Four Points: Lebron, Heat Beat L.A.; Why this loss signals Lakers turnaround

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In what was noted as the marquee matchup between Kobe Bryant and Lebron James and the preseason favorites, the Thursday night TNT tilt proved two things, the Heat definitely can turn on the switch, and L.A., at 17-22, may want to circle some dates in June for a rematch. Before you dismiss that statement or think me crazy, take a look at what went down in the Miami L.A game that points to the Lakers finally turning their season around for good.

Four points below explain why the Lakers-Heat matchup will be the launching point for the Lakers to the Finals in 2013.

1) Four Points.

With a minute to go the Lakers were down four points.

- Down four with Lebron's virtuoso 39 point, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists effort leading Miami.
- Down four with Dwayne Wade adding 27 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists to aid Lebron.
- Down four with 20 turnovers against arguably the best teamand one of the top 3 defenses of the past two seasons.
- Down four with Kobe Bryant, having his most efficient season to date, shooting 3-16 in the first three quarters and Pau Gasol displaying rust built up from another injury.

They were down FOUR points with a minute to go with all that going against them all night.

2) Defensive energy

Most notably from Dwight Howard. After looking like he just had back surgery for the first two months of the season, Howard displayed a different effort and energy the Laker faithful have grown accustomed to seeing this season. Contesting more shots, fighting on the block, altering shots in the paint and showing the same amount of teeth as usually, but more so in a grimace than a grin. He meant business and seems to be finding himself this season.
Though Lebron and Wade shot a sizzling 28-45 (62%), the rest of the Heat shot a paultry 12-38 (31%), pointing to team defense for the Lakers that has been missing since Mike Brown left the building. And this is against a team deemed the Lakers vast superior in speed and endurance.






3) KOBE SHOT 18% FOR THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS.

If you think that the most competitive and annoyed (yes annoyed) athlete not named Jordan is gonna let that happen again you must be joking. Kobe is shooting 47% from the field on the season, an amazingly strong shooting percentage for a high volume shooting guard like Bryant. To assume that Bryant won't realize his faults from this game and regain that same shooting touch and team balance that he knows will win him championships is foolish.

4) The ball is finding Dwight and the team is getting the payoff.

Dwight Howard is garnering much more attention as his aggressiveness in the paint increases and as the offense begins to go through him more. The balance of using Howard to thwart perimeter defense and Nash and Co. finding open players led to the Lakers shooing 45% against a Miami Heat team allowing 36% and
43% overall (33-76) since Dwight return as the focal paint dweller for L.A.

Four points. Against the stiffest competition, at its best, with the Lakers best player playing way under his standards, with the league's reigning MVP dominating at will, the Lakers were down by four with a minute to go.







Four points that might shape the season from here on out.

Michael Jordan thinks only Kobe Bryant deserves comparisons, but what about - Magic?

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Earlier this week, Micheal Jordan made waves for something that we have all been arguing and prognasticating about for years since his second retirement. The media, fans, non-fans, kids, friends, enemies and the like argued Grant Hill. They argued Vince Carter. They Argued Tracy McGrady. Dwyane Wade. Lebron James. On and on. But Micheal kept quiet on the comparisons, mostly because Micheal knows he's the best and doesn't need to, and because he is too competitive still to give anyone a chance to come close to his greatness. Yet, with his distance from who he was growing, a part of him felt that it was time to give HIS idea of his "Air" Apparent. And out it came. Kobe Bryant. Right there, it didn't end, but the consensus definitely was swayed and questions, ideas and doubts were quenched.

But, luckily for us fans and debaters, there is more than one NBA great to compare and contrast our current lot of players to until our faces turn blue.

Arguably, one is the greatest pure shooter, one is the greatest pure interior defender, one may be the greatest of all time, including Mike. But we'll leave that to debate of course.

I chose only players in the league Currently, that still start for their respective teams and/or are a major part of their teams scheme and ability to contend. To add to the fun, I broke it down into three categories:

Skills: A player that may not have the disposition or the numbers, but have the same talents and abilities as the great their compared to.

Stats: A player that has similar but not exact skill level and the numbers to boot.

Match:This player, may not be a perfect fit, but they match talent, ability, close on numbers and have a familar characteristic set to the NBA Great they are paired with.

Championships and MVP's are out, as those are more a product of the team than the individual.
With that said, lets get to the comparisons. And please when your done, reading, don't be afraid to disagree and comment harshly.

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson may have been from the Mid West but he was made to play in Hollywood. His larger than life size as the point guard position and off the court persona are still ever present to this day. He's articulate, 

intelligent, and it showed in his game on the court. He could thread the needle with the pass, break down defenders with the dribble, back down defenders with his size and run the floor like gazelle. But it was his one in a lifetime vision that really let his game shine. He seemed to see things that weren't there until they were and almost always seemed to be in the right position. And his versatility was cleared evident and on display when the Laker's center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went down with an injury and Magic played throughout the game at point guard, forward and center in Game 6 of the 1980 Finals and dropped 42 points, grabbed 15 boards and doled out 7 assist to clinch an NBA title. Arguably one of history's top 5 players.

Skills:

Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom, talent-wise, could have been a legend. at 6-10, he could play every position on the floor, exhibiting above average floor vision, an outside shooting touch, an interior scoring ability, transition play and great ability to play the glass and above the rim. This package wrapped up in a power forwards body should  have been a real treat to experience. He even has the off court likable nature the Magic naturally exudes. But  his personal hurdles, preference to play second fiddle and seemingly endless stream of tragedies marred a career that though full of accomplishments, lesser than what one might expect.

Stats and Match:

Lebron James
If Lebron were sure of who he was he might be the perfect match for the Magic Man but we will settle for almost perfect. Lebron was made to be Magic, the body, the athleticism, the vision, scoring and defense. He has the stats and he has the demeanor. He even shares the career moments that dulled other wise bright and shining careers, on and off the court. Even more so, like Magic, Lebron is becoming a larger than life character in our society and a mainstay in the minds of even the most reclined of sports fans. The talent and production exhibited by these two can only be matched by one other player. We'll get to him shortly. 

Michael Jordan thinks only Kobe Bryant deserves comparisons, but what about - Charles Barkley?

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Earlier this week, Micheal Jordan made waves for something that we have all been arguing and prognasticating about for years since his second retirement. The media, fans, non-fans, kids, friends, enemies and the like argued Grant Hill. They argued Vince Carter. They Argued Tracy McGrady. Dwyane Wade. Lebron James. On and on. But Micheal kept quiet on the comparisons, mostly because Micheal knows he's the best and doesn't need to, and because he is too competitive still to give anyone a chance to come close to his greatness. Yet, with his distance from who he was growing, a part of him felt that it was time to give HIS idea of his "Air" Apparent. And out it came. Kobe Bryant. Right there, it didn't end, but the consensus definitely was swayed and questions, ideas and doubts were quenched.

But, luckily for us fans and debaters, there is more than one NBA great to compare and contrast our current lot of players to until our faces turn blue.

Arguably, one is the greatest pure shooter, one is the greatest pure interior defender, one may be the greatest of all time, including Mike. But we'll leave that to debate of course.

I chose only players in the league Currently, that still start for their respective teams and/or are a major part of their teams scheme and ability to contend. To add to the fun, I broke it down into three categories:

Skills: A player that may not have the disposition or the numbers, but have the same talents and abilities as the great their compared to.

Stats: A player that has similar but not exact skill level and the numbers to boot.

Match:This player, may not be a perfect fit, but they match talent, ability, close on numbers and have a familar characteristic set to the NBA Great they are paired with.

Championships and MVP's are out, as those are more a product of the team than the individual.
With that said, lets get to the comparisons. And please when your done, reading, don't be afraid to disagree and comment harshly.


Charles Barkley 

Sir Charles Barkley. The enigmatic power forward that truly put the power in forward. He was better than most, stronger than most, faster than most, and played way harder than most, cause he had to. Like Daft Punk says, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger....and in Sir Charles case, Shorter. At 6-4 Charles Barkley was the height of a tweener guard and the weight of a small center. But if you ever think that you could out work Charles, you would be dead wrong. He motor ran hot, and his game ran hotter. His will was his greatest ally and strength, so much so that many forget his size and only remember the bulldog they see on tape. The best undersized player ever, one of the best power forwards ever.

Skills:

Blake Griffin

We're talking skills folks. I get that Blake is 6 inches taller than Chuck, but look at the kid. Like Chuck he's not thin in the least. He can do things that most power forwards can't because of his will to be better and never quit. He runs it like Chuck, powers like Chuck and can do it like Chuck. Pass, shoot, dribble and defend, and all at a harder level than most power forwards. But his will, evident by his ability to do what he did last year after rehabbing an injury that can destroy careers and change players forever, can't be forgotten. He plays hard cause he wants to, and because he needs to.

Stats:

Kevin Love

He's got the numbers folks. His scoring ability and rebounding prowess precedes him, but unlike others with similar stats in those categories, Kevin Love can dish as well. it may not be evident in the numbers but if you watch his game his ability to find the slasher or open player is good for his size, its just his teammates inability to covert that lessens his dime count. Percentages match, game, match's, results match. Which in my mind, makes Chuck's output even more impressive. 

Match: 

Dwyane Wade

You won't always find what your looking for in the same section of the store. Chuck's match is no different.
At 6'3, Dwyane Wade was describe as a tweener coming out of college. A two guard that could play the one but might have trouble at the two with guards in the NBA averaging between 6'6 and 6'7. Wrong. Chuck's T-Mobile Co-Star got his weight up to 220 from 205 and not only flourished at the position but has become a dominant force there. Like Chuck, his speed at his position ( I know it sounds weird now but watch the tape) and athleticism as well as abnormal arm length make him a nightmare for defenders and scorer's alike. He plays with a point guard's speed and a shooting guard's mentality. And as for the motor, the fire and the aggressiveness that Sir Charles played with? Check. Check and Check. The run down block, a true measure of the former which Wade and Lebron love, was a staple in Barkley's game.
Wade plays harder than 99% of the league and his will may be only matched by MJ's comparable Kobe. Chuck and Wade, may be small, but their bite is bigger than almost any opponent they face.

Michael Jordan thinks only Kobe Bryant deserves comparisons, but what about - Oscar Robertson?

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Earlier this week, Micheal Jordan made waves for something that we have all been arguing and prognasticating about for years since his second retirement. The media, fans, non-fans, kids, friends, enemies and the like argued Grant Hill. They argued Vince Carter. They Argued Tracy McGrady. Dwyane Wade. Lebron James. On and on. But Micheal kept quiet on the comparisons, mostly because Micheal knows he's the best and doesn't need to, and because he is too competitive still to give anyone a chance to come close to his greatness. Yet, with his distance from who he was growing, a part of him felt that it was time to give HIS idea of his "Air" Apparent. And out it came. Kobe Bryant. Right there, it didn't end, but the consensus definitely was swayed and questions, ideas and doubts were quenched.

But, luckily for us fans and debaters, there is more than one NBA great to compare and contrast our current lot of players to until our faces turn blue.

Arguably, one is the greatest pure shooter, one is the greatest pure interior defender, one may be the greatest of all time, including Mike. But we'll leave that to debate of course.

I chose only players in the league Currently, that still start for their respective teams and/or are a major part of their teams scheme and ability to contend. To add to the fun, I broke it down into three categories:

Skills: A player that may not have the disposition or the numbers, but have the same talents and abilities as the great their compared to.

Stats: A player that has similar but not exact skill level and the numbers to boot.

Match:This player, may not be a perfect fit, but they match talent, ability, close on numbers and have a familar characteristic set to the NBA Great they are paired with.

Championships and MVP's are out, as those are more a product of the team than the individual.
With that said, lets get to the comparisons. And please when your done, reading, don't be afraid to disagree and comment harshly.

Oscar Robertson

Oscar Robertson, the "Big O," is the player against whom all others labeled "all-around" are judged, and he may remain the standard forever.Statistically, one need look no further than the numbers Robertson put up in 1961-62, just his second year in the league: 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game-an average of a triple-double for an entire season. Not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird could match those numbers.An elite scorer, proven by his ranking Sixth all time in the category, coupled with a generous dishing hand and ability to lead his team in rebounding as a guard plays to his play making ability and scoring brilliance. Robertson was the first "big guard." Magic was only one-year old when Robertson registered his first NBA assist, crashed the boards for his first NBA rebound and sank a jumper for his first NBA points.

Skills:

Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans hasn't come close to putting all together to even sniff Robertson's output, but if the talent is the first thing you need to get there, then Evans has what it takes to do it. His desire to do it all is amazing to see in such a young player, and his size and strength are amzing for any age player at his position. It is this size that allows him to get rebounds against stiffer competition, score against those large and small and see the court well enough to use his vision. It will be great for the Kings to see him finally reach his potential, and its way to early in the game to say he won't.

Stats and Match:

Lebron James

No, I don't have a man crush on the guy, I'm not a Heat fan and rarely ever look the guy up. But you cannot deny talent, you can't deny output, and you can't find a better match for the Big "O" in the league right now. We went over his abilities to multitask in the Magic comparison, but it is his size as well that puts him in this spot. At 6'9 and 250, James, for the most part is a guard in a forward's body, at least visually. But his elite speed and ups allow him to truly dwarf the competition. If he were 6'2 or 6'4 and lighter, defenders might find him a bit more tame, but at his current size and ability, its no wonder his transition from high school star to NBA star to NBA great was seamless. Now for his sake, maybe his career with Oscar's a bit and the big bodied guard can grab a ring or two before it's all said and done.