Streakstoppers

Rondo: "Pierce does that bump thing only when he's behind me"

Fresh from their unblemished 6-game road trip that concluded with meetings against the Eastern Conference’s top teams, the denizens of Los Angeles have something to rejoice about heading to the league’s mid-season festivity, the All-Star Break 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Earning the reputation of streakbusters or streakstoppers, whichever sounds cooler, the softies of last year’s NBA Finals are no longer the push-overs they were branded for folding on Game 6 against the bullies from Boston. After snapping their 19-game winning streak on Christmas Day, they stopped another run by the Celts on their own turf, the very same building Bryant, Gasol, Odom and the rest of the Laker crew packed their things up even before the game ended last year. Losing Bynum due to injury, the Lakers went through bumps and bruises from the Celtics’ top physical play and iced the opponent’s hot streak of 12 straight wins in an overtime thriller.

Then came the last of their series of games away from Staples Center. Boasting a 23-O homestand, The Cleveland Cavaliers seemed to be invincible in Quicken Loans Arena. A lot were expecting the match will be epic due to the clash of the game’s two best players but it was no contest. Bynum was in the sidelines and Kobe was nursing an IV but the team from Tinseltown gave the Cavs a dose of their own medicine by clamping it up on the second half, limiting them to only 30 points even they trailed for 10 midway through the game but the defining moments of the match were Lebron James’ pathetic 5-20 showing and the reemergence of Lamar Odom, the athletic 6’10, 250 lbs lefty, who caused nightmares to the four players sent to guard him. When everything was said and done, the 23-0 is now 23-1.

Streakbusters or Streakstoppers, they are the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Hype: Why did the Cleveland Cavaliers lose to the road-weary and Bynum-less Lakers even with a flu-stricken Kobe?

a. Lebron James is nothing if defended far from the basket.
b. Lebron James is nothing compared to Kobe Bryant.
c. Lebron James is nothing without his crab dribble BS.
d. Lebron James is a sissy.

"you refs haven't seen my lobster dribble yet"

Buzzer Beater: All of the above! Cry James and Cavs fans, your overrated basketball hero is the king of wuss!