It’s not so much that the ‘King’ and the Cavaliers did the Lakers again to finish off their season sweep. It’s how they did it. By bludgeoning them! And considering it was go time and Kobe Bryant was the only one ready to throw, you know he’s furious. “Uh-oh!”
‘KB24’ is bent and has every right to be! He didn’t let them down, they let him down.
Look, despite those two wins, I still don’t know that the Cavs are better. But I do know they’re tougher. Tougher physically and tougher mentally! And the Lakers better address that. Problem is, I thought they already had last year when they won it all. Of course, they’ve already forgotten what got them there. Especially their “bigs”, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The only thing worse than Pau Gasol clanking those two throws late, is saying it happened because he was in his own head for soft play earlier in the game.
And there’s the answer to your own question, Pau! Why don’t I get more run for this team’s success, because you’re still not tough enough and nor clutch enough. And you’re not the only one! And that’s not just me mouthing. That’s coming from the ‘Mamba’ himself: “…the mentality has to change a little bit playing against these teams. These teams are physical, tough minded, hard nosed types of teams. That’s not part of our DNA.” If that’s what he’s saying in public, you know he’s killing these guys in private.
They don’t have that chip on their shoulder after getting manhandled and punked by Boston previously. And they’re not as hungry as they were last year. And it’s Bryant’s job as Alpha-Dog and “head coach” to tear them up. And he will! What they really need is for ‘Ron-Ron’ to go “Ron-Ron”. There’s a reason why Bryant brought Ron Artest in! And it’s not to run under screens and get pushed around. It’s to intimidate. And give this team the toughness it doesn’t have.
After all, ‘Ron-Ron’ is used to playing “rough basketball”.
Oh, and credit to the ‘King’ for doing his thing. And I don’t mean excessive dancing, mugging, rapping and jersey popping. I mean that hail storm of daggers he dropped in the fourth quarter.
