Jan 31, 2016

Kobe's all star game kicks >

 

Jan 31, 2016

This game is hard to watch. Up double digits and now down double digits. Orlando is just not f---ing missing and we keep trying to match their shooting. Awful end to this game. Orlando had lost what, 9 straight before this? f---ing christ C's. 22-5 run to end this game. Ridiculous. This should have been an easy win like the last time.

 

Jan 31, 2016

Yup if i know the C's like I think I do, here comes a losing streak...

 

Jan 31, 2016

This is exactly what they do.. They'll win 5-6 straight then drop 4-5 straight. We should be a h--- of a lot better than we've looked this season. God i'm f---ing mad right now. What an awful minute and a half. Goooooooooood d---. Crowder and Bradley took a few dumb a--- threes to try to match their pace, but what an awful idea. That's not what you need in a situation like that. Let them keep shooting and keep running our set. Need to bounce back. Do not want to start the break on a terrible note.

 

Jan 31, 2016

Watching Warriors/Knicks for a bit, Warriors are definitley not looking too good so far but they're only down 2. They'll just get hot for a quarter or so and still win easy most likely.

Also gonna watch some of Twolves/Blazers and Hornets/Lakers later.

 

Jan 31, 2016

That's basically what happened during the 2nd quarter

 

Feb 1, 2016

I'm surprised how good they are w/o Blake. Their spacing is better and that small ball lineup with Pierce at the 4 seems to get them going. They're still a level behind GS, SA, and OKC.

 

Feb 1, 2016

Epic battle, Buddy Hield had a brilliant game it looks like.

 

Feb 2, 2016

Derrick hits the go ahead 3, then Hayward goes 1-2 from the line and hits a layup after the TO to sent it to OT. Taj gotta come up with that board somehow. Back to back road games is tough but this one was there for the taking. f---ing Hayward was on fire.

 

Feb 2, 2016

Exclusive: Inside the crazy world of Aussie Louisiana State University star Ben Simmons

• 3 hours ago
• by OLGUN ULUC IN BATON ROUGE
• Source: FOX SPORTS

BEN Simmons arrived at Louisiana State University’s beautiful campus less than a year ago, and he’s making sure to enjoy the short time he has left.

Becoming the second Aussie behind Andrew Bogut to go No 1 in the NBA Draft is almost certain for the 19-year-old later this year, which means his days as an LSU Tiger are numbered.

If anything, this reality has only encouraged Simmons to embrace the college experience, even with the unrivalled media attention that surrounds him.

“College life is fun. It’s a lot different to the start of the year, when there wasn’t so much attention on me. Now it’s just insane,” Simmons told foxsports.com.au.

“People read so much about me, and what’s going on. People seem like they know me, like when I go out to eat, people come up to me for photos, or when I’m pumping petrol, people come up to me for pictures, but it’s fun.”

“It’s less on campus, just because it’s during school. So they’ll just say ‘hi’ or ‘good game’.”

The hype around Simmons may be intense, but it’s more than warranted.

The freshman is averaging an impressive 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, and is the projected No 1 lottery pick.

The draft, however, is an afterthought for Simmons, who is intent on having the ‘normal’ student-athlete experience — as much as that is possible.

“A typical training day, I would lift weights, come to practice, go to film [study], and then hit the court again. Class is usually in the morning, so as soon as that’s finished, I’d go to weights,” Simmons said.

Simmons’s ability to remain grounded is aided by his roommate, Keith Hornsby, who’s a senior, and a favourite among the LSU faithful.

The other teammate who has Simmons’s ear is fellow Australian Darcy Malone.

The big man out of Canberra was teammates with Simmons in 2012, as Australia won silver at the under-17 world championships.

The two have remained close friends, ultimately reconnecting in Baton Rouge.

Malone is the team’s ‘glue guy.’

He’s a jovial character who not only keeps his team’s spirits high, but also acts as a voice of reason for his fellow Australian.

“It’s good that I’ve been with [Hornsby and Malone] since I got here, just because they’ve seen all of this develop, so it’s not a big shock to them,” Simmons said.

“Every time they turn on ESPN, I seem to be on it, but it’s kind of normal now, so they don’t really look at me any other way. I’m just Ben.”

“Also, Keith took me on my visit when I came here, so I was just Ben, the high school kid.”

The hype, however, is nearly impossible to avoid. Whether it’s the No 25 jerseys around campus, or the fact that Simmons’s name is plastered across television screens, even when he’s not playing, the attention is palpable, and it isn’t going away.

One person who has been in the midst of it all is LSU’s co-head manager, Hays Myers.

Myers has been a part of LSU basketball for five seasons, and has seen the highs and lows of the program.

“There’s been a change in culture, and it has a lot to do with Ben,” Myers said.

“It’s part of being who he is, and the hype. Because he committed so early, everybody knew that he was coming here, so throughout his high school career, people started to tune in.”

One knock on Simmons that is spreading across NBA front offices is that he possesses a certain level of arrogance.

But Myers was quick to shut down that assertion.

“He embraces the spotlight. It’s not a matter of him thinking he’s too good, I think it’s a matter of him enjoying the spotlight. He enjoys being that guy,” Myers said.

“When people talk about him maybe being arrogant, he’s not like that at all. He knows every one of our names, and he treats us the same as he would treat his best friend from back home.”

On the court, Simmons is certainly as generous as anyone.

Some have argued maybe even too so — his lack of aggression has been widely criticised — but, as a freshman, it’s a balance that he’s working on.

For every criticism, there’s also praise, and that comes with Simmons’s unique ability to play on the perimeter as a big man.

That skillset is no accident, with Simmons regularly joining the guards during practice sessions.

“I can either train with the guards or bigs. I work on both sides of my game,” Simmons said.

“I think I’ve slowly become more assertive, I’m still trying to get to that next level of just taking over games, but that’ll come, so I’m not too worried. It’s easier said than done.

“I want to improve my ball handling. Just being able to make a move, and create a shot. I can do that, but I think it’s just, the college game is so different to NBA and high school, because when you get to the NBA, there’s more space to go one-on-one.”

It’s true — Simmons’s game is better suited to the NBA: the spacing would allow him to show off his elite passing game, while opening up the floor for him to get to the rim.

However, the common theme that Simmons preaches is to focus on the now.

“I just focus on what I can control, and just play as hard as I can.”

Despite being the capital of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is a relatively small college town.

The entertainment options are limited, with even locals conceding that there really isn’t too much to do.

Simmons has only been in the city for a short time, but his thoughts comically echoed the sentiments of the locals.

“Everyone asks me, but I still don’t know what to do in Baton Rouge. I really don’t know. I just chill at home, really,” Simmons said.

“I’ve got to the point where, if I go out after the game, it’s because people have come up to me, but sometimes I don’t feel like dealing with that.”

“Mardi Gras [in nearby New Orleans] is coming up, and all that. But I don’t know what else there is to do. I’m in college so there’s a lot of stuff going on.”

Parades are the last thing on Simmons’s mind.

LSU has a 13-8 record and their NCAA tournament hopes are hanging in the balance with two months of the regular season yet to play.

Simmons is confident — the competitive side of him won’t allow him to think otherwise — but he’s making sure to enjoy the journey.

“We can definitely still make [the NCAA tournament]. If we win the SEC [Southeastern Conference], that’s going to be huge,” Simmons said.

“It’s just about enjoying it all, though. Rooming with Keith and Darcy, and having teammates like these.

“They’re like my brothers, so we just have fun and enjoy it. We don’t get into too much of the media stuff. We just try to have fun on the court.”

From the games, to the practice court, and the time spent together on campus, this LSU basketball team is visibly having a lot of fun.

But, for what will almost certainly be his only season at LSU, Simmons’ hope is to make the tournament.

It’s the biggest spectacle in all of college sports.

March Madness.

The Big Dance.

Now, what sounds more fun than that?

 

Feb 2, 2016

Heard some other Lakers fans saying that if they lose Tuesday vs. the Twolves, they could go winless the whole month.

I'd like to see it tbh, not only would it help their chances of keeping the pick but they need something like that to guarantee that Byron Scott will be fired. Right now unfortunately I kinda feel there's a chance they keep him although that's hard to believe..But if he goes on a huge losing streak and doesn't win more than a few the rest of the way then he's gotta be gone for sure. The young guys seem to hate him too, can't believe the front office could really be this stupid.

 

Feb 2, 2016

Idk what's worse, the flop or the shot??

 

Feb 2, 2016

^Smart flops routinely, wish it was something he would phase out of his game. That being said that should have been an offensive foul.

Good bounce back win for the C's tonight, big game from the bench (specifically Zeller and Turner).

 

Feb 3, 2016

Kobe is on

 

Feb 3, 2016

Maybe I'm being too hard on Wiggins, and I really like him...if you're billed as the next best thing you can't let your team be this bad. I'm not saying they need to be in position for the playoffs but they're nowhere near as awful as their record suggests. Wiggins, Towns, Rubio, Lavine, and a bunch of solid role players like Shabazz, Dieng, and prof. Miller should be at least 10 wins better.

 

Feb 3, 2016

They have the most games this year within 5 points with 5 min or less, they just lose most of these games. They're young, they'll only get better in those situations.

Kobe's going off tonight, amazing game.

 

Feb 3, 2016

The timberwolves s--- hella d-ck

 

Feb 3, 2016

Not really, they have a ton of talent and a very bright future.

Anyways I'm pissed I missed Kobe's best game of the year, just my luck. I'm guessing Kobe was fired up cuz of Mitchell's comments and also cuz he didn't want to be on the team that broke the Lakers all time streak for most losses in a row.

 

Feb 3, 2016

Kobe put in that work today

We need more Kobe smileys in here

 

Feb 3, 2016

He was vintage Mamba

Wolves are gonna be a treadmill team until they can find a player that can actually s---t. It's sad KAT is their best 3pt shooter.