After Hours

The Matt Kemp situation just freaking rubs me raw. The double standard clueless Joe Torre continues to employ is the biggest disgrace in baseball. If Kemp is such a thorn in the Dodgers’ sorry ass, why didn’t they trade him? Lord knows Reed Johnson, Jay Gibbons and their ilk could fill Kemp’s shoes.

Kemp leads the Dodgers in home runs (19) and runs (63) and is second in RBIs (67) and stolen bases (16) despite his gaffes on the base paths.

He also leads the Dodgers in total bases (202), and with the exception of Andre Ethier (191) and James Loney (182), no one is even in the ballpark. Granted, he’s having an off year, but what about the rest of the club? See any career years from anyone else?

So what gives? Why does Torre bench Kemp, but doesn’t dole out the same punishment with non-hitting players like Casey Blake? And why oh why does the L.A. media continue to blame Kemp for the Dodgers’ woes? They blow a 7-run lead and lose to the Phillies Thursday night, and again, they blame Kemp? It’s an absolute joke.

From Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times: “Kemp returned to the lineup Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies after being benched for 2 days, and he was the usual maddening Kemp. In the Dodgers' devastating 10-9 loss, he helped the team to a 7-run lead with a 2-run homer in the 7th inning. But 1 inning later, he perhaps cost them a 10th run when he stood at the plate on a blooper down the right field line that he inexplicably didn't see. The ball fell inside the foul line, and a surprised Kemp was barely able to turn a double into a single.”

Maddening Kemp? Dude, you watching the same game? Granted, Kemp lost the ball after hitting it (happens to the best of them), but there was no way, even with his speed, he could have turned that bloop into a double without getting thrown out at 2nd. Oh, and if you were watching the same game, Kemp made a heads up play by racing to third on another bloop, but failed to score because, you guessed it, one of his lame-ass hitting teammates failed to drive him in. Kemp went 3 for 5 and drove in 4 of the Dodgers’ 9 runs.

Maddening is Jonathan Broxton unable to close a game. Maddening is Torre bringing in George Sherrill from the bullpen again. Maddening is a bullpen that can't hold a lead. Further, Loney and Ethier stranded 10 runners on base against the Phillies Thursday night. Maybe if just 1 or 2 of those runs could have been that 10th or 11th run that Kemp supposedly cost them, we might have been sipping Goose and tonic up in the club.

Clueless Joe is like a drunk at the bar. He serves up this gem, when ESPN’s Tony Jackson (and Jackson, we might add, has been one of the biggest offenders when it comes to Kemp) asked him how well he knows Kemp: "That's a good question. I try to have a sense for what he is dealing with, but I can't tell you if I'm right or not. As I say, he doesn't really give you a lot. He is very quiet, and he doesn't say a whole lot. He kids around a lot with the other players, and he is very comfortable in that environment.”

The double standard has existed all season. For all the times Torre has benched Kemp, never has he benched Casey Blake, who has only 12 homers and 47 RBIs, or the light-hitting Russell Martin before he got hurt. Martin could have used some days off, particularly as overworked as he was, hitting below .250 with only 5 home runs and 26 RBIs before suffering a season-ending injury. But that was Torre’s boy.

Manny? Have you seen her? Since Ned Colletti whined about the money (Kemp is making just over $5 million per year) Kemp was getting paid earlier this year, you’ll never hear the GM, who, like the doorknob Tribune Co. Plaschke works for and a cast-off of the punk-ass Cubs, whine about Ramirez cashing checks for $25 million this season with little production. He’s played in only 61 games. His stats: 8 homers and 39 RBIs.

Oh, and isn’t he the same tool busted for hormone drugs last season, forcing him to miss 50 games due to a suspension, let alone the other times he came up lame? Again, have you seen her?

There are plenty of reasons the Dodgers won’t make the playoffs this season, but the fault doesn’t lie at Kemp’s feet. The leadership is among the worst in baseball. It falls in Torre’s lap, Colletti’s and do we need to remind you of the train wreck known as Frank McCourt?

Place the blame of this fiasco where you want, but Matt Kemp isn’t the only source of it.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

Pat Haden, with many in the L.A. media riding shotgun, struts in on a white horse to save USC's athletic program from itself. As he does, the Trojans proudly proclaim they're whitewashing the Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo eras as if they never occurred. How’s that for perception and reality?

And the Tim Floyd era? Pete Carroll's? Oh no, the Trojan brass isn’t touching those episodes. Why would it? It's more convenient to make Bush and Mayo the scapegoats.

Shamelessly, Carroll hawks his new book and passes blame on anyone but himself while the sins of the Trojans are coming out of every nook and cranny. Still, theirs aren't any different from many college football programs. They just finally got caught.

But wasn't it Carroll steering the ship? The same with Floyd and the basketball program? Wasn't he the one caught red-handed in the Mayo mess? And how foolish was he, turning down a better coaching job at Arizona only to return to SC and get caught with his pants down a year later?

Seriously, I'll be the first to say it's extremely difficult to keep a high-profile program on the straight and narrow. With the large number of sleazy agents and anyone with a pulse looking to make a buck off big-name players, the temptations for the players are plentiful and eventually some of them are going to eat the bait.

But to dump all the blame on the players is extreme. It's a cop-out. Do you really believe Carroll didn't know? Do you really believe Carroll never noticed all those SUVs in the parking lot at SC? Even if they didn't know, aren't the coaches and the athletic department still held responsible for it all?

It's not rocket science. When OU Coach Bob Stoops started babbling about how he didn't know about former quarterback Rhett Bomar getting paid for not showing up for work at a Norman car dealer, I found it ironic. Ironic because more than 30 years ago when I was cruising the OU campus, this was the same car dealer rumored to be supplying a few extra benefits to football players. It wasn't any secret.

And if you happened to walk through the parking lot outside the football dorm, you might notice 25 or 30 cars parked side by side, all from another popular area dealership. Surely, it was a mere coincidence.

Don't get me wrong. I believe Carroll is a wonderful person and contributes much to the less fortunate. His charity work and his pleas for peace in the inner city are to be applauded.

Still, despite the wacky world of college football, the politics and the archaic rules that govern it, if you get caught, you pay the penalty. And if you're going to take Bush and Mayo to task, you smack Carroll and Floyd too.

To use the “I didn't know” excuse and have it universally accepted is weak. To put all the blame on the players is even worst.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

Last year, Floyd Mayweather hid behind blood tests in refusing to fight Manny Pacquiao. This year, Mayweather has just hid.

Another proposed fight between the two camps apparently went on deaf ears after Mayweather missed an imposed deadline set by Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum for a Nov. 13 showdown.

Part of the problem could be Mayweather's hatred for Arum, which might explain his silence. The two had a nasty dispute years ago when Arum promoted his fights and the venom has not eased.

Still, Pacquiao signed off on a deal for the fight weeks ago, but Mayweather has yet to respond. Maybe he just wants to tick off Arum, but Arum isn't the one he's fighting and Arum isn't the one preventing one of the biggest and most lucrative bouts in recent boxing history.

Or maybe Mayweather is hesitant to fight the pound-for-pound king. The unbeaten Mayweather has a history of ducking the best fighters of his era until their age shows and skills slow, Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya being exhibits 1 and 1A.

Ali never ducked anyone. Neither did Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas "Hitman" Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Bernard Hopkins or even De La Hoya. Unfortunately, the repercussions of Mayweather running for cover means possible opponents for Pacquiao are becoming slim and none. Arum is pushing for a rematch with Miguel Cotto, which few fight fans care to see, or the tainted Antonio Margarito, who doesn't have a boxing license in Cali or Nevada after getting caught with loaded gloves and suspended more than a year ago.

Why Margarito, whom Mosley pounded last year, is being pushed for a big fight is beyond us. How about letting him fight Cotto again? Or maybe Mayweather since he doesn't want to fight Pacquiao.

Or give Paul Williams a shot. He continues to be the fighter that few others want to fight. A Pacquiao-Williams bout will generate considerably interest, much more than Cotto or Margarito against Pacquiao. We’ve been there, done that.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

It never should have gotten to this point with Matt Kemp and the Dodgers, but since it has, maybe they might want to either fish or cut bait. Your call, Ned.

The Dodgers' lack of leadership in the front office or the clubhouse is why they're in this perceived mess. The leadership void comes from the top down, starting with Frank McCourt, Ned Colletti and the overrated Joe Torre.

Since the Dodgers and media continue making Kemp the scapegoat for all that has gone wrong this season, maybe they should consider trading Kemp. As foolish as it would be, they could obtain a decent starting pitcher that might help them earn a playoff berth. Maybe.

Torre, who benched Kemp for the past three games, including Tuesday's contest against the Giants before Manny came up lame and Kemp had to replace him, has been evasive about his reasons for sitting the Dodger centerfielder.

Torre seemed more concerned with kissing and hugging and mugging for the cameras with A-Rod this weekend than showing the slumping Kemp a little love. But that's Torre. His heart is still in New York. Or Philly. The Leonard Tose route ran through there and apparently through Dodger Stadium, where there is no rhyme or reason to Torre's thought process.

Monday, Torre mentioned how Reed Johnson had a nice outing against the Yankees on Sunday, the same night the Dodgers gagged away a victory, and he believed Johnson would provide a spark in the lineup against the Giants. Reed Johnson? How many homers does he have? RBIs?

Torre wanted to send Kemp a message, but messages are meant for voice mail and college students who have no clue. Last time we checked this is Major League Baseball. And last time we checked, adults talk to each other face to face when they want to solve problems. Leaders do that.

Kemp doesn't skate free either. Oh no. He should have handled the criticism better instead of sulking and allowing the harsh words and cold shoulders to affect his play. Yep, it's lonely when you're on an island, but Kemp has to learn to focus like a professional, particularly when it matters most despite all the crap going on around him. That means keeping your head in the game and not getting picked off second base despite a balk by Brian Fuentes in a loss to the Angels last week. You. Just. Can't. Do. That.

Dude!

Kemp will learn though. He's only 25 and has a promising future ahead of him, so this might be the best thing to happen to him, giving him additional experience of the Dodger way now under McCourt and his henchmen and how they don't share the same affections for him like Rihanna does.

If the Dodger way were fair, the horrible hitting Russell Martin would be parked right next to Kemp on the bench. But Martin is a Torre favorite, so he doesn't encounter the scrutiny Kemp does. Remember, Martin was the Joe who got picked off by the Angels last week to end a game, a mistake much more significant than Kemp's because it cost the Dodgers the game.

So trade Kemp, you gutless freaks. What's the problem, Ned? Got a collar around your neck? If not, let the man play, give him a hug even when he screws up, and our money says he'll step up and save your ass like he did chasing down fly balls Reed Johnson wouldn't have come within sniffing distance Tuesday night against the Giants. Dude had a career year last year, so show some balls before giving up already. Plenty of other teams would love to have him. Ask the punk-ass Cubs. Trade him and the Dodgers are screwed. Play freaking Reed Johnson everyday and see how that works out.

But the Dodgers can't keep messing with Kemp. Keep him and he'll pay dividends. But pat the man on the back every now and let him know you appreciate him. But enough of laying the blame at his feet. There is plenty of that to pass around.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

The Dodgers have bigger problems than their slow start. The major one is General Manager Ned Colletti.

Colletti has to go. If penny-pinching Frank McCourt wants to retain what little credibility he has left as owner of the club, he has to fire Colletti. And fire him now.

Colletti had a chance Wednesday to temper his misguided comments about talented outfielder Matt Kemp being the source of the Dodgers' 8-13 start, but he failed horribly in doing so. Instead, he stuck with his guns and said: "First of all, I didn't single Matt Kemp out," Colletti said, according to the website The Big League Stew. "I was asked a question by the radio station. They singled Matt Kemp out."

He's a liar. But what would you expect from a guy who cut his teeth with the Cubs?

Colletti's comments Tuesday to KABC's Peter Tilden reeked of a man who has no management skills. Praise your employees in public, but criticize them in private. Apparently, Colletti never attended the class.

"Some guys, I guess, think that they're better than they are,” he said. "They think the opposition's just going to roll over and get beat by them. That obviously doesn't happen. The baserunning's below average. The defense is below average. Why is it? Because he got a new deal? I can't tell you."

He also singled out Kemp, the team's best player, who signed a new 2-year deal during the offseason for more than $10 million, by saying if this was the end of the season, the Gold-Glove winning outfielder would be nowhere in the running for a second honor.

Twenty-one games into the season, when no club in the NL West is running away with the division, Colletti has poisoned the atmosphere and the Dodger clubhouse. He also lost any credibility he has with the players. It's bad enough to have an owner who refuses to spend any coin on a top-notch player, but to have a GM who has no clue or people skills is even worse.

This also is a GM with a track record that is one of the worst in baseball. Jason Schmidt. Andruw Jones. Russ and Ramon Ortiz. Brett Tomko. Nomar. Eric Gagne. Overpaying for Juan Pierre. Failing to re-sign Orlando Hudson. Failing to re-sign Randy Wolf. Failing to sign a bonafide No. 1 starter. Failing period.

See a pattern here?

Joe Torre, who never has been much of a Kemp fan, showed a lack of leadership skills too.

"Well, when you have the best statistics, you're going to get the most attention," Torre told the L.A. Times, referring to Kemp.

Thanks Joe. Way to stick up for one of your players.

Kemp's agent, Dave Stewart, the former All-Star pitcher, pointed the finger back at Colletti.

"What I would suggest for Ned Colletti to do is look at himself in the mirror," Stewart said, according to the Times.

He won't because he can't bear the image staring back at him. It’s the face of a loser.

Colletti must go. Anything short of his dismissal is a slap in the face of all the Dodger players, particularly Kemp.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

You are delusional if you believe the Lakers will repeat as NBA champs. Laker fans swear the playoffs will provide some magic tonic for Kobe Bryant and company, but they’ll wind up cussing and fussing in anger as they watch Shaq and LeBron sip the sweet taste of champagne. Back-to-back? It ain’t happening.

The Lakers will smack the Thunder around though, but their prospects after that will become seriously dicey.

Injuries, their ineffectiveness of defending speedy point guards and an unproductive bench are the major reasons they will fail. Add to that the unknown factor of how Andrew Bynum, who is expected to return Sunday after missing the last 13 games of the regular season with an Achilles’ strain, will respond it too much to bear. Last season, the Lakers prevailed without much of a contribution from Bynum, but this time they won’t be as fortunate.

They are too banged up to complete a title run in this grueling stretch. Bryant, who has enough ailments to sideline 3 players, won’t be in championship form, with a barking knee and an index finger on his shooting hand contributing to their downfall.

The bench though will be what really sinks them. It has been horrible for much of the season and that won’t change much during the playoffs. Much of that is due to one of the key reserves from last summer’s run, Shannon Brown, having a torn tendon in his shooting hand, is clearly not the same player right now. He lacks confidence in his outside shot, which seriously limits his overall effectiveness.

Ron Artest? Defensively, he’s been great, but offensively he’s been inconsistent all season. And we can’t imagine him becoming Trevor Ariza anytime soon. We might be wrong about some of what transpires in the West, but we can promise lightening won’t strike twice in a bottle for the Purple and Gold.

Our predictions:

West

Lakers vs. Thunder: Lakers in 5

Mavericks vs. Spurs: Mavericks in 7

Nuggets vs. Jazz: Nuggets in 6

Suns vs. Blazers: Suns in 5

East

Cavs vs. Bulls: Cavs in 4

Magic vs. Bobcats: Magic in 5

Hawks vs. Bucks: Hawks in 5

Celtics vs. Heat: Celtics in 7

West semifinals

Lakers vs. Nuggets: Nuggets in 6

Mavs vs. Suns: Mavs in 6

East semifinals

Cavs vs. Celtics: Cavs in 6

Magic vs. Hawks: Magic in 7

West finals

Nuggets vs. Mavs: Nuggets in 7

East finals

Cavs vs. Magic: Cavs in 7

NBA Finals

Cavs vs. Nuggets: Cavs in 6

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

When Bennett Salvatore is calling an NBA game, controversy is only a short distance away. The Thunder found out in a harsh way Tuesday night, when they lost a 140-139 overtime thriller at Utah in the best NBA game of the season. It was the best until the unfortunate end.

Salvatore, Tony Brothers (no stranger to swallowing his whistle either) and Eric Dalen didn't call a foul when Kevin Durant, who finished with 45 points, got hacked by Utah’s C.J. Miles on a possible game-winning jumper at the buzzer.

“A tragic no call!” screamed Thunder play-by-play announcer Brian Davis. Imagine how Durant and Oklahoma City Coach Scottie Brooks felt. Still, not many NBA officials are going to make that call, especially in Utah.

But the NBA, to its credit, saw it differently. Joel Litvin, the NBA’s president of league and basketball operations, issued this short statement today:

“On the final play of last night’s Oklahoma City-Utah game, the officials missed a foul committed by the Jazz’s C.J. Miles on the Thunder’s Kevin Durant during a 3-point shot attempt.”

Too little, too late. The loss bumped Utah into the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference race and dropped Oklahoma City into a tie with the Spurs at No. 6. And the Thunder play tonight in Denver, where the going has been anything but friendly. Portland, which is only a game back of the Thunder and Spurs, gets a gimme tonight against the Clippers.

Salvatore has been the source of controversy lately. He was the reason Phil Jackson got fined for his comments following the Lakers' loss to the Spurs on Sunday. Jackson said, “With Bennett, you don’t know what you’re going to get.”

Jackson was ticked because of a late first-half double technical Salvatore called on Ron Artest and Manu Ginobili, who were doing some minor shoving for position, then followed that one by hitting Kobe Bryant with a ‘T’ a short time later for asking about the first one. The NBA nailed Jackson for $35,000. Chump change for him, but the league didn’t want to hear his whining again.

So imagine Jackson’s reaction today upon hearing that the NBA admitted Salvatore, Brothers and Dalen blew the call in Utah. Unfortunately, we won’t hear his thoughts because that would result in another fine.

Salvatore's 25 years in the NBA has history. The 60-year-old official has a reputation for being one of the worst in the game.

Maverick fans know him well. Salvatore is the official who made the critical phantom foul call on the Mavericks, allowing Miami's Dwayne Wade to win Game 5 on the 2006 NBA Finals. It practically cost the Mavericks the title.

Still, this might benefit the Thunder in the long run. Drawing Utah in the first round of the playoffs might turn into a blessing since they’ve beaten the Jazz in 3 of their 4 meetings. Last night’s loss might be their gain. That is unless Salvatore (or Brothers) shows up and ruins it again.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

“Hoosiers.”

I’ve heard more about the overrated film and read more brainless schemes about running the picket fence in the past week to last a lifetime. I realize far too many columnists and broadcasters want to cast the Butler basketball team with this weak storyline, but it’s so misguided and predictable. What’s next, a movie about a fighter named “Rocky,” who wins the heavyweight title?

Come on, people. Is it really that simple and convenient? Have you been watching the Tournament? The greatest March Madness spectacle ever is being reduced to “Hoosiers”?

Even Butler’s coach, the boyish-looking Brad Stevens, got caught up in the euphoria.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if they moved the Final Four to Hinkle (Fieldhouse),” Stevens said, referring to the Bulldogs’ home gym in Indianapolis, site of the film’s biggest moment. “I’d be all for that.”

Calm down, coach. You know as well as anyone, the shoe just doesn’t fit.

Butler has strung together 24 consecutive wins, the nation’s longest streak, and a 32-4 mark. That speaks volumes for any basketball team, whether it’s playing in the Big East, Big 12, ACC, Horizon or Sisters of the Poor conferences.

Still, the Bulldogs, despite knocking off the two top seeds in their region (Syracuse and Kansas State), don’t get the respect of the other three Final Four schools.

Instead, their run earns comparisons to a film focusing on the exploits of an all-white high school basketball team more than 50 years ago. It dredges up the shameful and frequently ignored history of Indiana basketball, a history that conveniently buries the story of Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks High basketball team, which achieved far more than little old Hickory High (or Milan, which the film is based on). When they’re done hallucinating in the Hollywood hoopla of “Hoosiers,” some of those same writers and broadcasters should do themselves a favor and watch the DVD “Something To Cheer About.” Robertson and his teammates couldn't even get a parade celebrating their achievements, let alone a film touting them.

Butler isn’t just another Cinderella story. The fact is the Bulldogs are a slight favorite to beat Michigan State in Saturday’s semifinals in Indy. And if you want to cast a more likely candidate than Butler for the “Hoosiers” role, the Spartans would be more fitting. But that storyline doesn’t fit well into the neat and tidy little box dug up with all this nonsense. Plus, it wouldn’t play well in East Lansing.

Butler has proven it’s one of the best basketball teams in the Tournament. Simple as that. It has a shot at winning the national title and we can only imagine the party and comparisons that would generate. The Bulldogs are talented, play good defense and shoot 3’s as well as anyone.

But spare us the dumbing-down themes like we just rode in on the turnip truck from Alaska with Sarah Palin. We understand the significance of the Butler story, but the “Hoosiers’ comparisons are a stretch at best. Plus, they insult the achievements of the Butler basketball program and the passionate college basketball fans that know better.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

He’s nicknamed the Baby Face Assassin. With his boyish features and his deadly shooting, the moniker fits his game.

“Steph Curry is going to be a sensational point guard,” Warriors coach Don Nelson said recently. “We love him.”

Nelson and Warrior fans are having a love fest with the 22-year-old rookie point guard, who has risen to the top of the 2009 draft class. While much praise has been heaped on rookie point guards Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and occasionally Ty Lawson, Curry has become the flavor of many fans.

Evans remains the top choice for Rookie of the Year honors, but Curry is giving him a run for the money. He is averaging 16.4 points, 5.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. He ranks sixth in steals at 1.8 per game and is tops among rookies for turnovers-assists ratio. He also leads rookies in three-point shooting at 42.4 percent.

Compare those numbers to the ones he compiled in November, when he was averaging just 9.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds and was clearly overwhelmed by the NBA game. He also had to deal with petty jealousies by teammates Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson, who has since been traded to the Bobcats.

But Curry ignored those distractions, becoming the Warriors’ major attraction despite their poor play this season.

Against the Lakers last night, Curry shook Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown like bad habits for much of the contest. He scored 29 points, recorded 9 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds in the Warriors’ 124-121 loss. Curry and Ellis both missed three-point jumpers at the end that could have forced overtime. But they rallied the Warriors from an 11-point deficit late to give the Lakers a scare.

On Saturday against the Raptors, Curry delivered 35 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in a 124-112 victory by the Warriors. That performance was just short of his best of the season last month, when he took Baron Davis, who clearly has seen his best days as a player, and the Clippers to school for 36 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in a 30-point Warrior blowout.

If there is any shortcoming about Curry’s game, it’s his defense. But he’s learning. It’s a transition most rookies go through. He’ll also need to add a few pounds to his 6-3, 185-pound frame if he expects to defend against the bigger point guards in the league like All-Star Chauncey Billups.

Curry also has to endure playing for a horrible and inexperienced club. The Warriors are 18-48, the third-worst record in the league and the franchise is a model for chaos. Though Nelson is closing in on Lenny Wilkens’ all-time mark for wins, it’s a good bet he’s on his way out as Warriors’ coach.

But whoever takes the reins should continue to take pages from Nelson’s playbook. Curry thrives in an up-tempo attack. It’s why the Knicks and Mike D’Antoni desperately wanted to draft Curry as their top pick last summer before Nellie pulled a fast one and snatched the former Davidson star with the No. 7 pick, just ahead of the Knicks at No. 8.

The Warriors can build around Curry and Ellis. If management gets a clue, and it's a stretch that it will, it can generate a decent club that Bay Area fans can embrace. With Curry at the center of it, the Warriors have the right mix for a tasty future.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

For all of their talk about being more physical with the Nuggets, the Lakers got pushed around again in the first half. Turnovers, bad shooting and foul trouble to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum didn't help either. These two are always expected to give the Lakers an advantage inside against the smaller Nuggets, but they sat with long faces from the bench.

The Nuggets, who like to talk a good game too, were running the same game they had in their two previous lopsided victories over the Lakers. Oh, was it working well too. They led almost the entire first half, built double-digit leads and controlled the tempo. Maybe George Karl was right, I started thinking. Maybe Denver did indeed have L.A.’s number.

But the Lakers turned up the pressure in the third quarter, forcing Denver into seven turnovers and some cold shooting. You could tell the Nuggets’ bravado wasn’t as bold, looking as wide-eyed as a 6-year-old on the first day of school instead of their confident strut in the first half. A nine-point Nuggets' halftime lead quickly evaporated, and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Denver seemed to be running out of steam.

"They slowed our offense down," Karl to the Associated Press. "They picked up the pressure on us in the second half and we didn't have the perseverance to pass the ball or penetrate before the pressure came."

But they made a game of it before falling, the end coming when Carmelo Anthony got whistled for an offensive foul, his sixth, a questionable one at a critical time and one that wasn't called all day.

Still, the Nuggets have to be pleased about a few things. One, they forced Kobe into his roughest day of the season. He managed just 14 points on 3 of 17 shooting (he was 1 of 10 at one point), but he dished out 12 assists when he figured out he couldn’t hit the side of a barn.

Thankfully, for him and the Lakers, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom and Gasol picked up the slack. Artest had 17 points, but more importantly, made 6 steals and harassed Anthony into a 7 of 19 shooting outing and 8 turnovers before he fouled out with 21 points. Odom finished with 20 points, 9 in the fourth quarter, 12 rebounds and 4 steals. He and Artest also set the tone on the physicality issue when it counted most.

Still, the Nuggets have won 2 of 3 from the defending champs. And they'll be amped to make it 3 of 4 when the two teams meet again April 8 in Denver. Who knows, that might set the tone for the playoffs because these two are surely headed for a classic Western Conference shootout.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

They don't generate the same wattage as the Lakers or the Nuggets, but the Oklahoma City Thunder is making as much noise as any club in the Western Conference.

The hottest team (along with the Suns) in the NBA and winners of their last nine before the Suns burst their bubble tonight, the Thunder continues to be one of the league’s biggest surprises. They are a half-game back of the Suns for the No. 5 spot in the hierarchy of Western Conference playoff contenders and just two games back of the fourth-place Mavericks.

Before their went on a nine-game winning streak, the Thunder weren’t even within sniffing distance of a playoff berth. They were 11th in the competitive West. Though some experts believed they were capable of making a run for the playoffs, the Thunder’s inconsistent play initially prevented their rise. But now Oklahoma City is performing as well as any NBA team though it isn’t taking its recent success for granted.

“It’s satisfying that we’re improving. But we have a long way to go,” Thunder Coach Scott Brooks told the Daily Oklahoman this week.

True. But this season’s club is a much better one than last year’s, which lost 59 games. Several reasons point to the Thunder’s dramatic improvement. One is their ability to capture more close contests. Second, despite being one of the league’s youngest ball clubs, it’s a talented bunch that keeps getting better. Of course their best weapon is one of the NBA’s leading MVP candidates, All-Star guard Kevin Durant.

Durant, the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft, is playing on the same high level as LeBron and Kobe. He is the only active player to record 29 straight games with at least 25 points or more. Not even LeBron or Kobe can stake such a claim. You’d have to go back to 1988, when Michael Jordan ruled and was on a similar scoring binge.

For the season (entering the contest against Phoenix), Durant is averaging 29.8 points per game (second behind LeBron’s 30) and 7.5 rebounds. He is shooting almost 48 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free throw line. And when it comes to delivering a victory in tight games, Durant frequently delivers. None of this surprises Brooks.

“KD is as consistent as a worker as we have on our team,” Brooks told the Oklahoman. “It’s based on his consistency, his preparation, his approach to the game. He prepares himself every day to be a better player. It doesn’t surprise me that he has success.” But for all of Durant’s success, defense has been another significant factor for the Thunder. Oklahoma City ranks third overall in defense and second in the Western Conference behind the Lakers.

Another reason for their success is the development of point guard Russell Westbrook, who is averaging 16 points and 7.7 assists and had a triple-double in a road victory last Saturday over the Knicks. Jeff Green and rookie James Harden have also played well. And Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha and the high-flying Serge Ibaka have been key contributors in clutch moments.

If there is one weakness of this club, it’s the lack of a quality big man, which could spell trouble down the stretch. But the Thunder aren’t worrying about that now.

They continue to chase their lofty expectations, which will be tested by their tough schedule and their youth. Though 15 of the Thunder’s 27 remaining games are at home (including a March 26 contest against the Lakers, who have beaten them in all three meetings), they’ve got some rough road spots to navigate. They visit the Spurs, who they’ve split two earlier meetings, on Wednesday. They also have upcoming trips to Denver, Charlotte, Toronto, Boston, Dallas, Utah and Portland.

Still, barring injuries, I can’t see them not making the playoffs. Whether its the No. 8 spot or higher, their fans, who are quickly becoming some of the bests in the NBA, will be ecstatic.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

With the NBA All-Star break and its record-breaking game (108,713 served) in the rear-view mirror, we can focus on the second half of the season, which tips off Tuesday. Plenty of plots are emerging as several contenders try to unseat the Lakers as NBA champs.

One of the most significant storylines is whether Cleveland is the destination of All-Star forward Amar’e Stoudemire, whom the Suns are trying to trade. With or without Stoudemire, the Cavs, owners of the league’s best record, are the frontrunners for the crown. Adding Stoudemire to their mix would significantly enhance their chances.

But there are other clubs with legitimate shots at the title. We offer our two cents on the eight contenders — four in the East and four in the West — and which ones have the best opportunities to win it all. We start with the beasts in the East.

1. Cleveland: The Cavs already have swept the Lakers in their season series and have fared better than anyone despite playing stretches without Mo Williams and Delonte West because of injuries. If they acquire Stoudemire, they would become a heavy favorite to win the East and beat the Lakers, who most believe will come out the West, for the championship. Regardless, it’s difficult not seeing the Cavs make a trip to the Finals. Imagine Shaq returning to L.A. and trying to get LeBron his first ring in a showdown with the Lakers.

2. Atlanta: The Hawks have been flying as high as any club except the Cavs and they should continue in the second half. They’ve already swept Boston in their four meetings and we believe they have the best shot of any club to stop the Cavs’ title bid. Jamal Crawford, whom the Warriors gift-wrapped to Atlanta in a lopsided off-season deal, has been the major reason for the Hawks’ rise. He’s averaged 17 points coming off the bench and he’s a cinch for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

3. Boston: Age and injuries have hurt the Celtics and many doubt they’ll recover. Boston also has been dangling Ray Allen as trade bait, so a deal could either enhance or hurt its run. Much depends on forward Kevin Garnett remaining healthy and returning to prominence as one of the league’s top defenders. If he doesn’t, we could see the C’s being eliminated in the conference semis, where they might have to face the Cavs or Magic.

4. Orlando: Dwight Howard hasn’t played his best this season as foul trouble and the Magic’s frequent habit of becoming a jump-shooting team in the clutch instead of using their best asset has cost them. Speaking of assets (or the lack of), Vince Carter hasn’t been enough of one and Magic fans are longing for the departed Hedo Turkoglu, who bolted to Toronto as a free agent when the club traded for Carter. Add the hysterics and sometimes-questionable strategy of Stan Van Gundy into the equation and we don’t see Orlando getting past the semis.

The best of the West:

1. L.A.: Early on, practically everyone and their mama crowned the Lakers. There also was the insane talk of them beating the Bulls’ record for regular-season victories. But that nonsense has been silenced by injuries and the Lakers occasionally falling asleep at the wheel. And with the Nuggets drilling them twice this season, it isn’t guaranteed they’ll take the West as many have predicted. Health is the major factor for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant has all sorts of ailments though he has fought through them for the most part. Though he missed the last three games (and the All-Star Game) because of an ankle injury, the Lakers were able to prevail in all three, including a key win in Utah before the break. In another statement game, the Lakers host the C’s on Thursday.

2. Denver: It's no secret that the Nuggets are the biggest threat to the Lakers’ repeat bid. Recently, George Karl even went as far as saying they had the Lakers’ number and knew the secret in beating them. The Nuggets backed up his talk with an impressive 126-113 victory in L.A. earlier this month without Carmelo Anthony. In November, they pounded the Lakers with a 26-point blowout in Denver. Mental health issues will be the biggest test for Denver’s cast of characters. But if Chauncey Billups can keep the meltdowns to a minimum, the Nuggets are a good bet to advance to the Western Conference Finals and possibly a trip to the NBA Finals. In a possible preview of the Finals, Denver visits Cleveland on Thursday.

3. Dallas: With the Wizards being their new best friends and giving them Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, the Mavericks have elevated themselves into the West’s upper echelon. Butler provides them another much-needed scorer and a good defender, while Haywood gives them bulk in the middle and some additional offense, both of which could benefit the Mavs against Denver and L.A. Much will depend on how quickly the Mavs mesh and whether the new additions make Dallas a better club defensively.

4. San Antonio, Utah or Oklahoma City: Don’t be surprised if the latter slips into the No. 4 spot. Kevin Durant and the Thunder might be a surprise to many, but not to us. Their ability to close games this season— games they frequently lost last season — has given them a substantial boost. They've got talent, too. They are two back of the Jazz (32-19) in the Northwest Division, but their 30-21 mark is identical to the Spurs, who have appeared a step slow all season. The Richard Jefferson experiment has been a failure so far, but the Spurs’ brass is preaching patience. It rings hollow on our ears. The Jazz, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped by the Lakers in its last game before the break, would be the favorite to clinch the fourth spot based on experience. But the trade winds could blow through Utah, too, with the Jazz desperately trying to deal forward Carlos Boozer. Depending whom they get in exchange, dealing Boozer now could hurt them down the stretch.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

Logic says the Colts will win Super Bowl XLIV. They’re the better team. But logic has never been one of my strengths. Look no further than the folks who have much better heads than me, the oddsmakers in Vegas, who are picking the Colts. That means plenty. They opened as a three-point favorite, but they’ve doubled that. Tony Dungy says it won’t even be that close. And what better authority is there than Dungy? After all, it took Peyton Manning less than a half to figure out the Jets, the league’s best defense. Midway through the second half, it was game over.

The Saints’ defense isn’t the Jets. It isn’t close. It ranked No. 25 in the league (Colts were 18th). And it’s why many believe Peyton will have a field day with it and the Colts will win their second title in four seasons. Be prepared for the greatest of all time arguments. And how many commercials will he have then?

But in my convoluted logic, I still believe offense is the best defense. N.E. Quinn and Bill Standford taught me that. So whatever Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper and the Saints’ unit lacks, Drew Brees and the offense can make up. They're the league’s best, averaging more than 400 yards per game. A good defense stops offense you say?

OK, consider this: The Saints have one of the better rushing attacks in the NFL (they rank sixth) and the Colts were last in the league. It hasn’t meant much so far (unless you’re a Chargers’ or Jets’ fan) in this pass-happy era, but ball control means plenty for the Saints, particularly if they can keep Manning and his offense off the field and dictating drive after drive. Pierre Thomas will be a factor.

“It is very important to be balanced, to be able to run and pass and have each of those set the other up, because you can’t be one-dimensional against a team like the Colts," Brees said earlier this week. "They’ve shown with their pass rush and their ability to bring a safety down in the box to stop the run, if you are one-dimensional, they can eat you up. You have to be able to mix both the run and the pass and be effective at it.”

Here’s another stupid reason we’re picking the Saints: Isn’t Peyton due for a bad game and maybe the other Payton (Sean) is due a big one? And what about Dwight Freeney? Yeah, what about him? The Saints aren’t buying his story (so why should we?), obviously believing he’ll play. But will he be a factor? We say no. Or it won’t be positive if you’re a Colts’ fan. And that’s another reason we like the Saints.

How can Indy win if it doesn’t pressure Brees? The Vikings had the best front in football, and though the Saints struggled with it, they came out on top.

They’ll win this game too. Why ruin a good story and an awesome party?

Saints 33, Colts 31.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

After the 26-point beatdown in Denver in November, the Lakers flicked their lapels, saying it was a bump in the road, didn’t mean anything, just one of those nights. But after the Nuggets manhandled them again tonight in L.A., they’ve surely shattered that notion. Rivalry? Duh. Despite getting knocked around in the Western Conference championship last season, Denver proved to be a worthy foe. But try telling that to the Lakers. Not on their level they said. But as Shaq said in a classic post-game comment years ago after AI and Philly beat the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, “We’ve got a series now.”

Oh doctor do we. The Nuggets made it two in a row over the Lakers, blowing them away in the second half like they did in Denver. While Chauncey Billups went for a career-high 39 points, J.R. Smith was a smooth backup with 27. The Nuggets bombed away from three-point land, nailing 15 of 22 attempts, and clearly were the quicker team. Billups, who was nursing a sore ankle, hit 9 three-pointers. He took a break in the third quarter and Ty Lawson continued bringing the heat. He blew by the Laker guards for 13 points and 3 assists in 19 minutes. Phil Jackson wasn’t a happy camper.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.

Laker broadcaster Joel Meyers couldn’t restrain himself. “The greatest player in franchise history ...”

Greatest player in Laker history? I don’t think so. There is no disputing Kobe Bryant is one of the Lakers’ best and one of the NBA’s finest players. But the greatest Laker he’s not. Much of the effusive praise and non-stop babbling about Bryant, who broke Jerry West’s Laker scoring record in a loss Monday night to the much-improved Memphis Grizzlies, has become nauseous. It’s a significant milestone, but it surely doesn’t vault him to the top of Laker legends. Coincidently, Bryant finished with 44 points (West’s number), but that wasn’t enough for the Lakers to avoid a trap-game loss to Memphis a day after they beat an ailing and aging Celtics’ team on Sunday. Still, Bryant has been all the rage in L.A.

The numbers paint a different picture. If you compare the stats of Bryant and West, you’ll note that it took Bryant 65 more games to top West’s mark of 25,192 points. Add into that equation that West played without the benefit of the three-point shot, which significantly boosts Bryant’s totals by 3,807 points.

Magic Johnson doesn’t come close to either as a scorer, but his overall game trumps both. His five NBA championships, the total of West and Bryant combined, speak volumes too, particularly when you factor in Johnson’s career was practically history when he revealed he was HIV-positive in 1991. But Johnson, who annually led the league in assists and is among the all-time leaders, dominated with his passing skills. It helped him dish and elevate the games of Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and even more when he created for Byron Scott.

But even Magic wasn’t as dominating as the two best to don a Laker uniform. Wilt Chamberlain was the NBA’s greatest player (Bill Russell was second in our book for all of you Michael Jordan fans scoring at home), but it’s difficult to put him on top as the greatest Laker because Chamberlain played only five seasons in L.A. Still, the Lakers were a magical team during his era, their record 33-game winning streak being just one example. If not for Chamberlain, West wouldn’t have earned his lone NBA ring in 1972.

And consider this: Both West and Chamberlain (which only enhances his stature) led the league in assists. Kobe will never accomplish that. It’s not in his DNA.

But if there were any player to wear the crown of the greatest Laker, Abdul-Jabbar is the one. No player (Chamberlain being the exception), particularly any Lakers past or present, dominated offensively like the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He also has six NBA championship rings, more than any Laker. Bryant has his sights on Kareem’s record of 38,387 points. Good luck with that dude.

Read more of Forrest Lee at Blak4rest.com.