NBA Finals Game 1

Well since the Anthony Johnson experiment didn't work out so well..at least not in Game 1. Here he is doing what he did for the full 48, sitting the bench. Jameer Nelson came back and hit his first shot and from there it was all over for our ex-Net buddy. I thought he maybe had a shot of seeing some garbage time, but the NBA gods did not smile on him today. Anyways onto my thoughts from the finals, Game 1, aka the Lakers shellacking of the Magic.


- First of all, they're all not going to be this easy for the Lakers surely. But from watching this game today you have to think the Lakers are just the better team, and may have too much offensively for the Magic to handle.

- Kobe. Mamba. Here's the thing about Kobe. He is just an extroadinary shot-maker. Turning around towards traffic, getting hit, and banking it in from the center of the lane? Check. Slashing from the wing through two defenders, hanging in midair, avoiding shot blocker and finish with right hand across his body? Check. Coming off a handoff, fading away with a hand in his face to his right? Check. While Kobe did have a lot of rhythm shots as Dwight pointed out after the game, he did take and make his fair share of difficult shots, but thing is he makes the difficult seem and look routine. I also loved his use of ball screens. He proved that if you have proper spacing, you can literally walk a defender up to a screen, who knows the screen is coming, he'll still get stuck on it as Kobe did using a Gasol screen and Pietrus got stuck on it. Final thought on Kobe, absolutely love the underbite face. I saw him break it out in Game 6 against the Nuggets and I saw it again tonight after he made that bank shot and 1 in the third quarter. Love it.

- Gasol. You would think Dwight would destroy Gasol right? Well didn't happen tonight at least. Thing about Gasol is he's a smart defender. And granted the times he was isolated with Dwight, the Lakers sent some help, at least guys like Fisher and Kobe stunting at him, but Gasol is crafty and picked up two offensive fouls on Howard. You have to remember Gasol has been through some wars not just in the NBA but in Europe. While he never played anyone of Howard's physical stature in Euro, he did pick up some tricks as were evident tonight. Howard also just isn't there yet as an offensive player. He needs to slow himself down and make his moves despite those guards coming down and slapping at the ball. One quick move and the important thing is, finish. He had some opportunities near the rim tonight that he failed to convert.

- Odom should start getting some credit on the defensive end. He's always known as sort of a virtuoso offensive player, but his skills translate nicely to the opposite side of the ball as well. Much different having him closeout on Rashard shooting a three than it is having Delonte West huh. I think Rashard made the correct adjustment simply stepping by the sprinting Odom, but it seemed like Rashard was indecisive on whether to go all the way into the rim or settle for a pull up. He sort of got stuck in that inbetween shot that he missed.

- Can Courtney Lee defend Kobe Bryant? I've read and heard a lot about how smart a defender CLee may be, and thats fine. But Kobe might just be too strong, and too smart for him. I wrote on twitter that I couldn't wait for a Kobe clinic at the pinch post, and while it may not have been clinic worthy from that position alone, it was clear that was where he wanted the ball when Lee was on him and he can more times than not get that turn around shot which is essentially uncontested.

- Two things I noticed about Magic fashion. First of all where did Dwight get that arm sleeve with the silver lines on it? Don't think that sleeve is too hip, I'll be honest. Secondly has Jameer Nelson always played with his mouth guard hanging out of his mouth? I understand luck and comfort but that just seems unnessecary.

- Vince Carter gave Brook Lopez this tip in the beginning of the season and I think someone should pass it along to Andrew Bynum. Try and dunk everything! Bynum, you're 7 ft tall, you got defenders bouncing off you and flying by you under the basket and you're going up weak and trying to lay it in? Maybe he doesn't have his usual explosion out of his knees, but for god sakes go up with two hands and throw that thing in.

- If you're Orlando, how excited are you that a lot of the success you're going to have in this series is if Rafer Alston can make the Lakers pay by consistently hitting from outside?

- Mickael Pietrus was secretly (or not, but doesn't seem like many people are talking about it) good signing for the Magic. I like him a lot as a player. Has good size, athleticism. Can shoot it. I felt he really competed against Kobe the time's he was on him. Seemed to have pretty active hands. Seemed like a guy who would serve pretty well in the Nellieball system over at GSW but maybe he just didn't get enough minutes behind S. Jackson?

- Final thought..Dwight Howard same message goes to you that goes to Lebron. Time to just play the game son. We get it. You like to have fun Dwight, we get it. There comes a time though when fun has to be checked at the door and business time has to take over, and Dwight that time was weeks ago, but why not start now. Don't do you're stupid fall away shake with the towel before the game. Nobody cares. You know what Magic fans want out of you? Production. Save your antics for the celebratory parade..but help your team get their first. We get it, you like to have fun. Now its business time.