NBA Update for week of Feb. 28th - through - Mar. 3rd, 2006 Clippers blow out Lakers in "Battle of L.A", round three, 2006" Moose

On Gabriel Morency's Friday Night Freak Show last night, on Sportsrage, Montreal's AM 990, The Team, we first discussed my recent trip to the NBA Allstar game, my first. Also we discussed Morency, who used to live in L.A. (!) and used to go TO CLIPPERS game back in the heyday of 'Showtime' (it was too hard to get Lakers tickets)! Wow! Morency and I used to share some of the same stomping grounds...The Clippers obviously shoed up and the Lakers didn't (except of course Mr. No-Defence, Kobe Bryant, who did score 39 of the Lakers points). Kobe was matched point for point by Clippers Elton Brand, the League's real M.V.P choice. Injury to Clippers starting Centre Chris Kaman who went out early put a bit of a damper on the evening, but Clipper-Nation still rockin' the house with a fat win! The Clippers had lost a shocking five in a row before last night.

The Lakers will face Houston @ Staples Centre Sunday night. I guess you know I won't be watching! But back to last night's game; Kobe Bryant really did all he could but the Clipper, who had lost three of the previous five games by only two points each (plus blowout losses to Dallas and  Houston, in TX road swing), put together four solid quarters and the rest of Kobe's cast played like in a fog throughout. Seven Clippers had scored in double figures, but aside from Kobe with his usually good offencive output, only Chris Mihm (and not even ex-Clipper Lamar Odom) played half-way decent for the Lakers, who finished behind the Clipper and  Golden St. in last in the Pacific Division in '05 in the standing. Even in years past when the Clippers HAVE NOT as good seasons, they usually  get WAAAYYYY up to play their cross-town rivals. Los Angeles is the only  city in the NBA to have two clubs and both have very strong fan support.

Last year the Clippers were fifth in the League in attendance while the Lakers  were fourth, despite their last place finish. Capably broadcasting last night's action for ESPN were ex-Clipper one-time M.V.P, Centre Bill Walton (who's  son Luke, with that weird tattoo on his shoulder plays for the 'other' L.A. men's Pro team) and Brent Musburger, who has done everything from ArenaBowls to NFL E action, to NBA to NFL games in the past. On a more sour note, I didn't appreciate the outburst from 'The Sports Guy', Bill Simmons, a Clipper game-goer, from Boston who grew up a Celtics fan, who usually writes pretty good stuff for ESPN the rag, er, ah, the mag, to assail Oliver Stone (?) and the fine film 'JFK' (like Bill; it's been out 15 years now - get over it!) ? Hey Bill, you're supposed to be the NBA guy, not film critic! It's just on of the reasons I won't re subscribe to that publication. Would you like to go on Tom Valentine's show v. me and debate the JFK assassination?! You'll lose! Now, more California  hoops stuff; Eric 'Pike' Piatkowski's back is better, er, well enough and he's off the Chicago I.R. and played several minutes in their loss to Houston last night. Pike was with the Rockets two years ago. And before that - nine years with the Clips.

The Lakers better wake up soon as the Golden St. Warriors and Sacramento are right on their tales for contention for third place in the Pacific West - not that any of them are playoff material. I know Detroit is kings (now Sacramento) in the East for the moment, but don't bet against Larry Bird & Rick Carlisle's Indiana Pacers or LeBron (Allstar game M.V.P) James Cavs catching up to the Motor City Madmen before it's all over with! That five game skid that the Clips stopped with their blowout of the fLakers last night and the recent trade for Vlad Radmonovic (who get's my gameball for 5-5 on 3's last night) and the encouraging News that both Zelko Rebraka and Corey Maggette could be back soon, should make Clips Coach Mike Dunleavy breath a sigh of relief. Despite the Clips good season all the way around, Maggette has only played four games this year and was averaging 21.1 pts. per game and the Clippers REALLY haven't been all that healthy for like two  years now. Look out League when these guys get well!

Myk thought I was nuts when I did my NBA Previews earlier in the season and I said that with getting Cutino Mobeley and Sam Cassel, I thought the Clips would be in the NBA Finals v.Detroit or Indiana and HE WOULDN'T Publish on our site. He also  admonished me for my pick of the Carolina Hurricanes (or Tampa Bay) v.  Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals and WOULDN'T Post that either! Now, look who's THE MAN! Oh, Al Iverson's teammate, Kyle Korver got a career high 31 (to go with Iverson's 30) to help Philly win last night. More in one-and-a-half weeks!" Moose

NBA Hoops Update: Clippers escape Toronto with a two-point overtime win yesterday...Seven wins in the last nine games and their best franchise start since 1976 - in Buffalo By: Michele DeWalt and Rich 'Moose' Salzer

Michele: "Sam Cassell hit the game winner over Chris Bosh in O.T. as the Los Angeles Clipper won at Air Canada Centre on Sunday afternoon, in Toronto, Ontario. The Clippers have never lost to a Canadian team including the old Vancouver, B.C. Grizzlies (now based in Memphis, an ex-CFL town in Tennessee, U.S.A.)"

Rich: "L.A. Hoops: The red-hot L.A. Clippers, gaining on the Phoenix Suns in the race for first place in the Pacific West Division, won their sixth game in the last eight Saturday night in Boston over the Celtics, 98-81, in the Fleet Centre Arena. M.V.P. candidate Elton Brand's 30 pts lead four Clippers in double figure scoring. Another potential L.A. M.V.P. candidate, Lakers Kobe Bryant, was brilliant (as well, C/F Chris Mihm), shooting 12 of 18 from the field, 9-9 FTs (Mihm was 5-8 FGs, 5-6 FTs) but the fast-fading from the playoff chase Lakers were whipped by the lowly Carolina Bobcats. The Lakers two best players (with F/F Lamar Odom out with a high ankle sprain) were the only ray of hope Saturday night, as their teammates let Bryant & Mihm down by shooting a dismal and Lakers worst ever 15 of 48 in the loss to Charlotte.

"Wow! Moose finally gives some recognition to my #1 player. Lakers Kobe Bryant!" Myk Aussie

Other California Hoops: Golden St., Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy's son as one F, have finally stopped losing, picking up two wins this weekend and are within striking distance of the third place Lakers, which still doesn't make them a lock for the playoffs. Sacramento's Kings have not yet won a game with new acquisition F Ron Artest (0-3) and Coach Rick Adelman's job may be on the line. I fully expect the Maloof Bros. to let Rick Coach out the string for the rest of the season but I don't think he should stock his wardrobe in Kings colours. The trade of top player Peja Stojakovic to Bird's & Carlisle's Indy Pacers was dumb, dumb, dumb. I thought the Maloof bros were so smart. It's like Adelman is sitting on a tree branch sawing himself off!" Moose

 Sue showing some of her Map of Tassie from Myk and Cwoa's Click here

Cwoa Sue emailed me this week saying that she met Andrew Bogut at a function on the weekend. I know that Andrew will know what the Map of Tassie means.

For the recent Aussie Andrew Bogut MYKwebTV interview from the 05 US Aussie Rules Footy Nationals in Milwaukee Click here For my Aussie Lingo Click here

Moose's pro Clippers NBA report. "Kobe returned sort of to earth in the Warriors win over the Lakers. Kobe still scored 30 points which is very good but the Lakers were hammered on National T.V. yesterday, 103-92 by the 35-7 Detroit Pistons. Kobe's abysmal 3-11 on three point shots lost the Lakers the game. The Lakers as a team tied their worst mark ever with only 3-19 on three point shots. Why is Phil Jax' team shooting NINETEEN threes ingame anyway?!

The Clippers have now won five straight and are in second place by 1.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns. Elton Brand continued his serious bid for M.V.P. with 32 points and 20 rebounds in the Clips win over Denver, the second win over the Midwest leading Nuggets in two nights, this time at the Staples Centre. The L.A. Avengers played Arena Football yesterday there and won 40-31 over the Arizona Rattlers. 

From Moose There was a song in the late '70's from a T.V. series called 'Welcome Back'. It could have been used for the Clippers Mr. Irregular Heartbeat, Zelko Rebraka, backup Centre. No, he didn't have big numbers in the Clippers recent win over Division rival Golden St., which dropped 'lil Mike Dunleavy's Warriors to under .500 for the first time this season, in the Clippers 105-92 win @ the L.A. Staples Centre, home of the Clippers and that other Pro men's team in L.A., the Lakers [Kobe Bryant had 81 points v. hapless Toronto the following night. Way to go kid! Now if you would only show a passing interest in playing some Defence once in a while...] The Clippers were actually lead by Chris Kaman, Cutino Mobely and Sam Cassell, in Elton Brand's off night (12 points, on 4-12 shooting. The Clippers are now 3 games back of Phoenix, who lost an amazing game, 152-149, 2 O.T.s, against Carmello Anthony and Denver. The Clippers are still missing their second best player, Corey Maggette, along with F Walt McCarthy (also out with an irregular heart- beat - hey, what's with these Clippers...Well unlike Mike Martz, AT LEAST THEY HAVE hearts)!" Moose

From Moose NBA Update: Clipper really on a roll! Behind Elton Brand's career highs of 35 points and 24 rebounds, the  Clippers won their fourth game in a row and second this week @ home, sweet home in the Staples Centre. I will probably be heading out to L.A. for the Clippers game v. Memphis on Feb. 10th, on the way out to Honolulu for my seventh Pro Bowl.

Earlier in the week, Chris Kaman had career highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds in the Clips win over Seattle, 92-77. Kaman has 16 double- doubles this year, Brand 25. The Clippers are still two games in front  of the fLakers and Golden St. in the NBA's Pacific West Division. The  Phoenix Suns, behind League M.V.P candidate Steve Nash (vegas), are three games up on the Clippers who lost 9 of 15 games at one point this year due to a rash of injuries. Despite having Brand (1 game off), Maggette, Rebraca, McCarty and Livingston miss games with injuries this year, the Clippers have not been below .500 once this season and also not been out of second place. Last year, the Clippers finished with 37 wins (10 games better than the year before) and in third place, with Golden St. fourth and the Lakers dead last in the Division.

In other NBA news, Mike Bibby, of last place in the League's toughest Division, Sacramento (who will no doubt get some players, er, ah, chokers back from the NFL Colts! - Thanks again Scott Baxter!) had a career high 42 points. Sacramento is four games behind Myk's Lakers and Golden St. in the Pacific cellar." Moose

"NFL fans! I have lots of NFL Super Bowls MYKwebTV from Super Bowls 37, 38 and 39.
Super Bowl 37, 38 Click here Super Bowl 39 Click here and lots lots more NFL Comedy and babes MYKwebTV at Me and Moose's Mates Club Click here " Myk Aussie

"New Cwoc Pammy and the real Pamela Grey Cup 05 TV Click here" Myk