Fact is, in the playoffs, each game matters. You don’t just drop one and run your guys into the ground…when you’re the defending champions, to lull the competition into a sense of complacency. Nobody’s taking the Lakers lightly, only fools who’re watching from home do that. That having been said, respond, or don’t. This is my last reply, because I simply gain nothing from talking to you.

The thrill, my friend, is not in the conquest, but in the hunt. They are now purposefully masking the hunt more exciting on their own terms.

Do not feel bad for you are not alone. Most others have been fooled by their ruse.

Equally so with the Laker’s themselves, do we honestly expect anything but great basketball when they play? And it’s usually a huge letdown when they don’t? Comes with the franchise, the group of players they present on the court, and the coaching staff.

Beyond that, as I said, it’s a long season, and it’s ridiculous to think that Jackson & Co., would purposefully tank game 1, so as to ‘blindside’ the Hornets with skill in game 2. Seriously, I think there’s a bit of tape from the regular season to disprove such a tactic. Doing so only runs their players as much or more than the Hornets, which takes that much more out of the gas tank for the following rounds.

My Kobe Bryant Action Figure – Playoff Edition rests proudly in my hands!

Would seem counter-productive to ruin that by making the contest longer, plus, I didn’t really see anything last night that would award Kobe a ‘Super’ moniker.