pro-Lakers topics. It's not that I can't ever see things the other way; it's just that when my team gets a "lucky break," I take what I can get. I figure more than enough goes against my team, and when something benefits us that perhaps shouldn't, it simply evens things out. More than that, I mostly figure that it's the role of others to point out when something is unfair; I don't think the victor should have to be brought down by that. So when something unfair favors the Lakers and I don't say anything, it's because I see it as everyone else's job to point it out; it's my job to focus on and enjoy the win.

But on this one, I think I can confidently tell you that I would say this regardless of which side I was on. Because I love the NBA's new rule that lets the referees review the most important calls so they can make sure to get them right— but the rule has one tragic flaw that I believe absolutely must be fixed. Preferably, before another minute of basketball is played.

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13 points on 14 shots. Single-digit assists and rebounds.

Second half:  1-4 from the field, 3 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds.

Just sayin'...

My textbooks are telling me I shouldn't have written that first post — should have stayed away until I'd finished what needs to be finished. But let's be real: This is Lakers playoff basketball, and we're headed to the Finals; you didn't really expect me to stay gone, did you?

So I'm making a compromise. Life (let me be very clear that that's an 'L', not a 'W'), cruel as it is, refuses to permit me the time necessary to be a full time blogger, or even a quasi-regular part-timer. Rare is the opportunity to develop a full length post, these days (though for the Finals, I'll just have to make time, dammit). But I do have some scattered thoughts, here and there — smaller tidbits that I wouldn't mind contributing here and there.

So I'm going to try and stop by one-a-week-ish for a collection of random thoughts on the NBA. (Disclaimer: Frequency may or may not decrease to twice monthly during the regular season, depending mainly on whether I have anything to say one week, and I make no guarantees whatsoever for the off-season.) And you're in luck! You're just in time for the first installment.

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Josh just had to supplement his pick with a fancy schmancy table, so he's getting the authorial credit on this round of roundtable previews. As you will see, the Finals brought out the best in our authors, or at least the most expansive. Click on through the jump for not one, but six  exhaustive accounts (okay 3, with another 3 that are regular size) of what we think will happen.

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I'm "taking a break" from writing my paper right now (read: I'm avoiding it), so I came around here. I saw this comment, couldn't believe how long the sig was, and then was inspired by one of the quotes to post this poll.

Because I'm bored. And because I can really only afford to spend about 3 minutes on here before I have to get back to writing my paper, and we all know that if I were to actually post anything Laker-related on here... well, it might take a bit more than 3 minutes. Like, probably at least 4 or 5. Or 90.

Vote away.

DISCLAIMER:  Please be aware that casting your vote for the Dallas Cowboys or any sports team associated with Boston will trigger an automated server process by which your account will be deleted and your IP address recorded so that you may never come here again. Thank you, that is all.

Note: Unless this is the first time you've ever seen my name, you know I'm not good at 'short.' So if the extra 3 minutes really will kill you, click the jump and scroll straight to my thoughts on that controversial Game 7 in 2006 where Kobe was accused (wrongly) of pouting, quitting, tanking, etc. But if you feel like pausing a moment to bask in the greatness of Kobe Bryant before we get down to business — well, read on.

Just like that, with a six-game display of sheer dominance, Kobe Bryant gains some satisfaction. Now, when people mention Kobe and the Phoenix Suns in the same sentence, they'll be referring to this, not... that.

I began writing this piece a few days ago. It's not about this series, or about this game. It's about that series, and especially that game. You know the one I'm talking about. The only true professional blemish on Kobe's career. We'll get to that. (For that, click through, after the jump — I promise it will be worth it.) But first, I can't help a quick(ish) rabbit trail — a moment to let this soak in.

Over six games, Kobe averaged 33.7 points on only 23.3 shots per game, scoring at an absurd rate of 1.44 points per shot. At the same time, he also dished out 8.3 assists per game — all while playing within the triangle offense (as opposed to the traditional point-guard role played by Steve Nash, or an equivalent such as the point-forward role played by LeBron James, though not in this round). As if that weren't enough, he pulled down an average of 7.2 rebounds per game — despite the fact that he is a guard, not a forward, and weighs in at 6'6" and 205 lbs., not 6'8" and 270 lbs. In three straight games, he came within a breath of a triple-double. He also averaged 1.2 blocks (a solid number for a perimeter player with a recently drained knee) and a very low 2.5 turnovers per game.

Along the way, he managed to set a whole series of career marks. His Game 1 scoring line is surely one of the most efficient playoff games of his career (1.74 points per shot!). His 13 assists in Game 2 were a playoff career high, as were his 6 made three-pointers in Game 4. He also passed a couple all-time greats on the Most 30-Point Playoff Games list, and now sits tied for second with 75 (MJ's 109 will likely take 3-4 more years to surpass).

In comparison to Kobe's 33.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, LeBron James' conference finals per-game averages of 6.2 Hot Pockets, 2.1 bags of potato chips, 0.7 bowls of dip, and 7.4 shots of Johnny Walker Blue (to make the pain go away) — versus 19 total broken remotes and 4 (k)nicks in his hi-def TV screen — just don't quite measure up.

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[Editor's Note:  For those of you who are new to Silver Screen and Roll, Josh Tucker was the founder and original manager of the site.  Besides being a great writer and an awesome dude to have on your side in an argument, I can personally vouch that this is one good dude.  Without him, I probably wouldn't even know what a blog is, and I'd still be relying ESPN and CNNSI for all my Lakers coverage.  He has, and will always have, carte blanche to talk about whatever is on his mind.] 

It's been a while, hasn't it?

I know what you're thinking: "Holy s---, a Josh Tucker sighting!" I know this, because that's essentially what was said when I showed up in the comments of this ridiculous post yesterday. Not that it's any surprise, of course — after C.A. and Dex took over here, I pretty much fell off the face of the earth.

Well, things are getting interesting, so while I can't promise you'll be hearing from me every day, I thought I'd drop by with a collection of thoughts on a variety of mostly unrelated subjects, except of course that they all center around NBA basketball and our Lakers.

Oh, and bonus points to the first person to recognize the title reference.

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It's time for me to publicly and officially announce something that has been a growing possibility for a little while, and has now become a reality: I'm stepping down as blog manager, lead blogger, and head honcho of Silver Screen & Roll.

If you're a regular here, this probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to you at all. Though it's only official as of today, you'll probably recognize that it has been happening for a bit. If you're not a regular, or you simply don't care about the details, I'll give you the short version: I'll still be involved in a small way, C.A. Clark will be stepping in as The Boss, and otherwise, the site shouldn't miss a beat. If you want more details, click the jump.

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