Here's some frame by frame analysis show how Artest was manhandling Kobe during that play and how Kobe elbowed him in the chest not neck in breaking free.

League gave him a flagrant one but neither Kobe nor Artest will miss game 3. Fisher is suspended one game and deservedly so. Fisher's foul was pretty thug-like.

Fisher made me proud last night, you send a team like that a message. I understand and agree with his suspension, I dont think it will affect us that much seeing as Brooks was covered very well by Jordan Farmar in Game 2. As far as Kobe goes, its the playoffs, when you have a great defender and a great guard youre going to have physical play. Artest shouldn't have been ejected, he was just pissed that they missed a foul on Kobe, but suspension? No. Its the playoffs, you let them play. If its all one sided its one thing, but if both players are at each other like Artest and Kobe were all night then you let them play until something blatant is presented.

In either case, Im glad the Lakers got angry. Kobe plays the best when angry.

We got the Cavs right where we want them........

I texted my friend this same thing when N. Carolina went up 20-something on MSU during the NCAA title game.

A couple minutes later; "Thanks, I needed that."

Lebron scares me. i don't understand how he is capable of some of this stuff.

Well, exactly. Instead of Kobe being protected as a Golden Boy people already have the "Kobe is an asshole... Kobe got away with XYZ.... Kobe should be suspended..." narrative set up without even seeing what happened. When Kobe got the technical for shaking his head just a little and saying "you can't guard me" he got that BECAUSE he is Kobe. I never understood the Kobe hate.

And anyone with any interest in BB should hope for a Lebron v. Kobe final. This could be epic.

Mmmmm. Doughnuts....

btw, people talk about Kobe's arrogance, yet noone ever says anything about the giant CHOSEN 1 tattoo on Lebron's back

No shit.

He plays out of control, has an ugly as sin jumpshot and terrible footwork, yet he is the only unstoppable player the league has seen since Shaq. Pure athletic supremacy.

This man could have played any football code and still been the best.

It's scary as fuck to think what he's gonna do once he develops a post game.

Yeah, he hasn't even peaked yet. Frightening.

As far as players I've seen in my lifetime, I'd project him to be just after Michael and Magic.

Kareem could have scored on him at will, and probably pretty much shut him out of the key.

1. I was born in 1975 so I only remember washed up Kareem who was able to stay in the league because Magic let him stick around and score. That guy couldn't D up a folding chair.

2. Le Bron is fiercely strong and even though Kareem wouldn't really be his man on defense, I don't think Kareem could back him down just based on that strength. Shaq, absolutely, Kareem, not so sure.

Lebron is a gambler on defense. He doesn't play with his head, just his athletic gifts. He'll get better.

His game is just all 'round ugly, in every sense of the word. He does everything with a dogged aggression. If I were a scout, I would have taken Carmelo over him at the time. And Carmelo is the better ball player (footwork, silky jumper, quick first step) but Lebron is a such a fucking beast that it doesn't matter; he's much more effective. There will likely be rule changes put in place some time down the track to stop him.

I would love to play against Lebron. I've noticed he isn't very good at moving off the ball, and has no moves that start from the corner. So I'd start there. Put the ball in his left hand, try to goad him into shooting jumpers, and throw lots of elbows. Slowly lure him into the post. This is why Lebron is so scary. Carmelo's game is complete. I don't see him getting that much better (and I really like the role he is playing in Denver now, as the second guy, like a Dr J) while Lebron's game is so full of holes and he's still fucking awesome.

I think the ONLY team in this playoffs that could maybe stop him is Denver. Some say Houston. But Artest hasn't had success with him in the past, and Battier (one of the smartest guys in the league) is a little too logical at times. You don't need to be logical to stop Lebron. There is nothing logical about Lebron. He defies logic.

Denver has three big fuckers that can move their feet. I can see Chris Anderson causing him problems. Lebron isn't very quick. But he's fast, and once he gets moving he's a goddamn freight train. Between Dahntay Jones, Birdman and K-Mart, something's gotta give.

what you're leaving out is that Carmelo is dumber than a bag of hammers (i.e. will shoot you out of a game eventually if you leave him with the ball) and that Lebron is the much better passer. actually all of your analysis is pretty shitty, now that i read it again. you should probably just stop and go back to rooting for the all blacks or something.

It's a shame you guys don't play international sports, actually, because your blind patriotism can never be cut down.

Chuck Daly; DEAD
One of the creators of the "We must protect this house!" ideology as far as stressing defense, which sadly led to the Knicks football teams of the mid '90s. But still, the guy was a great coach who knew how to motivate like no other - don't forget that Rodman started going batshit crazy pretty much the moment Daly retired as his coach.

Thanks for everything, Daddy Rich.

A total basketball animal, Chad and a guy who knew how to deal with big personalities whether it was the Ivy League, the Dream Team or the Nasty Boys.

RIP

Just to clean up this loose end, yeah, I overstated Kareem's D in the hypothetical matchup with Lebron. He'd take up a lot of space, make Lebron change his shot... get in his way, but the fantasy "shut him down" match up would be Russel, Rodman, Shaq at his peak, Kevin McHale... Duncan a couple years ago... Moses Malone....

But in terms of "taking over a game" there were times when Kareem was just a machine, both with the unstoppable offense (there has never been a shot like his skyhook) and working the low post as a passer to cutters. When he was on, he took up all the air in the arena, even more than Jordan or Kobe in one of his moods.

I also would have liked to see Michael Cooper on Lebron (I know, that's like welterweight fighting a super heavyweight) but I bet that's what would have happen had Lebron played in the 80's and my guess is Coop would have fucked with him.

And last, I predict that Kobe will take him for at least a third of the games if/when they get to the finals. Kobe's D is seriously underrespected by all the Kobe-haters... e.g. the block on Yao (again) in this last game.

kobe and lebron love to go head to head with each other, so if they both make the finals im sure we'll see that quite a bit. Im still thinking the Magic are going to give the Cavs a bit of a challenge reaching the finals. Maybe even upset.

Oh come on with the "whoa is me" act for Kobe--dude has been first All Defense 6 or 7 times; NOBODY has ever accused Kobe of not playing defense, even people who hate on some of the shitty stuff that he actually does do. If anything, Kobe has gotten away with more than almost any superstar in recent history.

Woe nelly. The all-D team is voted by the players no? I talk to many retarded LA-haters in the Bay Area who go on and on about Kobe... sorry if I project.

Lebron was a man among boys tonight against the Hawks.... he may well be better than Kobe. Amazing.

Very hard to compare cross eras, but Coop is an oft-forgotten monster of that team.

And no way to mention the Lakers w/o the Pissants. Dirt Scum, but yes, Chuck Daily stomped on the terra.

One, show some goddamn respect and spell a legend's last name right, alive or dead.
Two (and this is more of a general statement) the end of Game 7 of the 1988 Finals will always be a goddamn travesty; Pistons down 1 with :02 left inbounding under the Lakers basket, crowd starts spilling onto the court and the referee orders play to start in a scenario rivaling Cal/Stanford. Long heave pass bobbled (go figure) and time runs out. Outrageous. Chuck should've had three rings.

Yao's out for the playoffs.