You would think that it certainly couldn’t get worse on the injury front for the Lakers. The only bright spark for the Lakers offensively in their two play-off games so far was Steve Blake. 2-0 down and now even Blake is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury and won’t feature for the Lakers tomorrow.

The Lakers injury list now includes almost the entire roster and is headlined by the legendary Kobe Bryant, who is in hospital trying to muster up enough courage to launch a possible recovery from the recent career-threatening Achilles injury, while at the same time fiddling with Instagram, Twitter and thanking Nike for the dedication. Add insult to injury as Kobe’s calls for more post-ups for D12 and Pau Gasol were met with nothing but sheer contempt and dismissal by his coach D’Antoni, who brushed aside his tips as nothing but a mere fan giving opinions. This coming from a man who couldn’t afford keeping Kobe on the bench for a single minute down the stretch in their quest to salvage some pride and reach the play-offs.

Kobe was indispensable then to D’Antoni and the rigours of the season did have a final binding on his injury. A surgery and some minutes out of the game, and he suddenly becomes an unimportant fan. Has an Achilles injury impacted his imperious basketball acumen? The doctors would say no, but to the rigid single-minded D’Antoni, anything beyond the System isn’t exactly important.

Was Kobe right about going inside-out? Yes. Did the Lakers big-men get enough of the ball down low against the Spurs? No. I mean if Steve Blake ends up taking up most of your shots for a team boasting of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol, you certainly don’t know your resources well enough.

If D’Antoni’s tactics didn’t kill them enough, fortune wheels did their best to crush the Lakers’ remaining hopes. Steve Nash has been moving gingerly ever since he came back from his hamstring and hip injury. Jodie Meeks is doubtful with an ankle injury. Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace haven’t looked the same since they have come back from their respective injury set-backs. Can it get any worse? Oh yes, a small bright spark is maybe the return of Jordan Hill. But considering D’Antoni’s misadventures, I guess he won’t be a feature in this series.

Magic tweeted his opinion about how the Lakers don’t have a chance and why they should start looking at the off-season. Mike D’Antoni may still keep a brave-face, relying on the youth and exuberance of a certain Darius Morris, Andre Goudelock and the experience of Chris Duhon. Yes, he may still be optimistic, but that is just him denying the truth about what a huge bust this team has been. What a huge bust he has been. Even he knows in his heart of hearts that if the Lakers avoid an embarrassing blow-out, they can still consider themselves very, very lucky.

But the Lakers aren’t 16-time champions without a reason. Hardships call upon champions, and this august franchise has seen the best of them. Optimism and dreams have always been a feature of Hollywood, and expect the Laker faithful to be rooting for another such adventure. The gallery will for sure be filled with stars tomorrow. The fans will be cheering loud, bolstering their team’s self-belief and confidence, hoping against hope, fighting against all basketball rationale and practicality. I, as a Laker fan, will be up again in the wee hours of the morning, and will still want and expect the team to come out fighting. And yes, the Lakers can still put up a fight, and contest the match. Add to that the home advantage, and anything can happen.

So, what should the Lakers do to make a match out of the seemingly lop-sided contest?

Get the ball inside

The System needs to be left in the changing room tomorrow. If the Lakers have any chance of contending this series, it has to come from their bigs’. It has to be about pick-and-rolls, low-block post-ups, high-post-ups and isolation plays. Ball movement and spacing has to go out of the window, and it should be just about D12 exerting his strength and explosiveness on Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol showcasing his guile over Splitter. Even MWP should look to use his strength and grit to post-up and overpower the sophomoric Leonard. The trio need to differ from passing the ball out to perimeter guys and look to create their own offense. They need to connect on their jump-hooks, their high-low pick-and-roll and, most importantly, their offensive rebounding. No need to look for perimeter shots as 3 out of the probable starting five would include Goudelock, Morris and MWP. There is no point rotating it out to these three players, because despite what they may add as an energy bunch, they aren’t going to knock down big perimeter shots. It has to be post; on being double-teamed kick-out and then again re-post.

Transition defense

If the Lakers do plan to go on the block and play the high-low game, transition defense automatically becomes simpler. Goudelock, Morris and Duhon for certain have better engines than Blake and Nash, so getting back will be easier for them. Plus with the ball going down low, the game shall slow down to an easier pace for the Lakers. The Spurs will have to defend deep into the paint and can’t use the run-and-gun effectively against the Lakers. If the Lakers bigs’ do the fundamentals correctly, avoid conceding turnovers and steals, the Spurs will have to depend on their half-court offense and the Lakers can set into their half-court defense. The Spurs with the likes of Parker, Ginobili, Duncan and Green are still a very dangerous offensive team, but at least now the Lakers will have somebody anchoring the paint, and make it tougher for the Spurs.

Defense on Pick-And-Rolls: 

The Lakers biggest threat on the defensive end of the floor will be Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, who with their ability to penetrate into the paint and score, as well as use the screen and the pick-and-roll effectively can tear through any defense in the league. The Lakers need to be aggressive on defense, jump out on screens and try to trap the wing player rather than anchoring and going under the screen to prevent the drive to the hoop. If the Lakers manage to keep Parker off the ball, it will force the likes of Leonard, Green and Splitter to take more shots. Parker v/s the trio? I would take the trio any-day.

Get the Spurs into foul trouble: 

If the Spurs have any weakness it is in terms of depth inside. I know that they boast of the best Power Forward in the history of the game in Tim Duncan, but beyond him the roster is certainly pretty thin in terms of size. Matt Boner may be a threat beyond the arc, but he certainly is a mismatch on the defensive end of the floor. Splitter is no beast either, and Diaw is also a no-presence down low. So, if the Lakers bigs’ choose to attack Duncan and force him into foul-trouble you have the perfect foil to the inside-out game. Gasol was guarded by Bonner for large stretches in game-1 and two, but choose to stay at the elbow, and shoot mid-range jumpers. D’Antoni playing the System again. But this time, Gasol needs to shut out whatever D’Antoni says, play like a beast, take Bonner to task and get down low and be aggressive. The way Kobe preached and preached, but D’Antoni wouldn’t deploy. Considering that it may be the last two home games of the season, he should just go out and be the player that he is rather than be the player D’Antoni wants him to be. It might very well be the last two home-games for him in a Lakers uniform, so he may just as well play basketball like the way every Laker fan knows he can.

Out-Rebound

The Spurs did a great job of rebounding and overall team defense on the Lakers. They almost played perfect ball-denial, fronting the Lakers post players and forcing them to give up the low-post position. As a result, the Lakers had to be content with perimeter shots, and with their bigs forced out, they weren’t any major force on the offensive glass. The Pat Riley cardinal rule needs to be remembered: Rebounds=Wins. And the Lakers need to rebound better to win. They need to post and re-post till they get their low-block positioning set, hound the offensive glass and win as many second-chance opportunities as possible. For a team shooting worse than 40% from the field, second-chance opportunities is maybe the only escape route.

Keep D’Antoni out of their heads: 

I guess that is what the whole Lakers fraternity wants the players to do. Actually gag him, ignore his time-outs, steal his drawing-board, send him to the stands to sell tacos, get him to fill water bottles, dry towels,; just don’t let him deploy the System.

But beyond anything, the Lakers need to play with a heart and a mentality to compete, to fight, to believe and to overcome. It is the minimum they owe to their fans, to their august franchise and to their wounded leader. #MambaMentality.

The Immortal Sixth Man: Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs. (Getty Images)

There is a famous old saying that goes, “Victory is a thousand times sweeter when you’re the underdog.” It is not just that the significance is greater, but it also reflects on the much contentious point of someone deserving being deprived of his due. One is an underdog because some savant out there didn’t perceive in him the required paramount iota of excellence or ability, to be considered as a legitimate challenger. Great examples of the same would be what people said about Buster Douglas before his historic knock-out win over Mike Tyson.

Pretty much comparable were the repudiations endowed on the zealous Greek football team in the EURO championships of 2004. I don’t wish to account for such instances, because I certainly am not qualified to do so. The point that I wish to make is that despite everything what the savants and the pundits may condemn or rave about, they do paint a picture of a dark horse. And to the enthusiasts and the passionate fans of the game, nothing compares to the joy of watching the dark horse win. David over Goliath. Nobody cheered for Goliath indeed.

Talking of painting pictures, I still vividly remember the initial dismissive stuff being written about a certain player in the draft of 1999. The player in question was a guard out of Argentina, with Italian roots and from a very well-reputed legion of basketball players. His father was a coach for a local club in Argentina; his two elder brothers had featured in both the Argentine Basketball league and the Spanish Liga Espanola de Baloncesto. Coached by his father, and trained amidst the numerous juvenile scrimmages with his brothers, the long-haired kid dreamed to do nothing more than play like his idol Michael Jordan. The kid is none other than the sorcerous Manu Ginobili.

Manu Ginobili, the 35-year old veteran, who in many ways holds the key to the Spurs possible play-off success campaign. His latest injury had the entire Spurs fraternity worried and fretting, while the savants were convinced that without Ginobili the Spurs surely couldn’t mount a significant post-season run. Well, he did return and he returned a hero. He delivered another vintage play-off performance for the Spurs, knocking down crucial momentum-changing three-pointers in the last two quarters en route to scoring 18 points in 18 minutes while destroying and demolishing any chances of a possible Lakers comeback. By the time the clock ticked over and the inevitable result was established, the whole arena was chanting his name. Tim Duncan did his bit, Tony Parker was also immense, but everyone knew and recognized that Manu had won them the game.

However, the story was far less rosy when Ginobili entered the 1999 NBA draft. The physical standards of the NBA demanded players with extreme hyperbolic athletic ability, and it was assumed that it was almost impossible for any European or South American player to come into the league and get accustomed to such physicality.

Manu had grown up to be as tall as his idol, Michael Jordan, but beyond his height he didn’t share any of Jordan’s physical gifts. He wasn’t the quickest player across 94-feet; his jumpers weren’t pretty and his hang-time was below average NBA standards. He was still an old-school guard who believed and banked on his basketball intelligence to navigate to the hoop and lay the ball in. He was a very sound ball-handler, but lacked the pace to bother the quicker guards in the NBA, and didn’t do much with his off-hand. At 22, one can’t surely complain about his decision making, but even that was a grey area.

The Spurs did select Manu Ginobili, but to predict that the 57^th pick of the NBA draft, would one day be a three-time NBA Champion amidst several other honours, one surely has to be shooting too high. Now, it is common knowledge that players picked so low in the draft aren’t expected to feature much in the game, let aside show enough promise to be reckoned with. Plus, this kid was from Argentina, and considering the alien basketball universe in the NBA, one was expecting a definite bust.

Many considered it wise on Ginobili’s part when he chose not to sign with the Spurs in 1999 and decided to play in the Argentine league for the Kinder Bologna. Ginobili had his mind and heart set on the NBA, and was ready to do everything required to develop and grow into the standards that the NBA demands and preaches.

The San Antonio Big 3: Tony Parker #9 of the Spurs reacts with Tim Duncan #21 and Manu Ginobili #20. (Getty Images)

His next three years helped him do just that, as he grew from an ambitious dreamy-eyed kid into maybe the best basketball player in Europe. He helped his team win the 2001 Italian Championship, the 2001 and 2002 Italian Cups and the 2001 Eurolegaue. On an individual level he managed to win the 2001 Lega A MVP , the 2001 Euroleague Final Four MVP, the 2001 FIBA Americas Championship MVP, the 2002 Italian Cup MVP and the 2002 Lega A MVP. The promise was fulfilled and the resume was over-flowing with adulations. Now, he was ready for the NBA.

However, despite everything that Manu had accomplished in Europe, he knew he would never match up to the physical highlight plays that defined the game. He wasn’t going to be anything like Jordan. But, now Manu was too wise to try and be something that was beyond his physical limits. He chose to be effective playing within himself, using his IQ and intelligence to dominate opposition players. He still didn’t have the pretty jumper, but now he had the wizardry to create space and launch his shots. He still couldn’t posterize players, but he could finish with contact. He couldn’t keep up with the faster guards in the league, but had the positional sense and the reading ability to steal the ball from them, force them into bad shots and just out-smart them. And thus came onto the scene the wizard who bamboozled the best of defenses with his ability to knock-down perimeter shots, dribble, penetrate and get to the rim, create plays and play defense. In other words he was doing everything that Jordan did, just that he did it differently.

His passes made it to the highlight reels, not his dunks; he didn’t shoot contested fade-aways because he could always create space and launch an uncontested jumper. He didn’t do the crazy cross-overs and explode to the cup, but used his signature off-balance ludicrous two-step floaters and bankers to score in the paint. Different than Jordan and yes, Jordan was surely greater, but Manu carved a very special niche for himself. If anything he also had this liking for the clutch moments, and maybe like Jordan and the Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant, he had the grit and the confidence to deliver in such moments. He ranks amongst the top 10 players in the league in points per minute during such moments. He also shoots down his free-throws better (unlike a certain LeBron James), and mostly manages to get the ball to the paint rather than taking 20-feet fade-aways (like the legendary Black Mamba does).

He sums it up best in his own words: “I don’t play like this because I want to look pretty; I think people can really see I love the game.”

In his 12^th year in the league, Manu has most certainly established himself as the greatest foreign player to have ever played in the NBA. I know some may say that Dirk Nowitzki has been better, because he has been a starter, won the regular season MVP and the Finals MVP, and notched more points and rebounds as the franchise star for the Dallas Mavericks. Many forget that as a basketball player, Manu has been more successful. He has won an Olympic Gold medal with the Argentinean team devoid of any major stars, has been a former FIBA MVP, and was the heart and soul of the Spurs team, a better team than the Mavericks for a better part of the decade.

Was Manu good enough to be a starter in the NBA? Definitely. Could he have at any point of his career do a James Harden and switch teams to be a starter for the bigger pay package? Certainly. But it is this standpoint that defines Ginobili’s legacy. He chose to be a role-player and live under the shadows of a Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, because to him nothing mattered more than winning. He believed he owed it to the fans, his coach and to his teammates. And if we are talking league honours, one may point out that Manu lost the 2005 NBA Finals MVP trophy to Duncan by a single vote.

Manu Ginobili #20 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball against Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers during their Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on April 21, 2013 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Getty Images)

But being the consummate professional as he is, Manu chose to bask in the spangle rather than have the limelight. Maybe with his talents he could demand more minutes and a bigger role, but he still remains the disciplined pupil, playing out his roles to perfection and coming up big every time the team needs him.

Not so surprisingly the Spurs seem to win every-time Manu plays well. During his latest hamstring injury, the Spurs seemed to have lost all their rhythm, giving up the first seed to the Thunder. Reminiscent of how the team folded in the 2009 NBA play-offs without the fire-power of Ginobili. They lost to a combative and gritty Memphis team, and despite Duncan’s and Parker’s best efforts.

Not so surprisingly with Manu not having trained much before the game against the Lakers many savants were contemplating the possibility of a possible upset. But the way Manu stepped up to the plate killed all those hopes. And if it is this attitude that Manu delivers in the rest of the series, the Lakers can surely give up any hopes of pulling off an upset.

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers hangs his head as he walks off the court after injuring himself against the Golden State Warriors in the second half at Staples Center on April 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

3:08 was left in the 4^th quarter. The Golden State Warriors led the Los Angeles Lakers 109-107, a score-line that belied much of the Lakers struggles for the better part of 4 quarters. The only thing that kept them in the game was the insurmountable and indomitable will and desire of their leader, the Black Mamba, with a little help from Pau Gasol.

The game for sure had been rough on Kobe Bryant as with the Warriors converging on him at every single opportunity, he had been through numerous hard fouls, had hurt both his knees and was limping heavily for the major part of the game. But with time running out on the Lakers, Kobe knew better than to dwell on his agonies. It was as they say “mamba time”, and his last two contested 25-foot impossible looking shots, were sign enough that Kobe was sensing the finish line and was ready for another of his clutch performances.

He caught the ball in a mid-post, isolated against Barnes, and knowing Kobe you just knew what was to happen next. He turned the corner, and just felt the smallest of push on his back, enough to disrupt his balance and send him scampering to the ground. The referees called a foul, and the Staples Center crowd rejoiced, as the foul would send Kobe to the line and give them a chance to tie up the game.

But the pandemonium and the euphoria didn’t last long. The whole crowd that was up and jumping a while back, suddenly was cast in a dire shadow of melancholy and nihilism. Bryant lay on the court still, clutching his ankle, twitching in pain and with every single burst of agony radiating through the tendons of his Achilles, the Lakers play-off hopes were drifting farther and farther away. The Lakers fans were aghast, and had their hands clasped in prayer, hoping against the inevitable. It isn’t often that Bryant gets helped out from the court. He is known to have braved many injuries, played through pain and fatalities that is considered medically impossible. And that was the reason why the Lakers fans were worried. It takes a lot to keep Kobe down. For sure, it was the Achilles heel.

As Bryant left the court after knocking down two vital free-throws, the whole crowd stood up and acknowledged the man, the warrior and the heart of the champion. Yes, the Lakers won, and may still make the play-offs but as a lifetime Lakers fan, I was worried and devastated.

As a pained fan, I do wish to stand up and call out Coach D’Antoni for his utter refusal to manage Kobe’s minutes, and allowing him to play beyond his physical limitations. In the past 5 games, Kobe averaged around 47 minutes a game. If you look through the season’s stats, you would realize that Kobe averaged over 38.5 minutes per game, and has notched up the third highest number of minutes in the whole NBA. He is third in scoring in the league, is averaging a career high in assists and has certainly played at a MVP level. Yes, hypnologic stats for sure, but beyond all these stats it also spells the story of crude mismanagement by D’Antoni.

Now, D’Antoni was never the right coach for this team. To deploy the system in a team that has two of the most skilled big-men in the league; to have defensive players like MWP, Howard and Bryant and still leak the points that the Lakers do. It is just plain downright unacceptable. Yes he is a great offensive strategist, but the hamlets of champions build their legacies on defense and rebounds. All great NBA teams, barring maybe the ‘Showtime’ Lakers did it with just their defensive intensity and grit. Be it the Celtics of the 60′s, the Bad Boy Pistons or the Invincible Bulls. All these teams paid maximum emphasis and effort on defense, and in many ways their defense fuels their offense.

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers grimaces after injuring himself, as Carl Landry #7 and Harrison Barnes #40 of the Golden State Warriors and Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on in the second half at Staples Center on April 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

Credit to D’Antoni that post the All-Star break, he sure seemed to get his act together. He allowed the team to fuel its offense through the post, and gave Bryant the free leash to do whatever he deemed necessary to win. The defense was still suspect, but as long as the team managed to get the job done, it was deemed just good enough. D’Antoni had openly stated that if the Lakers don’t turn out to be championship contenders, he surely would have failed.

Up against the truth and the inevitability of a lacklustre season, D’Antoni pinned his hopes on the belligerent 17-year veteran, and Kobe did deliver. He had games in which he scored 15 points, while dished out 14 assists, and then rebounded back with some clutch 40-point games. He was everything that the Lakers needed, play-maker when his teammates were free, scorer when the shot-clock was running out and the game was on the line, defender when the back-court of Steve Nash and Blake were too feeble to keep up with the younger and quicker guards, and also the leader and the vocal patriarch. When the team needed him he played the minutes, braved the injuries and the strains, but at all times stood out as the best and most competitive athlete in the purple and gold shirt. He played with an energy beyond his legs, an effervescence beyond his age, and with venom beyond anything I have ever seen.

I may run-out of words here, but I guess the following quotes do best describe, the heart and the will of Kobe. “It isn’t a sport for pretty boys…It’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. It’s the frozen spit on your chin and the nausea in your gut. It’s about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead. It’s about getting out the door and running when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day with. It’s about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there’s not a single soul in sight to cheer you on. It is all about having the desire to train and persevere until every fiber in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. And when you’ve finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best you can be. And that’s all that you can ask for.”

I admired the sentiments, the passion, the histrionics and the glory-attached with such amazing plays. But I can’t surely say that the injury was a shock. D’Antoni needs to take the hit for this one. He allowed Kobe to do too much, and allowed him to take calls on everything. He played Kobe for long minutes, and refused to sit him until Kobe asked for rest himself. What was he thinking? Kobe has always been the all-action basketball superstar, ready to play beyond anything. In his own words, he has always been like this kid, which just really loves playing the game of basketball.

Nothing else ever mattered, and did D’Antoni ever expect the guy, who turns up three hours before practice to shoot jumpers, the guy who sheds more sweat in the gym than anybody else in the game, to ever ask for a time-out. D’Antoni was just happy watching from the sidelines as Kobe set about doing impossible things on the court, allowing him to make sacrifices beyond his physical limits. He was just like the manager, who made his demands and saw his prodigy deliver, not like a responsible coach who though well of his prodigy. He set Kobe impossible challenges and Kobe being the ultimate competitor that he is, delivered.

“Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.”- Kobe Bryant

Now, yes I maybe a little bit hard on D’Antoni because nobody saw the injury coming. As Kobe himself said, “I made a move that I’ve made a million times, and it just popped.” Was it because he was just too tired due to the long minutes? As Kobe said, “Who knows? It was all necessary. It’s just a freak situation, I guess.”

(L-R) Steve Blake #5, Jodie Meeks #20 and Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers walk off the court after Kobe Bryant #24 injured himself against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Staples Center on April 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

But yes the Lakers would have been much better off had Kobe been forced to play 38 minutes rather than 47. Could D’Antoni have been the enforcer and forced Kobe to take adequate rest, rather than play to his whims and allow him to it all? Yes, he could and much rather he should have. How much of the injury was due to fatigue can never be resolved. But even if the injury were not to occur, the minutes were sure to take a toll on Kobe. Yes, he still remains wonderfully conditioned for a 34-year old, which is just a tribute to his competitive nature, but 47 minutes a game would take a toll even on a 25-year old. And come the play-offs, the Lakers would have had to face its impact.

Making the play-offs was maybe the biggest agenda, but the costs for the same were for sure over-estimated. D’Antoni never trusted his bench players enough, wasn’t ready to allow Gasol to control the offense with the bench. He was just too single-minded to allow any discrepancies, and that was maybe the reason why Kobe now will have to spend the rest of the season watching everything from the side-lines in a black tuxedo.

As Bryant bids a solemn adieu to a much-haphazard and roller-coaster season, he for sure left with a shining example to all his detractors and critics. He has often been called too selfish for his team, many have questioned his ability to trust his team, and some even have castigated as just an insolent kid who tries to do too much. As his much maligned Coach summed it up, “I hate it for Kobe. I hate it for us. I hate it for L.A. He’s just an unbelievable player with a heart, and it is unbelievable.” The truth from the man, who knew that he had a player who put everything he had on the line, to ensure that the team succeeds. To all the non-believers who still wish to throw up random numbers and statistics, comment on the volume of his shooting and his percentages, just ask anybody who ever has guarded the Black Mamba where do the percentages count when he rises up to launch a 18-foot fade-away. Percentages are for idealists, and idealists don’t make believers. I choose to believe, because beyond all the percentages I just see something far more important: the heart of a champion.

Yes, we now have some other critics who have started to question the possible early retirement of Kobe, and knowing that an Achilles injury typically takes about 10 months to recover, and with Kobe slated to earn over $30 Million in the next year, how do the Lakers perceive the situation. It does disgust me, but the questions are valid and for sure met an astute answer. Kobe on being questioned retorted back, “I know I can do this. It’s fuelling me. It’s fuelling me. I can feel it already.”

As he sat in the locker-room still wearing his purple and gold uniform, it seemed Bryant was having a tough time fighting back tears. The few times when we get to look beyond the hyperbolic exterior, into the heart of an ultra-competitive player who plays the game with his heart, because to him that is all he has got.

Bryant stated, “We worked so hard to put ourselves in position and control our fate. I certainly have done a lot of work to prepare myself. It’s just bad luck. I’ve never had to deal with something like this. It is a new experience for me. Obviously, there have been a bunch of players that have had the same injury. All I can do is look at them, see what they’ve done, and see who had more success coming back quicker and healthier. See what they did, and try to improve on that. We’ve been dealing with injuries all year. I’ll do what I can, watching film and communicating to the guys the best form of attacking certain teams, and go from there.”

Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives around Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Staples Center on April 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images)

The next matches are still very important for the Lakers as they try to make the final play-off push. They welcome the Spurs on Sunday, and one will surely be hoping that they play with a wounded warrior mentality, and play for their leader. Nash may be back on Sunday, but the impetus will be on the team’s big men duo of Gasol and Howard to come up big, and make all of Kobe’s sacrifices worthwhile. I don’t see the Lakers achieving much this season, but the least that the team should try to do now is to find a way to ensure that they stand true to the Black Mamba’s play-off guarantee.

And the inevitable question if he will be back, and will he ever be this good. If you are pondering over this, you surely haven’t seen the Black Mamba enough. He may himself be having his doubts as evident by his latest post on facebook.

Kobe goes on to state: “Now I’m supposed to come back from this and be the same player or better at 35? How in the world am I supposed to do that? I have NO CLUE. Do I have the consistent will to overcome this thing? Maybe I should break out the rocking chair and reminisce on the career that was. Maybe this is how my book ends. Maybe Father Time has defeated me…Then again maybe not!”

I still stand a believer and believe that it surely isn’t the end. Summing it up by quoting Bryant again: “If you see me in a fight with a bear, prey for the bear. I’ve always loved that quote. That’s “mamba mentality” we don’t quit, we don’t cower, and we don’t run. We endure and conquer.”

You surely shall, Sir.

For those of you who are confused, I just wish to clarify that I am not making any bloviating references to a certain Booker T. I wish to talk about a man who is much bigger than the WWE star; bigger in every sense of the word. The words aren’t maybe as signature as maybe to a Booker T, but if you choose to open up your jersey retirement “Thank You” speech with that, I guess the phrase must be some kind of an identity.

Shaquille O’Neal showed us new dimensions in the sport of basketball and was so dominant that it made other 7-feet, 260 pound big-men look like Lilliputians going up against Goliath, let aside being David. The man was adorned by a plethora of nicknames, some of the most popular being: “The Big Aristotle and Hobo Master”,”Shaq”, “The Diesel”, “Shaq Fu”, “The Big Daddy”, “Superman”, “The Big Agave”, “The Big Cactus”, “The Big Shaqtus”, “The Big Galactus”, “Wilt Chamberneezy”, “The Big Baryshnikov”, “The Real Deal”, “The Big Shamrock”, “The Big Leprechaun”, “Shaqovic”, “The Big Conductor”. All of these nicknames may not be exuding a singular distinctive message, but the diversity as well as the incongruity is nothing but a testament to the multi-faceted and belligerent big man. The funny part is that he actually believed there was a reason behind all of them.

Some of his most pronounced reasons are: “I’d like to be known as ‘The Big Aristotle’ because Aristotle once said, Excellence is not a singular act; it’s a habit. You are what you repeatedly do. I want to be known as ‘The Big Shakespeare.’ It was Shakespeare that said, some men are born great, some achieve greatness, some have greatness thrust upon them. The ‘Big Stock Exchange.’ I start off at one price.  Every now and then I’ll go down, but eventually I’ll go back up. The Big IPO. Put your money on me. Because when I go public, we all gonna make money.” Well, the histrionics are well-documented, and if his statements weren’t catchy enough, he had his own bag of tricks and gags that kept the media interested and the fans delighted. Hollywood certainly belonged to Shaq, and he belonged to Hollywood.

Yes, I know that with the retirement and the place on the legendary Lakers rafter, most people will be busy celebrating and bedizening Shaq, remembering him for everything he meant to the city during his 8 long years; the years that saw him win almost everything that there was to be won in the basketball universe. Fittingly, Jeanie Buss put it up in the best possible way: Two words, Champion and a Laker.

However, today as I sit trying to remember the Diesel, I would like to remember him for everything that could have been had he stayed a Laker for life; maybe retire as a Laker like the rest of the legendary player jerseys accompanying him on the rafters above: Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Goodrich, West, Worthy, Baylor and Wilkes. Now, I am not questioning the validity of Shaq being commemorated with all these greats, because one can’t surely agree against 3 Championships, a league MVP, 3 times NBA Finals MVP, and those gargantuan and hypnagogic numbers he posted.

But the fact that Shaq’s jersey finds a place alongside Magic creates the greatest dichotomy of it all. The Lakers fans loved Magic for everything, christened him lovingly as Mr. Laker and raved about his wizardry on the court and his personality off it. He was the league’s biggest superstar before HIV brought about a sad end to his NBA career. If Magic’s career hadn’t been cut short so early, we may have never known Jordan as we know him now. It was only when Magic gave up the baton that Jordan actually embraced stardom and scripted his immeasurable legacy.

Now, when the Lakers and Jerry West brought Shaq into the line-up, Shaq bore a similar perception within the fans. He was a monster inside, and the pleasing funny guy outside. But it is their departures from the franchise that sets them so apart. While Magic went off in the shadows silently to fight his next battle with HIV, Shaq went out just because the Lakers chose to keep their battles on the court, and find a solution to the never-ending tirade between Shaq and Kobe.

Now, I am aware that Shaq did want to stay with the Lakers and most probably finish his career with them, but he was just not ready to make the sacrifices. Was he too much of a big-dog to step aside and let somebody else have the spotlight? Well, no. Because if you were to look at his time beyond the Lakers, Shaq played the role of a side-kick as well. Be it with Wade, LeBron or the galactic Celtics Big Four, he had no issues playing the role-guy, promoting the talents of the younger and exuberant kid in Wade. This is the same guy who had dismissed Kobe saying, “I have no intentions of baby-sitting,” on joining Los Angeles and on knowing about the acquisition of a high school superstar in Bryant.

His philosophy when he came to Los Angeles was very simple and most aptly stated by the big guy himself, “I have 10 fingers, and no rings. And I love jewellery.” The loss against the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Rockets was still very much in his thought process, and he believed that he had a chance to expunge and obliterate much of that bad taste with the Lakers. Further on, a new home gave him the chance to be the undisputed alpha dog. Shaq knew that he had the potential to be as dominant as Wilt Chamberlain and was adamant that the offense should flow through him. Hardaway was just too skilled to be someone who throws the ball into the post and then spots up on the perimeter. He had too much in his game to be just a spot-up shooter and, when he differed from Shaq, it was just too much of selfish ball as per Shaq. Big men calling ball handlers ball-hoggers is not a rarity.

However, in Los Angeles, Shaq knew he was walking into a team that already had two All-Star guards in Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel. But the calling was also about the vision to usher in a new dynasty, to match the Minneapolis Lakers of the 1950s and the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s. Kobe was very much an essential part of this jigsaw, but Shaq was supposed to be the centre-piece.

However, Shaq was not ready to have a Penny Hardaway situation. He believed he had the offensive repertoire to be the focal point of an offense, much like Moses Malone was with the Rockets, or like his idol Wilt Chamberlain was throughout his career. So, when he suddenly came up against this high school kid who believed he had it in him to be the best player in the game, and out-worked everyone else, he was sensing audacity and obnoxiousness – something that he, being the leader and the alpha guy, was just not ready to take. Now, Kobe was a loner and with his “me against the world” mentality, was by no means an ideal teammate. He was reticent, and refused to hang out and even make an effort to have any contact with his teammates. To him it was all about basketball, and it was just an alien idea for him to try and do anything with his teammates beyond the suicide drills and the practice sessions. Shaq, on the other hand, was the exuberant big brother to his teammates, throwing parties, playing pranks, sharing laughs and getting them the media attention. Naturally, the team had its favourite, and for obvious reasons, Kobe didn’t have a problem.

And this is where I, being a Kobe and a Laker fan, have a problem with Shaq. Kobe was still too young to face the hard end of the deal from a 7-foot, 300 pound guy, and considering the fact that he grew up in Italy and was new to the American big brother-little brother concept, one can only expect Shaq to do better. Kobe didn’t go to college, most of his childhood friends were from Italy, and thus when he stepped into the Lakers jersey, he was just a 17-year old kid who could play the game. A 17-year-old kid who didn’t have anything else in his life but the sport. Shaq had the opportunity and the responsibility to ease his transition into the bright spotlight – a role that he adorned to great effect with Wade and the Miami Heat.

Was Kobe wrong in many of his decisions? Yes. He wasn’t the ideal teammate despite being the insatiable work-horse in training, and was solely motivated in becoming the best player that he could be. Was he trying to be the best ally to Shaq? No, he wasn’t. But anyone who saw Kobe in his struggles can tell you that Kobe loves his game too much to sacrifice, and the only thing that matters more is winning. At every point in his career, Kobe was always ready to sacrifice when he realized that his decisions could very well be the difference between winning and losing. Shaq did call out Kobe after his 51-point game against the Warriors in 2001 because he believed that Kobe hogged the ball and refused to accept that he could be the focal point of the Lakers offense. The thing that he didn’t realize was that Kobe was angrier because he knew that the Lakers hadn’t won the game. What Shaq assumed as snobbishness was just a prodigious young kid trying to do more than necessary to win.

I am no judge and can safely vouch for both the players when they say that it was impossible for them to co-exist. In the recent past, they have shed more light on their relationship; with age and maturity, they have started to realize that the bad blood was just both of them being too headstrong rather than actually having a dislike for each other. Kobe made his speech at Shaq’s retirement, and all seemed fair and pretty.

Shaquille O’Neal greets former teammate Kobe Bryant.

But as a fan, I would just like to paint a picture of what could have been had the Kobe-Shaq relationship been simpler and far less turbulent. Shaq would have ended with a couple of more rings, a thousand or more points, a few hundred rebounds more and not spending his twilight years in the sport jumping bandwagons in search of glory; maybe even a statue after his retirement. Kobe would have never had to play the Smush Parker years, could have won more than 6 Championships, maybe would have had a couple of thousand points lesser, but would been far less beat for sure. His ability and the desire to win can never be questioned, as he has proven with his most recent performances, averaging over 46 minutes, 25 ppg and 10 apg. Imagining a Shaq in place of a Dwight with a younger Kobe is just scary.

Most importantly, the concept of a one-two punch would have met its most ideal perpetrators. It could have ushered in a new dynasty for the Lakers, maybe even better than the Magic Johnson-led Showtime Lakers. And that is the saddest part of the dichotomy of this Laker legend. Kobe will also someday have his jersey retired, and maybe Shaq will be called to say a few words. But to all of the Laker fans, it will always be about two players who could have changed the sport for good had they found a way to co-exist. If only everyone was wiser. If only the precious words weren’t saved for retirement speeches.

The blueprint needs to include the following key points:

Is Zone-D the only way to shut out the Heat? (Getty Images)

Trying to play Zone D:

The Miami Heat is easily one of the most vibrant offensive units in the league. Their major offensive weapons include the play-making and driving ability of LeBron and Wade, and the complimentary efforts of the impeccable shooters like Battier, Chalmers and Bosh. The Heat try to run a high pick-and-roll to ensure that the opposition’s big man is driven out of the paint and thus opening up the lane for LeBron or Wade to exploit. If the help comes too quick, they dish the ball to the open shooters or try to find Bosh at the elbow. The Heat have some of the best perimeter shooters in the game, and Bosh is money from the elbow and this is the primal reason behind the Heat’s success. Thus this makes it a huge dilemma for the opposition defensive players as now they are forced to pick their poison, and more often than not are made to pay a hefty price by the Heat. The Heat not so surprisingly are averaging over 103 points per game, shooting a league high 49.6 % from the field, and averaging over 38% from beyond the arc.

The best way to defend such plays is most certainly by deploying the zone defense. Be it a 3-2 zone or a staggered 2-3 zone, it just kills out the open lanes that LeBron or Wade can look to exploit. What it also does is that it forces the Heat to play from the perimeter and despite the fact that they are amongst the league leaders in 3-point shooting, they surely aren’t nearly as dangerous without the drive-ins and the easy points in the paint. The zone defense also nullifies the isolation match-ups that can be easily exploited by the highly-skilled and athletic duo of LeBron and Wade, and also cuts down on the open lanes and chinks in the defense. It shall force the Heat to move the ball, and with help coming easy on a zone defense, the Heat will have to rely solely on overloading a particular side of the court, and try to find open looks off off-ball screens. Further considering that Wade and LeBron have a lesser impact as shooters from the mid-range and beyond the arc; it shall surely play into the hands of the opposition. It is this way that the Dallas Mavericks nullified the threat posed by LeBron in the NBA Finals of 2011, and in many ways showed the way to get it done defensively against the Heat.

The problem with zone defense is that it requires far greater amount of co-ordination and rotation to keep up with the extensive ball-movement and to nullify the open spaces. It requires a lot of practice, and considering that most teams in the NBA rely on going man-to-man it is very doubtful that any team in the NBA is prepared to play the zone. Maybe the Celtics or the Bulls, but other than that no other team in the league has ever shown a desire to try out much of a zone defense.

Trapping LeBron:

The Miami Heat’s offense is mostly depended on the court vision and play-making abilities of LeBron. Can LeBron be stopped? In 65 games so far, nobody has been able to do that, other than maybe Kobe. So, the only other way is to make it as difficult as you can for him. The best way is to ensure that you get multiple different looks against him. Make sure that you suit up at least 3-4 different defensive players on him during different stretches of the game, and force him to think and make decisions. This will not only bother his rhythm but also allow ensure that for all four quarters he is matched up against relatively fresher legs and active bodies that can keep him thinking and maybe force him to make a few mistakes.

(L-R) Udonis Haslem #40, Mike Miller #13 and Chris Bosh #1; The Miami Heat big men aren’t the best at grabbing boards. (Getty Images)

Also when the Heat try and run the high pick-and-roll, it is imperative that teams try and double up on LeBron, and try to trap him and deny him the open lane. Try to force him off the ball, and make the pass to an open man or a rotating big and hope the weak-side help and defensive rotations to bail them out. When LeBron decides to get his mid-range post-up game going, double him up and force him to give up the ball. It may very well open up for an open three-point shot, but teams can live with that.

Efficient defensive rotations:

The most vital effort on the defensive end of the floor against the Heat lies in trying to ensure that the defensive rotations are quick, and efficient. It is almost inevitable that LeBron and Wade will beat their man and get to the rim, but it is important that teams have enough cover and rim-protection. The whole defense needs to converge and try to slash the ball away, force a turn-over or at minimum contest the shot. If LeBron and Wade kick the ball-out, the recovery needs to be quick, as almost everyone who spots up is averaging over 40% from beyond the arc. It calls for a herculean defensive effort, something that maybe only the Memphis Grizzlies with their inner length of Randolph, Gasol and the wing players of Allen, Conley and Prince have shown the desire and determination to execute. It surely is a tall order, but beating this Miami Heat team is no joke, and it does call for such efforts.

Drawing offensive fouls:

Another important way of discouraging the Heat is to try and draw charges. Wade and LeBron’s drives to the basket happen at a pace that almost makes it impossible for them to change directions once they have a head full of steam. Most of the time they manage to earn a 3-point play, because the rotation isn’t quite quick enough. But teams have to take that chance and try to shore up the paint. Most importantly they need to ensure that the Heat’s rampant duo realize that there is a help defender ready to fill the lane and draw a charge, and this can surely play on their minds and force them to take tougher floaters or try and use the bank-shot.

Rebounds:

The Miami Heat are amongst the worst offensive rebounding teams in the league, and it is imperative that the opposition big men other than shoring up the paint and protecting the rim, work themselves out on the boards and win the rebounding race by a huge number. This shall not only eliminate any second chance opportunities, but can earn the team some easy transition opportunities.

Another championship maybe on the cards for the Heat. (Getty Images)

It may sound too lofty to just lay down the strategies and assume the teams to just run the same. It is easier said than done. However, the Heat are no ordinary team and it does call for gargantuan efforts and almost desperate desire for any team to succeed against them. The teams need to play with a lot of heart, respect the Heat for who they are, what they can do and react accordingly. They need to play their game, stick to the strategies rather than be flummoxed by a breakaway dunk or a momentum changing  highlight or a gravity-defying play. The Heat are so good that they will for sure get their moments, but the opposition teams need to read such plays as just two points, and continue playing the game. They need to be aggressive, mentally tough, focused and make it as difficult as they can for the Heat. They need to get into the faces of the Heat, play and challenge their ego, and look to beat them with their energy and effort.

The streak stands at 24 but will the streak of 33 games be broken? I am not too sure, as when the Heat play the Spurs on the 29th of March, I expect the streak to end. But, such streaks do nothing but project the supreme confidence and focus of this team. Stuff of champions indeed, but the exploits of a certain Knicks and the Bucks surely lend some light into the truth that despite all of the Heat’s brilliance there is still a way to beat them.

And come the play-off’s, the regular season records and streaks will carry no meaning. It is then that the real pedigree of the teams will be tested. The Heat do look scary, but beating them is surely very much possible. Probability is a different issue altogether.

The Miami Big Three of (L-R) Dwyane Wade #3, LeBron James #6 and Chris Bosh #1. (Getty Images)

LeBron James and Chris Bosh, left as traitors to their respective franchises in Toronto and Cleveland. Both of them were franchise stars, especially LeBron who had openly stated his desire to create his legacy with the franchise. Till then he was the city’s favorite, a player they vehemently defended beyond all tirades comparing him to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Revered by the fans he was protected by the city’s media and the management who went to the greatest lengths to give him the ideal supporting cast. LeBron had a team alike to what Michael had with the Bulls, strong and suited to get his abilities and strengths to hyperbolic levels.

Micheal had Scottie Pippen, and many believed that even LeBron needed a Robin to help him be Batman. But, nobody expected Batman to leave Gotham. Well, LeBron did and that is why to the city of Cleveland he will always remain a deep anguish.

“Strength and courage aren’t always measured in medals and victories. They are measured in the struggles they overcome. The strongest people aren’t always the people who win, they are the people who don’t give up when they lose. “

A great line indeed but to the hierarchy driven basketball fraternity, greatness has always been about winning, and the challenges don’t get counted until you overcome them. Allen Iverson is thus still a bust, and so are John Stockton and Karl Malone. LeBron could have chosen the high-road but he chose to win instead; to please the savants and earn his right to a legacy mirroring the likes of the great Michael Jordan. He tried to appease, but pleasing the savants is not a given. He was castigated and ridiculed by the media for making a fool of the league’s basic need of harboring equitable franchises. Branded an escapist and a quitter — forget Batman — he was suddenly Judas.

But 8 years into the league, LeBron was also aware of the fickle nature of such pundits and he knew that with Bosh and Wade, he had a chance to take over the basketball universe and dominate it like no player ever had. As LeBron famously proclaimed in the media presentation, “ I am here to win Championships. Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.” No prizes for guessing why he stopped at 7.

Was it going to be that easy? No, because building a team isn’t as simple as just assembling players and hoping that their talents add up. They needed to find an identity, a common ground and needed to season into a championship team. Two years after a drubbing at the hands of a not-so-glamorous yet efficient Dallas team, LeBron was vindicated. Consecutive Finals wins over the OKC has now set before us a team that seems destined to make the prophecy come true. With the best record in the league and a record 23-games win-streak, one can surely try and put a ceiling on what this team can achieve.

LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat is the favourite to win the MVP award. (Getty Images)

And that brings us to the question that is most probably giving many basketball players and franchises sleepless nights. Are the Miami Heat even beatable? LeBron is playing the best basketball of his life, Wade’s improved health has seen him prove yet again that, when healthy he is still among the top 5 players in the game and Bosh has silently but surely proved to be a major match-winner. The bench and the other role-players seem to know their duties and have come up trumps whenever the situation demands. Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier, Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Chris Anderson, Norris Cole and Rashard Lewis all seem to relish the roles and the opportunity of being a part of something so special. They make sacrifices for each other and have not so discreetly showed off their team chemistry in a rather disturbing Harlem Shake gag.

However, beyond all their extolments and histrionics beating the Heat is still very much possible. It is a tall order indeed, but over a series of 7 games there is most certainly a way to beat them.

The blueprint on how to do it at the offensive end of the floor needs to revolve around the following key-points:

1. Slowing down the tempo:

The Heat love to run the floor, to fill the lanes and to play a high-tempo transition offense. Most importantly despite what the OKC Thunder and the LA Clippers may claim, the Heat are far more dangerous and efficient on the open floor, and no team can hope to beat the Heat with a run-and-gun game. The key is to disrupt the Heat’s offense, by playing a slow tempo game. The team has to try and get the ball inside to their bigs’ and feed off them. Force the Heat defense to make adjustments and exploit their lack of length and depth inside. Execute set offensive plays from the post and attack the Miami Heat’s interior defense.

2. Careful ball movement in the paint:

The Miami Heat are among the best in the league in forcing turn-overs and earning easy transition opportunities. In fact they average around 9 steals per game to go along with 16 turnovers per game, and they feed on such lapses to get their transition and up-tempo offense flowing. The only way to beat them is by ensuring that teams take care of the basketball, avoid getting into traps and move the ball from side-to-side and force the Heat’s defense to make decisions and swift rotations. The benefit is that the Heat lack a legitimate shot-blocker and with the rim-protection being a major deficiency, the teams could look to exploit any possible lapses in the defensive rotations to earn open looks or find lanes to finish at the rim.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra deserves credit for the way he has set up the Heat defense. (Getty Images)

The need is to attack the set-defense of the Heat with dribble penetration, and forcing the Heat’s defense to cover to the paint. The Heat are forced to do so because Bosh can’t be taken very seriously as a shot-blocker and with the whole team forced to react, it can surely open up opportunities for the spot-up shooters. The NY Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks used this strategy beautifully when they beat the Heat and this seems like a sure solution to open up the rather stubborn Heat defense. The only issue is that the Heat’s wing defensive unit of Chalmers, Wade and LeBron are premier defenders and thus it is imperative that opposing teams utilize a high pick-and-roll to get to the paint and execute the dribble penetration to force the defense to collapse.

3. Perimeter shooting:

The dribble penetration and forcing the extensive defensive rotations from the Heat can only work if the teams can make their perimeter shots. The opposition needs to be prepared to take, and make open-shots. What that will do is force the Miami Heat to stick closer to their defensive assignments, and make decisions as to when and how often can they afford to rotate and try trapping or double-teaming the opposition’s ball-handlers. This shall not only open up the floor for the ball-handlers to penetrate and finish at the rim, but will make the Miami Heat defense work harder and shall take away their defense-leads-to-offense mentality.

This is indeed the only way to beat a Pat Riley system, and even though many might have scoffed at the version of Mike D’Antoni’s system (whose methods may work here, not the Lakers), it might very well be the answer to the defensive solidity of the Heat.

4. Feed the team’s bigs’ and grab more boards: 

It is no secret that the Heat like to go small and that leaves them with a major weakness inside. Bosh is not a legitimate center and the back-ups of Anderson and Joel Anthony are relatively pedestrian. The Heat depend on their collective effort to bail them out time and again, and that is their biggest vulnerability. Maybe the fact that not many Eastern Conference teams have legitimate post players, help the Heat and play into their hands, but the exploits of a certain Ersan Illyasova of the Bucks or the Indiana Pacers Roy Hibbert can go a long way in showing that such vulnerabilities can be exploited to hurt the Heat. It is imperative that teams look to feed their bigs’ on the low-post and try to set them up with a quick post-up. It has to be quick, because the Heat excel in trapping players in the post, and it has to be effective. Bosh or Haslem aren’t worthy shot-blockers and once the bigs’ get to the rim, finishing is a relatively easy task.

Further on, the Heat are among the worst in the league in rebounding, and it is imperative that the opposition big-men try and earn as many second-chance point opportunities as possible. This is maybe the easiest way to hurt the Heat and eliminate the open-court game. Surely LeBron and Wade can’t hope to be making the full-court alley-oop plays when they have to fight hard just to secure a rebound.

The starting 5: Miami Heat players Chris Bosh #1, Mario Chalmers #15, Udonis Haslem #40, LeBron James #6, and Dwyane Wade #3. (Getty Images)

5. Draw fouls:

The Miami Heat despite being a very aggressive defensive unit, do a great job of avoiding getting into foul trouble. This is mostly because they are swift and quick with their rotations and weak-side help, and force teams into traps and turnovers. They don’t play a lot of isolation defensive sets and mostly keep the play at the perimeter, forcing opposition teams to earn their points off difficult mid-range and perimeter jump-shots.

Opposition teams thus need to ensure that they spread out the floor, use off-ball staggered and brush screens to create some isolation mismatches and try to earn more trips to the charity stripe. That way teams play an inside-out game, force the Heat defense to try something outrageous and earn easy points at the free-throw line.

This in a nut-shell is what teams need to do to beat the Miami Heat. The fact that in 23 matches, the Heat haven’t come across any team that could execute these strategies efficiently speak volumes of their defensive ability. It is easier said than done, but if it is to be done, this is how it has to be done.

Part Two of the article, talks about what the opposition teams need to do on the defensive end of the floor to beat the Heat.

The Lakers faithful are busy celebrating the fact that for the first time in this season, the Lakers are 2 games beyond .500. The 8th seed is theirs for the time-being and with Utah struggling, a play-off spot does look possible. Yes, the Lakers showed a lot of character to rise to being the 8th seed, standing true on Kobe’s guarantee.

Actually, if I were to quote Kobe, he said, “It’s not a question of if we make the playoffs. We will. And when we get there, I have no fear of anyone — Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver, whoever. I have zero nervousness about that.”

They do look destined to make the play-offs and maybe the latest post All-Star run has shown signs of what the team can and should have been playing like, but there are still many superstar intangibles that ride along with this team. Even though Kobe may say that he has zero nervousness about facing the top 4 teams of the Western Conference, the truth is that the team is still a paltry 2-12 against the top 4 teams. The Lakers still remain what D’Antoni says,“An All-Star Team”. They still haven’t played consistent basketball for 48 minutes, and have solely banked on the individual heroics of their All-Stars to get them through. Whether it was Howard against the Hornets and the Bulls or Kobe against the Raptors, it has not been a team effort at any end. Such singular superlative efforts can hardly snuff out the deficiencies and the chinks that the Lakers carry.

The Lakers still remain one of the worst defensive teams in the league, despite the presence of the likes of World-Peace, Howard and Bryant. Now, between them they have 4-defensive player of the year trophies to go with numerous All-NBA defensive team inclusions. Bryant, even at his age, can play great perimeter lock-down defense, Howard is one of the best at protecting the rim and World-Peace can flat out knock any offensive player off his game. And there have been moments when they have actually done that, be it snuffing out the 18-point deficit against the Hornets in the 4th quarter, or the defensive effort against the Bulls. The problem is that they just don’t seem to do it consistently enough, and lack the urgency and the drive on defense for long stretches of the game. Stretches like the last 7 minutes against the Heat or the 3rd quarter against the Thunder, those changed what could have been a possible contest into an easy victory for the opponents. And the blame for this has to go to Coach D’Antoni.

Sure, every team goes through stretches in the game when nothing seems to work for them. All seemingly minuscule contact get called for fouls, open shots rim-out, defensive communication breaks down, and the whole world seems gloomy. All this in front of a crowd of 10,000 vociferous fans, and under such huge pressure and intense spotlight many players do fade out. It is then the responsibility of the coach to stand up and drive his team on. Put in a motivational speech, call out plays, get them moving, make some changes, and just shake things up a bit. What do the Lakers get? A forlorn, smug-looking coach who seems uninterested in their defensive woes, and is calling out plays for the players to run the floor and share the ball. I am sorry, but a player who has just been crossed-over and dunked on would actually like a moment to get his composure back, rather than having to run the floor and shoot a three.

But the past few weeks may have seen an ever so slight change. D’Antoni has actually been trying to give more emphasis on defense and has tried to tweak his philosophy. The signs haven’t exactly been very encouraging, but the effort seems to be there and coupled with the emergence of Howard, things are surely looking up at the defensive end. The worrying thing is that it still doesn’t look good enough. They still slack on defensive rotations, their pick-and-roll defense rides solely on Howard’s shoulders and with teams deploying a high screen and roll against the Lakers, Howard gets pulled out of the paint too often and with almost nobody to cover for him, the Lakers have been giving up many points in the paint. The issues with transition defense still remain, but considering the back-court that the Lakers have, I don’t see it being solved ever. The only hope for them is to take care off the ball and avoid giving up easy transition points. All of these are chinks that one can easily expect teams of the caliber of the Thunder, Nuggets, Spurs and the Grizzlies to exploit. Despite what Kobe may say, this is something that the Lakers should be very nervous about.

The Offense seems to be working fine post the All-Star break, as Kobe is playing at a supreme level, and seems to be carrying the team along with him. Over the past 10 games, Kobe has averaged over 32 ppg to go with 7 apg and 6 rpg. He has managed to do everything right on defense and has maximized the scoring potential of almost every single player in the team. Howard is getting his lobs at the rim, and is averaging over 16 ppg. Nash is getting open looks from beyond the arc and is knocking down crunch shots. Even Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison seem to have benefited from the play-making skills of the Black Mamba, or Vino as some now call him. The problem is that Howard and Nash, despite putting up good numbers, aren’t doing what they do best. Nash is a great 3-point scorer, and in the past 10 games he has averaged over 53% from beyond the arc. But with Kobe playing creator, the sorcerous guard from Canada hasn’t had much time on the ball, and has been relegated to being a spot-up shooter. Steve Nash, the best PG of his generation (maybe amongst the greatest all-time in deploying the pick-and-roll and dishing the basketball), has just not had the ball enough to make an impact. Howard may have been scoring a lot through his signature dunks and throw-downs, but he has had almost no chance to post-up, and that kind of kills his supreme play-making ability from the post; the same ability that saw the Magic decimate the LeBron James-led Cavaliers and reach the 2009 NBA Finals. It is calling for sacrifices that these players may have acceded to, but surely couldn’t be happy with. Superstar intangibles, which may at some point further in the season, kill the already delicate Lakers chemistry.

And talking of causing disharmony to the team chemistry, there surely seems to be very little to build on. The major story-line of the Lakers campaign has actually been the fact that almost every single player seems to be on a different page. Nash is confused and is still trying to find an identity for this team. Gasol is skeptical about his role and whether he is actually needed by D’Antoni. But the worst of it all is the seemingly ludicrous tirade between the two alpha-males in Bryant and Howard.

Bryant was having issues with his team not being bothered as much as he was, and not being ready to sacrifice enough. And as the Black Mamba has done all throughout his career, he called out Howard to play through the pain and the injuries. Howard, for the first time in his career, was playing with someone as driven and intense as Bryant and just seemed shocked at the treatment that he was getting. Kobe wanted Howard to step up, but the ever-pleasing Howard just chose to play diplomatic and play through it all. Howard Sr. may have needlessly stepped up, but that was solely because Howard just chose to remain silent and play the Chandler Escapist mode. He made fun of Kobe, jibed at his remarks, and was more than happy punning his way out of it. Eventually the need to be loved and appreciated got to him, as in a recent public conference Howard stated how Kobe motivates him and helps him be a better player and a better man. The comments seemed perfectly timed as the on-court chemistry seemed to have gotten much better in the past 10 games. The duo were again back to high-fiving each other in time-outs, and seemed to talk enough to call out rotations and plays. Seemed perfect PR maybe, but while Kobe was smart enough not to kill the delicate chemistry, he surely couldn’t be impressed.

And he did make his views clear when he heard about the recent comments made by Dwight about his experience and his time at Orlando. Kobe understood that it was bound to be emotional for Dwight, as the all-pleaser in him would have been killing him for whatever transpired in Orlando for the better part of the Dwightamare year. Kobe, being the cold-blooded winner, was having none of that, and was not prepared to have anything that could dismantle the winning run that the Lakers had put up.

Bryant said, “Emotional?! I’ll talk to him. Just go out there and bust they a!@. Show them what they’re missing. Save the emotional s#$% for when you retire. It’s like me going back to Philadelphia for the Finals. They hated me for it, but it is what it is, you know what I mean? They’ll appreciate him at the end of his career when it’s all said and done. But right now, no matter what he says, they’re going to boo him and they’re not going to like him right now. There’s nothing that he can say that’s going to alter what they’re going to do. So why bother? The best thing to do is to go out there and stay focused on what we’re trying to accomplish and what we’re trying to do. It’s water under the bridge. It may be tough for him. He’s a very, very nice kid. He wants to say the right things and please as many people as he can. You can’t please everybody, and I’ll talk to him about it a little bit before we get down to Orlando and try to put a little of that in him for the game.”

And that is where the problem lies. Howard still remains the nice kid who is trying to please everyone. Kobe is the bully who just marks his territory and owns it. And yes, it will surely take a toll on Howard, unless he learns to speak up and take a stand. Howard needs to feel like a leader on this team and dictate terms. Kobe isn’t going to be easy on him and hand over the reins directly. Howard needs to be a beast to earn the right, and that is something that we haven’t seen from Howard over the whole season.

Will it happen during the play-offs? I am an idealist and a Lakers fan, and though the fan inside me would want it to happen, the pragmatics and the rationale defy it. Thus, for the Lakers to be able to keep up this run and make some forays in the play-offs, I would be expecting stuff that the Lakers haven’t showcased all season long. Even if they do make the play-offs, they would have to play out of their skin to go any further.

Expect them to make the play-offs and bow out in the first round.

Well, not many can stand up and argue against the paramount perspicacity and sagaciousness of the legendary man. However, a certain player from Akron, Ohio can most certainly fight and prove his case to be a confounding mixture of both states.

Meet Stephen Curry, the man who made many heads turn with his indomitable 54 point display against the Knicks, at MSG, the grandest stage of all. A player who many consider to be among the best shooters to have ever laced their shoes; a star and the face of a resurgent franchise, but still maybe a touch overshadowed by the grandiose of the likes of a Chris Paul, Westbrook, Parker etc.

The game was significant as the whole league was excited to see how the Warriors would bounce back after the fiasco and the loss against the Pacers. And at the helm of the whole renaissance was Stephen Curry. With David Lee suspended, the onus was on Curry to deliver. A similar situation when a certain Kobe Bryant, devoid of the injured Andrew Bynum, came up and delivered a memorable 62 point performance against the Knicks under the brightest spotlight in all of sports. Curry did something very similar, scoring 54 points, and going berserk with 11 made three-pointers from beyond the arc, en route to almost snatching a win for the Warriors. And there lies the difference. Kobe won the game, Curry left with an if and a but. Another almost, in a career lined with such ifs’ and buts’.

Curry’s introduction to the game was as pure and holistic as one can ever hope for. Son of Dell Curry, a legend for the Hornets and a player who was respected and revered for his ability on the court, as well as his temperament off it. To the little Stephen, his father was the best player in the league, and he desired of nothing more than to emulate him. As a kid, he accompanied his father to many of the Hornets’ practice sessions, and at a very young age was showing great aptitude for the game. He would watch the team practice, study their moves and their plays, try to remember and copy every drill, and on every single break jump onto the court and start shooting the ball. Basketball was his only love, and he was having a ball enjoying the perks of being a star-child. Maybe not so much as little CP3 is enjoying, but Curry had his moments and he revelled in them.

While he was having his moments of juvenile stardom, Stephen was also showing that he had inherited a lot from his father’s basketball talents. Even as a kid, he had built a reputation of being a deadly shooter with a great quick-stroke and remarkable range. At Charlotte Christian School, he was the toast of the basketball team, and was named all-state, all-conference, and team MVP as he led his school team to three conference titles and three state play-off appearances. He averaged over 45% from beyond the three-point arc, a number that is impressive even by NBA standards, let alone high-school ball. Curry was a star, and played like one. He had been habituated to the fealties of his school mates and with his dad’s popularity and reputation, many already were predicting a future NBA All-Star appearance. As a kid, it is but difficult to stay modest in the face of such plaudits, and Stephen had started assuming greatness.

Stephen was banking on his school team heroics to get him through to a great college. It was then that he got his first taste of denial, as despite everything, none of the major conference schools came calling. Some who did, didn’t want to give him a full scholarship, and the dreamy eyed kid was watching his dream crumble right in front of his eyes. For a kid so habituated to having the best of all, rejection was not an easy meal to swallow.

Many reckoned that at 6-foot, 160 pounds he was too small to be a force in college basketball. Curry wasn’t the brawniest kid around, and he couldn’t change that. It may have been harsh on Curry, but it was however necessary because only in the face of obstacles do the great characters take shape. Stephen wasn’t ready for denial, and it was this moment that shaped his real and true personality. When Davidson College came calling with a full-scholarship and a guarantee that Curry was a major feature of their plans, Curry was ready and accepted the challenge. Davidson was not a major force in the NCAA circuit, and hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 1969. It was an underdog team; a perfect ambiance for Curry to step out, explore himself and his abilities.

Curry’s achievements at Davidson were surely the greatest possible vindication that he could have ever hoped for. He starred for the Wildcats and transformed them into a major force in collegiate basketball, while notching numerous plaudits, records and honours. The underdog had risen, and Curry was selected by the Warriors as the 7^th pick in the 2009 NBA draft.

As fate would have it, Curry was anointed as the next big thing by a franchise much maligned by its horrendous record at managing and trading draft picks. Their history was against them, and their fans were hoping that Curry would prove to be some relief for many of the disasters that they had endured.

Curry was relieved and happy to have turned his life around, and to be able to fulfill his dream of featuring in the NBA. But his moment of basking in the spangle of achievements was short-lived, as the Warriors still struggled as a franchise. Many mix-and-matches were made, many players were drafted around, and it was only when Mark Jackson came at the helm that things seemed to sort themselves out. Curry had missed a huge part of the 2011-12 season due to injuries, but Jackson saw qualities in Curry that convinced him that Curry could be a leader and deserved to be the face of the franchise. Jackson’s belief was sure enough indication for the Warriors, who then traded away their biggest star in Monta Ellis for the herculean Andrew Bogut. With a roster boasting the likes of the dependable David Lee, the veteran guard in Jack, the herculean Bogut, the prodigal Thompson and the exuberant Barnes, Curry had role-players who could help him reach the potential that Jackson envisaged of him.

Life was coming at a fast pace for Curry, and he sure responded, averaging 22 points, 6.5 assists, 1.7 steals, while averaging among the league’s best in 3-point shooting percentage. Many consider that he should have been an All-Star this year, but in a conference laden with paramount talents at the PG and the SG positions, Curry was against a pretty tall-order. Had it been the eastern Conference, he surely could have featured over a Holiday, but at 24 he knows his time will come.

Maybe in the next few years Curry might actually earn an All-Star nod and improve his numbers. However, as the face of a resurgent Warriors franchise, there are still many areas of his game that he needs to work on. He is surely a gifted three-point shooter, and with his quick-release and range, he will always be counted among the best ever to heat it up from beyond the arc. He may feature and win many NBA skills contest and three-point contests, but the truth remains that in a hierarchy driven fraternity like the NBA, all such histrionics count for nothing. Curry has to realize that he has a chance at being great, something that isn’t implicit but has to be earned. And Curry fails on many such paradigms that isolate the greats from the prodigies.

He surely is among the better ball-handlers in the league as proved by the punishment he dished out to the likes of Raymond Felton and George Hill. However, Curry predominantly is transfixed on executing a cross-over and creating space to launch an impossible looking fade-away three-pointer. Yes, he is maybe among the best in the league at doing that, but Curry needs to understand that he has enough talent to earn his points through easier and higher percentage looks. He needs to work on his ability to beat players off the dribble, use screens and get to the rim more often. As they say, to get the ring, get to the rim.

Curry, also needs to work on his upper body strength, and try to become a more versatile player, rather than being the player who lives and dies on the perimeter. His court vision is amongst the best in the league, and if Curry develops his inside game, he can surely become a very effective player. It shall open options to drive and dish, orchestrate plays, feed bigs’ off rolls’ and also get some easy looks. He should still use his 3-point shot as his go-to move, but surely he should refrain from becoming one-dimensional.

Curry has certainly improved immensely as a pick-and-roll defender, but as a one-on-one defensive player he still leaves a lot to wish for. Many bigger PG’s have often looked to post-up on him, and succeeded against the comparatively fragile Curry. With the likes of Westbrook and Paul boasting of a competent post-up game, it is imperative that Curry works on his physique and his defensive ability.

But most of all, Curry needs to develop the character and the attitude that a franchise star should have. The same that defines a Kobe Bryant or a Kevin Durant. It is what is famously called the clutch gene; the desire to take the ball in the big moments and the certitude and conviction to come up supreme. Against the Knicks, Curry was virtually infallible from beyond the arc, and despite Felton’s best efforts, Curry was just shooting impossible rainbow shots. He seemed destined for a shocking win over the Knicks, only for destiny to challenge him. With 1:28 left in the fourth quarter, and the game tied at 105 points, Curry had the chance to nail the dagger. He had the ball in his hand, and the game rested on his shoulders. The grandest stage of all, the biggest match of his yet nascent NBA career. Till then, everything he shot just swished right through. But this wasn’t the usual shot. It was still the same game, he was in-form, but with this shot rested the fate of the game. The pressure got to him, as Curry forced a shot and was blocked by Felton. The Knicks scored on the ensuing possession and Curry’s shoulders drooped. The game was still within his reach, but Curry just folded as the next 2 possessions saw Jack aiming to put an isolation move and turning the ball-over, and Thompson missing clutch 3-point shots. The thing to realize is that suddenly, Curry, the Warriors best offensive weapon, didn’t want the ball, and had no role in the last few possessions. He had quit, and that is what still separates him from the elite few of the league. On nights, it is  Jack who takes the clutch shots, and sometimes it is David Lee. Curry just seems too young to take on the ball in such situations.

And that is the prime reason why maybe few coaches still don’t consider it an obligation to feature him in the All-Star game. He is still too raw, and still shies away from the big moments. He has no play-off experience and doesn’t stand a chance against the seasoned pro’s like Paul, Parker and Westbrook. The only positive is that he is a willing learner, and the game at MSG would have surely done wonders for him as a basketball player. As Warriors legend, Chris Mullins remarked, “Everything in New York will be a little bit bigger, so it adds to it. If you look at those numbers, I don’t care where he does that. If he did it in Timbuktu, it’s unbelievable. An incredible shooting exhibition for any generation, any time, anywhere.”

But Mullins knows that such performances only count when you repeat the same at the business end of the season. Curry’s work ethics are well-reputed and his latest outing for sure may have developed in him a penchant and a liking for the big stage. As Mullins summed it up, “That’s why you put in extra time, to be ready for those moments. Those nights don’t happen a lot. Some guys don’t get that opportunity. To me, that’s what it’s all about — putting in the work so you can be ready. And he really took advantage.”

One can only hope that the 48 minutes he played at the MSG might be the first step in the seasoning of a player who promises to be a future Warriors legend. More than Curry, the franchise deserves and needs him to do so.

Oblivious to this reality, we are taught to believe, to be idealists, and most importantly, to preserve and nurture the innocence that comes along with it. We grow up believing that Santa is real, that meteors blazing across the sky are there to fulfill our dreams. But to a certain kid from the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, dreams were a luxury that he wasn’t supposed to have.

Was it because it was too much of an overbearing thought? Was he looking to go beyond the realms of rational and pragmatic thinking into domains unchallenged and unconquered?

Well, no! He wished to play a game that he loved beyond anything else in the world, and wished to play it with the best players in front of the biggest crowds. His dream was innocent indeed, and could’ve been cast off as being slightly unrealistic. But even before he had harboured enough fantasies, his dream was stolen from him and he was cast into a stark, inexorable and intransigent world where he was judged and discriminated on parameters that he neither understood nor realized.

Connie Hawkins, the man who was denied a right to dream.

Hawkins was born on July 17, 1942 at a time when the sport of basketball was still in its nascent stages. The NBA then was a distant dream as the game’s future tethered between the uncertainties and the vigorous harmonics of the BBA, the ABL and the NBL.

But in the hamlets and ghettos of Brooklyn, the game of basketball was beyond the glitz and glamour of a professional league. Cast amidst the world of drugs, poverty, teenage-crimes and other such opprobrious shenanigans, basketball was maybe their only pure and holistic adventure.

And it is this back-drop that defines the life and the struggles of Hawkins. Poverty-stricken and malnourished as a kid, his growing up days were far from rosy. Not the smartest kid around, Connie had an IQ of 70, and a not-so-surprising disdain for books. The only thing that he loved was playing basketball, a sport in which he had developed an excellent reputation. He could do manoeuvres that belied his age, and with such moves came the obvious respect from the boroughs. So much so that a few philanthropic people paid his school fees so that he could feature for the local Boys High school team. Connie starred as a basketball player, averaging over 25 ppg, and under the weight of such amazing displays, his grades were morphed. The school and the people in the boroughs encouraged Connie to lay low on his academic liabilities and concentrate on basketball. Connie saw no harm, as basketball got him respect, earned him favours and made him a celebrity.

Connie’s reputation wasn’t limited to the courts of Brooklyn, and soon almost every college in the country had started to show interest in him. Connie had grown into an all-round player, who many believed could change the very face of the game itself. Standing 6’8”, he had remarkable dribbling ability and a perimeter game to go along with his gravity-defying dunks, an expansive repertoire of post-moves and an awe-inspiring ability to palm the basketball with one hand, all the while moving with utmost grace. By Connie’s own admission, he aimed to break the laws of gravity, famously stating, “Someone said if I didn’t break them, I was slow to obey them.”

Connie joined Iowa State University, and his reputation meant he was always the centre of attraction. He found favors easy to come by, and candidly took them for granted. Be it alcohol or cigarettes, Connie had started to do it all. Maybe the culture was playing on him, but he was christened as a legend, and he believed that he owed it to his supporters. It was at this juncture that he met Jack Molinas, the infamous New York attorney who was at the centre of one of the biggest point-shaving scandals in the history of college basketball.

Hawkins had befriended Molinas because he knew him as a playground hero, and found a common interest in basketball. His only sin was maybe that he accepted a loan of $200 from Molinas, a sum that he promised to return. When the whole point-shaving scandal came to the fore, Connie’s name was also dragged along because of his supposed friendship with Molinas. Hawkins was still a freshman then, and in those days freshmen weren’t allowed to play in the NCAA. So Hawkins certainly could not have been a direct perpetrator of the crime. He was accused of being a middle-man, someone who introduced Molinas to the players.

Hawkins pleaded innocence, but he was never the most confident kid and his modest education hadn’t prepared him for anything like this. He was kept from seeking legal counsel, a right that he didn’t know he could exercise. On being grilled by the blustering detectives, Hawkins got scared and in order to mollify the grilling, and unable to endure the pressure, he accepted things that he never did without realizing its implications. He was just a very scared 17-year old who didn’t want to go to jail, and despite being clean, didn’t know how to convince the hectoring detectives.

Hawkins wasn’t charged due to lack of evidence, but the damage was done. The prejudiced and libelous, even racist attitude of the authorities didn’t help his cause as he was blackballed from the NBA and expelled from Iowa. To the league, he was just another black kid who had gone rogue and was nothing but a nuisance that they were more than happy to keep at bay.

Hawkins was watching his whole world crumble and looked for a reprieve under the lesser known ABL. Even before he could find a hint of stabilization and normalcy though, he would face another disaster. Within a year of his joining the ABL was scrapped, and all the uncertainties returned. The tunnel was dark again, and Hawkins was slowly losing all trace of light. He needed a job, and when the Harlem Globetrotters came calling, he agreed to it without a thought. He needed a break, and the Globetrotters gave him just that: a chance to entertain, to feel good about himself and to earn his living performing burlesque routines.

His time with the Globetrotters reinvigorated his passion for the game, as in between the amazing acts, he had learnt his greatest ability and strength. It was to entertain, and he loved nothing more than drawing the awe of the crowd. He found motivation again, and filed a $6 million lawsuit against the NBA, claiming the league had unfairly banned him from participation despite him being acquitted of all charges. He also decided to give professional basketball another shot, and with a far more mature and determined head on his able shoulders, he stood ready for the renaissance.

Hawkins joined the Pittsburgh Pipers in the inaugural 1967–68 season of the ABA and led the team to the Championship, winning both the regular-season and play-off MVP awards. His exploits with the ABA did his case a lot of good and justice was rightly served when the NBA settled the case with a cash agreement of $1.3 million, allowing Hawkins to join the Phoenix Suns. Life had come full circle for the dreamy and acquiescent kid, who had seasoned into a mature and astute individual. His life lessons had been tough, and may have stolen away his shot at having a gargantuan legacy, but Hawkins chose to remain positive, stating “I was so happy to play, I didn’t have any problems with animosity or bitterness at all. As soon as I got that Phoenix Suns uniform, I just wanted to play.”

Hawkins’ introduction into the league is maybe the greatest story of vindication in all of sports. He averaged over 24 ppg, 7rpg and 5 assists, en route to being named an All-Star in his first season with the Suns. His greatest achievement came when he burned the mighty Lakers boasting of the likes of Wilt, West and Elgin for 34 points, 20 rebounds and 7 assists to a memorable win in game-2 of the Western Conference Play-offs. The game showed the world what the league and the basketball fraternity had been deprived of.

His next few years in the league were rather subdued as he battled injuries, and he retired in the year 1976. When he was inducted into the Hall-of-fame, Hawkins stated, “After I realized what the call was about, I cried. I think maybe I’ve grown an inch or two this past week.”

Yes, indeed. He did grow beyond many daunting obstacles, and his irrepressible attitude has left us a legacy that shall always shine above the deepest trenches of poverty, illiteracy, greed and racism. And he did all that by fighting, rather than sitting and crying foul. A playground legend, who remains a shining example of what to do on court, and what to avoid off it.

As Larry Brown famously said, “He was Julius before Julius. He was Elgin before Elgin. He was Michael before Michael. He was simply the greatest individual player I have ever seen.”

A famous sports broadcaster once said, “If you want to be a hero, you have to take hero shots.” His quasi-motivational statement did throw a not-so-distinct light on a rather superficial, yet much bedizened aspect of modern-day sports and its headliners. The concept of the alpha dog; the franchise star who share a pantheon that would put even the Greek gods like Apollo and Zeus to shame, is the most perpetuated phenomenon in today’s digitized and media dominated sporting world.

Today’s sporting doctrines are about the peerless athlete; insuperably talented and undeniably spirited players, who have pretty much defined the sport and have become its sole identity. So much so, that the playbook has no longer excerpts from the founders, but rather is an exemplification of the styles and mannerisms deployed by such transcendent superstars. The flick shot is now defined by the way Sachin played it, the forehand by the way Nadal hits it.

Yes, the very purpose of sports has always been to showcase and exhibit the extremities and physical limits that humans can set for themselves and then go on to challenge and defy the same. It is a direct descendant from Darwin’s theory of survival in which the one who survives is most certainly the fittest of the lot. It is a competition and it is always about winning. It is this emotion that drives a Kobe Bryant to jump an extra inch every time he rises up for a clutch-game winner, the same that gets Tiger Woods all cold and azoic, standing over a possible 20-feet putt.

It is histrionics like these that lead them into a surreal and hypnagogic state of eulogization and panegyrization. But, somehow within the glorified accolades and the plaudits being haphazardly assigned, the polarized luminaries leave behind a trail of many players who were not necessarily the smartest or the best of the whole lot, but in their own special way had a significant contribution in making it worthwhile.

The players who are famously known as the sidekicks: role players, bench-warmers and the discards. Now, yes I am aware of the fact that it is a much generalized congregation. But, the point is that distinctions amongst them have never been a priority for the savants. They stand as David, wronged by the crowd rather than Goliath himself.

These players’ contributions might not be startling figures on the stat sheet, and they may not have the most refreshing telegenic looks, but they are the primal ingredients that transforms the seemingly immense potential and promise of the stars into glorified success stories. Michael Jordan wouldn’t have made all the highlight plays in the open court, had Scottie Pippen not been pushing the ball and leading the break. Walsh would not have scalped many of his wickets, had Ambrose not kept up the pressure at the other end. On a more holistic level, the likes of Batman and Robin, Holmes and Watson, or even our very own Munna and Circuit would have never succeeded unless they co-existed.

So, why are these accomplishments diminished in the face of the almost despotic desire of the savants and the fans to patronize the sovereigns and cardinals of the game? The stars themselves have often gone out of their way to state and re-instate the value of their partners, knowing and believing that the side-kicks’ role goes far beyond what gets reflected. They know and understand the dynamics involved and realize that a team can’t be quantified by an optimistic addition of the combined talents on board, and that sometimes the biggest struggles aren’t on the pitch or the grounds, but are housed within the minds and the hearts of the individuals involved. Such emotional and egoistic congregations require people to make sacrifices beyond their opinion of themselves and their perception of their talents.

However, such sacrifices need to be made. Sherlock wouldn’t have been so successful had Watson not questioned and probed at every assumption and deduction he made. Munna wouldn’t have been funny had Circuit not stood by and re-emphasized every single whim he nurtured. The same goes for Sancho Panza and Tonto and may others.

These role-players have led by example, choosing to give up the limelight and be eager to make sacrifices. It is this assurance that is most vital to the alpha stars. When you are tired, beaten up and lacking confidence, there is nothing more comforting than the luxury of looking over your shoulder, to find somebody willing to take the next hit. The feeling of someone stepping up to take care of matters, give you a breather and a new ray of hope amidst the daunting struggles is maybe the singular most godly emotion in the whole of sports. The feeling that somebody is there to cover your back in case you fail, somebody who is going to run with you, fight with you, put his body on the line and believe that you will do the same for him; the belief that when the moment comes he can trust you to return the favour, the belief that the glory and the fall is what matters and not who is chosen to wear the crown.

And there is no greater story, than when such destitute players get a rare sporting moment to showcase their abilities and stand up and be the saviour when the heroes have fallen. The most celebrated of such stories being the redemption of the All Blacks in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. With a team boasting of the World’s best fly half in Dan Carter, and the tournament being held on home soil, it was assumed that they would romp to an easy win. Disaster struck, when Carter was sidelined due to injury, and the replacement Colin Slade was injured in the Final against France. The responsibility of carrying the nation’s hopes fell on the enigmatic and much maligned Aaron Cruden. Cruden had been so disappointed on failing to get a berth in the squad that he had quit on his chances and was vacationing on a fishing trip. Who would have thought that the much maligned and quiescently discarded player would then singularly carry the hopes of the best Rugby team in the world. The believers had their eyes closed and hands clasped in prayers, the savants shook their heads.

A bench-warmer then came to the fore and literally kicked all such doubts away, starring and scoring the winning penalty. Carter’s legacy may have been christened with a World Cup, but the sporting moment belonged to Cruden and his insuperable belief and ability. His sacrifices were mistaken as his shortcomings and his inability. But, when the moment arrived, he stood up tall. At that moment, Cruden was what Carter had always been; the alpha dog, the saviour, the superstar.

And there lies the tragedy of sacrifices. Their implications aren’t ever direct and apparent. The beads of sweat, the challenges of suppressing one’s instincts and desires, to mesh in and make a more holistic impact, is what separates the greats from prodigies. Pippen could shoot the ball as well as any other basketball player, could lead as well as inspire confidence. But, he knew that as a motivational leader, and as a side-kick to the great Michael Jordan, he had the chance to script and start a dynasty. To see the team’s second-best player and one of the league’s biggest stars, make sacrifices and choose to do the dirty work over the glory deeds, pretty much set the tone for the rest of the team. Rodman suddenly was more rigorous in his play, and the likes of Steve Kerr were more than happy following suit.

Remember, these players were still NBA players, and the best in the world at what they did. In a tiny corner of their heart, they also desired to be stars; to have the ball in the dying seconds, to feel and sense a crowd of 10,000 people pulsating rhythmically to every single dribble and move they make. Every performer needs an audience, and it is but natural for them to crave for the same. But, teams are like human pyramids, and without individuals ready to give up their bodies, nobody would ever make it to the top. It is for the better men to accept and understand.

Yes, they give up on many things: money, fame, a legacy and maybe much else. But they go into the shadows knowing they were true and honest to their teammates, believing that they did everything they could to make the most of the combined talents on their roster. That’s the reason why the people involved will always respect them, and swear by them; the reason why after the flu-game Michael walked back into the locker room hunched over Pippen rather than palavering with the media; reasons best known to the few who understand the difference between winning and playing; the standing point that distinguishes the honoured ones from the vilified.

The city of Los Angeles was still trying to come to terms with the loss of their basketball patriarch, Jerry Buss. The end of an era; maybe not, but Dr. Buss did start a legacy and revived the Lakers franchise that was tethering on the verge on anonymity. And if there was any way of paying a fitting tribute, it could be by the only way Dr. Buss cared for.

One of his most famous quotes of all-time: “One of the biggest reasons why I bought the Lakers was to beat the Celtics.”

Maybe it was destiny, or maybe another perfect ending to bid adieu to their legendary owner; an innovator who just didn’t change the face of the Lakers, but also revamped the league and added new dimensions to sports and entertainment. As the Gods would have it, the Lakers played host to the Celtics, and the greatest ever rivalry in the history of the sport was all set to be revived again.

Both teams may have been severely short-handed by injuries to their major stars, the Lakers missing Gasol and the Celtics missing Rajon Rondo, but the passion of a Lakers-Celtics encounter still could not be possibly subdued. In their last meeting, the Celtics were riding high on a superlative offensive performance by Pierce and company and had routed the Lakers by 21 points. The game today was supposed to be about payback, but in the light of the unfortunate demise of Dr. Buss, it had taken up a much greater level of importance. For Kobe personally, it was a very emotional moment, and he knew that the recent struggles of the Lakers bothered Dr. Buss as much as it bothered him. He was emotional, and driven to script the perfect farewell story. His teammates followed suit. With a new JB patch on their uniforms, and his memories in their heart, the Lakers were ready to play the way Buss always envisaged of the team.

The five talking points of the contest:

Lakers playing better under the SYSTEM:

The all-star break sure seems to have revitalized the Lakers, as they came out all guns blazing in the match. They passed the ball well, executed their plans superbly, and most importantly spaced the floor and shared the ball. All five starters garnered double-digits points, and with the offense flowing smoothly, we had a rare yet alluring showcase of the beauty of a Mike D’Antoni offense.

Howard coming up big:

Before the match, Mitch Kupchak was inquired about the possible trade of Howard. Kupchak retorted back claiming that he saw no reason why the Lakers should look to trade the best Centre in the game, and stated that he saw Howard as the face of the Lakers franchise after Kobe Bryant hangs up his boots. The Lakers management has put all its faith on the big-man, and despite the vague possibility of another Dwightamare, they still choose to believe and commit, rather than go rational and be speculative. Howard was quizzed about the same and he put up a committed yet non-committal front again, re-iterating his desire to win Championships with the Lakers, yet still keeping his options open. If anything, the statements made by Kupchak re-energized him and he came out a much belligerent and focussed player. He was again his busy self, setting great screens, rolling hard and fast to the rim, working himself out on the offensive glass, dictating and orchestrating the team’s defensive rotations, and most importantly showing a desire and hunger that was reminiscent of his days in Orlando. He posted up a lot, created plays off the block, and was also ready to sacrifice and shoulder the responsibility. He looked fresh, maybe the all-star break paying dividends, and was by and far the best player for the Lakers today. He finished the game with 24 points on 10-13 shooting and also garnered 12 rebounds. Phil Jackson had stated that Howard doesn’t get enough touches down-low, and the Lakers needed to feed him more. Well, today he did get a lot of touches and everything he touched turned to gold, or rather purple and gold.

Earl Clark had a great game as well:

Clark came in as a throw-in alongwith the trade that brought Howard to the Lakers. And his early days with the Lakers were certainly along similar lines. He didn’t get many minutes, and was by no means a feature in D’Antoni’s plans. But the Lakers coaching staff still raved about his dedication and work-ethics in training, and the fact that he always worked with a smile on his face. Ask D’Antoni now and he would tell you that Clark has been the singular success story for the Lakers all throughout the season. His quick-feet, agility and basketball IQ enables him to guard almost everyone on the floor, be it a guard of the caliber of Monta Ellis or a power forward like Kevin Garnett. Clark also can stretch the floor on the offensive end of the floor, as well as use his sound ball-handling skills to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. In short, Clark is a lottery that maybe the Lakers didn’t deserve, but an asset that they can’t do without. And against the Celtics, he was exceptional again, scoring 14 points to go with 16 rebounds. Most importantly he managed to subdue Garnett, and keep him to just 12 points, on 6-14 shooting. He dived for every loose ball around, fought his way to good positions to secure rebounds and was pretty much the defining story of the Lakers today

Celtics Offense lacked direction:

The Celtics managed to script an 8-2 run without their star point-guard in Rondo, and it is a great tribute to the will and the heart of their seasoned veterans in Garnett and Pierce. They slogged their way to victories, using the old-school pick and roll game, and playing good fundamental basketball. They shared the ball, and made the final extra pass, and the offense, though not being very pretty, was certainly very effective. But today the Celtics offense looked lost and lacked direction. Pierce tried his best with a 23 point first-half performance, but with the Celtics failing to knock down open jumpers and missing easy shots around the rim, it proved to be a very tough outing for the green brigade. They did run their sets with the usual dedication, but their offense just lacked enough bite and energy to bother the Lakers. The Celtics half-court offense was also not working great as they chose to rake up perimeter jumpers, and only managed 30 points in the point, compared to the Lakers who earned 54 points in the paint. The bench was woeful, and Doc rivers has serious issues to handle if the Celtics are to keep up with their post-Rondo resurgence. They did manage to score 99 points, and almost got to the verge of denying the crowd gathered at Staples Center their free Taco’s, but the Celtics weren’t trying to be charitable and against a defensive unit like the Lakers, they were expected to do more.

Celtics Defense wasn’t up to the mark either:

The backbone of this Celtics team remains their energy and dedication on the defensive end of the floor, and against the Lakers today they were certainly found lacking on many fronts. They didn’t shore up the paint effectively, as the Lakers scored 54 points inside. The defensive rotations weren’t fast enough, and Garnett and company seemed tired after their match-up against the run-and-gun style of the Nuggets. The Lakers had scored 62 points by half-time, something that you don’t expect from a team that prides itself on its stifling defense. The Lakers shot 50% from the field, and also managed to garner 14 offensive rebounds. The second-chances that the Celtics gave the Lakers proved vital and were maybe one of the biggest contributors to the Lakers win. Doc Rivers for sure would be livid at the same, and this is one high-priority issue that they need to address.

The match may have turned out to be a blow-out victory for the Lakers, but they would be ill-advised to take it as a given. The Rockets are still 3 and a 1/2 games ahead, and considering their superlative scoring form, the play-offs still remain a tough challenge for the Lakers. Today might have been an emotional game for the Lakers, but the next few games are vital and they need to turn up playing with a similar level of energy and dedication, if they are to make the play-offs. Dr. Buss may have envisaged greater things for this team, but for now getting to the play-offs is the minimum that the Lakers would be aiming at.

And to kick-start the league after the All-Star break, we have the much anticipated match-up between the Celtics and the Nuggets. Much anticipated not because of any inveterate rivalry between the two franchises, but merely because of the venerated and overwhelming thriller that the two teams played out in their last encounter. Many have called the triple overtime game between the two teams, that the Celtics won 118-114, as the greatest regular season game of the season so-far. In many ways, it just was always supposed to be special.

The primal reason why the match-up is so enthralling, because it is a match-up between two very different coaches and coaching ideologies. George Karl may have revamped and changed the dimensions of the league with his version of the system and the run-and-game style of basketball. The Miami Heat, the Knicks, the Clippers and even the Spurs have used this style to mould their own offensive strategies, and in many ways going small and playing a high-tempo style has become the face of the league today.

On the other hand, the Celtics remain the old-school in-your face half-court unit, that depend on their ability to create plays off pick-and-roll situations and making the extra pass to find the open man. The belligerence of a certain Rondo excluded, the Celtics look most comfortable playing a grinding, pushing and slogging game, and Doc Rivers excels in running a team that way. Both teams are polar opposites in the way they approach the game and the primal reason why tomorrow’s game promises to be an enticing encounter.

What the Celtics need to do to win:

Offense:

The Celtics should continue to run their offense through Pierce, and run as many pick and roll’s as they can with him. Pierce should look to be aggressive, get to the paint as much as possible and also try to exploit possible switches, as well as dish to the rolling Garnett and Bass.

The Celtics could also try running Garnett on the low-post a lot, as his ability to create off the block, and his famed turn-around jumpers and floaters could come in handy against the Nuggets bigs’ like Koufos, McGee and Mozgov.

The Celtics also need to exploit the defensive vulnerabilities of Ty Lawson, and try to attack him on the dribble. Lawson remains the Nuggets weakest link on defense, and despite his willingness and energy, he still doesn’t do enough to keep a body on the opposition guards, and maybe a Courtney Lee or Avery Bradley can look to exploit the same.

Further expect the Celtics to continue with their core principles of sharing the ball, and with the Nuggets not famed for their defensive rotations, it is for sure to open up many open looks for the perimeter players. However, the Celtics have struggled with their perimeter shooting all throughout the season, one area where they have been severely depleted by the departure of Ray Allen. Jason Terry looks a pale shadow of the knock-down shooter he once was, but still manages to lead the Celtics in the 3-point % at a paltry 36%. The Celtics would wish that Terry and Pierce get hot from beyond the 3-point arc, because to beat the Nuggets, one has to knock down the perimeter shots.

The Nuggets are third in the league in scoring, and lead the league in steals. Their defense is designed to force turnovers, and with players like Igoudala, Lawson, Brewer and Faried running the floor, they are very dangerous on the open court, and transition opportunities. Thus, the Celtics would be required to take care of the ball, keep it moving, and to avoid getting into double teams and traps.

The mantra for the Celtics: Take care of the ball, rotate it and knock down the open shots.

Defense:

The Celtics have performed rather admirably on the defensive end of the floor. They have managed to keep teams like the Heat and the Lakers to under 100 points, and have a definite pedigree in handling their half-court defensive assignments. Doc Rivers is famed as a coach that gives a lot of priority to defense, and with the indomitable Garnett shoring up the paint, the Celtics are more than capable of snuffing off any possible half-courts sets that the Nuggets may deploy.

The only issue is that the Celtics still remain a veteran team, and with the Nuggets famed for their ability to garner easy points off fast-breaks and semi-transition opportunities, the Celtics would be hard-pressed to keep up with the energy and speed of the energetic and truculent Nuggets.

Another major problem with the Celtics is to nullify the offensive abilities of Ty Lawson. The pint-sized guard is among the best in the league in getting to the rim, and Bradley will have his task cut-out in trying to deny Lawson the space and time to make such plays. His best strategy could be to try and deny Lawson an open lane, and force him to settle for his somewhat suspect jump-shots.

Pierce will also have to stamp his authority, try to keep Gallinari under check and force him to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, rather than shoot his famed rainbow jumpers. The Celtics will have to realize that the Nuggets have a system in which they are encouraged to take the open shot, and considering their percentages and efficiency from beyond the arc, the Celtics would be well-advised to force the Nuggets into a 3-point shooting contest.

The Celtics also need to ensure that they rebound well, as the Nuggets have high-energy bigs’ like Faried and McGee who will tire themselves out on the offensive glass. It is essential that the likes of Wilcox, Bass and Garnett keep a body on these players, box them out and do the dirty tasks well. As they wisely say. “Rebounds = Rings”.

Thus the mantra is to: Get back in transition; force the Nuggets to play off jump-shots and protect against dribble penetrations.

Key Player: Paul Pierce

What the Nuggets need to do to win:

Offense:

The Nuggets are the true embodiment of the System and their run-and-gun style has for certain set many trends in the league this year. With the addition of Igoudala, they now have a wing player who can run the floor, push the ball as well as earn steals and easy transition opportunities. Lawson, Brewer, Gallinari, Igoudala, Faried can all run the floor effectively, and with the veteran Celtics, the Nuggets should look to push the ball and play a high-tempo game. If Lawson and Igoudala can get going early, the Nuggets can expect to earn an easy victory.

However, if the Nuggets fail to earn easy transition and semi-transition opportunities, the job can get a bit tricky for them. Nuggets are a high-energy unit, but they lack players who can go ahead and create their own shots. Further, the Celtics are famed for their stifling team defensive, and the Nuggets would he hard-pressed to execute their half-court sets.

Nuggets in the half-court would rely a lot on the insuperable talents of Lawson. The Celtics know that he is the major offensive weapon for the Nuggets, and Bradley for sure has his task cut-out. However, Celtics are famed for their pick and roll defense, and with the paramount defensive ability of Garnett to bank on, the Celtics can surely be confident of defying the aggressive Lawson.

Thus the Nuggets would be ill-advised to depend too much on Lawson, and need to exploit the chinks in the defense of the Celtics. The Celtics may be one of the best defensive units as a team, but individually they don’t boast of many defensive experts. Pierce, Lee and Bass can all be exploited in an isolation set, and the onus is on the likes of Gallinari and Igoudala to do the same. Gallinari especially is vital to the Nuggets fortunes in this  match, as his ability to shoot the ball to go along with his length and dribbling ability makes him a very tough defensive assignment for Pierce. Also, the veteran play-making abilities of Andre Miller and his post-up game, can come in handy against the second-unit of the Celtics.

The mantra for the Nuggets: play a high tempo, exploit isolation opportunities, get to the ring and knock down the open jumpers.

Defense:

The Nuggets are among the worst in the game in terms of their defensive ability, and the arrival of Igoudala or the emergence of Koufos and McGee as adept shot-blockers, hasn’t helped them much. They are 26th in the league in terms of points allowed, and their defense is one of the prime reasons behind their three game losing streak. The Nuggets gave away 119 points against the Nets, and if their defense doesn’t shore up against the Celtics they could be surely looking down the barrel.

The Nuggets need to be smart on the defensive and of the floor, be aggressive and try to force steals and turnovers. The Celtics do turnover the ball frequently, and without Rondo their offense does lack direction and purpose during stretches in the game. The Nuggets need to recognize such lapses, and make the most of these situations by forcing turnovers and getting easy transition plays.

The Celtics would run their offense through Pierce, and the onus is on Igoudala to take up the challenge and deny Pierce the freedom and space to dictate the offense. Igoudala is famed for his ability to play lock-down defense on the perimeter players, and George Karl would be banking on him to keep Pierce quiet. Pierce hurt the Nuggets dear in their last outing, raking in 27 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists, and if he manages to do anything similar tomorrow the Nuggets will be doomed.

The Nuggets should also pressurize the ball-handlers and force the Celtics to play quicker on the offensive end of the floor. Faried, Koufos and McGee have to ensure that the Celtic‘s big-men aren’t allowed to post-up deep, as well as be aware of the ability of Garnett and Bass to knock down the elbow jumpers. In short, the idea is to force the game to be played on the perimeter and defend the pick-and-rolls against Pierce and company better.

The mantra: Guard the p-n-r better, force Celtics to play high-tempo and take perimeter shots.

Key Player: Ty Lawson.

Prediction: The Celtics may be on a dream run, but against the Nuggets at home they would be hard-pressed to keep up with the high-tempo game of the Nuggets. Expect a great match, but the Nuggets should be able to win this on their home-court. They are 22-3 at home and expect the record to just get better. But, whoever saw the match at Boston garden would tell you that do not discount the heart and the will of the Celtics, and specially Paul Pierce who can be the X-Factor in this contest.

The circus surrounding the Lakers couldn’t have been bigger. Their coach believes that they play like an All-Star team, with a lack of urgency and desire to do the dirty deeds before the glorified ones. Howard and Kobe have had their little jibes, and even Howard Sr. stepped in with his comments. Nash is struggling to get to terms with living off the ball. Gasol is out for at least 6 weeks, and the latest Grammy trip saw the team returning with a 4-3 run.

In short, for a team that is struggling in its quest to make it to the play-offs, the home stretch leading into the All-Star game becomes pivotal. In today’s game at the Staples Center, the crowd was geared up for a backlash from the Lakers after the narrow and disappointing loss against the Heat. The Lakers pushed the Heat to the maximum and had it not been for the turnovers and some hyperbolic plays by D-Wade and LeBron, the Lakers might well have pulled off an upset. The stage was set for what the Lakers fans believed would be a backlash performance from the Lakers against the struggling Suns.

Here are the five talking points of the match-up: -

Kobe Bryant messing a bit too much:

The Black Mamba is surely looking into the twilight of his career. He knows that this season might very well be his last chance to win the elusive 6^th ring. The ring that will place him on the same pedestal as Michael Jordan. And in that ardent quest, Kobe has for once shown a desire to sacrifice much more than he ordinarily would.

Kobe has been criticized by the likes of Nash, Howard etc. about taking a lot of high-difficulty shots. Not the first time in his career. Earlier, The Black Mamba however stood stubborn, and defied all such complaints. He refused to give up on his offensive game, and continued being the great scorer that he will be always remembered for. 30k points in the bag, and leading the league in scoring for the better part of the first three months of the season. He was also doing it at a very efficient rate, and beating many of his younger counterparts.

However, Kobe seems to have given up on his scoring instincts and has taken up the role of a facilitator. He is averaging over 8 assists a game, and shooting less than 14 shots in a game. He is creating off the perimeter, kick-outs following a drive to the basket and on the mid-range post-up. His numbers may have taken a hit, but many believed that his defense combined with his play-making abilities is the primal reason why the Lakers are 8-3 post the team meeting in Memphis.

Against the Suns however, Kobe was overdoing the whole play-making role. He messed around with the game and the players, refusing to shoot the ball and ending the first quarter with 7 assists and shooting 0-1 from the field. Kobe Bryant played 16 minutes and just shot the ball once. This is just irrational thinking on the end of the Lakers and Kobe himself. Against the Suns, he seemed to be out to make a statement. He gave up on open lay-ups and free looks, and chose to rather throw a far more difficult pass. A pattern that he followed throughout the game, as the Lakers fans were both perplexed and furious at the juvenile efforts of their star. The other Lakers players sure benefited and their energy showed a definite rise, but the demeanor and the irresponsibility shown by the Lakers’ star was baffling. When people complained that he shot the ball too much, they meant that when he gets double-teamed, he should look to pass rather than shoot. But when he is on single coverage, it is expected that Kobe is aggressive and looks to score.

The call is to find a fine and sensible balance, play the percentages and use his supreme basketball IQ to read and judge defenses. What Kobe did against the Suns was asinine and idiotic. He turned the ball over 8 times, and on all of those occasions he did it by forcing a pass when he had a clear shot. When the game did get close and at a particular time when the Suns led by 3 points in the 4^th quarter, Kobe again tried to be the Mr. Clutch that we know. But he hadn’t shot the ball enough in the first three quarters, and come the 4^th quarter he looked totally out-of-rhythm. He raked up two air-balls, only to be saved by a vigilant Antawn Jamison who collected the ball both times to score. He finished the game with 1-8. 4 points, 9 assists,and 5 rebounds. Not a great game for the Black Mamba and one can only hope to see him more aggressive on offense when the Lakers take on the Clippers.

Howard still isn’t close to being the best

Howard Sr. may have spoken out of turn in his protected defense of his son, but even he has to agree that Howard hasn’t done enough to prove his detractors wrong. Howard may be right in taking his own call over his return and his methods to handle the shoulder injury, but the Lakers fans are pissed at him more for his lack of intensity and desire. They see Howard as the face of the franchise, and with the Lakers faithful well-aware of the tirade that he pulled in Orlando. they seemed speculative about the possibility of another Dwightamare. He still refuses to commit to the Lakers, and hasn’t shown much intensity to match up to the famed Lakers patriarchs like Kobe, Shaq, Wilt etc. He still remains an honest and hard-working player, but a player who aims to please a lot of quarters. He complains about feeling the pain in his shoulder after every match, but is also looking to make an appearance at the All-Star game. He may have stated that he would not want to play beyond a couple of minutes, but why try to please and even bother to attend the same? Why can’t he just stay back and recuperate and earn some well-deserved rest?

If he has any doubts about the state of his injured shoulder, his struggles on the court today should clear some of that cloud. Howard may have come up with a team-high 19 points and 18 rebounds, but he didn’t have a great game at all. Matched up against the veteran O’Neal and Gortat, he failed to establish decent positions on the low-post. He did manage to get some signature dunks, but those were merely a reflection of the creative skills of Nash and Bryant rather than an indication of his energy and effort. The Suns managed to garner 46 points in the paint, and with someone like Howard marshalling the paint, it isn’t acceptable. He was nowhere close to the explosive defensive phenomenon that we know him to be, and if the Lakers are to launch a serious play-off run, it is imperative that Howard plays at a paramount level.

Lakers need to play for 48 minutes:

The Lakers haven’t exactly been as dismal as their record suggests. They have actually played better basketball than some of the elite teams in the NBA, but haven’t done it consistently over a period of 48 minutes. They tend to get into and out-of-rhythm far too often for the liking of the fans. The same happened against the Suns, where the Lakers had an impressive first 9 minutes with the Suns. Kobe’s dimes were the highlight, and with the whole team moving the ball and helping each other off the ball, the Lakers raced to a 12 point lead. It seemed destined for a blow-out only for the Lakers to become complacent and allow the Suns to end the quarter on a 12-5 run. The same was repeated in the third quarter, when the Suns out-scored the Lakers 24-9, a season low for the Lakers. The Lakers may have managed to turn it around, riding on the exploits of Jamison, but the game got real close in the fourth quarter. Too close for comfort.

The Bench came out big:

The starters of both teams may not have had the best game, but the bench surely did their bit to keep both teams in the game. Beasley and O’Neal came up big for the Suns. O’Neal in particular did a great job of denying Howard decent low-post looks and ended the game with 12 points, 5 blocks and 13 rebounds. More importantly, he helped shore up the paint, and was instrumental in the 24-9 run that the Suns launched in the 3^rd Quarter. Beasley had a very effective game of his own, scoring 18 points on 7-15 shooting. He helped Suns launch a 4^th quarter rally, and was more than effective in his role as the 6^th man. Jamison, on the other hand, was the star for the Lakers today. Given an extended run by D’Antini, he validated his Coach’s trust and knocked down several clutch jump-shots. His most important contribution was his two put-backs off Bryant’s missed shots in the 4^th quarter, that allowed the Lakers to launch a comeback and overturn a 5 point deficit. He finished the game with 19 points and also notched up 10 rebounds.

Suns need help:

The Suns may not be having hey-days with a new coach at the helm, and with their struggles in the league. They may have a very competent PG in Dragic, and Scola and Gortat might be among the better big-men in the league, but they seem to lack a leader and a patriarch on the court. Their offense looks disoriented, and other than the time when they run on transitions and semi-transition opportunities, their offense lacks much of an impact. Dragic still remains a PG who likes to get space and launch shots, and his play-making skills are still a little too suspect. Dudley looks a pale shadow of the player, that he looked under Steve Nash and the rest of the roster seems prosaic and mediocre. They need a PG who can create shots for the likes of Scola, Dudley, Beasley and Gortat. The Suns also need a player who can create his own shot and a leader who they can rely on come clutch time. Indeed, living without Nash has come as a very harsh lesson for them.

The game may not have been very pretty, but it did help the Lakers on their quest to reach the play-offs. The Suns will still need a lot to figure out their intangible issues. The Lakers are matched up against the Clippers next, and Kobe and Company need to sort out some serious issues if they desire to win the battle of the city.

Yes, he is indeed the greatest basketball player to ever play the game and in his much eulogized and bedizened journey in the league, he in many ways changed the game itself; its strategies, its perceptions and its implications.

Jordan left behind memories that will never be soiled, a legacy that will forever be decorated and eulogized on the grandest pantheon of all. But in the mesmerizing frenzy and euphoria surrounding his indomitable exploits on the court, the hierarchy-driven savants have wronged many players who they believed attempted to equal Jordan’s feats.

Since always, objectivity in sports has been a scarce resource, and with players being graded and judged on the basis of sheer numbers alone, no player stood a chance against Jordan. Comparisons, exemplifications, segregations as well as separations; Jordan stood head and shoulders above most players, and I have no issue giving him credit for that. However, in the sheer adulation that Jordan demanded and received, anybody else who dared to equal him was treated with a sense of contempt and audacity, as an agnostic defying norms that were too important to the game’s preachers. Jordan, in short, was too divine to be tangible, and in the awe-inspiring spangle of his reign as the king, suffered a player, who despite exhibiting a repertoire that far surpassed the standards of the league in the last decade, found the most gracious compliment about him being: “The closest that anyone will ever get to Jordan”.

Yes, the player in question is none other than Kobe Bryant, or the ‘Black Mamba’ as he is famously known. Five Championship rings, a league MVP, a two-time Finals MVP, and many other such plaudits. Amazing stats indeed, but to the NBA he has always been an enigma. He is maybe the most popular player in the league, but unlike Jordan he is not the most liked by any means.

He is clutch, has the nerve and the guts to take on the toughest of circumstances and overcome stipulations. Not so surprisingly even as a rookie, he was not afraid of shooting the ball in clutch play-off moments. He air-balled two shots against the Jazz, and many believe he cost the Lakers the series. But in the process the league had its first true introduction to the defiance and competitiveness of Bryant, and he made many people uncomfortable. Most of all his teammates, who believed that with all-stars like Van Exel, Eddie Jones and Shaq, he would have been much better off playing the role of a sidekick.

But Kobe didn’t come into the NBA to be a sidekick. He wanted to be the best player that he could be. Alas, his philosophies mirrored the revolution that Jordan had brought upon the league. And the savants in their amaurotic dedication to Jordan saw nothing but an insolent kid who desired to challenge Jordan. The prying eyes were on him, and the cruel daggers were out. They watched him shoot the most impossible of shots, but the only thing they bothered to remark was: Jordan won more, won better.

However, Jordan could do his thing with the Bulls franchise because he revelled around players and a system that was designed to accentuate his insuperable basketball genius. The biggest stars beside Jordan were Pippen and Rodman, and both were more than happy doing the dirty work and letting Jordan do the glory deeds. The league too was more than happy hailing him for that. Kobe was doing the same, but he wasn’t expected to try such heroics. He was supposed to be the number two guy, and the ally to the Herculean basketball talents of Shaq. He was expected to be the guy who would feed Shaq off pick and rolls, get him the ball on the post and design his game to suit the talents of the Big Diesel. It was designed to be Shaq’s team, and Kobe was never supposed to be the star man. Unlike Jordan, he didn’t get the window to showcase his abilities, and like any competitive player, he didn’t like it.

He didn’t like it but such rejections were also part of his comfort zone. It was the “me against the world” psyche that Kobe had imbibed from his days at Lower Merion High and his growing days in Italy.

Nobody believed that a kid from Italy could lead a mediocre high-school team in Philadelphia to the State Championships. When he decided to skip college and join the NBA, many believed he still was too raw for the league. He turned out for practice and burned Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones.

So Kobe had his share of experience fighting prejudices, bigotry, repugnance and ageism. And when faced against the situation in LA, he again gathered his inner strength and decided to out-fight and out-work everyone that wouldn’t give him his due. He trained harder than anybody bothered to, he worked and re-worked his moves and was fast developing the best offensive repertoire in the league.

The thing that Kobe failed to realize was that this wasn’t Lower Merion High. This was the NBA, and one still needs all five players on the same page to win. All players are professional basketball players; they take home a huge salary and play the game not just because they are good at it, but because they are so good that they could make a livelihood out of it. Everyone may not be equally great, but they are all special and drafted because they have hyperbolic collegiate reputations. It is a man’s game, and people are recognized more for their will to sacrifice for a team and to win.

Kobe was shunned by his teammates because he chose to alienate himself. He didn’t go out to parties, avoided night-clubs and beyond the court had no intention of having any contact with his teammates. He was much too happy developing as a player, but to his teammates he was just a juvenile over-obsessed kid. Shaq openly said that he had no intention of baby-sitting him and considering his popularity with the team, it became a common feeling among the whole roster.

Kobe wasn’t too bothered, and his inexperience may have cost the Lakers dear. The team’s two best players were not on the same page, and the rest of the team was in no mood to accommodate Kobe either. Jerry West did his bit to ensure that Kobe got comfortable and to increase his minutes, traded away Eddie Jones and Van Exel. West had stuck his neck out to help Kobe realize his potential, and it was about time that Kobe realized that.

Thankfully, Kobe’s biggest ambition was to win and slowly with his time in the league he started to realize the rules of team-play. He matured, and coupled with the serendipitous arrival of Phil Jackson, the Lakers had a coach who had the experience of taming high-aired superstars and getting them to perform far more effectively. Jackson had been Jordan’s mentor and Kobe respected that. He was ready to give up the ball, play around and with his team so that they could win. Jackson convinced Kobe that the best way forward for the team was through Shaq. He accepted that, but he was in no mood to allow Shaq to assume the same. Shaq was already the most dominating force in the game, but Kobe believed that he didn’t work with a high-enough intensity. He pushed Shaq to play harder, to work even harder. If Shaq was to be the alpha dog, he would have to earn it. Shaq didn’t see the point and many altercations ensued.

Jackson’s patience was running out, and he unabashedly sided with Shaq. Jackson had long been the perpetrator of the triangle offense that had the Centre as the fulcrum of every single move. With Jordan he had to tweak it, and now as a veteran coach and a multiple NBA Championship winning coach, he wanted to stamp his ideology and prove its effectiveness. Shaq was the only way he could ever do that. Again Kobe was singled out and isolated, but this time he was wiser.

Kobe chose to adapt, to give in to some, to solve the rest. He accepted his role as the number two player, albeit he had to fight his natural instincts. They did surface sometimes, but Jackson always reeled him in and somewhere his sacrifices were pivotal in the Lakers doing their three-peat. Kobe was wining and getting better by the day, while Shaq was having the entire spotlight. And by the summer of 2004, Kobe was ready to be the next face of the Lakers franchise. Shaq was still the best Center in the game, but he was getting older and slower and had his struggles with injuries. After the blowout against the Pistons in the Finals of 2004, the Lakers franchise had a decision to make – to stick with the aging Shaq, or to move on to the belligerent Kobe. West chose the latter, because Kobe was his prodigy. Jackson didn’t agree and was fired.

The next few years were the toughest for the Lakers and Kobe as suddenly from having a league-defining roster, they went to a roster that had the likes of a Smush Parker, Chris Mihm, Devean George and Kwame Brown. Having a locker-room so devoid of talent and general basketball IQ was a transgression that Kobe wasn’t prepared for. He wanted to be the no. 1 man for the Lakers, but now he was the only one. It was like him playing for Lower Marion again. Just that it wasn’t really high-school ball. Kobe went about setting scoring records and achieving numerous individual feats, but with the rest of his supporting cast being dismal, the Lakers patriarch strutted and staggered. The tides had turned on him and it was no easy job leading the roster that he had. For three seasons he struggled to make much out of the team, and even though he was dominating the league in every single aspect, he wasn’t winning.

It was then that the dichotomy of being an alpha dog hit him. The insolent kid in him had had enough, and Kobe demanded a trade. He famously said, “I would rather play on Pluto, than with the Lakers.” Kobe had turned into this demanding kid who expected a lot, without giving much. He didn’t ever bother to hang out with his teammates, but expected them to sacrifice and stand up for him. He openly criticized them and called them out when he could have just as easily sat them down and told them what he expected. With Kobe around, it was like a circus, with his teammates respecting him as a player while still trying to come to terms with his enigmatic persona.

The Lakers’ management saved their franchise by managing to sign Pau Gasol, a player who is maybe the ideal sidekick. He played with Kobe, never bothered with him as an individual but modeled his game to suit him. Kobe relished playing with a player of Pau’s IQ, and for once had a consummate professional who was ready to sacrifice much without asking for anything in return. Kobe called on him time and again, and Gasol responded. He didn’t complain when Kobe raked up the countless impossible looking fade-aways and was always there to help Kobe out. He pretty much set the tone for the rest of the team to follow suit, and suddenly the Lakers had efficient role-players like Odom, MWP and Bynum on their roster. Kobe made it tough for them to play, but the players rose to the challenge that saw the team win two NBA Championships.

The two Championships with Gasol were indeed a huge monkey of his back. Kobe had won two Championships as the main guy in the team, and his two Finals MVP were testimony to the same. He was wiser, a winner and had realized the importance of the rules that Phil Jackson had tried to teach him early in his career. Kobe may not have made many friends, but he had never ever desired such comforts. He still remains a player hated by many for being too selfish. But ask Kobe and he will say, “I just want to win.”

Maturity did come, and his recent exploits as a play-maker may have seen shades of Kobe that the league had wished for so long. Kobe now has the experience to deal with all of the savants’ demands and criticisms, and he has understood the value of team-work. He may still look a little reluctant to give up his role as a primary scorer, but with 30k points in his bag, nobody can now complain. The Black Mamba has for sure stamped his authority and made his way into basketball immortality. He may still be denied the rostrum of a Jordan, but Kobe never cared much for that. He will be more than happy walking away into the shadows, knowing he had worked hard enough to be the best player that he could be. Nothing else ever mattered to the loner.

And that is why the Black Mamba is number two on our list of the greatest players of the last decade.

Read more from this series here.

Shaq: The Big Diesel

To the modern day pragmatics, the sport of basketball is just not confined to the 94ft by 50ft wooden courts, or by the basket hanging about 10 feet above. It is just not about players using their speed, agility, guile and strength to navigate their way to the ring, or use their imperious shooting ability to hit from beyond the paint. It is also about fostering personalities in players, perceiving and cherishing their identities, accepting and eulogizing them for who they are and idolizing them for the same and beyond.

In short, if I were to sum up the demands of a modern day basketball god, one would need to dominate the courts the same way Wilt Chamberlain did, as well as have the aptitude and the ability to entertain and market the way Magic Johnson did. Actually, Magic dominated both on and off the court, so in a way, he is the epitome of what it is like to be a basketball superstar. Yes, Michael Jordan was there too, and maybe for all his play-off exploits and clutch moments, he was a greater player. But I don’t intend to start up a debate about who was the greater player and who was the better superstar. There are better and bigger savants who can while away in such exploits. I would just like to put these things into perspective, because such qualities and demands somehow define both the rise and fall of the player who made it to the No. 4 spot on our list: Shaquille O’Neal.

Now, even before Shaq came into the league, he was touted by many and hyped up to being the next great big-man. His timing into the league couldn’t have been better, as it was truly the time of the centers, with the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning and David Robinson dominating the league. Michael was busy chasing his fancies, and for once, the victims saw hope and a possible vindication. The league had lost its biggest star, and with the new kid entering the league, the hopes and demands were pretty high.

But the new kid had his eyes set on stardom even before the savants bothered to expect it from him. A No. 1 draft pick, he had a successful collegiate basketball career behind him and carried a belief and confidence that defied commonality. There was a rhythmic tune to his name and an utter fearlessness to his game. Combine that with his signature penchant for nicknames, some self-eulogizing while being unusually sibylline, and you have the makings of a real superstar.

“The Big Aristotle and Hobo Master”,”Shaq”, “The Diesel”, “Shaq Fu”, “The Big Daddy”, “Superman”, “The Big Agave”, “The Big Cactus”, “The Big Shaqtus”, “The Big Galactus”, “Wilt Chamberneezy”, “The Big Baryshnikov”, “The Real Deal”, “The Big Shamrock”, “The Big Leprechaun”, “Shaqovic”, “The Big Conductor”. These assortments may imply nothing, but Shaq adopted them with much grace and aplomb.

If Shaq was dominating the media and the press reports off the court, his on-court persona was in no way a lesser phenomenon. Not since the time of Wilt Chamberlain had the league come across a physical phenomenon as indomitable as Shaq. He didn’t have the post moves of a Hakeem or the sky-hook of a Kareem. He was more than happy backing down opponents and throwing down the most outrageous dunks. Many a ring shimmered and tethered, while a few gave away to his herculean dunks. In a parallel universe, somebody would have surely thought of making dunking illegal, and maybe in some you would have had scientists working on improving the ‘impact strength’ of them.

However, in our world, we were more than happy enjoying the decimation, a virtuoso demolition and humbling of 7-footers who tethered in front of the Big Diesel. Yes, he famously said, “I want to be strong, dominant; like Wilt Chamberlain”. In many ways, Wilt was a better player; he had a far more complete offensive repertoire and could hurt you in far many more ways. Shaq was a fairly direct player in comparison. And other than his dismal free-throw shooting, he didn’t exactly have much in common, in terms of offensive ability.

Let aside the Wilt Chamberlain comparisons, Shaq posted numbers that were hypnagogic to say the least. The first MVP of the last decade, a 15-time All-Star and a 4-time world champion as well as 3 Finals MVP. He, along with Willis Reed and Michael Jordan, belong to the unique group of players who managed to win the All-Star MVP, the NBA MVP and the Finals MVP in the same year. Greatness indeed, but Shaquille O’Neal could have been greater. He could have done better than his 4 rings; he could have gotten more rebounds, and for someone who stands 7’1, led the league in rebounds and blocked shots at least once in his career. And it is here that the dichotomy of his legacy comes to the fore.

Now, Shaquille had been touted to be a lot of things, but by the start of the last decade, he had turned out to be one among the countless stories of superstars who promised much, but failed to get the job done. Jordan may have stolen some years off of him, but be it in his time with Orlando or his nascent years with the Lakers, Shaq filled up the stat-sheet and still had no trophies and banners to show. His double-doubles didn’t add up to rings, and the Jerry West master plan with him and Kobe as its centrepiece hadn’t worked out well enough. West had envisaged a dominant duo like Wilt and he had been in their times. But with the enigmatic and insolent competitive streaks of both players subduing the chances of a partnership brewing, the scene looked very grim indeed.

Three-peat: Shaq and Kobe.

It was at this time that the Lakers would bring in the legendary Phil Jackson at the helm, and suddenly things started to work out. Phil was the greatest perpetrator of the triangle offense, and with it centred on the big man and based on half-court sets, Shaq and the Lakers prospered. Phil had finally met a suitor to his offensive philosophy, and believed that Shaq and his version of the triangle would re-define the flow of offense in the league. They did succeed, winning three titles to start the decade. Shaq, 28 then, was at the prime of his prowess, and under the guidance of Phil, he was transgressing all set domains of basketball immortality.

However, much of Shaq’s dominance was also a result of the prominence of Kobe. Shaq may have been the alpha-dog in the team all the while, but he was aware that Kobe was fast developing into one of the better guards in the league and the friction between the two had begun to reach melting point. Kobe believed that Shaq didn’t work hard enough in training, and that he didn’t do enough to grow as a basketball player. Shaq, on the other hand, was only too happy to believe that he dominated the courts as it was, and there was no need for him to put in the intensity in training. Arguments and many such altercations followed as the relationship got tumultuous. When the Lakers failed to make it big for two seasons in a row, the call for changes was in order.

Shaq was 33 then, and for a veteran player, he demanded a big contract. He refused to let Kobe have the major part of the limelight, and was convinced that the only way was for him to still be the alpha-dog. Kobe was too good to accept that, and West saw him as the face of the franchise. First Phil Jackson, and then Shaq, were forced to leave the Lakers. Shaq would move on to a new challenge at Miami. At that time, taking one’s talents to the South Beach wasn’t a taboo still, and with a young and promising player in Dwayne Wade, Shaq was expected to keep up his stats and numbers as well live happily ever after as the alpha-dog. His treatment for his  side-kicks hadn’t been admirable to say the least, as proved by his alteration with Bryant and Penny Hardaway.

Taking his talents to South Beach with Wade.

But, it was in this season that Shaq would behave so differently that it was a stark anomaly to the player that the league had become accustomed to. He came to camp 30 pounds lighter, was ready to sweat it out in the gym, and more than happy to project and promote Wade. He nicknamed him Flash, and was actually ready to take the role of a side-kick for the first time. The same player who dismissed a 17-year old rookie in Bryant, stating that he had no intention to babysit. He wasn’t ready to yield an inch, let aside support Kobe, but for Wade, he was the smarter and wiser big brother. Wade led the Heat to a NBA Championship, and Shaq was only too happy winning his rings, rather than being the one leading the team.

He didn’t want to be the alpha-dog any more, much happy in trying to coronate the twilight of his career with as much spangle as he could manage. A legacy of dominance was a thing of the past, as he was more than competent in jumping bandwagons. The man who couldn’t accept a belligerent guard shooting the ball more than he did was more than competent joining the Cavaliers with a motto to help ‘The King win a Ring’. When he failed in that attempt, he would change camps again, and join the big four of the Celtics to form a galactic congregation. In all, he was focussed on winning rings and was ready to give up the limelight. He had stamped his reputation as one of the greatest centers of all time, and maybe it was time for him to just glisten up his resume with some rings. After all, that is what the hierarchy driven pundits believe and set as the bar to christen legacies.

With the King in Cleveland.

And it is here that the sudden change in mentality seems dicey. Olajuwon, Chamberlain and the likes of Jordan would have never settled for such antics. They were players who knew better than to show up at an All-Star game with a jig. They were dominant not because they had the size but also because they played with the heart of a champion. Phil Jackson believed that Shaq had enough titles to win at least 10 MVP titles, so much so that he envisaged that by the time Shaq retired, the MVP trophy would have to be named after him. He was his ideal pupil, the man who showed the effectiveness and perspicacity of his mode of offense. Alas, the pupil never fulfilled his master’s prophecy. Not because he couldn’t, but because he just wasn’t the player who would push beyond the highest bar set. He was happy being the best, and that is about it.

“Me having a beautiful wife and great family and friends around me, all the money I’ve got, all the things that I’ve got, a Ferrari that I just ripped the top off of and turned into a convertible, the rings I got, the two mansions on the water, a master’s in criminal justice, I’m a cop, plus I look good. So to me, shooting 40 % at the foul line is just God’s way of saying that nobody’s perfect. If I shot 90 % from the line, it just wouldn’t be right.”

And this is how Shaq ended his career, amongst the all-time leaders in almost every category that one values from a league’s big man. He is rated amongst the greatest centers of all-time, but for me, he will go out as a player who could be as special, if not better than Wilt. If only he had bothered enough. He was great, but we all know he could have been greater.

And that is why the Big Diesel is No. 4 on our list of the greatest players of the last decade.

As I was about to leave, my nemesis came up and confronted me, blabbering something in his native “sadri” language that I didn’t comprehend at all. He seemed pissed off at me, and that infuriated me more. “You killed me down there and still you want to come up and confront me?” I was about to admonish him and brand him a lunatic, when a friend of mine translated whatever he wanted to say. Turned out, that he was infuriated because I had come to play with a Sachin Tendulkar jersey. A birthday gift, and maybe my most precious possession, it baffled me as to how someone could revolt against the masterful genius. My friend explained that for the tribal youngsters, there was only one GOD and he wielded his magic from a crooked stick and not a willow. He was none other than Dilip Tirkey, the then hockey captain for India, the hero of almost every hockey player in Orissa and the player who was revered beyond anything else in the tribal hamlets.

“Ama Dilip sabuthu bhala,” as they always said. Dilip had gone on to live his dream and given hopes to many. To the tribal youngsters he was beyond spirituality and miles beyond the horizon and heavens above. As a country that is known for easily getting over-awed by its sporting heroes, it is but natural to expect us to extol insuperable and gifted talents into a rostrum much greater and feel no abashment or compunctions in projecting them as “GOD”. Rational thoughts don’t feature much in such decorations, and if you divert from following such norms, you are no better than a defiant agnostic, a medieval day taboo that is still much prevalent in our nation today. To the kid, Dilip Tirkey was his god, and I was an ignorant atheist who had dared to ignore his pantheon. As a god-fearing kid, I was more than happy to apologize, and next day turned up wearing a Dilip Tirkey jersey. Well, from then on, I was like a long-lost brother for him and for the better part of four years and my school life, he was my best friend. It was with him that I came to realize and was mesmerized by the dexterous and adroit hockey legend that is Dilip Tirkey.

Dilip Tirkey is a living legend for the youth of Sundergarh, but for the pundits and the savants, bedizening him is not so much of a given. To the much-decorated hockey fraternity of the country, the sport has always been about glorifying the wizardry and stick-work of players like Dhyan Chand or Dhanraj Pillay. Dilip, who grew up idolizing Pragat Singh, never had the stick-work and the skills to mesmerize. He was your conventional full-back, great with his trapping and having the ability to tackle and track the trickiest and the quickest of the forward players. His much-famed carpet drives, the scoops and the drag-flicks were effective, but not a refreshing telegenic.

A veteran of three Olympics, he captained the nation in the Athens Olympics and finished his career as the highest capped player of all time. Many caps, several memories, but alas he never had a crown befitting his contributions to the sport. There are many pundits and experts who still downplay his long journey and his incredible longevity as a legacy that flourished under the shadow of a certain Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon.

However, the unmitigated and simplistic Dilip never cherished and wished for such extolments. Growing up in the tribal villages of Sundergarh, his dreams were far from the glare and the glitter of the sports world. In the district of Sundergarh, his first introduction to the game was funneled through his father’s love for the sport. In the tribal hamlets of the district of Sundergarh, the sport of hockey is more than just a game. To the believers, it is more than a religion, to the agnostics a singular source of hope – an opportunity to look beyond the purview of illiteracy, poverty and the clutches of reduced life expectancy. The area is dominated by farmers who, in general, use the land for cultivation of a single crop, and in the punishing winters, the land is mostly brazen and devoid of any cultivation. It is in these times that the people choose to divulge all their energy and passion towards hockey. The barren land houses competitions between the best of the tribal hamlets, and the prize money is nothing more than a goat – “khasi”, as they call it.

The interest in hockey can be derived to the prevalence of missionary activities in the region. The British influence surely is the primary reason that directed the villagers towards the sport, making their hockey sticks from the tree branches and heating them over a fire to their desired crooked shape. Many would question why hockey is more important than cricket. I have no answer to that but to assume that fashioning a willow bat might seem like a tougher task, while crooked branches are easily available. And thus came about the immense love and fealty to the sport. So much so that kids seeking admission in schools have a prerequisite to own a hockey stick. Alliances and marriages are decided over hockey matches, and even disputes between villagers decided over hockey matches.

The hockey matches are intensely competed and over 200 teams take part in such competitions. It is about honour and respect, and for people who can’t boast of the material benefits, it is about all they have and represent – a game that defines and forms their identity. As Dilip fondly remembers traveling several miles to watch such matches, he states, “Hockey is in our blood. We have watched our fathers and grandfathers play.”

And it was amidst these battles of respect and pride that the competitive hockey player in Dilip came to the fore. The drive and desire to win were clearly visible when he charged down a Sohail Abbas penalty corner and was hit on the face. Now, the power and speed of a Sohail Abbas drag-flick are very well-known and nobody expected Dilip to stand back up so fast and insist on playing through the pain. It was being more rash than brave and the coaches were wiser as they took him off the field. He couldn’t do a Kumble, but his inner strength fueled the team to keep on fighting beyond the loss of their enigmatic star.

A leader of men, he was the team’s face and patriarch when there was no Dhanraj Pillay in the team. He led Indian hockey through its darkest hours, standing up a lone strider taking on the obstacles and leading the team to a 4th place finish in the 2002 Champions Trophy, a silver medal in the Asian Games and gold at the Asia Cup. He was a model professional, a man who had the ability as well as the attitude to impart strength to his followers. He didn’t shy away from doing the dirty work and was more than happy to let the others get the adulation. He was a star that the team needed, but one that the media refused to acknowledge and decorate. He earned the respect of his peers like the famed Dutch wizard Teun De Nooijer, who found Dilip halting many of his runs and offensive moves. And it was this respect that fueled this enigmatic hockey wizard.

If Dilip’s introduction to the sport was without much hype and fanfare, his exit was equally inconspicuous. His dream is over, but now as a legislator and a politician he is doing his best to promote the youngsters of the tribal hamlets in Sundergarh, his primary reason of getting into politics. Reticent as a politician, and an ever-shy man, he still remains my first hockey idol, and maybe my only one. He gave me a friend to cherish, and a game to love. He lived a dream and shared one too.

The greatest polarizing moment in all of football is when you see a player standing over the ball around 25-30 meters from goal, trying to score beyond a seemingly herculean and daunting wall of players, and an ever-vigilant custodian guarding the posts. The free-kick: the lethal dead-ball puzzle, that calls upon and challenges the finest players in the team to try and solve. Players like Sinisa Mihajlovic, Garrincha, Zico and Platini are among the many transcendent legends who carved a special niche for themselves in this domain, excelling in the seemingly confounding and metagrobolizing puzzle and earning the tag of the “free-kick specialists”.

The ways to solve the free-kick riddle are varied and different, with distinct players showcasing their own signature algorithms. Some may choose to bend it around the wall while some may try to ‘up and under’ it. For the modern-day footballer, the above two methods may seem a tad old-school. With the advances in the field of manufacturing soccer balls and aerodynamics, they are pretty well-disposed in just hitting the ball on target and trusting the eccentric and anomalous movement in the air to get it beyond the outstretched arms of the goal-keeper.

It isn’t just the algorithm that is amazing to watch, but the elaborate rituals before the actual kick is delivered are also delightfully absorbing. The scene is like the climax of a movie. The cameras are focused on the player going to take the kick, zoomed-in, in an ardent over-optimistic desire to try and read the player’s mind and get a preview on how exactly the free-kick is to be delivered. The players do their best to keep everyone guessing, disguising their messages behind their hands, covering their mouth or saying a word camouflaged behind a cough. The commentators give their previews and predictions; the crowd also dims down into a quiescent state in anticipation of something special and as a mark of pseudo-respect and reverence to the seemingly gargantuan riddle. And when the player in question, does manage to find a way beyond the almost hermetic wall and the outstretched arms of the flying goal-keeper, the stadium erupts into a euphoric and rapturous pandemonium. Special moments need to be savoured  and it is moments like these that make the life of a football fan worthwhile.

It is amidst these euphoric celebrations that one saw and realized the difference between two true transcendent footballing talents who set many a trend over the last decade.  Two players noted and revered for their ability to bend their way over the most impenetrable walls, and score with such aplomb and class that was rare amidst the changing paradigms of the game. Two players who share very different legacies and who at the twilight of their careers are looking at two very contrasting journeys: Juan Roman Riquelme and David Beckham.

Their introduction to the sport was pretty much the same. A Cinderella story maybe, as both of them made their soccer journeys from relatively humble backgrounds into earning a spot at the youth academies of the most prominent clubs in their country. Beckham, an alumnus of the Bobby Charlton Soccer School was inducted into the Manchester United youth academy, and with the likes of Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers, formed an integral part of the group famed as “Fergie’s Fledglings.” Coincidently, the goal against Wimbledon that catapulted him to greatness was scored with Beckham wearing shoes that were originally designed for a certain Charlie Miller. Did I say a Cinderella story?

Riquelme on the other hand was having a hay day of his own, dribbling his way into the hearts of the Los Xeneizes. Numerous domestic honours beckoned both, as they established themselves as legitimate superstars, albeit showcasing a skill-set much varied.

Now, Riquelme was always a greater player, a player who grew up aiming to replicate and mirror the exploits of the legendary Deigo Maradona. By his own admission, “I was lucky enough to grow up during the era of (Diego) Maradona’s, who all Argentinians consider the greatest player ever. After watching him play I used to run out onto the street with my mates, get the ball and pretend that I was him. I’d be commentating on myself and saying “Maradona has the ball”, stuff like that.” And to the Boca Juniors faithful, he did fit the bill perfectly. Smart and astute on the ball, gifted with an exquisite touch on the ball and ability to turn defenders inside out, showcasing the magic and trickery that they had for long celebrated and cherished. They loved him, revered him and upheld him as the successor to Maradona, and he did his bit to uphold their beliefs. Maybe the only thing he lacked was the speed and burst that Maradona had, and yes he was predominately right-footed. Good enough to be a successor and play the role of an ideal enganche or trequartista; maybe still not as good as Maradona but the closest that the Los Bombonera’s had ever seen to their cult superstar.

Beckham on the other hand, was never your crafty and mesmerizing dribbler. He didn’t do the turns or the tricks, and his first touch and ball control was pretty ordinary. A Paul Scholes or a Ryan Giggs far surpassed him in this regard. As George Best aptly summed it up, “He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn’t score many goals. Apart from that he’s all right.”  Humbling indeed but Beckham was no masquerade – impersonator or a self-eulogizing player. He always knew that he was never going to be like a Pele, dribbling his way through defenders and scoring amazing goals. He knew he wasn’t gifted, but he sure wasn’t ready to accept being a sedentary footballer. Where he lacked with ability, he more than made up with his desire and grit, using his vision and ability to pull off the most difficult of passes and crosses. As Sir Alex famously said, “David Beckham is Britain’s finest striker of a football, not because of god-given talent but because he practices with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn’t care to contemplate.” He grew up as an ACM, but moulded his game to suit the needs of the team, playing as an RM and excelling at the same position. He wasn’t the flashy winger that maybe Giggs was, but he stuck to his limitations, flanking the by-line and ever ready and available to the mid-field players. He didn’t try to beat players with the dribble, or cut inside and shoot booming banana drives. He chose to stick to his task, look for an opportunity to put the ball in the danger area and create for his team.

It is this grit and the absence of it that defined their careers when they moved to Spain. Riquelme and Beckham both made their move to La Liga, suiting up for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Riquelme was snatched up as more of a political signing by the then coach Van Gaal, who made it clear to Riquelme from the beginning itself that he wasn’t a part of his plans and future for the club. They saw it as a foray into the South American market, and looked at him as a prospect that still needed to mature to suit the Blaugranas. Beckham on the other hand was another addition to the already star-studded conglomeration at Madrid and in many ways, completed the Galacticos. Beckam’s status as a global footballing icon was well documented, and his pop-star celebrity driven off-the field lifestyle made him a superstar for the Los Blancos. The jersey sales were at an all-time high and with the added TRP and public interest, the coffers were for sure ringing.

And it was while at their time in Spain that both had to go through the most tumultuous times of their footballing careers. Times that would challenge their character and force them into uncomfortable corners. It was in the face of such challenges that the world would come face-to-face with the real persons behind the footballing superstars.

Riquelme in his time on loan at Villarreal, came across as a needy, egoistic cult player who needed to feel important and loved all the time. In his mind he was always a Maradona, assuming greatness and playing with an air that defied the pantheon and limits of a small club like Villarreal. He did set the La Liga on fire with his exquisite skill on the ball and his play-making abilities, but his attitude always was too buoyant for the liking of his teammates and fans. It was always like: “Why are you surprised that I made that play. Is it a surprise? This is what I do.” He was repeatedly late for training and always grumpy in the ones he attended. Yes, he did deliver the goods on the pitch, but to the dressing room he was an enigma, a wizard that they needed but didn’t want. The players like Sorin and Martin Palermo weren’t too fond of him, and it required the utmost of efforts by Pellegrini to keep the team focused and play through their differences. A signature image of that would be in the Champions league semi-final against Arsenal when Riquelme missed a crucial penalty that could have taken Villarreal to the final. Pellegrini could have lived with the miss, but couldn’t accept Riquelme’s defiance and indifference. Riquelme famously stated, “I didn’t kill anyone. All I did was miss a penalty.” To him it was a minor aberration, but to the highly competitive and hierarchy-driven footballing world, it was a grave mistake and indifference to it was cruel, something that Pellegrini and the club management weren’t ready to forgive.

Beckham on the other hand came across with a lot of baggage to the Los Blancos. Snubbed by his boyhood club, shunned by a manager who was a father-like figure to him and literally kicked by a boot. Yes, he was a superstar but many believed that him joining the Los Blancos was solely for the monetary benefits and to ramp up the jersey sales and global popularity of the team. While Beckham would want to believe it was for footballing reasons too, his first three seasons at the club went trophy-less and didn’t help him much in his path to vindication. England‘s performance at the World Cup didn’t help him much and with the then coach Steve Mcclaren deciding to omit Beckham from his plans, he was staring at the end of the barrel once again. Memories of 1998 still fresh in his mind, he also remembered his path to vindication. The difference was that he then had the protection and support of a certain Sir Alex; now he had to face up against a resilient Fabio Capello, who didn’t see much value in including Beckham in his plans. Beckham however, was not to be denied, drawing on the spirit that saw him put up an imperious performance against Greece to lead England to the 2002 World Cup. He out-worked his teammates in practice and showcased a professionalism and competitiveness that forced Capello to bring him back into the team. He would then go on to put up a starry display, en route to leading the Los Blancos to the La Liga title and forcing Capello to come out in public and accept that maybe he was wrong in his treatment of Beckham. Madrid tried to sign Beckham and hack his proposed move to the MLS, but Beckham had done his part and had earned his vindication. It was time for him to look for a new challenge, an opportunity to earn a legacy and help the MLS earn its identity.

Beckham might have been the celebrity driven player, but he ensured that he did back it with his performances on the pitch and professionalism off it. He did everything that was diplomatic and correct. He made the right moves, hung out with the biggest stars and earned his way into the hearts and minds of fans all over the globe. They loved him for his looks off the pitch and his earnestness on it. Riquelme on the other hand had a very different fortune. He didn’t understand diplomacy, constantly getting in the wrong books of the coaching staff and the management. To his mind, the professional preaching’s wasn’t of much value as he very much remained a football player and never upgraded into being a football star. He spoke his mind, voiced his disgruntlements without the least concern for its repercussions. His latest feud with Falconi was a major reason why the Los Bombonera came up short in the Copa Liberatados final.

And it is the signing off that aptly sums up the careers of these two players. Beckham had his issues at the Galaxy, and had questions raised about his commitment and professionalism. Riquelme was also faced with similar questions. Beckham came up short for three seasons, and with his place in the England side hanging in the balance, he did have his doubts and almost made a move away to Milan. However, if he had failed in some respects, he was man enough to try and set it right. It came as a pleasant surprise to many when he re-signed with the Galaxy in the year 2011 and led them to two consecutive MLS titles. He met many non-believers on the way but he wasn’t going to be denied. Maybe he didn’t have the legs to do it but he still persevered and fought on. Heart of a champion indeed! A feeling quite alien for the enigmatic Argentinian wizard who signed off the disappointing loss with the following statement: “I love this club, I’ll be eternally grateful, but I feel empty, I have nothing more to give. Now I’m going home and going to a barbecue with friends. I’ll apologize to my 9-year-old son for not having been able to win the cup and I will talk to him.”

The Los Bombonera faithful still love and revere him and it is not possible for him to shut them out. Yes, the times are dark and the tunnel is deep. It is what calls upon champions to the fore, and Riquelme hasn’t shown enough character and will-power to turn this tirade and earn a legacy that one can cherish. Emotions and the passion to turn people’s opinions and views were never his forte, as he gave away many an opportunity due to his sheer indifference. He wanted to be loved and respected, but when he was denied the same, he always chose to walk away rather than earn it. When Maradona as coach decided to keep him out of the national squad, despite him being the team’s mainstay, he quitted, saying, “I’ve got my way of doing things and it’s not the same as the coach’s. There’s no doubt in my mind that we can’t work together and I’d rather give my place to someone else.”

If only he had the grit and determination of Beckham, we would have been blessed with a much greater football story and legacy.

PHOENIX, AZ – APRIL 25: Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns during the NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs at US Airways Center on April 25, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Spurs defeated the Suns 110-106.

Ever since my time of watching the game of basketball, I have come to love and understand the connotation and sovereignty of the NBA Draft. The image of a bemused David Stern announcing the annotation and coronation of a new astute and propitious prodigy; a player who an entire city would draw hope from, dream and expect to represent them and  stand true to their fads and whims.

The scene was no different when Stern stood up and announced that, “With the 15^th pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select Steve Nash from the University of Santa Clara.” As, Nash was busy celebrating with his family and still trying to come to terms with the sudden change in his fortunes, the commentators were busy eulogizing the diminutive player hailing from British Columbia, Canada. They lauded his ability to shoot the ball as well as his play-making abilities but even they didn’t sound much convinced.

Everybody was shocked when the Suns chose Nash so early into the draft. The doubts were evident, and a certain section of the Suns fan-base jeered and booed their team’s choice, especially when they already had a roster that boasted of the likes of Kevin Johnson, Sam Cassell and Jason Kidd. Incertitude about Nash was primarily born of the fact that he came out from Santa Clara, a non-existent team on the NCAA circuit, and thus many doubted his temperament and ability to make it big in the NBA. Shades similar to what John Stockton had to go through when he was selected as the 16^th pick from Gonzana in the year 1984.

By, 1996 Stockton’s stocks were on a high, his legacy vindicated, and his talent realized and bedizened by both fans and pundits. Nash came into the league with pretty much the same baggage; a diminutive guard trying to ply his trade among the herculean and gargantuan players in the league. Not so surprisingly, he was referred to as the poor man’s John Stockton.

However, Stockton then was already on his way to basketball immortality, and expecting anyone to match up to his ability was a tall order indeed. Nash was least bothered about that as he set about trying to find his feet in the league, carving a niche for himself. The start wasn’t by any means rosy for him.

PHOENIX, AZ – FEBRUARY 19: Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns moves the ball upcourt during the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at US Airways Center on February 19, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 102-90.

In his first season with the Suns, Nash struggled to find much playing time averaging a meager 10.5 minutes to go along with 3.3 points and 2.1 assists per game. He still was shooting the ball very well and at 42.3% finished the season with the second best 3-pt percentage ever as a Phoenix Suns rookie. However, the savants and the fans hadn’t still warmed up to him as he remained a liability on the defensive end of the floor and with a PER of 10.8 wasn’t setting the offensive end on fire either.

Nash’s playing time significantly increased in his second year with the Suns, as the Suns had traded away Cassell and that allowed him greater responsibility and playing time as the back-up to Kidd. He averaged over 20 minutes per game, and played 72 games for the Suns. His numbers though still not being monumental and titanic, was a significant improvement as he managed to average over 9 ppg to go with 3.4 apg. His PER though still not matching up to his potential was hovering near the league average at 15.6.

Nash was frustrated with his start in the NBA, frustrated with his lack of playing time and embittered with the fact that the fans still hadn’t warmed up to him. Nash in his time at Santa Clara had befriended Donnie Nelson, son of the Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson. On Donnie’s referral Don Nelson pitched in for a trade that brought the talents of Nash to Dallas, while giving away Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells and the draft rights to Pat Garrity and a future first-round pick who would turn out to be Shawn Marion.

Nash’s arrival at Dallas was matched with the serendipitous arrival of another much hyped talent from Germany, Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavericks envisaged fueling their struggling franchise, by adding the two foreigners to the sublime talents of their star player, Michael Finley. The league was interested, but not yet convinced about the legitimacy of such a blue-print. Nash and Nowitzki were welcomed with open arms by the Mavericks, but both players were stepping onto alien roles, and expecting result straight away was too much to ask for.

PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 26: Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the season openning NBA game against the New Orleans Hornets at US Airways Center on December 26, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Hornets defeated the Suns 85-84.

Not surprisingly the duo struggled and the fickle and not so charitable fans had their daggers out. Nash was particularly pedestrian averaging 31.7 mpg, but managing to get only 7.9 ppg to go with 5.5 apg. At a PER of less than 11, and averaging a career low in terms of shooting percentages, he was certainly struggling. The Mavericks fans had developed a violable loathing against him, a feeling they unabashedly expressed by booing him every time he touched the ball. Nash was playing at home, and was booed by his own fans. Clearly, Nash’s journey in the league could not have gone any worse.

It was then that Nash found solace and hope in Nowitzki. The kid from Germany whose struggles were no less than Nash’s, stuttering and falling in his attempts to match up with the physicality and demands of the league. A 7-footer who liked to shoot was an idea alien to the league, and the fans wanted Nowitzki to try and embody a certain Hakeem Olajuwon. He wasn’t a player like Olajuwon and didn’t have much time and acclimatization on his hands; a story much like Nash’s. Deemed unfit for the league, too soft for most fans and savants.

With not much help and inspiration from the fans, the duo had to dig down real deep to find the drive and desire to script a success story out of their flagging careers. Something similar to the lessons that Rocky Balboa imparted to his son in the last movie of the series:

“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that! “

Now, the movie was filmed long after the duo was going through their struggles, but the lesson was certainly not much different. They started to help each other out, put in the extra hours in the gym and keep each other motivated and focused. Their efforts bore fruit as the duo scripted an improbable success story with the Mavericks. Nash had outgrown the 22-year old golden haired kid with dreamy eyes in him. The Nash of 2000-01 was pretty much like a war-hero; his hair was jet black now, his eyes of steel showcasing his belligerent desire to prove his worth. A clear reminiscent of a certain Severus Snape, a wizard with the ball, an unselfish hero at a far greater level; and in many terms with his jet black hair and eyes, a pretty clear connection.

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 21: Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers waits on the court in the game with the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on October 21, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. The Kings won 99-92.

Nash’s numbers in the 2000-01 season and the season onwards showed a rapid improvement. In his next 4 season with the Mavericks he averaged over 16 points and 7.6 assists per game. Riding high on the superlative efforts of their point guard, the Mavericks launched many legitimate play-off runs, but never made it to the Finals. While the trophy cabinet might not have seen many additions, he was certainly setting the NBA stage on fire with his play-making abilities. His ability to throw the most difficult of passes with intrepid ease and comfort, to understand and deploy the toughest of angles, and to have the vision and court-awareness to find an open teammate characterized the league’s newest star point-guard. A throwback to Magic Johnson possibly, he played with a style and panache that the league hadn’t seen from a point guard since a long long time. The seemingly impossible passes, and his leadership and ability as a floor general saw him get into 2 All-star games as well as dominate many a highlight reels.

However, for all the aesthetics, the swagger, the brio and the flamboyance to go with the underdog coming through stories, the Mavericks still didn’t have anything to show for. A second round play-off visit was far less than what the franchise desired from Nash and company. And when Mark Cuban started at the helm, he put an end to the honeymoon. He saw the Mavericks future with Nowitzki as the franchise superstar, and in that pantheon there was no place for Nash. Nash and Nowitzki had always envisioned winning championships together, playing with and for each other. But, Cuban and the Mavericks management weren’t on a similar page and Nash had to look for a new home to ply his trade.

As destiny would have it, Nash signed for the Phoenix Suns. Life had come a full circle for him, as he stood poised on scripting the next chapter of his wondrous basketball journey. Vindication maybe for all the jeers and boos that he was subjected to in his initial days, Nash on his return changed the face of the franchise. United with an offensive genius in Mike D’Antoni, and with a supporting cast of Quentin Richardson, Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire, Nash’s insuperable play-making ability had met its most suitable benefiters. He prospered and posted incredible numbers, averaging 15.5 points and 11.5 assists per game, with a PER of 23.4.

He led the league in assists, a feat that he would repeat 5 times in his forthcoming years at phoenix. The run-and-gun up-tempo basketball style, suited Nash’s strengths and he threw-up some of the most amazing passes that the NBA had ever witnessed. His ability to play the pick and roll was much perpetuated and in a player like Stoudemire, Nash had the perfect foil as he set about re-writing the rules and methods of the set made much popular by Stockton and Malone. His ability to pick the perfect pass, between a maze of defenders and to find the cutting player or the spot-up shooter was the major reason driving the resurgent Suns, as they set the NBA on fire with their lucid offensive repertoire. Showtime had a new home, and the city had a new Prince. Behind the back, between the legs no-look dimes, impossible fade-aways, Clutch shots, Leadership and unselfishness!! . He did it all as he drove the Suns on an exhilarating ride.

Nash had taken the Suns from a 29-53 record to a team that won 62 games and finished as the best offensive team in the league. Much deservedly, he was crowned as the season MVP, an award richly deserved as the season saw the emergence of a great player, a legend. He was the 3^rd point guard ever to win the title and when he repeated the feat in the next year, he joined the illustrious ranks of the likes of magic Johnson as players who won back-to-back MVP titles. He also led the Suns to the Western Conference Finals in the year 2005-06 where they faltered against the eventual NBA Champions in the San Antonio Spurs.

ONTARIO, CA – OCTOBER 10: Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court in the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Citizens Business Bank Arena on October 10, 2012 in Ontario, California.

Nash was filling up the stat-sheet but still longed for the spangle to coronate his NBA career. The dream end maybe, but despite making two trips to the Conference Finals in 2005 and 2008, he failed to get his team through to the NBA Finals.

With the supporting cast of his team falling apart, and with many new faces coming into the Suns franchise, he never had a steady team to build with. When Mike D’Antoni left, many believed the Suns and Nash were done for and many questioned their legitimacy. Nash did his best, using his indomitable play-making abilities to make the likes of Frye, Dudley and Jason Richardson seem much better players than their abilities allowed them. He shone through as an ideal floor general, who allowed his teammates to express themselves freely and play the way they are comfortable. He shared the ball and created opportunities that he knew they could convert. He kept their hope and confidence high, invaluable lessons from his early struggles in the league.

Nash had earned the respect and love of his fans, and was held in much high light by his teammates. He shone through as the only star on the depleted and quotidian Phoenix Suns team, passing his way to glory and taking the team with him. The situation wasn’t easy for him, and had he been a Kobe Bryant he would have already been crying out for changes and transformations. But, that was why he was so special. He chose to shoulder the responsibility, rather than crib about the burden. As the famous lines go:

“When the time comes and you find something standing in front of you, something that ain’t running and ain’t backin up and is hittin on you and your too damn tired to breathe. You find that situation on you, that good, Cuz that’s baptizim under fire! Oh you get thru that and you find the only kind of respect that matters in this world, Self-respect.”

Nash found his share of self-respect, as he grew out of the young and adventurous kid from Canada, into a living legend in the NBA. He is now the 4^th highest in terms of assists, and with a good three years left on his contract, one can expect him to climb many such rungs. A philanthropist, and a true family guy, Nash has certainly fulfilled all the golden rules of being a star.

Be Legendary, Appear Complex, Act Easy, Radiate Presence, Travel Light and Prove Real.

Watch this space for unveiling of the list:
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6.

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9. Steve Nash

10. Dwyane Wade

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – DECEMBER 7: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives past Chris Duhon #21 of the Los Angeles Lakers December 7, 2012 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City defeated Los Angeles 114-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)

Well, the pundits, while drawing up their prediction and expectations from the 2012-13 season, had circled the match against the Thunder and the Lakers as a very special and important match. The Lakers, with their off-season additions, were expected to be the trend-setters in the West and many savants believed that showtime had truly returned back to the city of Los Angeles.

6 weeks into the season, and the story seems to have migrated very far from its dream script. The Lakers have had to play under three different coaches, endure a tedious series where they had their two stars in Gasol and Nash side-lined due to injuries. Suddenly, there were no more smiles around the Lakers squad, and rumors about a grumpy Kobe and altercations between Superman and Bryant started running the rounds. The hype and expectations were at brobdingnagian levels, and if the city of Los Angeles was famed for cherishing its heroes for their foils, they were more than ready to castigate them for their follies.

The last match might have been a rare bright spark for the Lakers as they notched up only their second road-win of the season. Kobe got to 30,000 points and the Lakers beat the inexperienced Hornets comprehensively. However, the humbling loss against the Rockets, when they let the opposition overturn a 12 point deficit to win the game, is still pretty fresh in their minds. The defense isn’t working well enough despite the team boasting of the likes of Howard, MWP and Bryant. They are shooting a dismal percentage from the Free Throw line and with the hack-a-Dwight proving to be a sure winning strategy; teams have been able to cut down on the clutch shooting of Bryant, by forcing Howard to shoot Free Throws deep into the 4^th quarter. The disappointments were there, the disgruntlement was apparent and there was not much of a happy feeling in the camp. The Thunder couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Lakers.

The team from Oklahoma is on a dream run of form, winning their last six games en route to scripting a 15-4 record in the league. The departure of James Harden was expected to hurt the Thunder, but the team seems to have fared better without the reigning NBA 6^th man of the year. Harden’s loss left a huge void which was seen by many to be a major challenge for the Thunder, but it also opened up a window for the players like Westbrook, Kevin Martin and Eric Maynor to take on the responsibility and expand their repertoire even further. And the trio did deliver, especially Westbrook, who is having the best season of his career so far. Westbrook may be often castigated as a ball-hogger and a player who tries to do too much on his own, but this season he has showcased the desire and ability to share the ball and create plays, averaging over 8 dimes a game. 7^th in the league in assists and 5^th in scoring, the supremely talented guard is truly earning his stripes this season. The Thunder is leading the league in points, Field Goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. With such a rich vein of form, the Thunder was expected to easily dispatch the injury-ridden Laker outfit.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – DECEMBER 7: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks inside as Chris Duhon #21 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends December 7, 2012 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma City defeated Los Angeles 114-108. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)

The match started with the Thunder winning the tip, and even before the Lakers could settle into the defensive set Westbrook had already scored on a three off the dribble. Duhon looked perplexed and the shot set the tone for what proved to be a truly spectacular performance. Westbrook was pretty much the story of the first quarter, torching Duhon and the Lakers with 4 three pointers as well as a defiant throw-down at the rim. His best plays included a 4-point opportunity against Duhon and the buzzer beating three to close the first quarter. With Durant shooting only a single shot in the first quarter, Westbrook was the Thunder’s go-to guy as he scored off almost everything he put up, finishing with 17 points for the quarter. For the Lakers, the only bright spark was the play of Howard who grabbed up 10 rebounds in the first quarter itself and showed a desire to post-up on Perkins and create plays for his teammates. He created many open three point shots for the Lakers as well as hand-off many passes to the baseline cutters in MWP and Duhon. Jamison also had a pretty efficient start to the game scoring 6 points and making some very intelligent cuts to the rim. Most importantly he was stretching the floor and keeping Ibaka away from the paint, thus opening up the lane for the Lakers. The Lakers had a pretty good first quarter, getting to the paint and feeding off Howard. The tempo was to D’Antoni’s liking and the Lakers managed to push the ball, space the floor and get some easy buckets. The turnovers and the transition defense were still woeful but somehow the Lakers managed to hold on to a one-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

If D’Antoni saw some positives in the first quarter, then the second and the third quarter was nothing but a pure frustrating 24 minutes for D’Antoni. The passing and floor spacing was nowhere to be seen, as the Lakers conceded several turnovers and with Duhon and Morris struggling with their playmaking duties, the offense seemed to have lost all direction. The players seemed confused on the court, specially the second string who struggled to create a shot for themselves and were craving for Bryant to come up and relieve them of the misery. On the other end, Collison was doing what he does best, as his blue-collared high energy brand of basketball killed the Lakers. He finished the game with 13 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes, but his most crucial contribution was in the 4 charges he drew as well as the numerous off-ball screens he set for Durant. Durant was the major benefiter as he scored 14 points in the 2^nd quarter and had a very efficient game with 36 points on 10-19 shooting as well as shooting 14-16 from the free throw line.

The major problem behind the Lakers demise was their abysmal defensive intensity. The problems with transition defense was clearly evident, and with the Lakers conceding 17 turnovers, the Thunder were quick to capitalize with the fast break points or to score off a semi-transition three pointer. Overall, the Thunder shot an astounding 48% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc. The Thunder had piled on 67 points by half-time and at one point led the Lakers by 19 points. The Lakers didn’t close out on the Thunder quick enough, and were always found waiting on their energy and intensity in transition situations. MWP struggled in the game and wasn’t able to do a good enough job on Durant as he went on a scoring spree. Not surprisingly, D’Antoni chose to close the game out with Kobe playing the SF and guarding Durant.

A major share of the criticism also needs to be levied on Coach Mike D’Antoni, whose management of the minutes and player rotations was horrendous to say the least. Duhon was struggling with his defensive assignments and with Westbrook playing the way he did, D’Antoni would have been better advised to allow someone like Morris a longer run in the first two quarters. Morris is a much better defensive player, and a far more attack-minded guard, someone who would have forced Westbrook to take harder shots and also made him work on the defensive end of the floor. I am not saying that Morris is some offensive wizard, but he does like to get into some pick-and-roll situations and this would have benefited the Lakers far more than the erratic shooting ability of Duhon. Duhon was a no-presence on the offensive end, and virtually left Westbrook with almost nothing to do on the defensive end of the floor. As a result, he remained fresh and finished with 33 points while playing 41 minutes. Further on, with MWP struggling against Durant, D’Antoni could have given Ebanks a longer run. In their last play-off encounter against the Thunder, Ebanks had proved to be the Lakers best defensive weapon against Durant, and D’Antoni could have flirted with that history and experience of Ebanks. Ebanks only got 9 minutes in the whole game, and with MWP lacking the foot speed to keep up with Durant, he conveniently shot his way to 36 points.

Maybe the only bright spark for the Lakers was the performance of their leader Kobe Bryant. Bryant was matched up against the supreme defensive player in Sefolosha, and struggled for major portions of the first half. Sefolosha denied Bryant any easy mid-range post-up opportunity and with their leader struggling, the Lakers seemed headed for a blow-out. However, the black mamba would persevere, scoring many a signature impossible shots in a virtuoso performance for the Lakers. Bryant had a very impressive game, amassing 35 points on 11-24 shooting while also handing out 7 assists. Kobe was made to work for every single thing, and had to score off many an impossible looking shots. He shot threes over double-teams, forced off-balanced fade-aways and made quite a few of them. Bryant tried to create and hand off dimes, but with the team having a bad shooting night he was forced to take on matters into his own hands.

Howard also ended with 23 points and with Bryant led an improbable Laker come-back. With 40.5 seconds left in the game, Duhon hit a clutch three to cut the lead down to just five points. And it was after that Mike D’Antoni took over the Lakers, snuffing out any chance of a shock come from behind win. The Lakers allowed Westbrook to leisurely dribble the ball for 20 seconds before fouling him. They didn’t try to force a steal or put any pressure on him. They could have fouled Perkins but they choose to foul the Thunder’s best free throw shooter. Westbrook made both his shots, and with 20.7 seconds left D’Antoni called a timeout. Off the timeout, D’Antoni called a great play that led to a corner three by Bryant. Mr. Clutch did it again, and the possibility of a comeback loomed large. On the next in-bound play, the Lakers fouled Durant, who made both his free-throws. The clock read 12.7 seconds, as D’Antoni called another time-out. The whole arena knew who would have the ball, when D’Antoni would choose to step up with a counter move, a fake punch by drawing up a play for Meeks. You have the greatest clutch shooter of the last decade and draw up a play that doesn’t get him involved. As a Laker fan, this infuriates me because even though Meeks may have made got you 6 points in the 4^th quarter and scored 17 points, still you never give up the luxury of having a Kobe Bryant. Meeks rose up and ended up shooting an air-ball, pretty much summing up the Lakers campaign so far.

The Thunder were more than happy at the comfortable win, relieved that Kobe didn’t do his thing or rather wasn’t allowed to. They notched up a 7^th consecutive win and the expectation from the franchise is steadily rising. The Lakers on the other hand are struggling to get the bad taste out of their system, and the disappointments and disgruntlements are apparent. They might still be betting on the comebacks of a Steve Nash and Pau Gasol, but neither of the two can do much to solve the Lakers biggest nemesis: – Transition defense. Some problems may be resolved when the duo does come back, but Mike D’Antoni has a real job on his hands if he wishes to turn this insuperable congregation into legitimate title contenders.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 05: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers waits for a play against the New Orleans Hornets at the New Orleans Arena on December 5, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In that particular moment, the player was on verge of accomplishing a truly spectacular feat. As he caught the ball off a Duhon pass and danced his way into the paint to score, the whole basketball fraternity stood up to applaud and revere a true transcendent superstar. The shot was tough, the milestone even more special. The Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant had just scored his 30,000 career point, the 5^th NBA player ever to achieve the feat, and the youngest to get that far.

17 years in the league, five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances. The kid whose introduction to the sport was far away from the glamour and the glitter of the NBA, in the discreet and not so shimmering courts in Italy has truly conquered the much bedizened and celebrated rostrum. His resume seems faultless, and the comparisons to the legendary Michael Jordan are inevitable. The stats might truly prove Jordan to be the better player, but nobody can doubt the fact that Bryant is maybe the closest anybody will ever get to Jordan. LeBron might push his case, but with just a single ring coronating his career, the KING for certain needs more jewels on his crown.

However, there are still many detractors who believe that Kobe’s greatness has often come at the expense of his teammates. His insolence and supreme belief in his abilities often has seen him try to do too much and win games on his own. However, that is how Kobe plays the game. Kobe loves to win and it is this competitive streak that forces him to do so much more than he should.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 05: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers greets NBA commisioner David Stern prior to a game against the New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena on December 5, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For Kobe, it has always been a challenge, a “me against the world” mentality. Maybe this emotion is something that he carried forward from his days at Lower Merion High. The school in Philadelphia was no force to reckon on the state basketball scene, and nobody was ready to give the young teenage kid from Italy much of a chance. In his first year with the team, he failed to make it to the top of the State Championships. After the loss, a dejected Kobe would stand up and claim that he is going to win the Championship the next year.

Nobody gave his prophecy much notice, with his friends trying to coax him and help him get over the loss. But, the Black Mamba was not to be denied as he led Lower Marion to the State Championships next year, playing all five positions and averaging hypnagogic numbers such as 31.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists en route to being named the Pennsylvania Player of the Year. The achievements may not be as significant as its implications, as the experience of playing for Lower Marion pretty much transformed Bryant from being an extremely talented basketball player into a winner. The never-say-die spirit, the defiant attitude and to fight even when all chips are down; qualities that are the driving force behind many of Bryant’s clutch shots.

At Lower Marion High, the players and the coach were more than happy to ride his superlative talents, and allowed him to have his say on the court. However, in the NBA, the situation isn’t quite that simple. Kobe’s determination and desire to win saw him getting into many feuds with the coaches and the players. Be it with Del Harris, or with Shaq. Many of his teammates tried to change his ways, but Bryant was defiant and determined to be the best player he could be, and to be that he needed to always have the ball in his hands. Shaq couldn’t accept that and he left. Smush Parker couldn’t accept that too and thank god that he left. Maybe the best validation to this would be Metta World Peace’s statements after he hit the clutch three against the Celtics in game seven of the NBA Finals.

“He trusted us and made us feel so good and he passed me the ball. He never passes me the ball! And he passed me the ball. Kobe passed me the ball, and I shot a three.”

Well, if your teammate can burn you after winning a Championship, I don’t think the numerous Facebook Trolls and Twitter feeds about Kobe not passing the ball can do much harm.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 05: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a score against the New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena on December 5, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bryant scored his 30,000th point in tonight’s game making him the fifth player in NBA history to reach the achievement.

While Shaq might have been right about Kobe to an extent, Smush Parker for sure can’t be taken seriously, and this is where the ball-hogging syndrome gets so tricky. With Shaq, the Lakers were best served in allowing their offense to flow through him. In the three seasons of 1999-00, 2000-01 and 2001-02, Kobe averaged over 22 shots per game, on 46% shooting and averaging over 3 turn- overs per game. Shaq on the other hand, averaged 19 shots per game, on 57% shooting and also turned the ball over far less. The duo might have done enough to three-peat, but the reasons behind Shaq’s disgruntlement were not so much unjustified.

However, with the team of 2005-06, Kobe had to endure the likes of Parker, Kwame Brown, George and Chris Mihm. He just had no options to go-to, and was forced to do it all on his own, night-in and night-out. The 81-point game against the Rockets was just a true example of what Kobe and the Lakers had to do to win. Not surprisingly Kobe averaged over 27 Field Goals attempts per game, and he did most of them facing against double-teams and had to shoot almost impossible fade-away’s. It wasn’t that he didn’t wish to dish the ball, but if you look at the percentages and offensive ratings, allowing someone like Smush Parker to shoot an open shot was not a sensible choice. It was not that Kobe didn’t wish to trust his teammates; it was just that he knew he shouldn’t give it a shot.

With age, Kobe showed some maturity in his game, and found a way to win while still not compromising on his offensive scoring abilities. He still got his 20 shots per game, but he also tried to read opposition defenses and create plays. And with the injuries to Nash and Blake, the onus was on Bryant to carry the team through.

Bryant did deliver, leading the league in scoring with an average of over 27 ppg. Not bad for a 34 year-old I guess, but a more surprising stat is that the Lakers are 1-7 in matches that Kobe has managed to score over 30 points.

A possible and mush popular explanation is that Kobe has been shooting the ball too much. In the Lakers last loss against the rockets, Kobe ended up with 14-31, and adding the turnovers and assists, Kobe had the ball in more than half of the 82 Laker possessions. The trio of Jamison, Howard and MWP combined for only 27 shots. When you have someone like Howard on the floor and he only manages 9 shots in a game, there is certainly something wrong in the flow of the offense.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 05: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a score against the New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena on December 5, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bryant scored his 30,000th point in tonight’s game making him the fifth player in NBA history to reach the achievement.

However, how much of it is Kobe’s fault? If you look at the season averages so far, Kobe has averaged a total of 19.2 attempts a game and converting on 49% off those shots. This is Kobe’s best career shooting percentage, and his PER of 25.7 puts him among the best in the league. While the trio of Gasol, MWP and Howard would wish to have more attempts, it can’t be simply put down to Kobe’s tendency to shoot the ball too much. Gasol has struggled throughout this campaign, averaging a career low in Field Goal percentage and PER. With D’Antoni emphasis on floor spacing, Gasol has been forced to play more of a stretch-four, and has been mostly forced to roll to the elbow and shoot jumpers. Gasol also is not very effective in a transition game as the dexterous Spaniard has never been known as a run-and-gun player.

His rebounding numbers might still be up, but with his limited time on the low-post, D’Antoni and the Lakers might be giving up on one of the most potent low-post scoring option in the NBA. Gasol and Kobe might still make a very effective pick-and-roll pair, but Gasol’s reduced efficiency and injuries mean that the Lakers have not been able to make the most of this offensive maneuverer. Bryant has always revered and lauded Gasol’s basketball IQ, and has certainly missed Pau on the offensive end of the floor. Not surprisingly his open media statements calling Gasol to wear his big-boy pants, because Kobe needs Gasol to have a good game more than Gasol himself.

Howard on the other hand, has also been struggling to come to terms with the much prevalent hack-a-Dwight strategy. With teams content and predisposed to fouling Howard and sending him to the free-throw line, his productivity has certainly suffered. Howard has not been able to exert himself on the low-post, and in the clutch moments has let the team down at the charity stripe. The match against the Rockets was maybe the best example of how teams could best use the hack-a-Dwight strategy. D’Antoni and the Lakers might choose to let Howard play through the tirade and overcome his frailties, but for now his Free Throw shooting has certainly proved a liability for the Lakers.

Also, MWP and Jamison have provided some bright sparks, but have proved themselves to be too inconsistent and unreliable.

And amidst all this ataxia and mobocracy, the Black Mamba has certainly been the only bright spot for the Lakers. He has tried to play the role of a distributor, and did his best to cover-up for the absence of Nash. In the previous encounter against the Rockets, he ended up getting a triple double and amassing 11 assists. In all of the game so far, Kobe has certainly shown a desire to create for the other players in his team, but with the bench players putting up dismal numbers, and with the trio of Gasol, Howard and MWP having inconsistent stretches of games, his passes and playmaking ability has been largely under-stated.

Kobe hasn’t done much of his isolation post-up sets, and has certainly shown a desire to pass and share the ball. However, the passes and plays will never make it to the stat-sheet, unless the Lakers knock down the shots.

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 02: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers attempts a shot in front of Glen Davis #11 of the Orlando Magic during a 113-103 Magic win at Staples Center on December 2, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.

Kobe thus is left with not so many convincing options. He can’t look to get the ball to Howard often enough, as he knows that he wouldn’t be most certainly allowed to get a shot off. MWP isn’t reliable and Gasol isn’t getting the deep post situations. Thus even though the Lakers try to get the ball moving and rotate it around the perimeter, most of the players look to Bryant to bail them out. And he has done that pretty admirably so far, shooting at a pretty high percentage.

If he is launching a lot more shots than any of his teammates, it is also because he doesn’t have many options to look for. The Lakers know and understand that, and with Nash expected to join the ranks soon enough, the debate about Kobe and his ball-hogging can soon be put to the rest. Even with Nash’s return expect Kobe to launch up a huge volume of shots, because unless D’Antoni figures out a way to get more productivity out of Gasol, and Howard fixes his free-throw nightmares, it is all up to Bryant and Nash to get the Lakers through.

For now, Bryant is surely missing the Canadian wizard. The “Severus Snape” lookalike has his task cut-out when he comes back, and nobody will want him back more than Bryant himself. Till then he is all alone and with the Thunder up-next, expect another herculean effort against the Durant led Thunder. Kobe’s back is against the wall.

The previews and the predictions may go for a comfortable Thunder win, but you never ever discount the Black Mamba.