:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5047581/158380688.0.jpg)
Dwight Howard is the best center in the NBA. The guy is an outstanding basketball player. I would love, love, love if he was patrolling the paint for the Sixers; and, you know, I might even politely laugh at his terrible jokes, too. But geez, everything this guy touches turns into dysfunction.
Because the Lakers, at this moment, stink.
And this isn't a knock on Howard. Not entirely anyway. The Lakers will get better. And healthier. They even snuck by the Wizards on Friday. Steve Nash may suddenly channel the healing powers of Wolverine and Adrian Peterson, and Antawn Jamison may realize in his 14th year that defense isn't just a free elective course offered for undergrads, like Calligraphy 101, and, heck, Dwight Howard may suddenly turn into Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf at the free throw line.
Hey, it could happen.
But Los Angeles - a team thought to contend with OKC and Miami for the NBA title - is currently a train wreck. No Gasol. No Nash. Chris Duhon is their starting point guard. I said Chris Duhon is their starting point guard. Soon, Kobe will find out he's Smush Parker's Secret Santa, and Mike Levin won't be the only one ripping out his limbs on the west coast. The Lakers fired head coach, Mike Brown, just a few games into the season. They then briefly flirted with Phil Jackson, who only wanted to coach home games on weeknights via Skype from his living room, and eventually settled on Mike D'Antoni. And I get the feeling that D'Antoni isn't having much fun right now.
Then there are our Sixers.
On Friday, Roy wrote, "The Philadelphia 76ers' first game this season without Jrue Holiday wasn't as bad as it could have been." And he's not wrong. The Sixers lost by ten points on the road, and the fan base mumbled a collective shrug of "Well, I've seen worse." Now, this wasn't quite the mantra we rallied behind in the off-season. But when Drew n' Jrue, our decade's answer to Milli Vanilli, are sitting on the end of the bench in street clothes; you can't exactly turn 2-7 off-suit into a straight flush.
So we plod on. Perhaps tonight we can turn garbage into gold.
*UPDATE* Jrue is a game-time decision tonight.
Remember This Boxscore: March 17th, 2009: Sixers win in LA, 94-93
Straying from the obvious here. Sure, there is the '83 Championship team and the Iverson step-over, but we can't let an Iguodala game-winner collect dust in the virtual LB archives. It took me a solid ten minutes of scouring on You Tube - eight of which were spent watching Jewel videos - but I finally found Dre's game winner with Marc Zumoff's call.
(via Chewyfood)
Iguodala for the win...YESSSSSSSSS
Ok, Fine. Your Obligatory Iverson Over Tyronn Lue Clip
Remember This Laker: Elden Campbell
Elden Campbell was an absolute beast in NBA Hangtime for Nintendo '64 (N ‘64's version of NBA Jam). My buddy, Bailey, the same Barenaked Ladies fan from earlier this week, and I would take on all challengers in Manayunk back in '06 and '07. Campbell and Eddie Jones were tough as nails, and probably our 3rd favorite combo behind the Nets' Ed O'Bannon and Shawn Bradley, and Orlando's Horace Grant and Penny Hardaway. I remember obnoxiously telling opponents after an Elden made triple that, "That's Campbell, baby, and it's Mmm, Mmm, good."
Two of my buddies only picked the Bulls (Pippen and Kukoc), because they were lame.
So, yeah, remember Elden Campbell.
Da Bad Guys
Zack Attack or Jesse and the Rippers
Who ya got?
Prediction
101-94, Lakers.
Welcome back, Meeks Family.