"Houston is going to be a Rodeo"

With about three minutes to go in game two on Wednesday night, I received the following "tweet" from Kenny Smith, the TNT analyst.

"Houston is going to be a rodeo"

He's right...I can't wait to get there.  Game two was like attending a prize fight, and an NBA playoff game all in one.  The Lakers opened the game with a huge right cross, and the Rockets came back with a left hook.  It was tied at 57 at halftime, and the second half was even better than the first.  If this game was any indication of what the remaining games will be like, this has become must see TV.

There are so many things I could write about, that I'll just try to make five observatons and leave it at that:

1)  Just my opinion, but Derek Fisher is going to be suspended for game three.  If Dwight Howard got a game for his elbow against Philly, Fish gets a game for his "body block" to Luis Scola's face.  By the way, one a side note, I would bend over backwards if I ran the NBA before I suspended anybody, ever.  It's the playoffs.  Fine guys, kick them out of games when things get out of hand, rule with a tight whistle.  But suspensions?  They don't help the league, alienates the fans, and make the games less interesting.  Which leads me to....

2)  Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest will both be fined, but not suspended for game three.  Kobe deserves it for the elbow to Artest's neck, and Ron deserves it for letting the crazy out.  For what it's worth, I wouldn't have thrown Artest out of game two--I would have just given him a technical.  He didn't hit anybody, pulled up he when the refs intervened, and only wanted to let Kobe know (in no uncertain terms) that he didn't want to get hit in the neck.  He was Houston's best player at the time, and his team had no chance after he was tossed.  Should he have behaved better?  Sure.  Should the refs had ejected him?  No way.

3)  Andrew Bynum seems to have checked out in these games.  Even when he's on the court, he isn't doing anything.  I would continue to start Odom, and only play Bynum when I had to.  At least for now, he's more of a liability than an asset when he's on the floor.

4)  Kobe Bryant has now engaged in this series.  I was worried after the game one loss that he was too relaxed, almost reserved, about losing at home in a big series.  But on Wednesday, he was fired up beyond description--yelling at Shane Battier ("you can't guard me!") and jumping on Lamar Odom when he was laughing on the bench.  This is the Kobe the Lakers need.

5)  The Lakers defense figured some things out in game two.  Aaron Brooks, who looked so good in game one, started three for 11.  For most of the game, Yao had more fouls than points.  Active hands that led to fast break chances made a huge difference.

This now looks like a close, competitive, possibly seven-game series.  My guess is that it comes back from Houston tied 2-2.

Comments

[K.Lani]

I love reading your blogs. Even though I know you love the Lakers, you are always very honest and see both sides of everything. Keep it up. Love the radio show too.

[Mohammed]

Hey John,
Nice work on getting the plog out soon. I was glad that the game was on TNT, the best post game show. Ernie, Kenny and Charles were very funny and made sense. I had some comments that I will send an e-mail to you and Mason.

[theDude]

Your picture at the top kind of resembles agent Smith from The Matrix. You've probably seen by now, but Kobe didn't elbow Artest in the next, and there's two angles to prove it.

[deez nutz]

DAMN! The Lakers got beat like they stole something! They got beat like red headed step kids! The Rockets did the rodeo on them! They got pimp slapped in front of their mom & girl friend! They took it like a broad up the anus! "HEY KOBY TELL ME HOW MY ASS TASTE"!