710 ESPN's "SMOG" - Steve Mason's Blog

WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING ABOUT THE LAKERS - in the aftermath of getting crushed by the Mavericks Friday night

--- HADARIL JONES, BLEACHER REPORT

(LINK TO FULL STORY) By all means, the Lakers should have one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They have length, quickness, lateral movement, are fundamentally sound, and have good technique.

This lapse in defense is not new to the Lakers, because they have been dogged by periods of inconsistency before, but the manner in which they were beaten at home is inexcusable.

The defense is usually good for a few instances of dominance in a game, but last night that attribute was noticeably missing. It was replaced by total ineptitude, by a bunch of guys masquerading around in Laker uniforms.

There was Lamar Odom, who is usually a decent defensive player, getting repeatedly beaten off the dribble, and there was Ron Artest, as dependable as they come, looking uninterested as he continuously failed to slide his feet and was reduced to reaching. And of course the entire stable of Laker guards reverted to their familiar ways of getting abused on the perimeter by any Maverick who decided to venture into the lane.

The reason that the Lakers could be so good on defense is because they excel in the help areas of the defensive scheme, but not on this night as Andrew Bynum was frequently caught out of position, and left looking dazed and confused.

--- COLIN WARD-HEMMINGER, NEWARK EXAMINER

(LINK TO FULL STORY) Thunder & Lightning. The Jordan Farmar/Shannon Brown backcourt looks great at times, but I'm still not sure if it's entirely effective. Phil Jackson played the two reserves simultaneously for much of the game, and while Brown looked fantastic (especially on a dunk in the fourth when he had his chest at rim-level), Farmar was inconsistent (especially for a stretch in the third quarter where he picked up two fouls and committed a turnover in about a minute, drawing boos from the already-surly crowd). It looks like Jackson's going to stick with the tandem with the hopes that they might help to finally stabilize the bench unit, which has been in disarray since last season.

--- JA ADANDE, ESPN.COM

(LINK TO FULL STORY) While the Lakers were still admiring the championship rings they received before beating the Clippers on Tuesday, the Mavericks had to hear doubts about the effectiveness of their offseason changes -- most notably the addition of Shawn Marion. Nothing wrong with Marion's game Friday, as he profited from the Dallas guards' penetration and dropped in 18 points. Meanwhile, the Mavericks' defense held the Lakers to 39.5 percent shooting. The Lakers jacked up 23 3-pointers, they forced drives into the crowded lane, Kobe Bryant had difficulty finishing and they had 19 turnovers.

--- EDDIE SEFKO, DALLAS MORNING NEWS

(LINK TO FULL STORY) The first step to beating the Lakers is getting over the fear factor.

You know how it is. Like the TV show of the same name, you have to get over the phobia of eating a bug or being trapped under water.

Call it Kobe-phobia.

The Mavericks proved Friday night that, if they have any fear of the Lakers, they can overcome it. They may not always beat the Lakers. But they know now the kind of grit that's required to play with them.

--- JEFF EISENBERG, THE PRESS ENTERPRISE

(LINK TO FULL STORY) Unable to match Dallas' energy or generate any offensive rhythm, the Lakers tumbled to a humbling 94-80 loss on Friday night, snapping their six-game winning streak against the Mavericks. It was a sobering reminder that all the preseason talk about them breezing to another championship and making a run at a 70-win season might have been a little premature.

The Mavericks entered the game determined to atone for a season-opening home loss to Washington, a curious result for a team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs last year and bolstered its defense and depth by adding Shawn Marion and Drew Gordon. They led by seven at halftime, by 13 five minutes into the second half and by 22 late in the third quarter, far too big a deficit for the frigid-shooting Lakers to overcome.

--- ELLIOT TEAFORD, SAN BERNADINO SUN

(LINK TO FULL STORY) The glitz and glamour of opening night had faded into ancient history by the time the Lakers returned to the Staples Center court Friday night. There was no talk of championship rings or banners.

The Lakers went back to the mundane business of trying to win basketball games when they faced the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 of the NBA's annual 82-game regular-season slog. They learned what all defending champions learn sooner rather than later. Grinding through early-season games isn't nearly as much fun as winning championships, spraying champagne, riding in parades and partying until dawn. It's difficult work, and sometimes it's strictly a losing proposition.

The Mavericks punished the Lakers for their lackluster play, winning 94-80 and reminding them that opponents always seem to play with added emotion and efficiency when they meet the defending champs.

--- TIMBO, SILVER SCREEN AND ROLL

(LINK TO FULL STORY) On Friday night the Dallas Mavericks came to town pissed off and ready to play, having dropped their home opener to the Washington Wiz. Pau was out of action with his tender hammy, reduced to lookin' EuroSvelte™® ridin' pine in a suit. And that meant that LO would get the start and the Laker "Bench Mob" (sic.) would be thereby drained of one of exactly two backups who can play. You could see this train wreck coming from 900 miles away... CHOOOO-CHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! The Lakers came out flat and got rolled on their home floor by a decent Western Conference playoff team.

They got snuffed from the get-go.

Nothing SHOCKING about it at all, really — entirely predictable.

--- KATIE SPAEDER, LAKERS NATION

(LINK TO FULL STORY) Somewhere in Los Angeles Mark Cuban is laughing and saying, “I told you so,” and for one night only, I am going to have to agree with him. The Lakers played the worst game I’ve seen them play since they walked off the court in Boston late June 2008 – I thought it was that pitiful.

The Lakers went from playing lackluster in the first half to playing like a girls JV highschool basketball team the rest of the game. They came out of halftime turning the ball over, playing out of the offense, not making the proper rotations on defense and ultimately lettings the refs get them rattled. Before you knew it, the 7 point Mavericks half time lead was now 16 and they were never able to recover.

--- MIKE TRUDELL, LAKERS.COM

(LINK TO FULL STORY) Only twice last season had the Lakers failed to score more than 80 points; only five times had they lost at home; and only seven times had they lost by double-digits.

Then there was Friday night.

Because when the Dallas Mavericks came into Los Angeles sporting their brand new powder blue alternate uniforms on the day before Halloween, it was almost as if they’d brought along a few bright blue smurfs to sit on the rim.

LA just couldn’t find the bottom of the net - nor keep it out of its own - in a somewhat lethargic effort, and the purple and gold fell by 14 to a swarming Blue Man Group.

The first quarter served as a harbinger for the rest of the game, as the Lakers opened by hitting only 7-of-24 shots (29.2 percent) before Jordan Farmar broke through (the smurfs) for five straight points in under a minute to salvage the quarter trailing by only three.

That was nothing compared to the third quarter, when the Lakers committed more turnovers (seven) than they made field goals (six). That resulted in 15 points, while the Mavericks went the other way in scoring 26 to open up a 22-point lead that was mercifully cut to four with a Kobe Bryant layup and Josh Powell put-back in the final minute.

"Shannon Brown rising to the rafters!" - Even in a humiliating defeat, there is one shining moment for the Lakers!

Friday night was brutal for the Lakers at Staples. Sure they are without Pau Gasol, and it's only the 2nd game of the season, but getting blown out at home is inexcusable.

 

The reigning World Champs collected their bling on Tuesday night, and then performed sluggishly in a win over the Blake Griffin-less Clippers. The Dallas Mavericks, who have rolled the dice on a pricey sign-and-trade for 31yo Shawn Marion and a new contract for 36yo Jason Kidd literally spanked the purple & gold, and there's no way that the Lakers can come away from the loss as anything but humbled.

Even in the worst of games, there can be one shining moment (as they say at the end of March Madness). That moment for the Lakers belongs to Shannon Brown who, in the midst of his team's humiliation, showed everybody in the building just how high he can get.

Here's Shannon back in June, after the Lakers won the 2008-2009 NBA title, talking about the possibility of showing off in the All Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest.

It would be fun to watch because, in my opinion, there's nobody in the NBA who can elevate like Brown.

Trojan Injury Report for Tonight's Showdown at Autzen: TE Anthony McCoy out, but Damian Williams will play!

WHO'S OUT?

Tight end Anthony McCoy is out with a sprained ankle. He didn’t even make the trip. He leads the team in yards per catch and 2nd in overall receiving yards behind Damian Williams. This is a huge loss because McCoy has been Matt Barkley’s go-to big play guy. Junior Rhett Ellison and sophomore Blake Ayles could get critical chances tonight at Autzen Stadium, but USC will miss those big seam route gains from McCoy.

Also not making the trip are wide receivers David Ausberry and Travon Patterson. Both of them are out with sprained ankles. Patterson hasn’t been much of a factor this season with just 1 catch, and Ausberry who really failed to step up while Ronald Johnson was out with a broken collarbone is not a huge loss for tonight’s game.

Backup safety Drew McCallister is out with a severe hip flexor, and there is no word on when he might return.

TB Marc Tyler is gone for the year and was scheduled for surgery this week on his broken toe.

Also gone for the year are TB Stafon Johnson, tackle Hebron Fangupo and cornerback Marshall Jones.

WHO'S IN?

WR and spectacular punt return ace Damian Williams will play on what could be a rainy Eugene night. He didn’t practice most of the week because of a sore glute muscle, but he’s going to try to go. He has 34 catches for 525 yards and 3 TD catches this year, and without McCoy, Ausberry and Patterson, the Trojans will need Williams in the passing game.

TB Joe McKnight will be good to go tonight at Oregon. He missed Wednesday’s practice with a slight hamstring strain, but took part in the full practice on Thursday.

Fullback Stanley Havili will play as he recovers from a bruised shoulder. He is 3rd on the team with 14 receptions in 2009. But, Coach Pete Carroll will give the start to DJ Shoemate, who grabbed a TD pass in the opener against San Jose St. at the Coliseum, but that was the sophomore’s only reception of the year so far.

MICHAEL JACKSON'S THIS IS IT! with a disappointing $8M Friday & a likely $33.2M by Monday, unable to unseat HANNAH MONTANA for All-Time #1 Concert Movie Opening; PARANORMAL ACTIVITY successfully keeps scaring!

Michael Jackson's This Is It (Sony) will win Halloween weekend, but it is certainly not the posthumous blockbuster that the Jackson estate had anticipated. After generating about $11.2M from Tuesday midnight through Thursday, the movie surged to a decent $8M on Friday, but the first few days have taken a lot of steam out of the movie. Culled together from rehearsals for MJ's scheduled concerts at London's O2, This Is It! has received solid reviews, but the 5-day domestic cume will be a disappointing $33.2M by Monday morning.

The 3-day gross of an estimated $22M will make the Michael Jackson epic only the #2 opening ever for a concert film, finishing well behind Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (Disney), which seized $31.1M in its first 3 days in theatres in February of 2008.

The box office sensation Paranormal Activity (Paramount) continued its staggering run to start the weekend with a strong $5.9M, and my sources tell me that about $15.3M is likely in the cards for the weekend. Made for just $15,000 and acquired by Paramount for $300,000, Paranormal will reach a domestic cume of $83.5M by Sunday night virtually guaranteeing $100M+ for the geniuses in distribution and marketing over on Melrose.

EXCLUSIVE STEVE MASON FRIDAY & 3-DAY ESTIMATES FOR OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 1
1. NEW - Michael Jackson's This Is It (Sony) - $8M Fri - $22M 3-day - $33.2M 5-day cume  
2. Paranormal Activity (Paramount) - $5.9M Fri - $15.3M 3-day - $83.5M cume   
3. Law Abiding Citizen (Overture) - $2.4M Fri - $6.9M 3-day - $51M cume 
4. Couple's Retreat (Universal) - $2.4M Fri - $6.7M 3-day - $87.2M cume
5. Where the Wild Things Are (Warner Bros) - $2.2M Fri - $6.5M 3-day - $63.2M cume  
6. Saw VI (Lionsgate) - $2M Fri - $5.1M 3-day - $22.3M cume    

Lakers with Worst Home Loss since March 2007: Mavericks crush the World Champions 94-80 - 2nd Half Pics!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st Half Pics: Mavericks lead the Lakers 52-45!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: New trailer for AVATAR premiering on the "Jerry-tron" at Cowboy Stadium; A conversation with director James Cameron!

I am as passionate about movies as I am about sports. Had a chance to interview Jim Cameron today about his new movie Avatar (Fox) opening December 13. The brand new trailer for Avatar, Cameron's first major motion picture since Titanic 12 years ago, will debut on the famous "Jerry-tron" at Cowboy Stadium on Sunday. It is the trailer for the biggest movie of the year on the world's biggest video display in the world's biggest live trailer viewing.

Here's a link to my full interview with Jim Cameron, including for the first time ever, he describes his favorite scene in the movie.

Personal Pics from Lakers Opening Night against the Clippers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USC Coach Pete Carroll & Oregon Coach Chip Kelly talk about Saturday's Autzen Showdown!

CHIP KELLY, OREGON DUCKS HEAD COACH

“LaMichael James was always going to be a major part of this offense and before the LeGarrette Blount incident. He’s a 100 meters champ from Texas and we knew he had this in him.”

“Ed Dickson and Anthony McCoy are probably the 2 best tight ends in the conference now.”

“I have a great relationship with Mike Belotti. Fortunate enough to be promoted to be the head coach. He told me that I should do things my way. He didn’t micromanage me when I was offensive coordinator and he doesn’t micromanage me now that he’s AD and I’m head coach. There’s not a single time where we’ve talked about an upcoming opponent.”

PETE CARROL, USC TROJANS HEAD COACH

 

 “Oregon has really rallied in a great fashion. They have such a varied attack. Great running quarterback. On the attack since the Cal game. Plus we’re playing on Halloween in Eugene. By far the biggest game we get to play this week.”

"We’ve been on the road a lot. So the crowd won’t surprise us.”

“Huge matchup for us. The team that wins the conference is going to have to win out. We have to get this win and then next week it starts all over again.”

“They’ve done some things defensively differently under Chip than they did under Mike, but the offensive system is the same.”

“LaMichael James is really fast. Much like Javhid Best. Smaller like Jacquizz Rodgers, but James is faster and maybe less powerful.”

“Masoli makes a lot of quick decisions and you have to deal with him as a runner first.”

“We already practiced in rain when we got ready for Notre Dame. So we’re not gonna turn the sprinklers on this week even if they’re calling for rain in Eugene.”

“My evaluation of the defense in the last 2 seconds halfs is that we haven’t been very good. We were facing 2 really good quarterbacks and that’s part of it, but Notre Dame and Oregon really threw the ball well when they were scrambling to stay alive in those games. We’ve got to find a way to take the ball away and get it back to our offense.”

“Oregon has a great crowd. They’re very outspoken. They do a great job of orchestrating the game environment.”

“Anthony McCoy is hobbled. We don’t know if he’s gonna make it make for Saturday. Stanley Havili is trying to come back. We’ll know later in the week.”

“Ed Dickson is a big-timer. Great catch-and-run guy. Prototype tight end. Had a big game against Cal and really took over.”

“Damian Williams is really hard to tackle on those punt returns. He has a way of making people miss. He has a real sense for how to get way from people. This is the most explosive we’ve been on punt returns in years.”

USC Defensive Letdown: Trojan opponents have scored TDs on 7 of 11 2nd Half Drives in the Last 2 Weeks!

I go to every USC football game at the Coliseum and have for a few years. Yesterday, the Trojans defeated Oregon St. 42-36, and I have to keep reminding myself that a win is a win is a win. After all yesterday alone, Alabama needed a blocked field goal at the end of regulation to hold off a very mediocre Tennessee team and the Gators had only a 16-13 lead at the end of the 3rd quarter against 3-5 Mississippi St. and Ricky Stanzi threw a 7-yard TD pass on the last play of the game leading Iowa over Michigan St..

This was a sloppy, unimpressive win for the Trojans. Allen Bradford was a horse with 147 yards on the ground on just 15 carries. Matt Barkley had an inconsistent performance with 15-25 for 202 with 2 TDs and 2 INTs (he had another sure interception dropped by the Beavers and had a possible 4th INT called back on an Oregon St. penalty). Overall, the offense really won the game for USC, which is something we're not accustomed to seeing.

In the first 5 games of 2009, USC didn't allow a TD pass. In its last 2 games now, the vaunted Trojans secondary led by All-American Taylor Mays has given up 5 TD passes and recorded 0 INTs. USC has allowed a combined 63 points to Notre Dame and Oregon St. in back-to-back weeks, and if something doesn't change in a hurry, the Trojans will need 60 points to outduel Oregon at Autzen Stadium on Saturday.

Ran into ESPN's Bruce Feldman on the sidelines near the end of the game, and I said, "What do you think about next week." He said, "Every week stands alone. There's no real carryover." He's right. USC is always great in the "circle that game on your calendar" games and questionable in all of the games in between. Oregon St. was one of the in-between games.

Still if you look at the 2nd halfs of the Notre Dame and Oregon St. games, the Trojan defense has faced 11 offensive drives and the Irish and Beavers combined to score 7 TDs (and that doesn't count the last drive of the Notre Dame game which went 16 plays and nearly led to an Irish upset win).

Especially ominous looking ahead to Autzen on Saturday is the performance of Beavers TE Joe Halahuni he racked up 127 receiving yards and was seemingly open for Oregon St. quarterback Sean Canfield on every play all night. USC will face TE Ed Dickson on Saturday, who is one of the best at his position in America with 27 catches and 4 TDs.

After giving up a mind-numbing 482 yards to Oregon St. yesterday, Mays says that the Beavers are the best offense USC has seen all year. The Trojan defense better get ready, because they are about to face an even better one. Jeremiah Masoli has a quarterback rating of 129, throwing for 5 TDs (vs. 2 picks) and running for 7 TDs. In his last 3 starts, Masoli is completing 75% of his passes. And, freshman TB LaMichael James has racked up 100yds in 4 of his past 5 games and 150+ in 3 of those.